What’s it about: Sisko is on Earth putting his life back
together whilst an alliance starts to crumble on the station…
The Siskos: Sisko has been lost in his thoughts ever since
he returned to Earth and considering he is working through the loss of his
friend, the wormhole and his own self respect its any wonder he can sit at a
piano for an entire day musing about his life. Jake is worried about him but
Joseph knows well enough to leave him alone when he is thinking as a good
father would. When Joseph is confronted about the woman in his sons dream he is
clearly shocked and tries to brush the whole thing under the carpet but its
clear that Ben isn’t going to let this one pass. To learn that Sisko’s mother
was a Prophet is a rewarding twist especially given the development of his
character. Looking back over six series of character evolution this is the one
bombshell that makes perfect sense. It’s so well timed and thought through it
is enough to make you want to go back and watch the entire show again (or at
least the relevant episodes – Emissary, Destiny, Accession, Rapture, The
Sacrifice of Angels, The Reckoning, Tears of the Prophets…) with this mind. Its
one of the few times I have seen a show pull a rabbit out of its hat this late
in the day and it really works rather than feeling contrived (introducing Dawn
in Buffy is another). This is the culmination of seven years worth of discovery
for this character and he finally comes to realise how linked his life has been
with the Prophets from the very beginning. Bravo for taking such a huge risk
with the central character and it paying off so spectacularly as the season
progresses (as we get to meet Sarah and Sisko finally fulfils the role that he
was created for). Such is the strength of their relationship that Ben can
pointedly tell his father that he made a mistake not telling him the truth
about his mother and then make a joke with him a few moments later. Given all
the horrors he has experienced of late this is just another revelation but for
once it is a positive one and Sisko seems to take strength from that. Jadzia
always used to be there to help him through difficult times and he really
misses her.
Tasty Terrorist: It’s been two months since Kira was
promoted to Colonel and it’s a joy for a character that has shown so much
growth to be rewarded in this way. Sitting in the Captain’s chair and having
that kind of responsibility focuses you and Kira has adjusted really well. Its
just as well considering how the series ends for her.
Unknown Sample: That was some kiss in front of Quarks with
Kira and it has changed Odo’s life and made him into something of an optimist.
It’s a look that really suits him.
Mr Wolf: So much to examine in the wake of Dax’s death with
Worf that it simply couldn’t be contained to one episode as TNG would have done
(ala Picard getting over his treatment by the Borg in Family). What’s
especially good about the Worf material is that they could have used this as an
example to take him back down the grumpy path that plagued him in season four
but instead they choose to make him more sympathetic than ever. Throughout the
last two years of DS9 you will see a more rounded, three dimensional and likable
portrayal of Worf than ever before. How can we not feel for this guy given he
was married to Dax for less than a year before losing her? It’s a great way to
re-introduce Vic Fontaine too as Worf hides away inside this fantasy, a place
that he and Jadzia came to listen to some of her favourite songs. Plus
considering the love Fontaine gets in later episodes of this season it is great
for Worf to tell the guy he is just a hologram and has to do as he is
told. As far as Worf is concerned Dax never made it into Stovo’kor (Klingon
heaven) because despite joining the house of Martok she never died in glorious
battle.
Everyday Engineer: Just what you need when you are feeling
depressed – a visit from O’Brien with a bottle of grog! The only person who
regrets it is O’Brien who suffers the hangover from hell the next day and has
to be plied with coffee by Quark to keep him from falling over. Still what are
friends for?
GE Doctor: Bashir is going along on the insane mission to
get Jadzia into Stovo’kor because he knows that is exactly what she would have
wanted. He’s risking his life for a dubious cause which means that O’Brien is
going to risk his life for a friend who is risking his life for a very dubious
cause!
Devious Dame: Every year DS9 seems to enjoy bringing another
recurring character into the fold (season five saw Martok become a permanent
fixture, season six introduced Jack & his crazies and Sloane) and given the
developments in In the Pale Moonlight we are now introduced to a Romulan
Commander who is taking up residence on the station. Cretak is another fine
addition to the mix, a curiously charming Romulan who can switch of her good
humour when as soon as she is threatened and excellently brought to life by
Megan Cole.
Unwilling Leader: It’s always nice to see Damar and Weyoun
show up and their slightly perfunctory scenes in this episode serve two roles.
They keep us apprised of the Dominion’s status with regards to the war but more
importantly remind us of the animosity between the two characters that would
really come to fruition as the season progresses.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Tell me Damar when you’re alone do you
even bother with the glass or do you drink that swill directly from the
bottle?’
‘Either you remove those weapons or we will.’
‘Romulans! They’re so predictably treacherous!’
The Good: The cult of the Pah Wraiths used to be a joke and
now red armbands are turning up on the arms of Bajorans everywhere. With the
wormhole gone the Bajoran people are feeling abandoned and turning their enemies
for comfort. The pre titles sequence is one of the longest ever (an impressive
seven and a half minutes) with a dramatic recap of the shocking developments in
Tears of the Prophets and a casual glimpse at where everybody is at two months
since we last saw them. I love Joseph’s restaurant as a location on Earth. It’s
so much more interesting visually and atmospheric than the biegeness of
Starfleet HQ (which is often where we visit when the show returns to Earth) and
it is packed full of evocative detail (the smoky side street, the trees swaying
in the courtyard, the insects purr…). It also gives Avery Brooks, Cirroc Lofton
and Brock Peters the chance to play off each other which work so well in
Paradise Lost, Far Beyond the Stars and now here as well. They don’t even have
to try to convince as a family unit, you just believe that this is three
generations of the same family drinking in each other’s company. The image in
the sand of the title is a striking visual and would only disappoint if they
had revealed that it was some dreadful metaphor or another but instead the
answers that are revealed about Sisko’s life are genuinely revolutionary for
the character. Even Admiral Ross is better characterised this year, putting
Kira well and truly in her place by saying the decision about a Romulan
presence on the station has already been made and his visit to inform her is a
simple courtesy rather than a chance to debate the possibilities. Victories are
being turned into defeats for the Alliance – there was a real moment of
triumphant for the Federation fronted army when they retook the Chin’toka
system in Tears of the Prophets but it transpires this wasn’t the first step
towards liberating the Alpha Quadrant as they thought and they have been
bottled up in that system ever since. Whether you like it or not Vic Fontaine’s
songs are now a staple ingredient of this show…I love the fact that there is
always a good reason for song (here it is to highlight Worf’s pain at losing
Jadzia, in The Siege of AR-558 it is to relax the troops before battle, in It’s
Only a Paper Moon it is to highlight Nog’s loss of reality, in Badda Bing Badda
Bang it is to tell us that ‘the best is yet to come…’ and in What You Leave
Behind it is a final goodbye to the crew) plus I also love James Darren’s voice
and the style of music so you’ll get no complaints from me. Plus Worf smashing
up the joint is bloody funny. When we cut back to the bar in pieces you
can only imagine how much fun the set designers must have had demolishing that
place! The steps that Sisko follows to find the path of the Orb are expertly
woven into the script; discovering the truth about Sarah, the locket, the cult
trying to stop him, the image of Tyree in the vision…he’s onto something big
and now he has a new mission to obsess over. 7000 plasma torpedoes secreted
away on a Bajoran moon posing as a hospital…Kira has plenty to say about that!
The Bad: There’s one moment of overdone melodrama when Sisko
literally tries to shake the truth out of his father!
Moment to Watch Out For: The scene where Sisko gets stabbed
by a member of the cult of the Pah Wraiths. It’s really quite graphic and adult
with a shocking reaction from Jake and confirms that Sisko is on precisely the
right track. That and the cliffhanger that still gives me warm, fuzzy feelings
so many years on. Nicole de Boer is just the cutest thing on this Earth and the
way Sisko tinkles out the DS9 theme on the piano gives me goosebumps.
Fashion Statement: The new look Kira is foxier than a late
night stake out in a chicken coop! Her uniform is more spray on than ever (and
yet looks more oddly functional than ever too) and I love the way her hair
hangs to the side.
Foreboding: The cult of the Pah Wraiths is introduced here
and would go on to haunt Kira in the episode Covenant.
Result: When did quiet episodes of Star Trek have this much
richness to them? Image in the Sand sees the DS9 crew offering up something
surprisingly calm in the wake of such devastating developments at the end of
the last season. Sisko is on Earth trying to find himself again and stumbles
across a secret his father has been holding onto his whole life, Worf is
suffering from depression after the loss of his wife and Kira struggles to hold
an alliance together when her own planet may suffer as a result. There is so
much happening here but it is all told at an intimate, leisurely pace setting
up the trio of narratives so they can explode with drama in the advent of the
concluding episode. My favourite scenes are those set at Joseph’s restaurant
because they are so damn atmospheric and flaunt some impressive performances
and the revelations about Sisko make perfect sense in retrospect and offer some
potentially awesome development for the character in the final season. What is
great about Image in the Sand is that despite the fact it is dealing with so
much that was set up last year this is a surprisingly good jumping on point for
the show and considering how serialised DS9 has become that is quite a
statement. Rather wonderful and with a lovely final scene that left me
desperate to watch the next episode: 8/10
Shadows & Symbols written by Ira Steven Behr & Hans
Beimler and directed by Allan Kroeker
What’s it about: Sisko talks to his mother, Kira fights the
Romulans, Worf attacks a shipyard and a new Dax is introduced! Phew!
Single Father: Sisko is a man on a mission and nothing is
going to get in his way. He needs answers from the Prophets regarding their
abandonment of Bajor and their presence in his life. Re-introducing Benny
Russell is a fabulous idea and once again ignites a real spark in Avery Brooks
who attacks these scenes with real passion and intensity. Sarah reveals that
returning the wormhole to its glory was his destiny but he must still face many
tasks. I can’t wait. He asks why it had to be him that the Prophets chose but
those answers have to be earned. When he closes the box and ends the
conversation with his mother he is smiling, satisfied to have been given the
chance to speak with her. Sisko’s return to the station is a real moment of
triumph for the character. You feel that enough time has passed to make his
homecoming a real event.
