The Trouble with Tribbles
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one. It's routinely on the lists as #1 for favorite Star Trek episode but I'm not sure why. Is the comedy that endearing? I like it and I have to admit when I was a little kid, it was my favorite. Now, it's in the top half still but not that high. I grow tired of people thinking Gerold or any other author invented highly reproductive animals, if you still cling to that notion, the rabbits in Australia would like to laugh at you.
One thing that bothers me the most is how inept and uninformed Kirk is in this episode. He's upset at being called in by what he assumes to an invasion alert. Now we've heard before, Code One is an invasion alert but Uhura says "subspace distress call. Priority channel." then Chekov says "Code One emergency" Does Priority = Code One or can there be more than one priority messages. What do they use for a non-battle emergency? So Kirk is on the wrong foot and it just gets worse, he insults the Under Secretary and lies to him about not respecting other officials, High Commissioner Ferris, Comissioner Hedford, and Ambassador Fox might have something to say about that. Barris has been assigned by the Federation Council not to lose Sherman's planet to the Klingons and he's trying to do just that. Kirk is angry because he says it's no emergency but again, he's wrong. This business is very important to the Federation, doesn't Kirk think that Baris has information about Klingon activity? And Baris is proven right, doubly so, because the Klingons infiltrated his office and poisoned the grain. The only grain that will grow on Sherman's planet. How could the Federation develop the planet without being able to sustain a food source? They can't, this grain is as important as Dilithium or Topaline to this operation but Kirk walks around with his head up his ass, the only time I can say that fortunately. Kirk is usually so on top of things. And even Admiral Fitzpatrick tells him to listen, just in case it's all just a chain of command problem, because a civilian authority normally can't give an officer a direct order, it has to go through headquarters, (General Smits can tell you.)
I think that's why I don't like this as much as I used to, I thought about it too much. Take away the comedy music cues and maybe trim the fistfight and a few of the other silly quip scenes and this is another Federation/Klingon Orgainian enforced cold war thriller. Does anyone want to think about what would have happened to the colonists if they ate the grain instead of the vermin? It would make Kodos look like a warm up. And why is Baris so happy and content after Darvin is exposed and admits he's poisoned the grain? Because it invalidates the Klingons' claim, they broke the treaty. Baris has succeeded and he's the bigger man for not caring about Kirk's childish insults. I don't know what kind of arbitration is built into that Orgainan Peace treaty but this must clearly be in violation of it, and the discovery is purely an accident. Kirk sure doesn't save the day here. All he does is bitch about schedules and chicken sandwiches.
Which leads me to my next big complaint, WTF are there tribbles everywhere and no one minds? Just imagine the tribbles as pet rats, mice, or even kittens, would you want them playing all over your console while on duty? It's the height of unprofessionalism that they are left to spread until the captains coffee is affected.
Despite all that complaining, the story holds together pretty well, the comedy beats are really well done, mostly, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud twice even watching it this time, when Spock is petting the white tribble saying he is immune and later when Cyrano is drinking his last stolen drink as the fight winds down. Also, ermine violin entered my vocabulary, not sure if that's a good thing.
Some other parts I liked, we got to see a lot of Uhura and she seems to be in command of the bridge again in the beginning. I think this is the third time she's in charge although she's never shown in the center seat, it's always off camera. Chekov isn't stupid but his invented in Russia is turned all the way up, so that's a push. Cyrano Jones was a good character and very well acted, plus his very existence is a great deal of world building. People still need to work to get by in the 23rd century, as if they wouldn't, but he's proof right there, the bartender, too.
Scotty is pretty damn funny in this one, not sure if he's too professional either, though. He started the fight with the Klingons, in the bar, where none of the "security guards for every Klingon" are. So where were the guards? They show up from somewhere after but why weren't they around? I really like the part where Jones is holding the hairy rats and they squeak at Korax, the larger, bald Klingon sitting with him has such a look on his face, like just move along already.
One last thing I must absolutely compliment the soundtrack to this episode. It really makes it what it is. If they just used stock cues I doubt this one would be so well regarded. Especially the "tribble theme" that meowing kind of music they play to emphasize the tribbles purring.
Nice note on how Mr. Lurry's screen pulls back to show Koloth, but I think it actually makes some sense that it's focused on Lurry when he answers but he could be adjusting the picture to show what he's saying is true, too bad his hands never move to do it though.
It escapes me how Jones can stuff 17.6 years of tribble picking in his pants. Something has to be done, and that's not it.
