Star Trek: 10 Terrible Scenes That Ruined Episodes
These Star Trek scenes were ill-advised, ill-conceived, and just downright wrong!
What qualifies a scene to be terrible and so terrible it can retroactively ruin an episode? For this list, we've deemed these scenes as so out of place, or demonstrating someone so out of character, that they truly derail the narrative. In effect, had these scenes been left on the cutting room floor, the overall episodes or films may have been far better received.
Everything is, of course, subjective. There may be some scenes here that the reader considers among the very best of Star Trek, which may be baffling to some, and make total sense to others. Granted, some of them are hard to make an argument for, but if the internet has taught us anything, it's that there will always be arguments.
This list also mirrors our earlier list about perfect scenes in hated episodes, so make sure to check that list out too!
10. Shizon Assaults Deanna - Star Trek: Nemesis
The oft-discussed and much-reviled assault scene in Star Trek: Nemesis was the final product, though there exists another assault that was left on the cutting room floor. This took place in a turbolift, with seconds of it making it to the trailer for the final Next Generation film.
Using sexual assault in film requires careful consideration. What does depicting rape do for the scene? What then does it do for the overall project? Exploiting people for shock value is almost as old as cinema itself, with libraries of content discussing the topic. For a true deep dive, one should research the 'video nasties' phenomenon. Here, Deanna Troi is reduced to an 'assault target', simply so the audience can see that Shinzon is a true villain.
Not only is this a lazy approach to proving villainy, it is also barely above fridging when it comes to using female characters' pain to inspire male characters. Marina Sirtis had been with Star Trek since 1987, had been through more turmoil than many, had finally got a chance to stretch her comedy chops in the movies - and was reduced to 'victim' here.
Using Troi to pinpoint the Scimitar did not wash away the foul taste of the earlier exploitation from our mouths.