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Graeme McMillan

WIRED Binge-Watching Guide: Star Trek

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek , the flagship of a massive franchise that by all rights shouldn’t exist. The show’s first pilot was rejected, and the series was cancelled after three years—and yet it kept coming back. It's a phenomenon that seems curious until you actually watch the show, at which point you realize exactly why things unfolded that way.

Star Trek (or Star Trek: The Original Series , as it’s now referred to) is many things: a drama, a comedy, a series about ideas and interpersonal conflicts, a competition to see which actors can eat the most scenery and much, much more. That variety is a strength; even if it’s slow by today’s televisual standards, the fact that you never really know what’s coming next gives the series unexpected bingeability.

And if that’s not enough to convince you to watch, there’s always one of the world’s greatest TV show openings:

What are you waiting for? Here’s a quick guide on how to mainline the classic Star Trek .

Number of Seasons: 3 (79 episodes)

Time Requirements: Five weeks, assuming that you binge a couple of episodes every weekday and six episodes a weekend. That might sound like a lot, but they’re pretty addictive; you might even get through it quicker than that.

Where to Get Your Fix: Netflix and Amazon Prime (Or, if you want to pay for it, Google Play and iTunes).

Best Character to Follow: We'd say the Enterprise, but then someone would spoil everything by pointing out that the Enterprise is a starship and not really a character. And yet, while Captain James Tiberius Kirk (William Shatner, who before he became an old ham was a young, surprisingly handsome, ham) might make for an entertaining leading man, it’s hard to argue that he’s the most interesting character in the show. Perhaps Leonard Nimoy’s Mr. Spock would make a more obvious choice, but I’m going to offer a couple of other suggestions instead: DeForrest Kelley’s Dr. “Bones” McCoy and James Doohan’s Chief Engineer “Scotty” Scott enliven almost every scene they’re in. Come for the square-jawed heroes, stay for the irascible space scientists.

Seasons/Episodes You Can Skip: The common wisdom regarding the first Star Trek series is that things started to go wrong in the show’s third (and final) season. That’s a little simplistic—the first episode below comes from the show’s first year&mdash:but not entirely off base. Certainly, the third season is weaker than the first two, with the show falling prey to… well, you’ll see.

S1 E6: Mudd’s Women While this episode is dressed up as a parable about the importance of inner beauty, there’s more than a little creep about the gender politics and interpersonal relationships: men are depicted as brainless horndogs where beautiful women are concerned, and women as so desperate to appear attractive that they’ll submit to a life of what's basically slavery for the illusion of eternal beauty. Sure, it’s meant to be wacky, but… yeah. A bit of a misfire.

S3 E1: Spock’s Brain Here’s the plot of “Spock’s Brain”: An alien beams onboard the Entertpise, stunning the entire crew and stealing the brain of the ship’s science officer, Spock. Everyone chases after her so that they can place the brain back into Spock’s body before he dies— including Spock himself , who is operated by remote control. No, I’m not joking. This is an episode that was apparently seen as being so good that it was used to open a season.

S3 E3: The Paradise Syndrome It’s tough to deny that the idea of Kirk having his memory wiped and believing that he’s an indigenous native of an alien planet is a good basis for an episode. The decision to execute this idea by having said natives of said alien planet be literal Native Americans, with William Shatner spending much of the episode dressed in a cheap movie Western’s version of Native American garb while calling himself “Kirok,” however, might not have been the best way to go about things.

S3 E20: The Way to Eden Two words: Space Hippies. Oh, you’re not convinced that’s a bad idea? Fine, you asked for it:

1969, you've got some ’splaining to do.

S3 E24: Turnabout Intruder Star Trek didn’t exactly go out on a high note: the final episode of the series was a lackluster thriller with a dodgy premise: a woman, passed over for promotion, will end up going on a killing spree while possessing a man’s body. As with much of Trek ’s weaker material, there’s a germ of a good idea in there, but the episode itself leaves much to be desired.

Seasons/Episodes You Can’t Skip: Star Trek really hit the ground running...almost. The show famously got two pilots because the first didn’t quite convince the NBC brass back in the day. (The majority of footage from that first pilot turns up in Season 1's two-parter "The Menagerie," so you can see what you missed, like an almost entirely different cast). But because of this, the show avoids the learning curve of many series, and has an impressively strong first couple of years. If you’re looking for a season to focus on, you could do a lot worse than the first. Or, if you’re really pressed for time, try one of the following:

S1 E3: Where No Man Has Gone Before We're still unclear why a show’s pilot (technically, its second pilot) can officially be the third episode, but there you go. Regardless, it’s easy to see why the network said yes to the show after this one, which really does have it all: action, metaphysics, and high emotional stakes. An irresistible piece of TV.

S1 E10: The Corbomite Maneuver Even more proof that Trek got it right almost immediately comes in the form of this episode, which was the first to be produced following the two pilots and just nails it, showcasing both Kirk’s strategic savvy and the occasional utter unknowability of space travel (What is that cube, anyway?). To say anything more would be to risk spoiling it.

S1 E14: Balance of Terror A Cold War episode, transposing the action into space and introducing the Romulans. Tense and complex in a way that goes beyond the simplicity of the western-in-space conceit, this one—like ‘Where No Man Has Gone Before”—suggests that the potential for Star Trek is far greater than many might have believed.

S1 E22: Space Seed Setting the stage for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan —even people who’ve never seen Star Trek know that one—this episode introduces Ricardo Montalban as the leader of a genetically-modified race of supermen who want to conquer the galaxy, but the meat of the story is as much about ideological failures of the past as it is an action-oriented dash towards the finish line.