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one. It's routinely on the lists as #1 for favorite Star Trek episode but I'm not sure why. Is the comedy that endearing? I like it and I have to admit when I was a little kid, it was my favorite. Now, it's in the top half still but not that high. I grow tired of people thinking Gerold or any other author invented highly reproductive animals, if you still cling to that notion, the rabbits in Australia would like to laugh at you.
One thing that bothers me the most is how inept and uninformed Kirk is in this episode. He's upset at being called in by what he assumes to an invasion alert. Now we've heard before, Code One is an invasion alert but Uhura says "subspace distress call. Priority channel." then Chekov says "Code One emergency" Does Priority = Code One or can there be more than one priority messages. What do they use for a non-battle emergency? So Kirk is on the wrong foot and it just gets worse, he insults the Under Secretary and lies to him about not respecting other officials, High Commissioner Ferris, Comissioner Hedford, and Ambassador Fox might have something to say about that. Barris has been assigned by the Federation Council not to lose Sherman's planet to the Klingons and he's trying to do just that. Kirk is angry because he says it's no emergency but again, he's wrong. This business is very important to the Federation, doesn't Kirk think that Baris has information about Klingon activity? And Baris is proven right, doubly so, because the Klingons infiltrated his office and poisoned the grain. The only grain that will grow on Sherman's planet. How could the Federation develop the planet without being able to sustain a food source? They can't, this grain is as important as Dilithium or Topaline to this operation but Kirk walks around with his head up his ass, the only time I can say that fortunately. Kirk is usually so on top of things. And even Admiral Fitzpatrick tells him to listen, just in case it's all just a chain of command problem, because a civilian authority normally can't give an officer a direct order, it has to go through headquarters, (General Smits can tell you.)
I think that's why I don't like this as much as I used to, I thought about it too much. Take away the comedy music cues and maybe trim the fistfight and a few of the other silly quip scenes and this is another Federation/Klingon Orgainian enforced cold war thriller. Does anyone want to think about what would have happened to the colonists if they ate the grain instead of the vermin? It would make Kodos look like a warm up. And why is Baris so happy and content after Darvin is exposed and admits he's poisoned the grain? Because it invalidates the Klingons' claim, they broke the treaty. Baris has succeeded and he's the bigger man for not caring about Kirk's childish insults. I don't know what kind of arbitration is built into that Orgainan Peace treaty but this must clearly be in violation of it, and the discovery is purely an accident. Kirk sure doesn't save the day here. All he does is bitch about schedules and chicken sandwiches.
Which leads me to my next big complaint, WTF are there tribbles everywhere and no one minds? Just imagine the tribbles as pet rats, mice, or even kittens, would you want them playing all over your console while on duty? It's the height of unprofessionalism that they are left to spread until the captains coffee is affected.
Despite all that complaining, the story holds together pretty well, the comedy beats are really well done, mostly, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud twice even watching it this time, when Spock is petting the white tribble saying he is immune and later when Cyrano is drinking his last stolen drink as the fight winds down. Also, ermine violin entered my vocabulary, not sure if that's a good thing.
Some other parts I liked, we got to see a lot of Uhura and she seems to be in command of the bridge again in the beginning. I think this is the third time she's in charge although she's never shown in the center seat, it's always off camera. Chekov isn't stupid but his invented in Russia is turned all the way up, so that's a push. Cyrano Jones was a good character and very well acted, plus his very existence is a great deal of world building. People still need to work to get by in the 23rd century, as if they wouldn't, but he's proof right there, the bartender, too.
Scotty is pretty damn funny in this one, not sure if he's too professional either, though. He started the fight with the Klingons, in the bar, where none of the "security guards for every Klingon" are. So where were the guards? They show up from somewhere after but why weren't they around? I really like the part where Jones is holding the hairy rats and they squeak at Korax, the larger, bald Klingon sitting with him has such a look on his face, like just move along already.
One last thing I must absolutely compliment the soundtrack to this episode. It really makes it what it is. If they just used stock cues I doubt this one would be so well regarded. Especially the "tribble theme" that meowing kind of music they play to emphasize the tribbles purring.
Nice note on how Mr. Lurry's screen pulls back to show Koloth, but I think it actually makes some sense that it's focused on Lurry when he answers but he could be adjusting the picture to show what he's saying is true, too bad his hands never move to do it though.
It escapes me how Jones can stuff 17.6 years of tribble picking in his pants. Something has to be done, and that's not it.
Seriously though, 
it's bad enough watching I, Mudd's ending on your own but especially not with your parents as I was back in 1981! That is one episode apart from Plato that I wouldn't advise new fans to watch! 
And biscuits is code for knees, from "biscuits and cheese."
