Memory Alpha

The Trouble with Tribbles (episode)

  • View history
  • 1.2 Act One
  • 1.3 Act Two
  • 1.4 Act Three
  • 1.5 Act Four
  • 2 Log entries
  • 3 Memorable quotes
  • 4.1 Story and script
  • 4.2 Cast and characters
  • 4.3 Production
  • 4.4 Effects
  • 4.6 Continuity
  • 4.7 Apocrypha
  • 4.8 Reception
  • 4.9 Remastered information
  • 4.10 Production timeline
  • 4.11 Video and DVD releases
  • 5.1 Starring
  • 5.2 Also starring
  • 5.3 Co-starring
  • 5.4 Featuring
  • 5.5 Uncredited co-stars
  • 5.6 Stunt doubles
  • 5.7 References
  • 5.8 External links

Summary [ ]

The USS Enterprise is en route to Deep Space Station K-7 for assistance with an important assignment regarding a disputed planet . One parsec from the nearest Klingon outpost (" Close enough to smell them ," as Chekov puts it), the post is near Sherman's Planet , which is claimed by both sides.

In the Enterprise 's briefing room , Captain James T. Kirk , Commander Spock , and Ensign Pavel Chekov review the area's history: twenty-three years after the inconclusive Battle of Donatu V , the Organian Peace Treaty is set to grant control of Sherman's Planet to the party that can demonstrate it can develop the planet's resources most efficiently.

Lieutenant Uhura reports from the bridge that K-7 has issued a Code One alert , which signals that it is under attack. Kirk orders a speed increase to warp factor 6, while Uhura initiates a red alert .

Act One [ ]

The Enterprise arrives at maximum warp, ready for a fight, only to find no battle. Beaming over with Spock, Kirk demands an explanation from station manager Lurry , but is told he was ordered to do so by Nilz Baris , a Federation undersecretary in charge of the Sherman's Planet development project.

Baris and his aide, Arne Darvin , fear that the Klingons might try to sabotage the Federation's best hope to win control of the planet – a high-yield grain known as quadrotriticale , the only Earth grain that will grow on the planet. Tons of the grain are stored at the station, and Baris demands from Kirk security and protection. Kirk still believes they have misused the Priority One designation, but assigns only two guards to the station, and allows shore leave for the Enterprise crew.

On leave, Uhura and Chekov meet a dealer named Cyrano Jones , who is trying to wholesale to the skeptical bartender various rare galactic items, among them, spican flame gems and furry little creatures that Jones calls tribbles . While they bicker over the price, Chekov notices a tribble has eaten a quadrotriticale sample left on the bar and Uhura is enchanted by it. Jones gives the tribble to Uhura, a move the bartender claims will ruin the market but Jones claims will help spur more sales.

Back on the Enterprise , Kirk receives an order from Starfleet Admiral Fitzpatrick to render any and or all aid that Baris may require. The admiral informs Kirk that the safety of the grain – as well as the project – is the captain's responsibility. Kirk is exasperated, and just then learns from Uhura that a Klingon battle cruiser has arrived within a hundred kilometers of K-7. Kirk orders the ship to go to red alert and for Lurry to be notified. Lurry, however, discounts a possible attack, as the Klingon ship 's captain , Koloth , and first officer, Korax , are sitting in his office. Kirk orders the red alert canceled.

Act Two [ ]

IKS Groth and DS-K7

Koloth's ship orbiting Deep Space K-7

Kirk beams over with Spock and the Klingons assert their rights to shore leave under the terms of the Organian treaty. Kirk reluctantly accedes, but sets limits of twelve at a time, with one guard from the Enterprise for each Klingon soldier.

In the recreation room aboard the Enterprise , Uhura's tribble gives birth to a litter. The sounds the tribbles make seem to have a soothing effect on Humans . Dr. McCoy takes one of the offspring to study it. Meanwhile, Kirk argues with Baris about the adequacy of the security Kirk is providing, until Kirk claims he is getting a headache . Going to sickbay for treatment, Kirk sees that McCoy's tribble has also produced a litter. McCoy reports that almost 50% of their metabolism is geared towards reproduction.

Kirk tells crewmembers beaming over to shore leave on K-7 to avoid trouble with the Klingons. Montgomery Scott declines shore leave, but Kirk, concerned for him getting too wrapped up in his technical journals , orders him over to keep an eye on the others and to enjoy himself.

At the bar aboard K-7, Jones tries to sell more tribbles. The Enterprise crew aren't interested, and the tribbles and the Klingons react to one another with loud hostility. The bartender is uninterested in more tribbles either – the one he acquired earlier is already multiplying. Korax starts insulting the Enterprise crew, first by comparing the Humans to Regulan bloodworms . He then tries to provoke Chekov by repeatedly insulting Kirk, but Scott restrains Chekov. Korax then turns his attention to Scott by insulting the Enterprise itself, first calling it a garbage scow , then just garbage, provoking Scott to punch Korax in the face and start a brawl between the two groups. The barman retreats and Jones dispenses himself some drinks in his absence. Security officers from the Enterprise arrest the brawlers and restore order, and shore leave for both ships is canceled.

Act Three [ ]

Scott, Chekov, Freeman, and Kirk

Kirk interrogates his men on who started the fight

Kirk interrogates the crew involved in the brawl, but none are forthcoming about who started it. Kirk orders that they are all confined to quarters until he determines who started the brawl. After Kirk dismisses his officers, Scott confesses to Kirk in private that he started the fight after Korax insulted them, recalling some of the more colorful examples. Kirk presses further and is perplexed to find that Scott didn't start fighting until Korax insulted the Enterprise but realizes it was due to an engineer's sensitivities. Kirk restricts Scott to quarters, to which Scott happily complies, anticipating time off to catch up on his journals.

In sickbay, Spock and McCoy have a characteristic debate on the aesthetics and utility of tribbles, Spock in particular, notes to McCoy their one redeeming characteristic – they do not talk too much. The question soon attracts Kirk's attention. There are tribbles all over the bridge, including one in his chair . McCoy reports this is because they are "born pregnant" and are swamping the ship with their rampant reproduction. Kirk orders Uhura to call for Jones to be detained on K-7 – and to " get these tribbles off the bridge. "

On K-7, Spock berates Jones for removing tribbles from their natural predators and letting them over-breed. Jones counters with excuses and insists that, at six credits each, they're making him money. Then Baris confronts Kirk on the insufficient security detail for the quadrotriticale. Baris claims Jones is " quite probably a Klingon agent ," but Kirk is unconvinced by the evidence and finds that Jones has done no worse than disrupt activities on K-7, which is not unprecedented. " Sometimes, all they need is a title, Mr. Baris ", Kirk pointedly concludes, and he and Spock return to the Enterprise .

Tribbles in the food

" This is my chicken sandwich and coffee. "

Back on board, the tribble problem has worsened. Kirk can't even get a meal, as tribbles have gotten into the food synthesizers . Scott reports that the tribbles are circulating through the Enterprise 's ventilation ducts , ending up in machinery all throughout the ship. Spock points out that there are comparable ducts aboard K-7 that lead to the grain storage tanks. Realizing the implication, Kirk orders all the tribbles removed from the Enterprise and rushes to K-7, gaining access to one of the storage compartments, but when he opens the overhead door, an avalanche of tribbles buries him.

Act Four [ ]

Kirk surrounded by Tribbles

" First, find Cyrano Jones, and second… close that door. "

Kirk finally climbs out from the pile of tribbles – a population Spock estimates at 1,771,561 – and Spock discovers that they are gorged on the grain. Baris claims Kirk's orders have turned the project into a disaster and that he will call for a Starfleet board of inquiry against Kirk.

Koloth and Korax

Koloth and Korax

But Spock and McCoy notice that many of the tribbles in the pile are dead or dying. Kirk orders McCoy to find out why they died, though McCoy protests that he doesn't yet know what keeps them alive.

Kirk assembles all the principals in Lurry's office. Koloth demands that Kirk issue an official apology to the Klingon High Command , though Baris says that would give the Klingons the wedge they need to claim Sherman's Planet. Koloth also asks that the tribbles be removed from the room. The guards do so, but they pass Darvin, at which point the tribbles shriek just as they did around the Klingons. With his medical tricorder , McCoy reveals Darvin to be a Klingon. He poisoned the grain with a virus that prevents its victim from absorbing nutrients, which is how the tribbles died. " They starved to death. In a storage compartment full of grain, they starved to death! " Kirk summarizes. Darvin is arrested, the Klingons are ordered out of Federation territory within the next six hours, and Kirk says he could learn to like tribbles.

There will be no tribble at all

The Enterprise crew gets the last laugh when Scott tells Kirk where he placed the tribbles

In K-7's bar, Kirk and Spock then give Jones a choice: twenty years in a rehabilitation colony for transporting a harmful species, or pick up every tribble on the station (which Spock calculates would take 17.9 years). Jones accepts the latter. Back aboard the Enterprise , Kirk is happy to find the ship has been swept clean of tribbles, and asks Spock, McCoy, and Scott how they did it. They all deflect Kirk's questions until Scott reluctantly replies that before the Klingons went into warp, he beamed all of them into their engine room, " where they'll be no tribble at all. " The crew share a good, long laugh at this.

Log entries [ ]

  • Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), 2268

Memorable quotes [ ]

" One parsec, sir. Close enough to smell them. " " That is illogical, Ensign. Odors cannot travel through the vacuum of space. " " I was making a little joke, sir. " " Extremely little, ensign. "

" Wheat. So what? "

" I have never questioned the orders or the intelligence of any representative of the Federation. Until now. "

" Is that an offer or a joke? " " That's my offer. " " That's a joke. "

" Once this lovely little lady starts to show this precious little darling around, you won't be able to keep up with them. "

" Its trilling seems to have a tranquilizing effect on the Human nervous system. Fortunately, of course … I am immune … to its effect. "

" Kirk, this station is swarming with Klingons! " " I was not aware, Mr. Baris, that twelve Klingons constitutes a swarm. "

" Do you know what you get if you feed a tribble too much? " " A fat tribble. " " No. You get a bunch of hungry little tribbles. "

" When are you going to get off that milk diet, lad? " " This is vodka. " " Where I come from, that's soda pop. Now this is a drink for a man. " " Scotch? " " Aye. " " It was invented by a little old lady from Leningrad . "

" Oh…I just remembered: There is one Earth man who doesn't remind me of a Regulan bloodworm . That's Kirk. A Regulan bloodworm is soft and shapeless. But Kirk isn't soft. Kirk may be a swaggering, overbearing, tin-plated dictator with delusions of godhood, but he's not soft. "

" Of course, I'd say that Captain Kirk deserves his ship. We like the Enterprise . We, we really do. That sagging old rust bucket is designed like a garbage scow. Half the quadrant knows it. That's why they're learning to speak Klingonese . " " Mr. Scott! " " Laddie… don't you think you should… rephrase that? " (Mocking Scott's accent) " You're right. I should. " (Normal voice) " I didn't mean to say that the Enterprise should be hauling garbage. I meant to say that it should be hauled away as garbage. "

" What's the matter, Spock? " " There's something disquieting about these creatures. " " Oh? Don't tell me you've got a feeling. " " Don't be insulting, Doctor. "

"I see no practical use for them." "Does everything have to have a practical use for you? They're nice, they're soft, they're furry, and they make a pleasant sound." "So would an ermine violin , Doctor, yet I see no advantage to having one."

