The Best of The Original Series
Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry, is a science-fiction television series that has captivated audiences for over five decades. It first aired in 1966 and has since spawned numerous spin-offs, movies, and a devoted fan base known as "Trekkies." The original series, which ran for three seasons, followed the adventures of the starship Enterprise and its crew as they explored the galaxy and encountered strange new worlds and civilizations.
From action-packed space battles to thought-provoking explorations of morality and ethics, these episodes showcase the best that Star Trek has to offer.
"The City on the Edge of Forever"
Often considered the pinnacle of Star Trek storytelling, this Hugo Award-winning episode sees a delusional Dr. McCoy travel back to 1930s Earth through a sentient time portal called the "Guardian of Forever," altering history and erasing the Enterprise from existence. Kirk and Spock must follow him to set things right. Kirk falls in love with a gentle social worker, Edith Keeler, only to discover that for the timeline to be restored, she must die. Keeler's pacifist movement, had she lived, would have delayed America's entry into WWII, allowing Nazi Germany to achieve world domination. Kirk faces an impossible choice, ultimately holding Spock back and allowing his love to be killed, securing a future he must return to with a broken heart.
"The Trouble with Tribbles"
While on a priority mission to protect a shipment of quadrotriticale grain, a vital resource for a developing planet, the Enterprise becomes infested with Tribbles—small, purring fluffballs that reproduce at an alarming rate. The episode is a masterclass in comedic storytelling, but the Tribbles serve a critical plot function. Their violent, screeching reaction to Klingons exposes a surgically-altered spy, and their sudden deaths after feeding on the grain proves it has been poisoned. The episode brilliantly balances humor with a genuine espionage plot and further establishes the tense political climate with the Klingon Empire.
"Mirror, Mirror"
A transporter malfunction swaps Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, and Scotty with their counterparts from a parallel universe. They find themselves in the brutal Terran Empire, where officers advance by assassinating superiors and obedience is enforced with a pain device called the "agonizer." The episode is famous for its visual iconography, especially Spock's goatee, which has become a cultural shorthand for an evil twin. Beyond the action, the episode delves into the nature of humanity, as the "good" crew must commit savage acts to survive, while Kirk plants the seeds of rebellion by appealing to the Mirror-Spock's logic, an act that would have galaxy-spanning consequences for the Empire generations later.
"The Menagerie"
This unique two-part episode was created to recoup the costs of the original, unaired Star Trek pilot, "The Cage." The story sees Spock commit mutiny and hijack the Enterprise to transport his former, now severely disabled, Captain Christopher Pike to the forbidden planet Talos IV. Spock presents footage from "The Cage" at his court-martial, revealing Pike's first encounter with the Talosians, master illusionists who can create lifelike realities. Spock's goal is to give his former captain a new life, free from his broken body, living out his days in a telepathically-created paradise. It's a powerful story of loyalty, sacrifice, and the definition of a life worth living.
"Amok Time"
This is a foundational episode for Vulcan lore. Spock begins to act erratically, driven by the *pon farr*, a biological mating drive he must fulfill on his homeworld or die. The episode introduces audiences to the planet Vulcan, the iconic Vulcan salute, the phrase "Live long and prosper," and Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda. At the climax, Spock is forced into a ritual fight to the death, the *kal-if-fee*, against Captain Kirk for the hand of his betrothed, T'Pring. The fight's resolution and Spock's uncharacteristically emotional reaction upon discovering Kirk is alive provide one of the most memorable moments of friendship in the series.
"Balance of Terror"
Heavily inspired by the submarine film "The Enemy Below," this episode is a tense game of cat and mouse in deep space. It marks the first on-screen appearance of the Romulans, who shatter a century-long truce by destroying Federation outposts along the Neutral Zone. The episode establishes key Romulan traits: their use of a powerful plasma weapon and, most importantly, a cloaking device that renders their ship invisible. The revelation that Romulans physically resemble Vulcans introduces themes of prejudice and racism, as one crewman's bigotry toward Spock comes to the forefront. The mutual respect that develops between Kirk and the Romulan Commander adds a layer of tragic honor to the conflict.
The Enterprise discovers the S.S. Botany Bay, a sleeper ship from the 1990s carrying cryogenically frozen survivors of Earth's Eugenics Wars. They revive the crew's leader, the charismatic and brilliant Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically engineered superhuman. Khan, a relic of a past where ambition and power were paramount, attempts to seize control of the Enterprise with the help of a smitten crew historian. His intellect and strength prove a formidable challenge for Kirk. Kirk's final decision—to exile Khan and his followers to the untamed world of Ceti Alpha V rather than simply imprison them—is a fateful choice that directly sets the stage for the epic revenge plot in the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
"Journey to Babel"
This episode greatly expands the political landscape of the Federation. The Enterprise is tasked with transporting ambassadors from numerous worlds to a critical diplomatic conference on the planet Babel. The ship becomes a hotbed of political intrigue and suspicion when an ambassador is murdered. This episode introduces key Federation members, such as the hot-headed Tellarites and the militaristic Andorians. The political drama is mirrored by Spock's personal turmoil, as his estranged parents, Sarek and Amanda, are aboard. A medical emergency forces Spock to choose between his duty to the ship during a crisis and his duty to his family, providing deep insight into the Vulcan's conflicted nature.
"The Doomsday Machine"
The Enterprise discovers the wrecked U.S.S. Constellation and its traumatized commanding officer, Commodore Matt Decker. Decker recounts how a massive, planet-destroying weapon of unknown origin consumed his entire crew. The "doomsday machine" is an ancient, autonomous weapon that carves through planets for fuel, surrounded by a hull of pure neutronium that makes it nearly invulnerable. Consumed by guilt and a thirst for vengeance, Decker hijacks the Enterprise, engaging in an Ahab-like obsession to destroy the machine that puts Kirk's crew in mortal danger. It's a thrilling tale of obsession and the terrifying prospect of apocalyptic-level weaponry left adrift in the cosmos.
"The Enterprise Incident"
In a tense Cold War-style espionage thriller, Captain Kirk appears to suffer a mental breakdown, ordering the Enterprise into the Romulan Neutral Zone where it is promptly captured. This, however, is an elaborate ruse for a top-secret intelligence mission: to steal a Romulan cloaking device. Kirk undergoes surgical alteration to appear Romulan and engages in a battle of wits and attraction with the female Romulan Commander, while Spock feigns loyalty to the Romulans to complete the mission. The episode is a classic spy story, highlighting Starfleet's covert operations and presenting the Romulans as intelligent, cunning, and honorable adversaries.
Trivia
In "The City on the Edge of Forever," the role of Edith Keeler was originally offered to Joan Collins, but she turned it down. The role eventually went to actress Joan Collins' sister, Jacqueline.
In "The Trouble with Tribbles," the original script called for the Tribbles to be revealed as a dangerous and deadly species, but the director changed the tone to make them more lighthearted and comedic. "Mirror, Mirror" was the first episode of Star Trek to feature the iconic "evil twin" trope.
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