Halloween: 3 episodes that should’ve been scarier than they were

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As a long-time Trekkie who’s seen the stars and planets of the galaxy more times than I can count, I must say that while some may find the horror episodes of Star Trek spine-tingling, these three have always left me feeling less terrified and more bewildered.

In the spirit of Halloween, we’ve been revisiting some particularly challenging Star Trek episodes this year – not just those that are terrifying, but also ones that are tough to watch for an entirely different reason. This time around, let’s delve into more episodes that might make you squirm in your seat!

As a horror enthusiast, I have to acknowledge that what sends shivers down one person’s spine might leave another completely unfazed. Here are three episodes that failed to scare me:

They may scare you but I found these three rather dull in that regard.

Voyager: The Thaw (2×23)

Star Trek: Voyager’s “quintessential” horror episode in the eyes of many is The Thaw, the 23rd episode of season two. It sees Harry Kim and B’lanna Torres get stuck in a virtual reality world filled with computer programs that want to kill them. It’s a solid episode of Star Trek, but it’s far from what I would call scary. It’s an episode I remember watching live when it first premiered. Even as a youngster, I didn’t see the horror in it that so many do. Some episodes truly do move me with some dread and terror, but not this one. It was too dry at times and Michael McKean, who plays the Clown, came off as a copycat of other clown-like horror characters from around the same time.

The Next Generation: Night Terrors (4×17)

In this installment of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the entire team encounters an unusual phenomenon where they hallucinate, except for Data and Counselor Troi. Instead of instilling fear as intended, these hallucinations turn out to be more dream-like and amusing, with Deanna Troi floating around being a particularly memorable moment. This unexpected comedic tone is intriguing, not because it’s frightening but rather due to its lack of horror.

Picard: Monster (2×7)

Stuck in a coma-like state, Jean-Luc Picard has to face his worst memories in order to wake up. Pretty sure we’ve told this story before. This time, however, the show had the budget needed to do the horror aspects of the series justice. And it was just fine. The Jester was unique and there was a weird, almost unearthly coloring to a good chunk of the episode but the writing was lackluster, the scares were tepid at best and there just wasn’t anything truly unique about the episode to make it stand out. It’s why it has a 5.4/10 on IMDB.

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2024-11-01 00:22