" They do indeed have one redeeming characteristic. " " What's that? " " They do not talk too much. "

" Too much of anything, Lieutenant, even love, isn't necessarily a good thing. "

" In my opinion, you have taken this important project far too lightly. " " On the contrary, sir. I think of this project as very important. It is you I take lightly. "

" My chicken sandwich and coffee . This is my chicken sandwich and coffee. " " Fascinating. "

" I want these things off my ship! I don't care if it takes every man we've got – I want them off the ship! "

" Well, until that board of inquiry, I'm still the captain. And as captain, I want two things done. First, find Cyrano Jones. And second … " (A tribble lands on Kirk's head) " … close that door. "

" They don't like Klingons. But they do like Vulcans. Well, Mr. Spock, I didn't know you had it in you. " " Obviously tribbles are very perceptive creatures, Captain. " " Obviously. " (Carrying tribbles, Kirk walks over to Baris) " Mister Baris, they like you. Well, there's no accounting for taste. "

" I gave them to the Klingons, sir. " " You gave them to the Klingons? " "Aye, sir. Before they went into warp I transported the whole kit and kaboodle into their engine room, where they'll be no tribble at all. "

Background information [ ]

Story and script [ ].

  • This script, one of Star Trek 's most popular, was David Gerrold 's first professional sale ever. His working title for the episode was "A Fuzzy Thing Happened to Me…". Writer/producer Gene L. Coon did heavy rewrites on the final version of the script. ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , p 333)
  • The tribbles were originally to have been called 'fuzzies', but the name was felt to be too close to a book called Little Fuzzy . Other names considered by David Gerrold were 'shaggies', 'goonies' and 'pufflies' as well a dozen other unknown names. ( Star Trek - A Celebration , page 215)
  • While the episode was in production, Gene Roddenberry noticed that the story was similar to Robert Heinlein 's novel, The Rolling Stones , which featured the "Martian Flat Cats". Too late, he called Heinlein to apologize and avoid a possible lawsuit. Heinlein was very understanding, and was satisfied with a simple "mea culpa" by Roddenberry. ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , pp 333–334)
  • According to Bjo Trimble , the story for this episode is based upon the short story, Pigs Is Pigs . ( "To Boldly Go…": Season 2 , TOS Season 2 DVD special features)
  • There is a popular story about a line Spock delivers in this episode, "he heard you, he simply could not believe his ears," being placed in the episode as a tribute to Mad Magazine's then-recent Star Trek parody. The December 1967 issue of Mad Magazine (released around October 1967) featured the magazine's first spoof of Star Trek (titled Star Blecch ). It featured a similar line as a joke about Spock's ears (Spock: "…I don't believe my ears!" Kirk: "I don't believe your ears either, Mr. Spook"). As this episode was filmed in August 1967, it was likely just a coincidence since the magazine had not been published yet at the time of filming. The cast did see and appreciate the Mad Magazine spoof when it came out, but a [[StarTrek.com] article stated they likely saw it during the filming of "A Private Little War," in October. [1] There is no record of the cast or writers seeing the spoof before the magazine was released.
  • Chekov quips that Scotch whisky "was invented by a little old lady from Leningrad ." That Russian city, originally St. Petersburg, had its name changed to honor Vladimir Lenin , leader of the Communist revolution in 1917. The name St. Petersburg was restored in 1991, after the breakup of the USSR. Some versions that summarize this episode claim Chekov drinks whisky; in fact after Chekov drinks his Vodka, Scott then gives Chekov the full glass of their companion Freeman while Scott drinks his whiskey.
  • When Scott is confined to quarters after fighting the Klingons he remarks that he'll be able to study technical manuels; in Star Trek:The Next Generation Relics (episode) Picard offers the 147 year old Montgomery Scott a change to study technical manuels; Scott declines because as he put it "Im not 18 anymore and I cant start out like a raw cadet."

Cast and characters [ ]

  • George Takei ( Hikaru Sulu ) does not appear in this episode. For much of the second season, he was filming The Green Berets . Many scenes written for Takei were switched over to Walter Koenig. ( "To Boldly Go…": Season 2 , TOS Season 2 DVD special features)
  • William Shatner recalled the great enjoyment all the cast had filming this episode. He noted, " The trouble we had with 'Tribbles' was [to] keep your straight face. It was just a lot of fun. " ( "To Boldly Go…": Season 2 , TOS Season 2 DVD special features)
  • Guy Raymond (the bartender ) also played a bartender in beer commercials during the '60s, in which he commented on the strange occurrences in his bar.
  • Michael Pataki is another actor who guested in two series of Star Trek , appearing as Karnas in TNG : " Too Short A Season ".
  • Some of the extras in the bar are wearing turtleneck uniforms from " The Cage " and " Where No Man Has Gone Before ", another couple of extras are wearing colonist jumpsuits from " The Devil in the Dark ". The gentleman who seems to be enjoying watching the fight and another man are wearing Finnegan 's and his stunt double's uniforms from " Shore Leave ", another one is wearing a uniform of the Antares worn by Ramart or Tom Nellis in " Charlie X ". A woman is wearing Aurelan Kirk 's costume from " Operation -- Annihilate! ".
  • Ed Reimers, who plays Admiral Fitzpatrick , was the TV spokesman for Allstate Insurance in the 1960s. In a funny sequence from the blooper reel, he catches a tribble thrown at him from offstage and, proffering it to the camera, says, " Oh, and Captain: you're in good hands with tribbles " (a play on the Allstate motto, "You're in good hands with Allstate.")
  • William Schallert later guest starred as Varani in DS9 : " Sanctuary ".
  • James Doohan insisted on doing his own stunts in the barroom brawl. Jay Jones only doubled for him in a few brief fight sequences.
  • This is one of the few episodes in which Doohan's missing right middle finger (lost due to injuries sustained during the invasion of Normandy in World War Two) is apparent. It can also be noticed as he carries a large bundle of tribbles to Captain Kirk, complaining that they've infested Engineering.
  • This is one of the few times in the series that Scott and Chekov have a conversation with one another. (However, in " Friday's Child ", when Scott remarks, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me," Chekov quips that the saying was invented in Russia.) Along with Kirk , they would be featured together in Star Trek Generations .
  • Paul Baxley is credited as "Ensign Freeman," but is wearing lieutenant's stripes, as pointed out in DS9 : " Trials and Tribble-ations " when Miles O'Brien mistakes Freeman for Captain Kirk and Julian Bashir questions his rank insignia.
  • William Campbell ( Koloth ) and Charlie Brill ( Arne Darvin ) both reprised their roles in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine more than 25 years later: Campbell in " Blood Oath " and Brill in " Trials and Tribble-ations ".

Production [ ]

  • Wah Chang designed the original tribbles. Hundreds were sewn together during production, using pieces of extra-long rolls of carpet. Some of them had mechanical toys placed in them so they could walk around. ( "To Boldly Go…": Season 2 , TOS Season 2 DVD special features) The original tribbles became sought-after collector's items, and quickly disappeared from the prop department. According to Gerrold, 500 tribbles were constructed for the episode and the tribble-maker, Jacqueline Cumere, was paid US$350.
  • In a 2016 interview, Christopher Doohan recalls being on set during the production of this episode: " My father would often bring my brother and I along with him to the set when the show was shooting, " Chris recalled. […] " He would park us in the shuttle craft and tell us to stay put." " Of course "staying put" is a difficult assignment for seven year-old twin boys… and one day they couldn't resist leaving the confines of the shuttle… and going where no child had gone before. As it happened, the day they chose coincided with the shooting of "The Trouble With Tribbles", one of the series' stranger – and enduringly popular – episodes… Chris and his brother, Montgomery, crept around the set, keeping away from the active shooting, until they came to three tall cabinets with doors just out of reach. " " We were curious to know what was INSIDE, " Chris recalls. " So my brother got on my shoulders and slid the cabinet open. Instantly, more than 200 tribbles came tumbling out, nearly burying us. Not only did it scare us, but we knew we would be in big trouble if Dad – or anyone else – found out. So we rushed back to the shuttle. Five minutes later Dad appeared… and praised us for being so well-behaved! " Thirty years later Chris mustered up the courage to tell his dad the real story. " And he got mad at me, " Chris said with a bemused shake of the head. " It was like it had just happened yesterday! " [2]
  • During production of the "buried in tribbles" scene, it took up to eight takes (a considerable number) to get the avalanche of tribbles to fall just right. Gerrold wrote in The Trouble with Tribbles , " If Captain Kirk looks just a little harried in that shot, it's not accidental. Having… tribbles dropped on you, eight times in one day, is NOT a happy experience. " DS9 : " Trials and Tribble-ations " later established that the continuously falling tribbles hitting Kirk were in fact thrown by Benjamin Sisko and Jadzia Dax , frantically searching for the bomb placed by the future Darvin. In reality, the tribbles kept falling out of the hatch because members of the production crew had no direct line of sight with William Shatner during the filming of the scene and could not tell when there were "enough" tribbles; a barrier in the set separated them from the storage compartment, which was filled with prop tribbles. In order to set up the avalanche scene, crew members kept throwing tribbles over the wall to ensure that the bin remained as "full" as possible; when the compartment was empty, these tribbles then fell onto Shatner's head as the crew tossed them one by one. Near the end of the scene, a perplexed Shatner – already chest-deep in tribbles – can clearly be seen turning his head toward the wall behind him, wondering when the prop men will stop. ( The Trouble with Tribbles ; "To Boldly Go…": Season 2 , TOS Season 2 DVD special features)
  • Spock's estimate of how many tribbles there are in three days, dead or alive, starting with one tribble producing a litter of ten every twelve hours is exactly correct, assuming that every tribble always has a litter of ten. Tribble reproduction is exponential, starting when one tribble makes ten. In twelve hours the total number is eleven. twelve hours later, each of the eleven tribbles produce ten, making the count 110 babies. Include the original eleven tribbles, and the total is 121. The formula for tribble reproduction is x=11 n/12 , where x is the total, and n is the number of hours. Given three days (72 hours), the final result becomes 11 6 , which equals exactly 1,771,561.
  • According to David Gerrold 's The World of Star Trek , tribble props were misplaced about the set and were being found for several months after the production of the episode.
  • William Campbell ( Koloth ) took some of the 500 tribbles home, throwing about 40 of them into a plastic bag and giving them away to neighborhood kids. ( Star Trek - A Celebration , page 215)

Effects [ ]

  • Sound effects editor Douglas Grindstaff combined altered dove coos, screech owl cries, and emptying balloons to create the tribble sounds.
  • The Enterprise miniature seen out of Lurry's window doesn't move, but if it was orbiting at the same speed the station was rotating, this would make sense.
  • The miniature is actually one of the plastic model kits that AMT was selling at the time. In the 1970s, AMT produced a model of the K-7 space station itself, complete with a tiny Enterprise . SCTV blew up a Klingon ship with phaser blasts from some of these K-7 model kits in a low-budget effects spoof of The Empire Strikes Back in 1981.
  • Footage of K-7 was recycled in " The Ultimate Computer ".
  • According to Michael and Denise Okuda's text commentary on this episode for the second season DVD set, the last fresh footage of the Enterprise was done for this episode. In every episode to follow, the shots of the ship were all stock footage. It is possible that the last of the footage of the Enterprise was filmed during this production of this episode as it is true that they did not film any shots of the Enterprise after season two. But there will be five more episodes going by production order that have previously unseen shots of the Enterprise . " Journey to Babel ", " The Gamesters of Triskelion ", " The Immunity Syndrome ", " The Ultimate Computer ", and " That Which Survives " all have new shots of the Enterprise . [3]
  • The bar set, including the bartender's costume, is recycled from " Court Martial ", with slight modifications, mostly in decoration.

Continuity [ ]

  • Star Trek returned to the events of this episode in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode " Trials and Tribble-ations " to celebrate the franchise's 30th anniversary .
  • " More Tribbles, More Troubles " is the TAS sequel to this episode.
  • Tribbles were seen in the bar scene (wherein McCoy is apprehended by "Federation security") being petted by a couple patronizing the establishment, on an adjacent table in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock .
  • Mr. Scott is glad to be confined to quarters-it would give him time to catch up on enginerring technical manuals; later in " Relics " Scott admits that he can't catch up with current technology.
  • Bantam Books published a series of novelizations called "foto-novels," in which took photographic stills from actual episodes and arranged word balloons and text over them, to create a comic book formatted story. The third installment was an adaptation of this episode.
  • The Organian Peace Treaty mentioned by Chekov in the teaser is a reference back to the first season episode " Errand of Mercy ".
  • Despite McCoy and the Enterprise crew being ignorant of tribbles, later productions indicated that they were already known to Starfleet by this time, having been used as a food source for lab animals, as pets, and even at one point being considered as a possible food source for an entire colony (" The Breach ", " The Trouble with Edward ", and Capt. Gabriel Lorca kept a tribble in his ready room aboard USS Discovery ).

