The Way of the Warrior written by Ira Steven Behr &
Robert Hewitt Wolfe and directed by James L. Conway
What’s it about: The Klingons are determined to bring the
Dominion down…
Single Father: Wow is this really Sisko? Talk about
have a kick up the ass! With his head shaved, drunk on love with Kassidy and
barking orders in Ops this really is the point where the Captain starts to show
up his competitors. His continuing relationship with Kassidy really gives him
the edge, he feels like a normal bloke having a great time courting a beautiful
lady. Johnson and Brooks have a very special chemistry that makes their scenes
come alive. Sisko is now the sort of man who will let off a warning shot at an
ally in order to stick two fingers up at their harassment of other vessels
(especially when it is commanded by the woman he loves!). His and Kassidy’s
timing is terrible and they keep missing each other and I like how this shows
his work getting in the way of his live life but he still has time for a snog
at the airlock. Sisko has the balls to open fire on a Klingon ship but is still
smart enough to force the Cardassians they are saving to undergo blood
screenings just in case the Klingons are right (I bet he seriously hopes they
aren’t). Sisko is an tremendously commanding force when snarling threats at
Gowron – I certainly wouldn’t want to face him in battle! Bloody, sweating and
tired, Sisko tells Gowron to piss off in his greatest moment of triumph yet. We
learn that after Jennifer’s death that Sisko also considered leaving Starfleet
thinking he could take off the uniform, wrap the pain inside it and toss them
both away. Running away might help for a while but the pain will always catch
up with you and the only way to fight it is to stand your ground. Wearing the
uniform does remind him of what he has lost but it also reminds him of what he
has gained and who he is. Sisko rocks.
Tasty Terrorist: There’s a great little moment when Dax is
trying to get Kira to unwind and she brings up the Occupation again as an
excuse and even Kira realises it is about time she put that behind her and let
herself relax. I wonder if Kira thinks the Cardassians are getting their just
deserts?
Unknown Sample: Odo’s trick refilling the coffee cup is
absolutely disgusting but I love the follow up to his inviting Garak to lunch
in The Die is Cast. Odo is smart enough to know that Worf has found out
something devastating about the Klingons and is empathetic enough to sympathise
with his position of choosing between his people and his friends but that
doesn’t mean he will take Worf’s attitude and he gives him a (deserved) earful
on the Promenade.
Mr Wolf: I’ve heard it said that the introduction of Worf is
handled with the sketchiest of reason but considering Deep Space Nine is
surrounded by a Klingon armada, ships are being hassled just outside of Bajoran
space and Sisko is actively threatened by Martok I would say that is more than
enough of an excuse to ask for the advice of the only Klingon in Starfleet. You
could take this is a sign that the show is in hot water and bringing over one
of the most popular characters from TNG is nothing but an excuse to up the
ratings (it worked) but a few seconds thought reveals that Worf actually fits
in far more on DS9 which is the haven of various cultures waifs, strays and
exiles. Over the next four seasons he is given some of his best ever material
and his relationship with Dax proves to be one of the best relationships in
Trek. In short, his introduction works and for the most part he gets some fine
development. Worf has spent most of his life amongst humans and it has never
been easy for him but since the destruction of the Enterprise it has become
even more difficult. Wonderfully he throws a dart like a javelin and almost
splits the board in two! Naturally Worf first goes for the violent approach to
extract the information of the Klingon operation but when that fails he goes
for a more manipulative approach, getting a friend of his fathers drunk and
calling in a favour. Being manoeuvred into the position of discovering his
peoples plan to invade Cardassia is a very awkward one because he now has to
make his final decision in the tug of war between the Federation and the
Klingons. Your career or your heritage? Making his decision even harder is
Gowron turning up at the station and offering him a place at his side during
the invasion of Cardassia. The consequences of his refusal is great and his
family will have to suffer to keep his honour intact. Cut off from his people
has fits in on the station with Odo, Garak, Quark and all the others. He
considers his time on the Enterprise as good years but feels it is time to move
on.
Community Leader: Quark’s casual racism regarding the
Klingons extends to Worf who he never makes feel at home as long as he is on
the station. At least he is consistent. Quark reckons he should have listened
to his cousin Gaila (hop forward to Business as Usual to see why this might be
a very bad idea) and gone into the weapons industry but the lure of the public
was too much because he is a people person.
Plain and Simple: Poor Garak is the first target of Klingon
aggression (and I loved the way the Klingon literally punched the audience in
the face). Sisko’s brilliantly naughty way of using Garak to let the
Cardassians know that the Klingons are on the way is great fun. Garak is right
– who would have thought that he and Dukat would be fighting side by side.
Things must be desperate.
Slimy Snake: Dukat saw which way the wind was blowing on
Cardassia and changed sides and now he is having to deal with the safe keeping
of the Detapa Council.
What’s Morn up to: Even poor Morn is being subjected to
Klingon bullying tactics! He very quickly leaves the bar (with his drink of
course!) when Martok’s son starts throwing his weight around.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Actually I’m not sure Constable Odo has
a mother…’ – I’d love to know what the Klingon insult was!
‘Well let me guess! You’re either lost or desperately
searching for a good tailor!’
‘They broke seven of your transverse ribs and fractured your
clavicle!’ ‘Ah but I got off several cutting remarks which no doubt did serious
damage to their egos!’ ‘This is serious Garak’ ‘I am being serious!
Thanks to your ministrations I’m almost completely healed but the damage I did
them will last a lifetime!’ – Garak rocks!
‘Nice hat.’
‘The peace treaty between the Federation and the Klingon
Empire has ended…’
‘I find this hand to hand combat really quite distasteful!’
‘I suppose you prefer the simplicity of an interrogation chamber!’ ‘You have to
admit its much more civilised!’ – Garak and Dukat find time to bicker even as
they cut through a swathe of Klingon warriors.
‘Maybe now Gowron will be in the mood to talk…’
‘This is exactly what the Founders want! Klingon against
Cardassian! Federation against Klingon! The more we fight each other the weaker
we’ll get and the less chance we have against the Dominion!’
The Bad: I cannot believe the studio were thinking of
cutting the awesome Quark/Garak scene but didn’t batter an eyelid at the
ridiculous Kira and Dax in bikinis material. This is one of the very few times
I would say DS9 completely sold out to titillate for no other reason but to get
horny boys watching. For a second they must have thought they were making a TNG
episode because they use the Enterprise holodeck doors noise rather than the
usual holosuite one! There is an attempt to mimic a scene in The Best of Both
Worlds Part II when the Enterprise discovers the wreckage of a number of ships
at Wolf 359 which does have some of the former scenes emotion but also a
feeling of been there, done that.
Moment to Watch Out For: The last twenty minutes of Way of
the Warrior are blissfully exciting and features one of the most impressive
space battles I have ever seen a TV series deliver. Weapons systems grind their
way out of the stations exterior, photon torpedoes send up Klingon ships like
fireworks, phasers tear through space and rip through their hulls and in a
moment of stupendous nausea we are literally following from the POV of a
torpedo as it flies through space and destroys a cruiser. Add to that the violent hand to hand action,
the way we sweep around various parts of the station to see that violence is
breaking out all over and the incredible stunts (the guy who takes a dive from
the Promenade with the laser bolt in his chest deserves a massive round of
applause) it is actual pandemonium and I was literally on the edge of my seat.
I love that there is a kiss to the pilot episode when Kira threatened the
Cardassians with 5000 torpedoes and this time it isn’t a bluff. Pleasingly we
get to see this battle from both sides with sudden cuts to the interior of the
Nevark and Gowron and Martok issuing orders. The result: plenty of ships destroyed,
a minefield of corpses, Kira stabbed and O’Brien bloody. Even now ten years on
this is a stunningly kinetic and expensive action sequence.
Teaser-tastic: The Captain is having a long term
relationship and a fleet of ships surrounds the station – this is where DS9
starts leaving the other Trek shows behind.
Only DS9: There is a phenomenal scene between Garak and
Quark that would have only taken place on DS9 considering they take the
Federation and expose its flaws. I love how the alien characters on this show
can take dominance of proceedings and how the human race can be examined for
their many failings. ‘What do you think?’ ‘Its vile!’ ‘I know. Its so bubbly
and cloy and happy…’ ‘…just like the Federation’ ‘But you know what’s really
frightening. If you drink enough of it you begin to like it’ ‘Its insidious’ ‘Just
like the Federation.’
Fashion Statement: Time to discuss aesthetics. Bashir,
O’Brien and Odo are pretty much the same as they were in the previous year.
Sisko looks amazing with his head shaved and a proper beard – its like there is
a new guy playing the character and Avery Brooks has never come alive like this
before. I know some people hate his dress sense but I adore the shirt and
waistcoat he is wearing when Kassidy comes to dinner. I don’t know if I have
ever fancies a Trek character more. The least impressive innovation is Kira’s
new bouffant and spray on costume which is obviously an attempt to make her
look more feminine but really wasn’t necessary. Penny Johnson looks gorgeous
in the turquoise dress. Was it my imagination or is Quark way more orange than
usual in this story with heavier eye make up?
Orchestra: I love the new version of theme tune although I
think it is tweaked again slightly from the next episode onwards. It’s punchy
and memorable and sees a show about to kick some ass.
Foreboding: It’s only a small moment but Kassidy grows
suddenly cold when asking about the cargo bays being retrofitted which makes a
lot of sense after the events of For The Cause.
Result: This is easily the most impressive reformatting of
any of the Star Trek shows this far into their run and suddenly DS9 is the
place to be. With dramatic direction, expensive effects work and the grand
scale of the story Deep Space Nine has never felt more cinematic. Everything
about the show feels edgier and pacier from the look of the cast, the title
sequence and theme tune, the political situation and the stunning action
sequences. But this isn’t an excuse to neglect the characters and everybody has
a moment to shine, no one more than Michael Dorn as Worf who hops shows as
though he has always been here. Having spent the first three years building up
the cast (including the impressive guest characters like Garak and Dukat) into
a formidable ensemble and with the Alpha Quadrant now suitably fleshed out this
is definitely a case of the show being in the right place at the right time and
its time to have some real fun with the show. However my favourite thing
about The Way of the Warrior is Avery Brooks’ outstanding performance as Sisko.
With his head shaved and new kick ass attitude he comes alive like never
before: 9/10
The Visitor written by Michael Taylor and directed by David
Livingston
Single Father: Sisko’s love for his son has always been the
strongest element of the character and the domestic scenes have always brought
the best out in Avery Brooks’ performance. With the great season four
renaissance for the character you might think that this element would be left
behind but not a bit of it – they only knock out what is easily the strongest
examination of the relationship between father and son. When Sisko dies the
Bajorans took that as a sign that the Federation wont be able to protect them
from the Klingons. When he gets the chance to meet Jake’s gorgeous wife he is
more charming than ever, grabbing her hand and asking about grandchildren. And
he expresses such pride to see that Jake has gotten on with his life and
published his novels. I don’t think I have ever loved Sisko more than when
grins and tells Jake just because he isn’t around not to think that he doesn’t
want grandchildren.
Starfleet Ferengi: I like how this story follows the
timeline of other characters into the future to offering a realistic view of
Nog once he has joined Starfleet and made a success of his career. He’s
confident and mature and still a great friend to Jake. Its exactly how I hope
Nog really ends up.
Young (and Old) Sisko: Tony Todd is such a modest actor and
whenever I hear him talking about some of the stunning role he has done he
always seems to suggest there is somebody who could have played them better.
Its astonishing because his turn as the older Jake is so nuanced and
beautifully judged I cannot imagine anybody bringing this much to the role – it
is one of my favourite guest turns in the entire Trek franchise. That’s not to
undersell the work of Cirroc Lofton, often overlooked because he is squeezed
into amusing subplots and now given some potent material to bring to life. His
heartfelt ‘don’t leave me!’ when his dad vanishes from the Infirmary chokes me
up. The older Jake makes the assertion that you never know when it might be the
last time that you sit before a fire and enjoy a cup of tea and only agrees to
tell Melanie his story because he has already committed suicide. This is the
only time to tell his tale and under any other circumstances he would have
turned her away. Usually Jake knows better than to disobey his father but this
time he didn’t and thank goodness for that otherwise his father might have been
lost forever. You can only imagine what Jake must be going through inside to
have lost his mother and now his father too and his sudden reappearance in his
bedroom for second really winds him. The Visitor takes such a realistic
approach to losing a loved one – once Jake is forced to leave the station and
moves to Earth he starts thinking less about the past and more about the future
just as everybody does when dealing with a bereavement. When he realises that
there might be an opportunity to bring his father back Jake turns his back on
his career and again there is a lovely mention of how Karenna was supportive at
first but his obsession and drive pushed her away. This all feel very real.
Melanie: Having to match up to Tony Todd’s sterling
performance as the older Jake must have been daunting but Rachel Robinson is
more than up to the task and manages to mirror the audiences reactions to the
story unfolding without it once feeling manipulative. The Visitor is full of
wonderful observations on life and I particularly loved Melanie’s observation
that she had finally found a writer she admires and wanted to read everything
they have ever written. I’m exactly the same when I discover a writer that
really grips me and I always feel sad when I have read their entire opus
because I want to be able to go back and start all over again. I don’t know if
it is Jake’s grateful smile or Melanie’s quiet ‘thank you’ but I always well up
when she gives him the kiss before leaving.
What’s Morn up to: Morn is at the funeral for Sisko and
consoles Jake at the bar a few months later. When Quark leaves the station who
else could take over other than Morn? Talking his customers eras off and
drinking himself out of business!
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘You are my favourite author of all
time’ ‘You should read more.’
‘When my dad and I came here this place was just an
abandoned shell. He turned it into something. Everywhere I look I see a part of
him. If I leave…I wont have anything left of him’ – this is so beautifully
performed by Cirroc Lofton it makes me well up just writing the words.
‘If you publish posthumously nobody can ask you for
rewrites.’
‘I want you to promise me something. While you’re studying
my stories poke your head up every once and a while. Take a look around, see
what’s going on. Its life Melanie’ ‘And you can miss it if you don’t
open your eyes.’
‘I’ve been dragging you through time like an anchor.’
‘Don’t you see? We’re going to get a second chance…’
The Good: Possibly my favourite opening of any Trek episode
with the storm lashing outside and the fire crackling inside and Jake takes the
very poison that the episode hinges but you don’t realise that until the end.
There is something so wonderful and melancholic about two people sharing story
in front of a roaring fire that this episode revels in. The Memorial scene on
the Promenade is beautifully staged and filled with extras and the pan across
the forlorn regulars and settling on a speechless Jake has a hundreds times the
effect as a similar scene about Janeway in Coda which pushed too hard. I love
the intimacy between the characters, it really feels as though they are a
family without driving the point home with words. Dax strokes Jake’s hair and
tries to get him to sleep and Kira embraces him close to try and convince him
to leave the station. In fact the shot of Kira and Jake silhouetted in starlit
is so evocatively done it is practically artful. The effects shot of Jake
leaving the station from the window of a runabout is exquisitely shot so it
feels he is losing a part of himself by being torn away from his home. Imagine
being able to keep a manuscript of your favourite writer with handwritten notes
on showing the changes that they made – that would be like the Holy Grail for
me! You realise at the same time as Melanie that Jake is going to cut the chord
between himself and his father by committing suicide and it breaks my heart
every time I watch it. It is performed so understated by both actors and their
restraint makes it so much more affecting. I haven’t even mentioned Jake’s
study which is a gorgeous clash of styles and winds up looking both old
fashioned and modern and very much a place I would enjoy hanging out.
Moment to Watch Out For: The scenes between Jake and his
father get more and more emotional as the episode progresses and the moment
when they are trapped within the white void together is an acting tour de
force for Avery Brooks and Tony Todd. Sisko’s reaction to Jake’s admission
that he has thrown his whole life away trying to save him is devastating.
Not to mention the deathbed scene which I cannot watch too often because it
turns me into a blubbering wreck. This is character drama at its most
affecting.
Orchestra: Dennis McCarthy’s score for this episode is
phenomenal and I completely understand why parts of it were reused in What You
Leave Behind. The opening theme of Jake as a lonely old man in his house is so
instantly emotional it brings tears to my eyes mere seconds into the episode.
There are moments when the strings fall away and a solitary woodwind instrument
plays such as after Melanie leaves and Jake settles himself down for his
fathers final visit that is extremely poignant.
Result: If you thought Deep Space Nine was all spectacle
after Way of the Warrior think again, this is just about the most powerful
character piece the show produced. Some episodes transcend their genre and go
beyond being great Trek to being great television and this is a fine example of
what DS9 can achieve. The direction, design, performances and writing are all
completely in sync and the net result is a piece of work that will reduce you
to tears several times before the closing credits. As a piece of writing it is
practically flawless with a cleverly constructed narrative that offers us a
strong glimpse into the future of the regulars and examines the relationship
between Ben and Jake with real delicacy and profundity. Its never maudlin or
sentimental, it manages to have a great deal to say about life and love and
what happens when you throw both away. David Livingston has proven over on
Voyager that he is a fantastic action director but his handling of the
character drama here is second to none. Avery Brooks, Cirroc Lofton, Tony Todd
and Rachel Robinson deserve massive kudos for bringing this story to life so
vividly. In every sense of the word – beautiful: 10/10
Hippocratic Oath written by Lisa Klink and directed by Rene
Auberjonois
Everyday Engineer: Listening to O’Brien and Bashir
discussing Keiko like two grouchy bachelors is very funny. Compare and contrast
their relaxed posture and intimate conversation here to the stiff and awkward
silence in The Storyteller and you can see these two have come a long way. Only
O’Brien could think that he would get away with a ‘little workshop’ in the
bedroom but his wife thinks its his way of pushing her out of his quarters.
O’Brien stresses he wishes Keiko could be more like a man when Bashir agrees
with everything he is saying. Now the bromance of the century has begun these
two reach a level of intimacy that is hilarious to watch. O’Brien really is a
nasty piece of work in this story even when you are completely on his side with
regards to not helping the Jem H’adar. There is a real sense that he thinks his
opinion is worth more than Bashir’s and that he can bully him into getting his
own way. After ruining his equipment and expressing disobeying Bashir’s orders
he at least has the dignity to look guilty for what he has done and
steamrolling his friends opinion.
GE Doctor: The very nature of the Jem H’adar is the
antithesis of everything Bashir considers to be right – they are forced into an
addiction to revere their Gods and with the slightest moment of weakness they commit
suicide. He is a healer and I cannot understand the morality of their culture
where death is such a loose concept.
Mr Wolf: Worf is trying to make his mark on DS9 by observing
Odo’s apparently loose security tactics…it’ll all go wrong I tell you! Quark
makes a very good point about Starfleet having a non discrimination policy but
its clear that Worf is a special case who is prejudiced against who he likes.
It’s a shame that they made Worf so humourless in these early episodes because
he seems to be something of a black cloud walking around the station and it
takes Jadzia to bring that laughing monkey persona back out of him. When Worf
stumbles into Odo’s smuggling operation he is made to look like a right idiot –
I get that he is supposed to be trying to fit in and leave his old life behind
but there is no need to embarrass the character whilst doing so.
The Good: When things go bad for O’Brien they go really bad
and not content with piloting the shuttle into the middle of a forest
(literally tearing through the trees) but it also seems to be the same patch as
a group of rogue Jem H’adar. It feels like it has been ages since we last saw a
Jem H’adar – has it really been since The Abandoned? Showing the latest nasties
shivering with withdrawal from the White and purring with contentment once they
have been given a dose of the drug visualises this slave race as something that
is both sympathetic and tragic but also more scary because they are literally a
race for hire if you can feed their addiction.
