Nonfiction: Television/Memoir: ”THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES”

THE BARE FACTS
Title: The Trouble With Tribbles
Author: David Gerrold
Publisher: Ballantine
Date of Publication: 1973
Pages: 273
Grade That Means Nothing Coming From Me: A

SO BASICALLY, IT’S ABOUT…
It’s hard to imagine that the opening paragraphs of a book could more accurately depict the contents to follow than do those Mr. Gerrold has penned for this volume. Therefore, I shall quote directly:

“This book is the story of a television script: where it came from, how it was written, how it was eventually filmed and finally got onto the air as an episode of Star Trek.

It’s a peek into the techniques of writing for television, and it’s a piece of lore about a popular TV show. But more than that, it’s the story of how I began my career as a writer.”

WHY’D YOU WANNA READ THAT?
I remember this book being on my mother’s shelf when I was but a wee tyke. Of course, most of her books are now in boxes in North Carolina, so when I recalled this book and decided I wanted to see it again, I turned instead to Amazon, which found me a used copy for the low, low price of one cent (not including shipping and handling).

AND HOW’D THAT WORK OUT FOR YOU?
Quite well. Gerrold is an engaging storyteller, which is helpful when you consider how much of his tale involves a staggering amount of luck going his way. It’s easy to begrudge his success in finding an agent, coming up with a successful pitch, persuading the higher-ups to let him write the script, and getting the thing produced without anyone else’s name on the cover. However, Gerrold walks you through each step of the process, shows you all the missteps he makes, credits the people who help him dig himself out of various holes, and maintains a humble perspective that still has you rooting for him, even though his eventual success is never in question.

This particular episode – the one in the title – probably ranks as one of the best- chronicled shows in the history of television. That’s because Gerrold kept copious notes, which he turned in to get the final college credit he needed to claim his diploma. As a result, we get to read his original pitch for the story (along with two others), the subsequent treatment, and the final shooting script, all in their entirety. We also get extensive script notes from the show’s producer, Gene Coon, and the associate producer, Bob Justman. It’s a master class in television writing, complete with commentary from the men who actually make the show, and have very good reasons why one idea will work and another will not.

SHOULD I READ THIS?
If you’re even remotely interested in the construction of episodic television, this is a fascinating read. Although the TV landscape has changed significantly in the almost 40 years (!) since this episode first aired, the essential rules of dramatic construction - as well as the basics of supply and demand - still apply. It’s a breezy, fun read that has a lot to say about the business of making television. And if you like Star Trek, it’s a welcome departure from world of crazed fandom that the franchise is associated with today, returning to a time when it was just an ongoing story that a group of actors, writers, and technicians were trying to tell.

Shane Wilson is a writer and contributing editor for The Greenroom .