10 Funniest Star Trek Episodes
2. Qpid - The Next Generation
Q gives us some of the best belly laughs in all of the Next Generation's run in this episode, whisking the unlucky-in-love Picard away to Sherwood Forest, where he must fight to win the hand of the lovely Maid Marion, or Vash, his fling from a short holiday on Risa. Along for the ride are the rest of the bridge crew, who most certainly did not sign up for this in their entrance to Starfleet academy.
Not only does Picard absolutely sell the role of Robin Hood but the rest of the crew assume the mantles of the Merry Men perfectly, with the exception of poor Lt. Worf, who must protest - 'He is NOT a merry man!'
It's hard to pick a single joke that works best - Geordi trying to play the lute, Data standing with an arrow in his gut or Vash confusing Q with her attempts to wriggle free of the situation - they all work together to make this one of the stand out hours of comedy in the Next Generation's run. It was one of the franchise's entries that leaned away from comedy and more toward drama, though managed to bring the fun when it needed to.
The entire scenario arises in this episode from the most dangerous of all information though - Picard is told by Q, in no uncertain terms, that Q owes him a favour. A terrifying thought if ever there was one.