Click here for part 3 or start from the beginning.

25. The Klingon forehead debate- It’s odd that one of my favorite things about Trek is actually technically a continuity mistake, but it’s become a huge part of the mythos. The Klingons in TOS had dark skin, beards, and wore chain mail, and that’s all that distinguished them from humans. Then comes The Motion Picture, while creative license was taken and a new look was born– the very menacing-looking Klingon forehead ridges. This look continued throughout the films, TNG, DS9, and Voyager. The strange anatomy difference between TOS and what came after it is never spoken of until DS9’s “Trials and Tribble-Ations,” where Worf says that they don’t talk about it with outsiders and refuses to comment further. In the final season of Enterprise, a two-parter was written to explain why Klingons in that series still had the forehead ridges we see in the 24^th century, but why they’re missing in TOS– it has to do with experimenting with the DNA of human augments from the eugenics wars. It was a clever idea and very well executed, but it doesn’t really explain how the Klingons eventually got the ridges back… and so, the debate rages on!

24. “Live Long and Prosper”- Along with the famous Vulcan hand gesture, this is one of those lines Trek is known for, far outside fan circles. It’s a pretty logical greeting and farewell– the big goals in life are to live a long time and “prosper,” probably meaning either to procreate or do something else to benefit society or the galaxy at large. It sounds so much more profound than “see ya later” or “have a nice day” and that’s why even I use it, as my blog sign-off.

23. The Kirk/Spock/McCoy dynamic- TOS was built around a brilliant triangle of characters. Kirk was in charge but looked to Spock and Bones for advice. Spock respected his Captain and the Doctor but didn’t understand human emotion and thought that McCoy especially was too quick to respond emotionally. And McCoy was quick to tell Kirk whenever he thought he was wrong and he understood Vulcans even less than Spock understood him, thinking Spock often cold and uncaring for being so unemotional. Unlike the other series, TOS was less about the full ensemble and more about these three characters, who became very well characterized and quite identifiable. The ensemble format of the other series made all of the characters more three-dimensional, but that was all spawned from this interesting dynamic. Enterprise tried this triangle idea with Archer, Tucker, and T’Pol, but it was poorly executed.

22. Holodecks- Although there were maybe too many episodes that centered on them, holodecks allowed our characters to get off the ship without always having to go to bizarre alien worlds. It let a lot of early Earth culture, history and literary references seep into Trek, so that while the series went into the future, it didn’t forget where it came from and it wasn’t afraid to compare itself to history. Holodecks also made for fun humorous episodes, creating things like Captain Proton, Data’s Shirlock Holmes program, and holodeck obsession as an interesting psychosis with Reginald Barclay.

21. Seven of Nine- She saved Voyager from being canceled and she added a human dynamic to the show that it was drastically lacking before. Voyager had so many alien characters and Maquis, which were so different from Starfleet ideals they might as well have all been alien, that Seven gave Voyager new dimension. The Borg Collective became more of a flawed philosophy and Seven actually made some compelling arguments in favor of the lifestyle. Naturally, individuality wins out, but that was a debate that hadn’t been explored nearly enough at that point. Plus, she brought the Borg in as a regular villain, and it was much more fun to see them every few weeks than the Kazon.

20. Cloaking Device- The cloaking device was great because it gave Starfleet’s two biggest enemies (at least before TNG)– The Romulans and the Klingons– something it didn’t have. It made them more of a threat. Some of the best moments in Trek are when a ship decloaks and you didn’t expect it. Some interesting stories came from the device, including the phasing cloak in “The Pegasus” and the only cloak Starfleet did get away with using on the Defiant in DS9.

19. Phasers- I’m sure this needs little explanation. Phasers are one of the technologies Trek is most known for. There are many different kinds with different settings, but I just like them because they have cool sound effects.

