My girlfriend knows less about sci-fi/fantasy stuff than even the average girl and had never seen Star Wars before so ofc I had to show it to her ... well she did not enjoy A New Hope one bit.
However I've convinced her to watch just one episode of Star Trek as her female friend is into Star Trek and she wants to know what it's about. But I'm no Trekkie, I've seen a few episodes of Star Trek over the years but it's probably only a fraction of the total.
I need your guys help to pick the perfect episode, I suggested The Wrath of Khan but there is no way she'll watch a full movie. I need - an easily accessible episode (e.g. on youtube) - a good storyline/characters that she'll appreciate - it can be watched standalone - it represents Star Trek well
mb just show her the movie (even though I know how shitty movies usually are)? It should make more sence than a random episode I am too young for star trek and I'm not that much of a fan of sci and I think the movie was fine.
As far as the original series goes, the general consensus is that "City on the Edge of Forever" is by far the best episode in the series. However, most of the episode involves time travel back to 1930s America, so I'm not sure if it fully represents Star Trek completely. Nevertheless, it is an absolutely fantastic episode with a shocking and sad ending.
"The Inner Light" is also a fantastic episode from The Next Generation. The ending is absolutely heart-wrenching, and I think GFs can really connect with it. Be sure to search it up for a full synopsis.
It would also be wise to Google for some lists of recommended episodes. That's what I did to experience the best of the Star Trek franchise.
On March 30 2011 10:36 GoTuNk! wrote: mb just show her the movie (even though I know how shitty movies usually are)? It should make more sence than a random episode I am too young for star trek and I'm not that much of a fan of sci and I think the movie was fine.
I really want to show her a movie but she flat out said she won't sit through 2hours of sci-fi (the star wars movie I showed her really left a bad impression)
Do not let her watch the original series. I have to love it for starting it all. But it's so painful and aweful to watch. Just one episode really won't do anything for her either, should watch 3-4 at least in my opinion.
I would highly suggest something from TNG but not the first season as the production value is significantly lower. DS9 is good too however the story and character arcs in this series are much more developed and last more episodes. So picking a random episode will rarely make sense and deter the viewer. But if you start at the beginning then it's probably the most "addicting" of all the Star trek shows.
Show her the movie. It's like a perfect compromise between faithfulness to the original series and mainstream appeal. I can't see how she won't like it, assuming she likes good movies :p.
On March 30 2011 10:37 eviltomahawk wrote: As far as the original series goes, the general consensus is that "City on the Edge of Forever" is by far the best episode in the series. However, most of the episode involves time travel back to 1930s America, so I'm not sure if it fully represents Star Trek completely. Nevertheless, it is an absolutely fantastic episode with a shocking and sad ending.
"The Inner Light" is also a fantastic episode from The Next Generation. The ending is absolutely heart-wrenching, and I think GFs can really connect with it. Be sure to search it up for a full synopsis.
It would also be wise to Google for some lists of recommended episodes. That's what I did to experience the best of the Star Trek franchise.
Wow thanks for that I think these are great suggestions.
On March 30 2011 10:43 lilodot wrote: Do not let her watch the original series. I have to love it for starting it all. But it's so painful and aweful to watch. Just one episode really won't do anything for her either, should watch 3-4 at least in my opinion.
I would highly suggest something from TNG but not the first season as the production value is significantly lower. DS9 is good too however the story and character arcs in this series are much more developed and last more episodes. So picking a random episode will rarely make sense and deter the viewer. But if you start at the beginning then it's probably the most "addicting" of all the Star trek shows.
I agree, I think that DS9 episodes would be too developed for someone who has almost no sci-fi experience, especially with all the different alien factions. I will probably show a TNG episode.
Don't forget the DS9 companion to that the episode, "Trials and Tribble-ations." However, the DS9 episode is mainly meant for Trekkie fanboys more than Star Trek virgins, so beware.
Nevertheless, "Trouble with Tribbles" is a pretty cute episode. It's mainly humorous, with an over-arching mystery that kinda reminds me of Scooby Doo.
comes to mind. follows the star trek plot formula, was a little insightful, and has hilarious catch phrases like 'darmok and jalad... at tanagra', and 'shaka, when the walls fell'.
