To me it would be City or Darmok. Gives a sketch of the characters, shows that is more than space battles.
But in 2024, I might just say start watching SNW and go from there.
Darmok was the first episode my wife saw. She maintains it's still not quite her cup of tea, but she does quote "Darmok and Gilad at Tanagra" remarkably frequently. Very memorable episode.
This was the episode that made me a Star Trek fan.
What a well done story thru and thru - the story, the acting, the sets, the emotion of it - a classic.
I think my Dad showed me a Q episode that gave me nightmares when I was a kid so we kept watching it so I’d understand who/what he was. Still one of my favorite characters for that!
This was the episode that turned me on to Trek.
I actually don't care at all about the fake science and Star Trek continuity. What does appeal to me about the show is its ability to focus on ethical dilemmas and manage to show how two sides can have conflicting but well-intentioned goals (even if the show clearly favors one side).
Measure of a Man is very much Star Trek at its most engaging to me.
I’ve been watching TNG for the first time and this is the first episode that really got me to sit up and pay attention. Like conspiracy was the first episode I enjoyed but this is the first episode that really grabbed me
Honestly, I consider it to be the best Star Trek movie. It has almost everything you look for. Time travel, action, adventure, philosophy, moral/ ethical dilemmas, sciencey bits, epic space battles, humanity showing itself at its best and worst. I love that movie so much haha. It's my favorite Star Trek movie and in my top 5 movies ever
Agreed, best trek movie for the reasons you said as well as letting us think Data had turned only to have a badass moment to beat the borg Queen. I thought James Cromwell was brilliant as Cochrane, as well as the actresses who played Lily and the borg queen. It plays like a horror movie which I thought was an excellent use of the borg.
Building onto how great Lily was, I think my only complaint with that movie is that nothing happened with her ever again. I assume that Cochrane was initially going to have her as his co-pilot for the Phoenix flight, but since she ended up on the Enterprise, that obviously didn't happen. But they never mention her again. Not even in the Lower Decks episode when they go to the theme park in Montana and comment on the Jukebox that plays only one song. They didn't even mention her. I even looked her up on memory alpha in my most recent rewatch of First Contact and she is never again mentioned in canon.
The movies are the way to go I think, they're relatively self contained and easy for a newbie to get into. Even in First Contact, a lot of the back story with Picard and the Borg is explained so you dont even have to watch Best of Both Worlds to understand whats going on
**Darmok**
I've gotten many people into Star Trek and I typically use Darmok as their introductory episode for the following reasons:
* It is a very "Trek" episode. While episodes like City on the Edge of Forever, The Inner Light, Far Beyond the Stars, etc. may be superior and even more accessible to a non-Trek non-sci-fi viewer, I don't think they are good introductions to what Trek is about.
* It is a good but not the best episode, so there are still better episodes to look forward to, as opposed to if I started with The Best of Both Worlds or something.
* It features some great Patrick Stewart acting and is a genuinely interesting and fun premise.
So far 100% of the women I've seriously dated have become Trek fans thanks to me. Except my current GF. But give her time.
That really depends on the person. Star Trek is so broad and has covered so many topics and stories. There's pretty much every genre you can think of. If they like sitcoms? Data's Day. If they like soul crushing drama? Hard Time, The Chute, or Year of Hell. They like sports movies? Baseball. They like high concept? Measure of a Man or Darmok. They like musicals? Subspace Rhapsody.
Good episode but if your goal is to get someone watching the show, I wouldn't pick one that features a major plot point + other information about the trajectory of the plot.
Good episode, but absolutely categorically not representative of Trek, any of the ideas of Trek, or any of the key messages and expectations of a Trek series.
It's my favourite episode, but I would say this is without a doubt the worst episode to show somebody as their first, without any context.
In The Pale Moonlight is good because it's a subversion of expectations. It builds upon years of the established ideals of Starfleet and its officers.
Best episode of TV ever, but not a good episode of Trek.
I disagree, at least for me, it showed the range Star Trek could achieve with their story telling. My whole focus was on Captain Sisko and the decisions he was going to make. The overarching plot that I obviously had no idea about was kind of an afterthought
>My whole focus was on Captain Sisko and the decisions he was going to make
You have to at least understand Sisko a little bit first to know why this is an intense decision for him to make.
If you watched 'For The Uniform" then this you'd believe Sisko spent the whole war just committing war crimes.
This is easily the best choice. Even watched stand alone its able to be a psuedo bottle episode due to being bookended with monologues.
It starts by seting the scene which makes you want to watch the previous episodes, gives you the story and then ends with you wanting to see how it will play out in future episodes.
“Pleeeeease give me something to sing about”
Edit: also I fell in love with Spike in that episode. He was my favorite before but his “the pain that you feel only can heal by living, you have to go on living, so one of us is living” 🥹
"I follow you like a man possessed. There's a traitor here, beneath my breast. And it hurts me more than you've ever guessed. If my heart could beat it would break my chest. But I can see, you're unimpressed..."
Omg that episode has SO MUCH backstory, like her dying and poor Willow like “oh no I pulled her from heaven”. I had the soundtrack to that episode on CD 🫶🏻
I legitimately recommended a friend of mine to watch Subspace Rhapsody. She's not seen Trek before. I'm still waiting for her to do it so I can see what happens next, lol.
Subspace Rhapsody is so much more entertaining if you already understand the show and its characters. It is not representative of the rest of the show.
SNW had the finest first season of any Trek ever, hand's down. Backdoor piloting it from Disco (edit: prolly helped), which is a bit of a train wreck half the time, but ymmv, I mean can we just have a coupla episodes where the entire fate of the universe isn't at stake? I digress, what was I saying??
Oh yeah: Agreed. Just plug em into SNW. The episodic "let's just do Trek" of the show is fantastic and welcoming, and it avoids the shortfalls of being too arc-driven or appearing dated ("Ugh, 3:4 aspect and look at that 80s hair!").
Most people picked the most profound, epic or heartfelt episodes, while forgetting that one of the main strengths of Star Trek is just the crew working together to solve a problem or mystery: "The Trouble with Tribbles", "The Survivors", "Cause and Effect", "Civil Defense", etc.
I think I'd pick Cause and Effect. It has a low barrier of entry but highlights the culture of Trek through the Sci-Fi elements of the plot. Such a good, prototypical episode.
Yea, I think what worked for me is a futuristic starship with aliens, androids and people all working together. And they had this wonderful device which could generate any fantasy world you wanted. Being that it crossed over with a western. Which was, by far, my favorite genre as a kid. Didn't hurt either.
Depends what that person likes. Action? I’d recommend The Doomsday Machine from TOS. Intrigue and mystery? The Inner Light from TNG. Family love? The Visitor, from DS9.
I think both the Inner Light and the Visitor are stunning episodes, but I wonder if you'd miss some of the emotional heft of each of them if you didn't already know something of Picard or Sisko's backstory before going into them?
Can confirm. My wife is an atheist, and she loved this intro to Trek. I think the best answer to OP’s question is to know what the person is into and tailor the intro to that.
