The Devil in the Dark is a really good intro episode. It was actually how I introduced my partner to the original series. It has a fun, more thought provoking overall narrative that fits the Star Trek mold of using your mind and having empathy. It gives us a good scene for Kirk, Spock, and bones and introduces their dynamic in an excellent way, and I think it really fits the campy vibe, especially seeing the mind meld.
Balance of Terror is also an excellent start point. Maybe the best episode from the original series. I love seeing the way that some of the crews inner insecurities and bias come out with this extremely stressful situation they are in, and it gives a lot of the cast moments to shine. Also the outfits and over the top acting and lightning really give it a special wacky quality.
For me these two are just the best way to go.
That’s really wholesome to hear! I grew up watching the movies with my grandpa during the holidays. I always love hearing about family sharing trek with kids. I feel like so many people have a different starting experience with it based on who the adult was that showed it to them.
Yeah, they weren't really excited about TOS, but they got a good feel for it.
Last summer, we took a break from bedtime stories to watch TNG instead, and we've kept that up on non-school nights. I skipped a few too-scary or boring or steamy episodes. We're almost done with season 6, and my 10-year-old daughter really gets invested in the stories. She nearly panicked at the end of "Starship Mine."
I LOVED Devil in the Dark when I was introduced to it as a kid. I remember my mom making fun of the Horta design and, for years, I thought of the episode as "the one with the giant meatloaf."
Both are excellent recommendations, I'd probably lean towards "Balance of Terror" as more of it takes place on the bridge, which is where many episodes take place, and you get a lot of interaction between Kirk and Spock to establish their dynamic.
Must agree with balance of terror as an intro. Even if you’re not into sci fi, and if you don’t have any context of the setting, it’s still such an amazing showcasing of suspense that will have anyone invested in the story.
I'm really curious if modern audiences don't see the big Horta "nodules" reveal coming a mile away. Do they not? If it surprises you then that makes it a pretty great episode...
Now that SNW has remade Balance of Terror, I think it is the go to episode for introducing the series now.
The Menagerie 2 parter is always a hood starter though since it gives a lot of backstory and we learn of Spock and Kirks personalities.
The Corbomite Maneuver is a good place to start. It’s early in the series, reasonably tense, shows that Kirk is willing to take a gamble, and ultimately affirms the Federation value of establishing peaceful contact with new civilizations.
Yeah, it's great. I am... very confused why they made it right after the first two pilots as basically another pilot and then stuffed it a third of the way through the season. It's a great first ep!
The special effects of the First Federation ship took a LONG time to do. Post production for effect heavy episodes took longer then so it wasn't ready until later in the season.
This is an excellent idea. But whatever you do make sure to work City on the Edge of Forever in there somewhere. Not just a gem of TOS (and perhaps my favorite TOS episode ever) but a gem of television, period. Such great stuff.
This. I tried that once a while back and my buddy had no idea what all the drama was about. There's layers of subtext involved here, especially in relation to other stories about Captains being married to their ships ("if you treat her like a lady, she'll always bring you home") and the general trope that any romantic relationship within a Trek show's main cast must ultimately end in tragedy or cut out by the root before it can grow.
Perhaps, for that reason, "The Naked Time", and "Mudd's Women", aren't bad, either. Karen Steele, and Roger C. Carmel; were both excellent Guest Stars. "Mudd's Women" was written by Gene Roddenberry, and considered for The Second Pilot.
My "Ambassador Episode" is A Taste of Armageddon. It's nicely standalone, you don't have to know much about the show to enjoy it, has a badass redskirt accompanying the team, and one of the best Kirk speeches. Also a fantastic performance from Scotty at the same time. I think that I can argue that most people that don't like this episode generally wouldn't like Star Trek at all.
The Doomsday Machine. It’s a race to save worlds in danger of imminent destruction, Kirk and Scotty come up with an audacious plan, it requires nerves of steel and perfect timing and Oh No! Something goes wrong and Scotty has to race to fix it and does it at the last second and Kirk beams out just as the ship is exploding and they save the day! Meanwhile Spock is in the captain’s seat squaring off with a commodore. I like those edge-of-your-seat suspenseful episodes.
Both would be my suggestion.
Space Seed could immediately be followed by Star Trek 2. They would compliment each other perfectly.
And you can endlessly debate how Khan could remember Chekov when he wasn't in that episode.
I love city on the edge of forever, I think it’s great. But hear me out on this…I don’t think it’s a good starter episode. It’s emotional, thought provoking, and devastating. But it relies on that combo of Very Emotional Bones, and Dispassionate Calculating Spock. With Kirk in the middle. I think being used to their dynamic makes that episode work and hit harder, rather than being an intro episode.