The Bad: This is something of a dead end for The Jem H’adar
because we never hear of any more rebellious factions again so I wonder what
the logic was of suggesting a revolution in the ranks of the Dominion. I’m not
sure if it is Scott MacDonald’s stiff delivery or Rene Auberjonois’ unusually
undramatic direction but the scene where O’Brien is strangled is astonishingly
ineffective. Few Trek forests feel more like a cramp and ineffective set than
this one and I would have used wider angles and more atmospherics to give this
piece and even creepier look.
Result: Hippocratic Oath is a dark and uncomfortable episode
that explores the relationship between a Jem H’adar unit and the friendship
between Bashir and O’Brien. At times it feels as though we have been
manipulated into a situation to cause tension between the Doctor and the
Engineer but their arguments are so well scripted and performed I’m not
objecting too much. What lets the side down is the irrelevant subplot taking
place on the station that puts Worf in a bad light (probably not wise so soon
after his introduction) and the static direction which means that the episode
isn’t as fluid or dynamic as it should (odd because Rene Auberjonois would go
on to direct one of my favourite episodes this year). Any script that allows
Colm Meaney to be this vicious has got to be worth watching at least once: 6/10
Indiscretion written by Nicholas Corea and directed by Levar
Burton
Single Father: Indiscretion continues the terrific work that
has been done with Sisko over the last dozen episodes and here he is at sea in
a wonderful sitcom subplot where he has to decide what exact is going on
between him and the missus. Its fantastic to see Kassidy back so soon and to
watch Sisko flopping about like a fish out of water trying to cope with being
in a relationship again. His dumbfounded reaction to Kassidy’s news that she is
after a job in the Bajoran system and might be looking for quarters on the
station is hilarious – he wasn’t looking at this becoming so serious, so
quickly and it is written all over his face. As soon as the words ‘that’s a big
step’ came out of his mouth regarding her moving onto the station I knew he was
in for a whole heapful of trouble! In fact that entire dinner scene is so well
done, both Brooks and Johnson play that awkward silence when you’ve both gone
too far in what you’ve said and its either apologise or somebody storms out.
Unfortunately in this case it is the latter. Even better is the scene where
Sisko turns to Dax and Bashir for help and they criticise his every statement
and even Quark chips in with some outrageously sexist advice – this is amiable
domestic drama at its best. It seems to flow very naturally from the
characters. Sisko tries to pass this off as one of those times when things get
complicated between men and women to his son but Jake isn’t having any of it.
He knows his father is skirting around his commitment issues. When issuing his
apology Sisko admits he was afraid and nervous because he hasn’t been in a
serious relationship for a long time. It was his job that killed Jennifer and
if anything ever happened to Kassidy he wouldn’t be able to live with himself.
‘You’re a good man Benjamin Sisko but you’ve got a lot to learn about women.
Especially this one…’ Note to other Star Trek series – this is how to
write domestic drama. You don’t need to have to characters floating through
space running out of oxygen to admit their feelings for each other. The way
Kassidy teasingly denies him a kiss before she leaves is the perfect end to a
perfect subplot.
Tasty Terrorist: Kira is on this mission for personal
reasons, she had a friend aboard the Ravenok and she wants to know what
happened to him. Kira saves Ziyal’s life which is one of the reasons she winds
up living under her protection on the station. I think she is genuinely
surprised that Dukat embraces his daughter rather than killing her and for a
moment wobbles on her conviction that he is an evil man.
Unknown Sample: Kira and Odo are seen here relaxing in his
office and having fun going through this weeks criminal activity reports and
laughing about the general ineptness of the stations criminals. This comes in
quite important in Crossfire later in the season.
Slimy Snake: If anybody other than Dukat had beamed onto
that transport pad I would have been really disappointed. As far as I
remembered there had been a certain charge between these two since the first
series but re-watching the show has proven that it didn’t actually kick off
until season four (with a brief foray in Civil Defence last year courtesy of
Garak). This is the emergence of the creepy charmer that I’m sure Marc Alaimo
has always wanted to play and his continued presence only benefits DS9. He
tries to flatter Kira by describing her as an embodiment of the New Bajor, a Bajoran
born out of the ashes of the Occupation and tempered with Cardassian steel but
Kira figures he just likes the sound of his own voice! We learn that Dukat had
a personal reason for wanting to find the Ravenok too, he kept a Bajoran
mistress called Lora Neprem with whom he fell in love with during the
Occupation. Sitting at her grave and discovering the pledge bracelet he gave
her the writers have achieved what I thought was impossible, I actually felt
sorry for the man. Unbelievably Dukat is actually considering murdering his own
daughter in order to salvage his family and career.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Bajor and Cardassia must learn to work
together’ – whilst there are still resentments (naturally considering what was
done to them) by the Bajorans the show seems committed to drive forward the
peace treaty between the two planets.
‘The voice of the new Cardassia. So compassionate, so
understanding. Almost makes you forget that five years ago he was working
Bajorans to death in forced labour camps and shooting anybody who tried to stop
him. Almost makes you forget.’
‘Women are the enemy and we treat them accordingly.
The key is to never let them get the upper hand. If she says she doesn’t see
you enough, threaten to see her even less. If she wants more gifts, take back
the ones you’ve already given her. Its all about control’ ‘What if your woman
leaves you?’ ‘ That’s what holosuites are for’ – note to self, never seek Quark
out for advice about women!
‘You’ve been talking to Jake. He’s a smart boy. Must take
after his mother.’
The Good: Roy Brocksmith gives a master class in taking
little screen time and making the most of it. He creates a very likable rogue
in Razka and I wish we had been able to see more of him. What Dukat says about
Bajor, however harsh the lesson, might just have some validity. They were a
weak, contemplative race before the Occupation but thanks to the passion that
erupted in kicking out their oppressors they have a new confidence, a sense of
purpose and a key role in the future of the Quadrant. Kira suggests they
accomplished this in spite of the Occupation but I think she is a little
deluded in that thinking. Deep Space
Nine is such a dark show usually so it is a nice contrast when they get out in
the nice sunny weather and this bleak desert is a visually stunning location.
They stage the wreckage of the Ravenok as though they have the budget of
blockbuster movie, seeing Kira and Dukat walk down a dune amongst the debris is
an awesome image. I love the little touch of the Bajoran prisoner who is
shocked to discover Kira and Dukat working together and realises that the
Occupation is over – how awful to have been a prison for the four years since
the horrors came to an end and not even know about it. Dukat holding a gun on
his daughter is a tense moment because we have seen how far his devotion to his
career and family extends. For a second I really thought he would kill her.
Moment to Watch Out For: Any of the scenes concerning
Sisko’s balls up with Kassidy.
Result: A far more effective two hander than Hippocratic
Oath because there is so much fascinating history between Bajor and Cardassia
and it is encapsulated and explored through Kira and Dukat. It’s a story that
deals with big images (the wrecked ship, the graves, the labour camp) but never
forgets to make the material personal and Kira is there to remind Dukat of what
his people have done initially and his responsibilities as a father towards the
climax. Its great to push Dukat’s character forward and we have a new semi
regular in Ziyal who would go on to provide some of the shows most dramatic
moments. There is quite a bit for this episode to accomplish but it never feels
rushed and despite the strong production values it still feels as though the
performances are what count. The Sisko/Kassidy subplot is an absolute peach and
has some golden moments – I can’t wait to watch this relationship develop: 8/10
Rejoined written by Ronald D. Moore & Rene Echevarria
and directed by Avery Brooks
Single Father: The Dax/Sisko scenes are the lynchpin of the
episode and all those shows building up this friendship (since way back in
season one’s Dax) are really starting to pay off with some dramatic results.
Sisko proves to be a very good friend by giving her tough advice precisely when
she doesn’t want to hear it. He then betters that by offering to support her no
matter how bad it gets. Everybody needs a friend like Ben Sisko.
Nine Lives: In her six years in the show this is the story
that showcases Jadzia Dax at her best and affords Terry Farrell the chance to
really get her teeth into some emotional material. Whether it is right or not
that it should be the case it was very brave to attempt an episode of this
nature at the time where homosexuality was still emerging into the public
consciousness and Farrell was extremely brave to tackle this subject matter
with such commitment. What I don’t understand is how people can call Dax’s
dalliance with Lenara a one hit wonder because the relationship is so
intimately played by Farrell and Thompson that I never once got the impression
that this was a lesbian relationship and more that it was two people who were
irresistibly drawn to each other. Besides Dax goes on to flirt outrageously
with the Vanessa Williams character in Let He Who Is Without Sin (fandom has
probably forgotten this because they have collectively tried to forget that
this episode ever existed!) and was seen hanging out with Kira in Way of the
Warrior in kinky leotards. I always get the impression that Dax was feeling her
way into her joining in the first two or three seasons and coming to terms with
all those memories rattling around in her head. Is her character bisexual? I
don’t give a damn but how she unapologetically pursues both men and women is a
wonderful statement for Star Trek to make.
One of her previous hosts Tobin used to dabble in the
sleight of hand and as such Dax knows some mean party tricks involving boiled
eggs! She is determined to stay and greet Lenara because she has never let her
past lives interfere with her job and she isn’t going to start now. You know
this is going to be a mistake the second they lay eyes on each other and the
charge between them is instant. She’s picked up her tardiness from Curzon (who
was even late for his 100th birthday that took Sisko three months to
prepare!). I love the dinner scenes because they are like two teenagers that
have already had a contratante and are trying not to look at each other to give
the game away. Their forced politeness is extremely awkward and yet the
chemistry between them is unmistakable no matter how much they try and hide it.
Once they have made their formal introductions they cannot resist one last look
at each other across the room. How well performed is the scene where Lenara and
Dax decide not to talk about the past – every time they cross eyes it looks as
though they are going to kiss. I was strongly reminded of when I met my husband
twelve years ago when Dax takes Lenara out for dinner and drags a friend along
so it doesn’t look so obvious – I asked Simon to the cinema and we both took
one friend each because we were too scared to be alone together in a dark room!
Our mates looked about as thrilled as Bashir does watching these two flirt and
reminisce. Curzon would be horrified to learn that Dax was a scientist because
the idea of doing research made him ill. Terry Farrell will break your heart as
she asks Lenara to stay with her but the moment she starts talking about going
back to Trill and thinking it over she knows that if they walk away from each
other now, its over. Time to think about the consequences just makes them more
apparent and the relationship less worth it.
Mr Wolf: Poor Worf was saddled with the least effective
pretence and when he says he is looking forward to the groundbreaking
artificial wormhole project his tone says he would rather make love to Quark.
When he does his ‘Defiant’s Log’ its all he can do not to yawn. Interesting to
see Worf in the background as Dax and Lenara hug each other excitedly when the
test wormhole works considering she will wind up being his wife in a few years.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘She swallowed the egg before she came
into the bar and then regurgitated it on cue. Quite disgusting actually.’
‘I know he. She used to be my wife.’
‘I don’t understand how two people who have fallen in love
and made a life together can be forced to walk away from each other just
because of a taboo.’
‘Dax I am not like you! I don’t have a little Curzon inside
me telling me to be impulsive, to ignore the rules, to give up everything that
I’ve worked for!’
The Good: The scenes between the regulars feel so
affectionate and natural these days its pretty much like hanging out with good
friends – go and watch the first scene of this episode which is gently played
and warmly lit. The gag of Broik staring in to Quark’s ear to find out where
all that latinum is coming from is perfectly timed. Look at the framing of the
scene of Kira and Bashir in the entrance to Quark’s bar, its beautifully shot
and it is perfectly clear that Nana Visitor and Alex Siddig are desperately in
love with each other at this point. They’re body language screams that they are
barely holding back. Like the best episodes of Star Trek Rejoined is posing as
science fiction whereas it is actually exploring a contemporary issue –
homosexual relationships. They dress up the fact that they are talking about
gay relationships in a Trill taboo about re-associating with people from
previous lives which seems perfectly acceptable to me. Its odd how the people that
complain the most about this episode are the gays themselves because they don’t
explicitly state that this about gay love – get over it, its how Star Trek
always does this sort of thing! When Kira states that no taboo should stop a
couple from being in love I was cheering, again that is a wonderful message to
have broadcast on a show as widely watched as this one. When they talk about
exile from the Trill homeworld it reminds me of stories of friends who have
come out and been shunned by their families because of it. It’s a tender
subject and it is discussed in some depth. The special effects where Dax tippy
toes across a force field to reach Lenara looks flawless and at first I
questioned whether the moment of jeopardy was needed but it brings Bejal on side
and makes Lenara’s final decision all the more heartbreaking now that her
brother is coming around to the idea.
The Bad: There is one downside to this episode and that is
technobabble which is present in droves to remind us that we are not only
watching a sensitive drama unfold but also Star Trek as well.
Fashion Statement: During the dinners scene both Terry
Farrell and Susannah Thompson look dazzling, their eyes literally sparkle.
Lenara’s brother is quite the hottie.
Result: A controversial episode that isn’t going to please
those of the action adventure crowd but should thrill those who are seeking
something more thoughtful and sensitive from Trek. Tackling homosexuality was
always going to be a tough one because Trek has ignored it for so long but
thanks to the outstanding performances from Terry Farrell and Susannah Thompson
and the intimate direction from Avery Brooks what transpires is one of the most
touching romance stories in Trek canon.
I’m so pleased that Avery Brooks handled this episode because he has an
intimate way with both the actors and the camera that sells the emotional
nature of the episode sensitively without it ever feeling melodramatic or
embarrassing. I could have done without the amount of technobabble that was
thrown at me but I have filter now that turns those scenes into a chorus of
blah blah blah. I’m not sure that this is a story that needed picking up at a
later date because the tragic final scenes have a sense of finality about them.
Dax has never been better and Rejoined proves symptomatic of the confidence of
season four that the show is continually taking some big risks. A beautiful
episode: 9/10
Starship Down written by David Mack & John J. Ordover
and directed by Alexander Singer
Single Father: Sisko has never been one of ceremonies
especially when he is the centre of attention and he has never embraced the
role of Emissary whole heartedly because it conflicts with his ‘other job’.
Kira suspects that he has scheduled these negotiations to avoid a ceremony that
celebrates him becoming the Emissary. Season four takes hold of the concept of
Sisko as an uncomfortable religious leader and pushes it in a pleasing new
direction and its great to have the reminder here before the he comes to terms
with his arrangement in Accession. He’s a gutsy bloke that is willing to make difficult
command decisions – he orders Bashir to seal off a bulkhead with Dax still
behind it to save the ship. Such a wonderful risk taker, he goes with his
instincts and fires the deadly probe without actually knowing that there is a
Jem H’adar ship within 50 metres!
Tasty Terrorist: I was very pleased to see the Kira/Sisko
relationship given some focus in this episode and it’s a season that sees them
become firm friends as well as work colleagues as well as religious
icon/devotee. Its nice to see Kira using tricks she picked up as a terrorist to
aid their escape from the Jem H’adar. What’s great about the scenes between
Sisko and Kira is that usually their uneasy relationship is held in check by
all the politics and crazy shit that is going on on the station but now all
those distractions are out of the way and she simply has to talk to him. Not as
a spiritual leader or a Starfleet commander but as just as a person. Its
something that they have never had to do before. She admits that because she
considers him the Emissary it is hard for her to relax around him. When the
sedative fails and she can’t keep him awake with her (very dull) story Kira
decides that her only option left is to pray – I love the fact that a Star Trek
character can be seen making that sort of personal decision in a desperate
situation. Its great to enjoy a religious character without all the nasty
undertones that usually comes with the territory, she has strong believes and
the writers embrace that. In a way that is more surprising than the gay kiss in
the last episode. Sisko asking Kira to a baseball match is a delightful scene
and there is a cuddly feeling that they have gotten closer because of this
experience.
GE Doctor: Had Bashir tries to save Dax a year ago she would
have assumed he was trying to be a hero or get into her knickers but it is a
comment on how far the character has come in a short space of time that neither
of those are even possibilities anymore. He’s just a nice bloke that wont let
one of his friends die needlessly. Dax admits that he came on so strong and
never let have the chance to get to know him (all true) and he laughs at the
absurdity of their life or death situation because that was exactly the sort of
crazy fantasy he used to have dreaming about the pair of them trapped alone
together somewhere!
Community Leader: Frankly I would say that Sisko was a bit
of a dumbass in trusting that Quark would deal fairly with the Karemma! I would
be looking over his shoulder at every stage of the negotiations to see what
extra money he is trying t siphon out of them. On one cargo drop alone Quark
has added a 4% surcharge to check of changeling infiltrators and 6% tariff to
help the loss of earnings for Tarkalian sheep herders! Quite enterprising,
actually! So is how he tries to blame all the swindling on Rom. I’ve said it
before but every show needs a character like Quark. Rather than apologising for
his actions Quark suggests that they join forces to bleed even more money out
of the Federation! Quark laughing his head off at the thought of detonating the
torpedo and killing everybody on the ship makes me howl every time I watch it!
‘I think we have a winner’ indeed.
What is Morn up to: This week he is boring Bashir to death
with a depressing tale of having 17 brothers and sisters whilst nursing a
drink.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Something tells me they maybe closer than
you think…’
‘We’ll worry about that tomorrow’ ‘Sure, that’s easy for you
to say its your day off!’ – naturalistic dialogue of this nature is not often
heard in Star Trek and its great to see DS9 affording banter amongst its lower
ranks.
‘This can’t happen! You can’t die! You’re the Emissary
there’s still much for you to do!’ – doesn’t Nana Visitor ace these
emotional scenes?
‘Maybe I should offer them a refund?’ is a great punchline to all the toing and
froing between Quark and Hanek as we discover that the Karemma are a bunch of
rogues too!
The Bad: ‘I don’t think there’s anyone left alive up there!’
declares O’Brien without knowing any such thing. What a drama queen.
Result: I remember when Dreamwatch used to run their season
guides and had five Americans judging each episode and scoring them out of ten
as they were broadcast and Starship Down was absolutely panned. No it isn’t one
of the best DS9 episodes and yes it does remind you a little bit of Disaster
but there is certainly more to recommend this episode than a measly 1/10!
There’s an evocative submarine under fire atmosphere that pervades the episode
and once they are damaged beyond repair I love the stillness as they try and
avoid enemy fire. The special effects are once again excellent and it
highlights how much more interesting the characters are on DS9 in the
individual character vignettes. The Dax/Bashir scenes tie a little ribbon
around their flirting and leaves her open to pursue Worf, O’Brien teaches Worf
a lesson or two about personal interaction with your staff and best of all the
Kira/Sisko scenes highlight what a strength their relationship is to the
series. However my favourite scenes belong to Quark and Hanek trying to disarm
the torpedo because they manage to be both very funny and very tense. It’s a
little choppy in places and isn’t always as tense as it should be but its still
a fast moving, entertaining piece: 7/10
Little Green Men written by Ira Steven Behr & Robert
Hewitt Wolfe and directed by James L. Conway
Unknown Sample: It seems that Odo is the only person who
remembers that Quark is a swindler these days and he can see through his
generous offer to take his nephew to Earth in an instant. He’s so good that he
smuggles aboard the ship and as soon as they wind up trapped on Earth he
disguises himself as a dog that you can see running about during the outdoors
sequences.
Mr Wolf: Worf’s racism concerning Ferengi at the academy is
exactly what Nog is going to have to face when he moves to Earth to study. At
least he gets to purchase a tooth sharpener, another little thing that gets
mentioned several times hence.
Community Leader: Quark loose on the Quadrant with a ship
(and one that can outrun a Romulan interceptor at that!) is a terrifying
prospect so we should ne thankful that it is defective merchandise.