Original Series I was exposed to a ton of this, as my dad loves it (I came to appreciate it in its own way). His favourite episode is "City on the Edge of Forever", and judging by the description eviltomahawk gave it is seen by many as one of the best. Make sure you don't pick a random episode, some of them are absolute garbage. A fun episode is "The Trouble With Tribbles", but its not entirely characteristic of the show as a whole.
The Next Generation This series has some great characters, and the good episodes are really worth watching. Unfortunately I can't think of an episode off the top of my head. I know the episodes with the Borg are really good, but they may not be the best thing to show to someone who isn't that into sci-fi.
you cant make her like scifi just by watching one episode or anything. we all sat down and watched star trek for a blind adoration of space and scifi. we sat through the episodes and got to know the characters as time went on, thusly, making episodes more appealing. throwing a random episode at someone who's never watched ST will not do anything for them. especially considering how lame and corny some episodes can be.
may i recommend you introduce her to battlestar galactica instead.
If you're trying to get someone into sci-fi/fantasy, Star Trek may not be your best option. You should probably go for something more accessible like Firefly. Star Trek might be a bit too dry and campy for someone who has absolutely no experience with that sort of stuff.
These are absolutely outstanding episodes, easily my two favorite episodes ever. I think Darmok is abit more standalone, but the plot coherency with riker trying to get picard back detracts from it abit. On the other hand I think that In the Pale Moonlight is a more coherent story but requires more context to understand (you should appreciate the subtleties of everyone's personality at this point to have a full effect).
As a disclaimer, I've probably seen every episode of star trek, minus TOS 3 or 4 times (I watched alot of TV as a kid).
Again, these two episodes are possibly the paradigms (to me) of each series. TNG was highly intellectual and very thought based, while DS9 was bad the first few seasons and evolved into a highly complex drama that I would rate amongst the best sci-fi I have seen. If you had to pull an episode from Voyager, it would be "the void" for me.
Personally I don't like Darmok. From TNG I might suggest The inner light (picard's flute episode) or Cause and Effect (time loop episode).
From the original series, depends how corny you want it to be. Some incredibly corny "monster" or alien episodes--but good--are the Devil in the Dark (horta episode) and Arena (the gorn epsiode). Trouble with Tribbles is cute and funny and definitely good.
City on the Edge of Forever is often considered as one of the best episodes. I recommend it. I also recommend Mirror, Mirror (where the crew get sent into a parallel universe). Balance of Terror (the first Romulan episode) is also very good, and has the famous "in a different reality, I could have called you friend"
Let This be your last battlefield (the one with the half white half black) gives a good idea for what star trek was supposed to be in the context of the time period (ie. this one is an allegory towards racism; other episodes are other allegories) and that is a very good "star trek" experience.
Finally, The Savage Curtain HAS LINCOLN IN IT, SO IT MUST BE COOL
edit- of course, for real star trek experience you also have to have Patterns of Force (nazi episode) and A Piece of the Action (Gangster episode) to see the old "oh hey, every planet we visit exactly mirrors Xth century earth!"
tl;dr though: City on the edge of Forever and Mirror Mirror are the two best original series, or Trouble with Tribbles if you want a more fun story. I like Cause and Effect from TNG, but TNG is overall much better quality than the original series--but it lacks the true corny star trek experience that makes star trek good. Probably should choose something from TNG or DS9.
I love DS9 but I think it's hard to pick a single episode as it's much more about story arcs and often relies on knowing at least some stuff about the characters.
"The Inner Light" is absolutely amazing and would be my first choice. If you want a little controversy you could chose "Who Watches the Watchers" where humans accidentaly reveal themselves to a primitive Vulcan society and are treated as gods or "Suddenly Human" about a human boy raised by an aggressive race.
I came here to post this. 100% agree. The ending was amazing imo. I'd only show it to her though if she's into spy dramas and conspiracy movies and shit, though.
If you want a tear jerker for her, though, go with DS9's The Visitor
Edit -- I just saw Darmok at the top of this page. I also recommend that one. Its an intellectual one though so only show that to her if she's into language or conceptual stuff like that.
On March 30 2011 11:28 sikyon wrote: If you had to pull an episode from Voyager, it would be "the void" for me.
