The Trouble with Tribbles

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

8.8/10

S2.E15

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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.

8.8/10

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

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

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

William Campbell and Michael Pataki in Star Trek (1966)

Stanley Adams, Nichelle Nichols, and Guy Raymond in Star Trek (1966)

Having received a Priority One distress call from an outlying space station, the Enterprise arrives to find they have been summoned there by a Federation commissioner merely to protect a shipment of seeds meant to sow wheat on Sherman's planet. The planet is also coveted by the Klingons, who are taking shore leave at the station. The trouble arises with tribbles - small furry creatures that seem to multiply without end. However, their fortuitous presence reveals both a problem with the wheat and a traitor on the space station. —garykmcd

furry creature year 2268 2260s 23rd century koloth character 95 more

Trivia
To create the one tribble moving on its own, the prop supervisor bought a battery powered toy dog and stripped it down to the mechanical works. Once recovered with fur including the toy legs, the prop moved on camera along the railing on the Enterprise bridge without wires or external assistance. The toy was so noisy all the dialogue in the scene had to be looped with ADR (re-recorded after shooting).

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 into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Trials And Tribble-ations (1996)

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

Top 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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