S1 E28: City on the Edge of Forever DeForrest Kelley gets a chance to shine (or perhaps do the very opposite of shine, whatever that would be) in this time travel story where true love really doesn’t get a chance to conquer all. Enjoyably fatalistic, “City on the Edge” demonstrates the power of a good unhappy ending every now and again.

S2 E1: Amok Time The first episode of the show’s second season gave fans what they wanted (more of Spock’s alien heritage), some of what they had come to expect (Kirk finding a new love interest in space), and just a little bit of what they wouldn’t have thought possible (the two leads of the show fighting over a woman). I’m still unsure about likening Spock to a salmon, but given the high quality of the rest of the episode, we can let that one slide.

S2 E4: Mirror, Mirror Almost certainly the definitive “alternate world where everyone we know is evil” story, there’s almost nothing not to love about “Mirror, Mirror,” which appears to take glee in offering up alternate versions of the regular cast. The mildest of spoilers: Spock gets all the attention, but Sulu’s the Mirror Duplicate that everyone should be watching.

S2 E6: The Doomsday Machine The scale of the threats in this episode are immense, even for Star Trek . Most obviously, there’s a planet-eating machine on the loose, but an even bigger problem is the obsession of Kirk’s superior officer in stopping that machine. Sure, there’s a clear Moby Dick influence in the episode, but it’s like a bigger, improved version of the story: this time, the whale’s in space and could probably end the Earth in a matter of minutes. Beat that , Herman Melville.

S2 E15: The Trouble with Tribbles One of the things about the original Star Trek that didn’t really continue in subsequent series is its willingness to be goofy for the sake of goofiness. Take this episode, the premise of which is essentially “What if there were space rabbits that bred so much they started causing real problems? Oh, and the big bad aliens are allergic to them. Hilarity ensues!” And guess what: it actually does.

S2 E17: A Piece of The Action Another comedy episode—and a chance for producers to save some money by shooting on the Paramount backlot, thanks to the idea of an alien culture based around old gangster movies. Not only is this a chance for everyone involved to get a break from the traditional super-tension of the series’ more serious episodes, it’s also an example of Kirk showing when lateral thinking can come in handy if faced with unusual problems. Just wait for the way this one ends…

Why You Should Binge: The original Star Trek has everything—for better or for worse, given how poorly some episodes have aged. No matter which episode you’re watching, however, the show entertains. At its best, it’s thought-provoking science-fiction that boasts great performances, writing from genuine greats, and also some of the best design and music of the era. At its worst, it’s enjoyably silly science-fiction that still boasts great performances, writing from genuine greats, and also some of the best design and music of the era. Seriously, it’s hard to go wrong with the original Star Trek .

Best Scene—”Status of Mission, Captain?” Does it get any better than this?

Oh, wait, it does: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_rTTXCOpL8 Yes, that really is the origins of the “goatee beards mean evil” meme. Star Trek , you gave the world oh so much.

That said, this is pretty great as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSJ0x8j4uLw Yes, Captain Kirk isn’t above racist jokes when it comes to bamboozling 20th century flatfoots. Maybe the 23rd century isn’t quite as evolved as it makes itself out to be, after all…

The Takeaway: Boldly going anywhere has rarely been so much fun, never mind where no man had gone before. (The less gendered "no-one" wouldn't be introduced until 1987's Star Trek: The Next Generation .)

If You Liked Star Trek You’ll Love: Well, there are three other Star Trek TV series, and a whole slew of movies, for you to choose from. If you’d rather look for something set in an entirely different fictional universe, but matching the colorful camp of the original Star Trek , then perhaps the 1960s Batman TV show might be up your alley.

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Skipable TOS episodes?

Discussion in ' Star Trek - The Original & Animated Series ' started by WinterSoldier , Sep 17, 2019 .

WinterSoldier Lieutenant Red Shirt

So I've been re-watching S2 of Star Trek iscovery and it's been making me want to watch TOS (I've only seen little bits here and there) However, I only have a limited amount of holidays (before uni starts back) so I was wondering what episodes are generally skipable? I really just wanted to get a feel for the series. Someone asked for more specifics, so, there's about 25 episodes a season, I'm down to watch 10-15 episodes per season. It's really just about shaving off time where i can. I want to binge about half or more of TOS.  

BK613 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

Maybe the better question would be: Which episodes are must-see? And perhaps some of the DIS fans who are also TOS fans could chime in on TOS episodes that relate to DIS, like "Mirror, Mirror."  

Forbin Fleet Admiral Admiral

It's true that there are episodes I've "seen enough" after 50 years. I tune in most nights to see what's on H&I. I'll skip: Gamesters of Triskillion Squire of Gothos Children Shall Lead Alternative factor Plato's Stepchildren Way to Eden A few others that are just too ridiculous to watch any more.  

yotsuya Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

The episodes I would watch are Where No Man Has Gone Before, Amok Time, Space Seed, The Doomsday Machine, The Ultimate Computer, The Trouble With Tribbles, The City on the Edge of Forever, The Enterprise Incident, and All Our Yesterdays. There are lots of great episodes (I find all of Season 1, most of Season 2, and half of Season 3 to be great viewing), but if you aren't familiar and want a quick playlist to get antiquated, I think something like that should do the trick. I only have 2 episodes that I don't care much for and I only watch them when I am doing a complete series viewing - Spock's Brain and Turnabout Intruder.  

