More Tribbles, More Troubles

"More Tribbles, More Troubles" is the fifth episode of the first season of the animated American science fiction television series Star Trek. It first aired in the NBC Saturday morning lineup on October 6, 1973, and was written by David Gerrold as a sequel to his Original Series episode "The Trouble with Tribbles".[note 1] It featured the return of actor Stanley Adams reprising his role of trader Cyrano Jones.

"More Tribbles, More Troubles"
Star Trek: The Animated Series episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 5
Directed byHal Sutherland
Written byDavid Gerrold
Production code22001
Original air dateOctober 6, 1973 (1973-10-06)
Guest appearance(s)

In this episode, Kirk must figure out why the Klingons are trying to get a hold of Cyrano Jones while simultaneously protecting two automated grain carriers.

The writer of the episode, David Gerrold won both Hugo and Nebula awards for science fiction, and also wrote the episode "Bem" for this series.[1]

Plot

On stardate 5392.4, while the Federation starship USS Enterprise escorts two robot cargo ships carrying quintotriticale, a new seed grain, to famine-stricken Sherman's Planet, it encounters a Klingon battlecruiser pursuing a Federation scout ship. When the Enterprise rescues the pilot, the Klingons attack with a new energy weapon capable of incapacitating a starship and demand that the pilot be handed over to them.

The pilot turns out to be Cyrano Jones, an intergalactic trader well known to Captain Kirk and crew (Kirk refers to Jones as a "nuisance"). The Klingons desperately want Jones for introducing the tribble to Klingon planets where it has become a major pest, and for stealing a glommer, an animal the Klingons created via genetic engineering to prey on tribbles. Jones had stolen the only glommer prototype in existence.

Kirk expresses sympathy for the Klingons' plight but reluctantly refuses to hand over Jones as he is a Federation citizen and entitled to the Enterprise's protection.

Jones is now selling "safe" tribbles genetically engineered to omit their ordinarily unrestrained multiplicative proclivities. Chief Medical Officer Dr. McCoy discovers that although Jones' "new" tribbles don't reproduce, they still have ravenous appetites. Instead of reproducing, they now grow hugely fat. McCoy also discovers that the new large tribbles actually house many more tribbles inside of them.

Kirk and First Officer Spock manage to counter the Klingon weapon. Now at a disadvantage, the Klingons offer to settle for just the glommer. Kirk agrees and returns it—along with several well-fed (and huge) tribbles that scare it away. The Klingons also discover the larger tribble houses a colony of smaller ones when the Klingon captain orders his first officer to shoot the large tribble, only to inadvertently free the smaller ones inside. McCoy injects the remaining tribbles on the Enterprise with a serum to slow down their metabolic rate. They are finally "safe".

Writing

Originally pitched as a third season follow up to "The Trouble with Tribbles" for Star Trek: The Original Series, the idea was scrapped under the tenure of producer Fred Freiberger, who was not a fan of the original episode and did not want to produce comedy episodes.[2][3]

By 1973, Gerrold had become friends with D. C. Fontana from their time spent on the Star Trek convention circuit together. He had heard about Star Trek: The Animated Series, and offered to do an episode. Fontana responded that she wanted the tribble sequel episode.[2][3][4]

As with his other Animated Series episode "Bem", Gerrold later claimed that almost nothing was cut from the original pitches for The Original Series as animation played out quicker and so everything still fit into the episode despite the reduced running time.[5]

Both of Gerrold's Animated Series episodes were novelised by Alan Dean Foster, and Gerrold later said that he thought that he did "a fine job".[5]

Reception
"I'll allow it"

Kirk, on finding a Giant tribble in his chair[6]

In 2019, CBR rated "More Tribbles, More Troubles" the 9th funniest Star Trek episode, including the several hundred later episodes in later series up to that time.[6] In particular they note Kirk's line "I'll allow it" upon finding a giant tribble on his captain's chair.[6]

A 2018 Star Trek binge-watching guide by Den of Geek, recommended this episode as part of the "foundations of Star Trek" group.[7]

See also

Notes
  1. This story was expanded into a novelette by science-fiction author Alan Dean Foster as part of the collection, Star Trek Log Four (1975) (ISBN 0-345-24435-4).

References
  1. Gerrold, David (January 28, 2014). The Trouble with Tribbles: The Story Behind Star Trek's Most Popular Episode. BenBella Books, Inc. ISBN 978-1-939529-56-5.
  2. Myers, Eugene; Atkinson, Torie (April 12, 2010). "Tribbles Week: Star Trek Re-Watch: "The Trouble with Tribbles"". Tor.com. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  3. "David Gerrold Recalls "More Tribbles" and "Bem"". Star Trek.com. March 10, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  4. Green, Michelle Erica (March 31, 2006). "The Trouble with Tribbles". TrekNation. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  5. "The David Gerrold TAS Interview". StarTrekAnimated.com. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  6. "The 20 Funniest Star Trek Episodes". CBR. January 18, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  7. "Star Trek: An Episode Roadmap for Beginners". Den of Geek. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
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