Cousin Gaila clearly has an issue with Quark that we don’t know about and it
give me great pleasure to think we will get to meet him next year after this
failed assassination attempt. Quark always knew primitive humans lacked
intelligence but he had no idea they were as stupid as this lot – he likes the
odds of the three of them against millions of human because he knows he
can outsmart them! The way he barks orders at Rom and Nog leads the scientist
and his missus to think of him as their mother! The description of Quark as a
used car salesman is absolute genius – it’s the closest I have heard to an
accurate description of his attitude and way of life. Only Quark could think
that changing the entire history of the planet Earth as a means to fill his
pockets with cash was a good idea and he offers all kinds of 24th
Century technology, medical knowledge and weapons in exchange for precious
metals. Its so refreshing because we always go through the same rigmarole in
these time travel episodes with pious Starfleet officers doing their damdest to
prevent the timeline from being corrupted but here we have a character who
stamps all over what is right in order to ensure he comes out on top. It can’t
think of anybody I would want to send back in time more! Quark uses all of the
things he has picked up from his human customers over the years (baseball, root
beer and darts) to suggest the Ferengi have been watching humanity for some
time. He’s always been a Ferengi with big dreams but now he wants to create a
brand new timeline where he is running the Earth – he plans to establish an
economic empire beyond even Grand Nagus Zek’s wildest dreams!
Secret Genius: ‘I’ve always been smart brother, I’ve just
lacked self confidence!’ As usual Rom is around the get Quark out of whatever
bother he is in this time. However this time he cracks under pressure and
starts wailing that he wants to go home to his Moogie!
Starfleet Ferengi: Its nice to see as Nog heads off the
academy that we can stop and reminisce about how far he has come – Kira finding
her Springball racket reminds us of his thieving ways and the lovely scene on
the Promenade took me back to all those early season episodes where Jake and
Nog just used to hang around. I love hoe Nog looks around at the spot as though
he is saying goodbye to his childhood and heads off grinning at the challenges
ahead. He really has grown up. Its so lovely how the regulars and
semi regulars have gelled together into a family (and unlike Kathy on Voyager
they don’t need to remind the audience every other episode) and O’Brien and
Bashir giving Nog a going away present is very sweet. Its almost as if Nog has
been watching some godawful 1950s b-movies as he spins out an elaborate yarn
about the Ferengi invading Cleveland (or ‘this blue blob’) and taking all the
females to mate with!
What’s Morn up to: Insanely Quark is leaving Morn in charge
of the bar because he is the only he can trust. He has been left with three
instructions – don’t extend any lines of credit, don’t touch the Dabo girls and
to keep his eyes on Odo because he’ll be keeping his eyes on him.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘The Kemosite! If we vent plasma from
the warp core into the cargo hold we may be able to start a cascade reaction in
the Kemosite! Then we can modulate the reaction to create an inversion wave in
the force field and force the ship back into normal space! If I time it just
right I should be able to get us close enough to Earth to make and emergency
landing!’ ‘Rom you’re a genius!’ – I love this scene with every fibre of my
being. For one thing it is taking the piss out of technobabble in an almost
Douglas Adams type way by making the speech so tongue twistingly
incomprehensible. Secondly the look of fear that passes between Quark and Nog
makes me crack up every time. Thirdly my wonderfully geeky husband can quote
this speech word perfect and does so every time I feel down because it always
makes me chuckle. The only piece of technobabble I cherish.
‘So if they don’t have universal translators…why are they
banging their heads?’
‘What’s that disgusting smell?’ ‘I think its called tobacco.
It’s a deadly drug. When used frequently it destroys the internal organs’ ‘If
its so deadly then why do they use it?’ ‘Its also highly addictive’ ‘How do
they get their hands on it?’ ‘They buy it in stores’ ‘They buy it? If
they’ll buy poison they’ll buy anything. I think I’m going to like it here.’
‘They irradiated their own planet?’
‘We’re helpless, we’re harmless, we just want to sell you
things!’
‘Stay back or I’ll disinnigrate this hostage!’ ‘With your
finger?’ ‘With my death ray!’ ‘Looks a lot like a finger to me!’
‘Who’s he?’ ‘My hero!’
Moment to Watch Out For: Where else are you going to see a
Ferengi ship flying into a nuclear explosion?
Fashion Statement: Connor O’Farell is one of those actors
who is greying around the temples and absolutely gorgeous.
Result: Quark, Rom and Nog as the Roswell aliens? Does
anybody still think that there is any other Trek show can rival DS9? If you are
looking for a show juggling Empires and the complexities of war skip forward a
few years, this is a slight but blissfully funny interlude that wants nothing
more than to give you a great time and leave you with a smile on your face. And
it achieves that admirably. There’s jokes about time travel, Roswell, smoking,
universal translators, the ethos of Star Trek, capitalism…it’s an extremely
witty script that doesn’t stop giving. Max Grodenchik and Aron Eisenberg are
exquisite support but this episode is held together by a supremely charismatic
turn by Armin Shimmerman who as Quark gets to do all the wrong things in a time
travel episode. Its wonderful that a Star Trek show can produce something as
daft and eclectic as this and it wont long before we get another gem with the
same tone. This is the Ferengi episode that everybody should love: 9/10
The Sword of Kahless written by Hans Beimler and directed by
Levar Burton
Mr Wolf: ‘Worf, son of Mogh and thorn in Gowron’s side!’
Worf has been so stiff and grumpy so far this season that he needed somebody
like Kor to come along and get him totally shit faced so he can loosen up a
bit. Its interesting to see the series bringing up Worf’s sparing of Toral after
all these years and it once again highlights what a unique Klingon he is. There
is a lovely moment where Worf learns that harsh lesson that you should never
meet your heroes as Kor and Dax figure out how to elaborate the story of
catching their lunch. He feels a true warrior has no need to exaggerate his
feats. Worf seems to think that he has been chosen by Kahless (who apparently
visited him in a vision when he was younger) to embark on this quest and bring
the sword home. Methinks his stab wound given him delusions of grandeur! Worf
has turns good and loopy by the sword and tries to convince Kor to drop to a
ledge that would never have held his weight – the sooner they junk the sword
the better!
Nine Lives: Dax is more like a referee between Worf and Kor
in this episode having to keep them from slaughtering each other! Terry Farrell
has really found her groove this year, tossing away all of Dax’s insecurities
and playing her as confident good time girl. She’s still a scientist (indeed
her skills come in very handy here) but she can hold her own in a fight
(verbally and physically) and has a real love for the Klingons and affection
for Kor. She gets the best moment in the whole episode where she has had enough
of their bickering and she shoots them both! I would have done it much earlier
but I still cheered when she pulled the trigger.
Community Leader: Quark isn’t that keen on Klingon stories
because lots of people die and nobody makes any profit!
Rousing Hero: If there was ever a guest character that
deserved to show up again then surely Kor qualifies. He’s a fantastic
scoundrel, noted for winding people up and exaggerating his stories (‘The
entire mountainside was covered with dead so that not one square metre was
clean!’) and he can’t help boasting about their quest to find the sword of
Kahless to Worf. I love the way he casually tips another drink into his when he
thinks nobody is looking. He’s so theatrical that he cannot resist giving a
little speech (with some poetry) before they head off to find the sword. Kor is
so mouthy he tipped off the House of Duras before he even reached the station.
When Worf suggests that Kor’s mind has been poisoned by blood wine and age
there might just be something in that, trading on glories of old.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Worf the traitor! The pariah! The
lowest of the low! It’s a pleasure to meet you. Any enemy of Gowron and the
High Council is a friend of mine.’
‘Try to bring it back in one piece’ – nice to see DS9
commenting on the frequent loss of runabouts!
‘What is it?’ ‘Lunch!’
The Good: More so than continually being told what a sacred
object the sword is it was far more interesting to see the effect it had on
both Kor and Worf, fighting over possession of it like a pair of kids and both
wanting it for their own purposes. As a symbol of power it seemed to bloat
their egos and turn them against each other – if this is what can happen to two
men imagine the effect such an object could have on the Empire. Tossing the
thing into space is the best thing they could have done to it.
The Bad: The way they try and tie this story into the main
arc of the season by having two Starfleet officers bringing the sword home and
restoring peace between the Klingons and the Federation is tenuous at best.
They should have just gotten on with the quest story if they wanted to tell one
and not worry about excuses. For a story that is supposed to be rousingly epic
it is a shame that they couldn’t afford to set it anywhere other than stock
Star Trek caves. Blood Oath impressed because its final set piece looked like
nothing else this show had ever given us. I wonder if Star Trek is a bit too
slow to try something as Lara Croft as this – it needs fast editing, exciting
stunts and real pace to pull of the effect. Watch how lazy the direction is
when the Duras clan catch up with Kor and his posse – its like two groups of
friends meeting for a gossip! The fight scenes that ensue aren’t very well done
either, they are slow paced, overly theatrical and some of the responses are
delayed. With talk of the Kahless clone, meeting Toral and discussion of Worf’s
dishonour this feels like a love letter to Klingon episodes gone by at times.
How long was it going to be before the stock Star Trek cave ravine showed up?
There is so little that is visually distinctive about this episode it starts to
grate after a while.
Result: Klingon episodes are one sub genre that I don’t feel
DS9 does particularly well and it has to be something very special indeed to
keep me interested. I get the impression that the writers and directors can be
a little relaxed when it comes to these episodes almost as if the fact that
they are dealing with the Klingons is enough to give it a pass in the eyes of
the Trek fans. Not on my watch! Sons of Mogh, Soldiers of the Empire, Sons and
Daughters…they do nothing for me I’m afraid. I love John Colicos’ Kor and Michael
Dorn’s Worf but they both deserved a better vehicle than this, a leisurely
stroll through some caves to find a Bat’leth that is more trouble than its
worth. This is more like watching theatre than an action movie with lots of
stirring speeches and plodding from room to room with the sword being so easy
to find it is less of a quest and more a shopping trip. Things do get more
interesting when the artefact starts to affect Worf and Kor’s behaviour and the
episode explores the hurt to be found when you meet your heroes and they fail
to live up to your expectations. The dialogue is quite fresh and witty but
Levar Burton’s slothenly direction fails to allow this episode to engage as it
should. There is no real reason why their behaviour heads quite this out of
character though and I was waiting for an explanation that the sword had some
kind of mind control powers! I get what they were trying to do with this
episode (an Indiana Jones style quest) but you can’t attempt something that
should be ambitious half heartedly: 4/10
Our Man Bashir written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by
Winrich Kolbe
Single Father: What a magnificent turn by Avery
Brooks as the fruit loopy Dr Noah who wants to destroy the entire world and
build it again in his image. If anybody thought he was holding back in the part
season four has shown just what a force of nature he can be when he plays his
part for all it is worth. Noah is a nut job, plain and simple but Brooks imbues
him with so much glorious comic potential (his eyes simply glint with insanity)
I was howling by the end of the episode. Bashir might get the girls and save
the day but everybody forgets the most fun part to play is the villain. The
moment he turns his gun on Bashir in the most wonderfully over the top fashion
(‘I on the other hand have no pretensions about the ideals of being a hero!’)
had me applauding. His little comment ‘I didn’t expect to win…’ is perfect.
Tasty Terrorist: Is it hot in here or has Kira just turned
up as Colonel Komonov, KGB? Nana Visitor has an absolute blast with her cod
Russian accent and outrageously sexy character, every move she makes being one
of pure seduction and danger. I believe this is the point where Nana Visitor
and Alex Siddig got together and if the way she salivates over him in this
story is anything to go by they must have had a great couple of years together!
Mr Wolf: Michael Dorn gets to deadpan it good and proper as
Duchamp, Dr Noah’s henchman. He puffs away on his cigar and mans the gambling
tables that guarantees Bashir access to his boss.
Everyday Engineer: Colm Meaney is such a fine character
actor that her slips effortlessly into the role of Falcon, Dr Noah’s heavy and
milks it for every chuckle it is worth by playing it so straight.
Plain and Simple: Another phenomenal showing for Garak who
proves that his character is malleable enough to work in both intense dramas
(such as The Die is Cast) and out and out comedies such as this. It appears
that Garak is a little jealous that Bashir is spending a lot of time in the
holosuite with his new programme and wants to find out what it is all about. Imagine
his surprise when it turns out he is living a fantasy version of Garak’s old
lifestyle – there are just too many opportunities for Garak to take the piss! I
love Garak’s put out look when Bashir tells Komonov that he knows nothing about
the earthquakes, he’s like a naughty school boy who’s been told to shut up. He
really shows his teeth as he is willing to sacrifice some of the crew to ensure
their safe passage through the programme. He understands that real intelligence
operatives have to make tough choices.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘If I were in your shoes I’d grab a
bottle of champagne and shoot me!’
‘Another decorators nightmare!’
‘There comes a time when a house has been so demolished by
termites that you must not only kill the termites…but demolish the house
and build again!’ and ‘The surface of the planet will shrink…just like letting
air out of a balloon!’ and ‘We will repopulate and start a new human race!
Pity you wont be able to join us!’ – Dr Noah gets all the best lines!
‘I don’t know if I’ve made it explicit to you or not Doctor
but I really don’t want to die chained to a 20th Century laser!’
‘I must say Doctor this is more than I ever wanted to know
about your fantasy life!’
‘That was awfully close…what if you’d killed me?’ ‘What
makes you think I wasn’t trying?’ ‘Doctor, I do believe there’s hope for you
yet!’
‘Interesting, you saved the day by destroying the world.’
The Bad: Garak’s stunt double in the fight scene is
obviously not Andrew Robinson. In fact he looks rather like Marc Alaimo!
Moment to Watch Out For: The moment when the dangers of the
episode get too much for Garak and he decides to quit and Bashir shoots him to
stop him. The dialogue is outstanding – managing to be both funny, thoughtful
and say something about both characters and to top it off Sid and Robinson sell
this scene for every nuance it is worth. This is the moment where Bashir steps
out of Garak’s shadow and stands on his own two feet.
Only DS9: Fuck off Captain Proton, nobody does comedy like
DS9!
Fashion Statement: Mona Luvsit (what a great name!)
wears the shortest skirt suit known to womankind and flaunts a couple of very
pleasing attributes.
Orchestra: One of my favourite ever Trek scores and one that
is perfectly in tune with the camp fun the episode provides. You wouldn’t think
that regular DS9 style music and Bondian cues would work well together but the
fusion creates something that is truly unique. The saxophone keeps slipping
into the action to ensure that it is a sleazy and sexy as possible. I would
love a soundtrack of this episode! When Bashir and Garak are struggling through
the tunnels there is a track that dazzingly mixes the DS9 theme tune with
Bondian cheese and it might just be my favourite bit of Trek music ever. Its awesome.
Result: A James Bond spoof written by Ronald D. Moore and
starring Bashir and Garak…what could possibly go wrong? Somehow (and I’m really
not sure how) Moore manages to merge a technobabble show with a holosuite show
and produce an absolutely sparkling piece of entertainment which puts the
characters in the most absurd situation and in genuine danger! Our Man Bashir
explains exactly what I was trying to say about The Sword of Kahless – if you
are going to do something you have to go at it wholeheartedly and boy do they
do that here. Its Bond heaven all the way with the design, costumes, music,
direction and script all going the extra mile to provide a massively
entertaining lurch from the norm. As good as all those elements are I think the
real credit has to go to the actors – Alexander Siddig (who is a smooth as
whipped cream in coffee), Andrew Robinson (who is the master of pithy one
liners), Nana Visitor (sex personified), Terry Farrell (the hottest geek in
town), Colm Meaney (‘I’ve always been a romantic at heart’), Micheal
Dorn (finally getting to have some fun) and the irreplaceable Avery Brooks (mad
dictator extraordinaire). Having Way of the Warrior, Rejoined, Little
Green Men and Our Bashir in quick succession reminds me why DS9 shits all over
Babylon 5 (watch as the 40 hardcore B5 fans come out in hives) because whilst
DS9 can juggle empires, flaunt space battles and intense character drama it is
also an eclectic portmanteau of storytelling styles that knows how to have fun.
It doesn’t have a one track mind and it makes it a far more flavoursome
experience. This is a witty, devastatingly enjoyable piece that continues
season fours confident run: 10/10
Homefront written by Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe
and directed by David Livingston
Single Father: What has happened to Sisko this year? Avery
Brooks has always been a reasonably reliable performer but in this half of
season four he has positively shone. Its time to meet the elder
statesman of the Sisko clan and it pleases me to say that even a man as
formidable as Benjamin Sisko cannot keep his cantankerous old dad in check!
Just talking to his dad brings Sisko out in smiles. The chemistry between Avery
Brooks, Brock Peters and Cirroc Lofton is something to behold and I think I
could happily watch these three just hanging out together for an entire
episode. Its nice to meet the man who recommended Sisko for the job on DS9.
With his father and mentor turning up in one episode, more layers of Sisko’s
character are peeling away. His homecoming is to be made acting head of
Starfleet Security because he knows more about the changeling threat than
anybody. The only way this man can be elevated anymore would be to take control
of a Quadrant wide war! Oh wait… I like how they place the weight of Earth’s
security on Sisko’s shoulders but Brooks convinces that the scenes with his
father as the ones that are really weighing him down. His love of his
family has always been the strongest aspect of Sisko’s character and nothing is
changing now he is a powerful man.
Unknown Sample: It would appear that Odo does have his
peoples need for order but it comes out in the form of OCD in his domestic
arrangements. Odo sneakily shape shifts from a briefcase before the President’s
eyes to prove that Earth has every reason to be paranoid about his people.
Sisko tells Odo that there are times when he wishes they had never found his
people and rather than react badly he actually sympathises with him.
Nine Lives: Dax is enjoying her sadistic streak this year
and takes great pleasure in causing chaos in Odo’s perfectly organised quarters
by moving furniture out of alignment. He has always thought that humanoids have
no sense of order and that Dax is the most humanoid person he knows!
Community Leader: ‘Hew-mons, all you care about is
yourselves’ – as ever Quark does make a good point.
Starfleet Ferengi: What a lovely way to re-introduce Nog to
the show. Joseph is the only person who is willing to serve live tube grubs on
Earth and he eats there practically every night, adding Nog to the mix of
personalities gives him and Jake the chance to catch up. Some of the cadets at
the Academy are a little standoffish and Nog thought it was because he was a
Ferengi at first but other cadets have been complaining about the arrogance of
Red Squad too. Starfleet Academy must be one of the few schools where being the
best of the best is celebrated rather than mocked! I love the way that Nog (who
is kind of Sisko’s little project anyway) manages to manipulate him into
recommending him for Red Squad.
Young Sisko: ‘My friend the writer always looking for a
good story.’ Jake is not happy to be staying with his grandpa whilst he is
vacationing on Earth because he will expect them to wait tables! As soon as
Jake starts trying to look after his grandpa he is threatened with the job of
cleaning an entire vat of crayfish!
What’s Morn up to: He’s having terrible trouble trying to
get his head around Quark’s latest dirty joke.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Then the Andorian says “That’s not my
antenna…”
‘I haven’t seen people this nervous since the Borg scare…’
‘We’ve created a paradise here and we’re willing to protect
it.’
‘Now you take these two vampires and tell them to either sit
down and grab a menu or get the hell out of my restaurant!’ ‘Jake get them a
menu!’
‘The only time you should be in bed is when you’re sleeping,
dying or making love to a beautiful woman!’
The Good: ‘I was hoping that this would never happen but it
appears it has. The changelings have reached Earth…’ That’s a premise that
would get anyone’s blood pumping and a high level conference going up in flames
is a taster of the havoc that can wrought. Also the wormhole is opening and
closing at random almost as if cloaked Dominion ships are entering or leaving
the quadrant – is this the first stages of a Dominion invasion? I love the fact
that Joseph’s restaurant is in New Orleans because I have long considered it
the most interesting American city. The sight of O’Brien and Bashir dressed up
as Battle of Britain flyboys is enough to make me chuckle, especially when they
threaten to smash their pint glasses on Quark’s bar! Robert Foxworth makes an
instant impression as Admiral Leyton (I hear that JMS was so cross that he took
this assignment on DS9 he wrote his character out of B5 – oh well their loss is
our gain). The grounds of Starfleet Headquarters look as idyllic as ever. There
is a fantastic atmosphere in the restaurant when Sisko turns up to meet his
father – the trees are swaying in the courtyard, music is playing and Joseph is
charming his customers into ordering the bread pudding soufflé! And how awesome
is the alligator hanging from the ceiling! The way the writers introduce Red
Squad into the story (via Nog’s desire to join them) is clever because they
become much more important in the second episode. I’m not sure it is very well
directed (it could have been a lot more violent than giving Odo a gentle shove)
but exposing a changeling posing as Leyton really helps to sell the idea that
these creatures are everywhere. You can start to see a glint in Leyton’s eye as
he suggests that Jaresh Inyo would be an excellent President in peace time and
that humans are tougher than he thinks. Just saying the word humans
suggests a feeling of racism and paranoia regarding aliens. The thought of
filling the streets with armed troops is disturbing and ends the episode
on a discomforting note.
