Star Trek

I've been putting off doing this for a while now, but the time has come; I can'na hold it in any longer, Captain.  In order, from best to worst.


TV:

1 - TNG
2 - DS9
3 - TOS
4 - The Animated Series

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Dead last - Enterprise/Voyager

notes: To me, The Original Series and DS9 are damn near tied below TNG, with the briefness of TOS helping it to avoid some of the more unfortunate melodramatic pitfalls of DS9, which ran too long and got too far up its own ass a bit in more than one way.  But between them, DS9 barely gets the nod, because of the ridiculously rich, intricate world-and-history building, and the cast of relatively three-dimensional main and supporting characters that have been developed by the end of it, both on and off the station.  TOS is a beautiful, succinct, shining jewel of science fiction, and I love it, but I probably love DS9 just teeeeeeeensy bit more.

Too, The Animated Series is criminally underrated, and I would encourage anyone who's even remotely fond of the crew and vibe of TOS to watch it through.  It's still on Netflix Instant along with the rest of them, last I checked.

Tied for dead last: Enterprise was barely watchable, Bakula or no Bakula, (the characters were bland and annoying, the overarching plots of the series left much to be desired, and episode-by-episode it was very hard not to be overwhelmed by the trope-y, derivative, ridiculousness of it), and Voyager remains the most soul-crushingly disappointing television show of any sort to air in my lifetime, and has no redeeming qualities whatsoever not named Neelix or The Doctor, and even they weren't nearly enough to save it.

Film:

1 - VI: The Undiscovered Country
2 - II: The Wrath of Khan
3 - Generations
4 - First Contact

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5 - Star Trek
6 - Into Darkness
7 - IV: The Voyage Home

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8 - The Motion Picture
9 - Insurrection

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10 - III: The Search for Spock
11 - V: Final Frontier
12 - Nemesis

notes: The Top 4 in this list are tough to choose between, for me.  Very, very difficult.  I'm tempted to put Generations at the top, because some days it's my favorite, but it is, I suppose, more of a Captains vanity project than it is a solid, ensemble, Star Trek movie (though there certainly are some great ensemble parts in it, too).  Khan is brilliant, tense, philosophical, Trek-melodrama done right, with that phenomenal ending, and would see the #1 spot on most people's lists, I wager (mine too, on the right day).  And First Contact is another that, given the right mood, might be my favorite; such great humor in the face of Damoclesian peril, and so many great TNG moments in there, and a wonderful ending.

But I think it has to be VI: The Undiscovered Country in the top spot; it just has to be.  It was the first one I saw in the theater, and it has so, soooooo many incredible moments and characters; The Great Chris Plummer as Chang, the Shakespearean Klingon warhawk, Kim Cattrall as Spock's protege, the original crew back and each of them given one or two glory moments and some wonderful lines (Sulu coming to the rescue at the last might be my favorite), and the overarching message and philosophy of it is maybe my favorite in all of Star Trek; the old warriors trying their best to walk a line of peace, sacrificing their grudges and prejudices and egos to forge a better future for us all.  The way that all plays out is beyond brilliant, and it provides a fitting and apt send-off for the world and cast of TOS.

Also, even though i've rated it seventh, I'd like to say that seventh on this list is not a low number, such is my love for Star Trek in all its forms, and that it is now and has long been my assertion that IV: The Voyage Home is a particularly unfairly underrated entry in the series.  It's Star Trek at its most slap-stick hilarious, and at its most environmentalist, and despite the overlong finale with the whale, I have a fierce fondness for it that has well-stood the test of time and rewatchings.  Thus, as you can see, i've divided up the top group, the middle group, and the bottom group, and then separated III, V, and Nemesis from the lot, because those three are particularly unforgivably bad.

I just watched for the first time ever, "city on the edge of forever" and i  was pretty captivated by it. Im watching where no man has gone before, as we speak.

Because of my uncle ron, i always thought star trek was cool. His passwords to his computers, and networks were always ncc 1701 (dont tell him i told you). But latley, as is usual, bob's interests always seem to peak my interests. I think its because you remind me of my uncle ron. Anyways, im on a star trek kick today, since im on vacation, what better time to be? I really want to go back and dig up all the Byrne stuff you have been preaching on the show for a long time.

Star Trek TOS will be 50-years YOUNG in 2016. Uncle Bob & all of us old time Trek fans, how does everybody plan on commemorating the longevity of this beloved iconic show. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do, so give me some ideas please.

Bob,

Thanks for the recommends, will check those shows out. I just stumbled across this, the British Star Trek strips will be reprinted in three hardcover volumes, starting in March 2016 with Star Trek: The Classic UK Comics—The Complete Series, Volume One (1969-1970), which will feature every Joe 90 story, as well as the first 64 TV21 issues. The rest will follow in volumes two and three, along with a bunch of cool bonuses like the L.A. Times strips, these long-lost gems look breathtaking in their restored form.

Think those volumes would be a good 50th anniversary addition to my trek comics collection.

Finally found one of Bob's recommends, IDW Star Trek John Byrne HC collection @ a LCS for $11 (used).  Working my way through it this weekend in between watching the V (1983) mini-series on El Rey network, now this is my kind of weekend de-stresser!

Byrne's puts out the best Trek comics hands down.  You can tell in his writing that he loves & really knows the genre.  This HC edition is 480-pages packed full of good stuff, highly second Bob's recommendation on this book.

IDW Star Trek: Assignment: Earth, Issue 2, Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow story thats also in IDW Star Trek John Byrne Collection was excellent. The way it intertwined seamlessly with the original TOS episode was very entertaining. Especially for me being an Air Force Security Police Veteran myself, it'll be the closest that I'll ever get to being drawn in a comic book or getting a Vulcan neck pinch!

For those of you who enjoyed DS9 Trials & Tribulations episode, you should seek out this issue & give it a read.

Ross,

I'd say that, even if you're a Trek completist, wait for these to go on very deep discount, as they're pretty underwhelming in both story and art. I did thumb through them, as I had the same urge that you did, but I fought it off!