10 Most Inappropriate Moments In Star Trek: The Original Series

9. The Enterprise Crew Communicate With Butt Slaps - Charlie X

Vina Susan Oliver Star Trek
CBS

The classic Star Trek episode Charlie X further proves our theory: some kids just shouldn't be allowed to have unlimited power.

When the Enterprise pick up Charlie, a seventeen year old boy who was seemingly stranded after a spaceship crash, they have no idea he is actually an all-powerful psychic trickster with no control of his emotions and no knowledge of social cues.

It is this last aspect of Charlie's personality that lead to some truly inappropriate misunderstandings. After seeing one crew member playfully slap another on the ass, Charlie mistakes this for a common human greeting. He tries it out on his crush, yeoman Janice Rand, who is naturally shocked and upset by this audacious display, much to Charlie's confusion.

When Charlie tries to explain what happened to Captain Kirk, he can't find the words to describe what he did to Rand. So, he demonstrates in the only way he can think of: he slaps the Enterprise Captain on the ass.

Obviously, Charlie should not be walking around slappin' asses, but his actions could be chalked down to genuine mistakes and misunderstandings. We're more concerned with the two crew members who started the whole chain of ass slappin'. Who are they? Why are they slappin' each other's asses during working hours? Surely, in the year 2266, that can't be acceptable behaviour in the workplace?

Speaking of slappin' ass...

Contributor
Contributor

Jimmy Kavanagh is an Irish writer and co-founder of Club Valentine Comedy, a Dublin-based comedy collective. You can hear him talk to his favourite comedians about their favourite comics on his podcast, Comics Swapping Comics.