Move Along Home (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), S1 E10) was recommended by nazzy (she/her), who said: I cannot believe nobody has asked for this one yet!

One of the earliest criticisms of DS9 was that it didn't "boldly go", and in its first two seasons in particular, there were a lot of episodes whose basic synopses read "Weird alien(s) come to the station, hijinks occur." And being a DS9 fan as always meant knowing that criticism is always just around the corner, which meant that for episodes like "Move Along Home", the standard response was an embarrassed shrug and a 'yeah...it hadn't found its feet yet. It got better!'

And "Move Along Home" is the ur-example of this type of story. Weird aliens come to DS9, and introduce Quark to a strange board game of chance that traps members of the senior staff in a bizarre game world??? And that's the episode?!

But then I read a review of "Move Along Home" that reframed the episode for me in a very meaningful way. "Move Along Home", it said, is basically a TOS episode. And that made so much sense! Is Commander Sisko having to play hopscotch and sing a children's song that different from the crew of the TOS Enterprise being forced to fight in "Plato's Stepchildren"? Or acting strangely to break the brains of the androids in "I, Mudd"? Suddenly, it made perfect sense, and "Move Along Home" is no longer embarrassing.

Move Along Home first aired on March 14, 1993, written by story by Michael Piller, teleplay by Frederick Rappaport, Lisa Rich and Jeanne Carrigan-Fauci, and directed by David Carson

Quark plays a board game with the Wadi, a newly encountered species from the Gamma Quadrant, and the lives of the crew seemingly depend on the outcome.

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"I Just Might Say it Tonight" by orcamermaid, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/30425253

"Five times Garak and Julian didn't voice their feelings, and one time they finally did."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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The Cloud Minders (Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), S3 E19) was recommended by Kaleb, he/him, who said: No war but class war baby! I love this episode for being that classic campy trek, while also being a rather good simplification of how environment- particularly an environment caused by oppression in the first place- shapes the way that oppression is justified and continued. Not specifically class related, but that's the medium this episode evokes, and many marginalized identities can be viewed through class structures as well.

I can't deny a good “I won't be the bigger man, I'm dragging you down to my level” type story, especially when it's our protagonist doing the dragging.

I can't help but love Droxine flirting w/ Spock, bc it just registers to me as the relatable experience of “ma’am please, I'm here w/ my boyfriend, who you clearly haven't clocked as such, so I'm gonna try and find the most non-scene causing way to stop this”. It kills me, I don't think this scene is supposed to reduce you to giggles.

Hope you also enjoy!

The Cloud Minders first aired on February 28, 1969, written by Jerome Bixby, and directed by Murray Golden

Kirk races against time to acquire plague-fighting minerals from a world in the midst of a civil uprising.

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Spock explores human romantic traditions, and works on a surprise for Kirk. Meanwhile, Kirk gets back at him for overuse of a title they now share.

First published on February 15th, 2023 on Archive of our Own by VallesMarineris.

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Repentance (Star Trek: Voyager, S7 E13) was recommended by Rugger (They/them), who said: A lot of Voyager's preachy episodes fall flat, but this one always makes me pause. When I first watched this episode as a child, it shaped how I see justice. And, plot-wise, Repentance does a great job of combining a dialogue-heavy, philosophical discussion with real pathos for the murderer, Iko, and linking that pathos to an ongoing character arc with Seven.

While Trek is expectedly against the death penalty, this episode keeps from being one-sided by the sub-plot with Neelix and Joleg.

Repentance first aired on January 31, 2001, written by story by Mike Sussman and Robert Doherty, teleplay by Robert Doherty, and directed by Mike Vejar

Prisoners are brought onto Voyager from a damaged alien vessel, and the crew must deliver them to their destination – for execution. Seven's nanoprobes are used to help heal a prisoner.

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Dr Katherine Pulaski is set to leave the Enterprise, and a farewell party is being held in her honour. All of her closest friends have been invited, but she notices a big absence; a certain yellow-eyed android who inexplicitly has not shown up. When she goes to confront him about it, however, she finds out something quite horrible:

Data believes that Kate does not consider him a friend of hers.

First published July 30th, 2022 on Archive of our Own by Superfloxes.

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Peak Performance (Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), S2 E21) was recommended by Kayodé Lycaon / Kay·o·deh Lie·kay·on, who said: I picked this episode for one line from Picard to Wesley: “It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”

That quote was life changing for me. I had spent my entire life struggling with being bipolar. Parts of my brain just do not work. I was one of the brilliant kids in school but my grades never showed that. I couldn’t focus on homework no matter how hard I tried. Later in my life I had manic episodes that took control over me and I couldn’t stop myself from saying things I shouldn’t have. I’ve lost jobs and friends to episodes.

Captain Picard made me realize I was trying my best and it was not my fault that my best wasn’t enough to meet anyone’s expectations.

The other parts of the episode also resonate with me because I’m always trying to find ways around my own limitations. I don’t need to do things the way people say I should. I can what works instead, even if it means breaking a few rules.

Peak Performance first aired on July 10, 1989, written by David Kemper, and directed by Robert Scheerer

The Enterprise and USS Hathaway face off in simulated combat maneuvers. Data fails to beat a humanoid at a game of Strategema and exhibits self-doubt.

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The events of the episode The Naked Time from the perspective of the one department guaranteed to have been the busiest during the chaos. When the entire ship is going mad around them, it is up to the Redshirts to keep their crewmates safe. POV of Security Chief Giotto. Some implied slash for Kirk and Spock.

First Published on October 3rd, 2021 on Archive of our Own by queenofroses12.

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