Best pure humor episodes

JirinPanthosa · February 10 2013, 02:40 AM

What episodes of Star Trek aren't trying to say something relevant about culture, aren't trying to be an exciting adventure, but are just trying to make you laugh? Which episodes are most successful at doing so?

My top five:
1. TNG - The Royale
2. DS9 - Our Man Bashir
3. DS9 - Trials and Tribbleations
4. DS9 - In The Cards
5. Voy - Bride of Chaotica
HM: TNG - QPid

Star Trek seems to be best at being funny when it's parodying itself, what do you think are the (intentionally) funniest episodes?

MacLeod · February 10 2013, 02:44 AM

SR hasn't really down that many comedy episodes. Sure some episodes have comedy in them, but not really as heir primary device.

Greg Cox · February 10 2013, 03:27 AM

Also:

"The Trouble with Tribbles."

"A Piece of the Action."

"Little Green Men."

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

sonak · February 10 2013, 05:36 PM

"a piece of the action"
"deja q"
"in the cards"
"tinker tenor doctor spy"
"two days and two nights"(if that's what it's called)

CaptPapa · February 10 2013, 06:01 PM

Chronologically . . .

I, Mudd
The Trouble With Tribbles
A Piece Of The Action
The Voyage Home

CorporalClegg · February 10 2013, 11:59 PM

"Threshold"

Oh. You mean intentionally. Well then I'd have to say TFF. What can I say? It makes me laugh.

Tiberius · February 11 2013, 12:04 AM

The Magnificent Ferengi.

Greg Cox · February 11 2013, 12:05 AM

"The House of Quark" was fun, too.

Devo · February 11 2013, 12:25 AM

No one's mentioned "Who Mourns For Morn?". For shame!

CoveTom · February 11 2013, 01:16 AM

That's a tough criteria specified by the OP, because even when Star Trek is trying to do comedy, it's often trying to do something else as well. Probably the best known comedy Trek has ever done is The Voyage Home, yet it was clearly also trying to make social commentary and put forth a message.

Also, did TNG really have straight comedy episodes? TOS obviously did, with entries like "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "A Piece of the Action." DS9 had tons with episodes like "The Magnificient Ferengi," "Who Mourns for Morn," "Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang," etc. And Voyager had ones like "Bride of Chaotica." But right off the top of my head, I'm having a hard time think of TNG episodes that were just comedies.

Greg Cox · February 11 2013, 01:22 AM

CoveTom wrote:

Also, did TNG really have straight comedy episodes? TOS obviously did, with entries like "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "A Piece of the Action." DS9 had tons with episodes like "The Magnificient Ferengi," "Who Mourns for Morn," "Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang," etc. And Voyager had ones like "Bride of Chaotica." But right off the top of my head, I'm having a hard time think of TNG episodes that were just comedies.

"Q-Pid," perhaps? That's pretty much of a lark, and maybe "A Fistful of Datas." Any episode in which Brent Spiner ends up in drag, playing a saloon girl, isn't exactly taking itself too seriously.

The Wormhole · February 11 2013, 02:12 AM

Deja Q and Q-Pid are TNG's only really legitimate comedies that work. Although Phantasms is really funny too, though that's mostly unintentional.

Dover · February 11 2013, 02:24 AM

I'm surprised no one has mentioned "Take Me Out to the Holosuite," but I'm a big baseball fan.

The Wormhole · February 11 2013, 02:27 AM

Dover wrote:

I'm surprised no one has mentioned "Take Me Out to the Holosuite," but I'm a big baseball fan.

You're right, that is pretty funny.

JirinPanthosa · February 11 2013, 03:04 AM

I'm not requiring the episode to be strictly intended as comedy, but I am requiring that it be intentionally funny. That is, not trying to be serious but unintentionally funny.

TNG episodes that are intended as comedy:
The Outrageous Okana
Up The Long Ladder
Deja Q
The Royale
QPid
Fistful of Datas
Data's Day
A Matter Of Time

A lot of their attempts at humor failed, of course, but I really like The Royale and QPid, and Data's Day and Matter of Time are good episodes.

Their attempts at humor are often better in episodes that aren't intended as humor, such as the ending of Menage a Troi.

