Laughs and Stardust: The Ultimate Compilation of Star Trek's Funniest Episodes

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 5 - "Charades"

Star Trek's comedic episodes are among the franchise's finest, offering a much-needed balance to the more solemn moments of the show. With a vast range of shows and movies making up the expanding Star Trek universe, each with its own distinctive approach to the world first introduced in Star Trek: The Original Series in 1966, it comes as no surprise that a diverse array of stories have been explored, spanning comedy, drama, and everything in between. Each storytelling style serves a significant purpose in enhancing the franchise.

Undoubtedly, Star Trek has delivered exceptional drama to audiences in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Episodes like Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Best of Both Worlds" or Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's "Far Beyond the Stars" have achieved legendary status due to their powerful narratives, and more recent shows such as Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard have wholeheartedly embraced serious storytelling. However, the Star Trek franchise also recognizes the importance of comedy and has consistently produced memorable comedic episodes, including the recent addition in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2.

10 A Fistful of Datas

Star Trek: The Next Generation had numerous amusing episodes, yet "A Fistful of Datas," season 6, episode 8, stands out as particularly memorable. Following a power surge on the USS Enterprise-D while Data (Brent Spiner) was connected to the ship's computer, the Spaghetti Western holodeck program that Worf (Michael Dorn) and his son Alexander (Brian Bonsall) were engaged in malfunctioned. As a result, the holographic characters not only resembled Data but also possessed his enhanced abilities. The episode derived much of its comedy from Brent Spiner's portrayal of multiple characters, each representing different instances of Data in the holodeck, as well as the genuine Data's sudden adoption of typical speech and mannerisms commonly found in the Wild West.

9 I, Mudd

While numerous episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series are considered outdated by today's standards, "I, Mudd" from Season 2, episode 12 stands out as a genuinely comedic installment. This particular episode sees Captain Kirk (played by William Shatner) and the USS Enterprise crew collaborating with Harry Mudd (portrayed by Roger C. Carmel) to flee from a planet inhabited by androids. Their unconventional strategy involves utilizing "insane logic" to overload the central processor of these androids, resulting in a sidesplitting display of absurdist theater. The comedic genius of the episode is further enhanced by Mudd's amusing character, who seamlessly integrates into the plot.

8 The Naked Time

7 The Magnificent Ferengi

"The Naked Time," episode 6 of season 1 in Star Trek: TOS, may not be entirely comedic, but it is filled with enough unforgettable funny moments that it simply cannot be ignored. The plot revolves around the Enterprise crew being infected by an unknown virus, causing them to lose most of their inhibitions and becoming heavily intoxicated. While certain characters like Kirk and Spock have more serious scenes, it is the comedic moments—like Lieutenant Kevin Riley drunkenly serenading the crew over the intercom or Sulu's iconic shirtless fencing scene—that truly steal the show in this episode.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 6, episode 10, "The Magnificent Ferengi" stands out as one of the series' most comedic installments due to the absurd escapades of Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Rom (Max Grodénchik). While the initial premise of Quark and Rom's mother being captured by the Dominion may not have appeared comical at first, their assembly of a completely Ferengi team to rescue her resulted in endless hilarity. The comedic essence of the episode mainly stemmed from the team's dynamics as they endeavored to implement their rescue plan, invariably encountering a series of unfortunate mishaps along the way.

6 Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy

5 Bride of Chaotica!

Star Trek: Voyager had its fair share of comedic episodes, but "Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy" from season 6, episode 4, stands out as one of the best. This episode centers around the EMH (played by Robert Picardo) as he installs a daydreaming subroutine that goes completely haywire, resulting in hysterical mishaps. The Doctor's character has always provided comedic relief throughout the series, but "Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy" takes it to a whole new level. With the participation of the rest of Voyager's crew in the Doctor's wild daydreams, this episode is filled to the brim with laughter and unforgettable performances.

Season 5, episode 12 of Star Trek: Voyager, titled "Bride of Chaotica!", is widely regarded as the most iconic comedy episode of the series. Filled with hilarity, the episode follows Voyager's crew as they are unexpectedly thrust into a science fiction B-movie holoprogram called "Bride of Chaotica!" Tom Paris (portrayed by Robert Duncan McNeill) is the genius behind this creation, which unfortunately becomes a cause of chaos when photonic aliens mistake the holodeck for reality. Consequently, a war ensues between the program's characters and the aliens. The crew's amusing responses upon discovering their roles in the program provide ample laughs. However, it is Captain Janeway's (played by Kate Mulgrew) portrayal of Arachnia, Queen of the Spider People, that steals the show and makes this episode truly exceptional.

4 Take Me Out To The Holosuite

3 Spock Amok

"Take Me Out to the Holosuite" stands out as the ultimate comedic masterpiece in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. This episode takes center stage in season 7, captivating viewers with its hilarious storyline. The plot revolves around the DS9 crew's agreement to play a high-stakes baseball game against the crew of a Vulcan ship, putting Captain Benjamin Sisko and Vulcan Captain Solok in a rivalry showdown. The crew's zany antics as they strive to become a cohesive team and navigate the intricacies of baseball in a mere two weeks provide an abundance of laughter. Moreover, the game itself delivers numerous side-splitting moments, making it the pinnacle of comedic brilliance in the series.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds breaks the mold of most modern Star Trek shows by reintroducing comedic storytelling and embracing the TOS campiness. In the fifth episode of Season 1, titled "Spock Amok," viewers witnessed an amusing scenario as Spock (portrayed by Ethan Peck) and his fiancé T'Pring (played by Gia Sandhu) accidentally switched bodies due to a failed Vulcan ritual. To maintain appearances, Spock and T'Pring hilariously took on each other's roles and responsibilities. The comical nature of observing two individuals impersonating one another, combined with the ensuing chaos resulting from their body swap and external factors, truly enhanced the entertainment value of this episode.

2 Charades

1 Star Trek: Lower Decks

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The recent episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds titled "Charades" stands out as one of the franchise's most amusing installments. In this particular episode, Season 2, Episode 5, the focus shifts to Spock, who undergoes a transformation into a fully human state following a shuttle mishap caused by an interdimensional alien race. While Nurse Chapel, played by Jess Bush, diligently works on finding a cure, Spock grapples with his newfound emotions and strives to make a favorable impression on T'Pring's parents during a crucial dinner event. However, the outcomes of both endeavors turn out to be quite mixed. Undoubtedly, Ethan Peck's performance as the human version of Spock steals the show, delivering a remarkably comical yet unexpectedly heartwarming portrayal. This episode serves as a reminder of the immense quality that Star Trek attains when it embraces humor.

The comedic brilliance of Star Trek: Lower Decks cannot be attributed to just one single episode, as the entire series has been dedicated to delivering hilarious storytelling. Lower Decks dives into the lives of the USS Cerritos' less esteemed crew members, infusing the Star Trek universe with a refreshing comedic twist. But it doesn't stop there – the show cleverly pokes fun at itself, sprinkling in cameos, references, and most importantly, jokes about other franchise projects throughout its three seasons. With its comedic prowess, Lower Decks stands as the ultimate testament to Star Trek's comedic potential.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.