TOS Seasons Ranked

[Plomeek Broth]

I am a newbie to TOS for the most part and I am looking into purchasing all 3 seasons eventually. I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but how do you rank TOS seasons best to worst? I may not watch them in order because they reset at the end of each episode. Just need some help in getting the best one first!

 

[Saxman1]

1
2
3

 

[RAMA]

I am a newbie to TOS for the most part and I am looking into purchasing all 3 seasons eventually. I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but how do you rank TOS seasons best to worst? I may not watch them in order because they reset at the end of each episode. Just need some help in getting the best one first!

1, 2, 3

My season 1 ratings:

SEASON 1:

1. Man Trap: 7.5
2. Charlie X: 7.5
3. Where No Man Has Gone before: 9.5
4. The Naked Time: 10
5. The Enemy Within 10
6. Mudd's Women: 6
7. What are Litle Girls Made Of: 7
8. Miri: 7.5
9. Dagger of the Mind: 7.5
10. The Corbomite Maneuver: 9.5
11. The Managerie Pt I: 9
12. The Managerie Pt II: 9
13. The Conscience of the King: 10
14. Balance of Terror: 10
15. Shore Leave: 9.5
16. The Galileo 7: 10
17. The Squire of Gothos: 7
18. Arena: 10
19. Tomorrow is Yesterday: 9.5
20. Court Martial: 9.5
21. Return of the Archons: 6
22. Space Seed: 10
23. A Taste of Armageddon: 10
24. This Side of Paradise: 8
25. The Devil in the Dark: 10
26. Errand of Mercy: 9.5
27. The Alternative Factor 5
28. The City on the Edge of Forever: 10
29. Operation Annhilate: 7

 

[Cakes488]

I am a newbie to TOS for the most part and I am looking into purchasing all 3 seasons eventually. I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but how do you rank TOS seasons best to worst? I may not watch them in order because they reset at the end of each episode. Just need some help in getting the best one first!

If you can try to buy all 3 seasons at once...you'll be sure to save some money...but if you can't then yes you must get season 1 first as that is the natural order of things.

So you're new to Trek huh? Can I ask how old you are? I'd love to hear from/about new and younger fans....the "next generation" if you will.

 

[M'Sharak]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but how do you rank TOS seasons best to worst?

I don't, really.

 

[Gary7]

If you're sure it has been asked a million times, why are you asking it yet again?




(sorry, couldn't resist!)



Seriously, everybody has different favorites and non-favorites. It's strictly up to you. I'd say get all three, in the order the seasons were made. There's a certain "progression" you'll perceive doing it that way. The only sad thing is that the last season ends with a crash... "Turnabout Intruder" is probably the worst episode they made. How unfitting for it to be the last episode...

 

[Too Much Fun]

My recommendation is to not buy the third season. There are a select few good episodes in it, but the majority of them are bad and I believe you're better off just looking to fans and reference material in order to find out what the better season 3 episodes are so you can watch them individually. There are enough excellent episodes in seasons 1 and 2 to balance out the clunkers and make them worth owning, but I wouldn't say the same about season 3. The show was definitely in decline in the third season due to a lot of the staff from the first two seasons (including Gene Rodenberry) moving on from the show and being replaced by people who didn't have quite the same ability as their predecessors.

 

[Cakes488]

My recommendation is to not buy the third season. There are a select few good episodes in it, but the majority of them are bad and I believe you're better off just looking to fans and reference material in order to find out what the better season 3 episodes are so you can watch them individually. There are enough excellent episodes in seasons 1 and 2 to balance out the clunkers and make them worth owning, but I wouldn't say the same about season 3. The show was definitely in decline in the third season due to a lot of the staff from the first two seasons (including Gene Rodenberry) moving on from the show and being replaced by people who didn't have quite the same ability as their predecessors.

But looking to fans and reference material for season 3 is very very subjective. For example I would recommend buying the 3rd season..that's right the entire 3rd season! What do you consider "clunkers" in seasons 1 and 2? I guess I'm in the minority but I really don't consider the 3rd season "bad"...as I've said before Treks "bad" is better than mosts' best.

