Unexpected Star Trek Easter Egg: Strange New Worlds Drops Hilarious Callback to TOS Classic Comedy!

Warning: This Article Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 7, "Those Old Scientists"

Summary

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' latest installment cleverly references the iconic comedic episode "The Trouble With Tribbles" through a discreet allusion to the grain devoured by Tribbles.

The level of detail and thorough research evident in Strange New Worlds demonstrates the creative team's unwavering commitment to upholding the esteemed Star Trek franchise. This crossover episode not only presents an abundance of humor, but it also exalts the devoted fanbase that exists within the vast Star Trek universe, while paying homage to the valiant heroes of previous generations in Starfleet.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' crossover episode with Star Trek: Lower Decks features a subtle reference to the well-known comedic episode, "The Trouble With Tribbles," from Star Trek: The Original Series. In the episode, Captain Christopher Pike and the USS Enterprise encounter Ensign Brad Boimler and Beckett Mariner, time travelers from the 24th century who are on their way to deliver an important shipment of grain to a colony on Setlik II. The grain, called tritriticale, pays homage to the quadrotriticale grain that Tribbles consume in "The Trouble With Tribbles." Twitter user Jörg Hillebrand (@gaghyogi49), a researcher on Star Trek: Picard season 3, shared the development of the "triticale" grain, starting with the crossover episode of Strange New Worlds. Have a look at his Tweet below:

Strange New Worlds’ Crossover Reminds Fans Star Trek Has Always Been Funny

The Orions highly valued the tritriticale grain in the crossover episode of Strange New Worlds. This unique grain has evolved into an early generation of the "triticale" grain that is consistently mentioned in the 23rd-century era of Star Trek: The Original Series. The episode "More Tribbles, More Troubles" from Star Trek: The Animated Series introduces quintotriticale. These intricate details embody the extensive research and dedication exhibited by Strange New Worlds' creative team, showcasing their respect for the vast Star Trek franchise.

"Those Old Scientists," a crossover episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, is a comedy that will leave you in stitches. This hilarious installment not only showcases uproarious dialogue from start to finish, but also serves as a reminder that Star Trek has a long history of entertaining comedy episodes. One such example is the beloved "The Trouble With Tribbles" from Star Trek: The Original Series, where comical Klingons and the image of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) buried under a mountain of fluffy Tribbles provide a delightful farce.

The crossover in Strange New Worlds pays tribute to both real-life fans and those within the Star Trek universe. Ensigns Boimler and Mariner are fans of past Starfleet heroes on the USS Enterprise, while Captain Pike, Lt. Eric Ortegas, and Ensign Nyota Uhura proudly admire the crew of the NX-01 from Star Trek: Enterprise. A clever Easter egg, the tritriticale grain in the crossover is a subtle nod to the expansive Star Trek franchise and its loyal fanbase. Don't miss Season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, streaming on Paramount+ every Thursday.

Source: Twitter