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Star Trek is either at its best or at its worst when it tries to be philosophical and contemplative. Action is an easy way to tell a story while keeping people engaged. I think Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was one of the best films when it came to blending storytelling with deeper themes and exciting effects sequences. Some of the best TNG episodes dealt more with big ideas than big setpieces, but some were painfully preachy, too. What I liked about DS9 was how it grappling with the conflict between Federation ideals and the practical problems of frontier life and war. Voyager sometimes felt more like just monster-of-the-week with technobabble.