 

[cooleddie74]

ALL-TIME BEST: Season 2

SECOND: Season 1

WORST: Season 3

 

[IrritatingGameOfChess]

Hmmm...Here's my purely subjective appraisal as a life long fan of TOS (for whatever my opinion's worth!)

Buy the first season if you want to see the early, experimental episodes wherin the cast and production crew are finding their feet (those early episodes definitely have a feeling of being "out there" in the unknown), with the second half of the season finding the characters and writers solidifying things while growing more confident.

Buy the second season if you want to see the cast and production team secure in their foundations and confidently adding layers to the characters and the Star Trek universe.

Buy the third season if you want to see a show struggling with budget cuts and production difficulties, with some strong scripts making it to the air and the feeling that behind the scenes turmoil is hampering the quality of the series as a whole.

 

[Too Much Fun]

What do you consider "clunkers" in seasons 1 and 2?

I generally find those seasons quite consistent and certainly don't think they have any episodes nearly as awful as the low points of season 3, but there are a few episodes that I found terribly boring and/or too melodramatic or silly to take seriously or find entertaining like the better episodes. There aren't many in the first season, but I did find "The Menagerie" unbearable. I understand they were just trying to make use of the footage from "The Cage" so it didn't go to waste, but I thought they did that at the expense of telling a coherent or interesting story. I also found "The Conscience of the King" rather dull (I can't imagine why someone as smart as Ronald D. Moore would call it his favourite episode), and thought "Dagger of the Mind" started out intriguingly, but ended up being too corny.

While my objections to those episodes are mostly based on finding them simply underwhelming, there are episodes in season 2 that I actually despise, starting with "Amok Time". For the life of me, I can't understand why this episode is so popular. I thought everything that happened on the planet Vulcan was absolutely ridiculous, and a big reason people make fun of Star Trek is because those scenes seem to be in the general consciousness as some of the most iconic and memorable ones in the series. For me, however, they are only memorable for how silly they are. On the plus side, I have to admit I also think that episode has one of the greatest endings in the history of Star Trek with Spock's reaction to Kirk's 'resurrection'.

The other thing that bothers me about season 2 is that a lot of the episodes start off promising, but then degenerate into the kind of nonesense that annoyed me in "Amok Time". The fighting scenes in "The Gamesters of Triskelion were just a rip-off of the Kirk and Spock fight, for example. Of course copying something that wasn't even good in the first place leads to disaster. That's just one example of a problem that started in season 2 that became much worse in the following season - the show following certain formulas like 'the crew visits a planet where people are emulating something from earth's history' or 'some crazy force invades the Enterprise'. After awhile, I got sick of stories retreading these two basic premises.

In the second category, I thought "The Ultimate Computer" was the worst offender - just an overly talky, way too obvious attempt at conveying the message that technology should not be valued over humanity, with a disappointingly grating guest star. This is the supposedly Great Daestrom who is referenced in later series as a man brilliant enough to have an important place named after him? The redeeming factor is that in spite of these misguided episodes, seasons 1 and 2 also had some truly inspired and original episodes with sharp writing and unforgettably endearing and sometimes even powerful acting, unlike about 85% of season 3.

 

[erastus25]

1, 2, 3.

I actually consider 1 the best season of all of Star Trek. And I don't agree with the poster above who said you should skip season 3. Even the bad episodes can be enjoyable for various reasons.

 

[Aike]

But isn´t really most of the best episodes in the first season and the first half of the second season? I think, even though, some episodes are very good that the second half of season two is pretty weak. Probably weaker than most of season three.

 

[Too Much Fun]

Yeah, I think once you've finished watching the second season, if you don't watch any other episodes, you're not missing much. I like a few season 3 episodes. I think "The Enterprise Incident" and "The Tholian Web" are good, "Whom Gods Destory" and "Elaan of Troyus" are hilarious, and I just saw "The Savage Curtain" for the first time and thought it was okay too, but it is a retread of many other episodes, most of which are better. The only season 3 episode I really loved was "Day of the Dove", but that's mostly because I like the character of Kang and the actor who plays him so much.

