To elaborate on my criteria: these should be episodes that can work with a minimum number of sets, no special effect and modest-to-minimal practical effects, and amateur though dedicated actors.
Two examples come to mind.
The first is TNGās āMeasure of a Manā. This episode is almost entirely dialogue and takes place in large part in a single conference room. You could probably do a pretty straightforward 1:1 rendering of this episode on stage.
The second is DISās āSpecies Ten-Cā, in which the crew make first contact with the titular species and determine how to communicate. This would require more creativity on the part of the production, but given that the 10-C communicate using light, I imagine that even an amateur production could do something compelling with practical effects.
Iāll admit that I am biased: I think I tend to prefer episodes that meet these criteria. I like my Trek talky and tend to have a soft spot for sappy and hammy episodes. But what intrigues me further about these stories is their ability to pass into cultural myth. Iām not saying that these are the only episodes that could transcend Trek and move into the cultural fabric of the era (think of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader), but they seem like they might have the best shot.
What do you think?
Throwing Voyagerās āThe Thawā into the mix.
Itās definitely a polarizing episode, but I think itās one of the strongest. Itās a better adaptation of the premise of Stephen Kingās novel āItā than many others.
The episode itself is primarily staged in an artificial environment that would lend itself well to a theatre set. It might be possible to reduce the number of sets on Voyager itself to one.
TNGās āThe Most Toysā likewise principally takes place in a single room.