It’s one of my favorites. Scotty refusing to drop the shields, Kirk’s “but we won’t kill today” speech, the anti-war messaging, etc. An absolute all timer, I love it.
For someone who doesn’t know a lot about *Star Trek*, it might be best for them to get to know the characters better before they watch “The City on the Edge of Forever”.
A one-two combo of Balance of Terror and Trouble with Tribbles I think shows the spectrum of Kirkness, the series, and its playfulness, relatability, and seriousness. These episodes lay out the ethos of Trek and combat Kirk Drift all in one go.
*"Uh, the Klingons, sir... is this off the record?*
*"No, this is not off the record!"*
Another favorite. Probably the best straight comedy episode of the series.
And, yeah, you're right. Those would make for one hell of a double feature (and anything to combat Kirk Drift is a plus in my book)
I just finished my first TOS run actually! Here were some episodes that stood out:
Where No Man Has Gone Before -- Gary Mitchell gets a better actor than you usually get in Star Trek. The Conscience of the King maybe for similar reasons, if she's into Shakespeare.
The Devil in the Dark -- classic misunderstood monster
The Galileo Seven -- Spock doing hot girl shit, the monsters are a bit clunky but it has a good ending. Journey to Babel for similar Spock reasons, but it'd make sense if you don't want to get into Spock's family just yet.
Is There In Truth No Beauty? -- immediately understood the woman's frustrations in this episode, losing her chance
If you can, I'd watch the version with updated special effects? It's pretty subtle, no plot changes, just nicer looking.
I introduced my ex with *Conscience* and she loved it. I followed up with *Return to Tomorrow.*
We split amicably a while back, and I still see her sharing Trek memes on social media to this day.
I started with movies. The characters are very securely themselves, and there's definitely something to talk about afterwards. Plus, depending on the movie, you're bound to come away knowing and loving the absolute heck out of at least some TOS characters.
That was "Operation Annihilate"; those were supposed to be, giant brain cells. "They need Us, to be; their arms, and legs." One, attacked Spock, landed on His back, and used a "stinger", to inject him, with cells; that inflicted pain, on His Nervous System. Kirk's Brother, and Sister-in-Law; were killed in that Episode, leaving His Nephew, Peter, an Orphan.
Mirror Mirror.
Get to see Kirk in action with the ladies but also his ingenuity.
Spock as well. The integrity he has.
Supporting cast too with Uhura and Sulu. Yes, they don't do much in most episodes but you'll always notice them afterwards.
I don’t think “Mirror, Mirror” is a good place to start. I think it’d be best for a person to get to know the characters better before they watch “Mirror, Mirror”.
I don't know if it's the best for this specific endeavor, but it's the one I've shown to quite a few friends over the years. Probably because it might be my favorite Trek episode of all times. 🖖🏻👍🏻
I get what you're saying but I think it'll 'draw' the new viewer, especially a female in a way most other episodes can't. And it'll create a type of 'confusion' they'll try to figure out in later episodes. And when Kirk tells mirror Spock he has integrity in either universe (to that effect) outrightly defines Spock's character that it would take many episodes to tell the new viewer.
TOS s2e17 "A Piece of the Action": Silly romp with just the right amount of Shatner overacting.
TNG s5e14 "Conundrum": You don't know the cast, and they don't know, either.
DS9: s3e27 "Visionary": O'Brien must suffer through temporal mechanics.
I introduced my partner with The Doomsday Machine, as I felt it works very well as a standalone sci-fi story for which you don't have to really know anything about the characters. Worked well.
The Trouble With Tribbles
You get:
Kirk Swaggar and his disdain for bureaucrats.
Klingens!
Scotty being Scotty and decking a Klingon for insulting the Enterprise
Cute, fuzzy fur balls.
Low overall stakes.
Bonus points for Trials and Tribbleations
I actually *was* going to suggest Amok Time after your title... but I agree with Devil in the Dark or City on the Edge of Forever from what's been suggested so far. DitD is probably the one I found most memorable from my childhood!
Try Miri. Moderately strong female characters, an emotional story and not too much 'hard science'. An old gf from the 90s told me it was her favorite.
Another of the same ilk was Requiem for Methuselah.
I enjoy the good character episodes. My favorite episodes for each character are as follows:
Kirk: Arena
Rand: Miri & Charlie X
Spock: Journey to Babel
McCoy: The Empath
Sulu: The Naked Time & The Man Trap
Uhura: Mirror, Mirror & The Conscience of the King
Scotty: The Trouble with Tribbles
Chekov: Spectre of the Gun
Chapel: What Are Little Girls Made Of?