Tasty Terrorist: ‘If you do that Colonel you’ll have a
fight on your hands. A fight you can’t win…’ Man, I would always pay good
money to see Kira take command like this and make a stand. It made sense in
Progress and Shakaar and it definitely makes sense here. The Romulans have been
stockpiling weapons on a Bajoran moon that was handed to them for a hospital
facility and she wants them gone. Kira is a woman of the Quadrant now
and she understands that the Romulans are more important to the war effort than
the Bajorans are and she also knows that attempting a blockade is a futile
exercise given their military might. But do you think in either case that that
is going to stop her? I am reminded of that gloriously angry young woman we met
in Emissary who went up against a handful Cardassian fighters with nothing but
a web of lies and her confidence to threaten them with and what really stands
out is that Kira still has that fire in her belly but she is now a completely
different character, one that is at peace with herself and her situation. Its
magnificent material for the Colonel who proves that she is a worthy successor
to the Captain if he ever decided to leave DS9. The look on Kira’s face when
the wormhole explodes back into life is worth these seven years of development
with this character alone.
Unknown Sample: He was hoping that his relationship with
Kira was going to be long and happy but figures that since he is going to have
to stand with her in the blockade that he will have to settle for short and
exciting. The very natural, intimate chemistry between these two is so gorgeous
it almost makes me wish that they had brought the two of them together sooner.
Mr Wolf: Martok talks some sense into Worf who growls and
snarls at Jadzia’s friends because he believes none of them are worthy of
her…he needs reminding that they are risking their lives for his suicidal
mission so he can find peace with the idea of her death. O’Brien is justifiably
shocked when Worf apologises for his outburst because that has never happened
before!
Quirky Counsellor: If there was ever going to be a show that
I would trust to write out an established and much loved character and replace
it with a completely different on in its last year then DS9 is one of
the few that I would trust to get away with it. They go the whole hog and have
Ezri be completely different from Jadzia in practically every way you can
imagine. Where Jadzia was tall and buxom, Ezri is short and elfin. Where Jadzia
was confident and classy, Ezri is tentative and awkward. And where Jadzia was
funny because she defied all the rules of Star Trek and managed to be a good
time girl, Ezri is funny because of the same reason as Reg Barclay – she is
always trying so hard to be the best of the best but her weight of personality
quirks is working against her. As written Ezri is a perfectly formed character;
cute, verbose, dysfunctional and rather marvellous despite herself but it is
the injection of warmth and good humour that Nicole de Boer brings to the
character that really makes her shine. She couldn’t be any more different from
Terry Farrell if she tried and yet there are characters beats of Jadzia in Ezri
in evidence and that is all down to de Boer’s well observed performance. She
basically rocks and the season spends a great deal of time establishing the
character and deal with her place on DS9. Taken as a one season character she
flourishes extremely well – far better than Jadzia did in season one and Worf
did in season four. As an example of bringing a character to life in 26
episodes she is practically flawless…although (pleasingly) flawless is not a
word I like to associate with Ezri. Its too tidy for such a scatty character.
Her nervousness
during her opening speech really helps to sell the character, de Boer must have
been terrified to be stepping into Farrell’s shoes, Ezri must be nervous to
finally meet her old friend of many lifetimes and the audience is nervous to
meet the new character this year. We’re all nervous together! What this
humbling, charming speech reveals is a warm and funny character that before the
pre titles sequences is even over it is impossible to dislike. ‘You’re probably
thinking who is this person? How did she get the symbiont? Do I even want
another Dax in my life? Does she always talk this much?’ Those are all good
questions but I’ll just bask in the fact that I already like you before
enjoying the answers. Ezri was on board the Destiny when the symbiont came on
board to return to Trill and halfway through the trip the creature suffered a
trauma and would be lost if it wasn’t put into a host immediately…that’s a great way of bring the two of them together. Ezri wasn’t ready for such a
massive transformation in her life and that gives us plenty of psychology to
play with in future episodes. Ezri’s family and friends act as if they don’t
even know her anymore and that is fine because with eight lifetimes crammed in
her head she doesn’t even know herself anymore. Ever since she was given the
symbiont warp speed makes her queasy, something that will plague Ezri for the
rest of the season! The trouble is she can still remember the last few seconds
of Torias Dax’s life before his shuttle accident.
Community Leader: Quark continues to show new aspects to his
character and agreeing to come along on a mission to destroy the Monak
shipyards to help Jadzia get into Stovo’kor is very sweet.
Wily Weyoun & Unwilling Leader: Damar is using his
position of power to flirt with the ladies and indulge in his taste for alcohol
and cannot see how both vices are slowly chipping away at his self respect.
These subtle elements are being introduced early in the season but will grow to
become very important as the war reaches its zenith later in the year. Weyoun
reminds the audience why the shipyard that Worf is intent on destroying is so
vital to the Dominion – they need more ships to retake Chin’toka.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘It’ll be just like old times! Except
different.’
‘All I’m asking for is two little words…’ ‘Be quiet!’
‘That’s two words alright. Just not the ones I was hoping for.’
‘Damar you and I have things to discuss. Things that your
lady friend doesn’t want to hear’ ‘And why is that?’ ‘Because if she does I’ll
be forced to have her executed.’
‘Your concern is touching, Senator but I’m not dead yet.’
‘Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more
interesting…’
The Good: Its time for Sisko of Arabia and his band of merry
men to troop across the desert to their destiny and the ariel shot of Tyree and
the harsh scrubland stretching into the distance chalks up another vivid,
cinematic location for DS9. Just like the second episode of season five and six
Shadows & Symbols is afforded a hot, sunny location to dazzle viewers and
provide an epic scope to storytelling. The destruction of the Monak shipyard is
certainly a bold plan to provide a fitting illumination into Stovo’kor for
Jadzia and what makes me smile is that in the early season this would have been
planned but when it came to the crunch we would have seen some cheap graphics
on a screen showing the culmination of the plan. Either their has been a
massive increase in budget on this show or the advent of CGI has made special
effects much easier to pull off but as soon as Worf mentioned the details of
this scheme I knew that we were going to be able to see this set piece in all
its glory. Just when I thought Shadows & Symbols couldn’t get any better
they re-introduce Benny Russell and the visions from Far Beyond the Stars! This
is a stroke of genius on Behr and Beimler’s part and it affords them another
vivid shift in location putting this on a metaphorically epic scale as well.
The image of the padded cell with the words scrawled all over the walls is an
enduring one and the set designers have painstakingly brought that set to life
to ensure that these scenes really pay off this narrative. The way both Sisko
and Benny are on the verge of opening the Orb/finishing the story way the Pah
Wraiths intervene with this vision is inspired and I was shouting at the screen
for them both to complete their task and to ignore Damar minus makeup! That is
one symbolic paintbrush! The creaky Bajoran ships standing proud before the
Bajoran moons is another impressively different kind of visual. Another thing I
love about the Kira/Cretak scenes is where Ross falls in their conflict. He
sides with the Romulans because they are a more vital resource in the war so it
would appear that the Federation has literally sold its soul in order to see a
positive outcome during this Quadrant wide conflict. Only on DS9 would you see
the Federation backing a race as treacherous as the Romulans and I love it all
the more for that. The Rotaran decloaking and firing into the heart of a
sun, Jem H’adar ships tailing the Klingon ship in the suns corona and the star
exploding and breaking up an entire shipyard…how can these scenes be anything
but edge of the seat exciting?
Moment to Watch Out For: The way all three narratives are
paid off so rewardingly goes to show how much this show has broken away from
the others in the franchise. Sisko gets to meet his mother, Kira’s faith is
rewarded with the return of the wormhole and Worf succeeds in his mission and
says goodbye to Jadzia in true style. Like shooting targets on a range so
skilfully the writers knock one great conclusion out after another and what
really sells this climax so winningly is that there is a punch the air moment
of triumphant in each of them (Benny punching out Wyckoff, Ross taking Kira’s
side & the gorgeous destruction of the shipyard).
Afterimage written by Rene Echevarria and directed by Les
Landau
What’s it about: Ezri tries to adjust to life on the station
and Garak attempts to leap out of the nearest airlock!
Single Father: Avery Brooks and Nicole de Boer have an
instant winning chemistry that is only highlighted by scenes such as Ezri
sneaking in the back to his office and talking to him whilst standing on her
head. His reaction to learning that he intimidates Worf really made me laugh…he
loves it!
Tasty Terrorist: Kira doesn’t patronise Ezri by pretending
that it isn’t a lot to get used to having a Dax on the station with a new face
and she tries not to think about the Bajoran shrine being the place of Jadzia’s
death otherwise she isn’t sure that she could come back again.
Mr Wolf: Ezri can tell that Worf is in pain because she was
his wife. How can he honour the woman he loved when she is not really dead?
Like O’Brien we don’t have the answers but ignoring her only serves to hurt
both of them. Micheal Dorn underplays his apology scene and the result is a
very touching moment for both characters.
Everyday Engineer: I enjoyed the replay of the scene where
O’Brien turns up at Worf’s with a bottle of blood wine from Image in the Sand.
Given how neurotic the Klingon is it makes me wonder if O’Brien doesn’t have an
entire crate in his quarters for all of his emotional emergencies! You have to
admire him for walking into Worf’s quarters and telling him he is wrong for
mistreating Bashir and Ezri because the Klingon has been known to snap people
in half for less.