The Bad: The Alternate definitely suggested that Sisko’s
father was dead so this is backtracking at its worst. I’m not certain what
sealed the deal when getting Jaresh Inyo into office but I doubt it was his
sparkling personality! A less charismatic leader I have yet to meet!
Foreboding: There is a wonderfully odd moment where Bashir
quickly dismisses the idea of Odo dropping in on his family when he reaches
Earth. This might have been a random moment thrown in but it makes perfect
sense when we reach season fives Dr Bashir, I Presume and learn the secret that
he and his parents share. Sisko suggests that blood screenings and phaser
sweeps have been very effective on Deep Space Nine but we learn that that is
not true – we later learn that Martok in Way of the Warrior was a changeling
and he managed to enforce a blood screening and fool them. Joseph has the right
idea when he says there isn’t a test out there that a smart man can’t work his
way around.
Result: Criticisms that this episode is padded are fair (it
takes almost 15 minutes for us to reach Earth) but it is practically all
gorgeous padding so I’m not really complaining, it’s the character material
that gives Homefront some of its best moments. The three generation Sisko clan
is worthy of some considerable praise and their scenes together range from warm
domestic bliss to vicious arguments. There has been so much fun and frivolity
in season four (not that I am complaining) that the Dominion threat has been
pushed to one side and it is lovely to see the series follow up on the ominous
threat at the end of series three. Moving to Earth gives the episode and
atmosphere of its own and there is a phenomenal scene where the two plotlines
converge and Sisko is so paranoid about the changeling threat that he is
actually convinced his father is one of them. My biggest gripe is that whilst
all the elements are in place for a great family piece, the paranoia aspects of
the show aren’t directed quite as dramatically as they could be. The
cliffhanger is frightening in its implications but could have had a stronger
impact both visually and emotionally. A fine attempt a completely different DS9
episode, Homefront proves that season four never stops trying new things: 8/10
Paradise Lost written by Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt
Wolfe and directed by Reza Badiyi
Single Father: Sisko tries the soft approach with Nog to get
the names of the Red Squad members that he knows but when that doesn’t work he
becomes something of a dictator demanding the information! I love how mouthy he
is when questioning Sheppard (‘Are you contradicting me, Cadet?’) but then this
particular Cadet is particularly annoying so I would have had some fun winding
him up too. Its nice to see Sisko in this kind of dilemma. Had it simply
between a Dominion invasion (although there is nothing simple about that as we
will soon learn) he would have had a clear enemy to fight and there wouldn’t be
that much emotional turmoil to face. But revealing that his own people have set
up this state of emergency to frighten the people into wanting increased
security on the planet means he is far more conflicted. The fact that Leyton
was once his mentor and friend and he is the one Sisko has to bring down gives
this concluding episode a pleasing personal sting. He is angered when Leyton
wishes he had taught Sisko more about loyalty – he can’t believe the cheek of
the man after he has lied to the people of Earth so brazenly.
Unknown Sample: I love the way Odo looks at things because
he always provides and unique and fresh perspective on what is happening. His
assertion that Sisko has not turned against them but they have turned their
backs on the Federation is very true and much needed advice at a troubling time
for the Captain. I bet he’s feeling just a little bit smug with regards to the
human race causing their own problems especially after all the hate directed at
his people and how he has had two lots of Starfleet security officers looking
over his shoulder. Odo admits that all his sneaky security tricks he learnt from
Quark! His concerns at the end of the episode are very funny: ‘Am I the only
one who’s worried that there are still Changelings here on Earth?’
Mr Wolf: I realise he is being provoked but it takes a lot
of guts for one Starfleet officer to fire on another. Kudos to Worf.
Young Sisko: I do sympathise for Jake, the curse of your
grandparents trying to get you to do chores for them is not an uncommon one.
Starfleet Ferengi: Nog is so sweet in trying to get to know
the members of Red Squad and is humble enough to admit that they only like him
because he was sponsored by Sisko.
Head Chef: He’s got no time to sit around being bored and
wants to open up the restaurant as soon as possible…especially since he has a
whole new list of clientele in the form of Starfleet security agents! The
scenes between Joseph and his son are vital in this episode because those are
the moments when Sisko can really admit how he is feeling and his pops can
gives advice that only family can offer. The sequence when Joseph reminds his
son of the crush he once had on Neffy Beaumont is gorgeous because you can feel
the weight of history between these two characters and the chemistry Brooks and
Peters share is palpable.
‘You’re willing to destroy paradise in order to save it?’
‘But don’t kid yourself Ben. This Pandora’s Box of
yours…we’re opening it together.’
‘Don’t you see, Admiral - you’re fighting the wrong war!’
The Good: DS9 really struck gold with the Changeling threat
because it has given the writers a chance to not only explore the idea of an
invasion (and they certainly exploit that in later seasons) but also to see how
various races in the Alpha Quadrant react to the idea of facing the military
might of a race that can change its shape. Way of the Warrior changed the
political landscape as the Klingons used the Dominion threat as an excuse to
return to the ‘old ways’ and now we are getting to explore the Federation
response which is one of pure paranoia and military action. Odo spells out very
clearly that the message his people gave him that ‘we are everywhere’ had a
profound effect on Leyton and those who think like him and that was the exact
moment they began mobilising their plan to turn Earth into a planet governed by
martial force. Whilst I understand that practically every Admiral in Starfleet
is as nutty as a Squirrel’s larder Leyton is one of the more effective examples
because he isn’t a raving egotist or unthinking racist, he’s just a man that is
frightened of an attack that is already underway and he wants to protect the
planet as best as he possibly can. Unfortunately in order to achieve that aim
he has to commit treasonable acts and that isn’t a problem. Robert Foxworth
gives a masterclass in understated paranoia as he tries to remove the threat of
Sisko from his plans. Conversely the Captain knows what has to be done but the
waters are muddied by the fact that he can still see the man that he used to
respect and admire but now he has been damaged by the constant suspicion of
Dominion threat. I like the fact that it isn’t so much a case of good versus
evil but something far more interesting – the truth is we don’t know that
Leyton’s security measures wont be necessary in the future and with his iron
fist surrounding the planet perhaps the terrorist attack in The Changing Face
of Evil might have been prevented. All the treasonous acts that Leyton has
committed (even down to framing Sisko as a Changeling infiltrator) are
reprehensible and yet understandable but as soon as he orders the Lakota
to destroy the Defiant he has crossed a line. If he has to murder in order to
keep control then what he is fighting for no longer seems that relevant. It
might be a short sequence but the special effects as the two ships try and
tackle each other are gorgeous.
The Bad: Its not a criticism as such but I was shocked when
Sisko contacted Kira halfway through the episode because it made me realise
most of the main cast had been absent throughout this two parter and I haven’t
missed them one bit! It might have gutted the story emotionally but wouldn’t it
have been great if Sisko really had turned out to be a Shapeshifter? The scene
where Odo breaks Sisko from jail is quite awkwardly handled (although I do like
the sarcasm of the ‘vampire’). Watch Bashir behind Worf looking all stern as
the Lakota approaches the Defiant – what a hilarious pose! I remember when I
first watched this my mum and I paused it and laughed our heads off!
Teaser-tastic: The teaser is awesome because the story
suddenly lurches from a Dominion invasion into something much more insidious –
the facts don’t add up and it appears that Starfleet itself might be
responsible for the power failiure. Lots of questions to be answered.
Foreboding: To show what attention to detail DS9 takes when
Red Squad returns in the controversial episode Valiant in season six David Drew
Gallagher is recast to play Riley Sheppard.
Result: If you don’t like Sisko then this episode might not
be the one for you because it takes the threat of a Dominion invasion and
brushes it aside and instead becomes a personal nightmare for the good Captain.
Fortunately I love Sisko so I found much of the material riveting and
was reminded once again just how much gravitas and charm Avery Brooks is
bringing to the role this year. I remember at the time I was disappointed that
this didn’t herald a Dominion invasion but in retrospect (knowing that a full
scale war does indeed play out) it is a fascinating new spin on a threat to
Earth with Leyton turning into a paranoid general that is willing to protect
the planet even if it means destroying its integrity. The idea of a war being
fought by the Federation against the Federation is a gripping one and there are
some wonderful moments of Sisko and Leyton’s stooges dancing around each other
before the violence breaks out and we see one Federation ship firing on
another. Robert Foxworth is the key to this episodes success, he gives a
beautifully understated portrayal of paranoia eating away at a powerful man and
the scenes between Leyton and Sisko are some of the best because they clearly
don’t want to be on opposing sides but there is a nasty threat lingering that
is wedged between them that has forced them to turn on each other. Not only
that but this story had given us a marvellous new character in the shape of
Joseph Sisko who is gorgeously brought to life by Brock Peters and would return
several times before the show ends. The strength of this two parter is in its
powerful acting and how it allows us to see the frightened reaction to the
Dominion threat. As it transpired it was a pretty bang on response: 8/10
Crossfire written by Rene Echevarria and directed by Les
Landau
Tasty Terrorist: Almost as a slap in the face Kira turns the
lights on full as soon as Odo enters her quarters and Shakaar leaves. And then
to embrace him and tell him what a good friend he is…how much can you torment a
character in one episode?
Unknown Sample: There’s two ways you can view Odo’s
characterisation in this episode – as a complete wet drip or as something a lot
deeper. Fortunately the end result is the latter thanks to Rene Auberjonois’
touching performance – he really taps into that feeling of longing for something
that is out of his grasp which I am sure we have all felt at one point. I love
the way he fastidiously tidies up the Security Office before she turns up and
has her drink ready and is more concerned with her sigh of relief once she has
had her first gulp than the criminal activity report they have come together to
discuss. He really has got it really bad. Kira thinks the belt he used
to wear really suited him and so he immediately shapeshifts another one. Of all
the people Shakaar could have chosen for a confidant! As he spills out his
feelings for Kira the look in Odo’s eyes is screaming for him to stop because
it is too painful and the camera lingers on him agonisingly as Shakaar talks
about filling the hole that Bariel left behind. Frankly I think Odo needed the
assassination attempt as a wake up call after strolling around the station in a
dream – you could even accuse him of ignoring potential threats to eliminate a
rival if you were dramatically inclined. The way he stands vigil outside Kira’s
quarters imagining what must be going on in there must have been torture.
Mr Wolf: There’s a fantastic scene between Odo and Worf
where they realise they have a great deal in common by them both being
unsociable bastards! They both enjoy a sense of order (which is tough to find
in the chaotic atmosphere of DS9), set out their quarters in a definitive way
so they could move around it with their eyes closed and don’t enjoy people
dropping by socially unannounced. This is how you do it, Voyager, its funny and
loaded with character.
GE Doctor: Bashir and O’Brien continue their bromance as the
former compliments the latter on his figure in his dress uniform.
Community Leader: ‘You could hear that?’ ‘Hello?’ Odo
has assigned himself to quarters right above Quark so he can irritate the hell
out of him by shapeshifting into various creatures. As puerile as that sounds
its actually pretty amusing because Odo is usually so straight laced. Quark has
always been Odo’s surrogate brother (especially in the rival sense of the term)
and he proves that he really does care when he is the one who notices Odo’s
pain as Shakaar and Kira start to form a relationship. If Quark wanted to he
could use the information about Odo’s feeling to embarrass him but he chooses
instead to advise him – that is the work of a friend, not an enemy.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘I’ll tell you what else to do. Make
sure everyone knows they can’t just drop by your quarters to say hello. If
someone does, whatever happens don’t make them feel welcome…’ ‘Of course not!
That would only encourage subsequent visits!’ – Odo and Worf having a
curmudgeonly gossip!
‘Don’t stay too close’ – such painful words…Shakaar lets Odo
know that he is going to try to get closer to Kira not realising that he is
deeply in love with her. I would hate to hear those words if I were in
love with the person.
‘I’ve been working with the Federation for a number of
years. They claim to be open and understanding but somehow they’re always
convinced that they’re right.’
‘Funny for a minute there I thought you were talking to me
as a friend’ ‘Nah.’
The Good: I used to think the scene where Shakaar visits the
Temple showed Odo as a complete paranoiac but it actually makes a great deal of
sense when watching these episodes in order. The sequence is filmed in a very
similar way to the assassination scene in In the Hands of the Prophets with the
Bajorans crowding on the Promenade and with one shady looking character
emerging from the crowd. It makes a lot of sense to be jumpy in a scene that
mimics the near death of a Bajoran politician (which Shakaar is also). The
assassination itself turns out to be quite low key (a freefalling lift) but
then that isn’t what the episode is about and the sequence itself is very
nicely directed. I remember there was a collective gasp of breath in the Ford
household when it looked like Odo was going to reveal his feelings to Kira. It
was a great moment watching with my mum and hubby.
The Bad: It might just be because my sympathies are entirely
with Odo and because he seems to be completely oblivious to how much he is
hurting him but I didn’t find Shakaar half as interesting or as likable here as
I did during his debut episode.
Foreboding: The Federation have agreed to cut the timetable
for admittance by half which will be followed up in season fives superlative
The Rapture.
Result: Love stories in Trek don’t have the best track
records and yet Crossfire is the second triumphant romance this year and
this time because our attentions are with the pained observer rather than the
happy couple. The emotion that Rene Auberjonois can express with his eyes and
his tone of voice is astonishing and anybody who has seen somebody they love
fall in love with somebody else can empathise with the nightmare he faces here.
When you consider the Odo/Kira that follow this one (Children of Time, Behind
the Lines, His Way, Chimera) you go on an incredibly emotional journey with
them and Crossfire and season threes Heart of Stone are the agonising first
steps that ultimately lead to some exceptional payoff. There is barely an
excuse for a plot but this episode is character, character, character all the
way and as well the intense look at Odo’s dilemma there are some gorgeous moments
from Worf and Quark too. This isn’t going to please the thrill seekers but for
those of you who enjoy good character drama this might just be the episode for
you: 8/10
Return to Grace written by Hans Beimler and directed by
Jonathan West
Tasty Terrorist: Its great to be able to see the fire back
in Kira’s eyes after half a season of her enjoying a softer approach to the
role. The spray on uniform and fluffy hairdo are my least favourite look
because she looks far too comfortable – I much prefer her style and attitude in
the last three seasons of the show. There was a strong emphasis on Kira’s
terrorist lifestyle in the first couple of years of this show and how she coped
afterwards but seems to have been forgotten this year as she has gotten more
comfortable in her role as liaison officer. Until now. Suddenly the Kira we
know and love is back, improvising like mad and making snap decisions that will
save lives. I love seeing the tactical side to her personality, its proof that
she is far more effective than a simple administrator. I love the tough
dialogue as Kira trains Ziyal in the art of Federation and Cardassian weaponry
and her advice at how to win a knife fight (‘don’t get in one’) is spot on.
Typically the Federation rifle is sophisticated, complicated and useless as a
field weapon because too much can go wrong with it. What Dukat wants from Kira
is forgiveness and that is the one thing she can never give him. Its not that
she has a hard time accepting compliments, she has a hard time accepting
compliments from Dukat. His pleas to Kira to come with him and fight their own
little private war with the Klingons is outrageous but the way he approaches it
makes it sound extremely romantic and appealing. I’m sure that despite her
instant refusal there was a little part of her that thought re-igniting that
passion would have been stimulating.
Slimy Snake: You know what they say…knock ‘em down and they
just get back up again. Dukat has been relegated to carrying freight rather
than advising the military because of the very public disgrace following the
revelation about his affair and half Bajoran daughter. His mother disowned him
and his wife took their children and left him – everything he has lost he
intends to get back again and with somebody as wily as Dukat you know they wont
be able to keep him in a subordinate position for long. He is extremely
frustrated about the inadequacies of the vessel he has been given to command
but all it takes is a few tips from the good Major to turn into a deadlier kind
of freighter. Dukat is still laying on the charm and Marc Alaimo is really
going for the smooth suitor role and despite his efforts the fractious
chemistry between them still remains (and greatly entertains). When it comes to
Ziyal Dukat regrets nothing. He is going to have to start shedding a lot
of traditions if he is going to start fighting the Klingons and that includes
shoving the cargo out of an airlock and losing his cut. Dukat finds himself thinking
more and more of Gul Moret, a dashing rising star and a new member of the
Detapa Council. He’s made it off with Dukat’s job and wife and the first thing
he plans to do when he is returned to power is to reassign him to some dreadful
post. Once he has secured that Klingon ship and intelligence Dukat is horrified
to learn that he is still impotent because the Detapa Council is looking for a
diplomatic solution to this latest skirmish.
Cross Breed: It’s the first episode to truly exploit the
character of Ziyal and there clearly is a great deal of dramatic mileage in a
character who embodies what a lot of what the Bajorans and the Cardassians
still despises – a union between the two races. Living on Cardassia didn’t work
because the majority of those she met could not see past the Bajoran ridges on
her nose. Of course he wants to get his position back but he also cares about
his people and wants to avenge their deaths. Dukat has told Ziyal that the
Occupation was a mistake and the terrible things he did to the Bajorans bothers
him…but I don’t know if that is the words of a repentant man or somebody who
wants to convince his daughter that he has changed. Moving Ziyal to the station
would prove to be a wise move where she make some controversial choices of
friend and create some real fireworks in the future. She reminds Kira of
herself at that age and she doesn’t want her to go through the kind of things
that she went through following her father on some insane revenge mission
against the Klingons.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘If I recall correctly you were the only
female in his resistance cell that he charm…at least until now’ ‘Is that
what you kept track of during the Occupation? No wonder you lost.’
‘Dukat you need to stop thinking like a Cardassian military
officer!’ ‘And more like you?’ ‘More like a resistance fighter. You have got to
make use of what you have. If you need a hammer and you don’t have one use a
pipe!’
‘I’m a lot more complicated man than you give me credit for’
‘If that’s true I guess I prefer simpler men.’
‘Maybe losing made him a better person’ ‘Then a lot of
innocent people died for his education.’
‘No one wants to fight!’
The Good: The teaser is great fun with Kira revealing
Shakaar’s seduction techniques to Bashir (its astonishing how much more
palatable their relationship is now Odo is not in the background pining) and
Worf tries to get in his reservations about the Cardassian conference before
Kira runs off to throw up! I’m really glad that someone seems to remember that
there is a Klingon threat this season – actually that’s not entirely fair there
have been mentions in practically every episode this of things happening off
screen but there hasn’t been an episode to remind us of the developments in Way
of the Warrior for an age. Fortunately from this point on the writers begin to
exploit the idea (Sons of Mogh, Rules of Engagement, Broken Link, Apocalypse
Rising, Nor the Battle to the Strong…). The Klingon ship that saunters off
arrogantly as slow as they possibly can is hilarious and angers Dukat’s bruised
ego causing him to fire on them and nearly get them all killed. Fortunately
they decline the invitation considering them too insignificant even to destroy
(‘Lucky for us’ coos Major Kira). I love the idea of avoiding a fight by transporting
the Klingons from their damaged but repairable ship to the freighter on its
last legs. Dukat slaughtering all of the Klingons when they are helpless is a
great moment – only on DS9 could somebody seen to be this charming and a mass
murderer.