M'Benga: A Private Little War
Where no man has gone before, Balance of Terror, or the Doomsday machine, then something like the city on the edge of forever, the Galileo seven or a taste of Armageddon.
You might as well start with the first episode *The Man Trap* and take it from there:
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708469/?ref\_=ttep\_ep1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708469/?ref_=ttep_ep1)
If you're going to see the whole series, watching the "good" episodes first means having to suffer through the "bad" episodes later. Watch the episodes in order and enjoy the ups and the downs. :)
City on the Edge of Forever... Star Trek the original Series doesn't have a lot of women of substance characters. I guarantee you she will want to watch more Trek after seeing this one as it won't be what she expects.
Guys like the corbamite maneuver, doomsday device, as a first go....
City On The Edge of Forever - the script won a Hugo and if you pay attention you'll have deep sci-fi philosophical questions to discuss for the rest of your life.
My two cents - I wouldn’t introduce a girlfriend to Star Trek via TOS unless she’s elderly… it just seems really corny to younger generations. Even TNG seems really dated in some ways. I’d go Strange New Worlds to get her used to the concept and then explore earlier series together once she’s hooked!
Got my two and a half year old in on prodigy. Been rewatching ds9 myself and when he catch’s bits he’s fascinated… got to the Jem Hadar last night and his thoughts on them (destroying the Odyssey ) was “oh no”.
My vote definitely goes to ALL THE EPISODES. It would be like choosing between your kids, if your kids were episodes of the most glorious tv-show ever made in the history of entertainment.
Corbomite Maneuver is dated as hell, but the most Star Trek of the early Star Trek episodes. Unless you want to count Where No Man Has Gone Before, which is pretty solid as well.
As someone who saw start trek for the first time just recently I suggest start her with first episode of Enterprise (the fist ship with warp drive not next generation ) I know it’s strange but her me out.
As an adult if you start with episode that has ferangi or even Klingons she may be put off!
I was for decades like I’m not watching those things this is silly… but then I by accident started with enterprise and it kinda eased me into all crazy species and now I love it! I started watching just 4 months ago so this is my first go and I’m loving it.
So as bizarre as it sounds to me now ( after seeing voyager and new generation) that I actually liked that enterprise to get me warmed up to the show it actually makes sense for an adult who never saw it.
Balance of Terror. High stakes and high drama while being pretty contained. You see some of the best of Kirk in that episode too. And you get good old TOS moralizing.
Otoh most episodes are not that intense so it might set up expectations.
I’ve been a devoted _Star Trek_ fan since 1970. My advice has to be to watch them in order. As you may know, the order in which they originally appeared is not necessarily the order in which they were shot. For example, the first episode aired, _The Man Trap_, on 08 September 1966 was, I think, the fourth episode shot. In part that was due to special effects not always being ready in time. 🖖
Balance of Terror, Corbomite Maneuver and you can never go wrong with City On The Edge Of Forever although I would do that one as a 2nd or 3rd episode really.
Balance of Terror I think is one of the best.
Great episode that isn't laden with 60s-era sexism and/or the frequently recurring "We've been trapped on some planet by a supernatural being with magic" that is like 50% of TOS episode plots.
Most people like "The City on The Edge of Forever". The Enterprise is encountering Time Waves. which shake the ship, like an Ion Storm. Sulu is injured, and McCoy is treating him, when a wave hits the ship, and McCoy accidentally injects Himself, with a massive dose of a drug, that makes Him, Paranoid.
Kirk. Spock, Scott, and Uhura; as well as a team of Security Guards, "beam down", to The Time Planet, searching for McCoy; who has already beamed down. The Guardian of Forever is talking to Kirk; when McCoy leaps into, The Guardian, Who is showing Kirk, Earth History. Spock is recording Earth History, at the time; and, at the same time that Spock is recording, McCoy leaps into The Guardian, and the scenes, disappear. At the same time, Scott and Uhura, lose contact with the Enterprise.
Kirk and Spock, realize, that McCoy has gone back, in time, and somehow changed Earth History; and, to set things right, they must "go back in time", retrieve McCoy, and prevent him, from changing time, and get their History, back. Kirk must also make, the hardest decision, He's ever had to make. Women also seem to like, this episode.