I thought The Void was alright, but I don't think that it'd be a good representative of the series because they're just trying to buy time and not go crazy for the whole episode (if I remember right, and I'm pretty sure that I do)
A really tragic one though is the Voyager episode where they discover that they are actually a cloned version of the original crew and they decay as they attempt to make it back to Earth despite learning of their imminent demise because that's what their original selves would have done.
Am i the only one who likes TOS the best? Like someone suggested "City on the Edge of Forever" is really good for a non trekkie. Some of my other favorites are "A Taste of Armageddon" and the one were everyone on the enterprise gets high on magic spores ( can't remember the title). Again, these are only TOS just because thats my favorite.
The New Star Trek movie is easier for people who don't like sci fi. TBH if you don't like sci fi, I don't know why you would want to watch star trek ( I am not really into it either)
Not a movie. Go for TNG since it has a lot of character stuff which is more interesting for someone not naturally into tech or scifi based shows.
Data is an incredibly endearing character and episodes around him tend to work well with people new to the show. Measure of Man (?) is a good example, it's cute and thought-provoking.
There are plenty of great trek episodes but you need one which appeals to a "general audience". Hence I would def go a character story rather than an action or a tech story (however great they might be).
Re the New Movie, it's fun enough but it's not really Star Trek, it's generic space action. You can show her that if you want but I don't imagine she'll remember it a week later. Especially if she didn't enjoy Star Wars much.
I just finished re-watching In the Pale Moonlight again and the first 2 parts of it require a bit of explaining (what's the dominion, the romulan empire, what's up with this war thing going on, who the fuck is garak and why is the guy in charge relying on him - also wtf is the obsidian order and jem'hadar)
edit -- Perhaps TNG's Tapestry would be a better pick
TOS and the new movie are pretty much opposite to each other in terms of age, and by that I mean that science fiction and tv shows have been through various evolution phases to go from one end to the other. TOS isn't for everyone. The show *does* feel old and unless you are going to stretch your mind as far as to allow space planet alien mafias to sound the slightest bit viable as a plot item.
The new movie is just a modern sci fi flick, with a couple nostalgic elements tossed in and quickly covered by explosions and going beyond everything that was ever achieved in all star trek seasons combined.
Go for next generation, ladies like captain Archer because he is basically a Harrison Ford who isn't old, and T'pol looks like an alternative emo space chick that magically attracts attention from anything, which is something that any girl who asks buys about star trek can relate to.
Show her Amok Time, Season 2 of ToS. I love that episode. Star Trek was my first experience with Sci-Fi and I loved it. The guy who suggested Trouble with Tribbles is probably right too. There's far too many episodes that I'm partial to.
Though what people are saying about trying to get her into it through more accessible things may be right.
On March 30 2011 12:44 Foreplay wrote: Am i the only one who likes TOS the best? Like someone suggested "City on the Edge of Forever" is really good for a non trekkie. Some of my other favorites are "A Taste of Armageddon" and the one were everyone on the enterprise gets high on magic spores ( can't remember the title). Again, these are only TOS just because thats my favorite.
Actually, I change my answer. This guy's answer is awesome. City on the Edge of Forever is awesome.
On March 30 2011 13:32 r33k wrote: TOS and the new movie are pretty much opposite to each other in terms of age, and by that I mean that science fiction and tv shows have been through various evolution phases to go from one end to the other. TOS isn't for everyone. The show *does* feel old and unless you are going to stretch your mind as far as to allow space planet alien mafias to sound the slightest bit viable as a plot item.
The new movie is just a modern sci fi flick, with a couple nostalgic elements tossed in and quickly covered by explosions and going beyond everything that was ever achieved in all star trek seasons combined.
Go for next generation, ladies like captain Archer because he is basically a Harrison Ford who isn't old, and T'pol looks like an alternative emo space chick that magically attracts attention from anything, which is something that any girl who asks buys about star trek can relate to.
Um, isn't Captain Archer and T'Pol from Enterprise, not The Next Generation?
Honestly, it's quite hard for sci-fi virgins to get into Enterprise, especially the heavily serialized episodes from the Xindi story arch. The few stand-alone episodes require some fan knowledge because they mainly deal more with Star Trek history more than being just good episodes.
However, the mirror universe 2-part episodes of Enterprise are pretty fun to watch. However, the episodes dealing with T'Pol's emotions and sexuality are just downright awkward to watch.