18. Treknobabble- Starting with Scotty, Trek is netorious for it’s made-up tech and bulky explanations of it. It’s the classic way to get out of a tough bind. Sure, it’s a bit of a plot contrivance, but it’s a TV show! It’s the formula the thing was based on and part of Trek’s particular charm. Although you’d be surprised how much of it sounds like babble and is actually worked out and in starship tech manuals.

17. Locutus of Borg- “The Best of Both Worlds” is arguably one of the best cliffhangers in television history, not to mention widely considered TNG’s best episode. Locutus is a frightening and unique villain because he is Picard, but he isn’t, being an unwilling part of the Borg Collective. Riker’s decision to fire on the ship at the end of Part I is nerve-racking– back in the day, there was no telling if Picard would survive or not. Of course, he was rescued in Part II, but for his brief moments on the screen, Locutus was one of Trek’s most memorable bad guys.

16. Vulcan nerve pinch- Spock can take a guy out without any violence whatsoever. He grabs his neck and the guy’s down. What’s a more logical maneuver than that? It may seem like a quirky plot device, yet it’s actually more realistic than knocking someone out for minutes or hours by punching him in the face one time which frequently happens on television but rarely in real life. But in order for characters to get out of a trap or get past some guards, it’s often a necessary-but-contrived plot contrivance. TOS was brilliant for this invention, and it’s too bad only Vulcans could do it… with the exception of Data.

15. Klingon language- Star Trek has a fully realized artificial language with a full vocabulary and syntax. How many shows can boast that? There is a fair amount of Klingon spoken in Star Trek, and while the actors haven’t always gotten the pronunciation just right, it’s real Klingon. You can look up any Klingon word spoken in Trek in the Klingon Dictionary. I have studied the language some myself and though the words are difficult to memorize, the grammar isn’t too difficult to learn– but it is unlike any language you’ve ever studied. There are also full classics– including Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing– which have been translated in Klingon and are available for purchase.

14. Tribbles- Everybody loves tribbles. I don’t know if it’s because “The Trouble With Tribbles” was the first real comedy episode of Star Trek or if fuzzy creatures that won’t stop multiplying all over the ship was such an absurd idea for plot conflict that everyone remembered it, but between that episode and “Trials and Tribble-ations,” they’ve charmed fans and non-fans alike.

13. Vulcan mind meld- I realize the Vulcans have made this list a lot, but this is their single greatest contribution to the mythos. The Vulcans could have simply been a telepathic species but somehow mind-melding is more epic and often jarring to watch. The idea that someone can touch you and know everything you know is a little scary and it helps us understand why the Vulcans have to be so logical and unfeeling. If they weren’t, they could use this ability against anyone they wanted to (much like Sybok did in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier). In a sense this is a little like the Borg concept with two “minds being one,” but they’re usually used to help people find information they’ve buried, come back from a coma, or even regain mental stability, in the case of Sarek in TNG when he melded with Captain Picard. Melding allows us to explore characters minds in a way never before done in another series.

12. Warp Drive- Warp drive is another ingenious invention because it’s light speed (which we know is virtually impossible to achieve) but with a good deal of logic behind it, since it’s accomplished by folding space. We couldn’t have Trek without warp, and it’s given us some of the best special effects in science fiction film and television.

11. Q- Trek’s best villain, second only to Khan. Q first appeared in TNG’s pilot, “Encounter at Farpoint” and he was truly where no one had gone before. He was similar to Trelaine from “The Squire of Gothos” in that he was of a race of omnipotent beings, but Q was more menacing and until he appeared in Voyager, more dangerous. John deLance’s sarcasm and humor made him a thrill to watch every time he appeared and he’s probably Trek’s most unpredictable character. You always know you’re in for a treat with Q because you’re never sure exactly what he’s up to. It’s not until the final episode of TNG, “All Good Things,” that we realize Q really does care about what happens to Picard and humanity. He was a perfect counterpoint for Picard and served well as his “Khan.”