Quirky Counsellor: Amazing what a tiny quirk like holding
your hands behind your back can do to remind the audience of Jadzia. All sorts
of feelings cross Ezri’s face as she passes the Bajoran shrine, the scene of
her death as she chooses whether to go in or not. The director very cleverly
chooses to shoot the scene from exactly the same angle as the moment of
Jadzia’s demise in Tears of the Prophets highlighting what a powerful moment
this is for Ezri. Imagine the overwhelming feelings you would have if you could
stand at the place where you can remember your life being crushed out of
existence? That would be extremely damaging to anybody’s soul and perhaps there
is something to the Trill re-association policy that makes sense. Everybody is
really shocked to discover she is a trainee therapist but the truth is before
she was joined she was considered to be a very promising young officer – thank
goodness the symbiont has put paid to that because the last thing we need is a
Starfleet drone on the station! She is thinking of heading back to the Destiny
to her old job because that seems a lot easier than trying to settle down in
Jadzia’s old residence especially since she has such close friends and a
husband on DS9. When Sisko asks her what she could possibly learn in the next
couple of years about psychology that she hasn’t already learnt in the last 300
years she answers having the ability to stop herself from randomly bursting
into tears all the time (I would love to see that!). Its clear that Ezri isn’t
ready to start talking to members of the crew about their problems after she
blunders her way through her first session with Garak and makes some rather
childish and vague conclusions about his claustrophobia. What’s great about
this narrative is that everything the poisonous Cardassian tailor throws at her
makes her come back stronger eventually, she questions herself and her ability
to help but ultimately we watch Ezri Dax enter this episode a child and depart
it a woman. That’s some development for one episode. That’s more development
than Harry Kim and Chakotay have in seven seasons. The scene where Ezri
finally gets to the nub of the problem with Garak is nicely played by both de
Boer and Robinson. She accidentally touches a nerve by giving him the news that
thanks to his code breaking the Federation will be able to destroy another
Cardassian outpost and when she realises suddenly that this is trigger she
pushes the point until he confronts what he has been feeling. Its really makes
up for her honkytonk counselling attempt earlier in the episode.
Community Leader: The race is on between Quark and Bashir to
see who will be able to bed Ezri first (something else that was set up last
season with ‘Here’s to the Losers’ in Tears of the Prophets…these are writers
with some foresight!). No matter how much Bashir objects to the idea you can
see he is interested in Ezri and Quark lacks the pretence to pretend otherwise.
Plain and Simple: This is the first time we have been able
to have a good catch up with Garak since In the Pale Moonlight (he appeared in
Tears of the Prophets but it was more of a perfunctory visit rather than
anything substantial) and it would appear he is bogged down in Starfleet
intelligence reports considering his insight in Cardassian politics and
psychology. The scene in Quark’s where everybody crowds around him and he loses
it is really well done…I’m not claustrophobic but to have so many people
breathing down my neck in a social setting would drive me insane. Of all the
people to have as your first counselling assignment Garak would be the last I
would choose! The way she bumbles into his shop and starts talking away about
her previous hosts gives Garak the chance to inform her that he thinks she
needs to see a counsellor. Given the insults he flings at her later that’s him
being nice. He thought he was liberating his people but what has been
eating at him is that he has been systematically paving their way to
annihilation. Unlike those diabolical Troi episodes of TNG that wind up with
some dreadful psychobabble explanations this is a very satisfying answer to
Garak’s claustrophobia, a revelation that is built into his character and the
current war arc that is playing out. The claustrophobia gave him a chance to
stop fighting his people and Garak being the man who he is will keep working
even though he knows that. What a guy.
What’s Morn up to: Ezri finds herself talking to him because
as far as she is concerned she used to fancy the guy but he has absolutely no
idea who she is and walks away from her!
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘It’s a strange sensation, dying. No
matter how many times it happens you never get used to it.’
‘How did you say that your father punished you?’ ‘He’d lock
me in a closet’ ‘Why didn’t you say that when I asked if you’d ever been
trapped in a confined space?’ ‘I wasn’t trapped. I knew that he’s let me out as
soon as I learnt my lesson!’ – Garak has fun in his first counselling session!
It’s a shame that Garak never met Troi you know because he would have made
mincemeat out of her!
‘You just say the word and I will intimidate him for you…’
‘I want you to take a good look around. You have just agreed
to take responsibility of the mental health of everyone in this room. You have
your work cut out for you!’
The Good: The direction of the Garak’s first claustrophobic
attack is simply done and yet so effective, the persistent, rapidly beating
heart, drowned out dialogue, the heavy breathing and the sweat running down his
face all combine to make a discomforting moment for the viewer let alone the
character. Sisko makes a very good point about the station needing a permanent
counsellor in the midst of the war with the Dominion and suddenly The Sound of
Her Voice makes even more sense taking place before the season finale last
year, exposing the truth of that statement. I chuckled to myself that after her
first chat with Garak to cure him of his claustrophobia she has compounded the
problem and because they have been talking about it she feels space sick too! I
love the fact that the camera is kept low when Ezri bumps into Worf
highlighting the dramatic height difference and how intimidating this man can
be without actually saying a word. I’m not sure what it says about his
character on a psychological level but Garak trying to literally smash his way
out of an airlock because he cannot breathe makes for a memorable visual. At
first it looked like we were in for an appalling Voyager-esque superimposed
location backdrop but its quite subtly done and the emphasis is on the set
rather than the effects and Garak pleasingly mentions that it is all fake
anyway.
The Bad: It does seem a tad co-incidental that as soon as
Ezri mentions she is going to leave the station for good there is a sudden
psychological emergency that forces her to stay. Whilst it isn’t completely
beyond the realms of believability – Garak’s claustrophobia was previously
exposed in By Inferno’s Light – it is an incredible co-incidence that this is
the moment it chooses to manifest itself. Proving that she has a little way to
go before being a truly effective counsellor Ezri blurts out to Bashir that if
Worf hadn’t come along it would have been him. That is astonishingly
insensitive and badly timed revelation on her part. The scene where Worf visits
Bashir in the Infirmary and tells him to stay away from his ex bird reminded me
an awful lot of some godawful daytime soap opera. It’s a conversation that
needed to happen unfortunately but it is painfully scripted and performed.
Moment to Watch Out For: ‘Spare me your insipid
psychobabble. I’m not some quivering neurotic who feels sorry for himself
because his daddy wasn’t nice. You couldn’t begin to understand me. I’m not
interested in dissecting my childhood. I only want to save my people from the
Dominion. I don’t need someone to walk in here and hold my hand, I want someone
to help me get back to work and you my dear are not up to this task. I mean
look at you, you’re pathetic. A confused child trying to live up to a
legacy left by her predecessors. You’re not worthy of the name Dax. I knew
Jadzia. She was vital, alive, she owned herself and you…you don’t even
know who you are. How dare you presume to help me. You can’t even help
yourself. Now get out of here before I say something unkind.’ Ouch!
Result: Afterimage is about as quiet as a DS9 episode gets
but don’t mistake its lack of plot for coyness in the character department
because on those terms it is firing on all cylinders. Ezri finding her feet on
the station and teaming up with Garak at his nastiest gives us a chance to
really get to know one character whilst examining new facets of the other. I
can usually judge an episode on the amount it gives me to talk about with
regards to the production or the characters and whilst one section of this
review is pretty empty the other is top heavy with observations about the
episodes deft characterisation. At the midway point of the episode you might
start getting a little bit tired of the slack pace and perhaps a third
narrative might have been wise to keep each plot thread fresh and moving.
However its slack pace is more than made up for by Andy Robinson and Nicole de
Boer’s stellar performances and they really shine in the episodes best moments.
If your favourite kind of DS9 episode is the action packed juggling Empires
sort then this might not appeal but as a seductively calm and insightful
instalment with DS9’s unique brand of character and classy dialogue Afterimage
is a necessary part of season sevens jigsaw with regards to its two
protagonists: 7/10
Take Me Out to the Holosuite written by Ronald D. Moore and
directed by Chip Chalmers
What’s it about: The DS9 crew take on the Vulcans in a game
of baseball!
Single Father: Its nice to see that no matter how
sophisticated Sisko’s characterisation is of late he is not above revelling in
a childhood rivalry with an arrogant Vulcan. The fact that Sisko can barely
bring himself to be pleasant to Solok despite protocol says every you need to
know about their relationship before you even hear the backstory. Its great to
Sisko admitting that he thinks that his crew is the finest in the Quadrant
because it is an opinion that I very much share. Baseball has been so inherent
to Sisko’s character since the very first episode of the show (where he used it
to explain the idea of linear time to the Prophets) that it seems almost a
miracle that this episode hadn’t happened before. You might think that Sisko
has lost his mind when he starts going off on one about baseball being about
courage, heart and faith rather than knocking a piece of cows hide around a
field! To see Sisko at the airlock with a bunch of flowers and seducing Kassidy
into joining the game was music to my ears too – they’ve clearly patched things
up since The Sound of Her Voice and its great to see Kassidy back so
soon. I love the way that Kassidy can coax the Solok backstory out Sisko the
same we could charm her into playing the game…these two really are made for
each other, aren’t they? Its also winning that their rivalry comes down to
little more than playground shoving and interspecies xenophobia with DS9
proving (once again) that things haven’t moved on that much since our time.
Even taking into account that Sisko must be telling their story with some bias
to make himself sound like a victim Solok still sounds like a total bastard.
He loses his cool in the most explosive way possible on the pitch but at least
he is man enough to Rom have his fun and to apologise afterwards.
Unknown Sample: Sisko wants somebody who is completely
impartial to play the role of Umpire and he charms Odo into accepting the role.
