Star Trek: 10 Greatest Filler Episodes
There may be a temptation to scroll on by, but these Star Trek episodes deserve a second thought
Alex Kurtzman came under fire earlier this year for an interview with Cinemablend, wherein he spoke about so-called 'filler episodes' of Star Trek.
...it's funny you can talk to old writers of old Trek series, and they're like, ‘Man, there's a bunch of filler episodes in there. We are just trying to get to 22 a season
The way that audiences consume media has changed since the '80s and '90s. Shows generally tend to run shorter in these times, with ten episodes serving as the standard template. It must be said that some shows have seen a real benefit from this structure. Storytelling must be tighter, budgets per episode can be a little higher, and as many franchises have moved toward serialised seasons, it makes it easier to create a single narrative.
Star Trek has historically leaned towards the episodic, which allowed for stand-alone stories, some of which almost certainly wouldn't be made today. Are they 'filler'? Or are they an experiment, allowing writers a greater range to try new directions with their characters? Would any of the episodes on this list be made today?
10. The Visitor
The Visitor was written to explore the relationship between Jake and Ben Sisko, but it also comes right on the heels of The Way Of The Warrior. For the most part, it's a bottle episode, using almost no new sets. Frankly, it was cheap. Therefore, it serves as a good example of the difference between a 'bottle' episode and 'filler.'
Bottle episodes in Deep Space Nine alone include this, Duet, The Sound Of Her Voice, and Waltz. Would we consider any of those as 'filler'? Of course not.
The Visitor serves to deepen the already beautiful father-son relationship between the Sisko men, features an incredible performance from Tony Todd, and does very little to contribute to the overall arc of season four - the Klingons go nuts. While Tony Todd himself would help with that arc, here the audience is treated to a beautiful meditation on what family truly means.
Would it be made today? Perhaps, though it would face stiff competition.