At the time of writing this article, there are over 45 seasons of Star Trek across its 11 television series. Of course, some of those seasons have more episodes than others, but any way you slice it, there is a lot of Star Trek to watch, and they’re continuing to make more.
Once upon a time, however, there was only one Star Trek (you know…the original series). With 79 episodes across 3 seasons (“The Cage” doesn’t count as an official episode), there is a lot of material for just that series. But which episodes are the best?
A subjective question calls for a subjective list, but rather than listing the best episodes of the original Star Trek right out of the gate, let’s just start with Season 1. At 29 episodes, it is the single season of all of Star Trek with the most episodes. It was tough to whittle down, but here is a countdown of (arguably) the 5 best episodes of Star Trek Season 1.
5. “Arena”
Some people would probably be reluctant to rate this episode so highly, but “Arena” has a lot of business being on this list. For one thing, this episode is so deeply embedded in popular culture that even non-fans recognize it. For another, it is actually a really good episode.
In “Arena,” the Enterprise pursues an unknown starship that has been attacking Federation outposts. The chase eventually leads both ships into space controlled by the Metrons, who transport Captain Kirk and the alien captain (said to be a Gorn) to a planet where they can settle their dispute with basic strength and wits in a battle to the death.
Despite being physically weaker than the imposing Gorn, Kirk eventually wins this duel and is about to deal the final blow to the Gorn when he stops. Kirk declares that he is not going to kill the Gorn, and the Metrons return both captains to their ships.
Although the costume for the Gorn does look a bit campy by today’s standards, that does not diminish the power of this episode. Not only does it offer an excellent demonstration of how skilled and resourceful Captain Kirk is, even without the support of Mr. Spock and the rest of the crew, but it also drives home one of the important philosophies of Star Trek.
While Star Trek is often described as being about humans who have “evolved” past savagery, its conceit is more that we have the agency to choose to be decent. “Arena” is a perfect example of this. Kirk’s clever use of tools and tactics shows that he is capable of violence, but he chooses not to. He recognizes that talking is better than fighting and killing, and he uses his agency to opt for that.