It’s a decision he may learn to regret… After his generally abusive behaviour
to everybody during the game Odo is clearly loving the chance to throw Sisko
out and then practically swaggers away from him (doing everything but dusting
his hands).
Mr Wolf: Worf once again proves himself to be a far more
malleable character than you would ever think he could be and he enjoys some of
the funniest moments in the episode. He declares ‘we will destroy them!’ before
even finding what exactly Sisko has promised his crew could defeat the Vulcan
crew in.
Quirky Counsellor: This episode is well time for Ezri
because it is great to see her having fun with her new friends now she has
decided to stay on the station.
Family Rom: Ezri is right, it really is sweet to see Rom,
Nog, Quark and Leeta all coming together to have fun and to help Sisko wipe the
smile of Solok’s face. Its easy to forget that these four characters were all
very different when the show began. Quark was without a conscience, Rom was
pretty seedy and useless and Nog was nothing but a petty thief. Over the course
of seven years we’ve seen Quark become a hero, Rom gain his independence from
his brother and get married and Nog join Starfleet. There is a gorgeous feeling
of togetherness with this quartet of characters that grins from the screen (see
also the climax of Its Only a Paper Moon for another fantastic example). Rom is
a complete psycho with a baseball bat and swings so hard that he breaks Quark’s
skull! The thought of him beating the crap out of Worf too makes me howl with
laughter! Rom just wants to join in and has the best of intentions but the sad
truth of the matter is that he is dreadful at the game but that still
isn’t a good enough excuse for the torrent of abuse he gets from Sisko. When
things get a bit too schmaltzy with everybody rallying around Rom at least we
have Quark who is practically sticking his fingers down his throat!
The Good: Sisko orders his team to play a game of baseball
to take on a long time rival and his all Vulcan! To some this might seem like
the point where DS9 jumped the shark…but I’m here to tell you that that never
happened. Its such a goofy premise that the only way you could even attempt to
pull it off would be dive in head first and have a great deal of fun with it.
Which is exactly what Ron Moore decides to do. Kira and the rest of the crew
have about as much trouble learning the baseball jargon as I have had learning
their technobabble over the past seven years so it is very funny to see them
struggling and frowning as much as I do! What’s lovely is that over the year we
have heard of Sisko taking characters to baseball games in the holosuite
(Starship Down, For the Uniform) and its nice to finally see one. To see these
actors enjoying themselves in such an spacious and sunny location is a joy to
watch. Sisko wants his crew to think that he is wrapped up in the game rather
than the fact that it is about a deep seated adolescent rivalry. Cue
cringeworthy scenes of the ‘Niners’ (really?) high fiving each other to win it
for the Captain! It’s the only point where the episode plunges into High School
Musical territory but do you know what? It still made me smile. This
isn’t like an episode of Glee where they make you think that our team is going
to win and then snatch away the crown at the last minute to teach them a lesson
in humility. The Niners have lost the game from around five minutes in. The
moral is that winning isn’t everything and it is the taking part that counts
and its a worthy message for the episode to flaunt – its something I heartily
believe in myself. There speaks a loser at games! That baseball has been the
symbol for this show ever since the end of season five so to see it signed by
all the crew expresses more about how they feel about the Captain than words
could.
The Bad: What the hell is going on with that fake Worf in
the last scene? Yeah, I saw you!
Moments to Watch Out For: There are lots of little charming
moments and it feels right to list them here…
- ‘Oh come on Quark!’ shouts O’Brien as he throws the ball like a big girl!
- Inexplicably Kassidy’s next few consignments have been cancelled and Sisko all but winks at the audience.
- ‘What are you eating?’ ‘I’m not eating I’m chewing’ ‘Chewing what?’ ‘Gum. Its traditional. I had the replicator create me some’ ‘They just chewed it?’ ‘No they infused the gum with flavour’ ‘What did you infuse it with?’ ‘Scotch!’
- Ezri and Julian’s bitch fight on the pitch! They are so going to get to get it together!
- Kira’s hilarious reaction Odo practicicing his umpire moves with such gusto in the security office! ‘Yerout!’ ‘Strikkkke!’
- ‘Its been spoiling you whole rhythm!’ SMACK! ‘Not that bad…’
- ‘Alright I promise…’ ‘He made me promise not to tell you so you’ll have to keep this under your hats…’
- Odo and Rom’s reaction to the vanishing audience.
- ‘Hey batterbatterbatter!’ ‘Death to the opposition!’ Worf, of course.
- ‘You can’t tell me that that ball was over the plate! What were you doing? Regenerating?’
- ‘Well what do I do?’ ‘Find him and kill him!’
- Watch the way that mincing Vulcan runs as he tries to beat Nog to home base!
- I couldn’t help but laugh as the crew try and give Rom the sign of the bunt but all wind up looking like a bunch of special needs kids trying to dance.
- The last few scenes of this episode express the feeling of family amongst this crew far more vividly than has ever been achieved in the countless mentions of the fact in Voyager. I usually loathe episodes that end with everybody laughing at a goofy joke but things have been so grim of late it is wonderful to see everybody so happy. ‘To manufactured triumph! Here here!’
- The ‘Q’ of Quark has ears on the baseball! Teehee!
Fashion Statement: I’m not sure who looks the cutest in
baseball gear but I would have to go with Ezri and Kira who both look kick ass
with their caps and (very) tight sports tops!
Orchestra: For once David Bell’s score is perfectly suited
to a comedy episode. He really gets in the mood and offerings some stirringly
optimistic moments and provides some lovely quirky notes during the montage
scenes.
Result: Great fun. You’ve got a stellar cast out in the
sunshine having fun together and forgetting about the misery of warfare for a
week and its pretty addictive viewing. Fortunately I have seen a fair few
Disney movies in my time (including being forced to endure High School
Musical…did I say forced?) so I am more than used to the cornier aspects
of promoting team spirit and working together to win that this oddball
instalment endorses. You would think that Avery Brooks wanted to be a baseball
player more than an actor because he gives one of his best ever performances
here, exuding confidence and irresistible charm as he coaxes his crew into
shape and learns the meaning of enjoying the game. Like his direction of The
Magnificent Ferengi Chip Chalmers’ work is nothing out of the ordinary in how
he chooses to shoot the episode but its his delicate touch with the actors that
counts for everything and its probably the best ensemble piece for simply
soaking up the great chemistry between the regulars since his last assignment.
This is simply a great deal of fun to watch, nothing deeper than that and there
is nothing wrong with something this delightfully unpretentious every now and
again. For a chance to see this whole cast together drinking in each others
company in such a gorgeous setting its invaluable because those opportunities
are rapidly running out: 8/10
Chrysalis written by Rene Echevarria and directed by
Jonathan West
What’s it about: The crazies are back with a plan to break
Serena free of her own mind…
Single Father: Nobody chews out their staff like Sisko and
when Patrick and his fellows pose as an Admiral and their staff Bashir gets a
right earful from his boss.
Unknown Sample: In your face Kira who criticises Odo for not
showing his feelings and Serena points out that he took her hand so he is
showing her his feelings.
Everyday Engineer: Hooray for Miles for mentioning that this
all happening a little too fast and that Serena is his patient. He’s probably a
little jealous that his mate is being sidetracked but its still a good point,
well made.
GE Doctor: Bashir is a complete Billy no mates in the first
scene and trying latch onto any passer by to spend the night with but they all
have a much more exciting evening planned than shacking up with him. Instead he
winds up in bed with his research (that’s not a witty way of saying he has
created a clone of some hot chick that he is doing some explorative surgery
beneath the sheets with…he is literally in bed with a cheek virus that is
mutating on his ass)…could it be time for a Bashir romance by any chance? Once
again he throws himself into this group of crazies and tries to tackle a
problem on a very personal level and he’s delighted when Serena walks away from
the surgery with a smile on her face and a song in her heart. Its here where
his behaviour is questionable because whilst Serena has the body of an adult she
still has the mind of a child and despite his feelings towards her she is still
his patient. Its one of those times when you wish somebody would point out the
sheer ickiness of what he is pursuing before it all goes horribly wrong.
Fortunately Alexander Siddig is playing the role superbly and making Bashir as
naïve and as childish as Serena which somehow skips of the unethical behaviour
and the relationship strikes me as more like two teenagers who think they are
going to get married because they’ve been going out for a week. Its still
doomed to failiure but the only people who can see it are on the outside. When
he started talking about a trip to Risa warning bells sounded – that’s far too
kinky a planet for two kids to be visiting! ‘She’s the woman I’ve been waiting
for all my life!’ – only children say things like that. At least he realises
that Serena needed time and he didn’t give it to her. What Bashir needs is a
900 year old Trill who has Serena’s cute looks but also some real attitude to
keep him in check. As it happens one has recently joined the crew…
Quirky Counsellor: ‘The day she realises she is more than
the sum of her parts she’s really going to be something’ Her professional
skills are in full evidence as she lists all of the promises that Bashir made
and couldn’t keep. It makes me wonder if by the end of the season she will have
a string of suicides on the station after counselling sessions with her!
Community Leader: How rowdy has Quarks been this year! Garak
nearly had a claustrophobic attack because of the lack of crowd control in
Afterimage, Sisko and the Niners celebrated loudly in Take Me Out to the
Holosuite and Serena almost retracts back into her shell because of the
disorderly atmosphere in Chrysalis! That Ferengi toad better not suggest he
isn’t making a profit this year!
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘I have a new man in my life. That gorgeous
little Ferengi!’
‘Your friend was right you can’t change the law of
physics…but you can bend them!’
‘Later? There isn’t going to be a later later!’
‘If I had to find someone to replace atlas and hold up the
world it’d be Miles. He’d do it with a smile too.’
Dreadful Dialogue: ‘What’s a genetically enhanced girl
supposed to do when she wakes up from a long sleep…’ – every Star Trek romance
has at least one cringeworthy line like that. Absolute vomit.