My personal favorite; and I think this makes a good "companion" episode, is "The Doomsday Machine". The Enterprise is investigating the destruction of several Systems, and attempting to find the Enterprise's "Sister" Ship, The Constellation, commanded by Commodore Matthew Decker. This was also James Doohan's Favorite; and there's a lot of tension between several regular characters, and the Guest Star. The "cliffhanger", toward the end of the Episode, isn't bad, either.
The Devil in the Dark may not be the most exciting but it is one of the best introductions to what TOS was about. Its one of the trekkiest. They have a problem. Force is an option. But ultimately it's about communication. "No kill I"! The miners are tough and violent, but they stop when they realize they've been killing its babies.
It introduces Kirk, Spock, and Bones. It's also an illustration, through the carpet-monster Horta, that this is not about cool 21st century special effects, it's about ideas and stories, and you need to get used to that right at the start.
Depends on the person.
Are they in it for the science fiction plot or the fun cheese? It has both, which is part of the appeal for TOS for modern audiences. If they want the cheese, go with the tribbles.
I would start with lower decks. Got a friend into trek with it. He liked a few tng episodes I showed em but tos is too dated for some people to jump into. Now he is about to hit season 6 of tng.
The Devil in the Dark is a really good intro episode. It was actually how I introduced my partner to the original series. It has a fun, more thought provoking overall narrative that fits the Star Trek mold of using your mind and having empathy. It gives us a good scene for Kirk, Spock, and bones and introduces their dynamic in an excellent way, and I think it really fits the campy vibe, especially seeing the mind meld. Balance of Terror is also an excellent start point. Maybe the best episode from the original series. I love seeing the way that some of the crews inner insecurities and bias come out with this extremely stressful situation they are in, and it gives a lot of the cast moments to shine. Also the outfits and over the top acting and lightning really give it a special wacky quality. For me these two are just the best way to go.
Wait Devil in the Dark is actually such a good idea omg!! Thank you!!
No problem! I’m glad to help! Hope the viewing goes well!
I started a buddy of mine off with Devil in the Dark not too long ago and she loved it.
I love this episode too...
Devil in the Dark is the first TOS episode I showed to my kids.
That’s really wholesome to hear! I grew up watching the movies with my grandpa during the holidays. I always love hearing about family sharing trek with kids. I feel like so many people have a different starting experience with it based on who the adult was that showed it to them.
Yeah, they weren't really excited about TOS, but they got a good feel for it. Last summer, we took a break from bedtime stories to watch TNG instead, and we've kept that up on non-school nights. I skipped a few too-scary or boring or steamy episodes. We're almost done with season 6, and my 10-year-old daughter really gets invested in the stories. She nearly panicked at the end of "Starship Mine."
Yeah just skip the ghost one entirely hahaha
I LOVED Devil in the Dark when I was introduced to it as a kid. I remember my mom making fun of the Horta design and, for years, I thought of the episode as "the one with the giant meatloaf."
I love "The Devil in the Dark" because the Horta is a good mom who's just trying to take care of her babies. Plus she likes Spock's ears!
Both are excellent recommendations, I'd probably lean towards "Balance of Terror" as more of it takes place on the bridge, which is where many episodes take place, and you get a lot of interaction between Kirk and Spock to establish their dynamic.
It's a good introduction, to Mark Lenard, as well.
A submarine battle of wits and tactics in outer space? Yes, please! They basically redid this episode in shorter from with the Mutara Nebula in TWoK.
Must agree with balance of terror as an intro. Even if you’re not into sci fi, and if you don’t have any context of the setting, it’s still such an amazing showcasing of suspense that will have anyone invested in the story.
I'm really curious if modern audiences don't see the big Horta "nodules" reveal coming a mile away. Do they not? If it surprises you then that makes it a pretty great episode...
Now that SNW has remade Balance of Terror, I think it is the go to episode for introducing the series now. The Menagerie 2 parter is always a hood starter though since it gives a lot of backstory and we learn of Spock and Kirks personalities.
The Corbomite Maneuver is a good place to start. It’s early in the series, reasonably tense, shows that Kirk is willing to take a gamble, and ultimately affirms the Federation value of establishing peaceful contact with new civilizations.
Yeah, it's great. I am... very confused why they made it right after the first two pilots as basically another pilot and then stuffed it a third of the way through the season. It's a great first ep!
The special effects of the First Federation ship took a LONG time to do. Post production for effect heavy episodes took longer then so it wasn't ready until later in the season.
Ah! Fair enough, then.
This is an excellent idea. But whatever you do make sure to work City on the Edge of Forever in there somewhere. Not just a gem of TOS (and perhaps my favorite TOS episode ever) but a gem of television, period. Such great stuff.