10. Khan- Hands down, Trek’s greatest villain. He only appears twice but it’s a testament to the impact he had on Trek lore in “Space Seed” that his second appearance was in a film where he had the title role. Khan’s back story of being the genetically engineered ruler of two-thirds of the planet during the late 90s is nothing short of epic, as is his never-ending mission of revenge in The Wrath of Khan. “Revenge is a dish best served cold” is one of the most quoted lines in our popular culture, and with good reason.

9. The Mirror Universe- There is nothing more fun than seeing complete opposite, evil versions of all the characters you’ve come to know and admire in a series. “Mirror Mirror” gave us just that, answering the question of what Star Trek would be like if it were about a negative future instead of a positive one. After all, Roddenberry’s optimistic vision is great, but dark and twisted is a very fun place to go. “Mirror Mirror” along with the several Mirror Universe episodes of DS9 and the two-part “In a Mirror, Darkly” in Enterprise gave the actors a real challenge to play the same characters, but if they had existed under entirely different circumstances. The message at the end of “Mirror Mirror” of Kirk telling mirror Spock that one man can make a difference in an entire universe is my personal favorite of TOS.

8. Redshirts- Don’t beam down in a red shirt. If you do, you’ll probably die. Everyone knows this– even a lot of non-Trekkies. There has definitely been a pattern of dispensable crew members in Star Trek and while we laugh at it, it’s definitely one of the things that makes TOS most classic and memorable.

7. First Contact- This movie was hands-down the best of the TNG films. It may have had a few plot holes but overall, it was a masterpiece. It re envisioned the Borg and made them finally look truly frightening. It made Zefram Cochrine a well-developed, human character. And it finally revealed that Earth’s first contact with an alien race was with the Vulcans. It also introduced the Borg Queen, which many fans thought was a mistake, yet she is a worthy opponent for both Picard and Data and her upper body dropping from the ceiling to connect with the rest of her was an incredible special effect.

6. Transporter- This is the most ingenious of Trek inventions. It was created to save the producers money in visual effects and time in story-telling– if you transport people to a planet, you don’t have to show shuttle crafts all the time. But it also looks really neat and is a sound idea, in theory. More than even warp drive, the transporter is a technology we can imagine actually working and it’s probably the technology from Trek that has sparked the most imagination.

5.The Prime Directive- Starfleet’s most prized principle of non-interference with other cultures has spawned a lot of great ethical and moral debate in Trek and is where a lot of its heart comes from. It’s a good, noble idea and most everyone would probably agree with it… yet one blanket philosophy doesn’t cover every situation. Sometimes the right thing to do, as every Captain in Trek has learned, doesn’t mesh with this directive. That’s where the best conflicts come, and these debates are what made Trek a unique and smart series.

4. Enterprise NCC-1701- The original starship under Captain Kirk. It’s one of our most recognizable images in American culture, it’s epic, and it’s classic. Many of the later ships look great, but you couldn’t have those designs if you didn’t have this one. That first ship shaped the whole future of Star Trek– I’d argue that a lot of seemingly-unrelated decisions, stories, characters, sets, props, etc. may have been effected with a different ship design. The saucer, the nacelles, all of this came from that first, beautiful design.

3. Captain Picard- Probably the most confident, or at least confident-looking character in Trek, Jean-Luc Picard gives a lesson in good leadership every time he appears. He’s the kind of Captain who rarely makes a mistake and when he does, he never makes it again. Picard is who I think most men want to be– reliable, disciplined, and able to appear indestructible. Add to that Patrick Stewart’s top-notch acting and accent and there’s nothing not to like about Picard. Even in bad episodes, Picard is always worth watching.

2. Captain Kirk- Well… I can’t put Picard above Kirk. I just can’t. James T. Kirk is the classic Trek Captain. He never makes a mistake, and I mean never. Even if we the audience thinks he does the wrong thing, it’s not in the context of Star Trek. Evil computer running the lives of an alien race? Kirk is going to destroy it no matter the ramifications. Maybe that seems like a bad idea, but he’s Captain Kirk. If he says blow up the computer, that computer’s got to go! His womanizing and dramatic line-delivery only makes him more charming and fun to watch. Kirk is the guy every man wants to be who doesn’t want to be Captain Picard… which, now that I think about it, might be a higher percentage. Kirk is younger, looked good to the ladies when his shirt got ripped off, and he could fight. Kirk will forever be one of the top 5 cultural icons of the 20^th century and probably beyond, right up there with Superman. And like Picard, he had some great speeches.

