Kirk: Where's your crew? Decker: On the third planet Kirk: There is no third planet Decker: Don't you think I know that? My favorite Star Trek line ever.
@@francinegee9997 My brother thought it was way over the top, but I said: "how about you travel to another part of the galaxy at warp 9 in a starship then watch a space monster destroy an entire planet along with all 200+ members of your crew and see how you react afterwards?" I mean, literally, there is no way to encapsulate all that trauma in one brief scene, but somehow the actor does it!
Always happy to see you've left us some goodies while you're recuperating. I don't want to see you pushing yourself, Ms Jessie. 😠 So take your time, be well, and live long & prosper. 🖖
My favorite will always be Balance of Terror. The Submarine plot madenit excellent, and the Romulan Commander being such a sympathetic character who is basically an unwilling villain that is war weary and whatnot made this feel personal and viceral.
I feel the one missing episode is the Corbomite Maneuver. I think that’s up there among the “this is Star Trek” episodes. Hope your recovery is going well.
Everyone's "fun episode" is usually The Trouble With Tribbles, but for me personally I love A Piece of the Action for it's sheer over the top concept. Shatner's accent is hilarious and Spock actually looks pretty bad ass as a gangster. That being said I loved your list and can't wait to see more.
Amok Time is probably my favorite, if for no other reason than I think this was the first time we see Spock emotional without an outside force like a virus or spore bringing it out of him. Just the pure joy on his face when he sees Kirk is okay :')
As far as season 3 episodes go, I was very fond of "Is There In Truth No Beauty" - very interesting alien concept, combined with giving us some surprise disability representation and a woman who stubbornly refused to be a 60s stereotype. Can't bring myself to disagree with your list, though, some real gems here and for very well-thought-out reasons!
I would put that one, "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky", "All Our Yesterdays", and "The Empath" on my personal list. Maybe also "The Tholian Web". The problem with the third season in my opinion isn't that it's universally bad, it's more that it's terribly inconsistent and vacilates between solid episodes and utter dreck, like "The Way to Eden".
I did like her character, sadly I can’t stomach the way everyone else treats her. The dinner scene with Kirk calling her a lovely woman and it’ll be a shame for them to lose her when she marries, it’s just smeared in sleaze. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I know what most of those midcentury euphemisms really meant, so I can’t help but hear the ways all the men at the table are leering over her appearance rather than appreciating her skills.
@@kaitlyn__L You're not wrong. And after Kirk boasts about the Federation's gender equality in the same episode, too. But the fact that she stood up for herself in that environment and never once let their attitudes define her was a big part of why I liked her.
1) I hope your recovery is going well! 2) My two favourite TOS episodes are The Trouble with Tribbles and The Devil in the Dark. Tribbles is near the top of my list because it's just fun. But The Devil in the Dark is there because I remember watching it with my parents, and telling them how I thought silicon-based life forms were a really cool and unique idea, and then my dad (who is a pretty big classic sci-fi nerd) telling me about how it was actually a not-uncommon idea in sci-fi writing at the time. I can't remember for the life of me the titles now, but he showed me the anthologies and novels in his collection that had that concept. It's a very important memory to me. :)
Okay, I am surprised you left out "The Menagerie". It's a very Spock episode; it gives us Pike and Number One as part of the canon; we got Malachi Throne, who made several more contributions to Trek as an actor over the decades. Not mad about it, though, and hope you're recovering easily.
But a true Spock list wouldn't be complete without This Side of Paradise, and of course, Spock's Brain. 😜 Kidding on the last one, but I do think This Side of Paradise captures a lot of what makes City on the Edge of Forever work well. This time it's Spock's sacrifice instead of Kirk's.
My grandfather, Don Peters, actually painted a lotta the backgrounds for *The Animated Series* and several other Filmation series. But it was very much a “factory” environment, so I’m vague as to which other shows he worked on. I remember seeing specs for some iteration of Batman. And Tarzan… I tHiNk? Even a few projects that never actually aired. He retired, thereabouts, shortly after the original *She-Ra* aired… got a helluva pension, too…
Great list! I also enjoyed A Piece of the Action (just because it’s fun to count how many times our guys get captured), and Assignment Earth, for many reasons not the least of which is watching the beautiful black cat (I forget her name) perch on Gary Seven’s back as he’s working on the NASA rocket.
Having watched the whole video: 🤎❤🧡💛 Gute Besserung 💚💙💜🖤 and thank you so much for this video! Shitner's "acting" gives me serious Uncanny Valley creeps, so I have thus far avoided TOS. With your list as my guide I may finally manage to get some idea of what TOS was about.
Glad to see "Where No Man Has Gone Before" get some love. Always been one of my favorites. It shows a thematic connection between TOS and _Forbidden Planet_. And I like how Kirk and Spock are characterized. Spock's bluntly aware of the situation, and Kirk has to come to Spock's point of view. "Devil in the Dark" is similar in that regard with a bit of a switch-up.
When I was a kid, I used to play the tabletop game, Star Fleet Battles, firmly set in the TOS era.Balance ofTerro totally made me love Romluans. No disruptors thank you, I want to see my enemY running for their lives as my Plasma torpedo barreling towards them, only to cloak againinto the ether... this episode is what inspired that love
I agree. "Balance of Terror" is my favorite, too. Interesting note about "Devil in the Dark": the week they filmed that one, William Shatner was in Toronto for his father's funeral. After the service, he returned to LA and filmed all his scenes in two days, they even shot on Sunday, which they didn't usually do.