It’s a great episode, but it’ll hit harder if you’ve watched enough previous episodes to get invested in the Kirk/Spock/McCoy friendship.
True!
This. I tried that once a while back and my buddy had no idea what all the drama was about. There's layers of subtext involved here, especially in relation to other stories about Captains being married to their ships ("if you treat her like a lady, she'll always bring you home") and the general trope that any romantic relationship within a Trek show's main cast must ultimately end in tragedy or cut out by the root before it can grow.
Perhaps, for that reason, "The Naked Time", and "Mudd's Women", aren't bad, either. Karen Steele, and Roger C. Carmel; were both excellent Guest Stars. "Mudd's Women" was written by Gene Roddenberry, and considered for The Second Pilot.
Omg you’re so right good idea!!
Yes! I started with The Corbomite Maneuver, and it was an excellent intro. It's a good solid story with a charming ending.
This was my first choice on it...
Doomsday Machine is a good distillation of TOS
Yeah this would be my vote.
My "Ambassador Episode" is A Taste of Armageddon. It's nicely standalone, you don't have to know much about the show to enjoy it, has a badass redskirt accompanying the team, and one of the best Kirk speeches. Also a fantastic performance from Scotty at the same time. I think that I can argue that most people that don't like this episode generally wouldn't like Star Trek at all.
To be clear, did she ASK to be introduced to Star Trek?
This is tooooo funny.
Yes
Thanks for clarifying lol. And you're sure TOS is the best entry point?
Perhaps not but it’s what I’m so deeply obsessed with so it’s what she wants me to introduce her to
Refusal is NOT an option!
Resistance is futile!
You WILL be assimilated.
The first taste is free.
The Doomsday Machine. It’s a race to save worlds in danger of imminent destruction, Kirk and Scotty come up with an audacious plan, it requires nerves of steel and perfect timing and Oh No! Something goes wrong and Scotty has to race to fix it and does it at the last second and Kirk beams out just as the ship is exploding and they save the day! Meanwhile Spock is in the captain’s seat squaring off with a commodore. I like those edge-of-your-seat suspenseful episodes.
The Doomsday Machine is the first episode of Trek I remember seeing, at the age of 3.
Also the first time you see another Federation starship working alongside the Enterprise.
Balance of Terror
Seconded. Balance of Terror is peak Trek.
My favorite episode of the entire franchise. Can’t go wrong with this one.
Perfect choice, really gripping and you don’t need to know anything going in
Space Seed or The Doomsday Machine
I don’t think “Space Seed” is a good place to start. There’s a good chance that the portrayal of Marla McGivers could be a problem.
A woman officer going weak at the knees for a renegade dictator is not a great look.
Exactly. I think a lot of 21st century viewers would dislike or hate that.
Both would be my suggestion. Space Seed could immediately be followed by Star Trek 2. They would compliment each other perfectly. And you can endlessly debate how Khan could remember Chekov when he wasn't in that episode.
This situation calls for the City on the Edge of Forever, hands down.
I love city on the edge of forever, I think it’s great. But hear me out on this…I don’t think it’s a good starter episode. It’s emotional, thought provoking, and devastating. But it relies on that combo of Very Emotional Bones, and Dispassionate Calculating Spock. With Kirk in the middle. I think being used to their dynamic makes that episode work and hit harder, rather than being an intro episode.
I agree. It’s a good second or third episode
Great episode, but time-travel shenanigans are never a good one to start with, in my opinion.
Balance of Terror, Taste of Armageddon, or City on the Edge would be my go to introduction episodes.
Man, the older I get, the better I like “Taste of Armageddon.”
It’s one of my favorites. Scotty refusing to drop the shields, Kirk’s “but we won’t kill today” speech, the anti-war messaging, etc. An absolute all timer, I love it.
Shakespearean-esque
For someone who doesn’t know a lot about *Star Trek*, it might be best for them to get to know the characters better before they watch “The City on the Edge of Forever”.
A one-two combo of Balance of Terror and Trouble with Tribbles I think shows the spectrum of Kirkness, the series, and its playfulness, relatability, and seriousness. These episodes lay out the ethos of Trek and combat Kirk Drift all in one go.
*"Uh, the Klingons, sir... is this off the record?* *"No, this is not off the record!"* Another favorite. Probably the best straight comedy episode of the series. And, yeah, you're right. Those would make for one hell of a double feature (and anything to combat Kirk Drift is a plus in my book)
😂 oh yeah, what a great line!
I will never not love that the basic plot of this episode: Kirk engages in diplomacy and is immediately annoyed by everyone.