1. Deep, complex continuity- Star Trek has over 700 episodes and 10 films. It has a lot to say and there’s something in it for everyone. Once you know Star Trek as well as someone like myself, you can make a Star Trek connection with almost anything. It’s a universe with a rich history both in canon and out with a huge mythology like nothing else on television. The best thing about Star Trek is that there’s so much of it, by the time you’ve seen everything there is to see, you’ll be a different person when you go back and start all over. You’ll always take away something new from it.

LLAP

-Cap’n Logan

Click here for Part 2.

50. Section 31- It was nice of DS9 to do a commentary on the utopian society of Star Trek. Regardless of how far we might advance as a culture, human nature is what it is. We’ve seen this over and over in Trek– we’ve seen humans steal, mutiny, and commit murder, yet somehow there is no crime, no war, and no racism in the 23^rd and 24^th centuries. Surely there must be some catches to such a perfect society, and one of them is Section 31. It’s a fantastic paradox to Starfleet, an ends-justifies-the-means organization that will do absolutely anything for Federation interests and doesn’t answer to anyone. It was set up in the original charter and since no one knows exactly who is working for it, Section 31 can’t be shut down. This showed a dark side to Starfleet that was previously unexplored and although Trek’s largest appeal is its positive view of the future, this was a fresh idea at the time and a smart reality check.

49. “The Menagerie”- I include this episode rather than “The Cage” because, despite the fact that TOS’ original pilot was extremely original for the time and is still quite compelling, “The Menagerie” managed several great feats for the series. It’s the show’s only two-parter and it uses footage from a show that otherwise couldn’t have been aired, since “The Cage” was rejected by the network. Rather than just looking like a flashback episode, the events of “The Cage” are used to advance an equally compelling story about Spock putting his life on the line for his former Captain. It also included that scene with the Orion slave girls, who couldn’t have become so popular without it, and the ever memorable chair that the paralyzed Captain Pike sat in, which had a light in the front that beeped once for “yes” and twice for “no.”

48. TOS crossovers into other series- Some of the most memorable episodes from the later series are appearances from Kirk’s crew, including TNG’s “Relics” with Scotty, DS9’s “Trials and Tribble-ations” and Voyager’s “Flashback.” Interesting and unpredictable ways were found to use these characters again as opposed to seeing them all at 100 years old, such as Scotty being found in a transporter buffer and seeing Sulu in a memory from a mind meld with Tuvok. This helped to show that the later shows didn’t forget where they come from and these episodes always helped to reinforce what Trek has always been about.

47. Controversial episodes- Although it presents a positive view of the future, Trek has never been afraid to get its hands dirty. It has done a lot of things first in trying to promote things like cultural diversity. Examples are the first interracial kiss on television in TOS and DS9’s lesbian themed episode, in which Jadzia rediscovers an old love whose symbiote is also in another host and both of them are women.

46. Station Deep Space Nine- This makes the list out of sheer originality. Before DS9, no station had ever looked like this before. The circular design outside and the architecture inside, based on Cardassian anatomy, were both quite clever and impressive to see, especially on a television budget.

45. Romulan politics- It’s a shame we didn’t see more than we did, but it was always fascinating to watch a culture based on deceit and paranoia. Romulans were always second guessing each other and other races and one upping each other. It was good to have a race we could see this with since political espionage wasn’t a theme that could very often be explored with Starfleet.

44. Delta Quadrant- Voyager took us to whole section of the galaxy we had never seen before and explored it for seven years. This gave us a number of great, unusual species, including the Hirogen, the hunter species and the Vidiians who harvest body parts. And it allowed the Borg to become a regularly recurring villain since the Delta Quadrant is their point of origin.

