Star Trek: The Original Series’ Riskiest Episode Is Still Absolute Genius 59 Years Later

by

Creating Star Trek: The Original Series was a big gamble. Gene Roddenberry and his team took on a massive challenge by trying to make a thoughtful science fiction show with limited funds, imagining a vast and diverse galaxy that was surprisingly similar to California in many ways.

Not all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series were created equal – some took bigger chances than others. There was the one with the strangely edited pilot footage, the episode featuring an alien Jack the Ripper, and even a failed attempt to launch a spin-off series. But arguably the most daring episode aired during the show’s second season. Remarkably, it was a hit when it first aired in 1967 and still holds up as a fantastic piece of television today.

Star Trek’s “The Trouble With Tribbles” Took A Huge Risk

As a huge sci-fi fan, I’ve always appreciated that Star Trek really aimed to deliver thoughtful, serious stories when most TV just wasn’t doing that. It wasn’t all doom and gloom, though! They always managed to weave in some comedy, especially through the fantastic back-and-forth between Spock and McCoy. And like a lot of shows from the ’60s, there was usually a lighthearted touch at the end of each episode, once everything was resolved – a little bit of fun after the adventure.

As a huge Star Trek fan, I always think about how lucky we were that the show didn’t try to be a comedy right from the start. It was so focused on being serious and exploring big ideas, and honestly, if it had gone for laughs too early, it probably wouldn’t have lasted long enough to become the massive, decades-spanning phenomenon it is. “The Trouble with Tribbles” felt different though – it was the first time the show really loosened up, stopped taking itself quite so seriously, and hinted at a playful side. It was a perfect little moment where Star Trek showed it could have fun with itself.

The story of “The Trouble with Tribbles,” centered around seemingly motionless, fluffy creatures, could have easily become a ridiculous and pointless episode, making a joke of the Enterprise and its crew. If that had happened, it would have lessened the impact of the Klingons – Star Trek’s usually formidable villains – by having them involved in such a silly situation.

Fortunately, all risks taken by “The Trouble with Tribbles” paid off for Star Trek in a big way.

The Genius Of Star Trek’s “The Trouble With Tribbles”

“The Trouble with Tribbles” is so much fun to watch because of two main things: David Gerrold’s incredibly funny writing, and the enthusiastic performances from the regular cast of Star Trek. While the episode has some big, obvious jokes – like Kirk being covered in Tribbles – it’s the clever humor that truly makes it stand out. A whole episode of just visual gags would get old quickly, but this episode offers much more than that.

The growing tension between Captain Kirk and Under-Secretary Baris offers a surprisingly relatable workplace dynamic, a type of humor not often found in Star Trek. While William Shatner isn’t known for understated performances, he skillfully keeps the comedic moments grounded, preventing “The Trouble with Tribbles” from becoming overly silly. Kirk functions perfectly as a classic ‘straight man’ – he lets the humor happen around him and then delivers just the right witty response or expression.

I always loved how Scotty would let the Klingons trash-talk Kirk – he figured they were secure enough to handle it! But the moment they insulted the Enterprise? That’s when things got physical, and it was hilarious because you knew it was coming. And “The Trouble with Tribbles” isn’t just a funny Star Trek episode, it’s actually a really smart send-up of the whole Star Trek universe, from the way Starfleet operates to how much the engineers adore their ships.

As a huge fan, I think what makes “The Trouble with Tribbles” so great isn’t just the humor – it’s that the story itself is really good. You immediately sense something’s off with Baris’ grain, and you know trouble is brewing. Honestly, part of the fun is trying to figure out how these rapidly multiplying Tribbles are going to mess things up! It’s not just silly stuff happening; there’s a real mystery, which makes the whole episode much more engaging and gives the comedy a purpose.

The episode ends with a final, perfect joke: Spock, McCoy, and Scotty hilariously avoid admitting they sent millions of tribbles onto a Klingon ship, while Kirk desperately tries to get them to confess. The scene plays out like a classic Monty Python sketch, pushing the humor to its limit before finally landing the payoff, with William Shatner’s facial expressions once again adding a lot to the comedic effect.

The Enduring Legacy Of “The Trouble With Tribbles”

“The Trouble with Tribbles” quickly became a fan favorite episode of the original Star Trek series, and its popularity led to several sequels, the most famous of which is the Deep Space Nine episode, “Trials and Tribble-ations.”

That 1967 episode, “The Trouble with Tribbles,” wasn’t just a fun diversion – it really changed what Star Trek could be. Honestly, without it, I don’t think we’d have shows like Star Trek: Lower Decks today. It proved that Star Trek could be funny, and more importantly, it showed how to do humor that celebrated the universe, rather than making fun of it. Lower Decks took that playful spirit and ran with it, building an entire series around that same delightful energy.

The excitement continues with Tawny Newsome (from Lower Decks) and Justin Simien having co-written a live-action Star Trek comedy that’s hoping to get made. Plus, the new Starfleet Academy series promises to be funnier than most Star Trek shows. It all began with a funny moment: Uhura impulsively buying a pet from someone she met at a bar.

Read More

2026-01-11 21:39