The Best Episodes Written By Gene Roddenberry

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   9.0/10(1 votes)

   #1 - The Hanging Cross

   S1:E1512/21/1957

   On Christmas eve, an embittered rancher wants revenge on Pawnee Indians who he thinks kidnapped his son several years before.

   Director:N/A

   Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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   Writer:Gene Roddenberry
2. 

   9.0/10(1 votes)

   #2 - The Posse

   S3:E410/3/1959

   Paladin stops to ask a stranger for directions and is invited to share his campsite. Later, when a posse arrives, the man announces that Paladin is the murderer they have been looking for.

   Director:N/A

   Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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   Writer:Gene Roddenberry
3. 

   8.0/10(1 votes)

   #3 - The Yuma Treasure

   S1:E1412/14/1957

   Accompanying a cavalry major on a mission to prevent a war by negotiating a treaty with an elusive Apache chief, Paladin must deal with soldiers who have caught gold fever.

   Director:N/A

   Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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   Writer:Gene Roddenberry
4. 

   8.0/10(1 votes)

   #4 - Helen of Abajinian

   S1:E1612/28/1957

   An Armenian winemaker hires Paladin to find his runaway daughter and break up her ill-considered romance with a cowhand.

   Director:N/A

   Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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   Writer:Gene Roddenberry
5. 

   8.0/10(1 votes)

   #5 - The Hanging of Roy Carter

   S2:E410/4/1958

   Roy Carter is scheduled to be hanged. Another man confesses to the murder just before the execution is to take place. Paladin is hired to try to convince the warden to delay the hanging until the Governor can be reached.

   Director:N/A

   Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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   Writer:Gene Roddenberry
6. 

   8.0/10(1 votes)

   #6 - The Road to Wickenburg

   S2:E710/25/1958

   Paladin wakes up after being drugged, beaten and robbed in the town of Blue Bell by five men, one of whom is the town's sheriff. They took his money, gun, bullets, horse and saddle. All he has left is his two-shot derringer.

   Director:N/A

   Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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   Writer:Gene Roddenberry
7. 

   8.0/10(1 votes)

   #7 - The Monster of Moon Ridge

   S2:E242/28/1959

   The townspeople of Moon Ridge, Colorado believe there are monsters in the mountains. Dan Bella's daughter is taken by something and he finds strange footprints outside his daughter's window. Paladin is hired to find out what is up on the ridge.

   Director:N/A

   Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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   Writer:Gene Roddenberry
8. 

   8.0/10(1 votes)

   #8 - Maggie O'Bannion

   S2:E284/4/1959

   After being bushwhacked and having 'everything' taken, Paladin walks to the nearest ranch and manages to get hired on as a handyman.

   Director:N/A

   Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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   Writer:Gene Roddenberry
9. 

   8.0/10(1 votes)

   #9 - The Return of Roy Carter

   S2:E325/2/1959

   Roy Carter returns to help Paladin search the snow-covered mountains for a missing chaplain and an escaped convict.

   Director:N/A

   Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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   Writer:Gene Roddenberry
10. 

    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #10 - Episode in Laredo

    S3:E29/19/1959

    Kovak is reserving the entire hotel in Laredo, Texas for Sam Tuttle, a famous unbeatable gunfighter. After Paladin is forced to kill Kovak, Tuttle must challenge Paladin in order to keep his reputation in tact.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
11. 

    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #11 - The Golden Toad

    S3:E1011/21/1959

    Paladin is drawn into a dispute between a male farmer and a female cattle rancher, with a fortune in buried treasure at stake.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
12. 

    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #12 - Charley Red Dog

    S3:E1312/12/1959

    The town of Santa Maria, New Mexico is in need of a new town marshal, and one man, Charley Red Dog, is out to get the job. However, he may not survive unless Paladin lends a hand.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
13. 

    7.9/10(59 votes)

    #13 - The Menagerie (2)

    S1:E1211/24/1966

    Spock's court martial reveals the actions of Captain Pike on his previous visit to Talos IV, where the powerful Talosians tried to persuade Pike to breed with women provided for the purpose.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
14. 