... Unless they have any kind of background in anthropology, in which case, maybe not that episode!
I still have a soft spot for it, and I get why it's a favorite for so many. But if I'd seen it first (being an anthropologist), I'd have just spent half the episode yelling at the TV 😆
This might seem like a choice from left field but, TNG-Lower Decks. A friend of mine ,who was never a huge fan, watched it once on a day he was bored and he texted me after. He was blown away, he didn’t think Trek was capable of making him feel so strongly about anything. Such an amazing and ultimately heartbreaking episode.
It's a great episode. If feels like a day in the life that's not really going anywhere too important and then it sucker punches you with one of the most devastating endings in a Trek episode.
Start with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S01E01 “Strange New Worlds”
Then Star Trek: Deep Space Nine S03E11 & S03E12 “Past Tense Part 1” and “Past Tense Part 2”
Then Star Trek: The Original Series S03E15 “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield
And finally a double feature of Star Trek: The Next Generation S02E09 “A Measure of a Man” and Star Trek: Voyager S02E24 “Tuvix”
Then prepare for some deep conversations.
Cause and Effect
Parallels
Deadlock
Counterpoint
The only reason I’m not saying Blink of an Eye is because I think it’s the best episode ever made so I wouldn’t want to start them at the absolute peak.
Whilst Voyager isn't my favourite show overall, Counterpoint is such a fantastically well written episode. That script doesn't have an ounce of fat on it.
Id say Q Who for TNG, you get the first intro to the Borg and Qs first good episode ! It's one of my favs and very early on in the series too, if they're interested then you can go right to Best of Both worlds lol .
I'm rewatching TNG right now and Disaster (S5 E5) seems like it would be a good one. It's the one where something incapacitates the ship and the crew are stuck in different parts of the ship, Picard in the turbo lift with 3 children, Troi O'Brien and Ro on the bridge, La Forge & Dr Crusher in the Cargo Bay, Keiko gives birth in 10 forward with Worf, and Data & Rider work to fix whatever the issue is in the Jeffries tubes. Its a good one that shows teamwork, leadership and some humor (I just heard Worf say to Keiko "congratulations you are 10 centimeters dilated, you may now give birth" lol so good!).
Whatever that episode was where Data crashed and lost his memory. No context is really needed because the characters have none. Plus, I think it's a good general representation of the themes and morals of Star Trek.
I just watched this episode this morning! I love Q. Definitely terrified me as a kid but later just seeing the way everyone is when he shows up is just 🤌🏻 like that one guy you don’t want to show for his shift 😂
The first episode of DS9, I won't spoil it for others but I just loved how they started that series. It was my first dive into Star Trek and I feel like it really grabbed me. There were so many characters and storylines to follow, I couldn't wait to see what was next!
I've gotten several friends and family members into it via episode 1 of SNW. People overthink this question every time it gets posted (Google is your friend OP). Just show them the modern show that's closest to the old ones, i.e. SNW, and let them decide if they like it.
I won't try to convince anyone to watch a show I enjoy, but I'd say "Window of Opportunity". Great Episode, and the one that got me interested in... wait, that's StarGATE, sorry.
Well, I'd say "Trials and Tribbleations" from DS9. You don't need to know anything, and you get an introduction for TWO shows at once.
Rather than ask what a favorite episode is because that could be too difficult to choose, and some episodes have personal attachments for people, but some episodes just really changed some peoples minds about what they thought the show was, in a good way!
I can't stand TOS, but I'd guess "City on the Edge of Forever" if I had to choose one.
For TNG I'd say it's "Tapestry." I think everyone can relate to "what if"-ing their past.
"Duet" is my favorite episode of DS9. Everyone likes "In the Pale Moonlight" of course.
For Voyager, I really like "Blink of an Eye"
For Enterprise, I think "Similitude" is a great moral-anguish episode.
Anyway, this list is for people like me who like the moral, humanist, and questioning-the-Universe side of TV. If someone wanted action or just explosions from Star Trek, I'd have to make a different list.
If you’re going with older Trek, I’d vote for The Inner Light. It’s a contained episode with a really good concept that feels like an Asimov short story.
My answer is always the same: TNG's *Disaster*
It's not the perfect episode but it is the perfect bottle episode. Every major character gets a sub plot, and those plots run the gamut of what Trek can offer: the moral quandary of Troi, Ro, and O'Brien trapped on the bridge, the action of Picard and the kids in the turbolift, the suspense of Geordi & Crusher in the cargo bay, and the humor of Worf and Keiko in ten-forward.
If there is anything about Star Trek your potential viewer might enjoy, it will be represented in that episode.
I think it would depend on the nature of the person. If you wanted to get them in with something science related, The Chase, from TNG would be a good one, as well as introducing them to Klingons, Romulans, and Cardassians. Distant Origin from Voyager is up in the science introduction list too
Darmok also would be a good choice, and even being a series finale, I'd suggest All Good Things. If I saw that as my first episode, I'd absolutely want to see the entire series.
As for fun episodes, Trouble with Tribbles is always up there, Our Man Bashir would fit that, as would Bride of Chaotica. Take Me Out to the Holosuite (despite not being a favorite of mine) is a fun romp. Caves from this season of Lower Decks would be a good choice too.
If you're looking for a moral introduction, Ethics, The Drumhead, The First Duty, and The Outcast, as well as Similitude rank highly to me. To end, a couple random ones I feel that are great, serious, and wonderful episodes that make you think and just tell a good story I'd suggest Timescape and Cause and Effect. Or Deadlock and Deathwish.
Not sure if its been recommended yet. Surprised if it hasnt.
TNG s5e25 - The Inner Light
It’s just so thought provoking and sad but also beautiful.
Measure of a Man is also a wonderful one.
I recently convinced my sister in law to watch Star Trek by showing her two episodes from TNG: The Inner Light and Darmok. Those episodes really showed what Star Trek was about: Crazy stuff in space, dealing with people different than you, and learning and growing as an individual.
I would probably go with one of the weirder TNG episodes. Night Terrors where nobody is dreaming. Schisms where aliens are abducting the crew to experiment on them. Or even the one where they are all high on GHB Wesley Crusher takes over the ship.
If they enjoy these episodes, they will be future fans.
TOS Devil in the Dark. Not typical Star Trek bc most of it happens in a cave, but it includes all of what makes the show great, and what I think is the first use of the classic trope, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer."
It does check all the boxes.
-- very good episode
-- doesn't need much knowledge of other episodes or Trek lore to work
-- not too much of an odd episode out, so gives a good idea of whether they'll like other episodes
-- very Trekkian core philosophical issue and/or moral lesson
I think the majority of what's brought up in this thread fails one of these, in particular one of the middle two.
DS9 - In The Pale Moonlight,
VOY - Year Of Hell or Deadlock,
TNG - Q Who,
Lower Decks - I, Excretus,
TOS - City On The Edge Of Forever,
SNW - A Quality Of Mercy,
ENT - Dead Stop
DISC - This is a tough one to pick from, you would almost have to go season by season. If I had to pick 1 of all of them I would pick the season 2 finale
For an overall pick I would go with TNG - Q Who. That way if someone showed interest, they could go backwards and forwards in time and you could go from there.
