The idea is a simple one: You are stranded on a desert asteroid, with enough life support to sustain yourself and enough electricity to power your portable progressive-scan DVD player with Dolby 5.1 Surround sound with a 60" LCD screen. The task is to pick a special DVD compilation of your top three installments from each of the five Star Trek series, and one movie, and explain why these episodes will get you through your splendid isolation.

The writers and producers at STARTREK.COM have compiled the following list, for the fun of it, and to also inspire you to come up with your own list. Send your list ideas to desert_asteroid@startrek.com.

First off is our inimitable and impeccable producer, Marc Wade:

I would take the following:

TOS
"Mirror, Mirror"
The notion of a parallel universe with alternate versions of my favorite characters blew my young mind.

"The Trouble with Tribbles"
Am I being too predictable to include this one? It's just fun to watch.

"A Piece of the Action"
A cast-off book influences an entire society. Fizzbin! And my former neighbor Lee Delano.

TNG
"First Contact"
Riker's mission goes badly, and he gets seduced by an alien doctor.

"Unification"
Spock! Sarek! Picard undercover! It just doesn't get any better than this.

"Cause and Effect"
"Groundhog Day" in space, brilliantly directed by Jonathan Frakes.

DS9
"The Sword of Kahless"
Klingons rule.

"Trials and Tribble-ations"
Two stories, two crews, two timeframes intertwined. A good time was had by all.

"Rejoined"
Susanna Thompson and Terry Farrell. Nothing more needs to be said.

VOY
"Eye of the Needle"
Their first glimpse of hope. Vaughn Armstrong as a Romulan. Nasty twist at the end.

"Worst Case Scenario"
Maquis mutiny!

"Year of Hell"
Tampering with the timeline, and the situation just keeps getting worse.

ENT
"The Andorian Incident"
Andorians and Vulcans and exploring previously unknown history.

"Dear Doctor"
Phlox deals with a complex ethical issue.

"E²"
Classic Trek problem of confronting one's own future.

Movie
"Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
Classic villain, Kirk's histrionics, and space battle done to perfection by Nicholas Meyer.