Operation : Annihilate for TOS Or The Wolf in the Fold (but not really after thinking about it...it's one of my favorite episode but not sure it fits your criteria)
Any episode with relationship trouble between Neelix and Kes from Voyager. Thats almost like a soap opera in space. Neelix kinda like the fat guy from King of Queens(but being kinda ugly and socially inept instead of fat), and Kes like his beautiful girlfriend/wife/love interest. Oh, the drama.
But apart from that, I kinda still like Neelix. Dunno why though.
Stargate SG-1 Season 4 Episode 6 Window of Opportunity + Show Spoiler +
Alien time loop machine. Day repeats itself. What would you do if you could do whatever you wanted with no consequence? Hilarity ensues. (eg. playing golf while on the job ... shooting golf balls into a wormhole)
The thing about Stargate SG-1 that makes it so easily accessible is that most the episodes require no technical science knowledge. Also the series is overall pretty humorous and easy going.
On March 30 2011 14:33 Urth wrote: Yeah, sadly, the newest movie is your best bet. Tons of people I know, who have no interest in sci-fi, loved it.
I know you said no movies, but it is by far your best bet over any episode.
This is unfortunately probably true, but the newest film has nothing to do with star trek really. It's a generic sci-fi film using star trek characters (not that it's bad, but it's not star trek).
Try showing her a good episode of Dollhouse instead, i'd suggest one from S2 with Summer Glaus character featured - if she doesn't fall in love with her, i believe your gf is an android.
In which case you don't need to watch sci fi with her, you're living it.
The Savage Curtain HAS LINCOLN IN IT, SO IT MUST BE COOL
The savage curtain is the paragon of Trek incredulity. The coincindence that two of the four representatives of Good merely happen to the the Captain and First officer of the Enterprise, along with a totally ineffectual Lincoln and pig-headed Vulcan idealist rather offends the scope of human history, to say nothing of universal history.
The same critique can be made for most Star Trek episodes, including the City on the Edge of Forever. The fictitious premises on which the ideas of the show are based bear no relation whatsoever to the experience of reality.
Nonetheless, TOS remains the best and most watchable Trek series, because it was made in an era which was unashamed of preaching absolute concepts, unalloyed by the ethical vacillations of more realistic "Trek." The complete irreality in which TOS existed spares us many of the embarassments of some later Trek episodes, which affect to portray human dilemmas with contrived situations. Its superhuman prodigies were permitted to be unrealistically large, their ridiculous strategems implausibly effective, their inner virtues were always miraculously translated into martial triumphs.
I had the advantage of watching City on the Edge of Forever as nearly my last TOS episode. The tragedy is effective and shocking not by its inherent execution, but by the fact that this is so untypical of TOS. A sympathy for the episode requires a prolonged acclimatisation in the TOS millieu.
I also have to disagree with rating In the Pale Moonlight as a paradigm for DS9. The episode plays like a TOS moral dilemma, if only Kirk were a neurotic who reflected on necessary actions more than committing them. But Kirk is not like that. In fact, neither is Sisko like that. Everything which had been established about Sisko in the previous seven seasons was thrown out in this episode for a character story which was off-character. Sisko had never been an idealist, and had a long track record of commiting impromptu and questionable actions. The story about Sisko's loss of innocence through the cauldron of war is ineffective because Sisko was a hardened warrior in Season 1, and he never had any innocence to begin with. Neither did I find the moral dilemma itself compelling. That Garak had to deconstruct Sisko's psychology was bad mimetic storytelling.
It has been observed that In the Pale Moonlight was effective on the same grounds as those on which I praised City, that it was so untypical of Star Trek. The entire DS9 canon is littered with such examples, if you had been paying attention. Only in most occasions the inference was more subtle, and did not come about by having a protagonist spelling it out to us, as Garak did for Sisko. Nor was it necessary to use Garak. Sisko as a grown-up man was capable of saying to himself exactly what Garak said. The simplistic dichotomy between Sisko the idealist vs Garak the realist in this episode shrinks the scope of both characters, rather than expands it.
I also thought that Inter Arma enim Silent Leges was a better variation of the same theme.
My recommendation? 1. 95% of the Star Trek demographic is male, and for good reason. Do not show her Star Trek unless she is genuinely interested. 2. "The Enterprise Incident" from TOS for the ladies.
