Everybody seems to rag on Spock's Brain for being one of, if not THE, worst installment of the Star Trek franchise. But while I know it's terrible, I always enjoy watching it. I feel the same way about The Way to Eden, Justice, Sub Rosa, Favorite Son, and a few others. Anybody else have guilty Trek pleasures like that?
This is a good thread. I like almost all the dumb holodeck episodes. For some reason, I enjoy the sight of my favorite characters in totally incongruous surroundings and situations. I also must confess to loving DS9's "Body Parts". I know it's cheesy; especially the ridiculous heartwarming ending where everyone rallies around Quark. But the idea of Quark hiring Garak to kill him is just so hilarious. And when Quark is moving stealthily through his quarters, just waiting for Garak to spring out and murder him, is a great bit of physical comedy.
The Royale! Movies and TV often lampoon bad movies and TV, but how often do they lampoon bad literature? Those exaggerated characters and the interchanges with 'Mickey D' are outright hilarious. "Listen, I don't want to see you get hurt. Not over some dame." "DON'T CALL HER THAT!"
Profit & Lace. It's like a bad British farce, which I'm sure is how Siddig directed it. (I also don't mind Move Along Home, If Wishes...,Melora and The Muse as much as many Nine fans. But never had any desire to rewatch Let He Who Is Without Sin). Spock's Brain and Way To Eden are ok too. There are worse episodes.
I didn't hate "The Outrageous Okona" like most people did. A lot of first season TNG comes to mind too. I can tolerate all of Star Trek even if its bad.
I love Sub Rosa. Crusher is actually interesting in it, it's totally weirdass for Trek, and Crusher's hair looks particularly fabulous. It kind of reminds me of some old quests in WoW in Darkshire that don't exist any more.
The Way to Eden is fabulous. I have trouble with this thread because I do love a lot of supposedly terrible episodes. The only truly bad ep in TOS IMO is The Alternative Factor (though I personally hate The Omega Glory). Spock's Brain, super cheesy sci fi. As to The Cloud Minders, how did that even end up on the list?
TNG: "Genesis." C'mon, Barclay turns into a spider-monster. What's not to love? TOS: "Gamesters of Triskelion." Even as a kid, I knew this one was corny and cliche, and Shawna's tin-foil bikini would embarrass Barbarella, but I still enjoy it occasionally, if I'm in the right frame of mind. And I sometimes think I'm the only Trekkie in the world who always eagerly looked forward to "Catspaw." It's the one-and-only Star Trek Halloween Special for the Old Ones' sake--written by Robert Bloch, no less!
"masks" is dumb and silly but fun to watch for Spiner's performance "turnabout intruder" is fun for Shatner's performance I enjoy "threshold" because the premise and the science is so absurd
I forgot all about Masks! Completely nonsensical fun. And Genesis is one of my favorites, but I've never considered it particularly bad. It's pretty good for what it is - a haunted house movie. The Magnificent Ferengi always makes me chuckle, but I never liked that it seemed to undermine the seriousness of Empok Nor.
TOS - "Patterns of Force", criticized in its day, still criticized today, it opened the door for Star Trek Space Nazis everywhere, and showed how Skip Homeier was still hounded by typecasting after playing a Hitler youth over 20 years earlier.