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Star Trek

Balance of Terror

Season 1, Episode 15, Aired Dec 15, 1966

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9.2

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Kirk pits the Enterprise against an invisible spaceship testing the Federation's defenses.

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR Mark Lenard

Romulan Commander
GUEST STAR Paul Comi

Lt. Andrew Stiles
GUEST STAR Lawrence Montaigne

Decius

William Shatner

Captain James T...
Leonard Nimoy

Mr. Spock

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Fan Episode Reviews (16)

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An alien race known as the Romulans have attacked and destroyed several Federation outposts along an area known as The Neutral Zone. Kirk sends Enterprise into battle against this cunning and dangerous enemy to stop further attacks.moreless

9.2

"Superb"

By meathead704, Dec 01, 2011

The Romulans are introduced with a vengeance in this classic episode of Star Trek. The excitement never lets up for a second in this gripping episode. Though he is best known in Star Trek as Vulcan Ambassador Sarek, the late Mark Leonard gives a terrific performance as the Romulan commander in his first ever appearance on the show. What's especially good is watching how Kirk and the Romulan Commander strategize throughout the battle. Their individual scenes are very well done and entertaining. What's also very well done is the brief history of the Romulans as told by Spock. Excellent episode.moreless
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A wonderful episode when it first aired and today (remastered)

9.5

"Superb"

By bmoshier, Jan 25, 2011

I watched the first airing of "Balance of Terror" in 1966 and found it exciting and informative. At the age of 9, I soaked in the future Earth's history (according to the show), about bigots/acceptance, and submarine techniques. I believe I'm accepting of people today because of my Mother and Star Trek. Bigotry has no place in the Federation (or our real life future). Hanging on with every plot turn, the episode had me hanging onto my seat and thinking about the episode for days. Even today watching the re-mastered version, it is exciting and gives one food for thought.

One could say the show has continuity issues with Star Trek: Enterprise. I prefer to say Star Trek: Enterprise has continuity issues with Star Trek. Nah! Yes, the two shows differ on Federation history, but one should take the original in its own context.

Actually, Paramount has an opportunity here for another Star Trek show and to match the original show's history line with the other shows. They could re-do Star Trek (the original) based upon the history as we know it. The franchise needs a "space cowboy" show again. (What does one do about the original storyline and history? Maybe these episodes are from a parallel universe. The first couple of "new" Star Treks could point this out.) Another thought would be picking up the original Star Trek and finishing out its five year mission, though the fans are doing an outstanding job. Stepping on their work would be inappropriate.

On the issue of bigots and acceptance, Gene Rodenberry was willing to show a future where people accepted each other. In 1966 there were race riots, civil rights fights, churches and conservatives against change. Paramount should take up the banner and continue fighting for acceptance based upon the bigot values of today's society.moreless
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A submarine battle in space, with the Trek Message

9.0

"Superb"

By snimbkar, Oct 31, 2010

Perhpas the biggest aspect of this espisode is that it deals with bigotry and stereotypes.

"Earth believes the Romulans to be war-like...", says Spock, and all the while the Romulan commander expresses his disgust at war and the loss of his comrades, and questions WHY they must always fight wars.

this was clearly a metaphor for the USSR and it's citizens... and shattered the myth that ALL Soviets were evil war mongers and there were no redeeming characteristics to be found in any of them. Gene expertly remined us that our 'enemies' are also human beings with fears, emotions, regrets, hope, etc...To me this was the greatest aspect of this episode. You felt compassion even pity for the Romulan commander, you wanted him to live at the end..perhaps to become an olive branch..alas not to be...great great episodemoreless
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In a game of interstellar cat and mouse, the Enterprise squares off against a Romulan ship.

8.0

"Great"

By Celedorian, Oct 31, 2010

This is one of the more famous battle shows from the original series. It introduces the first recurring enemy alien race (the Romulans) and also has one of the more famous guest stars, Mark Lenard. The premise of this episode is derived from the "submarine versus surface ship" battles of World War II. To transfer this premise to space, the idea of a "cloaked ship" was invented (to take the place of a submarine underwater) as well as a "neutral zone". Throughout the episode, the Enterprise plays an interstellar cat and mouse game with the Romulan ship. It all boils down to a two man show, Kirk versus the Romulan Captain, and Shatner and Lenard are very good in the roles, leading to a fun episode.moreless
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When a Romulan warbird strays into Federation territory and destroys several outposts, Kirk leads the Enterprise into a strategic battle with the warbird and its cunning commander. An excellent episode...

