10 Funniest Star Trek Episodes

5. Blast From The Past - Trials And Tribblations

Star Trek Deep Space Nine
CBS

There's a reason this episode keeps popping up under different categories and that is that it really is that good. There's nothing serious about the episode and yet its a touching tribute. It's got no plot and yet it fits in perfectly with the story of the original. It features the old crew interacting with the new crew in a way that's almost seamless. O'Brien gets asked who threw the first punch by Kirk himself.

The comedy in this episode comes from the usual - the regular cast having fun. At this stage, it's starting to look as though having fun is the norm for the Deep Space Nine crew. By their own accounts, while each of the cast were very close, the working atmosphere on set was serious for business hours. It was a very different dynamic to the clowning around that often took place on the Next Generation sets.

There was a gravitas to Deep Space Nine that didn't always transfer over onto the other series. So, when the campy, period setting of the Original Series suddenly bursts onto the screen here, it shows the massive shift in tone between the two shows.

Kirk, Spock and McCoy were often to be found in ridiculous and over the top scenarios, while Sisko et al were more likely to be found fighting to the death with the enemy. Here, it is just fun to see them let loose, blend in and watch Star Trek like the rest of us.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"