I grew up with TOS reruns and TAS. I was almost a teen when the first movie came out. I'd be hard pressed to rank them, and I need to get back to a rewatch. Looking forward to your comments. I always wondered what happened to some of those aliens and planets after the episodes. And I always wished we could've had Majel Barrett Roddenberry return as Pike's Number One, such a great, intriguing character we didn't get to see enough of. It'd be great to get another rogue like Harry Mudd or Cyrano Jones in SNW, but I do hope they don't introduce TOS characters too early too often. Still, I've really been enjoying the new show, and still looking forward to the second half of Prodigy, with no news yet when it will be aired. Live Long and Prosper! -- Anyone for Plomeek Soup? :D
The two TOS Roman episodes give us a solid feel for the Romans, and Amok Time and Journey to Babel show us the Vulcans have some issues with their supposed logic and disdain for humans. Later Trek series tended to have the Romans devolve into conniving, false, sneaky villains, always plotting. I much prefer the TOS Romulans. Also, how come we never got an action figure for the female Roman commander?
I’ve always hated Cyrano Jones but Mudd is an absolute delight so I get why rogues appeal to you. Harry himself does return, though with a different take on the character, in Discovery, if that interests you, and DS9’s Quark fits the rogue mold while being a series regular!
I love you, Jessie. I recently watched your “How Voyager overcame its flaws video” and it made me all warm and fuzzy. You’re one of the best Trek creators on here. There are so many rude and “holier than thou” Trek fans on the internet that UA-cam is the only place I’m able to find nice Trek fans. Which is so ironic considering Star Trek is supposed to be about being one community despite everyone’s differences.
A very nice list. I would have included "Errand of Mercy" and "This Side of Paradise". And I have a personal favorite humorous episode, "A Piece of the Action". Hoping all goes well with your operation.
Hi Jesse. I am very happy to have discovered you. I am a Trek van going all the way back to the early 1970s. I have watched TOS all the way through so many times I have actually lost count. Now, with this age of social media, I love being able to find so many other like-minded Trek fans like you; especially ones that are quirky, nerdy, and very intelligent (likely working or studying in a STEM field). So, I will be following you and all of the Trekkie goodness you publish. LLaP, m'Dear.😊
Really enjoyable watch and I'm looking forward to the other lists! My personal favorite of TOS is Errand of Mercy (especially considering that the central theme was using a third-party as a buffer between two empires, aired in 1967 no less!), and there's a lot to enjoy across all the ones you listed. Another great thing about Trouble with Tribbles is that despite being a comedic episode it really holds up on rewatch(es). You get to notice more background details -- my favorite is the pained expression on Scotty's face when Kirk finally orders him to go down on shore leave, as if he just knows he's gonna get into a barfight with the Klingons two scenes later.
Solid list. My desert island Top 4: 4. _TOS_ "Assignment: Earth" - dig this groovy, off-beat ep; young Teri Garr is hilarious 3. _TAS_ "Beyond the Farthest Star" - those music cues, that '70s animation - can't get enough 2. _TOS_ "Journey To Babel" - so _TNG,_ could easily be a Picard diplomacy/Lwaxana Troi ep 1. _TOS_ "The Conscience Of The King" - a grounded, deeply underrated political thriller ep *If you're on downtime, 1967's classic 17 ep political/psychedelic sci-fi series _The Prisoner_ is recommended
In no particular order: Devil in the Dark (you're spot-on: it does really speak to what makes Star Trek special. When I introduce new people to TOS, this is the one I show them), Balance of Terror, City on the Edge of Forever, The Tholian Web, Amok Time, Space Seed, Mirror Mirror, Doomsday Machine, Trouble With Tribbles (Scotty shines in this one).
I'm so glad you included the animated series. I feel like it gets shunned sometimes. And the Balance of Terror is my favorite episode too! I hope your surgery went well.
“The Corbomit Maneuver” #1 I love that episode. It is so obviously the true Original Episode. And the juxtaposing Spoke’s chess mine set with Kirk’s poker one os just genius.
Wow. I haven't seen Balance of Terror in a long time, & Mark Leonard's last line just *hit me in the chest* like it did when I was a little kid. 🥺 Such a good actor. Thanks for this list, Jessie! I hope you're healing well!
My top 10 looks very similar. I would swap out Trouble with Tribbles for Space Seed. But that is the fun with lists. Well done Jessie. ❤ When TOS gets remembered. My first great show as a child in syndication. 💋
Love the list. My comments, for what they're worth: Devil in the Dark should be way, way higher. To me, it is *the* archetypal Star Trek TOS episode (even if Doomsday Machine and Balance of Terror are my favorites). The monster isn't a monster, it's a sentient being, a mother defending its young. It doesn't really want to hurt people, and can be negotiated with, if you're willing to listen. Tribbles is fantastic. I love the bit where McCoy calls the "bisexual," which is...not what that means now. :P Day of the Dove is probably the best of the Season 3 episodes. It does really well with the reduced budget bottle episode concept that Season 3 necessitated.
My top 10: 1. Amok Time (one of the few original series episodes where the Enterprise is exploring a new civilization) 2. Balance of Terror 3. A Taste of Armagedon 4. Spectre of the Gun 5. The Changling 6. Day of the Dove 7. Catspaw 8. That Which Survives 9. Journey to Babel 10. The Squire of Gothos
Hope you're feeling better. Pretty solid list. Can't really seriously disagree with anything on it. Glad you included the animated series. It's under appreciated and had some great episodes. Only grumble is I would have included 'A piece of the action'. One of my favs. Just a fun romp of a story.
Hope your recovery from surgery is going well! This was a fun episode! I love that Balance of Terror was your number one! It's one of my dad and I's shared favorites in the series and I always enjoy watching it because of that, so glad to see it getting talked about :)
Well wishes for your recovery!!! Not a bad list. May I also suggest: "It's Naked Time" may not be a great episode but I will always have a soft spot for shirtless epee wielding Sulu. Who doesn't? It also gave us (indirectly) Yar and Data, and the Lower Decks scene that led to your whole Sex in Star Trek series. All Our Yesterdays if only for Spock telling McCoy, "I don't like that. I don't think I ever did."
