10 Most Uncomfortable Star Trek Scenes Of All Time

CBS Studios

While "Star Trek" has been a staple successful nan subject fabrication genre since 1966, nan franchise doesn't person a cleanable way grounds erstwhile avoiding cringey topics and dated themes. There are full "Star Trek" storylines that person go unwatchable pinch age, pinch concepts that were erstwhile presumably acceptable not holding up decades later. This isn't isolated to conscionable "Star Trek: The Original Series" but besides shows and movies produced successful nan 21st century. "Star Trek" whitethorn beryllium nan top sci-fi franchise of each time, but that doesn't mean it's remained sterling successful its imagination of nan future.

More than conscionable anemic episodes and movies, location are circumstantial scenes passim nan franchise that are uncomfortable to watch. Even seasoned fans whitethorn find themselves cringing aliases focusing connected a distraction alternatively than revisiting these awkward moments. Simply put, location are scenes that tin mar an full viewing acquisition aliases amended disconnected conscionable skipping entirely. 

Here are nan 10 astir uncomfortable "Star Trek" scenes of each clip successful tv and film.

CBS Studios

"Star Trek" has a history of its characters inspiring primitive societies pinch their precocious exertion and enlightened ideals, peculiarly passim "The Original Series." The play 3 section "The Paradise Syndrome" takes this favoritism into moreover much uncomfortable and poorly aged territory. The Enterprise is assigned to deflect an incoming asteroid from striking a satellite that refugees from North American indigenous tribes person settled connected for centuries. Captain Kirk (William Shatner) is accidentally near down and develops amnesia, pinch a section people mistaking him for a deity named Kirok.

Seeing Kirk dressed up successful Native American clothing and proclaim himself arsenic Kirok earlier a crowd of indigenous characters is tone-deaf to nan constituent of self-parody. "The Paradise Syndrome" is nan clearest illustration of nan achromatic savior trope astatine work, pinch Kirk taking connected nan domiciled of a presumed demigod. Though we tin chalk this up to plot-convenient amnesia, it's still a contrived crippled constituent that doesn't diminish nan discomfort of Kirk's godly proclamation. An all-around unusual episode, "The Paradise Syndrome" showcases "Star Trek" nary amended astatine handling stories involving indigenous races than immoderate number of modern '60s Westerns.

CBS Studios

The "TOS" 3rd play section "Plato's Stepchildren" whitethorn beryllium amended known for nan first scripted interracial buss successful American primetime television, but nan wide section is simply a weaker effort. Kirk leads a landing statement connected a satellite inspired by ancient Greek culture, pinch nan ruling people possessing powerful telekinetic abilities. Kirk and his unit are forced to transportation retired progressively humiliating acts to amuse their captors, disgusting nan sympathetic small personification Alexander (Michael Dunn). This culminates successful Alexander's chap Platonians coercing him to thrust Kirk astir for illustration a horse, complete pinch Kirk pretending to subordinate nether his passenger.

Compared to preceding seasons, "The Original Series" veered into much childishly and cheaply conceived stories successful its 3rd season. Watching nan full ordeal that Kirk and nan landing statement strengthen astatine nan hands of nan Platonians provides plentifulness of secondhand embarrassment and cringe. Alexander being forced to thrust connected apical of Kirk is nan nadir constituent of what amounts to a thoroughly humiliating episode. British censors must person felt nan aforesaid way, because "Plato's Stepchildren" was banned successful nan U.K. for decades.

CBS Studios

One past "TOS" section highlighting really acold nan show had fallen successful its 3rd play is nan bid finale "Turnabout Intruder." In nan episode, Kirk reunites pinch erstwhile person Janice Lester (Sandra Smith), who is disappointment and vengeful astatine being passed complete for profession opportunities successful Starfleet for being a woman. Using a unusual alien device, Lester swaps bodies pinch Kirk and tries to commandeer nan Enterprise, but nan unit notices nan abrupt alteration successful personality. Unable to incorporate herself astatine having her authority questioned, Lester flies into an affectional fresh successful Kirk's assemblage successful beforehand of nan crew.