    7.9/10(59 votes)

    #14 - The Menagerie (1)

    S1:E1111/17/1966

    Apparently summoned to Star Base 11, Kirk, Spock and McCoy visit a former Enterprise Commander, the paralyzed and horribly disfigured Christopher Pike. Uncharacteristically, Spock commandeers the Enterprise, then turns himself in for court martial.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
15. 

    7.4/10(44 votes)

    #15 - Assignment: Earth

    S2:E263/29/1968

    While back in time observing Earth in 1968, the Enterprise crew encounters the mysterious Gary Seven who has his own agenda on the planet.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
16. 

    7.3/10(65 votes)

    #16 - Datalore

    S1:E121/18/1988

    Stardate: 41242.4. While exploring his homeworld, the crew of the Enterprise find android parts that are identical to Data's. When assembled, an 'evil' twin of Data named Lore is revived.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
17. 

    7.3/10(42 votes)

    #17 - I, Mudd

    S2:E811/3/1967

    Captain Kirk has a second run-in with the conman, Harry Mudd. Mudd is now the supreme ruler of a planet of androids who cater to his every whim.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
18. 

    7.2/10(48 votes)

    #18 - The Return of the Archons

    S1:E212/9/1967

    The Enterprise encounters a seemingly peaceful civilization run by a "benevolent" being named Landru... who intends for them to join his people.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
19. 

    7.1/10(33 votes)

    #19 - Turnabout Intruder

    S3:E246/3/1969

    The Enterprise is in danger when Janice Lester, one of Kirk's former lovers, steals his body.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
20. 

    7.1/10(41 votes)

    #20 - A Private Little War

    S2:E192/2/1968

    The crew of the Enterprise discovers Klingon interference in the development of a formerly peaceful planet and is forced to help maintain a balance of power.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
21. 

    7.0/10(40 votes)

    #21 - Bread and Circuses

    S2:E253/15/1968

    The Enterprise crew investigates the disappearance of a ship's crew on a planet that is a modern version of the Roman Empire.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
22. 

    7.0/10(61 votes)

    #22 - The Cage (Original Pilot)

    S0:E110/15/1988

    "The Cage" is the first pilot episode of the Star Trek: The Original Series science fiction series. It was completed in early 1965, but not broadcast on television in its complete form until late 1988. The episode was written by Gene Roddenberry and directed by Robert Butler. It was rejected by NBC in February 1965, and the network ordered another pilot episode, which became "Where No Man Has Gone Before". Much original footage from "The Cage" was later incorporated into the first season two-parter, "The Menagerie".

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
23. 

    7.0/10(4 votes)

    #23 - Decision

    S1:E110/6/1997

    After Police Captain William Boone's wife is killed, he is recruited to work for the taelons, a seemingly benevolent alien race that has been on Earth for 3 years. To do so he will be implanted with a CVI- a cyber viral implant that will expand his mental abilities and allow him to control a bio-weapon of unlimited power. However before he can make his decision he is also recruited by the resistance, a group of humans who oppose the taelons being on Earth. Lead by Jonathan Doors, the resistance informs Boone that the taelons are not what they appear to be. The CVI implant brainwashes its subjects into following the taelon blindly, in effect controlling them. The resistance informs Boone that they can remove this aspect from the CVI on the condition that he works for both the taelons and the resistance. Boone accepts and now searches for the truth of why the taelons are on earth and if they are responsible for the death of his wife.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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24. 

    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #24 - Ella West

    S1:E171/4/1958

    The promoter of a wild west show asks Paladin for help taming down a very wild and famous female sharpshooter and show her how to act like a lady.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry
25. 

    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #25 - Juliet

    S2:E201/31/1959

    Juliet Harper is being hunted by the grandsons of Colonel Jeremiah Pike. Paladin meets her on the stage and now the Colonel is after both of them, and Paladin is without a gun.

    Director:N/A

    Writer:Gene Roddenberry

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    Writer:Gene Roddenberry