The Star Trek Series - Post your list - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TJL · 05-18-2003, 10:28 AM

Okay Trek fans, just for fun, list the Star Trek series from your favorite to your least favorite.

My list:

1. Deep Space Nine This was the first Star Trek series I ever watched from the first episode to the last, plus I think they had some of the best characters and storylines.
2. The Next Generation - a very close second. I started watching STNG in its second season, and from there I got hooked into the Start Trek universe. Some of the best episodes out of all five series are from NG.
3. The Original Series - Episodes from the Kirk years still spark many a debate with my roommate.
4. Voyager - Although this show took a few years to get going, they had some good episodes. Although at the time I hated the idea of them bringing in Jeri Ryan in a cat suit, she managed to bring some depth to her breasts - I mean boobs! Her character!
5. Enterprise - The new kid on the block has impressed me from time to time, but it needs to outgrow its growing pains.

BrandonS · 05-18-2003, 11:40 AM

First of all let me say that they're all good and I have the greatest respect for all of them. However:

1. The Original Series
This has to be #1. I grew up with this and had seen every episode 80 times and gone to many conventions before the first episode of Next Generation was filmed. The 3rd and final season mostly sucked, but that's only because Roddenberry was sort of forced off the show and it fell into less capable hands. A very few 3rd season eps like "Elaan of Troyius" were good. In college, the TV rooms were packed at 11 PM when the TOS rerun came on the local station.
2. The Next Generation
It took about a year to get going, but once it did, the quality of the scripts was phenomenal. Remember that this show was never cancelled, but rather retired in favor of movies. One of the best eps was "The Best of Both Worlds," the first ep in which the Borg were dealt with in detail (I know they appeared earlier).
3. Enterprise
I don't care what anyone says, I like it, and I think it was very clever to do a prequel instead of a sequel. We get to see the exciting days when interstellar travel was first being figured out.
4. Voyager
Many good things in this show, and a lot of care went into its production, but I just don't think it quite measures up, particularly in terms of the quality of the actors. Don't get me wrong, they were all very good, but in TOS and TNG the actors were phenomenal and the chemistry between them was amazing.
5. Deep Space Nine
It's still "Star Trek," and therefore I respect it, but I don't think it measures up to Trek. I admit that I haven't seen more than about 10% of the eps, though, so maybe I'm wrong. Captain Cisco (sp?) strikes me as a little boring, and many of the other actors do too. It's my impression that the actors who weren't boring were underutilized. I will say, though, that the scenes in the series pilot showing the battle with the Borg in the Wolf 359 star system were amazing.

Sterling Holobyte · 05-21-2003, 01:35 AM

The Next Generation - This is the one that really got me into becoming a Trekkie/er. The stories and characters were excellent(ok, except for some in the first season) and captivating!
The Original Series - A close second. If not for the cardboard sets and sometimes silly plots and enemies, it would be my first! I can't really blame them; that's all they could do with the budget they had at the time.
Deep Space Nine - I was going to place this one dead last as I like BrandonS thought it was kind of boring - mostly because the title ship was basically a stationary object and therefor pretty stagnant to me. But I really didn't like where Voyager and Enterprise were taking the Star Trek franchise; trying to make it sexy to entice more viewers and taking the easy way out by using sex to liven things up. I think Gene Rodenberry would be rolling over in his grave if he saw what they were doing to his vision. I think it cheapens it.
Voyager - Starting out, I liked this one. I found it more online with the Star Trek tradition of a ship exploring the stars, especially after watching Deep Space Nine. But then, like I said above, they started taking the easy way out to attract viewers and thought loyal Star Trek fans didn't have the brain cells to be interested by anything other than girls in skin-tight clothing.
Enterprise - An interesting premise. Watched the first few episodes before realizing the Star Trek franchise was going downhill, and not just because of the racy scenes, but also because the continuity wasn't right. It was supposed to be before the original series but I just couldn't see it that way by the way they were presenting it. I was actually anticipating and hoping to see more original series type stuff, but everything was jazzed up and totally futuristic. It even rivaled equipment used on TNG and that was supposedly far away into the future for them.