Great ranking. Thank you Jessie for being so thoughtful, preparing videos prior to your surgery, so your channels would keep going whilst you recover. 😍🌟 This video made me think of watching TOS again, I haven't done so in many years. I must fix my computer first....I have been struggling with my health condition and my being weak has seriously hindered my fixing the computer. I hope you are recovering well and are happy with your surgery results. Live long and prosper ✨ 🙌 🖖
It's all subjective but i love hearing you talk about why these episodes are your favorites and makes me want to go back and view them in a different context.
Hope you recover well. I just had skin cancer surgery. I like your list - it's so hard to do - in my mind I have a list for favorite fun episodes, favorite dramatic episodes, and favorite adventure episodes.
Jessie I love ya. One of your best reviews ever. I hope you're feeling well and doing well Jesse on your recovery your top 10 were right on those are all my favorite episodes my number one would have been the Doomsday Machine that's my favorite but the balance of Terror was another good one and it always reminds me of that movie Enemy below with Robert Mitchum and Curt Jurgens I'm glad you put the Star Trek the Animated Series in your review it was a very good thing to do there were a lot of good episodes in the series some fans I spoke to over the years even consider the Animated Series to be season 4 and 5 because some of the episodes were episodes that Gene had planned for season 4 and 5 which we know did not happen I will give you an example there was an episode of the animated series called more Tribbles more troubles from what I've read that was an actual sequel to The Trouble with Tribbles That was supposed to be I think in the season 4 which of course we know didn't happen so he made it into one of the animated series episodes I'm glad you had those honorable mentions like space seed the Galileo seven those were all good ones too one piece of information for you the female Romulan commander in the Enterprise incident they recently online made an episode of Star Trek as a two-parter called to boldly go and the daughter of that lady reprise her role that her mother played as a Romulan Commander when they meet up again years later in the Star Trek universe she helps them stop a group of humans that have developed the abilities that Gary Mitchell did in the episode where no man has gone before I think the show was called Star Trek Continues I watched just about everyone they've made on UA-cam and they're pretty good they even use the sets did I think a gentleman by the name of James cromley I think his name was had built he's an Elvis impersonator but he's also a huge Star Trek fan he had all the sets on the original series rebuilt and now there's guided tours so you can go through there and you can go and see it I remember one particular episode William Shatner came to see it I remember one particular episode where Gil Gerard who was Buck Rogers in the 80s showed up and one of the episodes playing an admiral informing Kirk of his orders I'm looking forward to your review of Star Trek the Next Generation Andy Space Nine and the rest. Take it easy jessie get some rest. I'm off this week on vacation. my moms 85th birthday is Wednesday and were planning on doing things this week for her for her birthday.🖖🏼peace and long life to you my friend.
10) Spock's Brain Yes I adore this episode along with Move Along Home and Subrosa. It's pretty much the "The Room" of Star Trek 9) The Immunity Syndrome 8) The Doomsday Machine 7) The Deadly Years 6) The Enterprise Incident 5) The Day of the Dove 4) Amok Time 3) A Piece of the Action 1 Tie) Journey to Babel 1 Tie) Balance of Terror
All the well wishes in the world Jessie! ❤️ Great plan for a vlog, and very impressed you watched ALL the eps over the last 2 or 3 yrs, that’s amazing, and a lot!
definitely agree with Balance of Terror! i especially love the context it was made in and how ignorance, pride, and prejudice often cloud our views of reality and reason. and the romulan cmdr is such a stand out character/performance that perfectly encapsulates the toll war takes on you i would personally add This Side of Paradise bc i read it through the lens of mental illnesses like depression and ocd. i just think it deals with emotional burnout and emotional repression really well
A great list of episodes and analysis of the show and you've made me want to go back and watch the animated series. I hope that your convalescence is speedy. Thanks for creating a fun and informative channel.
You've inspired me to write my own list Jessie! My favourite 10 episodes of TOS: 10 Encounter at Farpoint 9 Scorpion 8 In the Pale Moonlight 7 Spocks Brain 6 Shockwave Part 2 5 Moist Vessel 4 War is the H Word 3 Genesis of the Daleks 2 Daffodil 1 The Spanish inquisition (Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!) Nah for real, that's a solid list and I hope you're recuperating and resting up!
I really can't believe "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" wasn't on the list nor honorable mention. I think that one is one of the best as far as a message goes
I appreciate everything on this list, but I just have to mention a few more; A Taste of Armageddon (prescient to our era of digital warfare where drones and smart missiles do the dirty work), A Piece of the Action (schlocky gangster fun), The Mark of Gideon (just so fucking weird), The Squire of Gothos (such fun, and for sure the inspiration for Q), Shore Leave (again, just fun). I'm glad that you included the Animated Series because while short and the animation quality was rough, there were a lot of interesting stories and ideas there.
I like your list, but not even an honorable mention for the Corbomite Maneuver? I love it, including the goofy music and the puppet-that-is-obviously-a-puppet being revealed as a puppet? Asidde from that, it's a great episode for characterizing Kirk and when Bailey has a breakdown on the bridge, it's always struck me how well the rest of the crew maintains composure.
Can't argue with any of your picks, great episodes all. I've always felt the The Enterprise Incident was the best of season 3. Found out from reading the book These are the Voyages Vol.1 that the bridge scenes for The City on the Edge of Forever were filmed on the day I was born. I enjoy the channel. Keep up the great work and get well soon.
I know that most folks really don't like this one, but one of my favorites is The Way To Eden. It's the jam sessions that get me. Instead of having Charles Napier play the gruff military man he's usually pigeonholed into playing, they've got him as a guitar playing hippie. Love it!
Love this video!! I must say my favourites are the ones with more Spock and vulcan culture like Amok Time haha I'd love to hear what you think of Tholian Web too
One of TNGs best "what is this thing?" Is the Crystalline Entity. It's this evil giant crystal Christmas tree that for some reason needs to burn worlds....because it's its thing it does.
As soon as I saw that city on the edge of forever was number 2, there was no doubt in my mind what would be number one. It’s also hands down my favorite episode of the original series too. Masterpiece!