Foreboding: The first appearance of Damar whose role will
grow and grow and grow until he becomes one of the most important
characters in the shows last season. A lot of what we know about him later can
be seen here – he is intensely loyal to Dukat and would follow him anywhere and
considering he is in such a lowly position (as he would be in the final arc) he
is an amiable sort of fellow. Its only when he gets a sense of power that he
turns corrupt. His journey through the series would be one of the most
satisfying.
Result: Have I stumbled in on an episode of Moonlighting by
mistake? Return to Grace is a superb episode that takes everything about the
Kira/Dukat relationship that worked in Indiscretion and plants into a more
engaging story. The dialogue is tough and memorable and the characterisation so
sharp as the two old enemies are forced to work together to avenge both their
people. The return of Ziyal is a plus because it shows the gentler side of
Dukat which muddies the waters because Kira only wants to see him as the once
tyrannical murderer of her people. Her move to the station makes perfect sense
since she can join the rest of the waifs and exiles that end up there. Going
after the Klingon ship allows us to see a step by step approach to attacking a
superior foe in an inferior craft and the action when it arrives is very
dynamically directed. Once again we are seeing another pairing of characters
emerge that would development into something truly memorable before the series
finishes and it would do well to remember this episode when it comes to stories
like Ties of Blood and Water and A Time to Stand. Return to Grace is a quiet
episode for the most part but it is packed full of substance: 9/10
Sons of Mogh written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by
David Livingston
Single Father: Its not often that a bloody knife turns up on
his desk and one of his senior officers is accused of pre meditated murder.
Sisko really chews out Worf here (its marvellous to learn later that Worf is
really intimidated by him!) and says there is a limit to how far he will accept
cultural diversity on the station and he has reached it. Every man and his dog
tries to support Worf but Sisko basically tells them all to piss off.
Unknown Sample: How it must hurt Work to tuck his tail
between his legs and ask Odo for a favour. They might enjoy having a chitchat
together but there is still a certain level of friction between them and its
all in the Security Chief’s voice that he is loving this turn of events.
Worf is indebted to him and Odo tells him he will collect on that debt one day.
Mr Wolf: At last Worf has consequences for his actions in
The Way of the Warrior although he does not apologise to his brother for
destroying his life. Its an odd contradiction because he clearly regrets the
chain of events that has followed his decision to turn his back on Gowron but
finds that he has acted honourably so he has nothing to apologise for. Did Worf
honestly think that he would be able to kill his brother and get away with it?
What did he plan to do with the body? When Odo tells you that you need a sense
a humour there is a serious problem! He is disturbed by the fact that he
has lost the ability to look into somebody’s eyes and see they have made the
decision to kill. Don’t worry Worf, there will be an armada of Jem H’adar
soldiers along next season and your instincts will be better than ever after
the slicing and dicing through that lot for three seasons! He realises that he
no longer has a place in the Klingon Empire and that his only home is with
Starfleet now. That has been the case since the beginning of the season but I
think it has taken him this long to dump the romantic idea of one day returning
home.
Nine Lives: Dax flirts outrageously with Worf in the
beginning of this episode and you can already see that this would be a great
pairing as she can criticise all of his absolute certainties with glee. She
wears a hot outfit to train with him – he knows it, she knows it but she still
has great fun suggesting otherwise when he says she wore it to distract him. It
honestly looks as though they were going to kiss as Dax looks deeply into his
eyes and if it wasn’t for Odo’s interruption this relationship could have begun
a lot sooner!
Community Leader: I really enjoy the Worf/Quark animosity
and it pleases me to remember that it continues to simmer right up until the
very last episode when Quark is delighted that he is finally leaving the
station.
Oh Brother: I was surprised at how much of Worf’s side of
this episode that I enjoyed but I still find Kurn to be an unlikable, self
effacing bully who thinks little about what other people go through and more
about himself. Its nothing to do with Tony Todd’s performance which is strong
and he does everything that script asks him to do but I just don’t like the character.
It amuses me to think that Kurn could wake up in Worf’s quarters and think he
is in a holding cell! Surely he hasn’t decorated it that minimalist? He opposed
the decision to break the treaty with the Federation because he knows they
aren’t as weak as Gowron thinks they are. Fortunately it looks like Kurn has
been written out of Star Trek for the foreseeable future and I can’t say I’m
sad. He has a new life written for him to wipe clean his disgrace, a vital
member of a small family where he can be useful and honourable without ever
stepping into the limelight. Its as satisfactory an ending that we could have
hoped for but still feels unexciting.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Does he know how to use the stun
setting on a disruptor?’
‘What if there was a way for you to kill your brother
without killing him?’
The Good: The make up for Kurn’s torso is extraordinary. Its
not often that you see a suicide attempt where a man voluntarily stabs his own
brother in the chest and the scene itself is very powerfully done (with a
particularly dramatic score). Its another Klingon contradiction though; because
they wont get into Stovokor if they commit the act themselves they get a family
member to murder them – it seems both cowardly and a way of regaining your
honour by acting dishonourably. David Livingston once again experiments with
his extreme low and high angle shots; look at the way he shoots the scene in
the Infirmary when Kurn first wakes up.
Moment to Watch Out For: What the hell? Kira is laying all
over the console in the runabout like some submissive Trek porn star! I knew
they were a little more relaxed on this show but not this relaxed! She
doesn’t even get seven hours sleep on the station so O’Brien figures it must be
the company!
Fashion Statement: Kurn hates the Bajoran security uniform
and that’s a good thing because he looks like a right nancy in it!
Result: Strangely I found myself sympathising with Worf in
having to deal with a wayward family member and try and find a direction for
him - it reminds me of somebody in my
family who didn’t fit and went out of their way to make every possible career
path fail. I don’t particularly like Kurn but I can see the logic in bringing
his story to a close after the developments at the beginning of the season.
Unfortunately I never felt sympathy for his plight so my favourite moments were
at the start of the episode when Worf tried to kill him. It’s a grim, bloody
sequence and proves again that DS9 is not afraid to take risks and deal with
issues such as suicide. Apart from that this a pretty dull Klingon piece with
all the usual bollocks about honour and duty except this time it is told in a
particularly depressing way. This show needs to stop talking about war and show
it – I’ll happily make that criticism because I know one is brewing and will
explode in the next season. Even the subplot which could be the saving grace of
many early season DS9 episode lacks any interest. TNG was the expert at Klingon
episodes with only the occasional misfire and DS9 is the flip side of that –
they score the occasional hit (Once More Unto the Breach) but on the whole
their Klingon episodes are unengaging, slovenly dramas which add little to the
mix. Some nice characterisation of Worf aside, this didn’t really interest me: 4/10
Bar Association written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe & Ira
Steven Behr and directed by LeVar Burton
Single Father: What with his tirade in Sons of Mogh and his
furious response to the scuffle between his senior officers, Sisko must feel as
though he is running a nursery rather than a space station! He gets to have his
revenge here by ordering Odo to realise his men from the holding cell…in the
morning.
Unknown Sample: The intriguing relationship between Worf and
Odo continues as he insults the Security Chief by suggesting security lapses
did not happen on the Enterprise and Odo starts reciting numerous occasions
when they did. What’s funny about this scene is that Odo seems to have all the
information prepared to have this conversation with him…so I guess he knew the
sulky Klingon would be whinging on his doorstep at some point!
Mr Wolf: Dax is flirting with Worf again at the start of
this episode declaring that he is in love (he looks shocked)…with the Defiant!
The sooner these two jump each others bones the sooner we can get on with
loosening Worf up a bit. The grumpy git is moving his quarters to the Defiant
so he can get away from all the niggly annoyances on the station, all alone.
‘Perhaps in the end it will be all of you who have to adapt to me’ – oh piss
off back to the Enterprise!
Everyday Engineer: We learn some very funny things about
O’Briens family in this episode namely that he is descended from King Brian
Barue who fought in the Battle of Britain and Sean O’Brien lead the
Pennsylvanian coal miners on strike. Both of them died in bloody ways but at
least they died for a good cause! Its brilliant that O’Brien acknowledges how
bored he used to get on the Enterprise hanging around in the transporter room
waiting for something to happen! On the station he has half a dozen new
problems every day. I had no doubt that O’Brien who has always had an affinity
with the lower ranks (Starship Down) would be on the side of labour.
GE Doctor: When exactly did Leeta and Bashir become a
couple? Its not that I mind off screen romances but to suddenly start referring
to these two as a couple seems a little odd since there has been no hint of
such other than a little flirt in Explorers.
Community Leader: The only thing the Bajoran cleansing
ritual has cleansed is Quark’s profit margin and so to recoup his loses he
decides to cut everybody’s wages by a third. You would hate to have this guy as
your boss, wouldn’t you? Quark is so unused to his employees speaking up for
themselves he laughs his head of at their little union but the joke is on him
when they all walk out on him and the smile is wiped clean off his face. Quark
thinks that all Ferengi see things the way he does so he offers Rom a bribe to
end the strike (something that Quark himself would snap up if he was in his
brothers situation) but he forgets about his brothers compassion for his fellow
workers.
Secret Genius: I honestly do not know why some people have a
problem with Rom because to me he is one of the cutest characters on this show
and considering the rest of the regulars are fighters, security officers,
administrators and scientists (how exciting) its lovely to have such an
adorable character waiting in the wings. Its been a lot of fun watching the
Ferengi family dynamics change over the last two years and with Nog having
fulfilled his ambitions and off at Starfleet Academy its now time to turn our
attention to Rom. He has been slowly gaining some independence (confronting his
brother in Facets after he tried to destroy his sons dreams and his technical
knowledge came in handy in Little Green Men and Our Man Bashir) but this where
he finally breaks free of his brother and starts to build his own life. He
patronises Rom and insults him whenever he gets too clever for his own good but
he oversteps the mark when he tells him he wishes he was an only child. It’s
the knife in the gut hurt that he needs to finally start fighting back. He’s a
little nervous to start off with but he becomes quite the public speaker,
venting all that frustration that has built up after years of abuse from Quark.
What I love about his union meeting is that he whips everybody into a frenzy of
excitement and then looks shocked that it has actually worked! Bless him, he
really doesn’t have a lot of faith in his own abilities but he has taken a
stand now and doesn’t intend to back down. Interestingly it is when his life is
threatened by Brunt that he gains the confidence he needs to really see this
through and begins to sound not only confident but charismatically so. Rom’s
reaction to being kissed on the forehead by Leeta is gorgeous. Rom
finally gets to tell his brother that he is sick of being bullied and in a
moment of extraordinary characterisation he doesn’t show pity for him when
Quark is beaten up, he pretty much says you had it coming. He proudly announces
his new job to his brother as one of the stations repair technicians and he
(and the audience) realise that there is no going back for this Ferengi. He has
had a taste of independence and he likes it. Rom has realised that he
does better for himself when Quark is not around and thinks that this time
apart will be really good for their relationship. You see writers of Voyager –
its called development and even the semi regulars are blessed with it! The last
shot of Rom at the bar looking really proud of himself works a charm.
What’s Morn up to: Morn is like the rose between two arguing
thorns as Quark and Leeta tear strips out of each other, looking at each of
them a little lost!
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘It wasn’t much of a brawl, really. I
grabbed you, you shoved me and Julian was tossed over a table!’
‘I always cared about you. I tried to protect you, save you
from yourself!’ ‘How by telling my I was an idiot all my whole life?’ ‘I had to
be tough on you I was trying to make you a better Ferengi!’ ‘What you were
trying to do was make yourself feel important. Making me feel dumb. Make you
feel smart. Well I’m not dumb and you’re not half as smart as you think you
are!’ – there’s Rom and Quark’s relationship in a nutshell and the moment he
finally tells his brother it isn’t going to be that way anymore.
Moment to Watch Out For: The story takes a dark when Quark
is beaten to a pulp to prove a point to Rom. What I love about this scene is
that you despise Quark for a second because he is happily going through all the
people that Rom knows who could be hurt until he realises that Brunt is talking
about him. Suddenly you feel very scared for him. Any scene that can manipulate
its audience that deftly is doing something very right.
Only DS9: ‘And I’ve probably been getting too much Oo’max’
‘Really? Who’s the lucky female?’ ‘No female, just me’ Only this show would
dare to have such blatant masturbation humour! ‘Exposed to the twisted values
of the Federation!’ – nobody really has anything nice to say about the
Federation on this show do they. Its so refreshing.
Fashion Statement: Somehow Bashir and O’Brien get away with
hulking through Quarks as a pair of hairy Battle of Britain warriors!
Foreboding: Rom and Leeta are head over heels in love with
each but Bashir stands in their way. But not for long…
Result: What a marvellous antidote to all that Klingon
nonsense in the last episode! Bar Association blends comedy and drama with some
skill, its an episode with a message for its audience and it approaches the
subject in a dramatic way but there are loads of fun, quirky moments to make
the overall story as enjoyable as possible. This is exactly the sort of show
LeVar Burton should be directing because he gets the chance to get the best of
his actors and to experiment with some idiosyncratic camera techniques and it
doesn’t contain any action which is where his work usually falters. I loved the
scrap between Worf and O’Brien. I loved the fact that Quark had his ribs
punctured for his arrogance. I loved the return of Jeffrey Combs as Brunt. I
loved Leeta’s gentle feelings for Rom emerging. But most of all I loved Max
Grodenchik’s star turn as Rom as he takes on an gorgeous journey of discovering
his confidence. I understand that the writers loved this one and the studio
hated it – its further proof that the studio really don’t have a clue what they
are doing because this is precisely the sort of diversion from the norm that
made DS9 such an enjoyable show to watch. You never quite knew what you were
going to get each week…and Bar Association is one unique little gem: 9/10
Accession written by Jane Espenson and directed by Les
Landau
Single Father: In the teaser Sisko looks as he has always
looked as a religious icon – deeply uncomfortable. To have a meeting
interrupted to be asked to bless a couple on their wedding day is not exactly
what he signed up for. Kira almost looks embarrassed for him as he stumbles
through the ceremony. Sisko is more than willing to give up his role of the
Emissary to Akoram and thinks the prophecies surrounding the role make more
sense for him – after all they never gave him back his life. Dax points out in
that wonderfully blunt way of hers that they might not have saved his life but
they did give him a purpose again. Akoram ticks all the boxes and
Starfleet would be thrilled as they have never been comfortable with the situation.
Almost as if to stamp his mark on the role Akoram grabs Sisko’s ear and
proclaims that his pagh is strong and he can understand why Opaka thought he
was the Emissary and why Winn fears him. Sisko is furious about the hypocrisy
of the Starfleet who were always trying to get him to distance himself from
being the Emissary but now that he has and the Dejaras have been enforced they
have as good as told him that he has failed in his mission to bring Bajor into
the Federation. After people start dying he decides enough is enough and
questions Akoram’s right to the role. The Prophets reveal that they sent Akoram
into the future for Sisko and that he is ‘of Bajor.’ Given the twist that comes
in season seven’s Image of the Sand about his parentage this is a good early
indication. This episode has been a real learning curve for Sisko, opening his
eyes to the fact that him being the Emissary is a positive thing and from this
point on he embraces the role. There are some great moments to come (The
Rapture, Favour the Bold, Penumbra) where he is connection to this planet is
explored in some depth.
Tasty Terrorist: Upon learning that the mysterious traveller
is one of Bajor’s most famous poets Kira treats Akoram with great respect and
so when he reveals that he is the Emissary it is no great leap for her to
accept him. She has the unenviable task of explaining the entirety of the
Occupation to him, having missed the last 300 years of Bajoran history. I love
how Kira explains to Odo that faith is what allows her to believe that Sisko
was the Emissary last week and Akoram this week but as soon as the new Emissary
declares a return to the Dejaras there is a subtle close up on her face
exposing how uncomfortable she is with the idea. She doesn’t want to become an
artist but know because of her faith she will have to. Because she has a
high ranking Dejaras Kira feels uncomfortable with all the bowing and scraping
she receives from fellow Bajorans with lower ranks. There is no doubt about it
– those are the worst sculpted birds I have ever seen!
Unknown Sample: ‘Two days ago you thought Captain Sisko was
the Emissary’ ‘Well he made it clear he wants to step aside’ ‘Does that mean he
never was the Emissary?’ ‘No’ ‘But they can’t both be…’ ‘I don’t know what do
you want from me Odo?’ ‘Forgive me Major I don’t wish to be difficult but your
faith seems to have led to something of a contradiction…’ This is gorgeous
dialogue and Odo is just the sort of hard hitting character to say it how it
is, exposing the hypocrisy of religion that can rewrite something that was
considered sacrosanct last week.
The O’Briens: The adorable subplot features Keiko coming
home after a year away and O’Brien and Bashir’s year of bachelorhood coming to
an end. The first scene sees them clearing up the wreck of his quarters which
Bashir considers a monument to his year as a bachelor but O’Brien knows if he
doesn’t tidy up Keiko will dismantle him! Keiko has some news…she’s pregnant
again! O’Brien almost looks disappointed because he thought that once they
started trying for a baby he would get lots of extra nookie! Bashir can be
found nursing a drink in Quark’s all on his own literally jumps on O’Brien when
he walks past on his way home. Miles knows once he holds his little baby in his
arms he will be the happiest man in the world but he was hoping that now Molly
is a little older he would be able to go out at night with Keiko. She discovers
his Battle of Britain jacket to her horror and Miles tries playing darts with
Molly but its not the same as his time with Bashir.
What’s Morn up to: He’s dreadful at darts but has two ladies
on his arms as compensation! O’Brien suggests that Bashir should take Morn to
their weekly Battle of Britain re-enactment on the holosuite! Could you imagine
him in the cockpit of a Spitfire?
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘No more ceremonies to attend. No more
blessings to give. No more prophecies to fulfil. I’m just a Starfleet officer
again. All I have to worry about are the Klingons, the Dominion and the
Marquis. I feel like I’m on vacation!’
‘Quark did you hear? Chief O’Brien is having a baby!’ ‘I
thought your females carried your young?’
‘Did you hear…Keiko’s going to have another baby!’ ‘Now?’
– Worf is horrified to learn that he may be called upon to deliver another
child!
‘Its an original Kira Neyrs. It could be very valuable some
day’ ‘I hear she didn’t make many.’
The Good: It’s the only episode of Star Trek written by Jane
Espenson who was one of the finest writers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and one
of the principle writers on Torchwood Miracle Day. Judging by the quality of
this episode (especially the dialogue) she definitely should have been asked
back to write more. Having Akoram Laan the famous poet from 300 years ago claim that he is the Emissary opens up a
massive can of worms that needs to be addressed. For a while I was convinced
that his story about meeting the Prophets was a fake but the truth is far more
interesting than that. Dejaras are a strict caste system that Bajor used to
have before the Occupation which dictated by which family you were born into
what your occupation would be. Akoram is shocked to learn that people no longer
follow them, they were abandoned when the Cardassians invaded. They always
manage to pack the Promenade full of extras for the crowd scenes, don’t they?
There seems to be hundreds of people attending Akoram’s initiation ceremony! It
seems the writers are ready to tackle the Bajoran admittance into the
Federation since it was brought up in Crossfire and now is threatened by
Akoram’s controversial innovations of Bajoran society. Caste based
discrimination goes against the Federation charter and if they go ahead with
the Dejaras their application will be rejected. Its lovely to see Opaka back
even if it is only for a brief dream sequence. She’s still on that planet Sisko
– go get her! Religion is such a difficult thing to get right on television
because so many writers go for the religious lunatic angle but with DS9 they
have always shown a great respect for religious beliefs by having one of the
regular cast a devout believer and good person. Watching this episode
play out is fascinating because you can see it through the eyes of two Bajorans
– Kira, who struggles with the new role the Dejaras force upon her and Vedek
Porta who goes to extreme lengths to enforce the new law. Even as far as
killing somebody whose Dejaras is unclean. Seeing this from the point of view
of two very different personalities reveals how this process can be life
changing and very scary. The way Porta smiles so warmly about pushing the
victim off the balcony is terrifying. The four shift rotation brought up in
Starship Down seems to be working as there are less mistakes due to fatigue –
it’s a small mention but another tiny example of DS9 following through on an earlier
promise. The sequence with the Prophets besides being well directed gives us
some interesting titbits. They declare that ‘we are of Bajor’ which we have
never heard before.
