Star Trek: The Original Series Tier List (Episodes 1-3)

What better way to launch a new blog than with a low effort tier list? You're right, of course - tier list is cheap, easy content if your goal is to churn out data rapidly and "engage with your audience". I of course have no audience, so I will use that excuse to state that I'm doing this for the fun of it instead.

The ranking structure I will use is A to F, with A being the best of the best, F being the absolute worst, and C being middle tier. I have been watching the remastered versions on Netflix, but have already committed to purchasing the blue ray set as I've heard it contains the option to watch the original versions without the new special effects. I don't mind the cleaned up FX at all, but it would be charming to be able to watch some of the original very limited FX, especially since I plan on doing a tier list for some of the classic Doctor Who serials as well.

I'm not going to place the pilot, The Cage. I've seen and enjoy The Cage, but it is a pilot episode that has little connection to the show outside of its use in the two parts of The Menagerie. I'll discuss my feelings a bit about The Cage in those rankings. As well, don't expect a lot of this ranking to focus on the special effects. Comparing a 1960s Television serial with the special effects of a blockbuster film like Star Wars, which came out 11 years later and on a movie budget, is not only unfair - its ridiculous. Prior to today's big budget shows, expecting movie quality special effects in a television series would have been ridiculous, and it was ground breaking just how good the effects of Star Trek were for its era - and how good both Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek: The Next Generation were for their era too.

Likewise, let's assume that any show or film from the past needs to be viewed in context of acting choices, cinematography, and pacing of their era. Television was much more theatrical in the `60s, and the goal of the show was to convey the story and the characters. Star Trek had a hint of camp to it, but it was nothing compared to the camp of the Batman show of the era, or its sitcoms.

And yeah, as we get started here, I love Star Trek: The Original Series. In fact, to me, it's just "Star Trek", without needing to say TOS. The rest are successors of varying quality, and I'll get to them in time, but this is where it was best. Well, where it got best. Gradually. Eventually. Okay, some of the episodes are not very good. Nostalgia glasses removed, time to get ranking!

Oh, all of these episodes are 100% spoilers.

The Episodes

Each episode will list its order, a small commentary on the notable features of the episode, then it's ranking. I plan to do three per post, all the way from The Man Trap to Turnabout Intruder. As I go, I'll begin populating the tier list, which will be at the end of the post.

#1: The Man Trap

This is an odd episode, but not a bad one to introduce someone to Star Trek with. I love that this is a McCoy focused episode, and the scene where the Salt Vampire is showing different faces to Kirk, McCoy, and the hapless Darnell is very effective. It's a murder mystery that moves from the planet to the Enterprise, and could almost fit into my Cthulhu monthly RPG. I love stories like this: it grounds the plot out of space and weirdness, and keeps it focused on human dramas and mystery. 

Tier Ranking: C

I enjoy this episode, but once the mystery is known the enjoyment of the episode is somewhat diminished. The acting is quite solid, especially Deforest Kelly's nostalgic affection for Nancy (the Salt Vampire), and there are some good character building exchanges between several members of the main crew.

#2: Charlie X

The Enterprise picks up an insufferable teenager who doesn't know how to act, and Kirk is thrust into trying to play father to him. Also, Charlie (the titular teen) is infatuated with Yeoman Rand. Then Charlie manifests god like powers and causes chaos. As a concept, the story is interesting: we see the consequences of wish fulfillment in an unrestrained mind, a theme Star Trek enjoys exploring a lot, but this is done better in later episodes (and series).

Tier Ranking: D

I've seen some of Robert Walker's later television work and didn't mind it, but his acting in this episode comes off a bit wooden. I guess it would be hard to portray this character, but the approach from Walker here and director Lawrence Dobkin comes off a bit too Leave it to Beaver. The genuine good moment is the end where Charlie begs not to be sent back, and the bit where Charlie erases a woman's face. But if given the choice, I skip this episode 9 times out of 10.

#3: Where No Man Has Gone Before

I think this might be one of the first Star Trek episodes I saw, in syndication of course (I was born 10 years after its original airing). I recall being fascinated by the plot, but I didn't go on at that point to watching more Star Trek. It would be years later when I would watch The Motion Picture that I began to appreciate Trek and watch the old episodes. In fact, it took me some time to connect this show in memory to Star Trek - and it shows. This was essentially the second pilot for `Trek, and the costumes and characters aren't quite locked down yet. For anyone watching this with fresh eyes, this episode would be slightly confusing in terms of continuity.

Tier Ranking: B

This would be an A were it not slightly marred by the continuity problems. The star field effect in the eyes of the two evolving humans, and the genuine tension and drama as they rapidly outgrow the humans around them is thematically excellent. Space in Star Trek is "the final frontier", and in this episode while staring into the abyss, it stares back. Again I note a bit of a Cthulhu, cosmic horror element present in this episode, which fits my tastes.

Tier Results

I'm working up a tier graphic, which I will come back and insert here down the road.

• A: Nothing yet
• B: Where No Man Has Gone Before
• C: The Man Trap
• D: Charlie X
• F: Nothing yet 

Next Post

The crew of the Enterprise get drunk and almost blow themselves up. Captain Kirk feels very divided over some personal issues. And time to show us that not everyone in the future has noble intentions - how about a snake oil salesman / pimp / slaver anyone?