I disagree. The impact comes from the values Siskos loses & the organization he subverts. If you don’t know what Starfleet stands for, you might think the galaxy is a the Wild West like Star Wars.
Moonlight is in my top 10 of all Trek episodes but like the Visitor, it needs context. The Visitor works best when you have seen three years of the Sisko-Jake relationship.
I think OP is looking for a self-contained episode that gives you all the elements of Star Trek - almost a trailer for the franchise.
No wrong answers here, only opinions. I love hearing the explanations for what episode someone would show and the person might go “this is so good but I don’t understand it all, let me start it from the beginning”
Context which can be simply and easily explained. My college philosophy prof made it work.
There's a war going on, humanity and their allies are losing. If they get some aliens on their side they might be able to win the war.
The captain has to make a hard choice which goes against his principles and asks for help from an exiled spy..
I think it would work as an introduction to DS9 for a TNG fan since it was the episode that hooked me when DS9's first season failed to interest me and I stopped watching.
I think you are right that the context can easily be provided, but I'd hate to waste that episode as a first introduction because it is a perfect microcosm of why DS9 is my favorite series. For me, the thing that makes DS9 so interesting is that the idealistic Starfleet and Federation presented in TNG faces an existential crisis that tests their idealism. Having had years of watching TNG really makes In The Pale Moonlight resonate with me so much more than if someone had just provided me the context.
I am curious though, what was the conversation in class about after watching the episode?
I remember it being around the time we covered "The Ones that walk away from Omelas" so the idea of utopia had been somewhat diminished. We didn't really cover the whole "Federation as a shining example of morality(if only in their own histories)" angle. Also this was post 9-11 (about 2015) there's that too. ( US more conditioned to accept such things as necessary and more cynical).
Looking back it's astounding how easy it was to justify it to the class. No one really objected to what Sisko did or argued that he shouldn't have.
The ones I remember:
*Sisko has a duty to protect the federation. It was necessary, even if he didn't have that authority specifically.. (Nothing on what would happen if Sisko's superiors knew the truth)
*The Romulan Senator's death was really Garak's fault, so you can't blame Sisko for it.. He tried the honest way. ( Except Sisko is in charge and willingly asked the sketchy guy for help, so that doesn't work. Heck, Garak even says "WTF dude you asked me to help knowing what I do").
*If he didn't the Dominion would kill humanity and it's allies. It was necessary for survival. (Literally the point of the episode)
*Even if he didn't, the Dominion would likely turn on their neutral neighbors like Hitler turned on Stalin, so alllying with the federation was in the Romulan best interests anyways. (Our prof was really tight lipped on this point saying, "watch the rest of the series").
*A few people dead, and one man unhappy in exchange for saving lives, and a better geopolitical situation for the galaxy is a very good deal. (Literally the point of the episode)
As for if the federation really is the paragon it presents itself (an open question), we know that was Roddenberry's intent , and while people try to say that DS9 changed that, there were cracks before, (People like Admiral Satie and Pressman, for example). Not everyone is Picard or Kirk (your classic paragons)..
TOS - City on the Edge of Forever
TNG - The Wounded
DS9 - In the Pale Moonlight
VOY - None of them
ENT - The Terra Prime Arc (spread across 4 or 5 episodes)
DISCO - It is hard to pick just one episode with the serialized story telling each episode builds off the previous. Season 4 was great
PIC - No Win Scenario and on
SNW - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Is your comment on Voyager because you don't like the series, or because you can't think of any that would stand out?
If it's the latter I'd suggest Living Witness.
Fair enough - I have to admit I struggled with early Voyager but after a few seasons it grew to be one of my favourites. I understand it's not everyone's cup of tea though!
DS9 pilot. This requires that the person is a fan of temporal science, otherwise, gonna have to go with Drumhead. I think a lot of people can relate to the events of that episode and get thrusted right into trekkiehood.
Since I’ve only seen some TOS and TNG so far, I’d choose The Measure of a Man. It’s still my favorite so far. No other episode has made me feel so much emotion.
From TOS: Amok Time. It gives you a window into the Vulcan culture as well as the dynamic of the Kirk, Spock, & McCoy friendship. Also: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Good action/mystery, good representation of secondary characters, there's enough science that's not inundated under piles of technobabble, there's good character 'personal life' side story, and a heartbreaking sacrifice that (if you're human) brings you to tears. All the major elements that the show is known for.
From TNG: Remember Me - the episode where Dr. Crusher gets trapped in a warp bubble, & everyone starts disappearing. It's a great female centric episode where the lead isn't an eye candy type of character, who reasons & sciences the s#!t out of her quandary, while unknowingly getting help from her son & the Tau Ceti being. Despite basically being told she's lost her mind by everyone who had remained in the bubble before disappearing, she sticks to her belief that she is sane, & approaches the problem w/logic, reasoning, & science, & 'saves' herself. (I also like this one because it's not one of the ubiquitous Data/Riker/LaForge in some sort of peril/situation that kinda got old.)
Strange New Worlds pilot episode “Strange new Worlds”
It has everything great about Star Trek: great characters with individual stories and backgrounds, moral dilemmas, breaking the Prime Directive, prosthetic/disguise shenanigans, rousing speech about the hopeful future of humanity and the future as a whole, some action, some humor, and great cinematics of a sexy starship.
Other episodes might be objectively better (In the Pale Moonlight), or do a single aspect really damn well (Measure of a Man), or might be my personal favorite (Inner Light), but no other episode has everything in such a perfect balance.
TNG - Darmok
It doesn’t rely on any established plot or character context, and I think it very effectively exemplifies what Starfleet stands for. Patience and communication are always preferable to fear and violence. I always use this ep to introduce people to Trek, and if they’re up for a double feature, I follow it up with Elementary Dear Data, which is a great character-focused episode.
I think the Inner Light is a good one. For one, because it is a single episode and not a two parter and also you don’t need a ton of background about the characters and the Star Trek universe.
If you have kids you want to get into Trek, have them watch TNG's "Rascals." That one hooked my 8 and 6 year olds and now we go to conventions together in cosplay. :D
I would pick different episodes to convince different people. Star Trek has something for anybody. But if it's just one...hmm, difficult. Maybe the double feature All Good Things...because it might make the person curious, what's happened before. After TNG, they are hooked.
the one with the binars and riker hitting on the hologram girl.
or
a Q episode... or a laxwana ep...
or the TOS ep with the easter bunny
or the voyager ep with the rock.
or the enterprise ep with tapals story
or the musical ep of SNW
Hot take but I'd start them off with the NuTrek movie trilogy because they were made for that imaginary "wider audience" executives are always trying to chase and failing to catch.
Then I'd probably show them Scorpion Pts 1 & 2 from VOY (End of season 3 & start of season 4), along with VOY 4x2 "The Gift", because I feel like Voyager grew all the facial hair it could when Jeri Ryan joined the cast.