Qonundrum Vice Admiral Admiral

It might be better to focus on the best scripts and then worry about skippable ones later. (BK613 wrote it first, am editing this message to reflect that. ) Some one would deem unworthy might be liked (for whatever reason(s)) by another. Even though fan consensus isn't right 100% of the time over what the best episodes are as well... Forbin said: ↑ It's true that there are episodes I've "seen enough" after 50 years. I tune in most nights to see what's on H&I. I'll skip: Gamesters of Triskillion Squire of Gothos Children Shall Lead Alternative factor Plato's Stepchildren Way to Eden A few others that are just too ridiculous to watch any more. Click to expand...

And The Children Shall Lead, Plato's Stepchildren, and Spock's Brain are my only-watch-during-a-full-rewatch episodes.  

Commishsleer Commodore Commodore

Every episode of TOS is something to be treasured with only 79 episodes. If I had to skip some it would be "Lights of Zetar" and "Markof Gideon" because they're the ahem most boring episodes. I might skip "That Which Survives" or "Cloud Minders" for their character assassination of Spock. Who am I kidding, I'd never skip any episode. I can always find something to like in every one  

JonnyQuest037 Vice Admiral Admiral

Any episode where the opening credits are in blue you can skip.  

johnnybear Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

I doubt I would skip any episodes, even the bad ones, but then again I haven't really watched any episodes of TOS for a long, long time! JB  

Neopeius Admiral Admiral

johnnybear said: ↑ I doubt I would skip any episodes, even the bad ones, but then again I haven't really watched any episodes of TOS for a long, long time! JB Click to expand...

Doc Mugatu Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

I'll go with the obvious: Spock's Brain and The Apple . Honestly, it would be easier and more efficient if you told us how many hours you're looking to devote and we can suggest episodes to see rather than ones to skip.  

Kor Fleet Admiral Admiral

"And the Children Shall Lead" is delightfully skippable. Kor  

F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

NONE OF THEM ARE SKIPPABLE LͅE͔A̧̜͇̣V̫E͓ ͍̺͍̜̞ͅT̨̠̥H͈̲̠I̹̼͚̺S̝̬̞̺̻ ̝̹̪͇̮̟̮P̩͔̥̙̜͡ͅLA̡̩̘̟͉̠̫C̗̗E̻͠  

1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

Neopeius said: ↑ I hope you'll join me in two years... then it will be like new! Click to expand...

Methuselah Flint Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

It's interesting - I know I'm one of the few, but I'd watch any season 3 episodes before season 1. Maybe it's because of the music that resonates and is essential viewing experience for me, in hand with the fact that I watched season 3 as a young boy first, during the 90s BBC repeats. For instance, the story I probably watch the least is Dagger of the Mind, probably closely followed by Archons and Devil in Dark. With the exception of the two comedies that I least favoured (I Mudd and A Piece of the Action), season two probably falls next in my order of viewing, with the odd exception from season one such as Man Trap, Corbomite, Balance or Paradise.  

Donald G Commander Red Shirt

There's a run in the middle of the first season (by production order) that I consistently skip: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?," " Dagger of the Mind, " and "Miri." Before that point, I also tend to skip "Mudd's Women" and "Charlie X." And later in the season, I skip " The Alternative Factor. " For the second season, my skips are "Catspaw," " Metamorphosis, " "The Apple," and " A Private Little War. " Sometimes, I'll add "The Gamesters of Triskelion" to that list, even though that was my first episode in 1972 that turned 6 year old me into a fan. For the third season, it's all skippable to me except for my two must-see's: "The Tholian Web" and "The Day of the Dove."  

Doc Mugatu said: ↑ I'll go with the obvious: Spock's Brain and The Apple . Honestly, it would be easier and more efficient if you told us how many hours you're looking to devote and we can suggest episodes to see rather than ones to skip. Click to expand...

johnnybear said: ↑ Hey, hey! Is that a date then, Neopeius? JB Click to expand...

Hope we've got the years left to us to watch it in re-runs too? JB  

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Star Trek: The Original Series episode guides - All TOS episodes rated, reviewed

In those days before the Federation had continuity, there was Star Trek: The Original Series. Watch the TOS stories in any other you wish; it rarely matters, as essentially every single episode in TOS is a bottle episode. Ultimately, however, many TOS episodes are retconned into prequel stories (e.g. “The Menagerie”, “Space Seed”, “City on the Edge of Forever”), sequels (e.g. “Mirror Mirror”) or even crossovers (“The Trouble with Tribbles”) for the other series and movies.

Star Trek: The Original Series – the seaons, the key episodes

Season 1 – In the 1960s, TV was a different beast. Serialization (and thus continuity) was essentially non-existent. Each story plays out over a single episode only (with one exception in three years of Star Trek), thereby not allowing for much character development each season of Star Trek’s original run is really barely indistinguishable from another – but at lest that means that season 1 isn’t filled with the “growing pains” every other ST series goes through. The biggest highlights in Star Trek’s first year has got to be “The Menagerie” (episode #s 11 and 12), an eerie story of Captain Kirk’s doomed mentor Captain Pike, and “City on the Edge of Forever” (#29), a neat twist on the traditional “preserve the past” time travel tale. Also of note: “Space Seed” (#22), the introduction of Star Trek II baddie Khan.

Season 2 – Ensign Chekov joins the bridge crew for season 2, which manages to have some fun in the explicitly comic “Trouble with Tribbles” (#15) and the absolutely bananas “Assignment: Earth” (#26). And Spock fans dig on “Amok Time” (#1) and Journey to Babel (#10) for the info doled on that wacky Vulcan culture.

