10 Most Overrated Episodes Of Star Trek

2. Skin Of Evil

Star Trek The Next Generation Tasha Yar
CBS Media Ventures

Skin Of Evil is cemented in Trek history for one reason alone: the death of Tasha Yar. Without that particular storyline, this episode is another trip to Planet Hell, rather a lot of standing around talking, and a big oily thing who's best legacy is setting up a joke in Lower Decks.

When reviewing the first season of The Next Generation, there are a few episodes that tend to be given a slightly kinder evaluation than they perhaps truly deserve. This, in no small part, is due to the fact that the debut year of The Next Generation is one of the weakest in the history of the franchise.

Honestly, and we say this as apologists for episodes like Threshold, it's a marvel that a second season was greenlit. Skin Of Evil sees the exit of Tasha in a shocking, yet pointless, way. It did both the character and the audience a disservice, then the funeral scene that takes up much of the final act is a little hard to bear.

Though there is some fine acting on show, this is an episode that largely rises to the top because of Yar's sacrifice - not for any particular strengths.

 
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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"