Pilot episodes are tricky beasts. You have one episode to establish the setup, introduce your characters and hook viewers into tuning in to the next episode. Star Trek pilots are an even rarer breed. On top of all of these challenges they also need to establish where the show fits in the wider Trekverse and in some cases introduce new versions of existing characters. There’s also occasionally the matter of passing the torch from one series to the next. Trek does all of this to varying degrees of success. So, which is the cream of the crop? Here are the top ten in my humble, personal opinion…
10. ENCOUNTER AT FARPOINT (The Next Generation - September 1990)
Oh dear, it’s hard to look at this episode objectively knowing the heights the series will reach and appreciating the fact that every subsequent series owes it a debt of gratitude. It’s not terrible but it’s certainly the weakest of these. Patrick Stewart brings his trademark gravitas, it holds up visually for the most part and there are some great moments (the trial scene, the saucer separation). However, knowing that the whole Q plot was added to turn it into a 2-hour pilot, the joins are clearly visible. The exposition is also quite lazy (Riker literally watches clips of the show to catch up) and both Wesley and Troi (both of whom I adore) come off as annoying. Fortunately there is enough good stuff to enjoy on the whole
9. STRANGE NEW WORLDS (Strange New Worlds - June 2022)
The major failing of this episode is that it assumes that the viewer has watched the introductions of these versions of Pike, Spock and Number One in Discovery’s (terrific) second season. As a result not much is done to bring in completely new viewers in terms of establishing the 3 main characters. The plot is also one of the least interesting of these episodes with the rescue mission. There is a lot to like though. Christina Chong immediately makes her presence felt as La’an, there are surprising legacy character returns and every penny of the budget is visible onscreen.
8. SECOND CONTACT (Lower Decks - January 2021)
Trek doesn’t always do comedy well but the crew of the Cerritos get off to a great start. It’s a killer concept as we learn this is a ship from the lower decks of Starfleet. The 4 main characters are established well right off the bat, nerdy but lovable Boimler, rebellious Mariner, eager Tendi and newly cybernetic Rutherford as well as the command crew. The dynamics are, well, dynamic and there’s a love of the franchise that emanates from every frame. While not being a highlight of the season this is still a fun episode that does a terrific job of setting up what comes next
7. THE CAGE (The Original Series)
The Cage is somewhat of an anomaly in Trek. With the exceptions of Spock and the Enterprise itself, none of the characters we meet here would go on to appear in the original run (and retconning of course means it now works as a Strange New Worlds pilot). However, the plot is classic Star Trek. What we can expect from the series is a morality play disguised as a sci-fi series. I can understand the criticism that this particular story could be seen as too cerebral but it’s engaging and thought-provoking nonetheless. It would have been great to see how things would have panned out if this crew went forwards and their return decades later was worth the wait
6. LOST AND FOUND PARTS 1+2 (Prodigy - April 2022)
Wait, it’s a kids show? Any preconceptions are immediately blown out of the water as we meet a motley crew of kids who are every bit as unique, diverse and complex as the best of the ‘grown-up’ shows. The look of the series also separates it from the more cartoonish style of Lower Decks. It also introduces younger viewers to some classic Star Trek lessons without bashing them on the head with them. Rokh is a brilliant example as when the universal translator comes online and her monster-like noises turn into the voice of a young girl it’s a classic case of don’t judge a book by its cover. For returning fans there's also a lot to enjoy. Returning aliens are great and the Protostar is gorgeous but it’s the long-awaited return of one Kathryn Janeway (albeit in hologram form) that makes my heart happy and hooks me into watching more
5. REMEMBRANCE (Picard - January 2020)
This pilot makes me happy for so many reasons. From the opening shot of the Enterprise-D to Data’s cameos to the epic reveal of the Artefact I’m all in at this point. The interview scene is a neat way to set up where we are in the timeline along with the attack on Mars which looms large over the first season. The decision to hold back some of the series regulars actually works well on this occasion as after 30 years it’s great to spend some quality time catching up with Picard before setting off on this new adventure.
4. THE VULCAN HELLO / BATTLE AT THE BINARY STARS (September 2017)
When Trek returned to our screens in 2017 it did so with a bang with a two-part pilot that (in a bold and interesting move) does not include a lot of the series regulars or even the titular Discovery. What it does have is a visually stunning, marvellously written and acted adventure that firmly establishes Sonequa Martin-Green as a true star. More than holding her own against the force of nature that is Michelle Yeoh and the man of a thousand faces Doug Jones, she immediately makes her mark as one of the most complex and interesting series leads to date. I’m not a huge fan of the Klingon arc but this is the perfect prologue and could easily work as a standalone movie on the big screen
3. CARETAKER (Voyager - August 1996)
In terms of an overall arc, Voyager is the easiest to describe in a couple of sentences so there really was only one story the pilot could tell. It also had a lot to prove coming hot on the heels of TNG, launching a new network and giving us the first woman to sit in the big chair. Kate Mulgrew is a commanding (no pun intended) presence and the rest of the cast are clearly established with everyone getting a chance to shine. The action is thrilling, the farm sequence is suitably creepy, the comedy is pitch perfect and the script is great. The only real weakness is the Kazon who leave a lot to be desired as villains. Overall though I find myself fully invested straight away as the journey home begins
2. BROKEN BOW (Enterprise - October 2001)
Much like Voyager before it the ‘lift pitch’ for this series is simple, the first starship and crew on their first mission. It gets almost everything right. The characters are clearly defined, the look of the show (the credits, the VFX, the submarine-style sets) is solidified and the action and drama are brilliant. It only misses out on the top spot for 2 reasons. One is Archer’s first meeting with T’Pol in which he does not come off well at all and it spoils my enjoyment of the episode every time and sadly it takes a long time to improve. The second issue is we immediately see the show-runners were not confident in the premise and introduce the Temporal Cold War as a potential get-out-of-jail-free card. On the whole it gets the series off to a flying start
1. EMISSARY (Deep Space Nine - September 1995)
This is a masterpiece. So much of what makes this the greatest TV series ever made is established from day dot. The themes of faith, family and self-exploration are front and centre and we are introduced to a cast which has no weak link either on or off screen. So many of these characters were groundbreaking in the 90s. The black single father leading the series, the terrorist / freedom fighter first officer was a woman who isn’t ‘the wife’ or ‘the mother’. The whole cast of characters are among the most interesting in the franchise. We also are introduced to the villains of the piece represented here by Gul Dukat, another presence who will loom large for the next 7 years. The aesthetics are stunning, the sets are mind-blowing, the wormhole effects are terrific. There is so much to enjoy over and over again
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