Easily 1 of the worst "Star Trek" bid finales, "Turnabout Intruder" suggests that career-minded women should enactment successful their lane aliases beryllium regarded arsenic difficult and hysterical. As acold arsenic Shatner's estimation for overacting, it doesn't get much notorious than really he portrays Lester successful possession of Kirk's body. Lester's tantrums whenever her orders are not followed make for immoderate genuinely uncomfortable viewing, and unfortunately, they hap much than once. Because of nan show's diminishing quality, Leonard Nimoy was gladsome "Star Trek" sewage cancelled and "Turnabout Intruder" is simply a premier illustration of nan show's cancellation being a mercy killing.

CBS Studios

Even by 1987, pinch nan premiere of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," location were still taste depictions successful nan franchise that were eyebrow-raising for each nan incorrect reasons. The worst of these was successful nan first play section "Code of Honor," pinch nan Enterprise visiting a satellite based connected Sub-Saharan African society. This civilization is based connected stereotypes that felt outdated successful 1987, made each nan worse erstwhile its leader, Lutan (Jessie Lawrence Ferguson), takes an liking successful Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby). Determined to make nan Enterprise information main his bride, Lutan has her kidnapped and forced to participate successful a gladiatorial title pinch his existent spouse Yareena (Karole Selmon).

Jonathan Frakes wants "Code of Honor" removed from streaming platforms, and it's easy to spot why erstwhile revisiting nan episode. Simply put, Lutan and nan Ligonians that he leads are small much than racist caricatures that put a stain connected nan full "TNG" legacy. That Lutan would past go enamored pinch and kidnap nan crew's astir salient blonde achromatic female reinforces a genuinely heinous stereotype. "Code of Honor" left Michael Dorn worried astir nan show's future, and though "TNG" would importantly improve, nan section exemplifies really poorly conceived nan first play was.

CBS Studios

Denise Crosby's penultimate section arsenic a bid regular connected "The Next Generation" was nan first play section "Symbiosis." The Enterprise agrees to carrier a valuable medicine to a satellite pinch constricted abstraction recreation capabilities flooded by an evident plague. Upon inspecting nan presumed medicinal substance, Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) discovers it is really a highly addictive narcotic, and nan plague is really wide withdrawal symptoms. When Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) questions why a nine would let themselves to autumn prey to drugs, Yar gives a speech espousing nan allure and dangers of controlled substances.

To put things successful context, "Symbiosis" debuted erstwhile nan United States' Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) run was promoting anti-drug messaging nationwide. Yar's speech feels heavy inspired by this movement, and she's practically addressing nan assemblage straight during nan scene. "Star Trek" has ever featured salient societal commentary and governmental themes, but seldom has it been much overt and heavy-handed than it is here. "Symbiosis" doesn't supply a awesome showcase for Crosby's talents arsenic Yar, who deserved acold better, but by nan adjacent episode, "Skin of Evil," nan characteristic was killed disconnected alternatively unceremoniously.

CBS Studios

While nan 2nd play of "The Next Generation" was markedly amended than nan first, location were still immoderate occasional unsmooth episodes. Such is nan lawsuit pinch "Up nan Long Ladder," which sees nan Enterprise carrier a group of colonists to their caller home. This nine is modeled aft early 20th period Irish culture, complete pinch rustic clothing, workplace animals, and moreover much outdated stereotypes. Leading this ensemble is Danilo Odell (Barrie Ingham), a loud, boorish fig whose scenes are among nan astir cringe-inducing successful nan full series.

"Up nan Long Ladder" is tonally each complete nan place, pinch plentifulness of head-scratching scenes, including a disturbing series wherever Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) destroys a clone of himself. But it's nan scenes pinch Danilo that really return nan spectator retired of nan episode, lumbering into immoderate series for illustration he's coming retired of a '50s comedy. This wholly throws immoderate consciousness of affectional finance aliases communicative legitimacy retired nan window, moreover successful subplots wherever he's not involved. "Up nan Long Ladder" ranks among the worst "Star Trek" stories of each time, and a batch of that comes from nan episode's so-bad-it's-funny inclusion of nan Space Irish.

CBS Studios

The Enterprise's counsellor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) falls into a torrid romance pinch chap empath Devinoni Ral (Matt McCoy) successful nan 3rd play section "The Price." Meeting astatine a negotiated reception, Troi and Ral's emotion communicative is an intensely passionate one, though Troi develops misgivings astir his negotiated dealings. During a calisthenics convention pinch Beverly Crusher successful nan Enterprise's fittingness center, Troi has a frank chat astir her caller relationship. This occurs arsenic nan 2 women are dressed successful unabashedly colorful and form-fitting '80s workout clothing and stretching together.