BrandonS · 05-21-2003, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sterling Holobyte
But I really didn't like where Voyager and Enterprise were taking the Star Trek franchise; trying to make it sexy to entice more viewers and taking the easy way out by using sex to liven things up. I think Gene Rodenberry would be rolling over in his grave if he saw what they were doing to his vision.

I hate to disillusion you, but no one was more likely to use sex to sell than Roddenberry. I could give you many examples, but let me just refer you to when Susan Olver played Vina, the green animal-woman slave/dancing girl. Also, the TOS heroines' dresses always looked on the verge of falling off, e.g. Leslie Parish in the episode "Who Mourns for Adonis."

Sterling Holobyte · 05-30-2003, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BrandonS

I hate to disillusion you, but no one was more likely to use sex to sell than Roddenberry. I could give you many examples, but let me just refer you to when Susan Olver played Vina, the green animal-woman slave/dancing girl. Also, the TOS heroines' dresses always looked on the verge of falling off, e.g. Leslie Parish in the episode "Who Mourns for Adonis."

True. But then it wasn't like that in every episode because they weren't regular characters. TNG had sexy episodes too(remember Tasha Yar in "The Naked Now"?) but it wasn't the focal point of the series. When they dress their main characters in skin tight outfits and/or have your main characters in a love affair complete with love scenes looking like they were taken directly from a porn film, then I think they are using sex to sell the product/show.
Now, I don't mind looking at it occasionally. I mean, Seven Of Nine did look pretty good! But just don't make it a constant focal point of the show. The Star Trek universe is interesting enough without having to do that, IMHO.

BrandonS · 05-31-2003, 01:36 AM

Well, I would agree that Trek is too fine an institution to use cheap tricks to increase viewership. That is, if they are doing it, they should stop.

ClassicComedyFan2 · 06-01-2003, 09:55 AM

1. "Star Trek: Voyager" - The epitome of good Trek. Classic trek plots (time travel, anomalies, shuttle crashes) mixed in with new aliens and crossovers/sequels to TNG and even TOS (!) episodes! The ship was cool and the tone was upbeat, as Trek should be. The acting (especially Robert Picardo and Tim Russ) was top-notch and the special effects were drool-worthy. It's hard to say how I feel about Seven of Nine. She's an OK character, but that's about all. Overall, the show was fast-paced, had great comedic moments, awesome drama and was Trek at its very finest!

2. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" - Very, very close to Voyager and used to be my favorite. After the superb first two seasons (especially the awesome first), it began to drag some. But, with Q, the Borg, the Ferengi, the Klingons, anomalies, time travel and anmensia, the show had its good episodes all the way to the end. Great cast, cool sets and nifty special effects. Best Trek theme song period!

3. "Star Trek" - Ah, yes. The original. I also love this show. The special effects are primitive, but actually work. I love the upbeat tone and colorful designs of the sets. Acting was great, especially the core 3 (Shatner, Nimoy and Kelley) and the music was there too.

4. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" - Don't get me wrong. I love DS9 as well, but not as much as the others. It has a somewhat darker tone than the others and sometimes had some very slow and un-Trek episodes to it. It did have its good episodes with Q, the Ferengi comedy episodes, baseball, the Maquis, alien takeover, computer system gone awry and more. Its first three seasons were its best.

5. "Enterprise" - *sigh* I really want to like Enterprise. Really I do. But, there are many levels on which this show doesn't work for me. The horrible theme song for one. The low-key acting. The pessimistic tone. The violations in continutity. The severe lack of crossovers. The show doesn't even have Star Trek in the title. The season finale shows some promise, but we shall see. Has had some good episodes, the Ferengi episode and a couple of others. But, with a pilot that didn't even feel like a Star Trek show at all and more, Enterprise is the worst of Trek, as of now...

govkory · 06-09-2003, 12:15 AM

Love lists like this! Anyone that likes Deep Space 9 above Next Gen is okay with me! Here is my ranking:

Star Trek:TOS. The pioneer that started it all. With the exception of "Omega Glory", the episodes were never too ponderous, and had just the right amount of action! The biggest problem a tv series can have is to bore an audience! TOS never did that.