It's funny going back and seeing the old episodes watching discovery and thinking about Burnham and reading into how what happened there affected Spock and Sarek and reinterpreting their troubled interactions.
Hi Jessie, just wanted to say I'm very happy about every bit of content not referencing SNWs as we're still waiting for it on the old continent. Regarding your selection i widely agree, though I might have mentioned one of the Mudd episodes or the cage.
Lot of good choices in top 10. Only one I would have add Ultimate Computer or Shore Leave . Your #1 is a really good choice , I prefer Doomsday Machine but it's all just personal taste .
Hope your recovery is going well and the pain is subsiding. I grew up on TOS and for me the best episode was The Corbomite Maneuver. Other episodes move around on my list but this one is consistently at number 1. And it has Clint Howard which is another plus.
Oh wow, you went for my favourite! Wasn't expecting that. I think it's pure class - so simple yet so gripping. I also think it was a big inspiration for Wrath of Khan
Excellent choices for your top 10! I imagine if I had put together such a list, it would have looked quite similar to yours. Mr. Spock may just be the best Star Trek character ever created.
What's great about watching these episodes is you see how things were written differently in the 60's. You had whole episodes with long dialog and fairly interesting plots. It wasn't quips with quick cutting. Compare an entire episode of Devil in the Dark with the Tardigrade story line in Discovery, or City on the Edge of Forever with Kirk finding homeless people to a similar scene in Star Treck Picard season 2 when Raffi and 7 see homeless people. Kheeler is able to have several lines describing an optimistic future where people reach for the stars.
I ,too, mix and match TOS&TAS for my Top Ten. 10. Jihad 9. Devil In The Dark 8. Amok Time 7. Yesteryear 6. Balance of Terror 5. City On The Edge of Forever 4. Magicks of Megas -Tu 3. Trouble With Tribbles 2,Where No Man Has Gone Before . Before my Number1, let's do my honorable mentions : I, Mudd, Arena, Slaver Weapon, Bem, and Mudd's Passion. My #1 is Day Of The Dove, the first episode that hinted at layers in Klingon Culture (as well as the appearance of a certain hottie of an actor named Ansara...boy, was I jealous of Barbara Eden!)
I love this list! And agree with most of it; Balance of Terror is just one of the tensest and best episodes of anything, although I (shock horror) don't actually like City on the Edge of Forever very much! You've definitely got me thinking about watching the Animated Series through properly though. I hope your recovery is going well!
I really enjoyed that. It's a long time since I've even thought about the animated episodes. I also had figured as the list counted down that surely Balance of Terror would be at the top. I'd also put in a vote for Corbomite Maneuver (my Australian spellcheck does not want to spell that word that way) as one that I always find myself sticking around to watch if I channel surf into it. And I hope your surgery went well and that you are resting and getting lots of nice pain killers to pass the time.
I haven't thought about it that much since I finished TOS for the first time a couple months ago, but I think my list would be pretty similar to yours. The one episode that would definitely be in my top ten that you didn't include is And the Children Shall Lead. It's the episode that got me the closest to actually crying and I love it's message about the importance of letting yourself feel everything, even (and maybe especially) more difficult emotions like sadness and grief. I feel like if I had internalized that idea as a kid, it might have made my life much easier. Letting myself feel things and expressing those feelings to others is still something I struggle with sometimes. I would also add A Piece of the Action, at least as an honorable mention just because it's so fun to watch.
Kirk: Where's your crew?
Decker: On the third planet
Kirk: There is no third planet
Decker: Don't you think I know that?
My favorite Star Trek line ever.
For a skilled actor, intense emotion can be easier than subtle, but boy, did William Windom knock that episode out of the park.
@@francinegee9997 My brother thought it was way over the top, but I said: "how about you travel to another part of the galaxy at warp 9 in a starship then watch a space monster destroy an entire planet along with all 200+ members of your crew and see how you react afterwards?" I mean, literally, there is no way to encapsulate all that trauma in one brief scene, but somehow the actor does it!
The best episode!
Always happy to see you've left us some goodies while you're recuperating. I don't want to see you pushing yourself, Ms Jessie. 😠 So take your time, be well, and live long & prosper. 🖖
Yup greatings from Earth alien gender where did you ‘trans’port from ?
My favorite will always be Balance of Terror. The Submarine plot madenit excellent, and the Romulan Commander being such a sympathetic character who is basically an unwilling villain that is war weary and whatnot made this feel personal and viceral.
I feel the one missing episode is the Corbomite Maneuver. I think that’s up there among the “this is Star Trek” episodes.
Hope your recovery is going well.
Agreed! Corbomite is a standout I think
Everyone's "fun episode" is usually The Trouble With Tribbles, but for me personally I love A Piece of the Action for it's sheer over the top concept. Shatner's accent is hilarious and Spock actually looks pretty bad ass as a gangster. That being said I loved your list and can't wait to see more.
I loves me a good game of fizzbin. 😅
Amok Time is probably my favorite, if for no other reason than I think this was the first time we see Spock emotional without an outside force like a virus or spore bringing it out of him. Just the pure joy on his face when he sees Kirk is okay :')
I like Plato’s Stepchildren but it’s basically entirely due to Michael Dunn & his performance as Alexander.
Hope your recovery is going well Jessie!
As far as season 3 episodes go, I was very fond of "Is There In Truth No Beauty" - very interesting alien concept, combined with giving us some surprise disability representation and a woman who stubbornly refused to be a 60s stereotype.
Can't bring myself to disagree with your list, though, some real gems here and for very well-thought-out reasons!
Great episode!
I loved that one! She was well written and you could understand where she came from.
I would put that one, "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky", "All Our Yesterdays", and "The Empath" on my personal list. Maybe also "The Tholian Web". The problem with the third season in my opinion isn't that it's universally bad, it's more that it's terribly inconsistent and vacilates between solid episodes and utter dreck, like "The Way to Eden".
