S2.E15

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The Trouble with Tribbles

Episode aired Dec 29, 1967
TV-PGTV-PG
50m

IMDb RATING

8.8/10

4.5K

YOUR RATING

Action Adventure Sci-Fi

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 a... Read allTo 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.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.

IMDb RATING

8.8/10

4.5K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Joseph Pevney
Writers
- Gene Roddenberry
- David Gerrold
Stars

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Photos46

Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, and Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek (1966)

Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, Paul Baxley, and Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek (1966)

William Campbell and Michael Pataki in Star Trek (1966)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The scene in which Kirk is buried in an avalanche of tribbles took eight takes to get right. The tribbles were thrown into the hatch by members of the production crew. The crew members were not sure when to stop because they were unable to see the scene. This is why additional tribbles keep falling on Kirk one by one. William Shatner can be seen looking perplexed as to why more tribbles keep falling on him.

Goofs
Bones describes the Tribbles as bisexual when he means parthenogenic. However, he could have meant the Tribbles possess both male and female sex organs, as "bisexual" was once another term for hermaphroditism.

Quotes
Spock: [while holding a tribble] Most curious creature, Captain. Its trilling seems to have a tranquilizing effect on the human nervous system.
Spock: [beginning to pet it gently] Fortunately, of course, I am... immune to it's effect...
[realizing what he is doing, he quickly puts the tribble down and excuses himself]

Alternate versions
Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song

Connections
Edited from TrekCulture: 10 Greatest Final Lines In Star Trek Episodes (2022)

Soundtracks
Theme
Music credited to Alexander Courage
Sung by Loulie Jean Norman

User reviews33

Review

Featured review

A fine example of

A bit of a comic relief episode, this is a fine example of the character interplay that makes TOS successful. It's also shows the rich Star Trek universe, with space stations, political characters, space traders, alien enemies, and unusual and desirable (to a point) space creatures. The tribbles themselves are an interesting alien life form, at first glance bewildering to Dr. McCoy, of little practical use to Mr. Spock, threatening to the Klingons, and with an inexplicable life cycle. The episode looks forward to the future of the subsequent series (TNG/DS9/Voyager) in emphasizing political influence and intrigue over the typical episodic phaser displays and bravado, the bar fight excepted. As such it became a great foil for DS9's time-traveling return to K7, and to a lesser degree the animated series' "More Trouble with Tribbles." Silly or no, it's classic trek, and a very enjoyable episode.

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