Customer Reviews

Star Trek - Deep Space Nine, Episode 103: Trials and Tribble-ations [VHS]

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One of the more clever episodes in the Star Trek universe; WHY is Paramount witholding the video tape? Is there some exploitive agenda involved to make the fans grovel and pay through the nose? Is there some vendetta with the writers, the actors, the fans? Is there anyone from Paramount that can confirm or deny this officially?

live long and prosper, rayna

Sooner of later what was happening in the movies with "Zelig" and "Forrest Gump" was going to make a move to the small screen, which is as good an explanation for the fun of Episode 103 of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "Trials and Tribble-ations" (Story by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler & Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Teleplay by Ronald D. Moore & Rene Echevarria, "The Trouble With Tribbles" written by David Gerrold, Aired November 4, 1996). The "Defiant" return from Cardassian space with the Bajoran Orb of Time along with Arne Darvin (Charlie Brill), a Klingon who has been surgically altered to pass as human (gee, doesn't that sound familiar?). Darvin uses the Orb to send the "Defiant" and its crew back over a hundred years to Deep Space Station K-7 where the U.S.S. Enterprise, Captain James T. Kirk, commanding, is in orbit and suddenly we find ourselves in the classic original "Star Trek" episode, "The Trouble With Tribbles."

Darvin turns out to be the same spy that was caught by Kirk poisoning the grain shipment. Darvin wants to change history by killing Kirk, so Sikso, Dax, Bashir, and O'Brien dress up in period uniforms and search the Enterprise for Darvin. Meanwhile Odo and Worf, check out the space station. Granted, the interaction between the two casts consists more of cuts than using computers to insert the DS9 gang into the original "Star Trek" episode, but that does not take away from the fun, and there is a lot of fun to be had in this episode. The best moment is when O'Brien and Bashir join Odo and Worf at the station bar when the Klingons show up and start baiting Scotty and the Enterprise men. The other three all stare at the Klingons, then at Worf with his all those ridges on the top of his head, and then back at the Klingons with their smooth brows. But to their questions about what happened, all Worf will say is that Klingons do not talk about it with outsiders. This may well be the funniest moment in "Star Trek" history (my second choice would be Captain Picard's Shakespearean monologue when he is trying to win Lwaxana Troi back from an amorous Ferengi). Dax mooning over Kirk is not half bad either.

Clearly "Trials and Tribble-ations" is a unique crossover episode for the "Star Trek" universe, and fortunately there was no attempt to duplicate it with a similar project. Actually, since you can make the argument that not since "The Trouble With Tribbles" has there been a "Star Trek" episode that was so totally in the spirit of fun, that "Trials and Tribble-ations" is just the big cosmic wheel coming full circle.

Oh my, what a hoot! I commend the producers of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" for this witty, wonderful homage to the original series that also shines in its own right as one of the finest "Star Trek" episodes ever made. This is an exquisite blend of new footage around scenes from the "Star Trek" episode "The Trouble With Tribbles". Charlie Brill is terrific as the disguised disgraced Klingon from "The Trouble With Tribbles". Here he tries to change history by sending the "Deep Space Nine" crew back in time, hoping to kill Captain Kirk. Michael Dorn ("Worf") is hilarious as he tries to explain to his befuddled comrades why the Klingons from Captain Koloth's battlecruiser more closely resemble humans than Klingons of Worf's time. And now I know who was responsible for the barroom brawl - and it wasn't really anyone from from the old USS Enterprise! Admittedly "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" was my favorite "Star Trek" series, yet I'm sure this hilarious episode will appeal to "Star Trek" fans of all stripes as well as others, like myself, who enjoy hilarious science fiction television.

This is definetely one of the best Star Trek episodes ever made. It appeals very well to new fans and old ones, no matter which series you like best. It's great to see tribute payed to the old show, and the way it is done with the DS9 characters is just as good. When Sisko meets Kirk is probably one of the classic moments of all Star Trek. If you like DS9, I definetely suggest this. But I also suggest it alot if you like the original. It is exciting to see the old sets and uniforms recreated, and to see the new characters interacting with the old in scenes you'll recognize.

A genuinely humorous episode, T&T takes an extremely simple idea and turns it into a rare comedy success for Star Trek. The almost complete lack of plot seems irrelevant compared to the terrific sense of fun that is generated - a very refreshing contrast to DS9's general mood. It's full of great one liners, "Forrest-Gump-like" special effects and, most importantly, it's a fitting tribute to the 30th anniversary of the franchise.

DS9's 30th anniversary tribute to the franchise is the usual timecop routine of travelling back in time to preserve history, Forrest Gumping Sisko and company into the single most popular TOS ep "The Trouble With Tribbles" (and a little bit of "Mirror, Mirror" as well). Arne Darvin, the human-looking Klingon spy, learned about the Cardassians' return of the Bajoran Orb of Time and uses it to take the Defiant back to Deep Space Station K-7 to assassinate Kirk and restore his lost honor; Dax provided the greatest humor with her desire to reexperience the era and her commentary on Spock, Koloth, and McCoy. Great attention to detail was paid to the reconstruction of the original sets and makeup effects, to the point that Walter Koenig stumbled onto it while at Paramount on unrelated business and wanted to shout "Keptin!" The visual effects were excellent: exterior shots of the Enterprise and K-7 were much better looking than the original footage, and they were able to seamlessly remove people from the original footage and replace them with the current actors. This even added extra humor to some scenes: when Kirk sits on the tribble and looks around the bridge for an explanation, Dax gives him a shrug when he turns to her at first. The ep also comes close to explaining away the Klingon makeup differences between then and now.

The whole Worf-lavender thing was comical. Plus, we got to see the best episode from the Original series put into the POV of a better (in my opinion) series. It was one of those really, really good episodes that if you missed it on television, it's a good idea to buy it.

This is one of my most favorite DS9 episodes ever. I was laughing constantly as Sisko and his crew encountered Kirk and the Enterprise crew. I marveled constantly at the flawless integration of the DS9 crew into the old footage. I couldn't tell! I would definitely classify this as a "fun" episode.

This is one of the few TV series episodes I would actually purchase. As mentioned in other reviews, why would Paramount NOT sell one of the most successful episodes? Well, Paramount has done this before. It took them forever to put the Star Trek movies on DVD. Anyway, the tie in between "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "Trials and Tribble-ations" was fantastic. A fun romp.

Actually, you can purchase this video. It's part of a set which includes The Trouble with Tribbles and a Tribble Toy. I think they aren't releasing it as a single to force people to buy the special set and pay three times as much. The Ferengi would love Paramout!