 

[Markas]

I generally find those seasons quite consistent and certainly don't think they have any episodes nearly as awful as the low points of season 3, but there are a few episodes that I found terribly boring and/or too melodramatic or silly to take seriously or find entertaining like the better episodes. There aren't many in the first season, but I did find "The Menagerie" unbearable. I understand they were just trying to make use of the footage from "The Cage" so it didn't go to waste, but I thought they did that at the expense of telling a coherent or interesting story. I also found "The Conscience of the King" rather dull (I can't imagine why someone as smart as Ronald D. Moore would call it his favourite episode), and thought "Dagger of the Mind" started out intriguingly, but ended up being too corny.

While my objections to those episodes are mostly based on finding them simply underwhelming, there are episodes in season 2 that I actually despise, starting with "Amok Time". For the life of me, I can't understand why this episode is so popular. I thought everything that happened on the planet Vulcan was absolutely ridiculous, and a big reason people make fun of Star Trek is because those scenes seem to be in the general consciousness as some of the most iconic and memorable ones in the series. For me, however, they are only memorable for how silly they are. On the plus side, I have to admit I also think that episode has one of the greatest endings in the history of Star Trek with Spock's reaction to Kirk's 'resurrection'.

The other thing that bothers me about season 2 is that a lot of the episodes start off promising, but then degenerate into the kind of nonesense that annoyed me in "Amok Time". The fighting scenes in "The Gamesters of Triskelion were just a rip-off of the Kirk and Spock fight, for example. Of course copying something that wasn't even good in the first place leads to disaster. That's just one example of a problem that started in season 2 that became much worse in the following season - the show following certain formulas like 'the crew visits a planet where people are emulating something from earth's history' or 'some crazy force invades the Enterprise'. After awhile, I got sick of stories retreading these two basic premises.

In the second category, I thought "The Ultimate Computer" was the worst offender - just an overly talky, way too obvious attempt at conveying the message that technology should not be valued over humanity, with a disappointingly grating guest star. This is the supposedly Great Daestrom who is referenced in later series as a man brilliant enough to have an important place named after him? The redeeming factor is that in spite of these misguided episodes, seasons 1 and 2 also had some truly inspired and original episodes with sharp writing and unforgettably endearing and sometimes even powerful acting, unlike about 85% of season 3.

Here is the reason that Black Lodge should consider purchasing, or at least viewing all three seasons. It is all subjective. I have watched TOS for a very long time. I have probably seen each episode no less than 50 times. It is my all-time favorite scifi show. I don't say it is the best, just my favorite.

That said, I like the things you do not. I liked The Menagerie for reasons like showing Spock's loyalty to his former commander. His willingness to go against both his Vulcan upbringing and his Star Fleet training to give a chance for a good end of life to Pike. Amok Time showed some of the hidden Vulcan society that no "outworlders" ever knew, save perhaps Amanda. The revelation of how Spock obviously "felt" about Kirk was revealed here like no where else. It also showed that Vulcans were not all logic. I think it was a relevetory character episode. The Ultimate Computer was shown at the beginning of the computer age. There were plenty of stories at the time about the fear of technology getting out of hand. We really must take the time the show was created into the equation when judging the quality of some of the stories. The Ultimate Computer isn't one of my favorites, but overall I enjoyed the storyline and watching Daystrom self-destruct from all of the pressures of having outlived being the "boy wonder".

So I think that there is room for interpretation.

No, there isn't a story arc per se, but there is character development over the seasons. Watch them in order. Watch them all. Even the excructiating Turnabout Intruder.

 

[Cakes488]

Yeah, I think once you've finished watching the second season, if you don't watch any other episodes, you're not missing much. I like a few season 3 episodes. I think "The Enterprise Incident" and "The Tholian Web" are good, "Whom Gods Destory" and "Elaan of Troyus" are hilarious, and I just saw "The Savage Curtain" for the first time and thought it was okay too, but it is a retread of many other episodes, most of which are better. The only season 3 episode I really loved was "Day of the Dove", but that's mostly because I like the character of Kang and the actor who plays him so much.

Thank you very much for your comprehensive replies! Is that you in the avatar! Very cute...BUT WOW! I can't believe you don't like the menagerie...I thought that ep was very clever on the whole and it's one of my faves. I find it completely interesting and very coherent..but again just my opinion.

