Star Trek: Ranking The 100th Episodes Worst To Best

It really can't be overstated just how difficult it is for TV shows to reach that much-vaulted 100 episode landmark. Granted, today's modern format of shorter seasons with overarching narratives makes it even harder, but even back when episodic television was the norm, so few managed to bat themselves an entire century.

Thus, there is no greater testament to Star Trek's enduring popularity that it has managed this feat with 4 separate series.

Well, 3 and a half if you want to get technical, but for the purposes of this piece, we're going to give the Original and Animated Series the connected credit they both deserve.

Plus, we're having something of a celebration of our own. TrekCulture, the Star Trek YouTube channel we founded just last year, has recently surpassed the illustrious 100,000 subscribers milestone. If you're not already subbed over there then you can check out all manner of content on the Trek universe, from the lists we produce here at WhatCulture, to episode reviews, series breakdowns, and podcasts from the whole team.

In the meantime though, let's take a look at the 100th episode achievements of the shows themselves, and deduce which is the shiniest jewel in their respective televisual crowns.

Star Trek Deep Space Nine was the black sheep of the franchise for some time, with their 100th episode proving a good example as to why. The Ship focuses on a single location for the bulk of the episode, with little to no lighter moments throughout. The tension is dialled up to max and there is a slowly dying crewman, distracting the crew from their escape attempts.

While The Ship is very much Star Trek, it is a far cry from the sunny optimism that its predecessors offered, which makes it a bit of a harder sell. Its an episode for people who are already invested in these characters. The producers weren't entirely happy with the end result either, as they felt that the tension didn't quite come across as they'd intended.

Ira Stephen Behr said that they wanted the episode to be their take on the Alamo, yet by having Sisko exit the ship and speak to Kilana outside, some of that claustrophobia was lost. The relationship between O'Brien and Muniz also didn't quite come out as intended. They wanted an episode about these two engineers and their bond, yet instead, it became O'Brien and the dying man.

Having said that, it production values themselves were excellent and the acting is top-notch. It may not be the best episode to win new viewers but it is a stellar piece of Deep Space Nine's story.