Season 3 – As mentioned above, a fan campaign saved Star Trek for a third series, but NBC executives were not enthused about supporting the marginally successful series and cut the show’s operating budget in half. However, Star Trek Guide must say that tripling the budget could not save scripts like those for “Spock’s Brain” (Can all Vulcans live without a brain or just Spock?), “Specter of the Gun” (Scotty’s dead because he *thinks* he’s dead?) and “The Savage Curtain” (Kirk, Spock, Vulcan hero Surak and Abe Lincoln vs. Genghis Khan, Klingon Empire founder Kahless, 21st-century Earth dictator Mr. Green – who did it in the kitchen with a revolver – and fuzzy chick Zora?) Dude.

Our episode database profiles every episode of Star Trek: The Original Series . Each episode entry features background information, trivia, behind the scenes information, and Blu-ray screencaps.

Jump to Season : 1 | 2 | 3

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Let’s Watch Star Trek

The Original Series Episode Guide

The Man Trap Rating: 3 – Watch Charlie X Rating: 1 – Skip Where No Man Has Gone Before Rating: 4 – Watch  The Naked Time Rating: 2 – Skippable The Enemy Within Rating: 2 – Skippable Mudd’s Women Rating: 2 – Skippable What Are Little Girls Made Of? Rating: 3 – Watch Miri Rating: 2 – Skippable Dagger of the Mind Rating: 2 – Skippable The Corbomite Maneuver Rating: 4 – Watch The Menagerie, Part 1 Rating: 3 – Watch The Menagerie, Part 2 Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity The Conscience of the King Rating: 2 – Skippable Balance of Terror Rating: 5 – Watch Shore Leave Rating: 2 – Skippable The Galileo Seven Rating: 2 – Skippable The Squire of Gothos Rating: 2 – Skippable Arena Rating: 3 – Watch Tomorrow Is Yesterday Rating: 3 – Watch Court Martial Rating: 2 – Skippable The Return of the Archons Rating: 2 – Skippable Space Seed Rating: 4 – Watch A Taste of Armageddon Rating: 3 – Watch This Side of Paradise Rating: 1 – Skip The Devil in the Dark Rating: 2 – Skippable Errand of Mercy Rating: 4 – Watch The Alternative Factor Rating: 1 – Skip The City on the Edge of Forever Rating: 5 – Watch Operation: Annihilate! Rating: 2 – Skippable

Amok Time Rating: 4 – Watch Who Mourns for Adonais Rating: 1 – Skip The Changeling Rating: 2 – Skippable Mirror, Mirror Rating: 3 – Watch The Apple Rating: 2 – Skippable The Doomsday Machine Rating: 4 – Watch Catspaw Rating: 1 – Skip I, Mudd Rating: 2 – Skippable Metamorphosis Rating: 2 – Skippable Journey to Babel Rating: 4 – Watch Friday’s Child Rating: 3 – Watch The Deadly Years Rating: 3 – Watch Obsession Rating: 2 – Skippable Wolf in the Fold Rating: 1 – Skip The Trouble With Tribbles Rating: 4 – Watch The Gamesters of Triskelion Rating: 3 – Watch A Piece of the Action Rating: 2 – Skippable The Immunity Syndrome Rating: 2 – Skippable A Private Little War Rating: 2 – Skippable Return to Tomorrow Rating: 2 – Skippable Patterns of Force Rating: 2 – Skippable By Any Other Name Rating: 3 – Watch The Omega Glory Rating: 2 – Skippable The Ultimate Computer Rating: 2 – Skippable Bread and Circuses Rating: 2 – Skippable Assignment: Earth Rating: 3 – Watch

Season Three

Spock’s Brain Rating: 1 – Watch The Enterprise Incident Rating: 4 – Watch The Paradise Syndrome Rating: 1 – Skip And The Children Shall Lead Rating: 1 – Skip Is There in Truth No Beauty? Rating: 2 – Skippable Spectre of the Gun Rating: 1 – Skip Day of the Dove Rating: 3 – Watch For the World is Hollow… Rating: 2 – Skippable The Tholian Web Rating: 3 – Watch Plato’s Stepchildren Rating: 2 – Skippable Wink of an Eye Rating: 2 – Skippable The Empath Rating: 2 – Skippable Elaan of Troyius Rating: 2 – Skippable Whom Gods Destroy Rating: 3 – Watch Let That Be Your Last Battlefield Rating: 3 – Watch The Mark of Gideon Rating: 3 – Watch That Which Survives Rating: 2 – Skippable The Light of Zetar Rating: 2 – Skippable Requiem for Methuselah Rating: 2 – Skippable The Way to Eden Rating: 1 – Skip The Cloud Minders Rating: 2 – Skippable The Savage Curtain Rating: 3 – Watch All Our Yesterdays Rating: 2 – Skippable Turnabout Intruder Rating: 2 – Skippable

3 thoughts on “ The Original Series Episode Guide ”

We’re still making our way through the series. Sorry if we’re a little slow. We do an Original Series episode review every Monday (TNG Tuesday, DS9 Wednesday, Voyager Thursday, Enterprise Friday)

Where’s “Turnabout Intruder”? I know it was horrible, but it should get a rating, right?

We haven’t reviewed that one yet, but it’s right around the corner. We’re going through episode by episode, and we’re just about done with the third seasons of each series. check back soon!

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews

The Way to Eden

• Episode aired Feb 21, 1969

A group of idealistic hippies, led by an irrational leader, come aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. A group of idealistic hippies, led by an irrational leader, come aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. A group of idealistic hippies, led by an irrational leader, come aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.