So let me ask you this...you're watching these episodes for the first time as an adult? Maybe that has something to do with it, I think the majority of us grew up watching them so they have a special place in our heart; flaws and all. I know they recylced a lot of premises etc...(not to mention the props LOL) but I feel the writing and the characters make up for any and all shortcomings. Actually I still can't figure out exactly why I love this friggin show so much...all 79 episodes of it! I like all the ep's you mentioned that you didn't for various reasons, I see us Trek fans can differ wildly!

Now I think quite a few of us are being quite harsh on season 3. In this thread Irritatinggameofchess commented how you can tell that there were behind the scenes rifts occuring during season 3...maybe we can see that now, but at the time we were first watching these ep's (and the 50 times thereafter LOL)...I had no idea about this strife...I only realized the strife as an adult after all their books came out etc! So I think we all need to take a moment....breath and ease up on season 3 -- there are quite a few good/great episodes in there and I'm trying to put myself in a season 3 haters position and fairly judge and here's my take:

Good Ep's: Enterprice Incident, Is there in truth no beauty, Spectre of gun, Day of dove, The world is hollow, Tholian Web, Wink of eye, Whom Gods destroy (i don't care it's on the good ep list I don't want to hear it lol) Last battlefield, mark gideon, lights zetar, cloud minders, all our yesterdays..
so this is 14 episodes and the rest -- 10 episodes are on the lower end of the "quality range"...again I'm trying to be objective and look at this from someone's point of view who doesn't like season 3. Is my list of good ep's that outrageous?

 

[Kelso]

1
2
3

 

[Too Much Fun]

Thank you very much for your comprehensive replies! Is that you in the avatar! Very cute...

I wish I was that good-looking. Obviously you haven't seen "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" season 5.

So let me ask you this...you're watching these episodes for the first time as an adult? Maybe that has something to do with it, I think the majority of us grew up watching them so they have a special place in our heart; flaws and all.

Yes, you've assumed correctly and I think that probably is a plausible explanation for why I react to the series so differently than many fans like yourself do. Watching Star Trek as an adult for the first time in 2009 gives me a lot less tolerance for the shortcomings of the show than many of you, who I'm sure are able to dismiss some of those problems due to nostalgia. I just do not have a lot of patience for the campiness and melodrama of episodes like "The Menagerie" and "Amok Time".

I know they recylced a lot of premises etc...(not to mention the props LOL) but I feel the writing and the characters make up for any and all shortcomings. Actually I still can't figure out exactly why I love this friggin show so much...all 79 episodes of it! I like all the ep's you mentioned that you didn't for various reasons, I see us Trek fans can differ wildly!

Again, I think nostalgia is a factor in fans like yourself being able to accept and appreciate a lot more of the show than I can, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's like movies I liked as a kid that I realize are silly now. I can see more wrong with them than I used to now, but I still have affection for them. And I didn't always hate when Star Trek recycled premises...like I said a lot of episodes had aliens invading the ship or alien planets copying earth, but I did like many of those episodes, like "Day of the Dove" and "A Piece of the Action". I agree with you about the characters helping a lot of the shows.

As I found with "The X-Files", I think Star Trek is generally a show where you can rely on the appeal of the characters and their relationships to carry a lot of episodes that would otherwise be completely terrible due to inept writing, special effects, etc., but there's only so much that alone could do. I previously gave an example of "Amok Time", where I thought the ending with Spock and Kirk was so wonderfully touching to me that it singlehandedly made the episode worth watching, but it still doesn't change the fact that up until that point I found the episode very irritating.

Now I think quite a few of us are being quite harsh on season 3. In this thread Irritatinggameofchess commented how you can tell that there were behind the scenes rifts occuring during season 3...maybe we can see that now, but at the time we were first watching these ep's (and the 50 times thereafter LOL)...I had no idea about this strife...I only realized the strife as an adult after all their books came out etc!

I, on the other hand, could already sense something was wrong before I started looking at those books. I was enjoying the series very much after watching most of the first two seasons, but when I started watching season 3, I thought to myself, "what the hell happened? what the hell is going on?".