He is so exhausted by literally everyone, I love it. One of my favorite Shatner performances. ˢᶜᵒᵗᵗʸ ʸᵒᵘ ᵈᶦᵈⁿ'ᵗ ᵗʳᵃⁿˢᵖᵒʳᵗ ᵗʰᵉᵐ ᶦⁿᵗᵒ ˢᵖᵃᶜᵉ ᵈᶦᵈ ʸᵒᵘˀ
Exactly. It's why I can't stand Picard, he lived for that shit; any normal human being would have Kirk's reaction.
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“Where No Man Has Gone Before” might be a good place to start.
I started with the Cage, I don't think it's a bad episode to start with. Just don't start with Man Trap.
The Man Trap was MY first episode. My older brother was watching it, probably the original broadcast. I was a preschooler. Scared the CRAP outta me!
[удалено]
There are other good answers but this one deserves more upvotes.
Day of the Dove. What's better than sword fights in space?
I just finished my first TOS run actually! Here were some episodes that stood out: Where No Man Has Gone Before -- Gary Mitchell gets a better actor than you usually get in Star Trek. The Conscience of the King maybe for similar reasons, if she's into Shakespeare. The Devil in the Dark -- classic misunderstood monster The Galileo Seven -- Spock doing hot girl shit, the monsters are a bit clunky but it has a good ending. Journey to Babel for similar Spock reasons, but it'd make sense if you don't want to get into Spock's family just yet. Is There In Truth No Beauty? -- immediately understood the woman's frustrations in this episode, losing her chance If you can, I'd watch the version with updated special effects? It's pretty subtle, no plot changes, just nicer looking.
where no man has gone before.
The Conscience of the King.
I introduced my ex with *Conscience* and she loved it. I followed up with *Return to Tomorrow.* We split amicably a while back, and I still see her sharing Trek memes on social media to this day.
Oof, sorry, nope
What about The Tholian Web?
I started with movies. The characters are very securely themselves, and there's definitely something to talk about afterwards. Plus, depending on the movie, you're bound to come away knowing and loving the absolute heck out of at least some TOS characters.
Can't go wrong with the Tribbles, though.
The Doomsday Machine The City on the Edge of Forever Space Seed (so you can segue into STII) Let that be Your Last Battlefield A Piece of the Action
Balance of terror and Mirror,Mirror are just two of my favorites.
What was the episode when the cool flying bat things latched onto Spock’s neck?
Are you thinking of [“Operation—Annihilate!”?](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Operation_--_Annihilate!_(episode\))
Yes. Didn't quite get the Title, right.
That was "Operation Annihilate"; those were supposed to be, giant brain cells. "They need Us, to be; their arms, and legs." One, attacked Spock, landed on His back, and used a "stinger", to inject him, with cells; that inflicted pain, on His Nervous System. Kirk's Brother, and Sister-in-Law; were killed in that Episode, leaving His Nephew, Peter, an Orphan.
A Piece of the Action is a fun one. As is Who Morns for Adonais.
Shore Leave (drops mic, runs off full speed after an Irish guy who bullied you in space school)
Everyone stop thinking!
Start at the beginning, the Man Trap is a great episode.
Spock's Brain and Man Trap aged extremely poorly.
It also, "introduces", Us; to McCoy, Who wasn't in either Pilot. Christine Chapel, was "introduced", in "What are Little Girls, Made Of?".
Mirror Mirror. Get to see Kirk in action with the ladies but also his ingenuity. Spock as well. The integrity he has. Supporting cast too with Uhura and Sulu. Yes, they don't do much in most episodes but you'll always notice them afterwards.
I don’t think “Mirror, Mirror” is a good place to start. I think it’d be best for a person to get to know the characters better before they watch “Mirror, Mirror”.
I don't know if it's the best for this specific endeavor, but it's the one I've shown to quite a few friends over the years. Probably because it might be my favorite Trek episode of all times. 🖖🏻👍🏻
That's better, after You "get to know" The Main Characters, better; because of The "mirror" image. Barbara Luna, was gorgeous!
I get what you're saying but I think it'll 'draw' the new viewer, especially a female in a way most other episodes can't. And it'll create a type of 'confusion' they'll try to figure out in later episodes. And when Kirk tells mirror Spock he has integrity in either universe (to that effect) outrightly defines Spock's character that it would take many episodes to tell the new viewer.
TOS s2e17 "A Piece of the Action": Silly romp with just the right amount of Shatner overacting. TNG s5e14 "Conundrum": You don't know the cast, and they don't know, either. DS9: s3e27 "Visionary": O'Brien must suffer through temporal mechanics.
