The Best Episodes Written By Harlan Ellison

Every TV Episode Written by Harlan Ellison Ranked from Best to Worst by Thousands of Voters

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    undefined Season 1 Episode 28 - The City on the Edge of Forever
    8.6/10(62 votes)

    #1 - The City on the Edge of Forever

    S1:E28

    Kirk and Spock must travel into the past in order to correct a change that will alter history.

    Director:N/A

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  2. undefined Season 2 Episode 5 - Demon with a Glass Hand
    8.2/10(4 votes)

    #2 - Demon with a Glass Hand

    S2:E5

    Continuance of the human race against alien invaders depends on a man with a glass hand and no memory of his past.

    Director:N/A

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  3. undefined Season 5 Episode 20 - Objects in Motion
    8.0/10(9 votes)

    #3 - Objects in Motion

    S5:E20

    Tessa Holloran, former Number One of the Mars resistance, arrives with a warning for Lise and Michael: an assassin has been hired to kill them. Meanwhile, G'Kar gets ready to leave, though not everybody is happy about it.

    Director:N/A

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  4. undefined Season 2 Episode 1 - Soldier
    8.0/10(4 votes)

    #4 - Soldier

    S2:E1

    Two soldiers from the future are thrust back through time to the present day.

    Director:N/A

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  5. undefined Season 5 Episode 4 - A View from the Gallery
    7.2/10(11 votes)

    #5 - A View from the Gallery

    S5:E4

    We see the action from the viewpoint of two maintenance workers as a race of savage aliens attacks the station.

    Director:N/A

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  6. undefined Season 1 Episode 15 - Monsters! / A Small Talent for War / A Matter of Minutes
    7.0/10(2 votes)

    #6 - Monsters! / A Small Talent for War / A Matter of Minutes

    S1:E15

    A young boy becomes fascinated with the new neighbor next door. The neighbor, Mr. Bendictson, warns him that he cannot stay long, as he is a vampire! The boy is still intrigued, but soon finds out the truth. An alien ship arrives at the UN and the alien representative declares his disappointment at Earth's progress. The UN ambassadors plead for 24 hours to resolve their differences. In 24 hours the ambassadors manage to arrange world peace and nuclear disarmament. When the alien returns the ambassadors realize they have misunderstood him entirely. A young married couple discovers that their home is being remodeled by blue-clad workers who are workers of time that build and move objects from one time period to another.

    Director:N/A

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  7. undefined Season 1 Episode 1 - Shatterday / A Little Peace and Quiet
    6.1/10(10 votes)

    #7 - Shatterday / A Little Peace and Quiet

    S1:E1

    A man named Peter Jay Novins accidentally dials his home phone number, and it's answered by Peter Jay Novins. A harried housewife finds a medallion that gives her the power to freeze time.

    Director:N/A

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  8. undefined Season 1 Episode 5 - The Price of Doom
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #8 - The Price of Doom

    S1:E5

    A husband and wife Antarctic research team is killed by an experiment on plankton gone wild. Seaview arrives to investigate and take plankton samples. Soon the submarine is in danger of succumbing to the horrible, slimy growth. Nelson, Crane and crew face another problem: one of the three scientists on board the sub is an enemy agent.

    Director:N/A

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  9. undefined Season 1 Episode 18 - Gramma / Personal Demons / Cold Reading
    5.6/10(8 votes)

    #9 - Gramma / Personal Demons / Cold Reading

    S1:E18

    A young boy is left to care for his old, scary grandmother. He finally confronts his fears and steps up to her, finding that she has no pulse. Then Gramma reaches out and grabs him... A screenwriter is having writer's block when strange impish creatures start haunting him. Sadly, only he can see them. An actor arrives at a radio station to perform a radio play. An old voodoo stick is accidentally activated and the play becomes more real that anything anyone expected.

    Director:N/A

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  10. undefined Season 3 Episode 28 - Crazy as a Soup Sandwich
    5.0/10(1 votes)

    #10 - Crazy as a Soup Sandwich

    S3:E28

    A man sells his soul to a demon for some racing tips. After being terrified by the demon he goes for help from the criminal boss he borrowed the track money from.

    Director:N/A

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  11. undefined Season 1 Episode 7 - Teacher's Aide / Paladin of the Lost Hour
    5.0/10(2 votes)

    #11 - Teacher's Aide / Paladin of the Lost Hour

    S1:E7

    A teacher on a violent and gang infested high school has trouble controlling her students. The building is warded by some mysterious gargoyles, which give some special powers to the teacher. A Vietnam Vet named Billy saves an old man named Gasper from a mugging at a cemetery. He discovers that this old man holds the future of time in his watch.

    Director:N/A

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  12. undefined Season 1 Episode 11 - The Beacon / One Life, Furnished in Early Poverty
    5.0/10(2 votes)

    #12 - The Beacon / One Life, Furnished in Early Poverty

    S1:E11

    When Dr. Dennis Barrows's car breaks down, he goes to an unusual town where visitors are disliked and townspeople are terrified of lighthouse and where it might shine. The house where Barrows stays the night is shined upon by the lighthouse. It holds a sick child, one which he helps with his medicine. Angry with his adult life, a man, Gus Rosenthal, returns to his childhood stomping ground in Ohio and while digging up an old toy soldier finds himself transported back to when he was a boy.

    Director:N/A

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Harlan Ellison Ratings Summary

"The City on the Edge of Forever" is the best rated episode written by Harlan Ellison. It scored 8.6/10 based on 62 votes. It was directed by N/A. It aired on 4/6/1967 and is rated 0.4 points higher than their second-best episode, "Demon with a Glass Hand".