Halloween: 3 episodes to skip if you're not a fan of body horror

Star Trek is a great series to watch whenever you want, but especially around the major holidays. With Halloween upon us, we thought it'd be good to further highlight that fact. While a science fiction series by trade, every Star Trek series just about has its own horror-themed episode. If not more than one.

Most of them are well worth the time if you want to go that route, but some, we'd advise, are better off being skipped. Not because they're bad, far from it. The number of truly bad Star Trek episodes is quite low, so we're not pulling recommendations for these episodes due to quality. No, we're pulling it due to the episodes being a bit rough.

For lack of a better phrase, these are not for the faint of heart. If you're a squeamish fan, looking for some sci-fi horror, avoid these three episodes of Star Trek.

The Next Generation: Genesis (7x19)

When talking about body horror in Star Trek, Genesis may take the cake. In what can only be described as a masterful tour de force of horror, the makeup and special effects truly nailed this one. The crew changed into horrific visages throughout the episode, morphing and turning into creatures, whose image will surely linger long past that first night of sleep. On par with any film of the era, the grotesque creatures conjured up in Genesis will surely leave you wishing you never turned to this cursed episode. Especially after you see what happened to Reginald Barclay.

The Next Generation: Conspiracy (1x25)

There are many episodes in Star Trek that leave you feeling uneasy, and few do it as well as Conspiracy. While not on the same level of consistent nightmare fuel that Genesis was, Conspiracy really ups the "ick" factor. The Federation is invaded by a group of alien parasites that weasel their way into you and take over your body. This leads to some of the most grotesque scenes, namely the showdown with Dexter Remmick. Do not let children watch this episode.

Voyager: Phage (1x5)

Among these three specific episodes, Phage is easily the most tame. Yet, compared to the rest of the Star Trek catalog, it remains a high point for body horror. A group called the Vidiians needs to harvest organs from other aliens to maintain their own life after being afflicted with something called "The Phage". It doesn't seem to be all that contagious for non-Vidiians but the brutality of the disease has left its entire species truly grotesque. It's not an episode for the easily squeamish.