By Any Other Name (Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), S2 E22) was recommended by Toledo (toe-LEE-dough), he/him, who said: I first encountered this episode, as I did many TOS episodes, in elementary school while I read collections of James Blish's novelizations from the 70s. Even in text, there were elements I found to be genuinely horrifying: super-powerful aliens that apparently are normally giant, tentacled Lovecraftian creatures; they're coming to conquer the galaxy; machines give them the power to immobilize people and to transform them into helpless, easily- and callously-destroyed polyhedra.

It give us a rare example of intergalactic travel in Star Trek: the Kelvans are from Andromeda, arrived in a generation ship, and wish to return.

It offers a very clever narrative use of aliens looking exactly human: it's a necessary shapeshifting adaptation for the Kelvans to use the Enterprise, but it's also the key to their demise.

I think this episode offers some early vocal callbacks to previous episodes, demonstrating how TOS sometimes handled continuity -- and foreshadowing later Trek. Examples include callouts to "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (galactic barrier) and "A Taste of Armageddon" _Vulcan mind tricks).

Tons of genuine silliness: the Kelvans' reactions to humans, Scotty's iconic "it is green."

By Any Other Name first aired on February 9, 1968, written by story by Jerome Bixby, teleplay by D. C. Fontana and Jerome Bixby, and directed by Marc Daniels

Telepathic aliens take control of Kirk and Spock's bodies with the intention to build new, mechanized bodies for themselves. After receiving a distress signal from a planet deep in the galaxy and far from the last charted area, the Enterprise is contacted by a life form of pure energy that wishes Kirk, Spock, Dr. Mulhall and Bones to beam down. They meet Sargon, a conscious mind trapped in a machine. Sargon explains that their civilization travelled space just like Kirk centuries ago and left people in various star systems to colonize. But this planet suffered a war where all but a few people destroyed themselves. Sargon, his wife and another remain alive like this and wish to take control of Kirk, Spock and Dr. Mulhall's bodies to make android bodies for themselves. The Enterprise accepts their offer after deliberation and Sargon begins work. To allow the body to sustain this transformation, Henock, the third alien, makes a potion to help but has other plans. Sargon devizes a plan to destroy him, apologizes to the Enterprise and accepts their fate thereby ceasing to exist.[2]

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"Nyota’s Wish" by Daxs10thHost, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/49312207

"“Okay,” Mariner says, slamming her glass down so hard its contents slosh onto the bar. “I think we should have a slumber party. Like now.”"

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 Wounded (Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), S4 E12) was recommended by Crimson (he/him), who said:

This is another watershed episode: We get Cardassians for the first time! Furthermore, we have Marc Alaimo playing a Cardassian, though not the one we're used to (he still chews it up nicely here...though those mutton chops, woof). It's also a great episode for giving Colm Meany a chance to stretch his legs, especially as he and Rosalind Chao carry the B plot. I love that this episode digs into war trauma and the prejudices it can breed that you don't even notice, as well as the difficulty when you move on from something and someone you respect doesn't. Plus we get some quite nice singing -- Minstrel Boy is one of my favorite tunes, though I first recall hearing it from Black Hawk Down. (And as an aside, Minstrel Boy is a prime example of how the Irish and Klingons might find a lot in common. Who else has an upbeat song about dying gloriously in righteous battle?)

The Wounded first aired on January 28, 1991, written by story by Stuart Charno & Sara Charno & Cy Chermak, teleplay by Jeri Taylor, and directed by Chip Chalmers

A rogue Starfleet Captain (Bob Gunton) jeopardizes the Cardassian peace treaty.

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