• David Alexander
• Gene Roddenberry
• Arthur Heinemann
• D.C. Fontana
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 67 User reviews
• 12 Critic reviews

• Captain James Tiberius 'Jim' Kirk

• Mister Spock

• (as Mary-Linda Rapelye)

• Nurse Chapel

• Lieutenant Hadley
• (uncredited)
• Sick-Bay Intern
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia For the scene in which Spock plays his Vulcan harp for Adam (the last time he plays the instrument on the series), the background music for Uhura's song from Charlie X (1966) is recycled.
• Goofs In the brig, when Sevrin turns his back to the camera, the wrinkles of his bald cap are visible.

Adam : [impromptly singing] Gonna crack my knuckles and jump for joy - I got a clean bill of health from Dr. McCoy.

• Alternate versions Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song
• Connections Edited from Star Trek: Spock's Brain (1968)
• Soundtracks Hey, Out There! Written by Charles Napier and Craig Robertson Lyrics by Arthur Heinemann Performed by Charles Napier and Deborah Downey

User reviews 67

• Jun 5, 2009
• February 21, 1969 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Stage 31, Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
• Paramount Television
• Norway Corporation
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 51 minutes

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TOS episode airdates

• View history

List of TOS episodes in the order they were first broadcast.

• 4 First pilot

Season 1 [ ]

• 8 September 1966 : " The Man Trap " ( TOS Season 1 premiere)
• 15 September 1966 : " Charlie X "
• 22 September 1966 : " Where No Man Has Gone Before " (Pilot episode)
• 29 September 1966 : " The Naked Time "
• 6 October 1966 : " The Enemy Within "
• 13 October 1966 : " Mudd's Women "
• 20 October 1966 : " What Are Little Girls Made Of? "
• 27 October 1966 : " Miri "
• 3 November 1966 : " Dagger of the Mind "
• 10 November 1966 : " The Corbomite Maneuver "
• 17 November 1966 : " The Menagerie, Part I "
• 24 November 1966 : " The Menagerie, Part II "
• 8 December 1966 : " The Conscience of the King "
• 15 December 1966 : " Balance of Terror "
• 29 December 1966 : " Shore Leave "
• 5 January 1967 : " The Galileo Seven "
• 12 January 1967 : " The Squire of Gothos "
• 19 January 1967 : " Arena "
• 26 January 1967 : " Tomorrow is Yesterday "
• 2 February 1967 : " Court Martial "
• 9 February 1967 : " The Return of the Archons "
• 16 February 1967 : " Space Seed "
• 23 February 1967 : " A Taste of Armageddon "
• 2 March 1967 : " This Side of Paradise "
• 9 March 1967 : " The Devil in the Dark "
• 23 March 1967 : " Errand of Mercy "
• 30 March 1967 : " The Alternative Factor "
• 6 April 1967 : " The City on the Edge of Forever "
• 13 April 1967 : " Operation -- Annihilate! "

Season 2 [ ]

• 15 September 1967 : " Amok Time "
• 22 September 1967 : " Who Mourns for Adonais? "
• 29 September 1967 : " The Changeling "
• 6 October 1967 : " Mirror, Mirror "
• 13 October 1967 : " The Apple "
• 20 October 1967 : " The Doomsday Machine "
• 27 October 1967 : " Catspaw "
• 3 November 1967 : " I, Mudd "
• 10 November 1967 : " Metamorphosis "
• 17 November 1967 : " Journey to Babel "
• 1 December 1967 : " Friday's Child "
• 8 December 1967 : " The Deadly Years "
• 15 December 1967 : " Obsession "
• 22 December 1967 : " Wolf in the Fold "
• 29 December 1967 : " The Trouble with Tribbles "
• 5 January 1968 : " The Gamesters of Triskelion "
• 12 January 1968 : " A Piece of the Action "
• 19 January 1968 : " The Immunity Syndrome "
• 2 February 1968 : " A Private Little War "
• 9 February 1968 : " Return to Tomorrow "
• 16 February 1968 : " Patterns of Force "
• 23 February 1968 : " By Any Other Name "
• 1 March 1968 : " The Omega Glory "
• 8 March 1968 : " The Ultimate Computer "
• 15 March 1968 : " Bread and Circuses "
• 29 March 1968 : " Assignment: Earth "

Season 3 [ ]

• 20 September 1968 : " Spock's Brain "
• 27 September 1968 : " The Enterprise Incident "
• 4 October 1968 : " The Paradise Syndrome "
• 11 October 1968 : " And the Children Shall Lead "
• 18 October 1968 : " Is There in Truth No Beauty? "
• 25 October 1968 : " Spectre of the Gun "
• 1 November 1968 : " Day of the Dove "
• 8 November 1968 : " For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky "
• 15 November 1968 : " The Tholian Web "
• 22 November 1968 : " Plato's Stepchildren "
• 29 November 1968 : " Wink of an Eye "
• 6 December 1968 : " The Empath "
• 20 December 1968 : " Elaan of Troyius "
• 3 January 1969 : " Whom Gods Destroy "
• 10 January 1969 : " Let That Be Your Last Battlefield "
• 17 January 1969 : " The Mark of Gideon "
• 24 January 1969 : " That Which Survives "
• 31 January 1969 : " The Lights of Zetar "
• 14 February 1969 : " Requiem for Methuselah "
• 21 February 1969 : " The Way to Eden "
• 28 February 1969 : " The Cloud Minders "
• 7 March 1969 : " The Savage Curtain "
• 14 March 1969 : " All Our Yesterdays "
• 3 June 1969 : " Turnabout Intruder "

First pilot [ ]

• 15 October 1988 : " The Cage " (first pilot episode, not aired as part of original run)

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The 10 standout episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series

Ready to explore (or revisit) strange new worlds and smart sci-fi adventure? Launch into the Final Frontier with our list of 10 essential episodes of the original Star Trek.

