Ever since “The Cage” was deemed “too cerebral” for audiences back in 1965 and Star Trek got a second chance with “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” the series sometimes found itself at odds with various themes. Some of today’s viewers of the original series enjoy it for its camp but often overlook the intentional and genuinely humorous moments. Today’s Star Trek series often depend on dark themes to give them their edge, and for those like myself, who enjoy both classic and new Trek, the intentional humor in any of the franchises’ series remains an important aspect of storytelling.
Camp versus intentional humor in early Star Trek
The original Star Trek series is well known for its unintentional camp moments (such as that face Susan Oliver makes in "The Cage" as Vina in one of the Talosian's visions when she tries to persuade Pike to hide from the invaders on a Rigellian planet the crew visited in the recent past.) These are moments viewers know, love, and often mimic on social media. As the series progressed, the writers began to add intentional humor, such as Spock’s visible annoyance at Kirk besting him in 3d chess in “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” By the end of season 1, the characters became more established, and humor that matched their personalities began to emerge more frequently.
Verbal banter
As the series progressed, so did each crew member’s personality, which gave every individual the chance to grow. The Kirk/Spock/McCoy banter became especially enjoyable, and the humor came from Spock either being his stubborn/logical self, Bones turning his brain inside out trying to bring the Vulcan around to his way of thinking, and Kirk watching with great enjoyment. Sulu and Chekov also had some great comedic moments in season 2, such as in “The Deadly Years” when Chekov complains about all the medical testing he’s undergone as the Enterprise medical team tries to find a cure for the aging syndrome affecting Kirk, Spock, Scotty, and McCoy. Chekov says, “If—if I live long enough, I’m going to run out of samples.” “You’ll live,” Sulu replies, and Chekov glares and says, “Oh yes, I’ll live—but I won’t enjoy it!” This exchange gives viewers insight into Chekov and Sulu’s developing bond.
Humor as a storytelling tool throughout the Star Trek franchise
No matter the series, writers used humor as a storytelling tool many times to keep viewers engaged and to give the characters the chance to grow. Some episodes are pure comedy, such as “The Trouble With Tribbles” and “A Piece of the Action,” (TOS) “Q-pid,” (STTNG), and “Take Me Out to the Holosuite” (STDS9). Each of these plots uses humor as a storytelling device and viewers get to know their favorite characters better based on their reaction to whatever shenanigans popped up.
As a fan looking forward to future Star Trek shows, I hope that the writers don’t forget the legacy of humor from past series. After all, humor is a universal concept, and to leave it behind would do the future of the franchise a great injustice.