San Francisco Giants Reveal Their Surprising Top Star Trek Episodes—You Won’t Believe Their Picks!

It’s a momentous day marking six decades since the Star Trek saga first blasted off, debuting “The Man Trap” on NBC. You might be wondering—what in the cosmos does that have to do with the San Francisco Giants?

Well, the bond between these two seemingly distant universes has always been a bit… tenuous, yet undeniably intriguing. Within the fictional chronicles of tomorrow, Starfleet Command—the backbone of our intrepid explorers’ adventures—is nestled right here in San Francisco. Flashback to 1968: Melvin Belli, a prominent Bay Area lawyer, stepped into the Star Trek spotlight as a sinister alien in what many consider one of the franchise’s less stellar episodes, “And the Children Shall Lead.” The episode even had the eerie side effect of catching the attention of the infamous Zodiac Killer, who appeared on live TV seeking a conversation with Belli himself. Fast forward to 1986, Star Trek IV: The One With the Whales unfolds against the backdrop of San Francisco’s skyline. And in a delightful 90s twist, a renowned series writer canonized the San Francisco Giants within the Star Trek universe, touting them as the favored squad of a Starfleet Captain.

If you’ve been trailing my work for some time, you know my passion for the Star Trek universe runs deep—and perhaps you’ve caught some of my fervent, borderline obsessive attempts to link the Giants and Star Trek together. Sure, it might feel like a stretch, but sometimes, why not embrace the oddities? And if Star Trek is uncharted territory for you, no better day than today to jump aboard!

On the occasion of this 60th anniversary, I thought, why not spark a little fun? Picture this: matching dates when Star Trek episodes debuted with days when the Giants clinched a win. If the Giants snagged a victory on the same day a fresh episode aired, consider that installment officially GOOD. To keep things authentic, I’m pulling episodes not only from The Original Series but also the 22 episodes of Star Trek: The Animated Series that aired from 1973-1974—a vital part of the canon, in my book.

Of course, if you’re looking for more “serious” episode rankings, there are plenty around—from the cherished 1991 Star Trek Viewers Choice Marathon to the Top 60 episodes voted by fans at the major Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, not to mention my own podcast, Trek Marry Kill, where episodes are sorted into TREK, MARRY, or KILL tiers—fun stuff!

Now, this Giants-and-Star Trek matchmaking may not rival the joy of sifting through which Simpsons episodes coincided with Barry Bonds homers (I

The Star Trek franchise was born 60 years ago today with the premiere of “The Man Trap” on NBC. What does that have to do with the San Francisco Giants?

Well, there’s always been a tenuous connection between these two franchises. In its fake history of the future, Starfleet Command, the space service our characters have joined to do all their adventuring, is situated in San Francisco. In 1968, famous Bay Area attorney Melvin Belli guest starred as a malevolent alien in one of the worst episodes of the franchise, “And the Children Shall Lead,” but it caused him to gain such prominence that the Bay Area’s most famous serial killer, the Zodiac Killer, sought him out for a conversation on live TV. Star Trek IV: The One With the Whales takes place in 1986 San Francisco. In the 90s, one of its most prolific writers canonized the San Francisco Giants as both existing in the Star Trek universe and being one of the favorite teams of a Starfleet Captain:

If you’ve been a long-time reader of this site, then you know of my love for this franchise and have likely encountered my sweaty attempts to link the Giants and Star Trek before. So, on one hand, I feel like there’s not a lot of reason to try to make the connection, but on the other hand, just in case, why not? If you don’t know anything about Star Trek, check it out!