# Anybody else dig the subtle humor on DS9? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 9, 2013, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492 "2013-03-09T17:30:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/1 "2013-03-09T17:30:25Z")
Weird question I know: Can’t remember which episode it was but it was the episode wherein Will Riker’s “double” from the transporter malfunction steals the Defiant. At the beginning of the episode it has “Will” with his trademark beard. Then after his true identity is revealed, he tears away his fake beard from the sides of his face leaving only a goatee. Because ya’ know, everybody _knows_ the evil twin simply _must have_ a goatee! This is hilarious because the fake beard wasn’t at all necessary. He could have easily shown up at the station with a goatee and nobody would have suspected a damn thing. Anyway, there are lots of other instances that DS9 has made me smile but this one sticks in my head the most at the moment. So, am I alone in my appreciation for DS9 humor? What are your favorite moments? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/2 "2013-03-09T17:43:59Z")
I can’t figure out if this is a meta-joke or not: Very early one - I think the first or second episode, THE Sisko has an exchange with Odo where the shapeshifter explains he doesn’t have relationships with women because he doesn’t like… compromise: Odo: I’ll never understand the humanoid need to… ‘couple.’ Quark: You’ve never… coupled? Odo: Choose not to. Too many compromises. You want to watch the karo-net tournament; she wants to listen to music, so you compromise - you listen to music. You like Earth Jazz; she prefers Klingon Opera so you compromise - you listen to Klingon Opera. So here you were ready to have a nice night watching the karo-net match and you wind up spending an agonizing evening listening to Klingon Opera. Where this is funny to me is that several whole seasons later, this was basically the plot of _Let He Who Is Without Sin_, a fairly awful episode but which has Dax complaining that Worf is a control freak… while he gives in and goes along with every. single. little. damn. thing. she wants to do. [http://sfdebris.com/videos/startrek/d505.asp](http://sfdebris.com/videos/startrek/d505.asp) Odo in general is great, and he plays so well off Quark. The pair were insanely hilarious, and it’s blatantly evident that there’s definitely some respect, but neither would ever admit it. Quark: The usual, Odo? Odo: Nothing. Quark: The usual. [http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0001481/quotes](http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0001481/quotes) ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/3 "2013-03-09T17:49:19Z")
This was the first completely Roddenbury free series and it showed. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/4 "2013-03-09T19:02:27Z")
There are some fantastic little side jokes in the otherwise action/politics-centric Season 4 opener, “The Way of the Warrior”… -Garak and Dukat sniping at each other at every opportunity -Sisko’s and Dax’s bet on how Dukat would react to being rescued by the _Defiant_ -Everything Gowron does in this episode is (semi-intentional) comedy gold (“Worf? WOOOORRRRRRRRRRRFFFFFFFFFF”) -Sisko pointing out that Dukat switched sides the moment things looked dicey for the Cardassian military dictatorship -The conversation between Quark and Garak about root beer is simultaneously hilarious and one of the more trenchant bits of self-examination “Trek” ever did: > [@](#): > > Quark: Do you know what worst part is? If you drink enough of it, you begin to like it. > Garak: It’s insidious! > Quark: Just like the Federation. -Odo snarking at Quark about his missing disruptor pistol: > [@](#): > > Quark: “Dear Quark, Used parts from your disruptor to fix the replicators. Will return them soon. Rom.” I’m going to kill him!! > Odo: **smirks** With what? ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/5 "2013-03-09T20:21:31Z")
Yeah, when DS9 _tried_ for humorous episodes (i.e. Ferengi episodes) they were usually terrible, but the humor throughout the “serious” episodes was fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/6 "2013-03-09T20:32:35Z")
> [@gonzoron](#): > > Yeah, when DS9 _tried_ for humorous episodes (i.e. Ferengi episodes) they were usually terrible, but the humor throughout the “serious” episodes was fantastic. Agree accept for one caveat: When Quark was forced to marry that Klingon woman in order to save her house. He’s having an intimate conversation with said lady: “Quark, I appreciate what you’re doing for me, I really do. Which is why I’m not going to shatter every bone in your body when you take your hand off my thigh” Quark of course removes his hand off her thigh as they both give each other a knowing chuckle. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/7 "2013-03-09T20:33:30Z")
Not a single moment, but a characterization. The barfly Morn was quite obviously a tribute to Norm Peterson from “Cheers,” from always being seen hanging about the bar to being described as garrulous. And the name is an obvious anagram of “Norm.” ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/8 "2013-03-09T20:40:22Z")