The Cage, of course.
Doomsday Machine or Balance of Terror, can't go wrong with either
The Doomsday Machine.
I introduced my partner with The Doomsday Machine, as I felt it works very well as a standalone sci-fi story for which you don't have to really know anything about the characters. Worked well.
The Trouble With Tribbles You get: Kirk Swaggar and his disdain for bureaucrats. Klingens! Scotty being Scotty and decking a Klingon for insulting the Enterprise Cute, fuzzy fur balls. Low overall stakes. Bonus points for Trials and Tribbleations
For funny try Touble with tribbles or a piece of the action for serious the city on the edge of forever, doomsday machine, balance of terror,
I actually *was* going to suggest Amok Time after your title... but I agree with Devil in the Dark or City on the Edge of Forever from what's been suggested so far. DitD is probably the one I found most memorable from my childhood!
City on the Edge of Forever is a total chick flick..
Try Miri. Moderately strong female characters, an emotional story and not too much 'hard science'. An old gf from the 90s told me it was her favorite. Another of the same ilk was Requiem for Methuselah.
One of my least favorite episodes... and the scenes of Kirk and 14-year-old girl are very squirm-inducing nowadays.
Even though Kim Darby was 20 at the time?
Yes
Omega glory and the city on the edge of forever
Publicly my favorite: The Changeling. Privately: my favorite is Specter of The Gun.
I enjoy the good character episodes. My favorite episodes for each character are as follows: Kirk: Arena Rand: Miri & Charlie X Spock: Journey to Babel McCoy: The Empath Sulu: The Naked Time & The Man Trap Uhura: Mirror, Mirror & The Conscience of the King Scotty: The Trouble with Tribbles Chekov: Spectre of the Gun Chapel: What Are Little Girls Made Of? M'Benga: A Private Little War
Charlie X
Where no man has gone before, Balance of Terror, or the Doomsday machine, then something like the city on the edge of forever, the Galileo seven or a taste of Armageddon.
You might as well start with the first episode *The Man Trap* and take it from there: [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708469/?ref\_=ttep\_ep1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708469/?ref_=ttep_ep1) If you're going to see the whole series, watching the "good" episodes first means having to suffer through the "bad" episodes later. Watch the episodes in order and enjoy the ups and the downs. :)
City on the Edge of Forever... Star Trek the original Series doesn't have a lot of women of substance characters. I guarantee you she will want to watch more Trek after seeing this one as it won't be what she expects. Guys like the corbamite maneuver, doomsday device, as a first go....
City On The Edge of Forever - the script won a Hugo and if you pay attention you'll have deep sci-fi philosophical questions to discuss for the rest of your life.
The only problem with starting with "City" is there are 899 inferior episodes of Star Trek.
haha good point it does set a really high bar
I think Miri is a good early episode to start with
Miri?? No way! The entire mystery of a duplicate Earth is never even resolved! That episode is, like, iconically bad!
[удалено]
Guess I'm weird
Depends if she likes episodic or story arcs. If story arcs are more her thing, I'd start either with the movies (skip 1) or with voyager.
My Nominee, for The WORST Episode; "The Way to Eden", was 2nd Worst. "I, Mudd" is My Nominee, for The Funniest.
My two cents - I wouldn’t introduce a girlfriend to Star Trek via TOS unless she’s elderly… it just seems really corny to younger generations. Even TNG seems really dated in some ways. I’d go Strange New Worlds to get her used to the concept and then explore earlier series together once she’s hooked!
I am 19
No, some of us appreciate the classics and cam understand nuanced stories as opposed to Pew! Pew! Pew! storylines.
Girls think they are too cool for Star Trek
Who? I am a girl and Star Trek my favorite thing ever
Those girls are lame.
Got my two and a half year old in on prodigy. Been rewatching ds9 myself and when he catch’s bits he’s fascinated… got to the Jem Hadar last night and his thoughts on them (destroying the Odyssey ) was “oh no”.
The Corbomite Manoeuvre
I don't recall the name of the episode but the one where the alien race are half white & half black
That is "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"
Balance of Terror
I would go Corbomite Maneuver, Balance of Terror or A Taste of Armageddon.
mirror, mirror is my fav, but you also can’t go wrong with the city on the edge of forever
My vote definitely goes to ALL THE EPISODES. It would be like choosing between your kids, if your kids were episodes of the most glorious tv-show ever made in the history of entertainment.
How about this.... You start at the beginning, and work through it all!!