Result: Accession is a fine Bajoran episode that I didn’t
really appreciate at the time but has aged beautifully like a fine wine. Its
another show that reveals massive character growth with Sisko finally accepting
his role as the Emissary and it kicks off a whole new strand for the character
as he starts to consider Bajor to be his home. The whole set up is a massive
con by the Prophets so Sisko comes to terms with being a religious icon.
Richard Libertini deserves real credit for his totally convincing turn as the
fake Emissary, he’s a gentle, unassuming man but his moral from 300 years past
threaten to tear down the Federation/Bajoran alliance. Its one of those
episodes with a main plot that fascinates and a subplot which makes you feel
all cuddly and I cannot believe how far Bashir and O’Brien have come now that
they are longing to be able to spend time together. The scene where Keiko
sweetly manipulates them into having an evening together makes me smile every
time I see it. The characters are in such fine shape by this point that when
you add in an interesting premise like this one the stories practically self
perpetuating. Accession asks tough questions about religion and yet manages to
remain a light and amiable affair. Its another knockout in the consistently
strong fourth season: 9/10
Rules of Engagement written by Ronald D. Moore and directed
by LeVar Burton
Single Father: Somebody get Avery Brooks lined up for a
legal show because he seems very suited to shouting out ‘objection!’
Mr Wolf: The interesting thing about this dilemma is that if
it were true and Worf did kill all those innocent civilians then his precious
sense of honour would mean that even he would think he deserves to be punished.
Jadzia has often seen the killer instinct in Worf’s eyes when they fight but it
always goes away because he knows how to stop. He’s a very private man who
doesn’t share an awful lot with his bartender, especially one he hates as much
as Quark. I do think it was brave of Worf to admit that if he had to do it all
over again he would still fire because if he faltered he would have been
negligent especially in the face of O’Brien’s confession that he wouldn’t have
fired. Ch’Pok suggests that Worf is hated by Klingons because he was raised by
humans not because he sided against them in the invasion of Cardassia. It was
nice to see Sisko chew Worf out at the end for making such a dreadful mistake
in firing on the transport ship. Nobody is getting away with anything in this
season with Sisko watching over them and he tells Worf he was lucky this time.
What’s Morn up to: Dammit we almost get to hear Morn speak
but Ch’Pok interrupts at the last moment!
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Worf is about to present us with
something we never have won in battle: sympathy.’
‘I’m always suspicious of people who are eager to help a
police officer!’
The Good: The opening dream sequence might just be the best
thing about this episode. Filmed in slow motion on the Defiant, Worf runs
around the ship and discovers both human and Klingon corpses covered in bloody
lesions. Ron Canada is another one of those actors that has turned up in
everything and he certainly makes a very energised debut in DS9 as the lawyer
Ch’Pok. Can you imagine him telling his mother and father what his career
choice is going to be…it must be like coming out on Kronos. ‘So son are you
going to be a good, strong warrior like your brothers?’ ‘No, I want to be a
lawyer’ ‘Oh dear, we always knew one of you would be different…’ I loved
Ch’Pok’s assertion that the human justice system emphasises procedure over
substance – that is a harsh reality of many court cases. The framing device is
fascinating with the normal set up scenes being told in flashback and the
character directly addressing the audience like Shakespearean conspirators. Its
an interesting approach that is almost enough to justify another excursion a
into Trek courtroom. Quark’s evidence is great fun because he can’t settle on
the details and the flashback keeps altering depending on his story. Paying out
the same scene again with O’Brien in command gives us the opportunity to see
how it might have been played out differently.
The Bad: The Klingon Empire figures that if they can accuse
a Federation officer of committing a massacre it will put them on the defensive
and whilst they are trying to repair a badly damaged reputation they will find
themselves with certain opportunities. Don’t get me wrong that is a pretty good
strategy and once again I am glad for the increased focus on the ‘Klingons as
nasties’ story arc but I wish Ch’Pok hadn’t revealed that five minutes into the
episode because it leaves very few surprises as to what they are up to to last
the rest of the episode! It would be like Dukat at the beginning of Cardassians
going ‘Well Commander if only I can get these charges against my political
rival to stick my plan to leave Rugal at that orphanage when we pulled out of Bajor
will have worked!’ Ch’Pok’s evidence of Worf enjoying a holodeck programme
where he massacres and entire town is tenuous at best…I enjoy reading crime
novels but that doesn’t make me a criminal! Watching the destruction of the
convoy ship in flashback isn’t half as dramatic as it would have been in real
time because we already know what the consequences are – it might have been
better to have let this be the pre titles sequences because it would have been
a really meaty way to kick start the episode. Worf isn’t the brightest spark in
the book is he? Surely he could see that Ch’Pok was trying to rile him and yet
he rose to the bait anyway and attacked him in front of the judge! The reveal
that the transport ship was empty is a good one but again it would have been
more dramatic to have played this out with some real investigation rather than
just talking about in a courtroom.
Result: Rules of Engagement used to be my least favourite
episode of season four but having watched it again it wasn’t as dreadful as I
remembered. LeVar Burton experimented with some intriguing flashback techniques
which made the interminable courtroom scenes a little more exciting and Ron
Canada gives his all to the rather thankless part of deconstructing Worf’s
character. What bugs me is that there is a really exciting story to be told
here and the basic structure of the transport being destroyed and the
investigation of the debris and the victims would have made for a fantastic
episode but confining all of its dramatic moments to waffle in a court of law
and flashbacks guts the story of any shocks. Like Sons of Mogh there are some
insights into Worf’s character that are worth seeking out but it does worry me
that Way of the Warrior aside all the of the Worf episodes have been the
weakest of the fourth season when he was supposed to have been brought in to
pep things up. He seems to have had an odd effect on the show – everybody is at
the top of their game whereas he isn’t quite working out yet despite the odd
moment of brilliance in episodes that aren’t about him. Still they rectify that
in the next season. For now, Rules of Engagement is a plodding affair and lacks
the dramatic strength of the best Trek courtroom tales: 5/10
Hard Time written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe and directed by
Alexander Singer
Everyday Engineer: Of all the people they could have given
this episode to O’Brien was a given because Colm Meaney makes him so easy to
feel for. His admission that the experiences in prison were real to him give
you an idea of what is about to play out in this episode but I don’t think
anybody could have guessed the intensity at which it would do so. He used to
dream about being in a runabout and going back to the station and now it is
actually happening he keeps expecting to find himself back in the cell again.
You wonder why O’Brien would lie about something like his cellmate until you
realise the agonising truth. O’Brien seeing Ee’char instead of Keiko is
fascinating from a psychological standpoint because he must have felt extremely
guilty about leaving her for 20 years and he also feels guilty about what he
has done to his fellow prisoner and the two are interchangeable. It had been so
long he had forgotten that Keiko was pregnant. He is haunted by his guilt and
keeps seeing Ee’char around the station. Miles has always hated counsellors, he
doesn’t understand why somebody needs qualifications to listen to his problems
and to be forced to sit there and spill everything is not something that comes
easy to him. There is so much anger and regret locked up in him it only takes a
simple ‘how are you’ to set him off (Odo) and when he cannot get what he wants
he gets physical (Quark) or threatening (Bashir). Hard Time confirms what I
have long suspected and that is if you encounter O’Brien in the wrong sort of
mood he can be quite frightening. Its only because he is usually such an
amiable chap that we never notice. He tells himself he is home and happy but
the fact that Ee’char keeps haunting him is telling him otherwise. There are demons
that need to be put to rest that he refuses to face. His anger builds and
builds until he does the one thing that would hurt him more than anything – he
almost hits his own daughter when she wants some attention. The thing he cannot
get over is the fact that he wanted Ee’char to die when he killed him –
he was so hungry and so lost he wanted to snap his neck for the scrap of bread
he was hiding.
GE Doctor: As good as the characterisation for O’Brien is in
this episode, there is similarly superb work done with Bashir who has come so
far from that arrogant youth in the first two seasons. The way he looks after
O’Brien here despite the torrent of abuse he gets from his patient goes far
beyond professional interest and is where they go from being very good friends
to the best of friends. When O’Brien realising that Bashir has been talking to
Sisko he heads to the Infirmary and releases a torrent of fury saying that they
are no longer friends and he wants him to leave him alone. Bashir looks
genuinely pained but still isn’t ready to give up on him. He calmly and gently
listen to O’Brien’s heartbreaking confession and then helps to begin his
healing. In that moment he is the best damn Doctor Starfleet has ever seen and
the best friend a man could have.
Young Sisko: The irony of Jake having to teach O’Brien what
all the tools of the trade are when it took O’Brien so long to teach him is not
lost on me.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Hello Miles. Welcome to Hell.’
‘If there’s one thing I haven’t missed in the last twenty
years its your smug, superior attitude!’
‘When we were growing up they used to tell us humanity had
evolved. That mankind had outgrown hate and rage. But when it came down to it,
when I had the chance to show that no matter what anyone did to me that I was
still an evolved human being – I failed. I repaid kindness with
blood. I was no better than an animal.’
‘The Agrathi did everything they could to strip you of your
humanity and in the end for one brief moment they succeeded. But you can’t let
that brief moment define your entire life. If you do, if you pull that trigger
then the Agrathi will have won. They would have destroyed a good man. You cannot
let that happen my friend.’
The Good: Its such an ingenious concept and a hellish
punishment for committing a crime – to be given the memories of an Agrathi
prisoner who suffered a dreadful 20 years in prison when in reality you have
only undergone a procedure that lasted a few hours. In your head you have lived
out those 20 years of disgusting food, terrible conditions and hardship. Its
much more effective than maintaining a prison system and much more effective.
There is a shot through the viewing window of a runabout of the station which
is absolutely gorgeous – they really capture that moment of O’Brien coming home
again. Craig Wasson deserves a lot of credit for bringing Ee’char alive so
vividly considering he was never a real person in the first place. He gives the
character a distinct personality and proves to be warm and wonderful company
whilst O’Brien is stuck in prison. I love the fact that Bashir cannot do
anything about the prison memories. So often in Trek they skip over logic and
perform miracles (the Doctor de-evolving Janeway and Paris in Threshold for
example – how the hell did he do that?) but memory seems to be one area they
still can’t stray into without affecting the person seriously. There some
beautifully observed moments of prison habits still affecting O’Brien’s life
from saving food in a napkin for later and curling up on the floor to sleep.
The prison set is brilliantly designed, its moodily under lit, cramped with
horrifying screams calling out in the distance. There is an astonishing moment
when O’Brien loses it completely in prison and sets all the other prisoners off
too. Its remarkably intense and what fascinated me was that there was no
violence involved, it is all down to Colm Meaney’s riveting performance. The
revelation that O’Brien snapped Ee’char’s neck because he thought he was hiding
food from him is truly shocking especially when we discover that he was holding
back food for both of them. It’s a feral, powerful fight that ends in the spine
tingling sound of Ee’char’s neck bones cracking.
The Bad: it does irritate me that these prison memories are
never referred to again. Just a small moment in a couple of episodes would have
sufficed.
Orchestra: Hard Time has one of the more emotive scores for
DS9 and one of the best. There is a subtle sense that things are very wrong
when O’Brien waits in the Infirmary for Keiko to arrive. His life feels as
though it is slipping out of his hands as he leaves Sisko’s office and the
music suggests a wave of anger is about to escape. The music when O’Brien snaps
Ee’char’s neck and slavers hungrily over to the food he has been hiding still
gives me the shivers.
Result: Simply stunning. You wouldn’t want every
episode of Star Trek to be this depressing but Hard Time is a no holds barred
psychological drama that studies the horrors of depression, post traumatic
stress and attempted suicide through the eyes of our everyday engineer,
O’Brien. The episode opens with subtle discomfort as we watch O’Brien adjust to
prison life and to his life back at the station and as one becomes more and
more disturbing so does the other. Colm Meaney gives one of the all time best
performances from any Trek episode here, he is simply mesmerising to
watch and he takes O’Brien on a spiral of depression that grabs the viewer and
never lets go. Alexander Siddig provides excellent support too as Bashir gently
tries to talk O’Brien out of pulling the trigger and ending his life. If you
are going to try and pull of high concept episodes then this is the way to do
it – you have to show that these imaginative ideas have consequences rather than
simply basking in the fact of how clever the ideas are. Beautifully written,
acted, directed and scored, this is one of the best DS9 episodes: 10/10
Shattered Mirror written by Ira Steven Behr & Hans
Beimler and directed by James L. Conway
Single Father: Sisko is distracted by a load of Bajor
bollocks while his son is bewitched by the woman who looks like his ex
wife…this is not going to be a good day. Hottie alternative Dax gives Sisko a
good slap and waves a knife in his face for making love to her under false
pretences. Whatever connection might have been made between Sisko and Jennifer
in Through the Looking Glass is severed when she exploits the one thing he
cares about most. From that point on Sisko is decidedly frosty towards her.
Somehow it doesn’t seem like Sisko’s style to duck out of a fight so it came as
no surprise to me that he headed the attack on the Klingon warship. Sisko and
Jake have to lose their wife/mother all over again and that is enough to break
anyone’s heart.
Tasty Terrorist: As good as everybody else is at playing
their alter egos nobody can hold a candle to what Nana Visitor does with the
Indendant and I was surprised they waited so long for her to make an appearance
(almost halfway through the episode). At least she turns up in style, being
tortured by Bashir and asking for the pain device to be turned up to a higher
setting! She could never make Garak and the alliance fools realise that
violence is a precision instrument, it’s a scalpel, not a club.
Unknown Sample: It was a given that Odo and Quark would
appear in the pre titles sequence since they have both been killed in the
mirror universe. Contractual obligations and all that. Actually its quite a
cute scene for all that and once again proves that Odo and Quark are the best
friends each other has. If Sisko helps her to escape she promises she will be
very grateful and considering what a dirty bitch she is I bet that is almost an
offer worth taking up.
Mr Wolf: Its ironic that Michael Dorn’s best episode in
season four is the episode when he isn’t actually playing Worf! His camp,
psychotic, wonderfully comical turn as the Regent is one of the highlights of
this season. He loves being in charge and rips off Picard’s sayings (‘Make it
so!’) but also enjoys torturing his prisoners and indulging in almost
homoerotic wordplay. Its delightful to watch and when you throw in Andrew
Robinson’s desperately theatrical alternative Garak you have some highly
gigglesome scenes. The Regent enjoys having Garak on his knees with a collar
around his neck so he can yank him close whenever he wants to abuse him.
Everyday Engineer: Its not so much a comment on this episode
but the actor but just look at how different Colm Meaney’s performance is in
this to what it was in Hard Time. The suicidal O’Brien from the last episode
and confident Smiley are very different characters but he plays both with
absolute conviction. A great actor.
Young Sisko: Jake has been pining after Nog on their spot on
the Promenade ever since he has left for the Academy. As a small consolation
Odo admits that he never used to chase Jake away he was always after Nog…he
just always happened to be with him! You cannot underestimate the shock of
coming home one day and finding your dead mother looking radiantly beautiful
having a drink with your father. That’s a moment that would screw anybody up!
Jake is mesmerised by this woman who looks like his mother, it’s the closest he
will ever get spending time with her as an adult and it’s a clever
psychological hook to get Sisko to cross over. Its certainly more manipulative
than O’Brien holding a gun on Sisko is Through the Looking Glass. When Sisko
catches up with his son he has a look of thunder and I’m not surprised – his
son is hanging out with his mother in a sleazy bar with his arm around the
waist of a lady of night! When Jake started making plans to get his father and
his mother’s alternative version from another universe together I was laughing
my head off. Perhaps he had recently seen a copy of the Doctor Who episode
Doomsday and was using the Tyler’s as a model of how this sort of thing can
work!
Starfleet Ferengi: In this universe Nog is a like a even
dodgier version of Quark, a opportunist with a busty babe on each arm.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘You are attempting to shift the blame
away from yourself!’ ‘Am I succeeding?’
‘The Indendant was bad enough. She was irrational,
accusatory, unappreciative…but at least..’ ‘At least what?’ ‘At least I was
able to please her now and then…’ ‘You are not my type!’ – I never thought I
would see the day when Garak came on to Worf but I’m glad that day has come!
‘Me help you fight the alliance? What a perverse
idea. I have better one – why don’t I cut your throat.’
‘You sentenced my wife to death’ ‘Isn’t that a co-incidence
I was hoping you wasn’t married.’
Dreadful Dialogue: ‘What am I supposed to do with these torpedoes?’
– bloody funny for all the wrong reasons!
The Bad: There is something very casual about crossing over
to another universe these days. It feels more like popping out to the shops for
some milk! In Crossover it was a huge moment and a dramatic reveal but now the
premise has been set up its just like walking from one room to another. They
haven’t made a great deal of difference to stock sets this time around and
anybody switching on halfway through might think we are still on our DS9
and everybody is just acting a little strangely.
Moment to Watch Out For: The whole sequence where Worf
accuses Garak of swallowing the key to his manacle and stabs him in the gut to
try and find it. Its bloody funny - superbly performed and written with some
knockout lines (‘Perhaps you swallowed it!’ ‘Impossible! I’m most very
particular about what I eat! / ‘The key sir! Somehow it fell into…my boot.’)
Result: Very entertaining but not quite as good as the first
two forays into the alternative universe, Shattered Mirror still enjoys a
multitude of great moments to savour. The backbone some with the idea of Sisko
having to deal with the return of his Jennifer in Jake’s wife and this provides
some nice reflective scenes and poignant ending. But what we really want is the
sort of action and performances that we can’t get in our universe and on that
score Shattered Mirror delivers spectacularly. I’m not sure what I prefer…the
delightful two handers between the psychotic Worf and his toadying slave Garak,
Nana Visitor’s super sultry Indendant or the dazzling special effects as the
Defiant swoops into action and takes on the Klingons. There’s plenty to enjoy
but what worries me is how little the set designers have done to distinguish
the two universes when that was a priority and one of the standout elements of
the first crossover. Still there’s plenty of sleaze on display and for the chance
to see Garak come on to Worf I can recommend this episode. This would turn out
to be the last truly great alternative universe episode and should be savoured
as such: 8/10
The Muse written by Rene Echevarria and directed by David
Livingston
Unknown Sample: Whatever good comes out of this episode is
thanks to the talents of Rene Auberjonois who can pretty much overcome any
material and make it sing. Odo admits that he is happy for Kira and Shakaar to
be together, its almost a release so he can get on with his life. One of the
best moments comes when he feels the baby moving in Lwaxana’s stomach and the
look of wonderment on his face is a joy to behold. The way he replicates a
blanket over her as she sleeps in his arms is really very sweet. Listening to
Odo saying how much fun he is having and smiling just feels wrong – you just
know that something is going to swoop in and snatch away this happiness for
him. Before he met Lwaxana his world was a much smaller place, he kept to
himself, he didn’t need anybody else and he took pride in that. He was ashamed
of who he was and if people saw how truly different he was they would recoil
from him. Lwaxana saw how different he was and she didn’t do that – she wanted
to see more. It changed him forever to know to know that there were people out
there who want ed to know him as he was. He has gotten used to having Lwaxana
around and tries to convince her to stay but because she is still in love with
him she knows she has to leave.