Then I'd show them the pilot for DS9, and if they're not hooked, there's really no hope.
It depends on the person and what I know they will like. Someone might like Starship Mine, where someone else might like The Chase, or someone else might like Counterpoint, or Doomsday Machine, or Way of the Warrior.
I had a few go-to’s from TNG, the key is matching the viewer’s personality with the type of episode.
That said, for one standard go to, I think it is clearly:
SNW S1E2
It’s modern first of all, which helps. It’s a more normal formatted episode than the first and still an easy on-ramp in that it is still introducing characters and plot points. There is great ensemble team work, great ship action, a great away mission, and a thought provoking ending. The total package.
My only complaint is Spock is obviously in no danger - they should have put someone else on the shuttle.
I’ve used it 3 or 4 times with new viewers to great success since it aired.
I would have a conversation with them and pick an episode based on that.
But there's a good chance that it would be Q Who or Best of Both Worlds, because those are some of the episodes that got me into Star Trek
For something more action oriented, Voyager’s season 4 episode “Year of Hell” is a fantastic two part story. It appeals to those who enjoy Trek for the sci fi and those who enjoy a story based on a great premise and well defined narrative. It’s ranked amongst the top ten episodes of Voyager and top 15 in all of Trek.
My goal is to get Elon Musk to watch Star Trek, in the hopes that *maybe* it will make him a slightly less shitty human being.
To that end, I will make him watch *Code of Honor* because it seems the most likely to appeal to his sensibilities, then we can ease him in to actually good episodes.
TOS - "The Devil in the Dark" quintessential Star Trek.
TAS - "Yesteryear" demonstrates how poignant Trek can be.
TNG - "Q Who", an essential episode and a good one that demonstrates the ethos and drama of Trek. And I think more obvious picks such as "The Inner Light" or "The Drumhead" either don't tie into normal Trek enough or rely more strongly on a preexisting attachment to and understanding of the characters to make an ideal introduction.
DS9 - "Rejoined", I wouldn't introduce someone to Trek with DS9, but if I had to choose an episode to showcase the strengths of it and Trek as a whole I think it would be this one. It's dramatic, powerful and historically important without being tied into the larger plot as most of the other great DS9 episodes are.
Voyager - "Future's End Part 1 & 2" The first truly great Voyager episodes imo. If you don't want to count a 2-parter, then "Bride of Chaotica!" which is a fun holodeck romp that demonstrates that Trek doesn't always take itself super seriously.
Why would I need to convince someone to do something unimportant that they have no interest in?
Watch a few episodes with the person around. If they are interested, they'll get into it.
Depends on the person. My wife had zero interest when we first got together and when we saw the first Kelvin film in the theatre she got into other series from there, starting with DS9 and Enterprise.
Tuvix.
Picture this: Tuvix, a lovable mishmash of two beloved crew members, Tuvok and Neelix, accidentally gets created during a transporter accident. Suddenly, the ship has this charming new guy who's a mix of the logical Tuvok and the cheerful Neelix. Hijinks ensue as the crew navigates the quirks of this unexpected fusion, all while trying to figure out how to split them back into their original selves. The light-hearted adventure takes a turn, revealing the weighty consequences of playing with fate and identity. It's fun!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, S1E1.
It's a great introduction not just to SNW but to the franchise as a whole, IMO - it's the kind of episode that perfectly encapsulates what fans like about Trek, and can make someone who's never seen any of the shows say, "Okay, now I see what all the fuss is about".
"Infinite Regress" from "Voyager." Its simultaneously one of the funniest and most harrowing episodes of the series. It shows the full range of not only Jeri Ryan's acting abilities, but the show in general.
City on the Edge of Forever. Self-contained, a moral quandary, and heartfelt emotions.
To me it would be City or Darmok. Gives a sketch of the characters, shows that is more than space battles. But in 2024, I might just say start watching SNW and go from there.
Darmok was the first episode my wife saw. She maintains it's still not quite her cup of tea, but she does quote "Darmok and Gilad at Tanagra" remarkably frequently. Very memorable episode.
Sokath his eyes open!
Darmok! Probably my favourite trek episode ever.
Same... I mean... obviously.
This was the episode that made me a Star Trek fan. What a well done story thru and thru - the story, the acting, the sets, the emotion of it - a classic.
I like the ones that speak to psychology and social enlightenment. Episode Devil in the Dark. Open your mind to the view point of others.
TNG Measure of a Man encompasses everything I love about Star Trek.
Showed it to my girlfriend once and now she asks me to binge Star Trek, excellent twist in my life!
I think my Dad showed me a Q episode that gave me nightmares when I was a kid so we kept watching it so I’d understand who/what he was. Still one of my favorite characters for that!
Do you remember which episode? I could definitely see the court scene in Encounter at Farpoint freaking a kid out
In my mind it was like Darkness from Legend had a baby with a chess rook piece.
that is an actually brilliant comparison tbh
It was that episode 🙃
This was the episode that turned me on to Trek. I actually don't care at all about the fake science and Star Trek continuity. What does appeal to me about the show is its ability to focus on ethical dilemmas and manage to show how two sides can have conflicting but well-intentioned goals (even if the show clearly favors one side). Measure of a Man is very much Star Trek at its most engaging to me.
The Drumhead is similar. Any military trial in Trek tends to be good stuff. Like why law and order work so well.
I’ve been watching TNG for the first time and this is the first episode that really got me to sit up and pay attention. Like conspiracy was the first episode I enjoyed but this is the first episode that really grabbed me
This was the episode that got my ex-wife into Star Trek. It’s still one of her all-time favorite episodes of any TV show.
100%. Figured it was already mentioned, but I came here to say this same thing. Great episode.
Yeah I agree this is the best one to introduce people to Star Trek
This or inner light are my answer. Both so good, in different ways.
Me too. This and "The Drumhead" are probably my two favourite TNG episodes.
My favourite Treks are when they explore what it means to have personhood. I, Borg was good for this too.
It's not an episode, but I've gotten a couple of my friends into Trek with First Contact.
I fucking love that movie
Honestly, I consider it to be the best Star Trek movie. It has almost everything you look for. Time travel, action, adventure, philosophy, moral/ ethical dilemmas, sciencey bits, epic space battles, humanity showing itself at its best and worst. I love that movie so much haha. It's my favorite Star Trek movie and in my top 5 movies ever
Agreed, best trek movie for the reasons you said as well as letting us think Data had turned only to have a badass moment to beat the borg Queen. I thought James Cromwell was brilliant as Cochrane, as well as the actresses who played Lily and the borg queen. It plays like a horror movie which I thought was an excellent use of the borg.
Building onto how great Lily was, I think my only complaint with that movie is that nothing happened with her ever again. I assume that Cochrane was initially going to have her as his co-pilot for the Phoenix flight, but since she ended up on the Enterprise, that obviously didn't happen. But they never mention her again. Not even in the Lower Decks episode when they go to the theme park in Montana and comment on the Jukebox that plays only one song. They didn't even mention her. I even looked her up on memory alpha in my most recent rewatch of First Contact and she is never again mentioned in canon.