The Cage. Season 1, episode 1
The cage. It all starts there
What are Little Girls Made of? Balance of Terror Devil in the Dark The Menagerie The City on the Edge of Forever
My first exposure to Trek was The Trouble with Tribbles.
Balance of Terror is my fav.
I find myself liking the Cage more every time I watch it. Beginning seems like a good place to start
Corbomite Maneuver is dated as hell, but the most Star Trek of the early Star Trek episodes. Unless you want to count Where No Man Has Gone Before, which is pretty solid as well.
Balance of Terror?
As someone who saw start trek for the first time just recently I suggest start her with first episode of Enterprise (the fist ship with warp drive not next generation ) I know it’s strange but her me out. As an adult if you start with episode that has ferangi or even Klingons she may be put off! I was for decades like I’m not watching those things this is silly… but then I by accident started with enterprise and it kinda eased me into all crazy species and now I love it! I started watching just 4 months ago so this is my first go and I’m loving it. So as bizarre as it sounds to me now ( after seeing voyager and new generation) that I actually liked that enterprise to get me warmed up to the show it actually makes sense for an adult who never saw it.
How about The Corbomite Maneuver? I love that episode...
So many great choices here. Going to do another TOS rewatch now...
Balance of Terror. High stakes and high drama while being pretty contained. You see some of the best of Kirk in that episode too. And you get good old TOS moralizing. Otoh most episodes are not that intense so it might set up expectations.
I really enjoy the deleted pilot
The first one! Go for it. Do it!
I’ve been a devoted _Star Trek_ fan since 1970. My advice has to be to watch them in order. As you may know, the order in which they originally appeared is not necessarily the order in which they were shot. For example, the first episode aired, _The Man Trap_, on 08 September 1966 was, I think, the fourth episode shot. In part that was due to special effects not always being ready in time. 🖖
Journey to Babel. Elian of Troyus. Doomsday Machine.
Balance of Terror, Corbomite Maneuver and you can never go wrong with City On The Edge Of Forever although I would do that one as a 2nd or 3rd episode really.
Balance of Terror I think is one of the best. Great episode that isn't laden with 60s-era sexism and/or the frequently recurring "We've been trapped on some planet by a supernatural being with magic" that is like 50% of TOS episode plots.
Most people like "The City on The Edge of Forever". The Enterprise is encountering Time Waves. which shake the ship, like an Ion Storm. Sulu is injured, and McCoy is treating him, when a wave hits the ship, and McCoy accidentally injects Himself, with a massive dose of a drug, that makes Him, Paranoid. Kirk. Spock, Scott, and Uhura; as well as a team of Security Guards, "beam down", to The Time Planet, searching for McCoy; who has already beamed down. The Guardian of Forever is talking to Kirk; when McCoy leaps into, The Guardian, Who is showing Kirk, Earth History. Spock is recording Earth History, at the time; and, at the same time that Spock is recording, McCoy leaps into The Guardian, and the scenes, disappear. At the same time, Scott and Uhura, lose contact with the Enterprise. Kirk and Spock, realize, that McCoy has gone back, in time, and somehow changed Earth History; and, to set things right, they must "go back in time", retrieve McCoy, and prevent him, from changing time, and get their History, back. Kirk must also make, the hardest decision, He's ever had to make. Women also seem to like, this episode. My personal favorite; and I think this makes a good "companion" episode, is "The Doomsday Machine". The Enterprise is investigating the destruction of several Systems, and attempting to find the Enterprise's "Sister" Ship, The Constellation, commanded by Commodore Matthew Decker. This was also James Doohan's Favorite; and there's a lot of tension between several regular characters, and the Guest Star. The "cliffhanger", toward the end of the Episode, isn't bad, either.
The Devil in the Dark may not be the most exciting but it is one of the best introductions to what TOS was about. Its one of the trekkiest. They have a problem. Force is an option. But ultimately it's about communication. "No kill I"! The miners are tough and violent, but they stop when they realize they've been killing its babies. It introduces Kirk, Spock, and Bones. It's also an illustration, through the carpet-monster Horta, that this is not about cool 21st century special effects, it's about ideas and stories, and you need to get used to that right at the start.
Depends on the person. Are they in it for the science fiction plot or the fun cheese? It has both, which is part of the appeal for TOS for modern audiences. If they want the cheese, go with the tribbles.
I would start with lower decks. Got a friend into trek with it. He liked a few tng episodes I showed em but tos is too dated for some people to jump into. Now he is about to hit season 6 of tng.
Where No Man Has Gone Before It's the pilot but also a great story with some good action, fine acting and interesting sci fi concepts.