8. Dr. M'Benga
M’Benga’s puppet benefits from the same trait that makes Babs Olusanmokun’s doctor such an effective member of the live-action ensemble: calm. Even when the Enterprise is under pressure, M’Benga tends to project focus and control.
The doctor can be compassionate without becoming sentimental, and he can be intimidating without sacrificing the empathy that makes him a good physician. That contained seriousness becomes funny when placed inside a tiny puppet body, particularly amid an episode where the laws of common sense have been replaced with puppet logic.
The design also has a solid visual balance. It retains M’Benga’s presence without overplaying him into a caricature. In a different kind of episode, that restraint might make him one of the best designs on the list.
The pirate confrontation rewards the episode’s commitment to broad puppet comedy, including fights and a redshirt with a literal hole in his chest. M’Benga’s puppet is polished and effective, but it is not quite as visually extravagant or immediately funny as the entries above it. It succeeds through quiet credibility in an episode that often rewards full-volume chaos.
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