Star Trek Top #20: SGB's List

John's Note: Friend and long-time reader, SGB, contributes our first reader list of the week, and offers some fascinating choices!

Honorable mention:  A PIECE OF THE ACTION - Humor, even the closing scene on the bridge with Spock, Kirk and McCoy. 

#20  THE CORBOMITE MANEUVER - The ultimate bluff by Kirk, unlike what General Order 24  was in “A Taste Of Armageddon.”

#19   THE DEVIL IN THE DARK - Jaws or Alien[complete with the eggs]. A fascinating non-humanoid alien race. 

#18  THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME - This rivals “The Doomsday Machine” or V'Ger cloud from Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

#17  LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD - Engaging anti-racism statement. 

#16  THE MAN TRAP - Vampire-like creature story with salt replacing blood which was the need in the “Obsession” episode. 

#15  THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT - Klingon D-7 used as Romulan D-7 and a great follow-up to the Romulan episode “Balance of Terror.”

#14 THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES - Space Station K-7.

#13  JOURNEY TO BABEL - Federation diplomats, Spock's parents and murder on board.

#12  MIRROR,MIRROR- Mirror universe. Spock is logical there too.

#11  DOOMSDAY MACHINE - This rivals the V'Ger cloud of Star Trek: The Motion Picture in which we see Commodore Decker's son.

#10  THE CHANGELING - This rivals the V'Ger/Voyager of Star Trek: The Motion Picture finding the creator.

#9  SPACE SEED - Khan v. Kirk , leads to Wrath Of Khan and rebooted Into Darkness.

#8  THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER - Multiple Constitution Class starships and a M-5 that rivals HAL9000 or Omega[Ark II].

#7  COURT MARTIAL - The ultimate court case and mystery.

#6  THE GALILEO SEVEN - Class F Shuttlecraft prop and a fascinating story of Spock's survival command. 

#5   A TASTE OF ARMAGEDDON - General Order 24, belonged in the "Mirror, Mirror" universe, but if kept would have made a different Federation in TOS...canceling the Prime Directive.

#4   WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE - Early command of the Enterprise by Kirk. Set years after “The Cage.”

#3   THE CAGE/MENAGERIE (pt. 1 & 2) - Captain Pike and his history with Spock on the Enterprise.

#2   DAY OF THE DOVE - Best Klingon episode as an adversary and their view of humans in their society.

#1   BALANCE OF TERROR - Best Romulan analysis as an adversary with Kirk, and as a society. WW2 submarine v. destroyer style battle that was aspired to in Wrath of Khan: 1701 v. Reliant.