The Good: Its lovely to get the chance to catch up with
Bashir’s crazies (it might be a bit impolite to call them that but never mind)
and Patrick’s turn posing as an Admiral who answers every awkward questions
with ‘that’s a stupid question!’ is hilarious. Especially since it reminds me
of the Captain Jean Luc Picard that we met in Encounter at Farpoint. It strikes
me that DS9 knows when it is onto a good thing and when to bring something back
for a series of episodes and when not to (the crazies are a recurring feature
like the alternative universe, Vic Fontaine and semi regulars such as Garak,
Dukat, Winn and Weyoun). Faith Salie gives a wonderful performance throughout
(its unbelievable that she had to prove to Paramount that she could act
to re-earn this part after her haunting turn in Statistical Probabilities) but
never more so than when she first wakes up and looks at the world through fresh
eyes. We’ve been hanging around on the station for seven seasons now and know
pretty much every nook and cranny and yet through her eyes I am reminded of the
possibilities again as I first joined the show in Emissary. When Serena says
‘I’m glad I could do something for you. You’ve done so much for me’ it pretty
much spells out the reason why she enters into a relationship with him. There
are lots of nice little character notes – Serena realising that the group is
used to her being quiet and that she doesn’t fit into their way of life anymore
(she’s far too rational) and Lauren not being jealous of Serena’s relationship
with Bashir but trying to make her look as good as possible for their date. The
scene where Bashir implores Serena to talk to him is beautifully filmed to
capture both Siddig and Salie at their most intimate.
Moment to Watch Out For: I said there were moments when Take
Me Out to the Holosuite felt like a Disney movie but there is no other point in
DS9 where that is more exemplified than in the Do-Re-Mi medley that the crazies
sing together. Fortunately I am total sap for Disney schmaltz (The Little
Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin are my favourites although I have a
real soft spot for Enchanted too) and the optimistic feeling that glows from
the screen in this sequence is pretty wonderful to bask in. It works on several
levels because it sees Serena finding her voice in a very positive way, it sees
how she works as part of this unit and it also provides a gorgeous musical
number to boot. DS9 is often seen as the darkest of the Trek shows and in many
ways that is absolutely right but it could also be the lightest of Trek shows
too with some outstanding comedy and moments of optimism that this is probably
the best example of. It kind of leaves the other shows floundering in the
middle ground somewhere. For those of you who find this sequence implausible so
is any programme where characters break into song on a whim and I would suggest
that you go sit in a closet for a day and then force yourself to watch
Threshold ten times over. That’s real pain.
Fashion Statement: Lauren looks frighteningly like Jadzia in
a Starfleet uniform.
Result: Whilst it had some bad luck with romance stories in
its first couple of years (Melora, Profit & Loss, Meridian) DS9 has managed
to develop strong relationships for most of the crew in the past three seasons
(Sisko & Kassidy, Dax & Worf, Kira & Odo, Miles & Keiko) with
the only real spare part being Bashir. Given their penchant for allowing their
main characters to have long term relationships and that Serena has appeared
before there was every chance that they would make it work despite the
unethical nature of Bashir’s pursuance (Garak & Ziyal and Rom & Leeta
are other examples of guest characters enjoying their own romances). So for
once it is quite surprising and poignant when it doesn’t work out.
Chrysalis isn’t a revolutionary episode of DS9 but its another very well done
romance with sincere performances and heart-warming moments and with the
additional idiosyncrasy of the crazies who provide some wonderful moments of
humour. Its worth watching this episode just for Jonathan West’s stunning
direction (just like Wrongs Darker… notice the way this episode is lit to
perfection), the musical score (which is intimately well done) and to see how
far Alexander Siddig has come as an actor in seven years on this show. More to
the point Chrysalis has my favourite DS9 musical number, the Do-Re-Mi sequence,
which is a minute or so of pure ecstasy. Of the five opening episodes of season
seven this is the fourth quiet episode (well Take Me Out to the Holosuite isn’t
quiet but it is lightweight) which might have been a problem but actually they
were just trying to lull us into a false sense of security because the next
five episodes are very dark indeed: 8/10
Treachery, Faith & the Great River written by Bradley
Thompson & David Weddle and directed by Steve Posey
What’s it about: Is Weyoun defecting to the Federation?
Tasty Terrorist: Kira is definitely exploiting the
advantages of having a changeling as lover as Odo massages her back and manages
to get his malleable hands into every nook and cranny!
Unknown Sample: The intelligence that somebody like Weyoun
would possess makes the idea of taking him behind enemy lines tantalising and
Odo agrees to help him whilst always keeping an eye on him. Odo realises with
some humility that he and Weyoun 6 have a great deal in common when the Vorta
starts talking about how he has always felt that the war is wrong despite not
wishing any ill harm towards the Dominion. Watch as Rene Auberjonois crumples
as he discovers the news about the sickness in the Link, he always manages to
capture the emotion of a scene so well through body language. Weyoun suggests
that if the Founders die out Odo will be able to step forward and rectify the
mistakes his people have made, to create a new Link build on war and not peace.
This is such an intriguing possibility the show becomes richer for its mere
mention but as the season develops we will come to discover it would have been
an impossible dream.
Everyday Engineer & Starfleet Ferengi: ‘This is no
time for Ferengi fairytales!’ There were a number of lovely O’Brien/Nog
moments in the last season to show that Colm Meaney and Aron Eisenberg bounce
of each other really well. This is their chance to indulge in a little witty
farce before things get very dark for at least one of the characters. Whilst
Nog might be a Starfleet officer now he is still a Ferengi and he knows that
the best way to get a deal rushed through is to charm the person you are dealing
with. Nog promises to seduce Chief Willoughby enough to get O’Brien on the top
of the supply requisitions waiting list but cannot promise to do anything that
Miles wouldn’t do. There is a grumpy Sisko that wants the gravity net on the
Defiant fixed in a couple of days and Nog will go to any lengths to sort it for
O’Brien. Let comic madness ensue! There’s a stabiliser on one of the ships in
the fleet and they are willing to trade for it…and Nog starts riding the waves
of the Great Material Continuum making deal after deal to get the job done. Its
like watching Only Fools & Horses in the 24th Century and just
as fun. The sequence where Sisko’s desk vanishes and is replaced by a tatty
looking white plywood alternative is really funny (‘Get it out of here!’). Nog
has absolute faith in the Great River which is a good thing because O’Brien is
completely at sea with his neck on the line!
Wily Weyoun: ‘Think about it Odo. The information I
possess could help the Federation win this war…’ As soon as he shows up and
declares that he is defecting to the Federation I thought to myself this has to
be part of some grand scheme of the Dominion’s. Need I remind you that they
tried to infiltrated DS9 with a Vorta representative in our very first meeting
with the Dominion in The Jem H’adar. What makes this episode such a constant
joy (beyond the fantastic dialogue and performances) is how it continually
peels away layers until we realise that this Weyoun is everything that he
claims to be, a defective clone who genuinely thinks that the war is a mistake.
When Weyoun gave Odo military intelligence about the Ketracel White facility I
realised there wasn’t a great deal of difference between what this version of
Weyoun was offering and what Bashir wanted to achieve in Statistical
Probabilities last year. When Weyoun 7 suggests that 5 was killed in a
transporter accident and looks craftily at Damar you are left with no illusions
that it was a deliberate assassination. What’s delightful about this is that
there isn’t even the pretence that it isn’t the case and I started to
imagine all the different ways that Damar and Weyoun tried to murder each other
on a typical day. When Damar starts ranting on about the sacrifices that
Cardassia has had to make in this war its all Weyoun can do to stop himself
from yawning! Its clearly a massive moment for the character when Weyoun 7
decides to go along with Damar’s insane plan to destroy the runabout and
destroy a changeling to ensure that the intelligence locked inside Weyoun 6
doesn’t reach the Federation. To kill a God can’t be the sort of decision you
get to make every day of the week. As soon as the Female Shapeshifter turned up
and was on the verge of discovering Weyoun 7 ordering a battalion of fighters
to kill Odo I was left thinking…oh shit. Hilariously after trying to
kill him Weyoun 7 apologises to Odo for any inconvenience he may have caused
him and offers to help repair his ship!
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘I’m sorry but its just such an honour
to be sitting here with a G…Security Officer!’
‘Hasn’t it ever occurred to you that the reason you believe
the Founders are Gods is because that’s what they want you to believe? That
they built it into your genetic code?’ ‘Of course they did. That’s what Gods do.
After all why be a God if there’s no-one to worship you?’ – you really can’t
argue with that kind of logic!
‘The last thing he saw was one of his Gods smiling at him.
If you ask me he’s a lucky man.’
‘Which ever sides wins, one thing is certain…I’m going to
lose.’
The Good: Any episode that reminds me of Improbable Cause
has got to be a winner and returning Odo to the atmospherically lit cave where
we last saw him with Rossol is very nicely done. Finally the writers are having
some real fun with the idea of Weyoun being a clone and the three way dialogue
scene in the runabout with Jeffrey Combs providing two very different versions
of the same character manages to be both quirky and naturalistic. A bitch fight
of such magnitude between two versions of the same great character is something
to be cherished. Those daft little runabouts might not be the most effective of
warships but they do have one advantage – manoeuvrability and its great to see
Odo ducking and diving as he pilots the craft out of the path of a Jem H’adar
fighter. With Weyoun’s practical understanding of the ships weakness they
achieve the impossible…a runabout destroying a Jem H’adar warship! The episode
cleverly offers us visual evidence of the disease that blights the Founders
before Weyoun 6 mentions it to Odo otherwise we might have thought it a trick
to engage his sympathies. Its one of the best developments of seasons seven
because it allows for the impossible, it injects a degree of sympathy into the
enemy camp and opens up a whole world of hurt for Odo. I love the scene where
Weyoun 6 reveals this to Odo because of the complex shift in tone. He goes from
telling a light and amiable fairytale of the Vorta’s history to the tragic
revelation of the sickness that has spread amongst the Great Link. Rather than
just fill the screen with ships (as exciting as that can be) the effects team
have tried harder to make the visuals more dramatic this year and we have seen
fights take place with a planetary backdrop (Tears of the Prophets), amongst
Bajoran moons (Shadows & Symbols) and now in a field of great chunks of ice
hanging in space. The runabout slipping into one of the ice fragments and the
Jem H’adar blasting them to pieces are unusual and vivid images. The
Changelings are more dangerous than ever now because they are also desperate.