Deep Space 9. Great mix of action, drama, and, occasionally, humor. Though I love the second season episode "Crossover", the show really got going with season 3 and later, when the founders were introduced.

Next Generation. Some terrific episodes smattered throughout the series' run doesn't disguise the fact that this is often one boring, boring, boring show!! Everyone gets along on the ship, the stories were often ponderous (see review of "TOS") to the point of tedium.

Enterprise. This is a close call with "Voyager". Too many underwritten characters. Too many "already done on Trek" stories. There are some good episodes. the difference between "Enterprise" and "Voyager": Scott Bakula's Captain Archer, an engaging character that brings back memories of Kirk.

Voyager. Takes the worst elements of "Next Gen" and magnifies them! You have a problem when the most exciting episode of a seven-year run is the finale. "Killing Game" was good, so was "Endgame". That's it!

I'm nothing, if not passionate!

Kevin

BrandonS · 06-09-2003, 04:08 PM

That's an interesting take on it, govkory, although I find even, "The Omega Glory" to be interesting. I always enjoy the part where Spock uses telepathy to mesmerize the girl into getting his communicator. It's a good, "Here's why we have the prime directive" episode.

govkory · 06-09-2003, 09:38 PM

It's not that bad of an episode, but remember Kirk's 20-minute sermon at the end about their constitution "not being just for the Yangs, but the Komes as well!!!!!"? I had managed to keep the brick from falling on my head, until the series of shots showing the American flag! Well, the brick landed right on my noggin! Subtlety was not a part of this episode. Great fight scene though at the end. and your right about Spock's never-used-before-and-never-again-used touch-less telepathy on the girl. It was a hoot!

Spock: "I'm open to suggestions, Doctor."
McCoy (later): "What are you doing?"
Spock: "I am making a suggestion."

spunkygirl · 08-03-2003, 12:19 AM

1. The Next Generation that is the show that made me a Trekkie. It was very innovative for it's time, and IMO there was never a bad episode.

2. Enterprise-it was slow going, but now I can't get enough of this show

3. Original-I like it, but it's not something I would watch religiously like the first two

DSN and Voyager watched a few times, never cared much for those.

05-18-2003, 10:28 AM	#1
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	The Star Trek Series - Post your list Okay Trek fans, just for fun, list the Star Trek series from your favorite to your least favorite. My list: 1. Deep Space Nine This was the first Star Trek series I ever watched from the first episode to the last, plus I think they had some of the best characters and storylines. 2. The Next Generation - a very close second. I started watching STNG in its second season, and from there I got hooked into the Start Trek universe. Some of the best episodes out of all five series are from NG. 3. The Original Series - Episodes from the Kirk years still spark many a debate with my roommate. 4. Voyager - Although this show took a few years to get going, they had some good episodes. Although at the time I hated the idea of them bringing in Jeri Ryan in a cat suit, she managed to bring some depth to her breasts - I mean boobs! Her character! 5. Enterprise - The new kid on the block has impressed me from time to time, but it needs to outgrow its growing pains.
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