February 10 2013, 02:40 AM	#1
JirinPanthosa Captain	Best pure humor episodes What episodes of Star Trek aren't trying to say something relevant about culture, aren't trying to be an exciting adventure, but are just trying to make you laugh? Which episodes are most successful at doing so? My top five: 1. TNG - The Royale 2. DS9 - Our Man Bashir 3. DS9 - Trials and Tribbleations 4. DS9 - In The Cards 5. Voy - Bride of Chaotica HM: TNG - QPid Star Trek seems to be best at being funny when it's parodying itself, what do you think are the (intentionally) funniest episodes?

February 10 2013, 02:44 AM	#2
MacLeod Vice Admiral Location: Great Britain	Re: Best pure humor episodes SR hasn't really down that many comedy episodes. Sure some episodes have comedy in them, but not really as heir primary device. __________________ On the continent of wild endeavour in the mountains of solace and solitude there stood the citadel of the time lords, the oldest and most mighty race in the universe looking down on the galaxies below sworn never to interfere only to watch.

February 10 2013, 03:27 AM	#3
Greg Cox Vice Admiral Location: Oxford, PA	Re: Best pure humor episodes Also: "The Trouble with Tribbles." "A Piece of the Action." "Little Green Men." Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. __________________ www.gregcox-author.com

February 10 2013, 05:36 PM	#4
sonak Rear Admiral Location: in a figment of a mediocre mind's imagination	Re: Best pure humor episodes "a piece of the action" "deja q" "in the cards" "tinker tenor doctor spy" "two days and two nights"(if that's what it's called)

February 10 2013, 06:01 PM	#5
CaptPapa Lieutenant Location: I really do not know . . .	Re: Best pure humor episodes Chronologically . . . I, Mudd The Trouble With Tribbles A Piece Of The Action The Voyage Home __________________ ME, what did I do?

STAR TREK

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February 10 2013, 11:59 PM	#6
CorporalClegg Vice Admiral Location: Nuevo México	Re: Best pure humor episodes "Threshold" Oh. You mean intentionally. Well then I'd have to say TFF. What can I say? It makes me laugh.

February 11 2013, 12:04 AM	#7
Tiberius Commodore	Re: Best pure humor episodes The Magnificent Ferengi. __________________ The Best of Both Worlds eBook \| Every episode of Trek in viewing order Tiberius

February 11 2013, 12:05 AM	#8
Greg Cox Vice Admiral Location: Oxford, PA	Re: Best pure humor episodes "The House of Quark" was fun, too. __________________ www.gregcox-author.com

February 11 2013, 12:25 AM	#9
Devo Lieutenant Junior Grade Location: England, Earth, Sol System, Alpha Quadrant	Re: Best pure humor episodes No one's mentioned "Who Mourns For Morn?". For shame!

February 11 2013, 01:16 AM	#10
CoveTom Rear Admiral Location: CoveTom	Re: Best pure humor episodes That's a tough criteria specified by the OP, because even when Star Trek is trying to do comedy, it's often trying to do something else as well. Probably the best known comedy Trek has ever done is The Voyage Home, yet it was clearly also trying to make social commentary and put forth a message. Also, did TNG really have straight comedy episodes? TOS obviously did, with entries like "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "A Piece of the Action." DS9 had tons with episodes like "The Magnificient Ferengi," "Who Mourns for Morn," "Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang," etc. And Voyager had ones like "Bride of Chaotica." But right off the top of my head, I'm having a hard time think of TNG episodes that were just comedies.

February 11 2013, 02:12 AM	#12
The Wormhole Admiral	Re: Best pure humor episodes Deja Q and Q-Pid are TNG's only really legitimate comedies that work. Although Phantasms is really funny too, though that's mostly unintentional. __________________ "Internet message boards aren't as funny today as they were ten years ago. I've stopped reading new posts." -The Simpsons 20th anniversary special.

February 11 2013, 02:24 AM	#13
Dover Lieutenant Junior Grade	Re: Best pure humor episodes I'm surprised no one has mentioned "Take Me Out to the Holosuite," but I'm a big baseball fan.

February 11 2013, 03:04 AM	#15
JirinPanthosa Captain	Re: Best pure humor episodes I'm not requiring the episode to be strictly intended as comedy, but I am requiring that it be intentionally funny. That is, not trying to be serious but unintentionally funny. TNG episodes that are intended as comedy: The Outrageous Okana Up The Long Ladder Deja Q The Royale QPid Fistful of Datas Data's Day A Matter Of Time A lot of their attempts at humor failed, of course, but I really like The Royale and QPid, and Data's Day and Matter of Time are good episodes. Their attempts at humor are often better in episodes that aren't intended as humor, such as the ending of Menage a Troi.