recko@brahms.DEC (Tim Recko LTN1-2/B17, 617/486-6220 DTN 229) (02/01/85)
Ok, first, I asked my girlfriend (who is rapidly becoming an avid "trekkie"). Lisa's choices were (in no particular order): Tholian Web - "If I can't stay awake during the four times I've tried to watch this episode, it must be bad." The Way to Eden - "Dumb." Savage Curtain - "Even dumber." The Enterprise Incident - "Went against everything that the show preached." My choices (with top three and honourable mentions): 1. The Enterprise Incident: This was more than just a bad episode, it was downright immoral, saying "It's ok for me to do it to you, but not ok for you to do it to me." It angers me every time it comes on. 2. The Cloud Miners: Good idea by David Gerrold gone bad. Gerrold himself summed it up best when he said "...give the little darkies gas masks and they'll happily pick the cotton. Something got lost in the translation." 3. Requium for Methusela: Kirk at his absolute worst. It's one thing to have the hots, but I can't believe (and this has been shown not to be true time and time again) that James T. would risk his crew and (god forbid) *his ship* over a person of the female persuasion. The above group I think are more than *bad episodes*, but I find offensive because of the kind of messages that they preach. Treachery, oppression, and stereotypes; not good stuff from the people who did things like 'The Menagerie' and 'City on the Edge of Forever.' Below are the honorable mentions, not bad in the same way as above, but unusually inconsistent or simply stupid ideas. Spock's Brain: "Right index finger" "Check" "Right wrist" "Check" What a waste of good film. Gamesters of Triskelion: This has to be the best example of Gerrold's "Priestesses of the Cosmic Brassiere" story from 'The World of Star Trek;' really the kind of story that brought about the series' end. Wink of an Eye: The time difference is the problem here. The Scalosian's time would not permit events to happen as they do. Alternative Factor: Does anyone really care "What of Lazarus"? And wouldn't an anti-matter man last only about a pico- second in a matter universe? Hey, that was fun, a good flame must be good for the soul! tr (tim recko, DEC, Littleton, MA)