I did like her character, sadly I can’t stomach the way everyone else treats her. The dinner scene with Kirk calling her a lovely woman and it’ll be a shame for them to lose her when she marries, it’s just smeared in sleaze. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I know what most of those midcentury euphemisms really meant, so I can’t help but hear the ways all the men at the table are leering over her appearance rather than appreciating her skills.
@@kaitlyn__L You're not wrong. And after Kirk boasts about the Federation's gender equality in the same episode, too. But the fact that she stood up for herself in that environment and never once let their attitudes define her was a big part of why I liked her.
1) I hope your recovery is going well!
2) My two favourite TOS episodes are The Trouble with Tribbles and The Devil in the Dark. Tribbles is near the top of my list because it's just fun. But The Devil in the Dark is there because I remember watching it with my parents, and telling them how I thought silicon-based life forms were a really cool and unique idea, and then my dad (who is a pretty big classic sci-fi nerd) telling me about how it was actually a not-uncommon idea in sci-fi writing at the time. I can't remember for the life of me the titles now, but he showed me the anthologies and novels in his collection that had that concept. It's a very important memory to me. :)
NO KILL I
Me: "Thank you so much for making this video!"
Jessie: "Aw, now, it was no Tribble!"
Okay, I am surprised you left out "The Menagerie". It's a very Spock episode; it gives us Pike and Number One as part of the canon; we got Malachi Throne, who made several more contributions to Trek as an actor over the decades. Not mad about it, though, and hope you're recovering easily.
The Enterprise Incident is either my favourite or second favourite TOS episode, depending on how I feel about Balance of Terror on any given day.
By a mile my favourite episode ..SiFi ...spy/espionage thriller.....romance.....comedy......it's all there.....fabulous colors too ..
Anything that gives us Spock lore has to be up there, and you did not disappoint on that score. Hope all is well and healing nicely! ❤️
But a true Spock list wouldn't be complete without This Side of Paradise, and of course, Spock's Brain. 😜
Kidding on the last one, but I do think This Side of Paradise captures a lot of what makes City on the Edge of Forever work well. This time it's Spock's sacrifice instead of Kirk's.
My grandfather, Don Peters, actually painted a lotta the backgrounds for *The Animated Series* and several other Filmation series.
But it was very much a “factory” environment, so I’m vague as to which other shows he worked on. I remember seeing specs for some iteration of Batman. And Tarzan… I tHiNk? Even a few projects that never actually aired.
He retired, thereabouts, shortly after the original *She-Ra* aired… got a helluva pension, too…
The Tribble episodes of TOS and DS9 are two of my favorites!
I hope you are resting and healing well!
Spock's best line ever: 'He knows, doctor, he knows."
Great list! I also enjoyed A Piece of the Action (just because it’s fun to count how many times our guys get captured), and Assignment Earth, for many reasons not the least of which is watching the beautiful black cat (I forget her name) perch on Gary Seven’s back as he’s working on the NASA rocket.
0:33 EVERY episode? ALL of them?!! Cue excited squealing and hand flapping
Having watched the whole video: 🤎❤🧡💛 Gute Besserung 💚💙💜🖤 and thank you so much for this video! Shitner's "acting" gives me serious Uncanny Valley creeps, so I have thus far avoided TOS. With your list as my guide I may finally manage to get some idea of what TOS was about.
Glad to see "Where No Man Has Gone Before" get some love. Always been one of my favorites. It shows a thematic connection between TOS and _Forbidden Planet_. And I like how Kirk and Spock are characterized. Spock's bluntly aware of the situation, and Kirk has to come to Spock's point of view. "Devil in the Dark" is similar in that regard with a bit of a switch-up.
Love your list for the most part. Some other honorable mentions:
- The Ultimate Computer
- Conscience of the King
- Errand of Mercy
- The Menagerie
Very fond of "Conscience of the King" myself
"Logic is a pretty flower that smells bad."
@@TheSingularParent "Are you sure your circuits are registering correctly? Your ears are green!"
@@merri-toddwebster2473 Conscience of the King is very under-rated.
@@kmoore02809 people write academic papers about the use of Shakespeare in Star Trek, and I think that's only right
When I was a kid, I used to play the tabletop game, Star Fleet Battles, firmly set in the TOS era.Balance ofTerro totally made me love Romluans. No disruptors thank you, I want to see my enemY running for their lives as my Plasma torpedo barreling towards them, only to cloak againinto the ether... this episode is what inspired that love
Loved that game.
I agree. "Balance of Terror" is my favorite, too.
Interesting note about "Devil in the Dark": the week they filmed that one, William Shatner was in Toronto for his father's funeral. After the service, he returned to LA and filmed all his scenes in two days, they even shot on Sunday, which they didn't usually do.
I grew up with TOS reruns and TAS. I was almost a teen when the first movie came out. I'd be hard pressed to rank them, and I need to get back to a rewatch. Looking forward to your comments. I always wondered what happened to some of those aliens and planets after the episodes. And I always wished we could've had Majel Barrett Roddenberry return as Pike's Number One, such a great, intriguing character we didn't get to see enough of. It'd be great to get another rogue like Harry Mudd or Cyrano Jones in SNW, but I do hope they don't introduce TOS characters too early too often. Still, I've really been enjoying the new show, and still looking forward to the second half of Prodigy, with no news yet when it will be aired. Live Long and Prosper! -- Anyone for Plomeek Soup? :D
The two TOS Roman episodes give us a solid feel for the Romans, and Amok Time and Journey to Babel show us the Vulcans have some issues with their supposed logic and disdain for humans. Later Trek series tended to have the Romans devolve into conniving, false, sneaky villains, always plotting. I much prefer the TOS Romulans. Also, how come we never got an action figure for the female Roman commander?
Romulan. Romulan. Dang auto-correct is clearly not a science fiction fan.
I’ve always hated Cyrano Jones but Mudd is an absolute delight so I get why rogues appeal to you.
