Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s “Trials and Tribble-ations” recreated the sets and production design of 1967’s “The Trouble with Tribbles” and digitally inserted Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and his crew into Star Trek: The Original Series’ footage. The end result was an instant classic blending TOS and DS9, capped off by Captain Sisko meeting Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner).
Trek Talks 5, which raised over $86.000 to benefit the Hollywood Food Coalition, brought Ira Steven Behr and Terry Farrell together with Larry Nemecek for the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s “Trials and Tribble-ations.” Behr told the story of Star Trek executive producer Rick Berman telling him to call Leonard Nimoy for permission to use the original footage from 1960s Star Trek:
Ira Steven Behr: “Rick asked me to call Leonard, which was really strange. He said, ‘We just wanna make sure he’s going to be okay with using his footage. And I guess at that moment in time, Rick and Leonard were not exactly on the same page about some things. And so he said, ‘Call Leonard.’
Okay, so I call Leonard… And Rick had prepared me like it was going to be a very prickly phone call. And so I said, ‘We’re thinking about doing this episode, taking the ‘Trouble with Tribbles’ and blending it in with our show.’ And there’s a long pause, and he goes, ‘What took you so long?’ And I thought, ‘Whoa, Rick, what are you setting me up for?’ This is beautiful, man. What do you know, it’s like, ‘Absolutely. Yes. I’m all for it.’ I was so prepared to have my head handed to me by this guy…”
Watch the entire Trek Talks 5 9-hour marathon below:
Larry Nemecek added some context to why Rick Berman was concerned about Leonard Nimoy’s reaction and wanted his blessing. Nimoy was sought as the director for Star Trek Generations, but he was offered the gig after Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga had completed the screenplay, which had mandated story points by Paramount.
Leonard Nimoy reportedly “hated” Star Trek Generations‘ script. Nimoy also felt that, as the director, he should have been part of the movie’s development process, as he was for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Nimoy also objected to Spock’s inconsequential role in Star Trek Generations‘ prologue.
Ultimately, Leonard Nimoy declined to participate in Star Trek Generations as the director and as an actor. The situation between Rick Berman, Leonard Nimoy, and Paramount was not ideal at that point. David Carson was hired to direct Star Trek Generations, and William Shatner signed on to play Captain Kirk and die on-screen.
After the Star Trek Generations debacle, Rick Berman prepared Ira Steven Behr to meet hostility from Leonard Nimoy, and they were pleasantly surprised that his response was the opposite of what they anticipated. Leonard had no known further involvement with Rick Berman’s Star Trek, but he returned to play Ambassador Spock in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness.
While the knowledge of Leonard Nimoy’s blessing isn’t required to enjoy “Trials and Tribble-ations,” it’s still good to know that the legend who originated Mr. Spock approved of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s colorful and loving homage to Star Trek: The Original Series.
- Release Date
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1993 – 1999-00-00
- Showrunner
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Michael Piller, Ira Steven Behr
- Writers
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Rick Berman, Michael Piller