Day 102: DS9, Trials and Tribble-ations

Show: Star Trek; Deep Space Nine

Episode Particulars: S5EP6, “Trials and Tribble-ations”

 Summary: Sisko gets a visit from the Temporal Investigations department, wanting to know about a recent time travel incident. Via flashback, Sisko explains that the Cardassians had returned one of the Bajoran orbs, the Orb of Time, but while the Defiant was bringing it back to Bajor, a passenger they’d picked up (Charlie Brill), activated the orb and sent the Defiant back in time, to the era of James T. Kirk. Some research reveals that the passenger was Arne Darvin, and he’s gone back in time to try to correct the mistake he made back then (as seen in the Original Series episode “The Trouble with Tribbles”). To preserve the timeline, the DS9 crew has to go undercover and figure out Darvin’s plan, which means there’s a very good chance they’ll be running into the legendary figures of the Enterprise. Not that any of them (or us) have any personal objections to that, of course.

Standalone Thoughts: This is an episode that absolutely wallows in nostalgia for the Original Series, but it’s done with so much affection and charm that you’d have to have a heart of stone to not enjoy it. Everybody involved seems to be having a great time, from the actors to the musicians (who sneak in as many references to the music of the Original Series as they can). One scene in particular where the DS9 crew are gearing up in the clothing and equipment of the Original Series just exudes so much love and joy at getting to return to Star Trek’s roots that it may actually make some people tear up. Which is enough, I think, to make this episode a success.

It helps that the special effects are really well done this time around. Even twenty-one years later, the scenes shot for this episode and the scenes from “The Trouble With Tribbles” match up flawlessly (see my chosen screenshot above for an example). I can’t even begin to imagine how they managed to pull it off, but I hope all the people who worked on it went on to have really illustrious careers. They deserve it after that.

About the only issues I have with the episode are small things of continuity. It’s a little too convenient that the Defiant is able to decloak and beam people around whenever its needed, despite having a scene where they said they only have a few seconds every so often to do what needs to be done. And while the ending scene is humorous, an earlier scene had suggested that they have, in fact, altered history somewhat (or at least done something that Temporal Investigations is going to be less than thrilled by). But those are just small things that you probably wouldn’t even notice if you aren’t watching and listening as closely as I have been for the past three months. On the whole, this is an episode that’s entertaining as a standalone, but gets even better the more you know about Star Trek. Which is as it should be.

How it Relates to the Whole: Needless to say, this episode is a bit of fun that has absolutely no relation to anything that comes after it (despite what we see in the final shot). But given how much love and respect the creators put into this, I think its lack of import is more than forgiven.

Other: *I know picking on Dax seems to be de rigueur around here, but she’s not making it any easier for me. Today we learn that one of her previous hosts slept with Dr. McCoy (although it was before he joined the Enterprise). Put down another chip on the Mary-Sue bingo card, I guess.

Best Line/Exchange: Once again, I’m choosing a bit that me and my family quote semi-regularly;

Waitress (Leslie Ackerman): What’ll it be, boys? And don’t ask for Raktajino; if I have to say we don’t carry it one more time…

Odo (interrupting): Who ordered a Raktajino?

Waitress: The Klingons.

Odo (surprised): Klingons?

Waitress: Over there…and over there.

(We cut to two different tables of Klingons, looking like they did in the Original Series)

Bashir: Those are Klingons?

Waitress: All right, you boys have had enough.

(She takes their glasses and walks away. O’Brien, Bashir, and Odo all look surprised, then immediately look over at Worf)

Odo: Mr. Worf?

Worf (sighs): They are Klingons. And it is a long story.

O’Brien: What happened? Some kind of genetic engineering?

Bashir: A viral mutation?

Worf: We do not discuss it with outsiders.

I love the fact that the writers are acknowledging that the design for the Klingons has changed over the years, but also tacitly admit that they don’t think they’re capable of explaining why exactly that happened. It’s a great combination of humor and nostalgia, and that really sums up the episode.

After the Fact Update: There is no official reason in the DS9 Companion for why this episode was swapped with “The Assignment.” However, given how much everybody gushes about working on it and how hard they worked to recreate the feel of the old series, I suspect it was a matter of trying to get everything exactly right. And good for them.