Apocrypha [ ]

  • Although Kirk comments in the episode on the irony of tribbles in a grain storage bin dying of starvation, in James Blish 's novelization of the episode, Spock also remarks on the elegant symmetry of the respective misdeeds: the poisoning of the grain eliminated the tribble infestation before it exhausted the cargo, whereas the tribbles disclosed the poisoning with no loss of Human life.
  • In the Star Trek: Myriad Universes story The Chimes at Midnight , which explores the timeline from TAS : " Yesteryear ", the Enterprise 's first officer Thelin discovered Darvin's role in poisoning the quadrotriticale. Darvin remained a Federation prisoner for several months until a prisoner exchange was arranged with the Klingons.
  • In the Star Trek: Myriad Universes story " Honor in the Night ", Cyrano Jones and his tribbles were all killed by an explosion on board his vessel while it was docked at K-7 in 2267. The explosion was caused by an accidental overload in the ship's impulse drive . Consequently, Arne Darvin's sabotage of the quadrotriticale was never discovered (since there were no tribbles left alive to expose him), and the poisoned grain was shipped to Sherman's Planet, where it cost the lives of thousands of colonists. Baris assumed leadership of the remnants of the Human colonies there. He used his considerable expertise in dealing with Klingons (including Darvin, who revealed his true identity to Baris, whom Darvin had grown to respect) to deal with the situation, and eventually became President of the United Federation of Planets . While he had a long and distinguished presidential career and was fondly remembered by the citizens of the Federation (including Leonard McCoy , a lifelong friend), Baris never got over his long-standing feud with Darvin.
  • A cat version of "The Trouble with Tribbles" was featured in Jenny Parks ' 2017 book Star Trek Cats .

Reception [ ]

  • This episode was nominated for a Hugo Award in 1968 as "Best Dramatic Presentation", but lost to the version of " The City on the Edge of Forever " that was actually shown on-air.
  • In a 1985 interview, director Joseph Pevney named "The Trouble with Tribbles" as the best episode he directed. He added that they couldn't do an episode like that anymore, because the franchise has become "deadly serious" (interestingly enough, one year after the interview took place, the light-hearted, comedic Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home premiered in theaters, and in 2019 the tribbles would be featured in the comedic mini-episode " The Trouble with Edward "). [4]
  • Pevney also commented that he " Fell in love with that show. I really enjoyed doing it, and I enjoyed working with Leonard and Shatner to make them think in terms of typically farce comedy. The show was successful and I was happy about that. I was proven right that you can do a comedy if you don't kid the script, and if you don't kid Star Trek . If you stay in character, you can have wonderful fun with Star Trek , and the kinds of things you can do with it are endless – if you don't lose the whole flavor of Enterprise discipline. " ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season Two )
  • Despite the broad popularity of this episode among fans, series Co-Producer Robert H. Justman wrote in his book Inside Star Trek: The Real Story that he never liked this episode, as he felt the characters parodied themselves, and that the episode's over-the-top humor lacked believability.
  • Third season producer Fred Freiberger also disliked the show. David Gerrold recalled that when he pitched a sequel for the episode, Freiberger replied that he didn't like the original because "Star Trek is not a comedy. " Gerrold's pitch later evolved into the Animated Series episode " More Tribbles, More Troubles ". ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 97)
  • Writer Samuel A. Peeples was another individual who worked on the original series but found this episode to be problematic. " I thought that the one with the fuzzy little creatures wasn't my idea of what the show should be, " he remarked. " It was awfully cute and awfully nice, but it covered an area that I felt was unnecessary for that particular type of series. " ( The Star Trek Interview Book , p. 120)
  • Gene Roddenberry also disliked "Tribbles" and the overall tendency for more comedy-oriented episodes, which became prominent under Gene Coon 's tenure as producer, feeling that it deviated from his image of the show, opting for the much more serious approach which dominated Star Trek during his time as line producer in the first half of season 1 . As Pevney put it, " This was the first out-and-out comedy we had done on the series, and Roddenberry was not in favor of it too much. He didn't cotton the idea of making fun on this show. " Eventually these disagreements between Roddenberry and Coon became one of the major reasons why the latter left the series mid-season 2. ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season Two )
  • Roddenberry's opinion of the episode seemed to have changed over the years as he later picked it as one of his ten favorite episodes for the franchise's 25th anniversary. ( TV Guide August 31, 1991)
  • William Campbell ( Koloth ) recalled that, after this episode was aired, his neighbor's son consequently addressed his wife as "Mrs. Klingon". ( The World of Star Trek )
  • This was voted the best episode of Star Trek by viewers of Sci-Fi Channel's Star Trek 40th Anniversary Celebrations.
  • It was also voted the best episode by Empire magazine when they ranked the series #43 on their list of "The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time." [5]
  • The book Star Trek 101 (p. 18), by Terry J. Erdmann and Paula M. Block , lists this episode as one of "Ten Essential Episodes" from the original Star Trek series.
  • Having been a big fan of the original Star Trek series during her youth, Diane Warren – the songwriter who wrote Star Trek: Enterprise 's theme tune, " Where My Heart Will Take Me " – cited this installment as her favorite episode of TOS, upon being interviewed shortly after the start of Enterprise . She went on to say, " That's one of the episodes that, even after all these years has stayed in my mind. " ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 145 , p. 57)
  • Doug Jones , who avidly watched Star Trek: The Original Series as a child along with his family, also selected this as one of his favorite Star Trek episodes. " As a youngster, that was a fun episode […] I like happy endings, I like low-stakes stories myself, and so that was kinda like, 'Oh, there's the fun episode.' " [6]

Remastered information [ ]

  • "The Trouble with Tribbles" was the ninth episode of the remastered version of The Original Series to air. It premiered in syndication on the weekend of 4 November 2006 and featured significantly enhanced shots of the K-7 space station, now including the orbiting D7-class IKS Gr'oth . The Enterprise can now be seen more often from Lurry's office, moving toward the left side of the window as it orbits K-7. The remastered episode is marked by the introduction of a revised digital model of the Enterprise , allowing for more detailed and accurate shots of the ship to be created.
  • None of the special shots from the DS9 tribute episode was included in the remastered version. Furthermore, the Gr'oth 's design is different from the Greg Jein model seen in the Deep Space Nine episode. That ship is greener, with an avian pattern on it, where this version of the Klingon ship is grey and does not bear that pattern, bringing it more in line with TOS counterparts.
  • Coincidentally, the episode that aired after this was " Mirror, Mirror ". Scenes from both episodes were used in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's " Trials and Tribble-ations ".

Original version…

Production timeline [ ]

  • Treatment "The Fuzzies" by David Gerrold : February 1967
  • Story outline "A Fuzzy Thing Happened to Me": 13 June 1967
  • Revised story outline: 23 June 1967
  • Second revised story outline: 26 June 1967
  • First draft teleplay "The Trouble with Tribbles": 30 June 1967
  • Second draft teleplay: 19 July 1967
  • Revised draft by Gene L. Coon : 21 July 1967
  • Final draft teleplay by Coon: 25 July 1967
  • Revised final draft: 1 August 1967
  • Additional page revisions: 15 August 1967 , 16 August 1967 , 18 August 1967 , 21 August 1967
  • Day 1 – 22 August 1967 , Tuesday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Bridge , Sickbay
  • Day 2 – 23 August 1967 , Wednesday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Briefing room , Transporter room , Admiral Fitzpatrick's office (redress of a wall in Transporter room)
  • Day 3 – 24 August 1967 , Thursday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Recreation room (redress of Briefing room); Desilu Stage 10 : Lurry's office
  • Day 4 – 25 August 1967 , Friday – Desilu Stage 10 : Int. Lurry's office , Storage corridor
  • Day 5 – 28 August 1967 , Monday – Desilu Stage 10 : Int. Storage corridor , K-7 Bar
  • Day 6 – 29 August 1967 , Tuesday – Desilu Stage 10 : Int. K-7 Bar
  • Score recorded: 5 October 1967
  • Original airdate: 29 December 1967
  • Rerun airdate: 21 June 1968
  • First UK airdate: 1 June 1970
  • Star Trek Fotonovel #3: 1973 - ISBN 055312689X
  • The Trouble with Tribbles : The Birth, Sale and Final Production of One Episode paperback: 1973
  • The Trouble with Tribbles: The Birth, Sale and Final Production of One Episode paperback: 1976
  • The Trouble with Tribbles: The Birth, Sale and Final Production of One Episode paperback reissue: 12 April 1987 - ISBN 0345347889
  • " Trials and Tribble-ations ", incorporating "Trouble" footage: 4 November 1996
  • Remastered airdate: 4 November 2006

Video and DVD releases [ ]

  • US RCA CED Videodisc release: 1 April 1982
  • Original US Betamax release: 1986
  • US LaserDisc release: 11 October 1986
  • UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 22 , catalog number VHR 2357, 2 April 1990
  • Japan LaserDisc release: 25 March 1993
  • US VHS release: 15 April 1994
  • As part of the UK VHS Star Trek: The Original Series - Tricorder Pack collection: catalog number VHR 4373, 3 June 1996
  • UK re-release (three-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 2.5, 5 May 1997
  • UK LaserDisc release: 11 August 1997
  • As part of the US VHS Star Trek - Tribbles Gift Set : 6 October 1998
  • Original US DVD release (single-disc): Volume 21, 24 April 2001
  • As part of the TOS Season 2 DVD collection
  • As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Klingon DVD collection
  • As part of the TOS-R Season 2 DVD collection
  • As part of The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series DVD collection
  • As part of the Star Trek: The Original Series - Origins Blu-ray collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

  • William Shatner as Capt. Kirk

Also starring [ ]

  • Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock
  • DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy

Co-starring [ ]

  • William Schallert as Nilz Baris
  • William Campbell as Koloth
  • Stanley Adams as Cyrano Jones
  • Whit Bissell as Lurry

Featuring [ ]

  • James Doohan as Scott
  • Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
  • Michael Pataki as Korax
  • Ed Reimers as Admiral Fitzpatrick
  • Walter Koenig as Chekov
  • Charlie Brill as Arne Darvin
  • Paul Baxley as Ensign Freeman
  • David L. Ross as Guard
  • Guy Raymond as Trader

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

  • William Blackburn as Hadley
  • Dick Crockett as Klingon brawler 1
  • Frank da Vinci as Vinci
  • Steve Hershon as security officer
  • Roger Holloway as Roger Lemli
  • William Knight as Moody
  • Starfleet officer 1
  • Bob Miles as Klingon brawler 2
  • Bob Orrison as Klingon brawler 3
  • Eddie Paskey as Leslie
  • Gary Wright as DSK-7 officer
  • Human civilian
  • Human colonist
  • Human waitresses 1 and 2
  • Human workers 1 and 2
  • Starfleet cadets 1 and 2
  • Human DSK-7 officer 3 and 4
  • Command lieutenant 1
  • Command lieutenant 2
  • Command crew woman
  • Crew woman 1
  • Crew woman 2
  • Crew woman 3
  • Operations crewman
  • Sciences crew woman
  • Sciences lieutenant
  • Sciences lieutenant 1
  • Sciences lieutenant 2
  • Security guard 1
  • Security guard 3

Stunt doubles [ ]

  • Phil Adams as stunt double for Michael Pataki
  • Richard Antoni as Klingon (stunts; unconfirmed )
  • Jay Jones as stunt double for James Doohan
  • Jerry Summers as stunt double for Walter Koenig

References [ ]

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External links [ ]

  • "The Trouble with Tribbles" at StarTrek.com
  • " The Trouble with Tribbles " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • " The Trouble with Tribbles " at Wikipedia
  • " The Trouble with Tribbles " at the Internet Movie Database
  • " The Trouble with Tribbles " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
  • 2 Star Trek: The Next Generation
  • 3 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)

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Star Trek : Inside “The Trouble with Tribbles,” 50 Years Later

By Thomas Vinciguerra

Star Trek

When America tuned in to Star Trek on December 29, 1967, it got its first glimpse of tribbles. These small, plush alien beings, which swamped the U.S.S. Enterprise and its brave crew, were merely sewn-up pouches of synthetic fur stuffed with foam rubber. But in the fictional Trek universe, tribbles were cute, purring, alive and—because they bred so rapidly—hilarious.