Harry himself does return, though with a different take on the character, in Discovery, if that interests you, and DS9’s Quark fits the rogue mold while being a series regular!
I love you, Jessie. I recently watched your “How Voyager overcame its flaws video” and it made me all warm and fuzzy. You’re one of the best Trek creators on here. There are so many rude and “holier than thou” Trek fans on the internet that UA-cam is the only place I’m able to find nice Trek fans. Which is so ironic considering Star Trek is supposed to be about being one community despite everyone’s differences.
I love how Kirk can't answer the Romulan captain's final statement about duty. Kirk starts to respond, but doesn't. They are, indeed, of a kind.
Great list. Hope you're recuperating well :)
Sending tons of healing vibes.
Spock's "JIM!" smile will never not bring me joy.
A very nice list. I would have included "Errand of Mercy" and "This Side of Paradise". And I have a personal favorite humorous episode, "A Piece of the Action".
Hoping all goes well with your operation.
Enterprise Incident is my favortie because I LOVE the romulan commander.
I do love Devil in the Dark, too.... So many good episodes (except Spock's Brain - LOL)
Agree with all of yours - mine might be a slightly different order, but all amazing.
Hi Jesse. I am very happy to have discovered you. I am a Trek van going all the way back to the early 1970s. I have watched TOS all the way through so many times I have actually lost count. Now, with this age of social media, I love being able to find so many other like-minded Trek fans like you; especially ones that are quirky, nerdy, and very intelligent (likely working or studying in a STEM field). So, I will be following you and all of the Trekkie goodness you publish. LLaP, m'Dear.😊
Pretty much hit all my favourites from TOS. Obsession and The Changeling are honourable mentions.
Really enjoyable watch and I'm looking forward to the other lists! My personal favorite of TOS is Errand of Mercy (especially considering that the central theme was using a third-party as a buffer between two empires, aired in 1967 no less!), and there's a lot to enjoy across all the ones you listed.
Another great thing about Trouble with Tribbles is that despite being a comedic episode it really holds up on rewatch(es). You get to notice more background details -- my favorite is the pained expression on Scotty's face when Kirk finally orders him to go down on shore leave, as if he just knows he's gonna get into a barfight with the Klingons two scenes later.
Solid list. My desert island Top 4:
4. _TOS_ "Assignment: Earth" - dig this groovy, off-beat ep; young Teri Garr is hilarious
3. _TAS_ "Beyond the Farthest Star" - those music cues, that '70s animation - can't get enough
2. _TOS_ "Journey To Babel" - so _TNG,_ could easily be a Picard diplomacy/Lwaxana Troi ep
1. _TOS_ "The Conscience Of The King" - a grounded, deeply underrated political thriller ep
*If you're on downtime, 1967's classic 17 ep political/psychedelic sci-fi series _The Prisoner_ is recommended
In no particular order: Devil in the Dark (you're spot-on: it does really speak to what makes Star Trek special. When I introduce new people to TOS, this is the one I show them), Balance of Terror, City on the Edge of Forever, The Tholian Web, Amok Time, Space Seed, Mirror Mirror, Doomsday Machine, Trouble With Tribbles (Scotty shines in this one).
Thanks for the reminder that TOS and TAS are my absolute favorites. I haven't rewatched it in a while. Hope you're feeling better Jessie!
I'm so glad you included the animated series. I feel like it gets shunned sometimes. And the Balance of Terror is my favorite episode too! I hope your surgery went well.
“The Corbomit Maneuver” #1
I love that episode.
It is so obviously the true Original Episode. And the juxtaposing Spoke’s chess mine set with Kirk’s poker one os just genius.
Wow.
I haven't seen Balance of Terror in a long time, & Mark Leonard's last line just *hit me in the chest* like it did when I was a little kid. 🥺 Such a good actor.
Thanks for this list, Jessie! I hope you're healing well!
My top 10 looks very similar. I would swap out Trouble with Tribbles for Space Seed. But that is the fun with lists. Well done Jessie. ❤ When TOS gets remembered. My first great show as a child in syndication. 💋
Excellent list of episodes, Jessie! Get well soon! Hope your recovery is fast and pain free.
Inspired me to go back and watch all the TOS again.
Balance of terror . Yes!
"In a different reality" Chills!
I LOVE this channel. Thanks for your insight.
Love the list. My comments, for what they're worth:
Devil in the Dark should be way, way higher. To me, it is *the* archetypal Star Trek TOS episode (even if Doomsday Machine and Balance of Terror are my favorites). The monster isn't a monster, it's a sentient being, a mother defending its young. It doesn't really want to hurt people, and can be negotiated with, if you're willing to listen.
Tribbles is fantastic. I love the bit where McCoy calls the "bisexual," which is...not what that means now. :P
Day of the Dove is probably the best of the Season 3 episodes. It does really well with the reduced budget bottle episode concept that Season 3 necessitated.
My top 10:
1. Amok Time (one of the few original series episodes where the Enterprise is exploring a new civilization)
2. Balance of Terror
3. A Taste of Armagedon
4. Spectre of the Gun
5. The Changling
6. Day of the Dove
7. Catspaw
8. That Which Survives
9. Journey to Babel
10. The Squire of Gothos
Hope you're feeling better.
Pretty solid list. Can't really seriously disagree with anything on it.
Glad you included the animated series. It's under appreciated and had some great episodes.
Only grumble is I would have included 'A piece of the action'. One of my favs. Just a fun romp of a story.
Hope your recovery from surgery is going well! This was a fun episode! I love that Balance of Terror was your number one! It's one of my dad and I's shared favorites in the series and I always enjoy watching it because of that, so glad to see it getting talked about :)
Fantastic video as always! Hope you have a speedy recovery after your surgery! :)
Enjoyable episode Jessie. Your #1 & 2 picks are interchangeable. Nice to see TAS get some recognition. Best of luck with the surgery.
Well wishes for your recovery!!!