A five-year mission that's now headed into its seventh decade, the Star Trek franchise is still boldly going where no one has gone before. More installments of the franchise are on air then ever, with something to offer almost every Trekkie in its rapidly expanding universe. However, Star Trek: The Original Series is the big bang that started it all. Gene Roddenberry's optimistic vision of the future — produced by Lucille Ball , no less — debuted in September of 1966 and ran for three seasons on NBC before finding new life in syndication.

While the series' Prime Directive seemed to be shredding Capt. Kirk's shirt as often as possible, our mission is to represent a variety of agreed upon classics from the U.S.S. Enterprise's maiden voyage that would delight both the original and next generation of fans.

So fire up your favorite snacks in the replicator, silence your tricorder, and beam on down our list of the 10 must-watch episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series , all of which are available to stream in remastered form on Paramount + .

"Where No Man Has Gone Before" (Season 1, episode 3)

After the Enterprise goes through an energy rift at the edge of the galaxy, Captain Kirk's ( William Shatner ) friend and shipmate, Lt. Commander Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood), begins to develop terrifying ESP abilities that grow stronger by the minute. As he makes the transition from man to "god," he becomes increasingly more dangerous and detached from humanity. Ship psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Dehner ( Sally Kellerman ) believes his mutation can help mankind evolve, but Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) is adamant he must be killed before he destroys them all. Will Kirk choose his best friend over the best interests of his crew — and the universe?

"Where No Man Has Gone Before" is most famous for being the second pilot filmed for the series, and introducing viewers to Captain James T. Kirk, Chief Engineer Scotty (James Doohan), and Lieutenant Sulu ( George Takei ). It's also just a great hour of sci-fi storytelling. This superior first episode seamlessly mixes action, high stakes emotions, and tough ethical questions, setting the blueprint for the franchise.

"The City on the Edge of Forever" (Season 1, episode 28)

When a time disruption from a nearby planet rocks the Enterprise, Dr. McCoy ( DeForest Kelley ) — aka Bones — accidentally injects himself with an overdose of a dangerous drug. Driven mad, he flees to the planet below and goes through the time warp, changing history and erasing the Federation of Planets from existence. Kirk and Spock follow him to set things right, and find themselves in 1930s Depression-era New York.

As they search for Bones, Kirk meets and falls in love with a social worker named Edith Wheeler ( Joan Collins ) whose fate, it turns out, will determine the course of humanity. Once again, Kirk must choose between someone he loves and the greater good. One of Trek 's most emotionally charged hours, "The City on the Edge of Forever" — scripted by Harlan Ellison — is considered by many to be the greatest episode of all-time.

"Space Seed" (Season 1, episode 22)

The Enterprise team stumbles upon the marooned S.S. Botany Bay in deep space and awakens the crew from suspended animation. They soon discover these lost spacefarers were exiled from Earth during the infamous Eugenics Wars of the 1990s, and our heroes have unwittingly unleashed a genetically enhanced super-tyrant named Khan Noonien Singh ( Ricardo Montalban ) in the 23rd century.

Montalban's magnetic, calculating would-be-ruler serves as a perfect foil for Shatner's compassionate, tactical Kirk, leading to a great one-on-one showdown between the two for control of the ship. This season one episode is the introduction of the series' most infamous villain, who 15 years later will headline Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , widely regarded as the best film in the franchise.

"Amok Time" (Season 2, episode 1)

Kirk vs. Spock! Kirk's shirt ripped open (again)! Spock in heat! This episode has everything a fan of the duo that launched a thousand slash fics could want. Every seven years, a Vulcan must return home for an ancient mating ceremony called "pon farr." When Kirk and Bones accompany him, they find themselves dealing with (farr) more than they bargained for when the Captain is forced to battle Spock in a ritual fight to the death.

In addition to the showdown between the leads, "Amok Time" has several other firsts: the first use of the Vulcan Salute, the first appearance of Ensign Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig), and the first glimpse of the planet Vulcan itself. This perennial favorite is also heavily referenced in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' fifth episode — titled " Spock Amok " — on Paramount +.

"Mirror, Mirror" (Season 2, episode 4)

An away team consisting of Kirk, Bones, Uhura ( Nichelle Nichols ), and Scotty are sent to an alternate dimension when they are caught in an ion storm mid-transport. This "mirror" dimension is populated by violent doppelgangers of the Enterprise crew who serve the Terran Empire instead of the Federation of Planets. The foursome must navigate the cutthroat nature of this universe and find a way back before their secret is exposed — all while surviving a mutiny to overthrow this reality's Kirk. Hip daggers, bare midriffs, and Spock's goatee are just a few of the signs that things in this universe are askew.

Although Evil Bearded Spock is certainly fun to see, George Takei gives the standout performance as a delightfully evil Sulu, complete with a badass facial scar. This episode is a highlight of the original series and forms the foundation for several stories in future Trek franchises like Deep Space Nine , Enterprise , and Discovery .

"The Trouble with Tribbles" (Season 2, episode 15)

A fan favorite episode, "The Trouble with Tribbles" is a comedic left turn that shouldn't work, but absolutely does. Starring adorable little furballs who are "born pregnant" and multiply at a rapid pace, this zany hour allows the heady sci-fi questions of morality to take a back seat in favor of punchlines and hijinks.