On nan 1 hand, it feels refreshing and emotionally honorable for Troi and Crusher to talk astir their individual lives and sensuality, particularly for an section that aired successful 1989. But nan full segment is truthful obtrusively and awkwardly staged compared to nan remainder of nan section that it undercuts immoderate imaginable value. The animated drama bid "Star Trek: Lower Decks" skewered nan segment successful a superb heavy cut, underscoring conscionable really ridiculous nan full series is. The female characters successful "TNG" usually didn't get nan aforesaid value characteristic improvement arsenic their antheral counterparts, and "The Price" is simply a premier illustration of this disparity.

CBS Studios

In respect to "TNG" female characters getting subpar plots, it doesn't get much bizarrely head-scratching than nan seventh play section "Sub Rosa." While visiting a satellite to be her grandmother's funeral, Beverly Crusher discovers her comparative had struck up a romance pinch a younger man. After proceeding a ghostly voice, Crusher lights a candle she inherited from her grandmother, causing her person Ronin (Duncan Regehr) to appear. Despite nan icky implications, Crusher originates her ain romanticist narration pinch nan non-corporeal being earlier yet coming to her senses.

While "Star Trek" has ever been comparatively malleable pinch its stories, a ghostly emotion communicative conscionable feels for illustration a measurement excessively far. Apparition aliases not, nan thought of Crusher romancing personification who was besides successful a narration pinch her grandma is arsenic uncomfortable arsenic it gets. The segment of Crusher being seduced by Ronin's lit candle is positioned for illustration a bad trashy romance caller cover, and its communicative implications make it moreover much questionable. The worst point that Crusher did successful "The Next Generation," "Sub Rosa" is nan weakest section successful "TNG's" last season.

Paramount Pictures

There are a batch of things that went incorrect pinch "Star Trek: Nemesis," nan 2002 movie that stood arsenic nan "TNG" crew's last cinematic adventure. The movie opens pinch Picard's evil clone Shinzon (Tom Hardy) staging a coup to prehend power of nan Romulan Empire. By interfacing pinch his second-in-command, an unnamed Reman viceroy (Ron Perlman), Shinzon is capable to telepathically invade others' minds. After gathering Deanna Troi, Shinzon takes an unhealthy liking successful nan Enterprise's counsellor and decides to usage his viceroy's abilities to battle her.

In 1 of nan astir disturbing scenes successful immoderate "Star Trek" movie, Shinzon interrupts an friendly infinitesimal betwixt Troi and Riker, telepathically swapping himself for Riker successful Troi's mind. Troi describes nan incident arsenic a violation, and nan segment is still nan astir overt depiction of intersexual unit successful a "Star Trek" film. Later successful nan movie, Troi uses this telepathic relationship to onslaught backmost against Shinzon and nan viceroy, but nan segment still feels unnecessary. "Nemesis" officially brought an extremity to nan "TNG" era, and scenes for illustration this made it each nan much of a disappointment, to opportunity nan least.

CBS Studios

The prequel bid "Star Trek: Enterprise" could beryllium hit-or-miss pinch immoderate of its stories, particularly successful its uneven inaugural season. The season's 5th episode, "Unexpected," surely ranks among nan show's astir absurd, pinch main technologist Trip Tucker (Connor Trinneer) accidentally being impregnated by an alien species. After a seemingly innocuous relationship pinch a visiting engineer, Trip notices a unusual maturation connected his body. Doctor Phlox (John Billingsley) not only identifies it arsenic an other nipple but reveals that Trip is carrying an alien fetus.

Even "Star Trek: Enterprise" creator Brannon Braga admitted play 1's penning had awesome problems, and nan ludicrous "Unexpected" surely supports that claim. Trip's gestation is played for comedic effect, but nan conception of being unwittingly impregnated and increasing other appendages is conscionable terrifying. The segment besides undercuts nan much action-oriented communicative unfolding nan section astatine a play for laughs astatine Trip's expense. Easily 1 of the worst episodes of "Star Trek: Enterprise," "Unexpected" is simply a grounded effort astatine screwball drama that veers into assemblage horror.