10

"Perfect"

By Jay-Spacedust, Oct 28, 2008

After a couple of so-so episodes, the two-part 'The Menagerie' (which has its pros and cons, see separate reviews) and 'The Conscience of the King', things really bounce back with this terrific story.

It is a key segment in the history of 'Star Trek', introducing the cunning Romulans, and outlining their history a war with the Federation a hundred years previously, and never yet being seen in person, and introducing the Neutral Zone, which would play a notable part in later 'Trek' incarnations.

The story works in that one respect, it is very cleverly written, with both Kirk and the Romulan commander taking turns at strategical moves; and yet on the other hand is a relatively simple story. It works perfectly on both levels.

The episode starts out with an Enterprise wedding of two crewmembers, until the ceremony is interrupted by the warning about the Romulan warbird. I just knew one of the newlyweds-to-be would be dead by the end of the episode!

Mark Lenard, who of course would go on to play Spocks father Sarek in future stories, is perfect as the (unnamed) Romulan commander, and really feels like a credible threat to the Enterprise.

Then there is Lt. Stiles, who suspects Mr. Spock of being a spy due to his identical appearance to the Romulans. It did seem a bit convenient that Spock could come to Stiles rescue at the climax of the story, but that is my only real niggle with this episode.

Although the previous episode, 'Conscience of the King', was the final episode that she recorded, this episode is Grace Lee Whitney's final on-screen appearance of Yeoman Rand. Although she wasn't often one of the central characters, I did miss her after she went.

Normally I prefer episodes involving new planets and suchlike, but I really like this episode. It introduces some key points of 'Star Trek', and stands as a terrific story.moreless
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Lt. Uhura takes over for Stiles at the navigator's station, but at the end of the episode she opens a hailing frequency from that station, not her normal communications post.
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- When the Enterprise is hit by the Romulan weapon, the bridge and crew are thrown to the viewer's left. Except two. Kirk (who was standing next to the railing between the command level and Spock's station) should have fallen on the railing, but instead turned and fell toward the navigator. Uhura was at her post and should have been thrown into her console or maybe over closer to Spock. Instead, she got up, ran across the bridge and hit the wall next to the engineering station.
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- Trivia: Romulan Time (Cycle): A cycle is a time period similar to the Earth hour. We are told that there is no motion on the Romulan sensors for 20 cycles, Kirk also logs that they were motionless for 9 hours 47 minutes giving a cycle no more then 29.35 earth minutes. For the Romulan Day see the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Unification Part II."
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Quotes
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- Kirk: (on shipwide intercom) All hands, prepare to attack. (to McCoy) I hope we won't need your services, Bones. McCoy: Amen to that. You're taking a big gamble, Jim.
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- Tomlinson: (to Angela Martine) Happy wedding day - almost. Angela: You don't get off my hook this easily. I'm gonna marry you, mister, battle or phaser weapons notwithstanding. Tomlinson: In the meantime I'm still your superior officer, so get with it, mister.
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- Romulan Commander: A message was dispatched. You've broken the Rule of Silence! Decius: Only in code, Commander. To inform our Praetor of this glorious mission. Romulan Commander: Your carelessness might have ended this "glorious mission"! You are reduced two steps in rank! Return to post! Centurion: (after Decius leaves) Take care, Commander. He has friends, and friends of his kind mean power, and power is often dangerous.
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Notes
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- When the series was remastered in the fall of 2006, this episode was chosen for the first one for "treatment" and released into syndication.
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- This episode would be referenced in the Taxi episode "Jim Saves the Network". Jim Ignatowski (played by Christopher Lloyd, who would later go on to play a Klingon Commander in the movie Star Trek III) states that his favorite show was Star Trek. The only episode he didn't like was "the episode with the Romulan Commander. "It wasn't the actor's fault, they just gave him things to say that no Romulan would ever say."
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- The Enterprise's hunt of the cloaked Romulan ship was inspired by the film The Enemy Below, where a World War II American destroyer hunted a hard-to-detect German U-boat.
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