Fifty years after its small-screen debut, “The Trouble with Tribbles” may be the most famous episode of any iteration of Star Trek . It was an unintentional comedy that has delighted generations of fans. Surprisingly, it irritated some of those who helped put it on screen—including Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, once dismissed it as “frivolous.”

“The Trouble with Tribbles” was the first professional sale for David Gerrold , a 23-year-old California college student. An unknown budding writer in September 1966 when he saw Star Trek ’s first episode, he almost immediately began thinking of story premises. One of them drew on his teenage experiences of raising frogs, mice, rats, and fish. “I loved animals,” recalled Gerrold, now an award-winning author of many science-fiction novels and stories, in a recent interview. “But all of those critters died on me.”

So in February 1967, he drew up a proposal for an episode he called “The Fuzzies.”

“My original conception was, ‘Aliens are always scary. What if they’re cute but we don’t realize they’re dangerous? What if you had white mice or gerbils that got onto the Enterprise and got out of control?’ ”

Gerrold envisioned a real ecological disaster. “My attitude was that it would be whimsical but that we would have a serious threat,” he said. Nowhere in his work was there to be found now-classic slapstick moments, like William Shatner’s Captain Kirk getting buried in a mountain of tribbles. Gerrold also imagined the buffoonish and chortling Cyrano Jones, the interstellar trader who introduces the beasties to the Enterprise , as a Boris Karloff type. (“You can just see him stroking it and saying, ‘Can I interest you in a harmless little tribble? . . .’ ”)

Gerrold was trying to stay true to what he called the “gravitas” of Star Trek ’s first season. One person who would probably have rather seen that gravitas stay intact was Gene Roddenberry. For all his celebrated humanism and we’re-all-alike-under-the-skin tolerance, he wanted Star Trek to be a straightforward, square-jawed action-adventure. “Gene Roddenberry had no sense of humor,” Gerrold said, “and working with him was a joyless exercise.”

Roddenberry was balanced, and sometimes thwarted, by producer Gene L. Coon, who joined Star Trek on August 8, 1966—exactly one month before the show premiered, and at a time when Roddenberry was already burning out from innumerable rewrites and production headaches. Described by associate producer Robert H. Justman as “a romantic with an obvious sense of humor,” Coon brought a welcome wink and nod to the production.

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“He knew you had to balance gravitas with lightheartedness—that you can’t save the galaxy every week,” said Gerrold. “Roddenberry never understood that.”

Star Trek

With Coon’s encouragement, Gerrold fleshed out “The Fuzzies” into a full story outline called “A Fuzzy Thing Happened to Me.” (He eventually dubbed his title creatures “tribbles” to avoid legal conflicts with H. Beam Piper’s science-fiction novel Little Fuzzy .) Star Trek story consultant Dorothy Fontana compared the outline favorably to a recent episode with distinctly bright overtones. “This story is one we should purchase,” she wrote. “[It has] the elements of fun grounded in serious problems for our principals that made ‘Shore Leave’ so well received.”

“Roddenberry did allow us to take off in lighter directions sometimes,” Fontana told Vanity Fair recently. “He just didn’t want to do an outright comedy.”

It was on the set of the otherwise grim episode “The Apple” that Gerrold realized the potential for more laughs. At one point, he saw Leonard Nimoy casually toss aside an unstable mineral sample that explodes upon hitting the ground. Gerrold picked up on Shatner’s reply: “Would you mind being careful where you throw your rocks, Mr. Spock?”

Gerrold never lost sight of his episode’s underlying drama. From the first, he had his tribbles devouring a highly important experimental grain. And he hit upon using the villainous Klingons (introduced in “Errand of Mercy,” a first-season episode written by Coon) as a central menace.

But with Coon’s encouragement, the jokes ballooned. “I never intended the episode to get that funny until we got into the development,” Gerrold said. “I realized there was the possibility of a lot more humor.”

Many jests were scripted, e.g., Kirk suggesting to Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) that he “open up a maternity ward” as the tribbles began to multiply. But many bits were improvised. When Kirk sees the Russian navigator, Mr. Chekov ( Walter Koenig ), absentmindedly stroking a tribble at his console, he peevishly snatches it away. In that same scene, the communications officer, Lieutenant Uhura ( Nichelle Nichols ), appears with a tribble peeking out of her uniform’s décolletage. At episode’s end, Kirk makes peace with the problematic pests by billing and cooing at them . . . and they respond in kind.

None of this is in Gerrold’s final-draft shooting script. Other shticks, only casually mentioned in print, were played up. In the third act, Gerrold writes that Kirk must “scoop three or four tribbles” from his command chair before he can sit down. On film, the good captain accidentally sits on one of them (it emits an indignant squeak). Gerrold also wrote that even after the tribbles in the storage compartment inundate Kirk, “more and more keep tumbling out.” In the end, the unseen property master Irving Feinberg deliberately and playfully bopped Shatner with a stray tribble or two every few seconds following the initial tumult.

Some of this nonsense, Gerrold said, was because “Tribbles” was shot immediately before a two-week Labor Day break. “I think it was just a case of ‘Let’s just party out on this one.’ ” He also credits the director, Joseph Pevney: “Dorothy Fontana said, ‘Let’s hope Joe directs, because he knows comedy.' ” (Ironically, Star Trek ’s other main director at the time was Marc Daniels, who had steered many episodes of I Love Lucy .)

Eddie Paskey , who was William Shatner’s stand-in, said that it was the star’s antic spirit that carried the day. “Bill was the one. He got into it. He realized, ‘You know what? This is fun and we’re having fun.’ ”

Star Trek

“Tribbles” was developed and shot during the summer of 1967, when Roddenberry was out of town on vacation (or writing a pilot for an aborted Robin Hood series, depending on whom you speak to). As Gerrold put it, “You could say that when Roddenberry was away, the cast could play.”

But when the so-called “Great Bird of the Galaxy” returned to the Desilu soundstages, he was appalled. “Roddenberry entered Stage 10,” said Marc Cushman , author of These Are the Voyages , a three-volume set about the making of the series, “and saw them filming the scene in which Kirk is buried in tribbles. Shatner was having a ball, and people were laughing to the point of tears. But Roddenberry wasn't laughing.” Shortly afterward, Coon—credited as the godfather of this turn toward comedy—left the show. (Coon became a producer of It Takes a Thief and, under the pseudonym Lee Cronin, wrote several third-season Star Trek episodes. He died of cancer in 1973 at the age of 49.)

Robert Justman, the associate producer, took Roddenberry’s side on “Tribbles.” “Although the concept was amusing, the story was just too cute,” he wrote in 1996. “Kirk, Spock, and the others were real people, and real people just did not behave that way; [I felt] our finely drawn characters should never parody themselves.”

And so Justman tried to shunt the show off into what he thought was a dead zone. “Tribbles” ran at 8:30 P.M. on the Friday between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, 1967.

“Justman told me how he was responsible for selecting the order in which the episodes would air on NBC,” said Cushman. “Since he wasn't fond of 'Tribbles' when it was first made, he scheduled it to air when most of the networks were showing repeats.”

On the other hand, “Tribbles” may have been the Star Trek equivalent of “a Christmas show,” as director of photography Gerald Finnerman suggested in a 2002 interview. If that was the idea, Dorothy Fontana believes it worked. “I don’t think it was dead zone time at all,” she said. “A lot of viewers were home on vacation and watching television.”

Gerrold never had any doubts. He hosted around 30 friends to watch the episode on his first color television set; one guest was his college buddy Robert Englund , later Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street series. “He said, ‘I had no idea you were such a good writer,’ ” Gerrold recalled. “And I said, ‘No one will remember this in 20 years.’ ”

He was wrong, of course. “The ratings were good, the fan letters poured in, and [Justman] and Roddenberry had to reconsider their stance on whether Star Trek should make all-out comedies,” Cushman said. “As a result, 'Tribbles' was given a network repeat.”

Five decades later, Gerrold has only a few complaints—mostly about the “whiny” tribble theme composed by Jerry Fielding, and the dappled white-and-brown fur from which most of the 500 tribbles were built. “It was godawful,” Gerrold said. “It was ugly as hell.”

“But,” he added, “it photographed well.”

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‘Star Trek’ Tribbles, explained

The 'Star Trek' universe is full of strange aliens, and Tribbles must rank as one of the weirdest species encountered by any Starfleet crew.

star trek original tribbles

Despite their soothing purr and natural fluffiness, Tribbles are one of the most dangerous alien lifeforms in the Star Trek universe. At first glance, they are adorable little creatures that seem to have a naturally soothing effect on the human nervous system. A single Tribble is a lovable pet, but bringing one aboard a ship can quickly result in a catastrophic full-scale infestation.

The Tribbles were first introduced in the classic Original Series episode “The Trouble With Tribbles,” in which a single Tribble was brought aboard the Enterprise and, within hours, had multiplied by a factor of hundreds. The resulting horde of Tribbles got into just about every system on the ship. The episode proved one of the most enduringly popular of the original series, and the Tribbles became pop cultural icons, remembered for their cuteness – even though the episode itself culminated with Kirk stood chest-deep in a pile of Tribble corpses.

The reason for their remarkable rate of reproduction is simple – each Tribble is born pregnant. Through asexual reproduction, Tribbles can reproduce with litters of ten every 12 hours… all of whom will then go on to do the same. A single Tribble could therefore have over 1.7 million descendants over the course of three days.

Tribbles are also known for their instinctual dislike of Klingons – and the feeling is very much mutual. As Worf said in Deep Space Nine : “they do nothing but consume food and breed… in a few hours you’ll have ten tribbles, then a hundred – then a thousand!”

Tribbles have popped up now and then after their debut – in Enterprise , Doctor Phlox brings one aboard (albeit in a more controlled manner than the Original Series crew did). In Deep Space Nine ’s much-loved “Trials and Tribble-ations,” Sisko and his crew are transported back through time into the events of “The Trouble With Tribbles.” They have even shown up in several recent Star Trek productions, including a cameo by a genetically-modified “attack Tribble” in Star Trek: Picard .

Star Trek: How Tribbles Became An Icon Of The Franchise

It's time to dive into the history, origins, and legacy of science fiction's most beloved furball.

One of the things Star Trek is known most for is its ever-expanding universe, fleshed out through the various additions to the franchise over the years. The franchise has created and portrayed a multitude of different planets and alien races, from the mighty, ever-changing Klingon empire to the galaxy-dominating, ever nefarious Borg . Alongside these returning species, there is a whole host of "throw-away" species, those which appear for a single episode or plot and then are never seen again. Voyager did this a lot as the crew traveled from the Delta quadrant back home ( one of the multiple reasons fans criticize the series ), but there have been some wonderfully memorable throw-away alien races. The most notable of all are perhaps the Tribbles.

