Sci-Fi Memes
or how about just an episode that presents serious ethical / philosophical / moral dilemmas that leave open ended interpretations, holds a mirror to our current society, provides personal introspection and generally just makes the viewer think critically of the world we all live in.
Nu Trek:
nut
I think what people forget as in the nu trek writing staff is something Ronald D Moore said about writing for TNG. Star Trek was one of the few shows that where they could do all the genres in a single season. One day it would be a western the next it can be a medical drama. The next a courtroom drama.
Most of the new shows it's the same story every season. There is a MacGuffin, the crew does a scavenger hunt to find said MacGuffin and that MacGuffin saves the universe.
SFX gets dated, but good writing and acting is timeless.
Or generally an episode where they just have some people talking a bunch so they can save on special effects. (DS9's Duet comes to mind.)
Want both?
Battlestar Galactica: Come for the battles, stay for the moral quandaries
Know your audience. I’m talking to you, new Trek shows.