The actual plot of the episode revolves around Kirk protecting a supply of space grain essential to Starfleet's sovereignty over a contested planet. The fun begins, however, when Uhura picks up one of the tiny tribbles while on shore leave at Space Station K-7 and unleashes an infestation on every corner of the Enterprise — including Kirk's lunch. The Captain's exasperated responses to the growing tribble crisis are comedy gold, especially as he seems to be the only one immune to their cooing charms. "Tribbles" also features a fantastic slapstick bar fight between Scotty, Chekov, and a handful of Klingon officers for the honor of the Enterprise. This episode is a fun detour into the lighter side of the crew's five-year mission.

"Balance of Terror" (Season 1, episode 14)

Kirk and company find themselves in an action-packed showdown with the Romulans when they investigate a mysterious loss of communication with Federation outposts near the Neutral Zone. Despite a history of war with Earth, no one has ever laid eyes on an actual member of their species — until now.

As the Romulans are believed to be the violent cousins of the Vulcans, Spock becomes the subject of suspicion and xenophobia from some of the crew — particularly Lt. Stiles (guest star Paul Comi) — whose ancestors were killed in the Earth-Romulan War. The story's point-of-view shifts between the two vessels, allowing the viewer to see that the warring foes are more alike than they realize.

This season one classic features the first appearance of the Romulans — who will go on to be recurring antagonists for the heroes of the franchise. Also, keep an eye out for actor Mark Lenard as the Romulan Commander. He'll return to the series in a recurring role as Spock's father.

"The Corbomite Maneuver" (Season 1, episode 10)

While exploring an uncharted area of space, the Enterprise is pursued by a mysterious cube emitting harmful radiation. To protect themselves, they lay waste to it, and incur the wrath of Balok, commander of a technologically superior alien race. He takes control of the Enterprise's systems and declares the ship, and everyone onboard, will be destroyed in 10 minutes. A tense hour with a really wild twist ending, this installment showcases Kirk's ingenuity and characteristic refusal to lose — one of the many times the Captain will boldy bluff where no man has bluffed before.

"The Corbomite Maneuver" is also the first time DeForest Kelley (McCoy) and Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) played their iconic characters, although they appear earlier in the series due to NBC originally airing episodes out of production order.

"The Doomsday Machine" (Season 2, episode 6)

Our intrepid explorers receive a distress signal from fellow Starfleet ship the U.S.S. Constellation and rush to its aid. Upon arrival, they find Commodore Matthew Decker (William Windom) — the ship's commander and sole survivor — wracked with guilt and suffering from PTSD. Decker's entire crew was annihilated by a massive energy weapon of unknown origin that destroyed the entire star system.

Pulling rank, he takes command of his rescuer's ship, and puts the crew of the Enterprise in the crosshairs of the unstoppable world-killing device. Kirk, marooned on Decker's derelict starship, must figure out a way to rescue the Enterprise from both the machine and an out-of-control superior officer. Introducing a planet-ending energy weapon 10 years before Star Wars , this episode features a real nail-biter of an ending.

Fun fact for the continuity-conscious : Decker's son, Willard Decker ( Stephen Collins ), will play a prominent role in 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

"Arena" (Season 1, episode 18)

Captain Kirk, Spock, Bones, and an unfortunate " Redshirt " arrive at the Cestus III Outpost for a diplomatic mission and find it annihilated by an alien race called the Gorn. Seeking revenge, Kirk pushes the Enterprise to pursue the Gorn starship and destroy it. The chase leads into an unmapped sector of space ruled by a powerful force calling themselves the Metrons. Outraged by the brutality of both ships, the Metrons force the two captains to settle their dispute in a fight to the death on a desert planet. The winner will leave the sector unharmed, while the loser, and their crew, will die.

The bulk of this episode involves William Shatner being chased by an actor in a giant rubber lizard suit — and honestly, it rules. Yes, the suit looks goofy, but the showdown is fun as hell and the message of the story is classic Star Trek : sometimes there is more going on beneath the surface than we realize. Very few Star Trek villains are ever just one-dimensional bad guys, and the Gorn are no exception.

Fun fact : Ted Cassidy, who provides the voice for the Gorn captain, also provided the voice of Balok in "The Corbomite Maneuver."

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FIRST LOOK | Star Trek: Discovery - 'Mirrors'

Get a glimpse of this week's episode!

In "Mirrors," Captain Burnham and Book journey into extradimensional space in search of the next clue to the location of the Progenitors' power. Meanwhile, Rayner navigates his first mission in command of the U.S.S. Discovery , and Culber opens up to Tilly.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on TikTok , Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , and Twitter .

‘Star Trek’: Long-Lost Original USS Enterprise Model Finally Makes the Voyage Home

The model was used for the pilot and credits of the original 'Star Trek' series.

The Big Picture

• The original USS Enterprise model has been found in a storage locker after going missing for decades.
• The model was used for the original unaired pilot and opening credits of Star Trek: The Original Series .
• Rod Roddenberry plans to restore and display the iconic starship model in a museum for public viewing.

The original model of the USS Enterprise from Star Trek: The Original Series has been located, after spending several decades missing — not in some distant region of space, but in a storage locker. The model has been returned to Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry , the son of original Trek creator Gene Roddenberry . ABC News reports that the three-foot-long model was given to Gene Roddenberry after the original Trek series ended in 1969, and graced his desk for several years before he loaned it to the makers of 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture . The model disappeared shortly afterward and remained missing until it turned up on eBay last year. It had been discovered in a storage locker by parties unknown, who contacted action site Heritage Auctions. Although the model would fetch an enormous price at auction as a one-of-a-kind pop-cultural artifact, an arrangement was made between the finders and Roddenberry, whose father died at 70 in 1991.