The Tribbles are essentially a race of furballs, first appearing in the second season of the Original Series in the episode "The Trouble With Tribbles," and notably not humanoid . They are canonically from the planet Iota Geminorum IV, and are essentially cute little furballs that coo and purr. Despite their adorable appearance and the enamoring effect they had on the crew of the Enterprise, Tribbles are considered by Starfleet to be dangerous entities, and their transportation or exposure to Federation ships or home worlds is forbidden

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The Origin Of Tribbles

It might be easy to assume they are similar to Goose the Cat, the Flerken from Captain Marvel, a suspiciously cute creature that hides a dark secret, many teeth, and bloodlust. The Tribbles, however, are more like rabbits, specifically Australian rabbits, which, at the time of production, were breeding and running rampant in Australia. Tribbles are born pregnant, and their entire existence is dedicated to eating and reproducing. The presence of them onboard the Enterprise in The Original Series then turns from a cute abundance of furry creatures into a mosh pit of fuzzballs, as the Tribbles slowly take over every inch of space aboard the ship. They start causing unintentional nuisances, getting forced into various nooks and crannies aboard the ship, and breaking things.

Kirk and the crew eventually managed to get rid of them by transporting them aboard an enemy Klingon vessel. The Klingons and the Tribbles develop a somewhat comical relationship, each considering one another as mortal enemies. This is later discussed in Deep Space 9 , with the Tribble emitting a terrible shriek when near a Klingon. Apparently, due to both having incredible smelling abilities, they despise the scent of one another.

The Furballs' Legacy

The reason the Tribbles became such an icon for the show was pretty simple: they were just so dang adorable. The image of Kirk basically swimming in a sea of little purring fur balls not only filled the "aww" quota for many audiences, but it also became something of a meme , highlighting the wonderful silliness and camp of the Original Series. If the episode itself wasn’t enough to portray this, just imagine how much fun the cast would have had behind the scenes, especially for the one crewmember whose job it was to throw these little fuzzy basketballs at William Shatner. It kept a place in the hearts of audiences ever since, and become somewhat of a nostalgia marker for the good old days of tight-budget space faring television.

Speaking of tight budget, it’s also important to note that one other reason the Tribbles are so well-known and loved was that they were incredibly easy to not only recognize, but also to manufacture. People wanting to produce Star Trek merchandise would have no problem at all recreating a Tribble, especially when compared to producing any other alien race from the show. As a result, Tribble toys and models were, and still are, available in abundance from multiple stores across the globe, letting fans take home their own piece of the sci-fi universe.

Finally, the episode is genuinely hilarious even when watching it today. It’s easy sometimes for Star Trek to take itself too seriously, especially with the new additions such as Discovery and the current season 2 of Picard , where characters are off on imperative missions of great importance. At its heart, the original Star Trek was a deeply varied sci-fi sitcom, ranging from depressing to comedic, philosophical to crime fiction.

Star Trek's Greatest Crossover

The iconography of these creatures only increased with the production of what was potentially one of the most technically impressive episodes of Star Trek to date, "Trials and Tribble-ations" from Deep Space 9. In the episode, the crew of the space station are transported back in time and placed aboard Kirk's enterprise at the time of "The Trouble with Tribbles." They must locate a booby-trapped Tribble that was planted by a Klingon to assassinate Kirk, all while remaining undetected by the original crew.

What makes this episode so good was not only did they return to one of the most beloved episodes of Star Trek history, but they told an adjacent story that wonderfully blended into the original. It’s amazing that this was made over 20 years ago. At first, it seems like the creators just did a miraculous job at detailing the set to look like the Original Series, but it's quickly apparent that they used original footage from the episode interlaced with new DS9 footage. The two seamlessly blend together to the point where Kirk and fan-favorite war criminal Sisko even have a conversation.

The Tribble is undoubtedly an icon of the old days of Star Trek , but it’s fair to say this has a lot to do with audience nostalgia. With the Klingons and Vulcans, even Ferengi and Borg, cropping up time and time again in the newer iterations of the franchise, the Tribble is slowly losing their grip on the pedestal of Star Trek iconography. They sum up a lot of what fans used to love about the show, the sometimes ridiculous farce that showed a better future, but was still light and full of laughter. The new shows are veering away from this, slipping into the stereotype science fiction has fallen into in recent years, a darker and gloomier vision of the future . Perhaps this is why the Tribbles remain such a strong symbol for fans holding onto what the show has potentially lost: the lighthearted nature of early science fiction.

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Trials and Tribble-ations

  • Episode aired Nov 4, 1996

Walter Koenig, Colm Meaney, William Shatner, James Doohan, and Alexander Siddig in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)

Sisko tells two men from Temporal Investigations how he and his crew went back in time to when Captain James Kirk of the first Starship Enterprise exposed a Klingon spy with the help of Trib... Read all Sisko tells two men from Temporal Investigations how he and his crew went back in time to when Captain James Kirk of the first Starship Enterprise exposed a Klingon spy with the help of Tribbles. Sisko tells two men from Temporal Investigations how he and his crew went back in time to when Captain James Kirk of the first Starship Enterprise exposed a Klingon spy with the help of Tribbles.

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Did you know

  • Trivia In order to stay true to the look of the original Star Trek (1966) series, Jonathan West used 1960s style lenses and lighting techniques. He also used a 1960s film stock with a finer grain and 1960s style color saturation.
  • Goofs When O'Brien incorrectly identifies the officer in the bar with Scott and Chekov as Kirk, Bashir asks why a captain is wearing lieutenant's insignia. However, in the original "The Trouble with Tribbles" credits, the character is credited as an ensign. Incorrectly regarded as a goof: Since Bashir has previously revealed a lack of familiarity with uniform standards of the earlier era, this might well be intentional.

Doctor Bashir : [about the appearance of early Klingons] Those are Klingons?

Odo : Mister Worf?

Worf : They are Klingons, and it is a long story.

O'Brien : What happened? Some kind genetic engineering?

Doctor Bashir : A viral mutation?

Worf : We do not discuss it with outsiders.

  • Crazy credits On the DVD menu screen for this episode, the usual DS9 menu background noise of electronic humming and beeping is replaced by the chirping of Tribbles.
  • Connections Edited from Star Trek: Mirror, Mirror (1967)
  • Soundtracks Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Main Title (uncredited) Written by Dennis McCarthy Performed by Dennis McCarthy

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  • brueggemanntami
  • May 1, 2020
  • November 4, 1996 (United States)
  • United States
  • Official Site
  • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
  • Paramount Television
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro

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  • Runtime 45 minutes

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What Were Star Trek's Adorable Little Tribbles Made Of?

William Shatner looks ahead

"Star Trek: The Original Series" warped its way onto television screens beginning in 1966, but Gene Roddenberry's optimistic look at mankind's future didn't truly find its orbit until after the show was canceled following its third season on NBC. Today, an entire "Star Trek" universe flourishes, and Trekkies can't saunter through a convention without bumping into any number of cosplayers sporting Romulan, Borg, and Starfleet garb. But for all of the franchise's iconic characters like Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner), and Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), who would have thought those troublemaking Tribbles would have meant so much to fans?

The second year of "Star Trek" was, without question, the benchmark of the original series (per Rotten Tomatoes ). The first "Star Trek" entry to feature the Tribbles came in Season 2, Episode 15, "The Trouble with Tribbles." With the exception of "Mirror, Mirror," which is unquestionably one of the most influential "Star Trek" tales of any generation, "The Trouble with Tribbles" is the highest-rated entry of Season 2 (via IMDb ).

First-time writer David Gerrold introduced the Tribbles to viewers, and he went on to further explore the kindly but ravenous alien race in "Star Trek: The Animated Series" six years later. Since then, the Tribbles have shown up a handful of times, including appearances in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek Into Darkness." However, what's truly fascinating — thank you, Mr. Spock — is the way the Tribbles were fabricated for their small-screen debut.

The Tribbles were tiny stuffed pouches

Screenwriter David Gerrold's "The Trouble with Tribbles" shined a different light on extraterrestrial enemies than the Enterprise crew typically faced. "My original conception was, 'Aliens are always scary. What if they're cute, but we don't realize they're dangerous," Gerrold asked in an interview with Vanity Fair . However, creating those seemingly harmless fuzzballs was another animal altogether.

According to Vanity Fair, "[Tribbles] were merely sewn-up pouches of synthetic fur stuffed with foam rubber." Wah Ming Chang was the talented artist who designed those adorable monsters, and he also developed many of the iconic props and costumes from the show (per StarTrek.com ). In addition to the foam-filled versions of the Tribbles, special effects artist James Rugg  was tasked with bringing a select number of the fuzzy aliens to life.

Rugg retrofitted toy dogs with Tribble costuming to make some of them move about (per Hollywood Lost and Found), and he also utilized a squeeze bulb to simulate breathing. "Star Trek" star William Shatner also remembers some crew members tossing the Tribbles. "There was a guy in the [fly system] up there who [was] throwing Tribbles at me in one of the scenes," Shatner said in an interview on "The Rich Eisen Show." "I finally thought, 'Well, that's enough of that.' And then he hit me again with a Tribble, which made it funny." Shatner was right, as the Tribbles are remembered for their part in one of the funniest moments in "Star Trek" history.

Screen Rant

William shatner at 93: 10 greatest star trek moments.

On the legendary Captain James T. Kirk actor's 93rd birthday, here's a look at William Shatner's all-time greatest Star Trek moments.

  • William Shatner's Captain James T. Kirk exemplified courage, loyalty, and originality, leading to significant and memorable Star Trek moments.
  • Kirk's adaptability, quick thinking, sacrifice, and moral compass are clearly seen through iconic episodes like "Arena" and "Amok Time."
  • Shatner's nuanced portrayal of Kirk showcases the character's remarkable dedication, strategic genius, and deep bonds with the crew.

William Shatner, who plays the iconic Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series , celebrates turning 93 on March 22, 2024. The actor behind the franchise’s most famous captain, William Shatner, was born in Montreal on March 22, 1931. A classically trained Shakespearean actor, Shatner enjoyed a number of small stage, movie, and television roles before being cast as the compassionate, intrepid Captain of the USS Enterprise. Shatner’s Kirk led audiences on a five-year mission of adventure, amity, and collaboration to push the boundaries of scientific and academic accomplishment and boldly go among the stars.

Captain Kirk’s complex character exhibited courage, daring, passion, measure, loyalty, verve, and heart. Leading the cast of Star Trek: The Original Series alongside Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Kirk’s USS Enterprise command triumvirate was a significant and positive force of power, logic, and morality that – literally – saved worlds. Airing 3 seasons between 1966 and 1969, Star Trek: The Original Series showcased many significant moments and paved the way for multiple movies and subsequent Star Trek series. In celebration of William Shatner’s 93rd birthday, here’s a look at the legendary actor’s greatest Star Trek moments.

Among other franchise credits, William Shatner starred in 3 seasons of Star Trek: The Original Series , 1 season of Star Trek: The Animated Series , and 7 feature film Star Trek movies.

How To Watch All Star Trek TV Shows In Timeline Order

10 star trek: the original series, season 2, episode 20 - "a piece of the action", captain james t. kirk invents the game "fizzbin" to escape capture..

Captain Kirk and a small away team visit Sigma Iotia II, a remote planet affected by accidental cultural contamination one hundred years earlier. Assigned by Starfleet to collect the offending artifact – a book on Earth’s 1920s Chicago mobsters – the Enterprise landing party quickly learns that the planet has developed a gangster-style culture with warring families. Tossed between the opposing factions, Kirk finds himself a pawn in the deadly competitive rivalry .

Captured to extort a supply of phasers from Captain Kirk's Enterprise , Kirk demonstrates originality, creativity, and quick thinking to stage an escape. As their guards pass time with card games, Kirk subtly diverts them with Fizzbin, a card game with complex, meandering rules to bamboozle and confound . Kirk and his friends are quickly able to overcome the distracted guards and escape. Though amusing and somewhat incidental, Kirk’s Fizzbin is an excellent example of the Captain’s adaptable and innovative nature and a delightfully memorable, original, and quirky character highlight.