05-21-2003, 01:35 AM	#3
Sterling Holobyte Harper House Senior Member Join Date: Nov 07, 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,896	The Next Generation - This is the one that really got me into becoming a Trekkie/er. The stories and characters were excellent(ok, except for some in the first season) and captivating! The Original Series - A close second. If not for the cardboard sets and sometimes silly plots and enemies, it would be my first! I can't really blame them; that's all they could do with the budget they had at the time. Deep Space Nine - I was going to place this one dead last as I like BrandonS thought it was kind of boring - mostly because the title ship was basically a stationary object and therefor pretty stagnant to me. But I really didn't like where Voyager and Enterprise were taking the Star Trek franchise; trying to make it sexy to entice more viewers and taking the easy way out by using sex to liven things up. I think Gene Rodenberry would be rolling over in his grave if he saw what they were doing to his vision. I think it cheapens it. Voyager - Starting out, I liked this one. I found it more online with the Star Trek tradition of a ship exploring the stars, especially after watching Deep Space Nine. But then, like I said above, they started taking the easy way out to attract viewers and thought loyal Star Trek fans didn't have the brain cells to be interested by anything other than girls in skin-tight clothing. Enterprise - An interesting premise. Watched the first few episodes before realizing the Star Trek franchise was going downhill, and not just because of the racy scenes, but also because the continuity wasn't right. It was supposed to be before the original series but I just couldn't see it that way by the way they were presenting it. I was actually anticipating and hoping to see more original series type stuff, but everything was jazzed up and totally futuristic. It even rivaled equipment used on TNG and that was supposedly far away into the future for them.
	__________________ "Let it go. Forget about it. Try smiling." -Michael Harris WPIV studio producer/shoe salesman/grocery store employee/Ex-sanitarium patient/Stephanie's boyfriend-then husband --------------------------------------------------- My 2nd First Blog:http://saturdaymorningfunnies.wordpress.com/

05-18-2003, 11:40 AM	#2
BrandonS Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 18, 2002 Posts: 8,824	First of all let me say that they're all good and I have the greatest respect for all of them. However: 1. The Original Series This has to be #1. I grew up with this and had seen every episode 80 times and gone to many conventions before the first episode of Next Generation was filmed. The 3rd and final season mostly sucked, but that's only because Roddenberry was sort of forced off the show and it fell into less capable hands. A very few 3rd season eps like "Elaan of Troyius" were good. In college, the TV rooms were packed at 11 PM when the TOS rerun came on the local station. 2. The Next Generation It took about a year to get going, but once it did, the quality of the scripts was phenomenal. Remember that this show was never cancelled, but rather retired in favor of movies. One of the best eps was "The Best of Both Worlds," the first ep in which the Borg were dealt with in detail (I know they appeared earlier). 3. Enterprise I don't care what anyone says, I like it, and I think it was very clever to do a prequel instead of a sequel. We get to see the exciting days when interstellar travel was first being figured out. 4. Voyager Many good things in this show, and a lot of care went into its production, but I just don't think it quite measures up, particularly in terms of the quality of the actors. Don't get me wrong, they were all very good, but in TOS and TNG the actors were phenomenal and the chemistry between them was amazing. 5. Deep Space Nine It's still "Star Trek," and therefore I respect it, but I don't think it measures up to Trek. I admit that I haven't seen more than about 10% of the eps, though, so maybe I'm wrong. Captain Cisco (sp?) strikes me as a little boring, and many of the other actors do too. It's my impression that the actors who weren't boring were underutilized. I will say, though, that the scenes in the series pilot showing the battle with the Borg in the Wolf 359 star system were amazing.

05-31-2003, 01:36 AM	#6
BrandonS Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 18, 2002 Posts: 8,824	Well, I would agree that Trek is too fine an institution to use cheap tricks to increase viewership. That is, if they are doing it, they should stop.