The model in question was the first finished model of the iconic starship; it was used for the series' original unaired pilot episode, "The Cage," which was later incorporated into a two-part episode , "The Menagerie," before it was released in full in the 1980s. It was also used for the shots of the Enterprise seen in the show's opening credits. A larger model was later created for the rest of the series; that model is currently on display at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum . Roddenberry intends for the original model to find a permanent home, as well:

"This is not going home to adorn my shelves. This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere."

What Is the USS Enterprise?

The flagship of the United Federation of Planets' Starfleet, the USS Enterprise is a Constitution-class starship from the 23rd century. It was originally captained by Robert April, who appeared on Star Trek: The Animated Series before appearing in live-action for the first time in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . April later passed on command to Christopher Pike , whose adventures are currently being chronicled in the prequel series Strange New Worlds . After Pike was promoted to fleet command, James Kirk was given command of the ship, taking it on a five-year mission that kicked off one of science fiction's most enduring franchises.

In Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , then-Admiral Kirk stole the Enterprise to journey to the unstable Genesis Planet and reunite his friend Spock's mind with his body; during that adventure, Kirk had the ship self-destruct to prevent it from being seized by the Klingons. It was later replaced by a near-identical ship, the Enterprise-A ; many subsequent Federation ships have borne the name, up to the rechristened Enterprise-J in the series finale of Star Trek: Picard .

The son of Roddenberry and actor Majel Barrett , Rod Roddenberry is the chief executive officer of Roddenberry Entertainment. He currently executive produces the latest generation of Star Trek series, including Discovery , Strange New Worlds , Picard , Lower Decks , and Prodigy .

The original model of the Enterprise is now back in the Roddenberry family. Viewers can see it in action in Star Trek: The Original Series , which can be streamed on Paramount+.

Star Trek: The Original Series

In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

Watch on Paramount+

Screen Rant

Star trek's lost uss enterprise model returned to roddenberry.

Lost since the 1970s, the original model of the Starship Enterprise used in Star Trek: The Original Series has been returned to Rod Roddenberry.

• The original USS Enterprise model from Star Trek has been returned to Gene Roddenberry's son after being missing since the 1970s.
• The 3-foot version of the Enterprise featured in the 1960s Star Trek is now authenticated and set to be restored for public exhibition.
• Rod Roddenberry plans to find a museum to showcase the iconic Enterprise model.

The first model of the USS Enterprise used in Star Trek: The Original Series has been returned to Gene Roddenberry's son, Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry. Missing since the 1970s when Gene Roddenberry loaned it to the filmmakers of 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture , the 3-foot model of the Starship Enterprise was used in Star Trek' s original pilot episode, "The Cage," as well as the opening credits of Star Trek: The Original Series . The model popped up on eBay last fall , and the sellers took it down and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it.

Yahoo! News reports that last weekend, the lost original model of Star Trek' s USS Enterprise was returned to Rod Roddenberry. The now-found and authenticated Enterprise model was the prototype for the 11-foot version featured in the episodes of the 1960s Star Trek . The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Rod Roddenberry commented on the Enterprise model's return:

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves. This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

Rod Roddenberry also officially commented on the return of the lost USS Enterprise model on his Instagram (@eugeneroddenberryofficial):

Star Trek: Every Version Of The Starship Enterprise

How star trek's lost uss enterprise model was returned to roddenberry, a vital piece of star trek history is finally home.

It was a long road for the original USS Enterprise model to return home to Rod Roddenberry. The 3-foot Enterprise model graced the desk of Gene Roddenberry, but after it was loaned out to Star Trek: The Original Series , it vanished, and, “No one knew what happened to it," according to Rod Roddenberry. Heritage's Auction's executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they'd discovered the lost Enterprise model in a storage unit. It was brought to Heritage's Beverly Hills office where they instantly knew "it was the real thing."

Amusingly, Rod Roddenberry is also "vindicated" because of a long-running rumor that he destroyed the original Enterprise model as a boy by throwing it in a swimming pool.

Joe Maddalena said the original USS Enterprise model could easily sell for $1-million at auction, but as a "cultural icon," it is essentially "priceless." Rod Roddenberry admits he has vague memories of the 3-foot Enterprise model, and he didn't think much about it until he was contacted when the model briefly appeared on eBay. Roddenberry said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed it was the right thing to do to return the model. Without going into details about the agreement reached, Roddenberry added, “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.” Roughly 50 years after it disappeared, a crucial piece of Star Trek history has finally come home.

Source: Yahoo! News

Star Trek: The Original Series is streaming on Paramount+

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The long lost original model of the USS Enterprise has been returned

The model, in the opening credits of Star Trek , had been missing since the 1970s. It popped up on eBay last fall. The seller helped facilitate its return to the family of the creator of Star Trek .

(SOUNDBITE OF ALEXANDER COURAGE'S "THEME FROM STAR TREK")

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Leila Fadel.

The long-lost original model of the USS Enterprise, the one that could be seen in the opening credits of the TV show "Star Trek," has been returned. Missing since the 1970s, the model popped up on eBay last fall. The seller eventually took down the item and helped facilitate its return to Rod Roddenberry, the son of the late "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry. Roddenberry, the son, says he now hopes to get the model into a museum for the public to enjoy.

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