9 Star Trek: The Original Series, Season 2, Episode 13 - "The Trouble With Tribbles"

On space station k-7, captain kirk becomes buried in a pile of tribbles..

In this fun Star Trek classic episode, Captain Kirk faces challenges from multiple directions with the USS Enterprise assigned to aid in a diplomatic project over claim of a disputed planet. With tensions high between the Klingon and Enterprise crews attending shore leave on space station K-7 , demanding Federation bureaucrats making threats and misusing priority communications, and Tribbles multiplying at a fantastic rate across the ship and space station , Captain Kirk becomes increasingly fraught and frustrated.

William Shatner effortlessly communicates Kirk's professionalism, curiosity, gentility, and exasperation.

Realizing that the Tribbles are in the ventilation ducts, Kirk and Spock rush to protect the Federation’s quadrotriticale. When Kirk opens K-7’s access hatch, he is quickly buried in a huge heap of Tribbles – all engorged on the grain. This absurd image is simultaneously adorable and entertaining yet increasingly disturbing and revealing of Kirk’s patience, self-control, and level-headedness. William Shatner effortlessly communicates Kirk's professionalism, curiosity, gentility, and exasperation. The episode is a favorite among fans, and the image of Kirk in Tribbles is weird, warm, informative, and memorable .

8 Star Trek: The Original Series, Season 2, Episode 6 - "The Doomsday Machine"

Captain kirk risks his life to destroy the planet killer..

When Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise find a distress signal from the USS Constellation in the wake of a trail of ruined worlds, they embark on a deadly quest of sacrifice and survival. Commodore Matt Decker (William Windom), Kirk’s friend, alone on the wrecked starship, is the sole survivor of an encounter with a planet-destroying ancient doomsday device .

"The Doomsday Machine" offers an important glimpse at Kirk’s multifaceted and commendable psyche.

Decker’s foiled attempt to take the Enterprise into the machine’s maw leads to a mildly successful but self-sacrificial run with an Enterprise shuttle and prompts Kirk to make a similar attempt on a grander scale with the rigged-to-explode devastated USS Constellation. Kirk’s obvious dedication and unfaltering commitment to the safety and welfare of others in this episode reveals a courageous willingness to take great risks alongside tactical and technical acumen and a steady nerve. "The Doomsday Machine" offers an important glimpse at Kirk’s multifaceted and commendable psyche.

7 Star Trek: The Original Series, Season 1, Episode 19 - "Arena"

Captain kirk fights the gorn..

Invited to a colony on Cestus III, Captain Kirk's landing party is greeted with the revelation that the message they received had been faked and the colony destroyed. Under attack, Kirk suspects a prelude to invasion. The battle quickly moves back to the ship as the Enterprise pursues the enemy vessel at high speed into Metron space. Objecting to the conflict, the Metrons remove Kirk and the enemy captain – a Gorn – to the surface of a suitable world for them to settle their differences.

Engaged in a personal battle for survival, Kirk learns that the Gorn regarded Cestus III as their territory and were repelling invaders – that, potentially, Starfleet had been at fault. Kirk balances intellect, speed, and flexibility against the Gorn’s superior strength and stamina to triumph, ultimately refusing to meet the life-or-death terms of the engagement set by the Metrons. "Arena" is an instructive moment for Kirk, who demonstrates an openness befitting his role when confronted with the possibility of guilt and wrongdoing. It’s also an iconic, much-loved moment as Captain Kirk battles the ruthless Gorn captain .

Complete History Of The Gorn In Star Trek

6 star trek: the original series, season 1, episode 2 - "the corbomite maneuver" & season 2, episode 11 - "the deadly years", kirk saves the enterprise with a skillful bluff..

When the USS Enterprise encounters the Fesarius in “The Corbomite Maneuver,” Kirk is locked in a pattern of escalating diversions and ruses with the clock counting down to the destruction of the Enterprise. Kirk is increasingly stymied until a chance mention of chess and bluffing leads to the realization of a large-scale poker match. Feigning impatience, Kirk raises the stakes with a bluff about a defensive corbomite device installed on the ship that results in the destruction of any attacking ships and ultimately cultivates a first contact and friendly exchange scheme with the Fesarius’ commander, Balok (Clint Howard) .

In “The Deadly Years,” a rapidly aging Captain Kirk is removed from command, with Commodore Stocker (Charles Drake) taking over in his stead. Stocker quickly has the Enterprise violating the Neutral Zone and under attack. When the virus’ potential remedy “ could cure or kill ,” Kirk doesn’t hesitate to receive the first dose. Recovered, he returns to the bridge and broadcasts a bluff over a coded channel known to be broken by the Romulans, allowing for the Enterprise’s escape. These episodes highlight Kirk’s quick thinking, command experience, and dedication to the security and well-being of his crew , even in the face of emotional loss and personal suffering.

5 Star Trek: The Original Series, Season 1, Episode 24 - "Space Seed" & Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan

Captain kirk fought & defeated khan noonien singh.

Star Trek: The Original Series introduces the franchise’s greatest villain in the season 1 episode, “Space Seed.” Awoken from suspended animation, Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban) and his crew of genetically advanced augments scheme to take over the Enterprise through a campaign of influence, violence, and deliberate cunning. A later appearance in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan sees Khan acting on a personal vendetta against William Shatner’s multi-faceted Admiral Kirk.

Outmuscled and outmaneuvered, Kirk must employ originality and lateral thinking in both instances in order to defeat his greatest foe. Spanning multiple levels of emotional manipulation, control, and physical threat, the shared respect, intellectual struggle, and balance of skill between these two heavyweight characters is a thrilling and weighty ride that continues to influence the franchise’s many characters and series. A reflection of each other’s limits and vulnerabilities, Kirk and Khan are opposing characters that occupy a revealingly similar space .

4 Star Trek: The Original Series, Season 2, Episode 5 - "Amok Time"

Kirk fights spock in a battle of life and death..

When Spock enters pon farr (the Vulcan time of mating), and Kirk is selected as the opposing champion for Kal-if-fee (challenge) , the two close friends and crewmates must fight each other in ritual combat. Desperate to save his friend, driven crazed by blood fever, and awed by the presence of T’Pau (Celia Lovsky) – whom Kirk considered to be “ all of Vulcan in one package ,” Kirk is hindered by a different atmosphere, superior Vulcan strength, and limited understanding of (secretive) Vulcan customs.

With Star Trek ’s two most iconic figures pitted against each other in a battle for survival, this episode – and fight scene – marks a significant moment for Captain James T. Kirk, carefully navigating a sensitive cultural ritual and now facing a personal no-win scenario. As Kirk struggles between the choice of killing Spock or being killed by Spock, it’s Dr. McCoy who ultimately saves both parties. Kirk’s willingness to defy orders and accept risk and sacrifice is again showcased here, alongside an exploration of Vulcan culture, friendship, and morality.

3 Star Trek: The Original Series, Season X, Episode X - "Balance of Terror"

Captain kirk faces off against a formidable romulan enemy..

A mysterious, unidentified vessel attacks multiple Starfleet outposts along the Neutral Zone. The attacker is soon identified as a Romulan ship capable of cloaking, and Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise embark on a deadly battle of nerve and tactical mastery . Identified as one of Star Trek: The Original Series and Captain Kirk's best episodes , “Balance of Terror” showcases Kirk’s ingenuity and strategic genius to great effect.

William Shatner’s performance as Kirk is skillful and measured here, allowing for an unusual insight into the character’s thinking processes, morality, and tactical genius. At all times, he’s considered, sensitive, responsible, commanding, and capable. Offering a unique perspective on the progression between Human and Romulan relations and a valuable understanding of Captain Kirk’s balance of instinct, analysis, and control, this episode absolutely deserves mention among his greatest moments.

Everything Pike Changed From TOS' "Balance Of Terror" In Strange New Worlds

2 star trek: the original series, season 1, episode 28 - "city on the edge of forever", back in time to save dr. mccoy, captain kirk embarks on a tragic love story..

When Dr. McCoy accidentally injects himself with a large dose of cordrazine, he becomes hysterical and inadvertently alters the timeline when he jumps through the Guardian of Forever and loses himself in the past. To save their friend and recover their timeline, Kirk and Spock follow McCoy on an unusual journey to America’s Depression. Kirk meets and falls in love with the community-minded and visionary Edith Keeler (Joan Collins) , Captain Kirk's best known love interest , but the fate of everything pivots on her unfortunate demise.

Alongside impressive performances from the whole cast, William Shatner convincingly communicates the tender, heartfelt romance and savagery of the choice he is ultimately forced to endure . Considered one of Star Trek ’s all-time best episodes for good reason, this deep and resonating story expertly weaves a multi-layered, thought-provoking, and tragic tale of friendship, selflessness, sacrifice, and love.

1 Star Trek III: The Search For Spock

Kirk steals the uss enterprise..

Star Trek III: The Search For Spock sees Kirk returning to the now off-limits Genesis Planet to save both of his closest friends. Directed by Leonard Nimoy, this emotionally courageous and thrilling movie follows a wayward Admiral Kirk and the Enterprise command crew sacrificing everything they have for the sake of friendship and family. Kirk disobeys direct orders and commits multiple crimes , engineering the theft of the USS Enterprise and setting a course for Spock.

Star Trek III is raw, dramatic, and emotionally intense, with Star Trek ’s iconic heroes giving up everything to save their friends. Kirk’s close bond with Spock and the ailing Dr. McCoy sets the stakes as incredibly personal and of the utmost importance, later intimately compounded by the murder of Kirk’s son David Marcus (Merritt Butrick) and the destruction of the USS Enterprise on Kirk’s command – an unthinkable act in any other circumstance. This movie vitally enhances Kirk’s established character , his raw emotions conflicting with the morality of his Starfleet vow, originating a later uncharacteristic resentment against the Klingons and fracturing a carefully cultivated façade.

Stretched to his limits, Kirk’s many sacrifices are borne of desperation and attachment – contrasting a lifetime of sacrificial moments stemming from responsibility and inner strength. Over the course of Kirk’s multi-decade adventures, many moments of significance and valor demonstrate the character’s deepest motives, fond charm, and giant heart. Shatner’s excellent and nuanced portrayal of Star Trek ’s most famous captain cements a legacy of exceptional standout moments. Happy Birthday, William Shatner!

Star Trek: The Original Series is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek movies I-X are available to stream on Max.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew - Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) - with his life. Facing previously undiscovered life forms and civilizations and representing humanity among the stars on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise regularly comes up against impossible odds and diplomatic dilemmas.

How A '50s Western Series Laid The Groundwork For Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" isn't quite like any other "Star Trek" show, and when it debuted in 1993, it was quite the departure from both the original series and "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Instead of following intrepid explorers on starships trekking across the galaxy, "Deep Space Nine" followed the stories of the people who lived on board the space station Deep Space Nine (DS9) — civilians, Bajoran militia, and Starfleet officers alike. Showrunner Rick Berman was in charge of taking the "Star Trek" universe in a new direction following the success of "The Next Generation," but he ended up looking to a rather old television series for inspiration.

In an interview with StarTrek.com , Berman explained the inspiration behind "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and revealed that he and writer/producer Michael Piller got their biggest idea from a classic 1950s Western. That's pretty great given the fact that "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry pitched the original series as the '50s Western series "'Wagon Train' in space," making at least two "Trek" shows directly derived from mid-century Westerns. While there might not seem like there's a lot of overlap between science-fiction and Westerns, they both have the frontier, lawless territories rife with danger, and the great unknown. The two "Star Trek" shows just dealt with those themes a little differently, in part because they were inspired by rather different shows.