You should definitely pick an episode from TNG (but not from the first couple of seasons). Preferably some episode focusing on Picard. :D Dunno which specific episode though.
Definatly the Tribble Trouble episode or the one where Kirk (original series) fights the big Lizard man in the Desert and gets his shirt ripped. She'll go crazy over him, but its OK, you got her to watch Star Trek right?
I also have to disagree with rating In the Pale Moonlight as a paradigm for DS9. The episode plays like a TOS moral dilemma, if only Kirk were a neurotic who reflected on necessary actions more than committing them. But Kirk is not like that. In fact, neither is Sisko like that. Everything which had been established about Sisko in the previous seven seasons was thrown out in this episode for a character story which was off-character. Sisko had never been an idealist, and had a long track record of commiting impromptu and questionable actions. The story about Sisko's loss of innocence through the cauldron of war is ineffective because Sisko was a hardened warrior in Season 1, and he never had any innocence to begin with. Neither did I find the moral dilemma itself compelling. That Garak had to deconstruct Sisko's psychology was bad mimetic storytelling.
It has been observed that In the Pale Moonlight was effective on the same grounds as those on which I praised City, that it was so untypical of Star Trek. The entire DS9 canon is littered with such examples, if you had been paying attention. Only in most occasions the inference was more subtle, and did not come about by having a protagonist spelling it out to us, as Garak did for Sisko. Nor was it necessary to use Garak. Sisko as a grown-up man was capable of saying to himself exactly what Garak said. The simplistic dichotomy between Sisko the idealist vs Garak the realist in this episode shrinks the scope of both characters, rather than expands it.
I disagree. When was sisko presented as a hardened warrior? He had been through the battle of Worf 359 - but that was only a single battle, where you destroy the enemy or he destroys you in a single climactic engagement. There were no hard choices to be made. He was bitter about having lost so much in that battle (and angry at Picard) but a single engagement does not wear on a man the way a true, protracted war does. I truely believe that he was infact an idealist (ie. unwillingness to use the fact that he was the prophet at first to help him, but then using it later to tell the Bajorans what to do). He has to make more and more ethical decisions as the series, and the war, goes on, and the balance of good vs evil that he appreciates deteriorates. The episode is in my mind a paradigm because it highlights this ongoing process. The moral dilemma may be rather standard (death of a man vs death of an empire), and not as interesting as the one in say "A measure of a man". Yet even if these concepts are "littered" through DS9 cannon, this just makes the exposition in the episode a stronger example.
Anyhow I wouldn't recommend anything that goes back in time - I think that those episodes are not good for newcommers because the setting is not representative.f
As already suggested Darmok is great one. As is Cause and Effect for the awesome time travel/causality shenanagins. And I really like the last episode(s) too, All Good Things, but probably not a great idea to start at the end of a series, lol.
For DS9 In the Pale Moonlight is pretty much the only good choice. It might be a bit difficult as a stand alone viewing due to all the various factions involved, but it really is a great episode.
On March 31 2011 01:59 Rayeth wrote: Great episodes of TNG:
As already suggested Darmok is great one. As is Cause and Effect for the awesome time travel/causality shenanagins. And I really like the last episode(s) too, All Good Things, but probably not a great idea to start at the end of a series, lol.
For DS9 In the Pale Moonlight is pretty much the only good choice. It might be a bit difficult as a stand alone viewing due to all the various factions involved, but it really is a great episode.
Dude, you're clearly forgetting about The Visitor...
man why star trek? :D My personal recommendation would be "Blink" from Doctor Who, ep 3x10 of the new doctor who series. Best thing ever. Just .. well, it's not star trek.
I'd recommend Voyager. Probably my favorite Startrek, followed by Enterprise and DS9. Personally I didn't like TNG and TOS much. Good luck, though, keep us updated
To echo some of what's been said I think In The Pale Moonlight is fantastic, had a similar experience trying to introduce my GF to SciFi recently, she really likes fantasy books and the Original Series was by far the most interesting to her, Standalone character-driven stuff, 'Mirror,Mirror' was one of the first she watched and she loved it
EPT
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( I am not really into it either)
Or The Wolf in the Fold (but not really after thinking about it...it's one of my favorite episode but not sure it fits your criteria)