43. TNG title theme- This music originally was the theme to The Motion Picture and it was so catchy and memorable that it was rearranged, sped up, and used as the theme to TNG. It’s also used in many of the other films.

42. The death of Spock- Spock’s death at the end of Wrath of Khan is an incredible ending to a classic sci-fi film. He gets a sacrificial, epic, and respectful death worthy of him, unlike some of the attempts that came later (Data, Tucker). It comes as a surprise (at least, it probably would have back then) and is a great set-up for the sequel, though it wasn’t known at the time if Spock would be resurrected or not. This also introduced the concept of the Vulcan katra.

41. TOS episode titles- TOS has titles people are familiar with even if they’ve never seen the episodes. They’re often quotes of literature and when they aren’t, they sound like they should be. Many sound like titles of sci-fi pulp stories of the same period and they make me wish more of the later series’ titles had been more clever– some got close, but then there were the ambiguous ones like “The Battle” and “The Ship.” How can you write titles like those following such TOS greats as “The Conscience of the King” (a Hamlet reference), “Is There in Truth No Beauty?” (taken from a line of George Herbert’s poem “Jordan”) and “For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky.”

40. Dominion War- It seems almost counter-intuitive to depict a two-season war in Star Trek, yet DS9 pulls it off nicely. Even if you’re a peaceful Federation, you have to go to war if someone like the Dominion threaten your entire way of life. DS9 was very realistic about it– like most real wars, this one too was about politics, imperialism, and religion among a number of other factors. It was complex and not simply about good guys versus bad guys. In the end, not everyone is even still on the same side. We see how war changes people and we’re reminded that no matter what someone believes, he may be forced to fight for it.

39. Food- It’s pretty amazing how much original food items are in Star Trek. In fact, you can even make some of them yourself, and many are really tasty! Gagh and hasperat are among them. Trek is all about complexity and detail; you can tell a lot about a culture based on what they eat– the Klingons eat serpent worms when they’re still alive and the Bajorans like spicy foods, for example. Check out the Star Trek cookbook for recipes.

38. Trials- Major characters have been put on trial for all sorts of things in Star Trek, proving once again that it’s more than just a sci-fi series– it can be a mystery show or even a law show. “The Menagerie,” as mentioned above, is a good example. One of my favorites is “Court Martial” in which Kirk is put on trial for allegedly breaking protocol which seems to get a crew member killed. Another great one is “The Measure of a Man” in TNG, where Data is put on trial to determine whether or not he is alive.

37. EMH- Similar to Data, Voyager’s doctor is interesting because he is an artificial life form who grows beyond his programming and is eventually considered a living member of the crew by his crew mates. The Doctor goes through an incredible transformation over Voyager’s seven year run, from simply an automated holographic doctor with a bad bedside manner to giving Seven of Nine social lessons seasons later. His arrogance makes for great comedy, as well as some of the editions he makes to his programming, like becoming the ECH (emergency command hologram) in an emergency. I’ve also met Robert Picardo at a convention and I think he’s one of the most talented and under-appreciated actors in Hollywood.

36. Gul Dukat- What can I say? He’s Sisko’s Khan. Dukat is the most twisted and psychologically fascinating villains in Star Trek. From the way he tries to justify the horrors of the Bajoran Occupation to his bizarre relationship with Kai Winn and worship of the Pah Wraiths, he is Sisko’s opposite and remains a worthy and terrifying adversary to the end.

35. Data- A character who needs no introduction. Being an android, Data was a major outlet for exploring what it means to be human. He is both comic relief and a subject of serious, philosophical debate, helping us ponder questions of what it means to be alive and why humans feel the way they do. Data is a great character because, while he is trying so hard to be human, we the audience realize that he must have some degree of humanity already simply because he has this strong passion for something. And of course, his lack of understanding humans gets him into a lot of amusing and awkward social situations.