Moment to Watch Out For: Weyoun can talk until he is blue in
the face about how much he worships the Founders but actions speak louder than
words and when he commits suicide to allow Odo the chance to escape you can really
see what the Founders mean to him. The look of satisfaction on his face when
one of his Gods blesses him at his death is one of the most touching moments in
DS9’s run. Odo realises that this wasn’t a trap, this man genuinely was
defecting and he has given up his life so that he can walk free. Not only that
but his mere presence when Weyoun slips away gives him absolute serenity.
Auberjonois and Combs do fantastic work in this scene.
Foreboding: This is the first of many dark days ahead for
Odo as he comes to realise his part in the infection of the Great Link.
Result: Jeffrey Combs and Rene Auberjonois in deftly written
dialogue scenes, Aron Eisenberg and Colm Meaney in a comic subplot, sizzling
dialogue, superb effects and war arc developments…what could be finer? For a
show that is basically all talk it sure covers a lot of ground and there isn’t
a moment where the script is firing on all cylinders. It explores the complex
dynamics between the Vorta and the Founders, highlights the similarities of
Weyoun 6 and Odo, exposes the bloodlust inherent in Weyoun 7 and re-introduces
Damar and the Female Shapeshifter into the programme and drives home their
comic and dramatic potential. It’s a complex mystery because it kept me
thinking this was a cleverly disguised trap until the very last moment and when
Weyoun 6 slips away in Odo’s arms with the absolute contentedness that he has
been blessed by his God the true poignancy of the episode is released in one
great burst. Countering the reflective nature of the main plot is a bubbly and
entertaining subplot that allows Nog and O’Brien to spar wonderfully (or rather
Aron Eisenberg & Colm Meaney) which is becoming an unexpectedly enjoyable
relationship to follow. Add in some really effective CGI effects and another
great David Bell score and you an episode with something for everyone. A
superior drama: 9/10
Secret Genius: I have never seen what people say when they
complain about Rom…until now. The script compounds his character with a
whole new level of stupidity until there comes a point where I was praying for
him to shut his mouth and not say anything. There is a world of sophistication
from his characterisation in It’s Only a Paper Moon and the buffoon we meet
here. Why is Rom obsessing so much
about the differences between our universe and the alternate one and why does
he keep harping on about it so much?
Result: What is this? Unbelievable to think
that this was written by the same duo that brought us The Siege of AR-558. How
could the alternative universe stories begin on such a high (I rated Crossover
a 10 and Through the Looking Glass a 9) and end on such a low? I
have never been a huge fan of Levar Burton’s direction but he hits and all new
low here and fails to inject any of the fun and frivolity that was necessary to
make these kind of episodes work. I fail to comprehend how with a cast this
good you can drive such ridiculously broad performances from them to the point
where not even Andy Robinson, Jeffrey Combs and Wallace Shawn manage to shine.
It seems a shame that they should waste what is the last Ferengi episode and
the last alternative universe episode by combining them – neither genre has
ever been known for its subtlety and when you try to start a relationship
between the two the result is an unbearable pantomime piece that labours the
joke. Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler wrote two comic belters last year but
this sinks even lower than their season five collaboration (Ferengi Love Songs)
without a single line of dialogue worthy of merit. It’s a disappointing end to
two of my favourite Trek genres and proves that despite this shows fantastic
consistency of quality they are still capable of dropping the ball big time at
the most inopportune moments. Loathsome viewing and probably the worst
DS9 episode of the entire run but I’m placated by the fact that this is the
last bad episode of the show as we enter the incredible second half of season
seven: 1/10
50s Crooner: After being built up as such an unbelievable Mr
Fix-it its rather refreshing to see Vic being pushed around so savagely and
given a splash of cold water. Despite their over enthusiastic outpouring of
love for the guy you realise in this episode just how many people Vic has
helped out in his short time on the show. Getting Kira and Odo together,
soothing Bashir and Quark’s woes at losing Jadzia to Worf, helping Worf to
remember his wife and getting Nog back on the road to recovery after losing his
leg. The Mob taking over Vic’s is a not very subtle take on the Dominion
snatching DS9 at the end of season five but from his point of view it is just
as invasive.
Spiritual Leader: ‘Do you really believe I could let
myself be touched by a man whose hands are stained with the blood of my
people?’ The cat is most definitely out of the bag as far as Dukat is
concerned and the Kai is disgusted that she has slept with a man she has
reviled for so long. Winn is so convincing in her concern for Solbor’s safety
you might almost think that she hadn’t murdered him herself!
Imperiatrix: ‘Are you telling me that the Cardassian
people are rising up against us?’ Quite by chance the Female Shapeshifter has
become the villain of the final season to watch especially with Salome
Jens giving one unforgettable performance after another. There is something
oddly motherly about her tones that contrasts sharply with her disgusting
scabby face and murderous threats. Wonderfully she offers the Breen control of
Earth if they claim victory in the final battle and when they are barely out of
earshot she freely admits to Weyoun that she is dangling them a carrot to get
them to fight harder. You get a sense that she is tired of fighting now, that
their conquest techniques don’t usually play out over years because they can
normally intimidate anybody in compliance. She’s usually so calm so when she
finally snaps and starts choking Broca to death whilst screaming in his face it
is an eye opening moment.
Once More Unto the Breach written by Ronald D. Moore and
directed by Allan Kroeker
What’s it about: Kor returns for one final battle and lesson
in humility…
Mr Wolf: Worf really kicks serious ass these days, doesn’t
he? Look at the way he cuts through Bashir and O’Brien’s argument about Davey
Crockett with a reasoned, intelligent response about having faith in your
heroes. Highly appropriate in an episode where Worf’s faith in Kor will be
tested to the limit. To Worf’s credit he does offer to sacrifice his life to
allow the rest of the fleet to escape.
Quirky Counsellor: Ezri meeting Kor is another clever
conceit to slip her into Jadzia’s world. Its odd to see Ezri moaning about how
everybody compares her to he previous hosts when she spent the first three
episodes of the season reminiscing about her new past lives. Its nice to see
her and Kira relaxing together over a drink to hear that she isn’t interested
in another relationship with Worf.
Gentle Giant: It was in this episode that I realised with
Worf, Martok and Kor they have managed to build up a really strong mini
ensemble of Klingon characters on this show. With each of them being this
engaging it is easy to see how a Klingon spin off could be a possibility.
Martok’s aide Darok is a delightful character and the way he wearying puts up
with Martok’s abuse really makes me smile. Besides J.G. Hertzler’s fantastic
performances I really enjoy Martok because he walks that very fine line between
being a sensitive adult and complete child – here he throws a massive
playground strop because Worf wants bring an old bully into the gang! When you
get to hear the backstory and understand why Martok’s feelings towards Kor run
so deep it makes a lot of good sense but I just love it when big, burly
Klingons have childish tantrums! It proves that despite their prowess and
instincts they are just as emotionally flawed as the rest of us. His ‘clear the
bridge!’ made me howl with laughter! It would be pretty wounding to reach your
ambitions despite Kor’s interference but not until after your father had died
and passed on thinking you were a failiure. I thought less of Martok as he
grasped hold of Kor’s mistake and used it to embarrass him publicly but then he
completely redeems himself by admitting to Worf that he took no joy in that
revenge. And to see him crack open a bottle of blood wine in Kor’s honour when
he buys them the time to escape is gorgeous.
Warrior Myth: John Colios adjusts his performance slightly
for this episode to really make you feel for Kor’s plight and from the second
he steps into Worf’s quarters there is a feeling that there is something
weighing on his shoulders. There is a price to be paid for such single minded
devotion to your ambitions and Kor’s unwavering arrogance and judgemental
attitudes has left all of his bridges burnt behind him and no place left in the
current war with the Dominion. What impressed about the characterisation here
was that Kor was presented as humbly holding his cap out to Worf and yet when
challenged about his xenophobic rejection of Martok’s application he stands by
his decision and his elitist opinion. To see so many sides to a character,
shades of likable and questionable facets makes Kor far more interesting. You
that Kor is heading for a fall as soon as he starts drinking in and encouraging
the praise of the younger officers on the Ch’tang who are romanced by
his mythological exploits. There are few scenes in Trek that will make you more
embarrassed for a character than Kor’s dreamy and public reminiscence of a
previous battle during the attack run. His ‘open a channel to Kang!’ made me
hide under my cushion! He completely redeems himself in the final act where he
lives up to his reputation and engages an entire wing of Jem H’adar fighters
single-handedly. What a guy!
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘People would love bringing their
problems to me. You dreamt about what? You’re crazy! Now get out of my office1
Next patient!’ – Kira demonstrates why she should be next in line as station
counsellor!
‘When I reach the halls of the Hallowed Dead I will find
your beloved and remind her that her husband is a noble warrior and that he
still loves no-one but her.’
