Welcome back to overrated Trek, where I take a special look at Star Trek episodes that I hate…which may be popular or even loved by most. This has been a long time coming as I wanted to do this for awhile. Today let’s talk about an “classic” episode that is just plain lame. This is :
So is this episode really the classic that people claim? I mean it does focus on the critical issue of protecting grain shipments. I mean What’s… quadro-triticale? I think it’s wheat, so what? Let’s see:
Plot Synopsis:
The Enterprise is en route to Station K-7 when a distress calls makes them get there, faster I guess. Once there they are surprised to learn they have to guard some grain. And what were they going there in the first place for again?
At the bar on the station Uhura meets Cryano Jones, who sells tribbles. Little hair balls that instantly multiply. Making trying to sell them kinda hard I’d think. Uhura brings them onto the Enterprise where they start spreading, just as the Klingons arrive. But they don’t attack, because who needs action am I right?
Kirk allows the Klingons on to the station until a bar fight ends that. As usual right? But when Kirk realizes that tribbles were caught in their air ducts,and the station has similar air ducts, where in fact they discover the tribbles dead. Thankfully they figured out tribbles hate Klingons, so when one reacts to the assistant they know why. And the ship has eliminated its infestation problem conveniently.
Guest Stars:
William Campbel played Telane in a much better episode from Season One, and here he plays Koloth the Klingon captain. Actually all the guest cast here do their jobs very well. I liked them except Baris who’s a jerk. I was not aware that 12 Klingons constitutes a swarm.
Episode Pro’s:
For a comedy show the music really works. Can’t complain about that, right down to that final fanfare at the end.
The tribbles aren’t the worst creature the show came up with, I’ll give it that. Guess they’re harmless, but I see not practical use for them. I know I certainly never wanted to own one when I was growing up. Obviously, tribbles are very perceptive creatures.
David Gerrold write this episode and apparently the process to get this to script was not the easiest.
Episode Con’s:
This episode is a bore. Just our characters talking and hanging out interrupted by The Klingons arriving so we can have more scenes of our characters talking. One scene starts simply with Kirk going to get his lunch. Wow why couldn’t see we more of that riveting excitement? Yawn. We do finally, and I mean finally, get action in that awful bar fight scene that is so forced. I mean, what in the world was this (admittedly drunk) Klingon expecting to happen after needling the Enterprise crew? And yet once Scotty punches him he seems so shocked! It’s weird Scotty hit the Klingons because they insulted the Enterprise, not Kirk. The lineup scene that comes after feels like a vaudeville act, followed by a Bridge scene which is even goofier when Kirk sits on the thing. I mean, really, how did all these tribbles get onto the bridge?
The big gripe with the episode is that it’s just so mindless. Nothing really interesting happens in it, no social commentary or intelligent dialogue, and no good action or stunts. It’s just set piece after set piece as the crew stumble through the show, cracking jokes. But even then, it isn’t really funny the jokes are just, flat. Almost as if you have to know the characters to get the humor. For a smart and sophisticated sci fi show this episode doesn’t make the grade.
It’s usually good to see the characters get some screen time but Scotty is foolish, Uhura is careless for getting the Tribbles on board the ship, and Chekov is just a jerk in his scenes. Where are the competent characters I see on other episodes? Poor Spock is forced to just, be there for the episode. The only one spared is Sulu but that’s because he isn’t in the episode at all. McCoy can’t figure out they have to do is not feed them? C’mon you quit feeding them, they stop breeding! Shatner even seems to give up by the end, especially in that badly staged scene where he’s dumped with Tribbles. How hard would have it have been for Kirk to get out of the way? Or to close that door? Shatner has a look on his face like he did that a half a dozen times or something. But at least we finally get to the end and that ending scene…….groan. Isn’t what they do to the tribbles kinda mean? Sending the whole kit ‘n’ caboodle into their engine room, where they’ll be no tribble at all?
Maybe this is why DS9 did their take on it, to make the episode into something decent? But even DS9’s episode was way to goofy making it a pretty lame, forgettable episode. Ugh so glad it’s over and I hope I never see one of those fuzzy miserable things again.
Fast Forward Moment:
The opening scene has nothing to do with anything aside from giving Chekov some cute lines. It’s obvious his scene later with Uhura was meant to be Sulu instead. Everything else could have been summed up in a captain’s log.
Final Thoughts:
APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes my friends you can relax, this was all in good fun. Or as Willy Wonka said:
I actually tried this kinda idea four years ago and decided to try it again, because as I said then I never get to discuss the great episodes on here. And just because an epispde is good doesn’t mean it can’t be nitpicked–as long as you understand what it is your nitpicking. This episode is simply a classic and works on so many levels. It manages to be funny while still feeling like Trek, never going to “Lost in Space” levels of lunacy. And it’s always a joy to spend a little downtime with these characters. My ex-wife summed it up when she, a non Star Trek fan, said she loved this episode. That’s it’s appeal much like Star Trek IV it’s the Trek episode you can love even if you hate sci-fi. There’s nothing wrong with a comedy episode and if you know that it’s meant to be silly, you’ll love it. And I was sincere about the guest stars, they knock their roles out of the park. On the other and I was very much lying about that final scene which is pitch perfect.
Happy April 1st my friends. Next article will be sincere I promise
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