12 best Star Trek episodes in the franchise of all time

There are plenty of Star Trek shows and episodes out there, but which ones are the best ones in the franchise as a whole?

By Camila Domingues | Dec 24, 2023, 12:15 AM EST

Nov. 2, 2015 – CBS Television Studios announced today it will launch a totally new “Star Trek” television series in January 2017. The brand-new “Star Trek” will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966. The new series will blast off with a special preview broadcast on the CBS Television Network. The premiere episode and all subsequent /

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3. "In the Pale Moonlight" (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

This episode isn't just a fantastic one but a huge game-changer in the Star Trek universe. Captain Sisko, usually the embodiment of Starfleet morals, gets yeeted into a shadowy world of deceit and tough choices because he's desperate to save as many lives as possible in a raging interstellar war. This episode brilliantly tosses the usual Star Trek playbook out of the airlock and gifts us with a raw, painful, and unvarnished look at the cost of war.

It's gripping, it's gritty, and it doesn't shy away from the hard truth: sometimes, even heroes have to play in the grey areas. For anyone who thought Star Trek was just about phasers, aliens, and space adventures, "In the Pale Moonlight" delivers a powerful punch and shows that the final frontier isn't just about exploring space, but also the complex moral landscapes within ourselves.

4. "Scorpion" (Star Trek: Voyager)

The riveting two-parter from Star Trek: Voyager is a standout gem in the Star Trek cosmos, and here's why it's a fan favorite. The Voyager is navigating the treacherous, uncharted space of the Delta Quadrant when they bump into the Borg - the cybernetic baddies that give everyone the heebie-jeebies.

But wait! There's more - enter Species 8472, a new, even scarier alien that makes the Borg look like a bunch of malfunctioning toasters (this also makes me think of our Battlestar Galactica Cylon friends). This episode keeps you on the edge of your seat. The stakes? Sky-high. The action? Non-stop. And the moral dilemmas? Oh, they're there. "Scorpion" isn't just a great Star Trek episode; it's an intense ride through space that shows Voyager at its most daring, resourceful, and downright cool.

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