Young Sisko: Sometimes you have to wonder if Jake is a
little bit simple. Along comes a woman who knew a famous Cardassian architect
with a spectacular career that cut short by his untimely death and then she
offers him a chance to unlock his potential…and he doesn’t put two and two
together. Its not often we are this far ahead of a regular on this show, this
early. I guess we had to see Sisko going away so Jake is alone and ready to be
corrupted by this older, mysterious woman. I’m not sure what this side of the
story is trying to say about Jake. Onaya suggests that Jake has great
storytelling potential locked inside of him but we already knew that.
Mrs Troi: Am I the only one who finds it highly unlikely
that Lwaxana would ever be a prisoner in her own house. Lets say for a moment
that we accept the sitcom miracle that she has fallen pregnant and the she has
married a misogynist and try and get on with the episode. She is no wear near
as obnoxious as usual as a character on the run which might make her more
palatable to her detractors but it felt as though she was in a muzzle
throughout.
Dreadful Dialogue: ‘You mean I have to convince Jayal that I
want to marry you?’ – yep it gets that bad. I thought we had outgrown
horrific premises like this but here we are…
The Good: So it turns out we have Onaya to thank for the
glorious design of the station’s sets. Her assertion that what an artist wants
is to be remembered is very true and to achieve a great deal even if it does
significantly shorten your lifespan might seem a tempting offer to a sort but
this is still a woefully misguided concept to base a whole episode on. I love
the idea that Betazoid women can sometimes hear their babies thoughts of contentment.
Playing ‘where’s Odo?’ in his quarters actually looks quite fun!
The Bad: The pre titles sequence doesn’t inspire much
confidence with Lwaxana (one of my favourite TNG cast offs, mind) announcing
her pregnancy and Odo have a look of mock shock. Don’t worry, I thought, this
is DS9…they’ll be able to do something with this… I’m a bit confused by the child rearing processes of the Tavnian.
Since the sexes are divided and the girls are raised by women and the boys by
men and they don’t even find out the other exists until they are sixteen does
that mean they are promoting homosexuality on Tavnia? Kids hit puberty at what,
eleven, twelve? I’m surprised the race even managed to survive! The scene in
Quark’s where everybody is affected by Lwaxana’s bad mood is agonising to watch
because it is so broadly played – Michael Dorn looks like he is considering
leaving the show before he has even settled in! When Odo stated that he was
going to take Lwaxana as his wife to bypass some idiotic Tavnian law I was sinking
into my chair with this idiotic turn of events. It’s the sort of ludicrous
revelation that Voyager episodes regularly flaunt! You can imagine Majel
Barrett getting excited as she dreams up a concept wherein Odo declares his
undying love for Lwaxana and admits all the reasons why she is such a fabulous
character. It might work for her but they seem to have forgotten that the
reason this coupling worked so well originally was because Odo resisted her
until the very last minute before melting into her lap. David Livingston tries
to make the conclusion look like something exciting is happening with Sisko
hunting down Onaya in the Jeffries tubes and the entity knocking out the nurse
in sickbay but its done very half heartedly as if even the director knows that
there is no chance of building any momentum here.
Fashion Statement: As if the episode wasn’t bad enough
making Odo wear that ridiculous Tavnian wedding garb is an insult.
Result: With an average DS9 episode they can rely on a cute
subplot to get them out of trouble but The Muse is one of those rare occasions
when the main episode falls flat and the subplot is similarly dreary. My main
issue is that both stories have some potential and I can imagine a Lwaxana is
pregnant storyline that is far more riotous than the sitcom nonsense that we
have to endure here. On the strength of this Rene Echevarria script I guess the
production staff figured that Mrs Troi had been done to death which is a shame
because her first appearance in DS9 was one of her very best but both
subsequent visits have been the worst this show has been in each of the seasons
they appear in. The best thing about The Muse is Meg Foster’s seductive
performance and Odo’s confession at the wedding that appears to be false but we
learn was all true. But its not enough to stop this being the least convincing
and the most forced episode of season four and the one which confirms that no
matter how consistently good the quality is this show can still produce an
absolute stinker every once in a while: 3/10
For the Cause written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by
James L. Conway
Single Father: Lets step back a bit and look at the
relationship between Sisko and Kassidy because in terms of a regular television
to have the main star in an ongoing relationship is something you would expect
but for Star Trek it is revolutionary. Kirk, Picard, Janeway and Archer would
never explore this kind of relationship and it’s a shame because this proves
what a fertile recipe for drama it makes. Their flirtations in Way of the
Warrior gave that story some romance and Sisko’s clench-your-teeth bad handling
of the news that she might move to the station in Indiscretion made for
blissful viewing. For the Cause takes it a step further by examining how strong
the relationship is even if one of them did something that was apathetical to
the other and would go on to develop beautifully in next years The Rapture.
Just the sight of the Captain waking up in bed with Kassidy and trying to lure
her back into his arms gives this show a touch of realism and elevates it that
bit more above the others. The touch of him sniffing her cushion and tossing
away his own shows how much he has fallen for her. There’s plenty of passion on
this partnership but they also are a good match intellectually and I love the
way they talk playfully with one another. Plus you can see the beginnings of a
family starting to emerge in the dynamics between the two of them and Jake
(which would be cemented magnificently in The Rapture). His initial reaction of
absolute outrage and shock is very natural but what’s even more interesting is
how he doesn’t let his feeling get in the way and allows the investigation. Its
clear he has a lot of respect for Odo and Eddington’s security work. He’s
trying to tell Jake in his own way about what is happening and he grabs his hand
and promises that whatever else changes their relationship will always be the
same. Perhaps he should be held accountable for trying to divert Kassidy out of
the hands the law but I can understand why for once he is thinking with his
heart rather than his head. Penny Johnson and Avery Brooks do a great job with
this scene because despite what is coming out of their mouths their eyes are
telling a completely different story – he knows and she knows he knows and
neither one of them can back out of their commitments no matter how tempting.
The only thing Sisko cares about more than Kassidy is Jake and when he thinks
she might have put him in danger he dismisses her betrayal viciously for this
far more important threat. Poor Kassidy is the only casualty in Eddington’s
plan and she came back to prove to Sisko that she still loves him despite
everything and she needs to know if he feels the same. She’s willing to risk
prison to keep their relationship alive. ‘I’ll be back’ ‘I’ll be here.’
Tasty Terrorist: Kira’s threat to Garak proves that she
hasn’t lost her fire after all. He better watch out with Ziyal because it looks
like he is playing with fire.
Mr Wolf: I love the momentary look of embarrassment on
Worf’s face when Eddington lists the damage his people have done to the
Cardassians.
Nine Lives: Dax tries to comfort Sisko when he discover that
Kassidy is a Marquis smuggler but he is having none of it.
Plain and Simple & Cross Breed: Now this is a development I was not expecting. Garak
getting close to Gul Dukat’s daughter, surely that has got to lead to fireworks
down the line! Still lets concentrate on the forming of this relationship as
the two outcasts spot each other over a game of Racquetball and start to
explore the possibility of being friends. A chance meeting in a lift leads to
the two of them admitting they have nothing to fear from each other but doubts
still linger in both of their minds. You wonder as an observer whether she will
take this opportunity to kill her fathers greatest enemy or whether he will
take this chance to hurt his nemesis in this most personal of ways. You can see
that Garak is completely floored about Ziyal asking him to enjoy the sauna
programme with her and the way she sets it up could be construed as setting a
trap for him. Thanks to a chat with Quark (who Garak should never discuss these
things again as Quark is the only person who might think through in even more
nefarious detail than Garak) Garak goes to his date with Ziyal believing it is
a double double bluff on her and Kira’s part to bump him off! Ziyal is an
outcast back home, as is Garak and although she doesn’t need his company she
has decided that they should spend some time together and share their stories.
When Garak hears this he tosses away the gun he brought to their date! ‘So,
what shall we talk about first?’
Background Player: I’ll tell you why Eddington has managed
to slip invisibly into the background so well. Its because he is exactly the
sort of character that you would find on TNG or Voyager, a Starfleet yes man
who does exactly what he’s told. He’s seen sabotaging the Defiant in The Die is
Cast because a superior officer told him too and he sucks up to Sisko at every
opportunity (The Adversary) like all good Starfleet officers. He’s almost as
plain as Harry Kim which on Voyager is acceptable but on DS9 means that there
is something very wrong underneath all that obedience and duty. He even says in
this episode to O’Brien that he would do whatever Starfleet tells him to do
regardless of his feelings. The face that he turns out to be the leader of the
Marquis and masterminding the entire plot to steal the industrial replicators
right from under both Sisko and Odo’s noses makes him one of the best long term
hidden surprises in Trek. What I love about his dull Starfleet is God attitude
is that it is later revealed to be a fabulous theatrical act…I wonder if Harry
Kim has some dreadful secret that he is hiding and he is putting on act too?
The way he makes his move is brilliant, casually gunning down Kira and waltzing
off with the replicators.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘You are evil’ ‘I am a Starfleet
Officer, the paragon of virtue’ ‘You’re more like a parody of virtue.’
‘Paranoid is what they call people who imagine threats after
their life. I have threats against my life.’
‘I think she’s already made her delivery…and you were the
cargo!’ and ‘What could be happening…happening on the station!’ are two great
lines that see this immoral plans of the Marquis unravel before Sisko and the
audience.
‘You know what Mister Eddington, I don’t give a damn what
you think of the Federation, the Marquis or anything else. All I know is that
you betrayed your oath, your duty and me. And if it takes me the rest of my
life I will see you standing before a court martial that’ll break you and send
you to a penal colony where you will spend the rest of your days growing old
and wondering whether a ship full of replicators was really worth it’ – hooooo
boy!
The Good: I love any kind of storyline like this where they
point the finger at one character and then you watch to see if they are acting
at all suspiciously. Its especially good here because it is the woman our lead
character has fallen in love with and its fascinating to watch Sisko’s paranoia
as every unusual move Kassidy makes becomes scrutinised. Its nice to see a game
of Racquetball because it is a oft mentioned game on DS9 and reminds you that
there are other things going on than ships docking and drinking at Quarks. I
remember being shocked when Kassidy is seen altering her course and delivery
goods to a Marquis ship – its simply not the way Star Trek works to introduce a
semi regular and then reveal that they are criminal. It’s a disturbing turn of
events and they are usually the best kind. I always enjoy the moments on DS9
when they let each character have their say about a tough subject – they often
disagree and we get to explore the issue through many viewpoints and learn a
lot more about the characters. Worf thinks the Marquis are terrorist and should
be hunted down and O’Brien sympathises with them believing they are only
fighting for something they believe in. The Cardassian sauna looks like it
might be really relaxing – can I have one please? Kassidy turning out to be a
red herring is an awesome twist that I didn’t see coming a mile off when I
first watched this. Its probably the best example of making the audience look
the other way DS9 has pulled off since season two’s Whispers and I was
completely hoodwinked. As a diversionary tactic for Sisko it is probably the ultimate
distraction and the fact that she is actually guilty and the Marquis are
willing to sacrifice one of their agents gives even the red herring a real
dramatic boost.
Result: Deep Space Nine does Sleeping with the
Enemy and with this shows exciting brand of storytelling that refuses to
take the easy route the result is a dramatic, satisfying episode. Sisko’s
relationship with Kassidy comes under the microscope, we get to see how far
they have come in a year and how he copes with the news that she is a Marquis
smuggler. At the time I thought that
was the end of them and was extremely pleased that they picked up the
relationship again in season five. Leave it to DS9 to enforce the consequences
of her illegal actions and continue with a long term relationship for
the lead character (unheard of in Trek). I really like how the two narratives
play off each other; with the Sisko/Kassidy/Eddington one you are being guided
in one direction and are completely floored at the end when they subvert that
whereas with the Garak/Ziyal machinations they discuss all the possible traps
he could be walking into and it all turns out to be as simple as it appears. In
both cases I was pleasantly surprised. Ron Moore has written a nicely paced,
deceptive piece that is packed with great moments and climaxes on one hell of
an exchange between Sisko and Eddington. Sisko was expertly played by Eddington
and this will lead into two knockout revenge episodes in season five: 9/10
To the Death written by Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt
Wolfe and directed by LeVar Burton
Single Father: The writers seem to want to mould Sisko into
a hardnut action hero but I’m not quite convinced about it in this episode
which is odd because come next seasons For the Uniform he is far scarier and
that had me completely riveted. Whilst Omet’iklan killing one of his soldiers
for fighting with Worf might seem extreme in comparison Sisko sending Worf to
his room for the rest of the trip does seem a little nancy in comparison!
Unknown Sample: Having Jem H’adar on the Defiant places Odo
in the awkward position of being accused of being a God who has betrayed
Heaven.
Mr Wolf: Has a seat that he likes in the Mess of the Defiant
and gives anyone who takes it the evil eye until they move! He doesn’t like the
idea of lying, even to the Jem H’adar. Worf cannot see the point of winning in
battle if you can’t celebrate afterwards with good food and drink…and good
women!
Everyday Engineer: O’Brien doesn’t fancy hand to hand combat
with over 20 psychotic Jem H’adar soldiers and suggests simply levelling the
area with quantum torpedoes! He records his eleventh goodbye message for Keiko
just in case he doesn’t come back and is averaging two a year these days.
Nine Lives: Dax is such an old gossip she has to assure
everybody that the Jem H’adar wont hear that they are looking to destroy the
Gateway from her! Sisko wonders how Worf knows that Omet’iklan threatened to
kill him: ‘You told Commander Dax.’
Dastardly Diplomat: One of the greatest gift DS9 gave to the
Trek universe was Weyoun and it is no co-incidence that is heavy presence in
the last three seasons sees a soar in quality of the show. Jeffrey Combs has
already chipped his teeth on some minor characters and Brunt but this is his piece
de resistance performance, a naughty, sinister Vorta with a great line in
black humour. Once he is introduced the writers simply had no choice but to let
the Dominion invade because we simply had to spend more time in this guys
company. The whispering, almost seductive way he says his dialogue in this
episodes meant I literally could not keep my eyes off him whenever he was on
screen. In a moment of wonderful madness he offers to make Sisko absolute
controller of the Federation if he helps them in their invasion plans. When he
gives the white to the Jem H’adar he follows the exact protocol but its clear
he has been doing this for many years because he sounds bored by the whole
thing! When they wrote the script they obviously didn’t realise that Combs was
going to do such a stellar job with the role and so they had to figure a way to
rewind the ending of this tale where Weyoun is killed. Of course the Vorta are
a clone race…didn’t you know?
‘So let me get this straight…no sleep, no food, no women. No
wonder you’re so angry.’
‘You call that discipline?’ ‘A dead man can’t learn
from his mistakes.’
Dreadful Dialogue: ‘I threatened to kill you and yet you
were willing to sacrifice yourself to save my life!’ – laying on the war
clichés a bit thick there.
‘So much for the Gateway!’ – how cheap is that? Instead of
showing us the explosion Odo covers it with a throwaway line!
The Good: Talk about getting the audiences attention – one
of the upper pylons has been blown to pieces by the Jem H’adar, dead bodies
littering the corridors, Kira with her arm burnt, Quark desperately searching
for Rom…it’s the most in-yer-face pre titles sequence of the whole year.
Its so hardnut you can literally feel the testosterone wafting off the script!
More quiet banter between Worf and O’Brien where the former thinks restricting
the Defiant to guard duty on the station would be a mistake and the latter says
that he wouldn’t say that if he had family on the station. Its interesting that
the two big Jem H’adar episodes in season four (Hippocratic Oath and To the
Death) both deal with breakaway groups. It feels as though the writers are
trying to fracture the Dominion hierarchy but this episode puts a stop to that
with some finality. The Dominion is not about to allow their own agents to go
rogue and if anybody dares to try they will hunt them down and kill them.
Brining back elements from Contagion all these years later is an interesting
exercise and it’s a way of linking together DS9 and TNG in a more subtle way
than bringing across characters from one show to another. Besides the ability
to be able to step onto any world is an awesomely frightening idea and the
thought of this ability being in the hands of rogue Jem H’adar who can simply
step onto Earth and start killing…it chills the blood. I was laughing my head
off at the differences between the Federation and the Jem H’adar tactics –
O’Brien is appalled that the latter are willing to blow up the place with
themselves in it if necessary!
The Bad: Whilst I do like some juicy tension between
characters the verbal duel between Worf and one of the Jem H’adar soldiers is a
bit embarrassing. There is a very funny shot of the Federation Officers coming
to the rescue through the glass as the Jem H’adar fight each other with a
bouncy ‘here we come!’ theme! Its not exactly the Starfleet way to destroy something
as ancient and powerful as the Gateway…especially when they have killed all the
rogue Jem H’adar! I bet there will be an enquiry after this…
Result: To the Death is a macho violence fest and not the
sort of Trek episode that I am usually interested in but even I have to admit
that this is done very well. By stirring up the red ants and the black ants
(sorry I mean the Federation and the Jem H’adar) you have a great deal of
friction and conflict to work through before they head off on their mission
together. We learn quite a bit about these Dominion warriors and there are some
macho insights into some of the regulars too (especially Worf and O’Brien) and
whilst some of the tension is a bit strained at least it keeps things
interesting. The introduction of Jeffrey Combs as Weyoun is the best thing
about To the Death and he is hypnotically good, especially in the shows finest
scene where he offers Odo a chance to go home. The mission itself reminded me
an awful lot of the conclusion to Blood Oath – a sunny location, lots of
corpses and some revelling in violence. Considering this assignment has been
handed to LeVar Burton (who is to my mind the least successful action director)
the results are pretty good; he’s learning how to use the camera get some
interesting shots (I love the scene when the Jem H’adar beam onto the Defiant)
and despite some awkward cuts the hand to hand stuff works up the adrenalin.
Ultimately To the Death has an ulterior purpose – to cut dead the thread that
has been emerging in season four of rogue Jem H’adar. From now on they are
faceless murderers and that is just the way I like them: 7/10
The Quickening written by Naren Shankar and directed by Rene
Auberjonois
GE Doctor: Bashir is such an idealist its easy to see how
you could take the character a destroy his faith. He looks out of a window and
sees little points of light and wants to visit them all. Bashir walks onto this
planet blazing eyed and ready to get to work on a cure. All this guy has ever
known is success in his career and he isn’t going to let a society of lepers
tarnish that record. He gets a good hard slap around the face (metaphorically)
when Trevean tells him that they had sophisticated equipment once and that
their world wasn’t always this way. His first shock is that somebody could
curse a whole world like this and his second is when he realises they practice
voluntary euthanasia. He show contempt for both ideas and has it fixed in his
head that he has to do something about this or his conscience wont rest. Bashir
has all the right facts at his fingertips for why they should at least try and
help these people even if they don’t seem to want it. After he is dismissed in
the streets Ekoria wonders if perhaps her people don’t deserve his help but he
recognises that they have forgotten that things can be better. It’s the first
mention of Kookalaka, Bashir’s stuffed bear who was his first patient and who
we would later see in the episode Inquisition. You just knew Bashir was a teddy
bear lover, right? Bashir discusses his failiure around wrapped up corpses to
show the audience the consequences of his arrogance. There’s a look of defeat
that flickers across Bashir’s face when he sees how Ekoria is after she’s
quickened and he quickly changes the subject to the baby.
Nine Lives: Dax is superb in this episode and shows just how
many ways that she can contribute to this show. She empathises with Ekoria
whilst Bashir gets on with the work and she translates all of his techno speak
into something the poor woman can understand! Bashir is frantically trying to
save Epran’s life and it takes Dax to grab him by the arm and stop because she
knows that he is dead. But where she really comes into her own is when
everything goes horribly wrong and rather than molly coddling Bashir she gives
him the cold hard facts. That’s the measure of a good friend, somebody who is
willing to shake you and make you listen even when you are at your lowest ebb.
