10 Funniest Star Trek Episodes
6. Showdown - The Magnificent Ferengi
A cowboy rescue scenario borne on the greed of the Ferengi, featuring legendary rocker Iggy Pop? Only in Deep Space Nine!
This series returns again with this entry, as Quark and Rom organise the rescue of their mother from the clutches of Pop's sinister Vorta, Yelgrun. Building the team features the old tropes - the schemer, the doofus, the violent one, the professional and the one who needs a quick buck. And then, because he's just great, Jeffrey Combs as Brunt, proving once again why he's one of the best guest stars to ever appear on Star Trek.
Their prisoner exchange goes about as well as can be expected and as they scramble to make up a new plan, they have to attempt to buy time. Watching Shimmerman play against Pop is fantastic - his exuberant panic against the cold delivery just adds to the ridiculousness of the situation. But there are two stand out moments in the episode.
The first comes early, as Quark and Rom try to navigate the labyrinth of DS9's jefferies tubes, popping quite unexpectedly into Sisko's office, giving all concerned a moment to reflect on the need for signposts. The second comes late in the episode, after their prisoner Keevan is accidentally killed in a squabble.
Dead prisoner? No problem! Stick a few cortical simulators on him and walk him like a puppet down the hall. Who knows - he could still be bumping against that bulkhead to this day