Not a bad list. May I also suggest:
"It's Naked Time" may not be a great episode but I will always have a soft spot for shirtless epee wielding Sulu. Who doesn't? It also gave us (indirectly) Yar and Data, and the Lower Decks scene that led to your whole Sex in Star Trek series.
All Our Yesterdays if only for Spock telling McCoy, "I don't like that. I don't think I ever did."
Great ranking. Thank you Jessie for being so thoughtful, preparing videos prior to your surgery, so your channels would keep going whilst you recover. 😍🌟
This video made me think of watching TOS again, I haven't done so in many years.
I must fix my computer first....I have been struggling with my health condition and my being weak has seriously hindered my fixing the computer.
I hope you are recovering well and are happy with your surgery results. Live long and prosper ✨ 🙌 🖖
It's all subjective but i love hearing you talk about why these episodes are your favorites and makes me want to go back and view them in a different context.
Hope you recover well. I just had skin cancer surgery. I like your list - it's so hard to do - in my mind I have a list for favorite fun episodes, favorite dramatic episodes, and favorite adventure episodes.
Jessie I love ya. One of your best reviews ever. I hope you're feeling well and doing well Jesse on your recovery your top 10 were right on those are all my favorite episodes my number one would have been the Doomsday Machine that's my favorite but the balance of Terror was another good one and it always reminds me of that movie Enemy below with Robert Mitchum and Curt Jurgens I'm glad you put the Star Trek the Animated Series in your review it was a very good thing to do there were a lot of good episodes in the series some fans I spoke to over the years even consider the Animated Series to be season 4 and 5 because some of the episodes were episodes that Gene had planned for season 4 and 5 which we know did not happen I will give you an example there was an episode of the animated series called more Tribbles more troubles from what I've read that was an actual sequel to The Trouble with Tribbles That was supposed to be I think in the season 4 which of course we know didn't happen so he made it into one of the animated series episodes I'm glad you had those honorable mentions like space seed the Galileo seven those were all good ones too one piece of information for you the female Romulan commander in the Enterprise incident they recently online made an episode of Star Trek as a two-parter called to boldly go and the daughter of that lady reprise her role that her mother played as a Romulan Commander when they meet up again years later in the Star Trek universe she helps them stop a group of humans that have developed the abilities that Gary Mitchell did in the episode where no man has gone before I think the show was called Star Trek Continues I watched just about everyone they've made on UA-cam and they're pretty good they even use the sets did I think a gentleman by the name of James cromley I think his name was had built he's an Elvis impersonator but he's also a huge Star Trek fan he had all the sets on the original series rebuilt and now there's guided tours so you can go through there and you can go and see it I remember one particular episode William Shatner came to see it I remember one particular episode where Gil Gerard who was Buck Rogers in the 80s showed up and one of the episodes playing an admiral informing Kirk of his orders I'm looking forward to your review of Star Trek the Next Generation Andy Space Nine and the rest. Take it easy jessie get some rest. I'm off this week on vacation. my moms 85th birthday is Wednesday and were planning on doing things this week for her for her birthday.🖖🏼peace and long life to you my friend.
10) Spock's Brain Yes I adore this episode along with Move Along Home and Subrosa. It's pretty much the "The Room" of Star Trek
9) The Immunity Syndrome
8) The Doomsday Machine
7) The Deadly Years
6) The Enterprise Incident
5) The Day of the Dove
4) Amok Time
3) A Piece of the Action
1 Tie) Journey to Babel
1 Tie) Balance of Terror
I hope your recovery goes well Jessie! 💕 I’m super excited for the rest of the videos in this series!!
I, Mudd has always been one of my personal favorite episodes of TOS.
All the well wishes in the world Jessie! ❤️
Great plan for a vlog, and very impressed you watched ALL the eps over the last 2 or 3 yrs, that’s amazing, and a lot!
Fun episode, thank you Jessie. Sending love and hopes that you are comfortable recovering and feeling well.
definitely agree with Balance of Terror! i especially love the context it was made in and how ignorance, pride, and prejudice often cloud our views of reality and reason. and the romulan cmdr is such a stand out character/performance that perfectly encapsulates the toll war takes on you
i would personally add This Side of Paradise bc i read it through the lens of mental illnesses like depression and ocd. i just think it deals with emotional burnout and emotional repression really well
Glad to see Devil in the Dark made your list, that one's my favorite from TOS
I too finished the Trek I hadn't and rewatched everything during the pandemic. Best use of stay at home ever!
I have never attempted a top ten on any Trek series, but your #1 pick is certainly one of my favorite all time Trek episodes! Nice.
A great list of episodes and analysis of the show and you've made me want to go back and watch the animated series. I hope that your convalescence is speedy. Thanks for creating a fun and informative channel.
Both Balance of Terror and Enterprise Incident are great. Mirror Mirror is fantastic.
Actually every episode on here was great so
You've inspired me to write my own list Jessie!
My favourite 10 episodes of TOS:
10 Encounter at Farpoint
9 Scorpion
8 In the Pale Moonlight
7 Spocks Brain
6 Shockwave Part 2
5 Moist Vessel
4 War is the H Word
3 Genesis of the Daleks
2 Daffodil
1 The Spanish inquisition (Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!)
Nah for real, that's a solid list and I hope you're recuperating and resting up!
I'm looking forward to your rankings. Hope your recovery is going well.
I really can't believe "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" wasn't on the list nor honorable mention. I think that one is one of the best as far as a message goes
I appreciate everything on this list, but I just have to mention a few more; A Taste of Armageddon (prescient to our era of digital warfare where drones and smart missiles do the dirty work), A Piece of the Action (schlocky gangster fun), The Mark of Gideon (just so fucking weird), The Squire of Gothos (such fun, and for sure the inspiration for Q), Shore Leave (again, just fun). I'm glad that you included the Animated Series because while short and the animation quality was rough, there were a lot of interesting stories and ideas there.
100% I totally agree with every pick I love that you included the animated show too.