> [@gonzoron](#): > > Yeah, when DS9 _tried_ for humorous episodes (i.e. Ferengi episodes) they were usually terrible, but the humor throughout the “serious” episodes was fantastic. The notable exception being, of course, the brilliant “Trials and Tribble-ations,” perhaps the only episode of “Star Trek” to approach the original “Trouble With Tribbles” as a work of intentional comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/9 "2013-03-09T20:55:49Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Not a single moment, but a characterization. The barfly Morn was quite obviously a tribute to Norm Peterson from “Cheers,” from always being seen hanging about the bar to being described as garrulous. And the name is an obvious anagram of “Norm.” Ha! I’ve never made that connection before. That’s awesome. I’ve always liked how he’s supposed to be a chatter box yet we never get to hear him speak. ---
**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/10 "2013-03-09T22:41:02Z")
> [@gonzoron](#): > > Yeah, when DS9 _tried_ for humorous episodes (i.e. Ferengi episodes) they were usually terrible, but the humor throughout the “serious” episodes was fantastic. I generally loathe the Ferengi episodes as well, but [The Magnificent Ferengi](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/The_Magnificent_Ferengi_%28episode%29) is the sole exception, IMHO. Iggy Pop as a Vorta, Yelgrun. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/11 "2013-03-09T22:45:35Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > This was the first completely Roddenbury free series and it showed. I’m not sure if you think that’s a positive or negative. It was my favorite Trek series. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/12 "2013-03-09T23:10:41Z")
The Baseball episode was funny: > [@](#): > > ``` > Julian Bashir: What are you eating? > Miles O'Brien: I'm not eating; I'm chewing. > Julian Bashir: Chewing what? > Miles O'Brien: Gum. It's traditional. I had the replicator create me some. > Julian Bashir: They just chewed it? > Miles O'Brien: No, they infused it with flavor. > Julian Bashir: What did you infuse it with? > Miles O'Brien: Scotch. > > ``` > [@](#): > > ``` > Benjamin Sisko: All right Niners, let's hear some chatter! > Niners: [chants along the lines of "Hey batter batter batter!"] > Worf: Death to the opposition. > > ``` I thought most of the comedy episodes were pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/13 "2013-03-09T23:15:50Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#): > > The notable exception being, of course, the brilliant “Trials and Tribble-ations,” perhaps the only episode of “Star Trek” to approach the original “Trouble With Tribbles” as a work of intentional comedy. Agreed… and barely a Ferengi in it. 🙂 I loved Quark, and Rom, and even came around on Nog. But a little Ferengi goes a long way, doubly so for the Nagus, and Moogie. The only episode focusing on the Ferengi that I really enjoyed was Little Green Men. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/14 "2013-03-10T00:39:35Z")
I don’t know if this counts as humor, but it made me laugh. When the Federation was kicked off of Terak Nor and Gul Dukat and his entourage come striding into the Commander’s office, the first thing they see is Sisko’s baseball sitting on the desk. I don’t remember who said the lines, but somebody asked what the hell that was, and the answer was, “He’ll be back.” There were also plenty of great funny scenes between Bashir and Garak: Bashir: Was anything you ever told me true? Garak: My dear Doctor, everything was true. Bashir: Even the lies? Garak: Especially the lies. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/15 "2013-04-11T19:29:54Z")
The root beer scene mentioned by **Tanbarkie** is probably my single favorite funny bit of the series: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VhSm6G7cVk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VhSm6G7cVk) I also enjoyed the physical comedy of when Quark and Rom tried to carry a very heavy but invisible cloaking device through the halls without being noticed. Great miming. > [@Shakes](#): > > Ha! I’ve never made that connection before. That’s awesome. I’ve always liked how he’s supposed to be a chatter box yet we never get to hear him speak. I may be Pitted for this, but I would love for him to have had the last line in the series - as the camera pulls back from the station, show him outlined in a viewport, raising his hand and simply saying, “Goodbye.” Break the fourth wall and let him be heard just that once. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/16 "2013-04-11T19:43:54Z")
As for the OP, it was established in the original episode that Thomas Riker appeared in that he had a different style of beard. And IIRC, it was only the sideburns that were faked. But anyway. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-dig-the-subtle-humor-on-ds9/652492/17 "2013-04-11T23:12:46Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > As for the OP, it was established in the original episode that Thomas Riker appeared in that he had a different style of beard. And IIRC, it was only the sideburns that were faked. > > But anyway. 🙂 Right.. My point is people can change their beard styles and nobody is going to think “Impostor!”