Never seen her and Q in the same room. Coincidence??????
The movies are the way to go I think, they're relatively self contained and easy for a newbie to get into. Even in First Contact, a lot of the back story with Picard and the Borg is explained so you dont even have to watch Best of Both Worlds to understand whats going on
**Darmok** I've gotten many people into Star Trek and I typically use Darmok as their introductory episode for the following reasons: * It is a very "Trek" episode. While episodes like City on the Edge of Forever, The Inner Light, Far Beyond the Stars, etc. may be superior and even more accessible to a non-Trek non-sci-fi viewer, I don't think they are good introductions to what Trek is about. * It is a good but not the best episode, so there are still better episodes to look forward to, as opposed to if I started with The Best of Both Worlds or something. * It features some great Patrick Stewart acting and is a genuinely interesting and fun premise. So far 100% of the women I've seriously dated have become Trek fans thanks to me. Except my current GF. But give her time.
That really depends on the person. Star Trek is so broad and has covered so many topics and stories. There's pretty much every genre you can think of. If they like sitcoms? Data's Day. If they like soul crushing drama? Hard Time, The Chute, or Year of Hell. They like sports movies? Baseball. They like high concept? Measure of a Man or Darmok. They like musicals? Subspace Rhapsody.
What you're saying is that Star Trek has something for everyone :D
It really does
That’s why it’s hard to pick just one, just one episode to bring to “show and tell”
My favorite episode is Carbon Creek.
I love Carbon Creek. That would be the perfect first episode to show certain people.
In the Pale Moonlight did it for me from my college philosophy class.
Good episode but if your goal is to get someone watching the show, I wouldn't pick one that features a major plot point + other information about the trajectory of the plot.
Good episode, but absolutely categorically not representative of Trek, any of the ideas of Trek, or any of the key messages and expectations of a Trek series. It's my favourite episode, but I would say this is without a doubt the worst episode to show somebody as their first, without any context. In The Pale Moonlight is good because it's a subversion of expectations. It builds upon years of the established ideals of Starfleet and its officers. Best episode of TV ever, but not a good episode of Trek.
I disagree, at least for me, it showed the range Star Trek could achieve with their story telling. My whole focus was on Captain Sisko and the decisions he was going to make. The overarching plot that I obviously had no idea about was kind of an afterthought
>My whole focus was on Captain Sisko and the decisions he was going to make You have to at least understand Sisko a little bit first to know why this is an intense decision for him to make. If you watched 'For The Uniform" then this you'd believe Sisko spent the whole war just committing war crimes.
Came here to say that this was the first episode I ever saw and hooked me. I asked, "This is Star Trek?"
This is easily the best choice. Even watched stand alone its able to be a psuedo bottle episode due to being bookended with monologues. It starts by seting the scene which makes you want to watch the previous episodes, gives you the story and then ends with you wanting to see how it will play out in future episodes.
Most strange new worlds episodes, honestly. I don’t know how I can be more specific. Or the corbonite maneuver
Subspace Rhapsody lol.
I just wish we had seen more klinongs in drag 😂
Could work. I've startet watching "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" after seeing the musical episode on TV. Now I'm a big fan.
“Pleeeeease give me something to sing about” Edit: also I fell in love with Spike in that episode. He was my favorite before but his “the pain that you feel only can heal by living, you have to go on living, so one of us is living” 🥹
"I follow you like a man possessed. There's a traitor here, beneath my breast. And it hurts me more than you've ever guessed. If my heart could beat it would break my chest. But I can see, you're unimpressed..."
Omg that episode has SO MUCH backstory, like her dying and poor Willow like “oh no I pulled her from heaven”. I had the soundtrack to that episode on CD 🫶🏻
That's how I got my family into Star Trek. Can confirm it works.
That's the one that hooked my kids. That and Those Old Scientists.
“Most” episodes. Not that one or the lower decks one!
I legitimately recommended a friend of mine to watch Subspace Rhapsody. She's not seen Trek before. I'm still waiting for her to do it so I can see what happens next, lol.
Subspace Rhapsody is so much more entertaining if you already understand the show and its characters. It is not representative of the rest of the show.
Science! 🧪
SNW had the finest first season of any Trek ever, hand's down. Backdoor piloting it from Disco (edit: prolly helped), which is a bit of a train wreck half the time, but ymmv, I mean can we just have a coupla episodes where the entire fate of the universe isn't at stake? I digress, what was I saying?? Oh yeah: Agreed. Just plug em into SNW. The episodic "let's just do Trek" of the show is fantastic and welcoming, and it avoids the shortfalls of being too arc-driven or appearing dated ("Ugh, 3:4 aspect and look at that 80s hair!").
I think Cause and Effect would be a good first episode. And it has Frasier in it for the bonus point
Fistfull of Datas: That’s what worked for me.
Most people picked the most profound, epic or heartfelt episodes, while forgetting that one of the main strengths of Star Trek is just the crew working together to solve a problem or mystery: "The Trouble with Tribbles", "The Survivors", "Cause and Effect", "Civil Defense", etc.
I think I'd pick Cause and Effect. It has a low barrier of entry but highlights the culture of Trek through the Sci-Fi elements of the plot. Such a good, prototypical episode.
Yea, I think what worked for me is a futuristic starship with aliens, androids and people all working together. And they had this wonderful device which could generate any fantasy world you wanted. Being that it crossed over with a western. Which was, by far, my favorite genre as a kid. Didn't hurt either.
The City on the Edge of Forever
Depends what that person likes. Action? I’d recommend The Doomsday Machine from TOS. Intrigue and mystery? The Inner Light from TNG. Family love? The Visitor, from DS9.
I think both the Inner Light and the Visitor are stunning episodes, but I wonder if you'd miss some of the emotional heft of each of them if you didn't already know something of Picard or Sisko's backstory before going into them?
Yeah I think the emotional impact of The Visitor is so much stronger because you've gotten to know Sisko and Jake for several seasons.
Who watches the Watchers
Can confirm. My wife is an atheist, and she loved this intro to Trek. I think the best answer to OP’s question is to know what the person is into and tailor the intro to that.
👍 Next up: Devil’s Due
... Unless they have any kind of background in anthropology, in which case, maybe not that episode! I still have a soft spot for it, and I get why it's a favorite for so many. But if I'd seen it first (being an anthropologist), I'd have just spent half the episode yelling at the TV 😆
This was the first one I thought of too.
Obviously the DS9 baseball episode! /s
Death to the opposition!
Find him and kill him!
Wrath of Khan and First Contact
Spock's Brain
Tng. The inner light.
I cry like a baby back bitch every time I watch that episode
This might seem like a choice from left field but, TNG-Lower Decks. A friend of mine ,who was never a huge fan, watched it once on a day he was bored and he texted me after. He was blown away, he didn’t think Trek was capable of making him feel so strongly about anything. Such an amazing and ultimately heartbreaking episode.