The Good: Dealing with the issue of obsolescence is very
worthy because it is something that none of us would ever consider until it is
too late. I have recently been watching One Foot in the Grave and despite the
comic genius of David Renwick’s writing there is also a crushingly poignant
thread throughout the series of your life no longer being worth anything once
you have reached a certain age. It’s a terrifying prospect and Ronald D. Moore
explores it here with some depth and sensitivity. To encapsulate this most
emotive of themes through a Star Trek legend and much loved character is a
terrific move because it is very easy to feel for a character as
wonderful as Kor. I kept mentioning the very fresh action set pieces that have
been on display this year and this another episode with a phenomenal effects
sequence. The Klingon birds of prey look more like insects (with a particularly
nasty bite!) than ever and they make an impressive attack run on the planets
surface. The music, effects and direction combine to make this truly cinematic
but what really sells the scene is the ariel shot of the ships diving to and
from the planet. Who said that only Babylon 5 can offer dynamic CGI effects
sequences. I have heard other commentators on this episode complain that we
don’t get to see the battle the Kor fights at the end where he loses his life
but I rather suspect that that was the whole point. As Worf says in the pre
titles sequence it doesn’t matter how he did – the logistics are unimportant –
what matters is that he was a great man and he died in a glorious battle saving
Klingon lives. You can build a great myth around that precisely because we didn’t
see what happened. The scene between Kor and Darok where he convinces him to
take on the sacrificial battle really sings because it reminds us that while
the young look tiresomely at the old, the elderly look back at the recklessness
of youth and see all the mistakes that they made being repeated. I found the
final song in honour of Kor deeply touching. What a great send off for a great
character.
The Bad: You have to question Worf’s decision to stick Kor
on the ship that Martok commands…if it was up to me I would keep them as far
away as possible! But then we wouldn’t have much of an episode, would we?
Moment to Watch Out For: Martok finally gets his long sought
after revenge on Kor for denying his application to the Klingon attack force
when he was younger. Its painful to endure the way Martok exploits the old mans
frailties (especially when he forces Darok to stay and endure it too) but what
really makes this scene so special is Kor’s quiet, dignified response. ‘Savour
the fruit of life my young friends. It has a sweet taste when it is fresh from
the vine. But don’t live too long…the taste turns bitter after a time.’
Result: My favourite DS9 Klingon episode bar none and one
that is far less interested in duty and honour and the usual bollocks that
comes with these episodes and is far more interested in engaging in emotive
themes such as hero worship and obsolescence. The chemistry between Michael
Dorn, J.G. Hertlzer and John Colios is palpable and Allan Kroeker’s direction
is typically stylish and exciting but what really impressed me was the way
Ronald D. Moore tackles the theme of old age so poignantly within this most
unusual of settings. I would never expect such complex characterisation from
Klingon characters and it goes to show just how well Worf, Martok and Kor have
been nurtured that such effortless density can be teased from their
personalities. There is a knockout action sequence in the heart of this episode
in case things get too talky for you and the conclusion were Kor dies as he
lived - as an incredible mythological character - is just about perfect. I
wouldn’t credit that a Klingon episode could score so highly on all these
counts and it is thanks to the efforts of Moore and Kroeker that it does so: 9/10
The Siege of AR-558 written by Ira Steven Behr & Hans
Beimler and directed by Winrich Kolbe
What’s it about: The Federation are holding onto a Dominion
communications array and the Jem H’adar want it back…
Single Father: The latest casualty reports are in and Sisko
is in a black mood. Sometimes he thinks all that he does in the war is stare at
names of the dead and at the beginning he made it a badge of honour that he
read every one but now there are so many they have begun to blur together. His
anger when Quark suggests that he doesn’t care about any of the soldiers under
his command is frightening, its another of those moments when Sisko is the most
frightening character in the show.
GE Doctor: ‘Funny I joined Starfleet to save lives’ Bashir
has a minimal role in this episode in that it doesn’t really expose any of his
frailties as it does the other characters but what impressed was how effective
he was in this environment. The good Doctor has come a long way from that
callow youth we met in season one.
Quirky Counsellor: Ezri can remember what it felt like to go
into battle as Curzon and Jadzia but having a memory of such atrocities and
experiencing it yourself are two very different things. As she is about to
discover. In an episode with some great points being made Ezri mentions that
using the Houdini’s to slaughter the Jem H’adar en masse are exactly the sort
of tactics and weapons that they would have condemned the Dominion for using once.
Morally things have most definitely changed. It is Ezri’s agonising reaction to
Kellan’s death that gives the final fight the emotional sting it really needed
and that’s the point where the tears rolled.
Community Leader: Whatever vague reason they chose to send
Quark to the front lines for I don’t care, this is the best Quark episode that
isn’t a comedy and Armin Shimmerman absolutely nails it. Who would have ever
thought in the first couple of seasons that this episode would even be
possible? Not that Quark could condemn humanity so, he’s been doing that ever
since day dot (with terrific examples in The Jem H’adar and The Way of the
Warrior) but that he could be so horrified to see all that Federation arrogance
and optimism encapsulated in his own nephew. These scenes are extremely
powerful because Quark is desperate for Nog to see the world for what it really
is – harsh and cruel – instead of what he has been taught by Starfleet what it
could be. You’ve got the DS9 approach (Quark) and the Gene Roddenberry one
(Nog) and one is about to trample all over the other until it exposes just how
flawed those ideals are. Quark is sure that if the Dominion was fighting the
Ferengi alliance this war would have been over a long time ago because they
would have hammered out a peace treaty that both sides were happy with. The
Federation is so single minded in its superiority that it believes it can
overcome any opposition (they did encroach Dominion space and refuse to stop
when asked…frankly the arrogance expressed in their continual abuse of the
Dominion space meant that returning the favour in the Alpha Quadrant was
inevitable and justified) and Quark can see how pointless that is and what the
cost is. Quark staring out at the fight at the end of the episode is a truly
powerful moments for the character. Armin Shimmerman manages to portray through
his eyes alone ‘what the hell have we done to come to this?’
Starfleet Ferengi: Nog is just about the perfect character
to bring into this episode because we have watched his progress from petty
thief to Starfleet Officer and now it is time for him to learn what it really
means to offer your life to something so completely. Its funny how different
people interpret different things and Quark accuses Nog of being afraid of
looking weak in front of the veterans whereas Nog sees it as trying to earn
their respect. Nog’s scream when he is shot is just about the most agonising
moment in DS9, the point where a Federation character is punished for his
ideals.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Sometimes being a hologram can be a
real pain in the asemetic photons!’
‘Let me tell you something about hew-mons, nephew. They’re a
wonderful, friendly people as long as their bellies are full and their
holosuites are working. But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of
food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period
of time and those same friendly, intelligent wonderful people will become as
nasty and as violent as the most bloodthirsty Klingon.’
‘Children’ ‘Not for long.’
The Good: Be scared…be very scared. Rom is trying out
his voice in Vic’s and belts out the most intriguing version of The Siege of
AR-558 in the most misleading of openings to any Trek episode. It makes me
laugh so hard to see this because Max Grodenchik’s version has been heard up
and down the country sung by two inexpressibly tone deaf gayers in the most
public of places! Simon and I have been heard to sing this version of Lady and
the Tramp on trains and in shops whenever the atmosphere is too stuffy! And
just one time in a bus in Edinburgh a man looked at me and said ‘Rom!’ That
absolutely made my holiday! Vic is the oddest innovation to the DS9 universe
and yet every time he appears (with The Emperor’s New Cloak being the one
exception) there is a well thought through reason for it and using his
melancholic voice to calm the troops before battle in this instalment is
inspired. Like The Sound of Her Voice notice how Kolbe focuses the camera
squarely on the actors and gives them no place to hide, framing the shots with
the second person in the scene blurred in the background so our focus is never
taken from the actor who is emoting. Interestingly the episode chooses to show
us how we usually experience the war in the first five minutes with the Defiant
cutting a Jem H’adar warship to pieces. All very impersonal. Then it proceeds
to give those nameless soldiers a face and gets up close and very personal as
the Federation and the Jem H’adar on AR-558 have to literally star each other
in the eye when they try and kill each other. There are a few occasions when
Trek offers a studio bound location which is supposed to be outside that really
works (unfortunately those occasions are counterweighted against all those
horrendous planetary backdrops in TNG and CSOed actors against location work in
Voyager) and The Siege of AR-558 is one of those times (Children of Time was
another). The lights are brought right down, the location is a wilderness with
an absolute dearth of comfort and it feels as if the air is literally sapping
the goodness out of our characters. It takes some skill to create a location
with that kind of oppressiveness. On AR-558 you have battle hardened Vargas,
tough MO Larkin and the completely unstable Reese and what fascinates me is
that under normal, squeaky clean Federation circumstances you could imagine
these characters being smiley happy people and slightly bland. Drag them out of
their comfort zone, throw assault after assault at them and slaughter their
friends and what you are left with are the dregs of humanity. People who are
outwardly tough but inwardly broken. Its painful to see because as Quark so
happily points out this could be any one of us if we were put in an extreme
enough situation. Nowhere is this more terrifyingly realised than in Raymond
Cruz’s riveting performance as Vargas. He plays the role with a snappy
awkwardness that almost feels as if he has forgotten his lines (I have seen
Cruz in other things and there is no way that this is the case), tripping over
sentences, infusing each line with anguish and self pity and he is the last
person I would want to be around under these circumstances because he is such a
live wire waiting to strike. I bet he beamed down onto that rock with all the
usual Federation optimism and confidence too. His speech about the guy that he
couldn’t stand who died in front of him is hauntingly performed (‘One time in
his life, he’s quiet…’). How nice to see Bill Mumy stripped of his Babylon 5
makeup. He’s one of their strongest assets despite his usually quiet
performances and he does wonders with the minor role of Kellan here, enjoying
an easy chemistry with Nicole de Boer. Houdini’s, bombs which can hide in
subspace and detonate at random, are a terrorising innovation. As well as
featuring some piercing dialogue scenes Kolbe also provides some real visceral
moments such as Nog’s mist swathed horror in the Jem H’adar camp, the fireworks
of the dry run attack on the array and the unbelievably tense moment when the
Houdini’s are activated and hum angrily as they surround our heroes. Great set
pieces, all. The final message that every time you hear a death count that it
isn’t just a number, these are people who have died, is brilliantly made
throughout this episode. Once again DS9 has something very uncomfortable but
extremely important to say.