Looking to The Rifleman

Berman explained that it was very important for him and his fellow creatives to do something different with "Deep Space Nine" because "The Next Generation" followed so closely in the footsteps of the original series and they knew they "didn't want to send another crew out on a spaceship at the same time the 'TNG' crew was out on the Enterprise." So when the head of the studio at the time, Brandon Tartikoff, suggested a series inspired by the Western "The Rifleman," it sparked something for Berman and Piller:

"It's a father and a son out doing good deeds on the prairie. This was an era when television executives loved to say, 'Let's do 'The Partridge Family' meets 'Father Knows Best.” Roddenberry evidently had talked about ”'Wagon Train' in space' 20 years before and 'DS9' was ”The Rifleman' in space.' I think what [Piller] and I ended up pulling from that was the idea of a father and a son, and we chose to do the story of a man who had recently lost his wife, who was very bitter, and was sent to a very distant space station that was not a Federation facility. As a result, we could have a lot of non-Starfleet people."

This idea led to arguably the greatest "Star Trek" series of them all  and forced the crew into situations unlike those on any other show in the franchise. The station's captain, Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), was forged in fire and became  the best "Star Trek" captain as a result. Berman and Piller were also right on the money with their "father and son" concept because the relationship between Ben and his son Jake (Cirroc Lofton) is not only one of the best in all of "Star Trek," but all of television.

Father and son on the frontier

"The Rifleman" followed rancher Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) and his son Mark (Johnny Crawford) as they tried to do right by the world even though things were rough on the frontier just after the Civil War. Like Lucas, Ben has only somewhat recently lost his wife as the result of war and sets out to try and do some good at the extremely distant outpost of DS9. The relationship between Ben and Jake is one of the strongest emotional cores in the series because they are so dynamic and real while also being incredibly inspirational. "Star Trek" has a somewhat rocky history when it comes to child characters on various shows, with some fans who really loathed Wil Wheaton's Wesley Crusher on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," but thankfully they course-corrected a bit with Jake. Sure, he's occasionally annoying and frustrating, but that's his job! He's a teenager!

Eventually Jake became a fully-fledged member of the cast who had major arcs and growth, experiencing the horrors of war both as the son of a pseudo-military commander and as a budding journalist. He also provided a much-needed counter to Starfleet propaganda and had some truly incredible episodes (including one where an older version of him was played by Tony Todd). Maybe one day we'll get a "Deep Space Nine" reunion the same as the one we got on season 3 of "Picard" and we can see what's become of Jake since his dad ascended to wormhole godhood in the series finale. A nerd can dream.

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Published Oct 29, 2019

Meet the Black Tribbles

These podcasters out of Philly have plenty to say on Star Trek, pop culture, and, of course, Tribbles.

Star Trek - The Black Tribbles

StarTrek.com

Streaming live every Thursday night from 9-11pm, from their starbase WPPM 106.5 FM/PhillyCam.org, with over 400 episodes focusing on geek culture, covering your favorite pop culture comics, cartoons, movies, and tv shows through the very distinctive lens of people of color, this group of superfans are known as The Black Tribbles. Their award-winning podcast/radio show out of Philadelphia is led by podcast super-producer Len Webb (The Bat Tribble), and consists of nerd experts/hosts, Kennedy Allen (Storm Tribble), Erik Darden (Master Tribble), Randy Green (SuperTribble), Ariell Johnson (the Uncanny Tribble), and Isaiah Luck (Super Saiyan Tribble.)

I first became aware of the Tribbles at Star Trek 50 , the 50th anniversary convention in New York City. We were on Attack of the Khan, a two day competition panel, that had teams battling to figure out which of the Star Trek shows were the best. In the spirit of competition, I went to scope out the Tribbles on their two other panels to give me an insight to my opponents.

Star Trek 50 - The Black Tribbles

The Black Tribble

Their first panel was Star Trek into Blackness , a showcase of Trek ’s Black characters, followed by a meta-conversation with David Gerrold, writer of “The Trouble with Tribbles.” Their ever-growing fan base The Tribble Nation lets fans interact with them at cons or online by choosing a designation based on their personal geek passion, and folks do have fun with it. Trek luminary Nichelle Nichols went with ‘Queen Tribble,’ while Deep Space Nine guest star (“The Visitor”) Tony Todd chose ‘Shaka Zulu Tribble.’ Other celebrities have gotten in on the fun as well, like Erika Alexander (Desert Rose Tribble), Simone Missick (Diary of a Mad Black Tribble), Carl Lumbly (J'onzz Tribble), and astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson (Multiverse Tribble.)

At the forefront of highlighting independent creatives, diverse geeky events, and promoting positivity in the culture with movements like their #misogyNO campaign; “Misogyny has no color. Misogyny has no gender. Misogyny has no place in our culture.” Their show is a platform for the best that fandom culture has to offer.

The Tribbles were gracious enough to speak with StarTrek.com before one of their Thursday night broadcasts.

Star Trek: The Original Series - Black Tribbles

The Black Tribbles

StarTrek.com: Who’s idea was this “enterprise?” You’re all well versed in all aspects of nerdom, so you could have been the Black Avengers, for instance. Why Trek?

Len Webb: It was really just trying to come up with something that, like our tagline says we didn't want to be Geeks because we're cooler than, and we're not necessarily too chic to be nerds because we’re very good looking.

Kennedy Allen: And modest.

LW: It was just a matter of trying to come up with something that would say we definitely identify as geeks and nerds without saying that. When I started thinking about all the different aspects of geekdom I started thinking about Tribbles and how the silhouette kind of loosely looks like a nappy head [of hair], which kind of gives you an idea of Blackness. When I dug even deeper into “The Trouble With Tribbles” and found out that there were no black colored Tribbles at all, it just wrote itself. That's where the Tribbles were born.

Len Webb

From my understanding, you have a special agreement with the Star Trek folks to use Tribbles. How hard was that?

KA: Not as difficult as you would think. Back in 2016 Star Trek hired us to interview David Gerrold for the 50th anniversary convention in New York. When we did our panel, Star Trek into Blackness , and packed the house, and they appreciated that! But they did come up to us afterward and were like, “About that name and trademark, we need to talk.” Because they’d done their research, invited us to interview David, and saw what kind of content we produce plus the kind of crowds we pack, there was professional respect that enabled that conversation to be considerably less painful than I’d imagined.

What was the thought behind having Tribble designations?

LW: That was really to recognize our geekiness. We had a show where people were calling in to tell us what their superpower would be and what their Tribble name would be. A couple of shows later Master Tribble, Eric, came in and was like “We’ve got to make this official.” We had the author Elizabeth Wilson come to the show to promote her book, but first she wanted to join the Nation, she had her name (Decoder Tribble) and came in with this whole salute that she worked out. It's hardcore, it's official, it's love.

The Black Tribbles

Erik, we got the origin of the designations, but the oath is a special touch, talk to me about that genesis?

Erik Darden: I was up late one night writing, Tribble things were on my mind and it just came out. The original thing I wrote was a lot longer, and the oath is the last stanza of that. I shared what I wrote at four in the morning with them, because I have no boundaries. They liked it, and it just kind of took off from there.

“I’m a Tribble furry; I’m a Tribble true. From the way I roll to the way I coo.” — The Tribble Oath of Allegiance

Ariel and Isaiah, you two weren't part of the starting squad. As new members, what was your path to joining the crew?

Isaiah Luck: It all started off as an internship. They were looking for a social media and marketing intern, and I answered the call. At the time I was trying to get a foothold in the geek community in Philadelphia. I wanted to be part of a group who honestly were people of color and who were really geeky, but intelligent about what they were talking about. From there I grew more hands-on, into where I'm now a producer for the show. I love every moment of it.

Eric Darden

Ariell Johnson: My story started when I was promoting my future comic shop Amalgam , here in Philadelphia. I reached out to the Tribbles when I was working on my business plan, funding, and finding a space. I wanted to start promoting it in nerd circles, but specifically the Black women nerd circles. I reached out to them and was a guest on the show. The friendship and camaraderie grew from there. One day they were just around; I had everybody's number in my phone and that was that. It was weird because it was very organic in how it all happened.

The Black Tribbles

Which is your favorite show and character?

Randy Green: Deep Space Nine is definitely my favorite. I'm a Ben Sisko guy, being a single dad. Seeing Avery Brooks have these amazing, very cool moments like punching Q in the face is one of the best things I've ever seen on television. And in a time supposedly where race isn't a thing, he was very much a Black man in space. For me, the idea that not only is this Black dude running things, but he is very, very , Black, and I loved it. Ben Sisko, just as a guy was very much That Dude for me.

LW: I do like Star Trek: Discovery, but If I'm going to say favorite It would have to be Deep Space Nine . Never mind its rich storytelling or that it's the one that features a Black lead, a single loving father out there in the future; this is the one that introduced prestige television and serial storytelling to a lot of dramas. It’s the only show in my entire life that I spent a year getting up at 3:30 am for when I didn’t have to, so I could watch it rerunning here in Philadelphia. I would never ever make that commitment to anything else except DS9.

My favorite character in Star Trek lore is probably Picard. I just appreciate the nobility that Patrick Stewart brought to that role.

The Black Tribbles

KA: It's a hard one for me because The Next Generation was the one I found on my own, TOS was the one that was fed to me in the crib, and Janeway is my favorite Captain. But I would just say — on sheer principle, on top of everything Len said, and as a Space Wakandan — I’ve got to rep for DS9. Worf is my favorite; with all the trials and tribulations — no pun intended — he went through it’s some of the best storytelling in modern television. You don’t see characters that nuanced, especially when depicted through the lens of Blackness. I rep for every Black character. Give me the cosmic African Diaspora.

ED : I would say my favorite would be TNG, that's definitely where I came in with Trek . And if I had to pick somebody, I was always a fan of Geordi. I remember rooting for Geordi a lot; he didn't get any play, but Geordi got the job done!

AJ : If I have to pick it would have to be The Next Generation. For me, it’s the memory that I associate with my mom who passed away when I was 28. She was really into TNG, so I had seen it — not in the sense that I remember every episode, but I remember watching it because I was watching it with her. My favorite character is Captain Picard.

Finally, how has Star Trek impacted your lives?

ED: The biggest way Star Trek has improved my life is by stretching my imagination. I was always a fan of space, science, and technology like holodecks, transporters — even their tablet computers which became a real thing — those kinds of things stretch my imagination.

Iisaiah Luck

KA: Being introduced to Trek at such an early age gave me a different perspective on the human experience. I always saw myself working in some capacity in media because there was always a representation of Blackness in Trek . Not only that, but a lot of the ideals that were presented in the show — in terms of Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination, in terms of being respectful of other people's ways of life — have helped me be more respectful of people, especially people I don't agree with.

LW: Trek has given me two of the most significant things that has ever happened to me. One was actually being able to speak one-on-one with Nichelle Nichols; that was still the biggest thing that's ever happened to me. And, of course, Trek provided the inspiration for the Tribbles, and that has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever been a part of. This group has given me joy, professional accolades, and truly deep meaningful long-lasting friendships; and that’s all thanks to Trek . I wouldn’t be sitting here with some of my best friends in the world if it wasn't for our mutual love of Star Trek .

Go to BlackTribbles.com keep up with their nerdy shenanigans.

George Carmona III (he/him), aka A Fist Full of Tribble, is a writer/artist who lives in New York City, has been a character in four Star Trek novels and would still be single if not for Trek. Follow him on Twitter @gcarmona3.

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On  Star Trek,  a TV series that aired in the late 1960s, more than 400 crew members explored the galaxy aboard the USS  Enterprise,  which had a length of 947 feet and weighed 190,000 tons. In actuality, the starship was an 11-foot-long model made of poplar wood and vacu-formed plastic.

Star Trek Enterprise

Star Trek Starship Enterprise studio model used in filming the original 1960s television series.

Film of the model appeared in all 79 episode of the original series (broadcast from 1966–69), and the model was donated to the National Air and Space Museum by Paramount Studios in 1947.  Forty years later, the Museum undertook a two-year project to restore the  Enterprise  to how it looked during the filming of the 1967 episode "The Trouble with Tribbles"—the last known modification of the ship during the show's production. Today the Enterprise is displayed in the National Mall Building. 