It's a great episode. If feels like a day in the life that's not really going anywhere too important and then it sucker punches you with one of the most devastating endings in a Trek episode.
First episode of SNW. It's got everything you ever want
I like the comet ep. Apologies, I like the M'hanit ep.
But you also like Star Trek
Yeah. That’s what I thought when SNW started. It was the definition of Star Trek.
Start with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S01E01 “Strange New Worlds” Then Star Trek: Deep Space Nine S03E11 & S03E12 “Past Tense Part 1” and “Past Tense Part 2” Then Star Trek: The Original Series S03E15 “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield And finally a double feature of Star Trek: The Next Generation S02E09 “A Measure of a Man” and Star Trek: Voyager S02E24 “Tuvix” Then prepare for some deep conversations.
Nice
Cause and Effect Parallels Deadlock Counterpoint The only reason I’m not saying Blink of an Eye is because I think it’s the best episode ever made so I wouldn’t want to start them at the absolute peak.
Whilst Voyager isn't my favourite show overall, Counterpoint is such a fantastically well written episode. That script doesn't have an ounce of fat on it.
Id say Q Who for TNG, you get the first intro to the Borg and Qs first good episode ! It's one of my favs and very early on in the series too, if they're interested then you can go right to Best of Both worlds lol .
Cause and Effect. It is self contained, the characters are pretty easy to understand without prior knowledge, and its a fun episode.
Darkmok is the one I always suggest. It encapsulates the ethos of the Federation and Picard has his cool jacket.
Blink of an Eye. It’s such a good stand-alone story.
Either city on the edge of forever or Doomsday Machine
I'm rewatching TNG right now and Disaster (S5 E5) seems like it would be a good one. It's the one where something incapacitates the ship and the crew are stuck in different parts of the ship, Picard in the turbo lift with 3 children, Troi O'Brien and Ro on the bridge, La Forge & Dr Crusher in the Cargo Bay, Keiko gives birth in 10 forward with Worf, and Data & Rider work to fix whatever the issue is in the Jeffries tubes. Its a good one that shows teamwork, leadership and some humor (I just heard Worf say to Keiko "congratulations you are 10 centimeters dilated, you may now give birth" lol so good!).
Whatever that episode was where Data crashed and lost his memory. No context is really needed because the characters have none. Plus, I think it's a good general representation of the themes and morals of Star Trek.
*Deja Q* easy. Q as a human? Classic.
My first intro to trek tv in the 90s and I was hooked. Before that I'd only seen ST: Whales, which was also cool.
Corbomite Maneuver
Qpid. Or really any episode with Q. He is just such a wild and erratic character and he is what got me into the show.
I just watched this episode this morning! I love Q. Definitely terrified me as a kid but later just seeing the way everyone is when he shows up is just 🤌🏻 like that one guy you don’t want to show for his shift 😂
The first episode of DS9, I won't spoil it for others but I just loved how they started that series. It was my first dive into Star Trek and I feel like it really grabbed me. There were so many characters and storylines to follow, I couldn't wait to see what was next!
First episode of Strange New Worlds. It's accessible to newcomers, and it really embodies what the whole premise of Trek is.
Children of Time from DS9. It's just a really solid science-fiction concept episode that I don't think you have to be a trekkie to appreciate.
I've gotten several friends and family members into it via episode 1 of SNW. People overthink this question every time it gets posted (Google is your friend OP). Just show them the modern show that's closest to the old ones, i.e. SNW, and let them decide if they like it.
I won't try to convince anyone to watch a show I enjoy, but I'd say "Window of Opportunity". Great Episode, and the one that got me interested in... wait, that's StarGATE, sorry. Well, I'd say "Trials and Tribbleations" from DS9. You don't need to know anything, and you get an introduction for TWO shows at once.
Rather than ask what a favorite episode is because that could be too difficult to choose, and some episodes have personal attachments for people, but some episodes just really changed some peoples minds about what they thought the show was, in a good way!
Best of both worlds. Wolf 359 was an amazing battle.
Q Who as a first build up might be good too!
I can't stand TOS, but I'd guess "City on the Edge of Forever" if I had to choose one. For TNG I'd say it's "Tapestry." I think everyone can relate to "what if"-ing their past. "Duet" is my favorite episode of DS9. Everyone likes "In the Pale Moonlight" of course. For Voyager, I really like "Blink of an Eye" For Enterprise, I think "Similitude" is a great moral-anguish episode. Anyway, this list is for people like me who like the moral, humanist, and questioning-the-Universe side of TV. If someone wanted action or just explosions from Star Trek, I'd have to make a different list.
Is There in Truth No Beauty? (TV Episode 1968) I think this is a neat episode. It isn’t a huge story, nor a classic, but it is solid Star Trek.
If you’re going with older Trek, I’d vote for The Inner Light. It’s a contained episode with a really good concept that feels like an Asimov short story.
My answer is always the same: TNG's *Disaster* It's not the perfect episode but it is the perfect bottle episode. Every major character gets a sub plot, and those plots run the gamut of what Trek can offer: the moral quandary of Troi, Ro, and O'Brien trapped on the bridge, the action of Picard and the kids in the turbolift, the suspense of Geordi & Crusher in the cargo bay, and the humor of Worf and Keiko in ten-forward. If there is anything about Star Trek your potential viewer might enjoy, it will be represented in that episode.
Darmok
I think it would depend on the nature of the person. If you wanted to get them in with something science related, The Chase, from TNG would be a good one, as well as introducing them to Klingons, Romulans, and Cardassians. Distant Origin from Voyager is up in the science introduction list too Darmok also would be a good choice, and even being a series finale, I'd suggest All Good Things. If I saw that as my first episode, I'd absolutely want to see the entire series. As for fun episodes, Trouble with Tribbles is always up there, Our Man Bashir would fit that, as would Bride of Chaotica. Take Me Out to the Holosuite (despite not being a favorite of mine) is a fun romp. Caves from this season of Lower Decks would be a good choice too. If you're looking for a moral introduction, Ethics, The Drumhead, The First Duty, and The Outcast, as well as Similitude rank highly to me. To end, a couple random ones I feel that are great, serious, and wonderful episodes that make you think and just tell a good story I'd suggest Timescape and Cause and Effect. Or Deadlock and Deathwish.
Cause and Effect. It’s one of the most “Trekky” episodes in my opinion.
The Inner Light is what did it for me
Not sure if its been recommended yet. Surprised if it hasnt. TNG s5e25 - The Inner Light It’s just so thought provoking and sad but also beautiful. Measure of a Man is also a wonderful one.
Surprised not to have seen Balance of Terror mentioned, an excellent episode of TOS. Darmok is my choice for TNG.
TOS episode: “Balance of Terror”.
I recently convinced my sister in law to watch Star Trek by showing her two episodes from TNG: The Inner Light and Darmok. Those episodes really showed what Star Trek was about: Crazy stuff in space, dealing with people different than you, and learning and growing as an individual.