So I think we all need to take a moment....breath and ease up on season 3 -- there are quite a few good/great episodes in there and I'm trying to put myself in a season 3 haters position and fairly judge and here's my take:

Good Ep's: Enterprice Incident, Is there in truth no beauty, Spectre of gun, Day of dove, The world is hollow, Tholian Web, Wink of eye, Whom Gods destroy (i don't care it's on the good ep list I don't want to hear it lol) Last battlefield, mark gideon, lights zetar, cloud minders, all our yesterdays..
so this is 14 episodes and the rest -- 10 episodes are on the lower end of the "quality range"...again I'm trying to be objective and look at this from someone's point of view who doesn't like season 3. Is my list of good ep's that outrageous?

Not a bad list, actually. Of the ones I've seen, I do think most of the episodes you mentioned were decent, although not nearly up to the level of the best of seasons 1 or 2. I'd also like to say I appreciate how gracious everyone has been in presenting their arguments on this topic, it's a refreshing change from what I've seen on other forums where people use personal insults towards those they disagree with.

 

[Tan Ru]

3,
2,
1

naw, just kiddin'.............

1,
2,
3

 

[Cakes488]

I'm sorry I can't do the quote thing...I've just messed it all up! I've had to revert to primitive quoting.

Too much fun : I wish I was that good-looking. Obviously you haven't seen "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" season 5.

Cakes: I have a horrible confession, but I haven't watched any of the other Star Treks! I know, I know I'm a shame and embarrassment to all LOL!

Too much: Again, I think nostalgia is a factor in fans like yourself being able to accept and appreciate a lot more of the show than I can, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Cakes: Yeah I agree...that's why I'm brainwashing I mean influencing my nephew now to love star trek...and my evil diabolical plot is working!!!

Too mUch: As I found with "The X-Files", I think Star Trek is generally a show where you can rely on the appeal of the characters and their relationships to carry a lot of episodes that would otherwise be completely terrible due to inept writing, special effects, etc., but there's only so much that alone could do. I previously gave an example of "Amok Time", where I thought the ending with Spock and Kirk was so wonderfully touching to me that it singlehandedly made the episode worth watching, but it still doesn't change the fact that up until that point I found the episode very irritating.

Cakes: But the characters and relationships really on go so far on Star Trek...they were never really developed..that's why the amazing writing and groundbreaking ideas help enhance the production even further. As far as the special effects go, I honestly feel that 90-95% of the time they did an excellent job...even by today's standards.

Now I think quite a few of us are being quite harsh on season 3. In this thread Irritatinggameofchess commented how you can tell that there were behind the scenes rifts occuring during season 3...maybe we can see that now, but at the time we were first watching these ep's (and the 50 times thereafter LOL)...I had no idea about this strife...I only realized the strife as an adult after all their books came out etc!

Too much: I, on the other hand, could already sense something was wrong before I started looking at those books. I was enjoying the series very much after watching most of the first two seasons, but when I started watching season 3, I thought to myself, "what the hell happened? what the hell is going on?".

Cakes: I do agree... I mean there is an obvious change to the season 3 "feel"...I noticed it much less as a kid obviously.. but it's still star trek and kirk is still hangin to the left...that is the one thing that has never really changed...LOL LOL I'm sorry I've been waiting to get that comment in somewhere; somehow. I'm disgusting I know, LOL.

Cakes: [quote

Good Ep's: Enterprice Incident, Is there in truth no beauty, Spectre of gun, Day of dove, The world is hollow, Tholian Web, Wink of eye, Whom Gods destroy (i don't care it's on the good ep list I don't want to hear it lol) Last battlefield, mark gideon, lights zetar, cloud minders, all our yesterdays..
so this is 14 episodes and the rest -- 10 episodes are on the lower end of the "quality range"...again I'm trying to be objective and look at this from someone's point of view who doesn't like season 3. Is my list of good ep's that outrageous?[/quote]

Too much: Not a bad list, actually. Of the ones I've seen, I do think most of the episodes you mentioned were decent, although not nearly up to the level of the best of seasons 1 or 2. I'd also like to say I appreciate how gracious everyone has been in presenting their arguments on this topic, it's a refreshing change from what I've seen on other forums where people use personal insults towards those they disagree with. [/quote]

cakes: Yes I'm trying to be on my best behavior, mostly because if you don't behave they'll kick you off...LOL just kidding!!! Ok so I'll agree with you again that perhaps season 3 isn't quite up to the same caliber as seasons 1 & 2 but they still have value and entertainment factors and those damn "liberal" messages IMO....