If you were only going to watch one episode

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

TOS: Balance of Terror

TNG: Best of Both Worlds I and II

DSN: In the Pale Moonlight

VOY: That captain Proton one with the photonic beings...

ENT: Terra Prime

[CaptainQuantum]

This is not hypothetical for me; my wife has only ever seen one episode - The Inner Light.

She actually admitted that she really liked it, then said "but that's not real Star Trek - there was no spaceships or funny headed aliens". Sigh.

I'd go for either go for the really thought provoking deep episodes (to demonstrate that Trek is not all space battles and technobabble) or just entertaining episodes which don't require too much prior knowledge.

TNG: The Inner Light or Darmok
VOY: One Small Step or Message in a Bottle
DS9: Little Green Men
ENT: Similitude or In a Mirror Darkly (after an explanation of the mirror universe!)

[Bryan Moore]

I hate the "One Episode" deal, even though I've asked a similar question. I don't think it's fair to. If I had to limit it to say, 10 episodes, though, from any series:

Balance of Terror
City on the Edge of Forever
Yesterday's Enterprise
Best of Both Worlds I & 2
Darmock
Duet
The Visitor
In the Pale Moonlight
Eye of the Needle

would do a good job of hitting the major subtexts of the franchise, though.

[Mikey]

She actually admitted that she really liked it, then said "but that's not real Star Trek - there was no spaceships or funny headed aliens". Sigh.

Exactly my point.

I just noticed tonight that one of the new Star Trek movie ads hawks a line from a review which bills the film as "the first 'Star Trek' for everyone."

[Tsukiyumi]

I just noticed tonight that one of the new Star Trek movie ads hawks a line from a review which bills the film as "the first 'Star Trek' for everyone."

Well, like it or not, the studio needs more than fifty people to enjoy Star Trek.

[Aaron]

Hmmm....

TOS: Balance of Terror or Where No Man Has Gone Before
TNG: Best of Both Worlds
DS9: In the Pale Moonlight
VOY: Deny it ever happened
ENT: Deny it ever happened

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

I hate the "One Episode" deal, even though I've asked a similar question. I don't think it's fair to. If I had to limit it to say, 10 episodes, though, from any series:

Balance of Terror
City on the Edge of Forever
Yesterday's Enterprise
Best of Both Worlds I & 2
Darmock
Duet
The Visitor
In the Pale Moonlight
Eye of the Needle

would do a good job of hitting the major subtexts of the franchise, though.

I have to agree. How can ST be summed up in so little? It spans ideals, ideas...

[cbosdell]

Enterprise: Observer Effect
TOS: The City on the Edge of Forever or Balance of Terror
TNG: Darmok or The Best of Both Worlds
DS9: The Visitor or The Way of the Warrior
VOY: Living WItness or Scorpion
TAS: Yesteryear

[Bryan Moore]

My problem is, one episode isn't going to win anyone over. One of the best aspects of all the series (though much less Voyager and Enterprise), is the sense of family that the crew had. The more you watch, the more I find the cast grows on you, especially in The Next Generation, which, by Season 4, felt so close knit, even the worst episodes were watchable, if for no other reason, than seeing the crew interaction. We could list the top 10, 15, 25, even 50 episodes of any franchise, and still be likely to miss out on that familial nature of the crews.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

And with DSN, the problem is tenfold. Their ancilliary characters had more depth than some of the mains on other shows!

[Deepcrush]

DS9 was just that great though.

[Bryan Moore]

And with DSN, the problem is tenfold. Their ancilliary characters had more depth than some of the mains on other shows!

Very true. And I don't mean to crap on Voyager. Rewatching some of it, I enjoyed the series more than I did originally, but the chemistry between the actors seemed so poor compared to other series.

[Tyyr]

If you can cherry pick your Voyager it's decent, a lot like Ent. When you have to slog through 26 episodes of pure crap per season for the 5 to 8 decent ones and you have to deal with them as they come its just painful.

[Lt. Staplic]

My problem is, one episode isn't going to win anyone over. One of the best aspects of all the series (though much less Voyager and Enterprise), is the sense of family that the crew had. The more you watch, the more I find the cast grows on you, especially in The Next Generation, which, by Season 4, felt so close knit, even the worst episodes were watchable, if for no other reason, than seeing the crew interaction. We could list the top 10, 15, 25, even 50 episodes of any franchise, and still be likely to miss out on that familial nature of the crews.

I agree, but she doesn't really have time (or right now the interest) to watch a whole season...If we can show her the better eps then maybe get her interested, and expand from there.

[Sionnach Glic]

Then just show her the "Best Of" selections of TOS and TNG, maybe with some DS9 in there.