10 Most Embarrassing Episodes

A lot of comments point out some writing irregularities or mistakes that could have been written better. Many of the above commenters make excellent points about what could have been done to improve the stories.

But let me just add this without referring to any of the episodes anyone on this thread mentioned (including myself) or their critical comments:

We should never forget that 60s TV shows were supposed to be entertaining the first showing, and hopefully entertaining enough to keep people watching in summer re-runs. Syndication was a new idea then. I think those folks connected with making TOS originally would be incredulous if they knew that there would be millions of people in the 21st century who have seen and re-seen these episodes many hundreds of times each (not to mention the dozen movies and many spin-offs it spawned).

It's easy to dissect some of these episodes after 50 plus years and hundreds of viewings.

So we should go easy on them... except for Spock's Brain!!!!!

I agree with And the Children Shall Lead, Spock's Brain and The Way To Eden, which would all be on my least favorite Star Trek episodes. The other ones I mostly like.

I wouldn't call any Star Trek episodes "embarrassing". Silly? Maybe. Embarrassing? NEVER!!!

Your list is pretty spot on except for The Man Trap.

Patterns of Force is NOT embarrassing, fuck you.

My Least Favorites would be:

1 - Miri
2 - The Alternative Factor
3 - Assignment: Earth
4 - Plato's Stepchildren
5 - Whom God's Destroy

Even these 5 are better than 90% of any other TV Series. I've loved TOS since 1966. I'm 71 now.

Personally, I liked ALL the episodes you mention!!!

5 years later, this post and (most of) its responses still hold up!