I think the writers for Star Trek TOS were brilliant.
The scene I posted is a good example of how the writers understood literary technique by interrupting tense drama with a moment of comic relief. Shakespeare did that in Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, etc.!
That technique is quite useful in real life too.
And I'm a fan of Shakespeare as well.
I wasn't at first. But when we started taking school trips to Stratford, CT where they had a re-creation of the Globe Theater for their Shakespearean Festival and I had the chance to see several plays performed beautifully, I started to appreciate Shakespeare a whole lot more.
Sadly, Penny Lane, the Stratford Festival Theatre closed in the mid-1980s. The building has remained vacant and the town of Stratford is assessing its structural integrity. It's a pity, really, as it's a great theater on scenic grounds on the Housatonic River.
TNG episode 20 - "goodnight, sweet BEEP"
Aww, that's a shame. It's sad when historic/interesting buildings get shut down! That sort of thing really bothers me.