I like your list, but not even an honorable mention for the Corbomite Maneuver? I love it, including the goofy music and the puppet-that-is-obviously-a-puppet being revealed as a puppet? Asidde from that, it's a great episode for characterizing Kirk and when Bailey has a breakdown on the bridge, it's always struck me how well the rest of the crew maintains composure.
You forgot baby!Clint Howard as the real Balok!
I must say I'm looking forward to this Jessie. Especially as we wish you a speedy recovery
Best wishes on your surgery. I recently came across your channel and am enjoying your videos very much.
Love, you are brave! Not only to take on this project that is going to be very divisive, but also to be so frank about your personal journey!
Hope you're healing well.
The one that I'm surprised wasn't mentioned was Arena. Maybe it's not the best, but I absolutely love it.
hope you're recovering well from surgery
Can't argue with any of your picks, great episodes all. I've always felt the The Enterprise Incident was the best of season 3.
Found out from reading the book These are the Voyages Vol.1 that the bridge scenes for The City on the Edge of Forever were filmed on the day I was born.
I enjoy the channel. Keep up the great work and get well soon.
I know that most folks really don't like this one, but one of my favorites is The Way To Eden. It's the jam sessions that get me. Instead of having Charles Napier play the gruff military man he's usually pigeonholed into playing, they've got him as a guitar playing hippie. Love it!
That monolgue by William Windom is honestly one of the absolute peaks of the entire franchise.
Love this video!! I must say my favourites are the ones with more Spock and vulcan culture like Amok Time haha I'd love to hear what you think of Tholian Web too
One of TNGs best "what is this thing?" Is the Crystalline Entity. It's this evil giant crystal Christmas tree that for some reason needs to burn worlds....because it's its thing it does.
As soon as I saw that city on the edge of forever was number 2, there was no doubt in my mind what would be number one. It’s also hands down my favorite episode of the original series too. Masterpiece!
TRIBBLES!
Great list, Jessie! Get well soon.
Thanks for introducing me to For All Mankind, awesome show!
DC Fontana was just a feckin' kickass writer (and I am leaving too many comments, but I am old and I have Opinions about My Very First Fandom).
It's funny going back and seeing the old episodes watching discovery and thinking about Burnham and reading into how what happened there affected Spock and Sarek and reinterpreting their troubled interactions.
Hi Jessie, just wanted to say I'm very happy about every bit of content not referencing SNWs as we're still waiting for it on the old continent. Regarding your selection i widely agree, though I might have mentioned one of the Mudd episodes or the cage.
Thank you for including ST:TAS... I KNEW you would where too many wouldn't. It's valid Trek 🙂
Lot of good choices in top 10. Only one I would have add Ultimate Computer or Shore Leave . Your #1 is a really good choice , I prefer Doomsday Machine but it's all just personal taste .
Hope your recovery is going well and the pain is subsiding. I grew up on TOS and for me the best episode was The Corbomite Maneuver. Other episodes move around on my list but this one is consistently at number 1. And it has Clint Howard which is another plus.
Oh wow, you went for my favourite! Wasn't expecting that. I think it's pure class - so simple yet so gripping. I also think it was a big inspiration for Wrath of Khan
Excellent choices for your top 10! I imagine if I had put together such a list, it would have looked quite similar to yours. Mr. Spock may just be the best Star Trek character ever created.
What's great about watching these episodes is you see how things were written differently in the 60's. You had whole episodes with long dialog and fairly interesting plots. It wasn't quips with quick cutting.
Compare an entire episode of Devil in the Dark with the Tardigrade story line in Discovery, or City on the Edge of Forever with Kirk finding homeless people to a similar scene in Star Treck Picard season 2 when Raffi and 7 see homeless people. Kheeler is able to have several lines describing an optimistic future where people reach for the stars.
I ,too, mix and match TOS&TAS for my Top Ten. 10. Jihad 9. Devil In The Dark 8. Amok Time 7. Yesteryear 6. Balance of Terror 5. City On The Edge of Forever 4. Magicks of Megas -Tu 3. Trouble With Tribbles 2,Where No Man Has Gone Before . Before my Number1, let's do my honorable mentions : I, Mudd, Arena, Slaver Weapon, Bem, and Mudd's Passion. My #1 is Day Of The Dove, the first episode that hinted at layers in Klingon Culture (as well as the appearance of a certain hottie of an actor named Ansara...boy, was I jealous of Barbara Eden!)
like the effortless, “sort-of pseudo sequel” when discussing Yesteryear/City on the Edge 💛🌙💐
He’s so happy when he sees that he didn’t kill his friend. I love Spock.
I love this list! And agree with most of it; Balance of Terror is just one of the tensest and best episodes of anything, although I (shock horror) don't actually like City on the Edge of Forever very much! You've definitely got me thinking about watching the Animated Series through properly though.
I hope your recovery is going well!
I really enjoyed that. It's a long time since I've even thought about the animated episodes. I also had figured as the list counted down that surely Balance of Terror would be at the top. I'd also put in a vote for Corbomite Maneuver (my Australian spellcheck does not want to spell that word that way) as one that I always find myself sticking around to watch if I channel surf into it.
And I hope your surgery went well and that you are resting and getting lots of nice pain killers to pass the time.
GREAT list. I agree that TAS is just as good and deserves to be included. Also - Balance of Terror is my favorite, too.
I haven't thought about it that much since I finished TOS for the first time a couple months ago, but I think my list would be pretty similar to yours. The one episode that would definitely be in my top ten that you didn't include is And the Children Shall Lead. It's the episode that got me the closest to actually crying and I love it's message about the importance of letting yourself feel everything, even (and maybe especially) more difficult emotions like sadness and grief. I feel like if I had internalized that idea as a kid, it might have made my life much easier. Letting myself feel things and expressing those feelings to others is still something I struggle with sometimes. I would also add A Piece of the Action, at least as an honorable mention just because it's so fun to watch.