15 Cringe-Inducing Moments From Star Trek

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15 Cringe-Inducing Moments From Star Trek

For all its moments of brilliance, the Star Trek franchise is definitely guilty of incredible cringe-inducing moments. In fact, there are so many that it’s hard to keep track. So we asked Cracked readers on Facebook, “What’s the most ridiculous moment in Star Trek?” We pulled the most up-voted responses, but there was no shortage of a variety of answers. The vast majority came from The Original Series and The Next Generation. We’re assuming it’s because time can be a cruel mistress to moments of shows in retrospect, but make of it what you will.

Some of these examples, we would argue, are so bad that they turn into good again. It’s a nice reminder to creators that, hey, you don’t have to create something perfect for your work to be beloved. It just has to include lizard whoopie, space hippies, and a slo-mo fight with the Gorn. Live long and cringe.

"Threshhold"

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: VOYAGER THRESHOLD Tommy G. lists this episode as the worst Star Trek moment, describing the plot, Tom Paris and Captain Janeway 'evolving' into lizards, mating, spawning, turning back to human and flying away. CRACKED.COM

"Sub Rosa"

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION SUB ROSA Tim C. nominated this episode as the most ridiculous Star Trek moment, saying, Beverly Crusher boinks a ghost. They finally give her an episode of her own, and it's a cheesy romance novel. CRACKED.COM

Riker's Trombone

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION RIKER'S TROMBONE Rae D. says Star Trek's worst moment was Any and every time Riker plays the trombone. CRACKED.COM

Star Trek: Picard

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: PICARD Dominic G. is a big Star Trek fan but says Absolutely no good episode made me want to watch it padded up, slowed down, and drawn out over 10 episodes. The most ridiculous moment in all of Star Trek is when they decided to do that very thing with a mediocre episode in Star Trek: Picard. CRACKED.COM

"Up the Long Ladder"

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION UP THE LONG LADDER Pat F. criticizes The TNG episode that was populated by Space 'Irish, describing them as caricatures of the caricatures from The Quiet Man. CRACKED.COM

Into the Darkness' KHAAAAAN

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: INTO THE DARKNESS НЕФИА ESSIRE Tim C. reminds US that we we couldn't have a list that doesn't call out the ridiculousness of Khaaaaan! CRACKED.COM

"Justice"

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION JUSTICE Justin D. says the episode is the most ridiculous, with Wesley running around with the kids in their underwear and then falling down on their special grass is about as dumb as it gets. CRACKED.COM

THE GORN

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES ARENA Pete W. says the worst of Star Trek was the slow motion fight with the Gorn. Shatner throwing slow punches, then waiting for the Gorn to hit back. The Gorn moving slower than an old couple walking side by side in a supermarket aisle. CRACKED.COM

"The Way to Eden"

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES THE WAY TO EDEN Steven А. only needs two words to nominate the worst moment in the Star Trek franchise: Space Hippies. CRACKED.COM

Stark Trek: Into Darkness

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS Adam M. says, The Enterprise is rushing back to Earth, then gets unexpectedly shot out of warp. They're now inside lunar orbit and falling into the planet's atmosphere. When exactly were they PLANNING on stopping if they were taken by surprise???? CRACKED.COM

"Code of Honor"

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION CODE OF HONOR Zebulon S. points out one of the low moments of the Star Trek franchise, That super racist 'Code of Honor' episode was real real bad. CRACKED.COM

"The Cloud Minders"

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES THE CLOUD MINDERS Robert D. says, They announce in the opening scene that they are traveling to Stratos, a 'city in the clouds.' And in my mind, I'm picturing something like Bespin from Star Wars...some kind of orbiting atmospheric station. Instead what we get is a literal city sitting on a cloud. CRACKED.COM

"The Corbomite Maneuver"

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES THE CORBOMITE MANEUVER David Е. thinks the silliest moment of Star Trek has to be Clint Howard as a child with the dubbed over voice. CRACKED.COM

"Spock's Brain"

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES SPOCK S BRAIN Karen В. has only this to say about the episode, So, so bad. When an episode's Wikipedia page doesn't need a citation to say that it's consideered the worst episode of the series then you know it's bad. CRACKED.COM

"The Child"

... TELL US NOW. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION THE CHILD Of all the scenes in the Star Trek franchise, Richie R. says that when Troi gave birth was probably the weirdest thing that happened. CRACKED.COM

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