Community Leader: Its one of the best ever examples of
having to contractually include a scene that features all the regulars that
wont be appearing in the episode proper! In the very funny first scene Quark,
O’Brien, Odo and Worf all feature – Quark has tampered with the stations
communications net to create an advert for the bar (‘Come to Quarks! Quarks is
fun! Come right now! Don’t walk…run!’) and has even gone to the trouble of
having the replicator cups sing the jaunty tune much to Worf’s chargin! Its
also a little touch of humour before the dark episode that follows. ‘If all
your little advertisements aren’t purge from our systems by the time I get back
from the Gamma Quadrant I will come to Quark’s and believe me…I will
have fun.’
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘I thought that this was a hospital. And
that you were a healer…’ ‘I am. I take away pain.’
‘I’d invite you to my death be we don’t know each other that
well.’
‘I’m going to tell you a little secret, Jadzia. I was looking
forward to tomorrow, to seeing Kira again and casually asking “how was the
nebula? Oh and by the way I cured that blight thing those people had.”’
‘Trevean was right, there is no cure. The Dominion made sure
of that. And I was so arrogant I thought I could find one in a week!’ ‘Maybe it
was arrogant to think that but its even more arrogant to think there isn’t a
cure just because you couldn’t find one’ – that might just be my
favourite Dax line ever.
The Good: Every time I see that opening long shot of Bashir
and Dax beaming onto the planet it always takes my breath away. The camera pans
back to reveal a stunning matte painting of a world that has been tarnished by
the Dominion with live action taking place inside it. It’s a flawless effect
and cinematic in its scope. It’s a fascinating exercise to see two healthy,
well dressed Starfleet officers walking around a disease ridden town where the
people toil without hope and cart the bodies of their relatives around. Never
before has Federation luxury looked so uncomfortably privileged. I love the
scenes in the hospital because they have an atmosphere all of their own that
cannot be replicated elsewhere. It’s a beaten civilisation that has come to
terms with the fact that they are all going to die horribly and try and make
that moment as peaceful as possible when it comes with music, food and family.
The way the script makes a suicide speech such a positive moment is
astonishing, it convinces us that this is a moment of triumph and then reveals
that the cup he was toasting with was filled with poison to make his suffering
end. When this world was powerful they thought that nothing was beyond them and
they could even defeat the Dominion. It’s the same fate that could so easily
happen to Earth if they defy them – the Jem H’adar destroyed this world and
left them with the blight that would condemn them all to a painful death. There
is some shockingly good location work which for a change isn’t confined to a
valley in the middle of nowhere but instead a decrepit town bustling with
extras. It helps to sell the idea of an community far more effectively than the
usual Trek matte shot. Set design is top notch too with Ekoria’s shared
quarters a cramped, exposed space crammed full of possessions and lit by
candles. It just feels as though everybody has gotten together to make this
world come alive in as realistic way as possible. Her name might be an anagram
of ‘rookie’ but there is nothing standard about Ekoria who emerges as one of
the finest guest characters of the season. She’s willing to put her faith in
Bashir and offer him the food that she was saving for her quickening all to try
and protect the life that is growing inside of her. She’s lost the one man that
she loves but the baby has given her something to hope for again. It’s a
beautifully crafted character and as the episode progresses she goes through an
emotional journey with Bashir that had me in tears by the end. Showing her what
her baby looks like inside the womb is a wonderfully emotive moment where you can
see how Bashir’s sophisticated equipment really can make a difference. The
lesion make up is really very nasty, especially on Epran where they spider web
bloodily across his entire (bald) head. The consequence of Bashir’s failiure is
that people spit on the ground at his feet and run away from him as though he
is some kind of monster, its little touches like that that make all the
difference. I love how Ekoria’s quickening is not made into a massive dramatic
event, it occurs after Bashir’s fall and is simply further proof of what he
hasn’t achieved. Trevean is a great character because he isn’t an evil man and
is never portrayed as such, he’s a kind man who is trying his best to deal with
a horrible situation. And yet his method – to murder people might seem
reprehensible in some peoples eyes. Is the twist that the antigen was all
absorbed into the placenta predictable? Maybe but its still a gloriously
emotional turn of events. The crane shot of Trevean holding the uninfected baby
up to the crowd is spectacular.
Orchestra: A superb, emotional score from David Bell that
really sells the horror of the situation. The forceful, grinding horror of the
quickening is brought to life superbly by Bell and he works wonders with a
violin, making the music truly poignant rather than overly sentimental.
Result: Along with The Visitor and Hard Time, The Quickening
forms a trilogy of knockout emotional episodes in season four that go above and
beyond the sort of drama that Star Trek usually provides. It’s a real coming of
age story for Bashir who steps onto this world as an idealistic youth and
leaves it as a much more cynical adult after having only partially succeeded in
his mission. Rene Auberjonois deserves massive credit for bringing this
touching drama to life so vividly, the location work and matte effects are stunning
but what really impressed was the intensity of the performances he provoked.
You wouldn’t want the show to be this hard hitting every week but it seems that
whenever DS9 attempts something this graphic and adult everybody involved gives
everything they have to make it as good as it can possibly be. The ending which
sees a hard future for those who have to help create a brighter one for their
children is perfect because it offers no easy answers but still manages to
provide hope. Season four is where the Bashir episodes suddenly got very good
indeed and I don’t think there is a bad one now for the rest of the shows run.
This is one of the dramas to show a non fan that think that Star Trek is all
transporters and phasers: 10/10
Body Parts written by Hans Beimler and directed by Avery
Brooks
Tasty Terrorist & The O’Briens: I remember when this
episode first aired and there was something of an outcry with the American fans
that the Keiko to Kira pregnancy plot was absolutely ridiculous. I didn’t see
any problem with it then and I don’t see any problem with it now. Yes beaming a
child from one woman to another is far fetched but then so is beaming somebody
to another planet – if you can accept one I don’t understand why the other is
such a stretch! The storyline had several advantages as far as I could see. For
one Nana Visitor didn’t have to be hidden behind consoles for half a year to
disguise her pregnancy (otherwise known as Gates McFadden/Roxan Dawson
syndrome) and they managed to get some dramatic mileage in the switch
(especially in next years Looking for Par’Mach, The Darkness and the Light and
finally when the baby is born in The Begotten). But also DS9 has always been a
family oriented show (with the Sisko’s and the Ferengi’s) and this was another
interesting strand that showed Miles, Keiko, Kira and Molly forming their own
little family unit. For a show that is often said to be very dark there is an
awful lot of enjoyable family moments – far more than TNG where it is
recognised more. I think it was the best possible outcome as far as all the
characters and actors were concerned so it earns a well deserved pass from me.
Aunt Neyrs might not be what people wanted to see after Kira’s general
softening in season four but it turns out to be great development for her
character and especially so when her fire returns in season five.
O’Brien is like a clucking mother hen but apparently when
good reason as the runabout carrying his pregnant wife returns from the Gamma
Quadrant with serious damage. Kira tries to break the news a gently as possibly
(‘The baby has just had a change of address…’) but I think Miles puts it more
succinctly – ‘So what you’re telling me is that Major Kira is going to have my
baby?’ Now all the awkward explanations are out of the way we can get on with
the fun! Kira does the honourable thing and heads straight for Keiko, puts her
hand on her belly and tells her that it is her baby and by Keiko’s relieved
laughter you can tell she really needed to hear that.
Community Leader: When Quark walks into the bar in great
humour and then announces that he is dying I wasn’t sure how this episode was
going to progress. I don’t think we are ever supposed to believe that it is the
case but what is fascinating about Body Parts is the corner that his
declaration and reaction to this news puts him in. For once the story doesn’t
take a comic route for Quark but a very dark one and its about time we saw him
face some real hardship. Its very realistic to look back on your life when you
get bad news like this and evaluate how you think you have done – Quark
considers himself a lowly bartender with a domineering mother and idiot
brother. Starfleet’s favourite bartender, the synthahol King! That’s he thinks
his peers see him. Quark is quick to accept the massive bid of 500 bars of
latinum for his remains believing that is an anonymous payment by the Grand
Nagus but the truth is a lot more horrifying. When Brunt turns up to collect on
his debts Quark is in an awful quandary – kill himself and fulfil the contract
or break it and live but be ostracised from Ferengi society as a result. When
Brunt lists all of Quark’s character flaws its fascinating to have his
development spelt out because for the most part it has gone unnoticed because
he is still the outspoken greedy Ferengi but hiding his mothers claims, giving
his customers credit, secretly settling with his strikers and selling food and
medicine to Bajoran refugees at cost are all philanthropic gestures. Quark has
been influenced by the Federation but as far as the audience can see it is all
for his own good however in the eyes of a Ferengi it is the worst possible
crime. Its great to see Quark trying to talk himself out of this whole but only
digging a deeper grave, unfortunately you cannot run away from who you actually
are. I kept waiting for Quark to come up with some clever solution ala Bar
Association to get himself out of this situation and when he eventually makes a
cold hard choice to break the contract and suffer the consequences (which
includes punishment for his family too) my respect for the character shot sky
high. Its very intriguing that Quark now joins Odo, Ziyal, Worf, Garak as a
member of his species cut off from his own people. The station has become last
chance saloon for all the defectors of the galaxy! I love how Quark accepts his
fate but still has the last word, threatening Brunt that if he ever walks into
his bar again then he wont walk out. The sight of Quark sitting alone in his
completely empty bar is a great visual of what he has lost and shows the
character at his lowest ebb. Which makes the conclusion all the more beautiful
(see Moment to Watch Out For).
Secret Genius: Its great Rom has emerged from his brothers
shadow and found his independence just in time to be able to comfort Quark as
he learns that he is dying of an incurable disease. He tries to remind him that
he might not be the most successful businessman there has ever been but he is a
respected one on the station with many friends but these are snivelling hew-mon
values that mean nothing to Quark. Sweetly he is the only person to bid on his
brothers desiccated remains and he devotes his life savings to the bid because
wants to have something to remember him by when he’s gone.
What’s Morn up to: Morn can be seen in the background
looking genuinely appalled at Quark’s announcement that he is dying. Who is
going to pour his drinks now? Garak has added some extra padding to Morn’s seat
which will make swivelling on his bar stool much more comfortable! I love
Morn’s contribution to the end of the episode. Whilst everybody else is
offering drinks, furniture and glasses, Morn offers himself! He plonks himself
at the bar and that is the greatest sign that things are back to normal.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Bashir? How good can he be? He doesn’t
even charge!’
‘It too me my whole life but I’m gonna die a winner!’
‘You don’t have Dorricks syndrome?’ ‘Do you know what that
means, Rom?’ ‘It means you’re gonna live!’ ‘It means I get sue Dr Or’Pax for
malpractice! And I’m gonna live. ’
‘You’re a disease, Quark. A festering tumour on the lobes of
Ferengi society and its my job to cut you loose!’ – Jeffrey Combs just loves
getting his lips around those juicy metaphors!
‘I don’t want to see it coming! Or hear it! Or feel it or
smell it! I just want to go on with my life and then…I’m dead!’
‘I have some old clothes I was going to throw out’ ‘I’d
rather be naked.’
The Good: When the story takes a turn for the macabre Quark
turns to Garak to have himself killed so he doesn’t have to break the contract
with Brunt and the black humour that ensues is very funny indeed. ‘You didn’t
always used to be a tailor’ ‘You’re right, I used to be a gardener. Now if you
want something weeded you let me know’ ‘Not something. Someone.’ The
image of the fake Quark having his neck snapped and Garak shoving his face in
his food is hilarious and when Quark says he wants to be surprised so he can’t
prepare himself for death we get scenes of Quark tiptoeing around his quarters
waiting for Garak to spring out at any moment!
The Bad: Its such a shame that the last scene is as good as
it is because I would have loved to have had Garak come out of nowhere in the
very last scene behind Quark attempting to kill him and cut to the credits just
before he reaches him! The gaudily dressed, bronze lensed scenes in the fake
Divine Treasury are a very rare off choice by director Avery Brooks. Unlike
most of his work it lacks depth and looks cheap and tacky.
Result: An atypical Ferengi episode that starts how you
would expect with a big crazy concept (Quark is going to die) but develops into
a strong drama with tough choices to be made a major development of Quark’s
character. What I found really interesting was how much development of Quark’s
character I hadn’t noticed over the past four years that was pointed out here
by Brunt and plain to see. Also the story takes a wicked turn into very dark
black humour that I am all in favour of and the dialogue surrounding Garak’s
attempts to kill Quark is very funny. There were a few moments when I thought
the pantomimic nature of the Ferengi fought against the nightmare that Quark
had found himself in (that’s mostly confined to the dreadful Divine Treasury
scene) but the performances were as strong as ever and Armin Shimmerman happily
takes his character to new depths. The much derided subplot gets a thumbs up
from me too – it always strikes me as odd when Star Trek fans can accept zany
concepts like transporter technology but fail to appreciate anything quirky
being done with them! Moving Kira into the O’Brien’s quarters is a great move
and would cement a family feeling on the station in season five but nothing
could top the last scene at Quark’s which pulls at the heartstrings like few
Trek episodes have ever achieved. Its not the best character drama of the year
but there is a great deal of strong material here: 8/10
Broken Link written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe & Ira Steven
Behr and directed by Les Landau
Tasty Terrorist: Kira’s forced pregnancy is forcing her to
sneeze uncontrollably at random and the senior officers enjoy guessing at what
point she is going to stop! She doesn’t bring Odo flowers or try to keep him
company, nope Kira knows Odo better than anybody and brings him this weeks
criminal activity report!
Unknown Sample: ‘You killed a Changeling Odo…’ Odo
might be the sharpest law enforcer on the beat but when it comes to ‘humanoid
coupling’ he is completely at sea and when Garak tries to set him up with the
foxy owner of The Celestial Café he becomes stiff, uncommunicative and freezes
like a statue! Nobody can quite demonstrate pain as well as Rene Auberjonois
and when he collapses in Garak’s shop it looks and sounds agonising. Isn’t it
glorious that Odo refuses to be aided in his long trip to the Defiant – he
walks along the Promenade with pride despite the fact that he could turn into a
puddle of goo at any minute. The Founders are not above hurting Odo to force
him home and he realises they did this to him to hold him to account for
killing one of his own kind. When he joined with his people for the first time
in his life he felt he was home and that he understood his people for the first
time and then it was all snatched away as they rejected him. Odo’s punishment
is both ingenious and very cruel – to take away his shapeshifting ability and
make him in the image of the people he chose over the Founders. I hope they
explore the potential of this thoroughly in the coming season because there is
plenty of opportunity for development.
Mr Wolf: Worf knows how much Odo values his privacy and
suggests that everybody leaves him alone to get through this but Dax thinks its
an act and that they must have been socialising when he said it! Michael Dorn
feels like a very natural fit to the series now and slips into these group
scenes rather wonderfully – it took them a whole season to find a place for him
but from now on he really feels like he belongs on the station.
Everyday Engineer: Turns out moving Kira into his quarters
might not be such a good idea since he thinks they are always talking about him
behind his back and whatever they wee saying made Molly giggle when she saw
him!
GE Doctor: Bashir wonders if this is a natural process for
changelings like their version of puberty or the menopause – a theory that Odo
expects the good Doctor to keep to himself! Bashir almost skimming a stone
across the Great Link is very funny!
Community Leader: More of that Quark/Odo banter that reveals
how they really feel for each other. This would be explore in much greater
depth in next seasons The Ascent.
Plain and Simple: ‘Personally I think Starfleet should
allow their officers more latitude in accessorising their uniforms…you’d be
surprised what a nice scarf can do!’ With Garak wanting to come along for
the ride there is also some long overdue follow up from The Die is Cast when
the Cardassians tries to attack the Dominion. It leaves open the big question
of why Garak should be so concerned about the people who were on the ships they
saw still standing leaving the battlefield and that question is most succinctly
answered in season five’s In Purgatory’s Shadow. He is allowed to come along as
long as he can entertain Odo for the length of the trip, promising innuendos,
half truths and bald faced lies for the sick changeling to have to work his way
through. There is the suggestion that Garak murderer Pro Counsellor Morot on
Romulus where he was posing as a gardener – I wonder how many more little tasty
titbits about his past there are! ‘Then again so many Romulan dignitaries died
unexpectedly that year!’ This time Garak has gone too far and has to suffer six
months in a holding cell for assaulting a Federation officer and attempting to
incite war.
Malleable Enemy: I love Salome Jens as the Female
Shapeshifter and I am pleased that she has such a pivotal role in series six
and seven because she makes for an extremely unusual and effective villainess.
She casually dismisses the Jem H’adar as if they are tools and not people and
refuses to molly coddle Odo when she confronts him, determined to drag him back
to the Great Link and face his punishment.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Its just being in a room with so many
naked men!’
‘They’re dead. You’re dead. Cardassia is dead. You’re
people were doomed the moment they attacked us’ – not only is this a real sit
up and pay attention moment but its fascinating to consider the Female
Shapeshifter’s words considering next years developments when Cardassia joins
the Dominion. And yet she telling the absolute truth because that is how the series
ends. A fascinating prophecy of the far future.
‘Don’t tell me you’d object to a little genocide in the name
of self defence?’
‘They left it this way on purpose so I never forget who I
was. What I’ve lost.’
‘Gowron, the Head of the Klingon Empire is a changeling!’
The Good: The Klingons continue their bullish ways by
refusing to give up their captured Cardassian colonies because they now
consider them part of the Empire. They are also telling the Federation to leave
their own bases in the Arkanas system – erm fuck off Gowron you great lumbering
ape! Leslie Beavis returns one last time as the purple haired Freighter Captain
and that’s the sort of invisible continuity that I really like. It feels like
the writers are re-affirming the series’ central goal – a return to the
founders and the Dominion plot rather than the Klingon diversion that has taken
place this season (as entertaining as it has been the Dominion storyline takes
a much bolder and format crushing approach next year). It always feels like an
event when we see a viewscreen filled with Jem H’adar ships. Massive kudos for
the effects work and make up that make Odo’s gradual malforming look as
discomforting as possible. How many shapeshifters must their be in that massive
sea of the Great Link? What must it feel like to be intermingled with your own
people in such a personal, emotional way? The very nature of the shapeshifters
fascinated me and their lifestyle is explored in great depth in series six’s
Behind the Lines and series seven’s Chimera. Odo washes up on the shore of the
Great Link mimicking religious iconography to give the moment gravitas. The way
the writers tie both the Dominion and Klingon plots together in the last scene
to explain that they have been inextricably linked all along (and followed up
on the Changeling threat in seasons threes The Die is Cast) is very clever –
they have this unnerving ability to make it look as if they have planned this
all along when I know they had a habit of making it up as they go. It works a charm,
gives us a massive kick into the next season with something to resolve and
proves that the season four Klingon diversion was tied into the series central
threat all along.
The Bad: Colm Meaney’s ‘I’m in pain’ acting lacks conviction
– for a moment it looks like he is trying to strain out a really big poo!
Result: Broken Link is probably the most ponderous of DS9
finales but there is still a great deal of strong material here. When compared
to the finales of the next couple of years it feels far more one track minded
and lacks the same kind of devastating drama. There is a really feeling of
transition here with some old plots being put to rest (The Die is Cast),
continuing plots being seen in a brand new light (the cliffhanger shines The
Way of the Warrior in a whole new light) and some plots are set up for the next
season (Odo’s human dilemma). All of these are terrific developments but there
is a sense of a mechanism clunking around to make all these possible (plus the
show is confined to a few sets which suggests the money has run out) whereas A
Call to Arms next year feels seamless. There are some fluffy character moments
in the first half, a chance for Rene Auberjonois to once again show why he is
one of the best in this stellar cast and a gorgeous role for Garak who steals
the show in the episodes best scene. Massive kudos for bringing back the Female
Shapeshifter too and Salome Jens is more terrifying with every return
appearance. Badly paced but dense with content, Broken Link sees season four
ending with plenty of intriguing possibilities for the future: 8/10
2 comments:
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