A close up image that shows rectangular shapes on the bottom of an arm that extends from the starship.

The conservation team relied on original images to identify the type of electric  plugs that needed to be replaced for the warp drive nacelles. The plugs were an outdated design, but, fortunately, restoration specialist Larry Berger found examples among his supply of old electrical parts. 

A picture of the left narcelle, a rod separate from the central disk of the spaceship. It is illuminated by interior lights.

The original model has a mechanism that utilized mirrors, motors, and Christmas lights to create a spinning effect inside the nacelle domes. The restored version uses LED bulbs, which last longer and illuminate at cooler temperatures. 

NCC-17 can be seen in black block letters on the bottom of the starship's disk.

Careful scrutiny revealed that, due to a drafting error, the "N" on the original production model was slightly asymmetrical. An even closer look revealed that some of the "N" decals had been applied upside-down. These errors were reproduced to ensure the  Enterprise  model appeared as it did on TV. 

The very top of the central disk of the starship Enterprise, with grey paint.

The top of the saucer was the only area that still had the original gray paint. New paint precisely matching this color was then applied to the rest of the model. 

A bronze colored dish and a point emerging from the center.

The starship's deflector dish had broken off and vanished sometime before 1973. The original spike had been made from wood, but the spike for the restored model was made from aluminum. 

A black grip is barely visible on the bottom of the starship Enterprise.

During filming, the model balanced on a single-point stand attached to a geared head made to hold heavy cameras—insufficient support for such a large model. Today, the model rests upon two stanchions built by Museum staff. 

Learn more about this artifact on the  Star Trek  starship Enterprise  Studio Model Conservation page . 

The cover of Air & Space Quarterly Magazine's Spring edition advertises the main story "Up, Up, and Away" with the description "In New Mexico, thoughts gather for the largest hot air balloon event in the world." Behind the text, two multi-colored hot air balloons are inflated and poised for launch against a twilight blue sky. Thousands of spectators are visible on the ground. Four other balloons have already ascended, appearing as dark spheres high above the scene.

This article is from the Spring 2024 issue of  Air & Space Quarterly , the National Air and Space Museum's signature magazine that explores topics in aviation and space, from the earliest moments of flight to today.  Explore the full issue.

Want to receive ad-free hard-copies of  Air & Space Quarterly ?  Join the Museum's National Air and Space Society to subscribe.

We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations.  With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the world’s most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration.

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'Star Trek's' Paul Wesley Strongly Clarifies Recent 'Vampire Diaries' Comments, Explains Why He's...

Posted: March 23, 2024 | Last updated: March 23, 2024

Actor Paul Wesley is crushing it as James T. Kirk in "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," but even so, there's a community of fantasy fans out there still holding out hope to see him return to his former franchise. Those hopes were dashed recently when Wesley went viral explaining why he wouldn't return to "The Vampire Diaries," noting that eight years on a show was long. CinemaBlend wondered if that same mindset translated to playing Kirk in "Trek" and got a passionate response from the actor about the differences between the two. We had a chance to speak to Paul Wesley recently, and during our conversation, we brought up the fact that many "Trek" actors have reprised their roles throughout their lifetimes. As the heir apparent to playing James T. Kirk from this point on, we noted he could be called on to play him in other projects and questioned if he was up for that, given the comments he made about never returning to "The Vampire Diaries." Wesley enthusiastically set the record straight on his original comments, with a bit of key context that better explained his response.

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COMMENTS

  1. "Star Trek" The Trouble with Tribbles (TV Episode 1967)

    The Trouble with Tribbles: Directed by Joseph Pevney. With William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, William Schallert. To protect a space station with a vital grain shipment, Kirk must deal with Federation bureaucrats, a Klingon battle cruiser and a peddler who sells furry, purring, hungry little creatures as pets.

  2. Tribble

    Tribble. Tribbles are a fictional alien species in the Star Trek universe. They were conceived by screenwriter David Gerrold and first appeared in 1967, in the fifteenth episode of the second season of Star Trek: The Original Series, titled "The Trouble with Tribbles". They are depicted as a small, furry, gentle, cute and slow-moving, but ...

  3. The Trouble with Tribbles

    "The Trouble with Tribbles" is the fifteenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by David Gerrold and directed by Joseph Pevney, it was first broadcast on December 29, 1967.In this comic episode, the starship Enterprise visits a space station that soon becomes overwhelmed by rapidly reproducing small furry creatures called "tribbles."

  4. Tribble

    Background information []. The homeworld and original scientific name (polygeminus grex) for the tribbles appeared on the chart in Keiko O'Brien's classroom on Deep Space 9.The chart artwork, contributed by DS9 art department illustrator Doug Drexler, are the same component illustrations he had originally prepared for the fan-published Star Fleet Medical Reference Manual in 1976, then ...

  5. The Trouble with Tribbles (episode)

    Remastered information. "The Trouble with Tribbles" was the ninth episode of the remastered version of The Original Series to air. It premiered in syndication on the weekend of 4 November 2006 and featured significantly enhanced shots of the K-7 space station, now including the orbiting D7-class IKS Gr'oth.

  6. Star Trek Finally Gave A Classic TOS Alien An Origin Story

    The Tribbles made their first appearance in the much loved Star Trek: The Original Series episode, "The Trouble With Tribbles." The Original Series played a bit looser with genre and tone than most iterations of Star Trek that followed, and "The Trouble With Tribbles" is arguably the most overtly comedic episode in the franchise's history. The image of Tribbles raining down on a bemused ...

  7. "Star Trek" The Trouble with Tribbles (TV Episode 1967)

    "Star Trek" The Trouble with Tribbles (TV Episode 1967) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Menu. ... Star Trek: best of The Original Series a list of 24 titles created 15 Jan 2022 Green Me Up, Scotty: A Saint Paddy's Day Celebration of Star Trek TV ...

  8. Star Trek: Inside "The Trouble with Tribbles," 50 Years Later

    When America tuned in to Star Trek on December 29, 1967, it got its first glimpse of tribbles. These small, plush alien beings, which swamped the U.S.S. Enterprise and its brave crew, were merely ...

  9. Celebrating 52 Years of "The Trouble with Tribbles"

    Story Premise. "The Trouble With Tribbles" started as a premise called "The Fuzzies," one of five that Gerrold submitted to Star Trek in February, 1967. As the title implies, Tribbles were initially named fuzzies, and the plot elements in the story were somewhat different from those that ended up in "The Trouble With Tribbles.".

  10. Star Trek's Fuzzy And Adorable Menaces, The Tribbles, Explained

    To help celebrate Star Trek's 30th anniversary, DS9's episode "Trials and Tribble-ations" brought Captain Sisko and a disguised Jones back to the past, where Jones tried to blow Captain Kirk up by attaching a bomb to a tribble. Sisko and his crew foiled this plot, but the tribbles ended up making the trip into the 24th century, which is ...

  11. Star Trek: The Original Series

    In this clip from the classic "Trouble with Tribbles," Kirk makes some new friends. From the Star Trek: The Original Series - Origins Blu-ray!

  12. Star Trek History

    On this day in 1967, the TOS episode premiered. On this day in Star Trek history, the Star Trek: The Original Series episode, "The Trouble with Tribbles" premiered. Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  13. 'Star Trek' Tribbles, Explained

    The 'Star Trek' universe is full of strange aliens, and Tribbles must rank as one of the weirdest species encountered by any Starfleet crew. Matthew Doherty May 19, 2023 2:06 pm 2023-05-19T14:06: ...

  14. Star Trek: How Tribbles Became An Icon Of The Franchise

    The Tribble is undoubtedly an icon of the old days of Star Trek, but it's fair to say this has a lot to do with audience nostalgia. With the Klingons and Vulcans, even Ferengi and Borg, cropping ...

  15. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" Trials and Tribble-ations (TV ...

    Trials and Tribble-ations: Directed by Jonathan West. With Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Michael Dorn, Terry Farrell. Sisko tells two men from Temporal Investigations how he and his crew went back in time to when Captain James Kirk of the first Starship Enterprise exposed a Klingon spy with the help of Tribbles.

  16. What Were Star Trek's Adorable Little Tribbles Made Of?

    The second year of "Star Trek" was, without question, the benchmark of the original series (per Rotten Tomatoes).The first "Star Trek" entry to feature the Tribbles came in Season 2, Episode 15 ...

  17. One Trek Mind #55: No Trouble With Tribbles

    This week marks the 45th anniversary of the Tribbles' first appearance, so if you take one Tribble, multiplying with an average litter of 10, producing a new generation every 12 hours over a period of three days… that's a lot of trouble!When we did "One Trek Mind Live" at the Creation Entertainment Official Star Trek Convention in Las ...

  18. Star Trek: Discovery's Tribble Easter Egg Explained

    The fan favorite season 2 episode of Star Trek: The Original Series titled "The Trouble With Tribbles" introduced the creatures to Trek lore - though for the sake of continuity, they also appeared over a century before in the medical bay of Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley) in a second season episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.When Captain Kirk's Enterprise was assigned to guard a vital shipment of ...

  19. The Trouble with Tribbles

    "The Trouble with Tribbles" is the fifteenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by David Gerrold and directed by Joseph Pevney, it was first broadcast on December 29, 1967. In this comic episode, the starship Enterprise visits a space station that soon becomes overwhelmed by rapidly reproducing small furry creatures called "tribbles."

  20. Trials and Tribble-ations

    Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (season 5) List of episodes. " Trials and Tribble-ations " is the 104th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the sixth episode of the fifth season. It was written as a tribute to the original series of Star Trek, in the year of that show's 30th anniversary; sister ...

  21. William Shatner At 93: 10 Greatest Star Trek Moments

    Airing 3 seasons between 1966 and 1969, Star Trek: The Original Series showcased many significant moments and paved the way for multiple movies and ... professionalism, curiosity, gentility, and exasperation. The episode is a favorite among fans, and the image of Kirk in Tribbles is weird, warm, informative, and memorable. 8 Star Trek: The ...

  22. Star Trek: DS9 Had More TOS Tribbles Crossovers Than You Think

    Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's acclaimed crossover with Star Trek: The Original Series, but it was far from the first time that DS9 crossed over with the classic TOS episode "The Trouble with Tribbles".

  23. 12 best Star Trek episodes in the franchise of all time

    From Star Trek: The Original Series to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, ... served with a side of humor and a ton of tribbles. 7. "Mirror, Mirror" (Star Trek: The Original Series)

  24. Star Trek's Best Original Series Episode Was Also One Of The ...

    W hat's the best "Star Trek" episode? Of the 79 produced in "The Original Series," the most highly-regarded is often season 1, episode 28, "The City on the Edge of Forever." We at /Film named it ...

  25. How A '50s Western Series Laid The Groundwork For Star Trek ...

    "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" isn't quite like any other "Star Trek" show, and when it debuted in 1993, it was quite the departure from both the original series and "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

  26. Meet the Black Tribbles

    Their first panel was Star Trek into Blackness, a showcase of Trek's Black characters, followed by a meta-conversation with David Gerrold, writer of "The Trouble with Tribbles."Their ever-growing fan base The Tribble Nation lets fans interact with them at cons or online by choosing a designation based on their personal geek passion, and folks do have fun with it.

  27. To Boldly Restore the USS Enterprise Studio Model

    Take a closer looks at details on the Star Trek starship Enterprise studio model from the original series, and learn more about the conservation process. ... two-year project to restore the Enterprise to how it looked during the filming of the 1967 episode "The Trouble with Tribbles"—the last known modification of the ship during the show's ...

  28. 'Star Trek's' Paul Wesley Strongly Clarifies Recent 'Vampire ...

    Actor Paul Wesley is crushing it as James T. Kirk in "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," but even so, there's a community of fantasy fans out there still holding out hope to see him return to his ...