The 50 Greatest Star Trek moments of all time
David Brown selects his personal highlights from a half century of the sci-fi franchise
Happy birthday, Star Trek. Yes, the sci-fi franchise is 50 years old - the first episode of the trailblazing Original Series having been broadcast on NBC on September 8 1966. Five decades on, Trek is still boldly going strong, with a new movie currently out in cinemas and a fresh TV series set to air early next year. Here, we take a look at a half century of Enterprising highlights from the enduring adventures of Starfleet's finest. But just what is the Greatest Star Trek Moment of all time?
50. Remmick explodes - Conspiracy
TNG’s first season was hardly its finest hour, but the high point came with this edgy Body Snatchers-style thriller. The visceral sight of Lieutenant Commander Dexter Remmick being torn apart by a neural parasite being targeted by Picard and Riker’s phasers proved too strong for the BBC, who took the editing shears to the episode when it was originally broadcast.
49. The Ferengis in Roswell – Little Green Men
Just when you thought all time-travel plotlines had been exhausted, along comes this bonkers comedy escapade in which Quark, Rom and Nog crash land in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. Yes, the greatest UFO myth of the 20th century can now be explained away by a trio of Ferengis. The scene where the US military try to communicate by mimicking the Ferengis’ head-slapping is just one of the many highlights.
48. Sabotage - Star Trek Beyond
It’s a divisive moment for fans, but the sight (and sound) of Kirk obliterating Krall’s drones with the use of the Beastie Boys is truly significant. The reason why it makes is the list is because it’s the first real instance of the ‘Kelvin timeline’ stepping out from behind the shadow of the Original Series. By referencing their own mythology (ie Kirk playing Sabotage as a child in the ’09 movie), Chris Pine and co became a legitimate Starfleet force in their own right, no longer reliant on the mythology created by TOS.
47. The Doctor sings La Donna e Mobile – Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy
A comedy tour de force from Robert Picardo as the Doctor is forced to adapt his performance of La Donna e Mobile to suit an emergency in the mess hall. As a volatile Tuvok starts to lash out thanks to a chemical imbalance in the brain (Pon Farr to those in the know), the Doctor calls on Tom Paris for help: “Paris, please find a way, to load a hypospray, I will give you the sign, just aim for his behind.” Genius.
46. “I am not a merry man” – Qpid
Of all Picard’s senior officers, the most unhappy to be transported by Q to a recreation of Sherwood Forest was most definitely Worf. After protesting about being garbed as Will Scarlet, the Klingon security officer then set about smashing Geordi’s lute. Come on, Worf – why get so mad about a little bit of Robin Hood cosplay?
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