10 Great Star Trek Performances That Made You Love Bad People
8. The Clown - Michael McKean
In Voyager's second season, this stand along episode could have been a distraction of an episode. There isn't very much plot on show. It was not the first time that Star Trek had visited a dream world. Why then should it make this list?
The Clown is absolutely terrifying! Michael McKean of Better Call Saul fame is demented in this role, taking sheer glee and enjoyment from his torture of the prisoners in his keep. He is at first absolutely unwilling to lose any of his playthings, threatening to kill them before releasing them. Yet, he does this in such an upbeat and cheerful manner that you really start to believe that these people would have more fun if they stay with him.
When the Voyager crew start to turn the tables on him, this wildness switches from glee to venom and rage. McKean storms around, creating a truly memorable villain for them to face. First, he is thwarted by the Doctor, who he can't affect due to his holographic nature. His final scene though ranks among Voyager's best.
Janeway's visit to his world seems to fulfill every one of his wishes and he is over the moon when she arrives. He frees the others and settles in for the long haul. That's when the final twist in McKean's performance is on show - he is able to play dread just as well as he plays anger and joy. As the lights dim and he fades away, there is almost a moment of pity for this clown. Brilliant.