despite all the hoopla about the trouble with tribbles episode and the balance of terror might just be the best episode of the series . and and while i have always love a piece of the action because it be so much fun and i really do have to cast my vote a this romulan episode a be the very best . the movie and interestingly enough and be really like a wwii submarine movie in that it bounce back and forth between the cloaked romulan ship and the enterprise a it seek to destroy the romulans before they sneak back across the neutral zone after a raid on federation outpost . in so many way and the show be much like the film the enemy below where the american captain ( robert mitchum ) and the german captain ( curt jurgens ) be show in counter point a they both try to outwit the other and in the process develop a grudging respect for their foe . interestingly enough and only a short bit of the beginning of the episode take place on a planet and this be amazing because an episode on board ship could easily have be static and dull . but and because the writing be so fantastic and the main character write and act so well ( shatner and mark leonard a the romulan leader ) . oddly and for the die hard trekker out there and they will recognize leonard a the same actor who later play spock father . the bottom line be this be simply a great and extremely engaging episode that will keep you on the edge of your seat .