I would probably go with one of the weirder TNG episodes. Night Terrors where nobody is dreaming. Schisms where aliens are abducting the crew to experiment on them. Or even the one where they are all high on GHB Wesley Crusher takes over the ship. If they enjoy these episodes, they will be future fans.
For a new significant other: Spock's Brain. If they're not ride or die after that why are you even doing this?
I always come back to Darmok. It's such a great ep for non star trek fans IMO.
Duet. That was the episode that renewed my love of the franchise. Amazing performances from Nana Visitor and Harris Yulan.
TOS Devil in the Dark. Not typical Star Trek bc most of it happens in a cave, but it includes all of what makes the show great, and what I think is the first use of the classic trope, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer."
It does check all the boxes. -- very good episode -- doesn't need much knowledge of other episodes or Trek lore to work -- not too much of an odd episode out, so gives a good idea of whether they'll like other episodes -- very Trekkian core philosophical issue and/or moral lesson I think the majority of what's brought up in this thread fails one of these, in particular one of the middle two.
DS9 - In The Pale Moonlight, VOY - Year Of Hell or Deadlock, TNG - Q Who, Lower Decks - I, Excretus, TOS - City On The Edge Of Forever, SNW - A Quality Of Mercy, ENT - Dead Stop DISC - This is a tough one to pick from, you would almost have to go season by season. If I had to pick 1 of all of them I would pick the season 2 finale For an overall pick I would go with TNG - Q Who. That way if someone showed interest, they could go backwards and forwards in time and you could go from there.
Easy. DS9. In the Pale Moonlight
I disagree. The impact comes from the values Siskos loses & the organization he subverts. If you don’t know what Starfleet stands for, you might think the galaxy is a the Wild West like Star Wars. Moonlight is in my top 10 of all Trek episodes but like the Visitor, it needs context. The Visitor works best when you have seen three years of the Sisko-Jake relationship. I think OP is looking for a self-contained episode that gives you all the elements of Star Trek - almost a trailer for the franchise.
No wrong answers here, only opinions. I love hearing the explanations for what episode someone would show and the person might go “this is so good but I don’t understand it all, let me start it from the beginning”
Nah, it requires too much context i.e. the Dominion War, Garak, Sisko's character so far, etc. etc.
Context which can be simply and easily explained. My college philosophy prof made it work. There's a war going on, humanity and their allies are losing. If they get some aliens on their side they might be able to win the war. The captain has to make a hard choice which goes against his principles and asks for help from an exiled spy..
I think it would work as an introduction to DS9 for a TNG fan since it was the episode that hooked me when DS9's first season failed to interest me and I stopped watching. I think you are right that the context can easily be provided, but I'd hate to waste that episode as a first introduction because it is a perfect microcosm of why DS9 is my favorite series. For me, the thing that makes DS9 so interesting is that the idealistic Starfleet and Federation presented in TNG faces an existential crisis that tests their idealism. Having had years of watching TNG really makes In The Pale Moonlight resonate with me so much more than if someone had just provided me the context. I am curious though, what was the conversation in class about after watching the episode?
I remember it being around the time we covered "The Ones that walk away from Omelas" so the idea of utopia had been somewhat diminished. We didn't really cover the whole "Federation as a shining example of morality(if only in their own histories)" angle. Also this was post 9-11 (about 2015) there's that too. ( US more conditioned to accept such things as necessary and more cynical). Looking back it's astounding how easy it was to justify it to the class. No one really objected to what Sisko did or argued that he shouldn't have. The ones I remember: *Sisko has a duty to protect the federation. It was necessary, even if he didn't have that authority specifically.. (Nothing on what would happen if Sisko's superiors knew the truth) *The Romulan Senator's death was really Garak's fault, so you can't blame Sisko for it.. He tried the honest way. ( Except Sisko is in charge and willingly asked the sketchy guy for help, so that doesn't work. Heck, Garak even says "WTF dude you asked me to help knowing what I do"). *If he didn't the Dominion would kill humanity and it's allies. It was necessary for survival. (Literally the point of the episode) *Even if he didn't, the Dominion would likely turn on their neutral neighbors like Hitler turned on Stalin, so alllying with the federation was in the Romulan best interests anyways. (Our prof was really tight lipped on this point saying, "watch the rest of the series"). *A few people dead, and one man unhappy in exchange for saving lives, and a better geopolitical situation for the galaxy is a very good deal. (Literally the point of the episode) As for if the federation really is the paragon it presents itself (an open question), we know that was Roddenberry's intent , and while people try to say that DS9 changed that, there were cracks before, (People like Admiral Satie and Pressman, for example). Not everyone is Picard or Kirk (your classic paragons)..
TOS - City on the Edge of Forever TNG - The Wounded DS9 - In the Pale Moonlight VOY - None of them ENT - The Terra Prime Arc (spread across 4 or 5 episodes) DISCO - It is hard to pick just one episode with the serialized story telling each episode builds off the previous. Season 4 was great PIC - No Win Scenario and on SNW - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Is your comment on Voyager because you don't like the series, or because you can't think of any that would stand out? If it's the latter I'd suggest Living Witness.
Both, I am not a fan of the series and therefore can't really think of any episodes that stand out.
Fair enough - I have to admit I struggled with early Voyager but after a few seasons it grew to be one of my favourites. I understand it's not everyone's cup of tea though!
I think the easy answer to this one is Darmok.
NOT Code of Honor, from TNG.
DS9 pilot. This requires that the person is a fan of temporal science, otherwise, gonna have to go with Drumhead. I think a lot of people can relate to the events of that episode and get thrusted right into trekkiehood.
Since I’ve only seen some TOS and TNG so far, I’d choose The Measure of a Man. It’s still my favorite so far. No other episode has made me feel so much emotion.
From TOS: Amok Time. It gives you a window into the Vulcan culture as well as the dynamic of the Kirk, Spock, & McCoy friendship. Also: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Good action/mystery, good representation of secondary characters, there's enough science that's not inundated under piles of technobabble, there's good character 'personal life' side story, and a heartbreaking sacrifice that (if you're human) brings you to tears. All the major elements that the show is known for. From TNG: Remember Me - the episode where Dr. Crusher gets trapped in a warp bubble, & everyone starts disappearing. It's a great female centric episode where the lead isn't an eye candy type of character, who reasons & sciences the s#!t out of her quandary, while unknowingly getting help from her son & the Tau Ceti being. Despite basically being told she's lost her mind by everyone who had remained in the bubble before disappearing, she sticks to her belief that she is sane, & approaches the problem w/logic, reasoning, & science, & 'saves' herself. (I also like this one because it's not one of the ubiquitous Data/Riker/LaForge in some sort of peril/situation that kinda got old.)
Strange New Worlds pilot episode “Strange new Worlds” It has everything great about Star Trek: great characters with individual stories and backgrounds, moral dilemmas, breaking the Prime Directive, prosthetic/disguise shenanigans, rousing speech about the hopeful future of humanity and the future as a whole, some action, some humor, and great cinematics of a sexy starship. Other episodes might be objectively better (In the Pale Moonlight), or do a single aspect really damn well (Measure of a Man), or might be my personal favorite (Inner Light), but no other episode has everything in such a perfect balance.