06-01-2003, 09:55 AM	#7
ClassicComedyFan2 Coolicious! Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 28, 2001 Location: AL, United States, Alpha Quadrant Posts: 698	1. "Star Trek: Voyager" - The epitome of good Trek. Classic trek plots (time travel, anomalies, shuttle crashes) mixed in with new aliens and crossovers/sequels to TNG and even TOS (!) episodes! The ship was cool and the tone was upbeat, as Trek should be. The acting (especially Robert Picardo and Tim Russ) was top-notch and the special effects were drool-worthy. It's hard to say how I feel about Seven of Nine. She's an OK character, but that's about all. Overall, the show was fast-paced, had great comedic moments, awesome drama and was Trek at its very finest! 2. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" - Very, very close to Voyager and used to be my favorite. After the superb first two seasons (especially the awesome first), it began to drag some. But, with Q, the Borg, the Ferengi, the Klingons, anomalies, time travel and anmensia, the show had its good episodes all the way to the end. Great cast, cool sets and nifty special effects. Best Trek theme song period! 3. "Star Trek" - Ah, yes. The original. I also love this show. The special effects are primitive, but actually work. I love the upbeat tone and colorful designs of the sets. Acting was great, especially the core 3 (Shatner, Nimoy and Kelley) and the music was there too. 4. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" - Don't get me wrong. I love DS9 as well, but not as much as the others. It has a somewhat darker tone than the others and sometimes had some very slow and un-Trek episodes to it. It did have its good episodes with Q, the Ferengi comedy episodes, baseball, the Maquis, alien takeover, computer system gone awry and more. Its first three seasons were its best. 5. "Enterprise" - sigh I really want to like Enterprise. Really I do. But, there are many levels on which this show doesn't work for me. The horrible theme song for one. The low-key acting. The pessimistic tone. The violations in continutity. The severe lack of crossovers. The show doesn't even have Star Trek in the title. The season finale shows some promise, but we shall see. Has had some good episodes, the Ferengi episode and a couple of others. But, with a pilot that didn't even feel like a Star Trek show at all and more, Enterprise is the worst of Trek, as of now...

06-09-2003, 12:15 AM	#8
govkory Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 08, 2003 Posts: 8	Love lists like this! Anyone that likes Deep Space 9 above Next Gen is okay with me! Here is my ranking: Star Trek:TOS. The pioneer that started it all. With the exception of "Omega Glory", the episodes were never too ponderous, and had just the right amount of action! The biggest problem a tv series can have is to bore an audience! TOS never did that. Deep Space 9. Great mix of action, drama, and, occasionally, humor. Though I love the second season episode "Crossover", the show really got going with season 3 and later, when the founders were introduced. Next Generation. Some terrific episodes smattered throughout the series' run doesn't disguise the fact that this is often one boring, boring, boring show!! Everyone gets along on the ship, the stories were often ponderous (see review of "TOS") to the point of tedium. Enterprise. This is a close call with "Voyager". Too many underwritten characters. Too many "already done on Trek" stories. There are some good episodes. the difference between "Enterprise" and "Voyager": Scott Bakula's Captain Archer, an engaging character that brings back memories of Kirk. Voyager. Takes the worst elements of "Next Gen" and magnifies them! You have a problem when the most exciting episode of a seven-year run is the finale. "Killing Game" was good, so was "Endgame". That's it! I'm nothing, if not passionate! Kevin

06-09-2003, 04:08 PM	#9
BrandonS Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 18, 2002 Posts: 8,824	That's an interesting take on it, govkory, although I find even, "The Omega Glory" to be interesting. I always enjoy the part where Spock uses telepathy to mesmerize the girl into getting his communicator. It's a good, "Here's why we have the prime directive" episode.

06-09-2003, 09:38 PM	#10
govkory Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 08, 2003 Posts: 8	It's not that bad of an episode, but remember Kirk's 20-minute sermon at the end about their constitution "not being just for the Yangs, but the Komes as well!!!!!"? I had managed to keep the brick from falling on my head, until the series of shots showing the American flag! Well, the brick landed right on my noggin! Subtlety was not a part of this episode. Great fight scene though at the end. and your right about Spock's never-used-before-and-never-again-used touch-less telepathy on the girl. It was a hoot! Spock: "I'm open to suggestions, Doctor." McCoy (later): "What are you doing?" Spock: "I am making a suggestion."

08-03-2003, 12:19 AM	#11
spunkygirl Member Moderator Forum Celebrity Join Date: Apr 26, 2003 Posts: 21,563	1. The Next Generation that is the show that made me a Trekkie. It was very innovative for it's time, and IMO there was never a bad episode. 2. Enterprise-it was slow going, but now I can't get enough of this show 3. Original-I like it, but it's not something I would watch religiously like the first two DSN and Voyager watched a few times, never cared much for those.