34. “The needs of the one versus the needs of the many”- This is a common theme throughout Trek first referred to by Spock in The Wrath of Khan, who claims that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. In The Search for Spock, Kirk argues the opposite– it isn’t logical, but it is human. These are the great ethical conundrums that make Star Trek great. When should a crew put themselves at risk for a single individual, and vice versa? Spock’s answer is most logical, and yet Picard, Janeway and the like seem to subscribe to Kirk’s idea more often and prevail.

33. Borg Cube- One of the things that make the Borg so terrifying. They send one cube against your entire fleet and you still hardly stand a chance. I loved the simplicity of the cube and how it didn’t have to be aerodynamic like a lot of Federation vessels– it’s in space! The Borg had other kinds of ships later but I never understood why.

32. TOS title theme- The original theme music is one of the most familiar television tunes and makes the list, like several other things, based on how memorable and integrated into our culture it is. The words, however, are not on the list. Yes, there are official lyrics, and they’re pretty bad in my opinion. The opening notes of this theme are included in the TNG theme and at the beginning of every movie theme.

31. “Far Beyond the Stars”- Surreal sixth season DS9 episode that draws a parallel between racism in the 1940s and the events of the Dominion War. Sisko takes on the role of a black sci-fi pulp writer trying to get by and all of the supporting characters are played by the main cast. We get to see the inner workings of a pulp magazine, the familiar cast out of their regular alien makeup, and a strong, heart-filled story that makes us question whether this figment of Sisko’s imagination is more real than his life in the 24^th century. What more can you ask for?

30. The “Space, the final frontier…” monologue- That first phrase and “to boldly go where no man has gone before” are constantly quoted in today’s pop culture. It’s a speech that gives the series a mission statement and constant goal to strive for. Naturally, we aren’t always “going where no man has gone before” in every episode, because it’s sometimes fun to see how things are going where we’ve already been, but it’s an idea that I think still fascinates a lot of people. Everyone wants to do something no one has done yet and with modern technology and a lot of history behind us, that becomes harder and harder. What makes it an even better speech is that every line can be pulled apart, analyzed and interpreted, like classic literature.

29. “I’m a doctor, not a…” lines- Doctor McCoy had nearly a dozen of these in TOS. They’re another of those iconic, clever Trek formulas that everyone watches for and they enhanced that charming-yet-sarcastic personality McCoy has. They were a great throwback when the Doctor used them in Voyager but it didn’t have the same effect. Classics include “I’m a doctor, not a bricklayer,” and “I’m a doctor, not a mechanic.”

28. Half-breeds- Yet another interesting Trek formula which helps explore characters’ humanity. Being both human and some other species makes it hard for a character to find his/her identity and it makes for great conflict. This tradition begins with Spock and continues throughout Trek– we see it with Troi in TNG, Torres in Voyager and a number of others.

27. Sarek- When I think of Vulcans, I think of Sarek. He is the perfect example of what Vulcans stand for, which is why he doesn’t always get along with Spock. Their rivalry was always interesting to me because Spock doesn’t like to consider himself human at all, yet he can’t get along with his Vulcan father. Sarek is like a lot of human fathers in that he is very stubborn and wants his son to be just like him. But he’s always wise and has fantastic lines of wisdom every time he appears. He’s one of those characters that only appears a hand full of times but you can’t wait to hear what he’s going to say when he does.

26. “The Inner Light”- Picard lives an entire life in only a few hours when his mind gets linked with an ancient alien probe. This one is full of heart and lets Patrick Stewart– a powerhouse Shakespearean actor– really act, as he carries the episode all by himself. Picard has to accept that he is forced into this new life as some other man and there’s no way to get back to Starfleet, because as far as he can tell, there is no Starfleet. He eventually makes a life for himself, accepts his new life, and we see him live all of it, from young to a very old grandfather. This is also the appearance of the very famous Ressikan flute which Picard plays. One of the most memorable things about the episode is the tune Picard plays with that flute.

LLAP

-Cap’n Logan