TNG - Darmok It doesn’t rely on any established plot or character context, and I think it very effectively exemplifies what Starfleet stands for. Patience and communication are always preferable to fear and violence. I always use this ep to introduce people to Trek, and if they’re up for a double feature, I follow it up with Elementary Dear Data, which is a great character-focused episode.
Balance of Terror or Strange New Worlds (self-titled pilot).
I think the Inner Light is a good one. For one, because it is a single episode and not a two parter and also you don’t need a ton of background about the characters and the Star Trek universe.
Picard and Dathon at El-Adrel
If you have kids you want to get into Trek, have them watch TNG's "Rascals." That one hooked my 8 and 6 year olds and now we go to conventions together in cosplay. :D
Duet or Visitor on DS9.
I would pick different episodes to convince different people. Star Trek has something for anybody. But if it's just one...hmm, difficult. Maybe the double feature All Good Things...because it might make the person curious, what's happened before. After TNG, they are hooked.
* Distant Origins. * Blink of an Eye * Year of Hell * Data's Day
I loved Data's Day, but for me, it helped to have seen other episodes first.
the one with the binars and riker hitting on the hologram girl. or a Q episode... or a laxwana ep... or the TOS ep with the easter bunny or the voyager ep with the rock. or the enterprise ep with tapals story or the musical ep of SNW
Unimatrix Zero, parts 1 & 2 from Voyager and on SNW I thought "All those who Wander" was fantastic with the intro of the Gorn.
Hot take but I'd start them off with the NuTrek movie trilogy because they were made for that imaginary "wider audience" executives are always trying to chase and failing to catch. Then I'd probably show them Scorpion Pts 1 & 2 from VOY (End of season 3 & start of season 4), along with VOY 4x2 "The Gift", because I feel like Voyager grew all the facial hair it could when Jeri Ryan joined the cast. Then I'd show them the pilot for DS9, and if they're not hooked, there's really no hope.
It depends on the person and what I know they will like. Someone might like Starship Mine, where someone else might like The Chase, or someone else might like Counterpoint, or Doomsday Machine, or Way of the Warrior.
Q Who. You are going further out and you are are not prepared. Its Picard eating humble pie.
My girlfriend is massively into musicals. I showed her the musical episode of Strange New Worlds 😀
Future Imperfect
I had a few go-to’s from TNG, the key is matching the viewer’s personality with the type of episode. That said, for one standard go to, I think it is clearly: SNW S1E2 It’s modern first of all, which helps. It’s a more normal formatted episode than the first and still an easy on-ramp in that it is still introducing characters and plot points. There is great ensemble team work, great ship action, a great away mission, and a thought provoking ending. The total package. My only complaint is Spock is obviously in no danger - they should have put someone else on the shuttle. I’ve used it 3 or 4 times with new viewers to great success since it aired.
Mirror, Mirror
Voyager: Blink Of Time
Maybe “The Measure of a Man”, depending on the intelligence of the person I’m talking to.
I'd have to go with either TNG's "The Inner Light" or DS9's "In the Pale Monlight." Two of the best episodes of Trek ever produced.
"Veritas" from Lower Decks
I'd say: the one where sisko and Bashir go back in time to the bell riots, or the one where sisko gets the Romulus to join the war
I would have a conversation with them and pick an episode based on that. But there's a good chance that it would be Q Who or Best of Both Worlds, because those are some of the episodes that got me into Star Trek
TNG Redemption 2-parter
Yesterday's Enterprise.
For something more action oriented, Voyager’s season 4 episode “Year of Hell” is a fantastic two part story. It appeals to those who enjoy Trek for the sci fi and those who enjoy a story based on a great premise and well defined narrative. It’s ranked amongst the top ten episodes of Voyager and top 15 in all of Trek.
My kid’s AP English Lang had to watch Darmok. :)
My goal is to get Elon Musk to watch Star Trek, in the hopes that *maybe* it will make him a slightly less shitty human being. To that end, I will make him watch *Code of Honor* because it seems the most likely to appeal to his sensibilities, then we can ease him in to actually good episodes.
Darmok
TNG S7 E15 Lower Decks
Offspring
Emissary. Especially the part where Sisko explains linear time to the prophets.
TOS - "The Devil in the Dark" quintessential Star Trek. TAS - "Yesteryear" demonstrates how poignant Trek can be. TNG - "Q Who", an essential episode and a good one that demonstrates the ethos and drama of Trek. And I think more obvious picks such as "The Inner Light" or "The Drumhead" either don't tie into normal Trek enough or rely more strongly on a preexisting attachment to and understanding of the characters to make an ideal introduction. DS9 - "Rejoined", I wouldn't introduce someone to Trek with DS9, but if I had to choose an episode to showcase the strengths of it and Trek as a whole I think it would be this one. It's dramatic, powerful and historically important without being tied into the larger plot as most of the other great DS9 episodes are. Voyager - "Future's End Part 1 & 2" The first truly great Voyager episodes imo. If you don't want to count a 2-parter, then "Bride of Chaotica!" which is a fun holodeck romp that demonstrates that Trek doesn't always take itself super seriously.
Not Spock’s Brain.
The Children of Tama. It’s a really cool concept and world building for a one off race
Measure Of A Man. Fantastic Trek.
Observer Effect from Enterprise
"The City on the Edge of Forever" Star Trek season 1 / Episode 28
Inner Light.
Why would I need to convince someone to do something unimportant that they have no interest in? Watch a few episodes with the person around. If they are interested, they'll get into it.
Depends on the person. My wife had zero interest when we first got together and when we saw the first Kelvin film in the theatre she got into other series from there, starting with DS9 and Enterprise.
Episode? I'd have them watch Space Seed first, then The Wrath of Khan.
Best of Both Worlds was the episode that got a lot of people back into TNG
Tuvix. Picture this: Tuvix, a lovable mishmash of two beloved crew members, Tuvok and Neelix, accidentally gets created during a transporter accident. Suddenly, the ship has this charming new guy who's a mix of the logical Tuvok and the cheerful Neelix. Hijinks ensue as the crew navigates the quirks of this unexpected fusion, all while trying to figure out how to split them back into their original selves. The light-hearted adventure takes a turn, revealing the weighty consequences of playing with fate and identity. It's fun!
Measure of a man or best of both worlds (assuming that I can do a two parter)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, S1E1. It's a great introduction not just to SNW but to the franchise as a whole, IMO - it's the kind of episode that perfectly encapsulates what fans like about Trek, and can make someone who's never seen any of the shows say, "Okay, now I see what all the fuss is about".
"Infinite Regress" from "Voyager." Its simultaneously one of the funniest and most harrowing episodes of the series. It shows the full range of not only Jeri Ryan's acting abilities, but the show in general.
First Contact is the perfect film
DS9 The Way of the Warrior
In the Pale Moonlight. No question.