Moment to Watch Out For: The final siege defies all
expectations by proving to be the most gripping hand to hand battle Trek ever
realised. Winrich Kolbe deserves a massive round of applause for refusing to
shy away from the terror and the violence of warfare and its painful to watch
so many lives being wasted over a piece of equipment. Its DS9’s Saving
Private Ryan moment and it is graphic, psychologically scarring and
visually stunning. Some of the shots (the Jem H’adar firing directly at the
audience making us a part of the fight and the criss cross of fire phaser
across the screen in the darkness) are extremely memorable.
Orchestra: I have never been the biggest fan of Paul
Baillargeon’s music in Trek which is what makes this score so damn effective
because it is one of the very best you will hear. His subtle, sad strings and
haunting melodies that play over the battle scenes are a thing of beauty and by
refusing to make these scenes bombastic he really drives the horror of what is
happening home. People are dying and the music expresses the poignancy
of that.
Result: Emotionally involving, dark and visually stunning;
this is another top notch DS9 episode. Is it me or are all the directors raising
their game to new heights in the last season of DS9? The Siege of AR-558 is
Winrich Kolbe’s masterpiece and the ultimate Trek war movie encapsulated in 45
minutes. What I really love about the intense script is the characters they
choose to put through hell – not seasoned fighters like Kira, O’Brien and Worf
but the least experienced regulars like Ezri, Quark and Nog. This allows for
some outstanding moments where our favourite Ferengi gets to hand out the
humanity’s harshest critique yet and exposes Nog’s absolute faith in the
Federation he has sworn to protect and dishes out the appropriate punishment
for that. The guest characters are all well written and cast; Avery Brooks once
again gets to show what he is made of as Sisko is put through the physical and
emotional wringer and its one of Ezri’s best episodes too for forcing the
fragile young Ensign to confront the horrors of war. However it isn’t the
expert handling of war clichés that really allows this episode to shine but
Kolbe’s exciting, frightening cinematic direction which keeps the atmosphere
claustrophobic and tense throughout. The final act is one of the most memorable
in Trek with the best ever action sequence bar none. This is about as
bleak and as pessimistic as Trek comes and considering its roots it is shocking
that this should be one of the franchises most impressive instalments.
Terrifyingly dark: 10/10
Covenant written by Rene Echevarria and directed by John
Kretchmer
What’s it about: Dukat has taken up residence as the leader
of the Pah Wraith cult…
Tasty Terrorist: Any episode that is fronted by Kira cannot
be a bad thing (unless its called Ressurection) and she is just about the most
sophisticated Bajoran character we are ever likely to meet. Which is really
highlighted when she meets up with this bunch of backward Bajorans. She can
barely contain herself when Dukat proclaims that he is the leader of the Pah
Wraith cult but then declares that it makes sense because these people worship
evil. She grabs his shirt when he declares the Prophets as evil and says he has
no right to say that especially given his past with the planet. I love the way
she prods and pokes at the naiveté of the Bajorans, especially Benyan, who she
makes it very clear that she thinks Dukat is responsible for his wife’s
pregnancy. Kira is literally trapped in
her own worse nightmare, a scenario where Bajorans are worshipping Dukat as a
God and no matter how much she tries to convince them otherwise they dig their
heels in and twist her words to support him even more. Her patience and
persistence with these people is truly commendable.
Slimy Snake: ‘I don’t know whether you believe what
you’re telling saying or if you’re faking it or if you’re just insane…’ I
love Dukat so much they can pretty much shoehorn him into any role and it would
entertain me. And whilst that isn’t exactly what they do here it is a massive
departure from what we have seen before. Looking back at Tears of the Prophets
there is every chance that Dukat has been touched by the Pah Wraiths and chosen
to represent them but looking back at Waltz where he declares war on Sisko it
seems a massive co-incidence that he should be calling himself Emissary to the
Prophets arch enemies. What Covenant juggles up really well is whether Dukat
really is a born again man who has found God or whether he’s just faking it to
drink in the power of his subjects and indulge (as Kira says) in his own
idealised version of the Occupation. He also uses this opportunity to try and
seduce Kira again because now he has something in common with his ex lovers
daughter that her can use to convince her he is a good man. ‘Vows of abstinence
are part of our covenant with him and exceptions are granted when he sees that
a husband and wife have demonstrated a true spiritual bond’ can be completely
rewritten to expose the truth of the matter…that permission is only given when
Dukat himself is horny and wants to get his end away and uses this as an excuse
afterwards. It always comes back to his desperate need to win the love of the
Bajoran people and he could never understand why they didn’t appreciate him.
I’ve always described Dukat as a snake but just watch the scene where he begs
the Pah Wraiths to forgive him alone in his quarters – he hisses towards the
ceiling and looks more like a nasty reptile than ever! The little smile on his
face when he has finally convinced Kira that he is going to walk with the Pah
Wraiths is very telling, he enjoys being able to convince people of his
good intentions when the truth is about to revealed as a lie. As much as the
scene exposes a complete about turn by the Bajorans so unrealistically it is
worth watching the climax for Dukat’s humiliation and his face when he realises
he no longer has the fake suicide pill. As a snapshot of his failiure here Kira
should take it back to DS9 to have a good long laugh (as the Kira phantom in
Waltz suggested) at his expense.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Your hair, you’ve changed it’ ‘Your
ear, you’ve pierced it.’
‘I know what I believe’ ‘And that’s what scares me.’
Dreadful Dialogue: ‘This is his child! That’s why you tried
to kill Mika!’ Well duh!
The Good: Once again Empok Nor proves to be a wonderfully
atmospheric and economic location with the DS9 sets gutted of their usual
furniture and lighting and given a more sinister touch. This time the candles
and harsh red lighting of the cult of the Pah Wraiths prevails and there is a
real feeling of space and potential as the cult works at trying to turn this
station into a new home. I like how Dukat is used to fill in some of the
backstory of the Prophets and the Pah Wraiths (with an emphasis of the former
persecuting the latter of course). According to him they were cast out of
heaven because they wanted to take an active role in Bajoran life whereas the
Prophets just wanted to observe. Which is a persuasive argument until he uses
the Cardassian Occupation as an example of why the Prophets ‘abandoned’ Bajor
to their fate – coming from the mouth of the man who was responsible for
perpetrating much of the horror that the Bajorans experienced during that time
it rings very hollow. The end of the episode truly exposes the naiveté of these
Bajorans but the suggestion of mass suicide is a very strong reflection of real
life events so it cannot be beyond the realms of possibility. The fact that
real people have given their lives for similar reasons on the words of power
hungry evangelists that were about to be exposed gives this material a real
dramatic boost. Kira attempting to escape to save them injects a real feeling
of edge of the seat tension that the episode has been missing to that point
(again David Bell’s score helps to give this the dramatic impetus it craves).
Did Dukat genuinely get a message from the Pah Wraiths to order the cult to
commit suicide or was this merely a chance for him to close down this chapter
of his life and starts again elsewhere? His conversation with Kira suggests the
latter but later episodes of the season prove that he has genuinely been in
communion with the Pah Wraiths and so the ambiguity is very pleasing. As an
audience we get to make up our own minds.
The Bad: I’ve noticed an odd pattern this season of the
episodes theme being brought up in a way that is completely disconnected to the
rest of the episode in the pre titles sequence almost as if to warn you about
what this instalment is going to be about. Kira sits down at Quark’s and
practically addresses the camera and tells us how it is important to forgive
the people who have wronged you. Who didn’t expect to see Dukat turn up
within five minutes? Fala believing that the Pah Wraiths have taken a man as
evil as Dukat and washed him clean is utterly deluded but at least Kira points
that out. Kira cleverly manages to obscure a weapon and these idiotic Bajorans
all step in front of Dukat when she has the perfect chance to cut him down for
good. Talk about being forced to think on his feet…when Mika’s baby is born
with Cardassian ridges he has the sheer gall to try and convince these numpties
that the baby has been transformed in the womb as a symbol of their covenant!
All credit to Marc Alaimo for having a go at selling this scene but the
overwhelming supplication and complete lack of doubt over the baby’s parentage
is completely unbelievable. You almost
want Kira to scream out ‘ARE YOU SERIOUS?’ Fala’s suicide is supposed to be
poignant but I think it is the cowards way out of facing up to bad choices. How
many more ‘now Dukat is more dangerous than ever’ scenes can we enjoy before it
becomes a bit of a joke?
Moment to Watch Out For: The scene that confirms that Dukat
is the baby’s father (as if there was any doubt) and he tries to kill Mika. I
have heard the phrase ‘toss them out the nearest airlock’ bandied about a lot
on this show and now we get to see an actual example! Its dramatically filmed
with Dukat caught in an impossible situation (of his own doing admittedly) and
taking drastic measures to ensure his position isn’t threatened. David Bell’s
dark score really helps but what makes this moment so frightening is the reveal
that the old Dukat is still in there and murder to get his own way. Brrr…
Foreboding: Dukat will be back in Penumbra with another
insane (but far more fun) scheme to fulfil the Pah Wraiths plans…
Result: Covenant is one of those episodes that is grasping
for greatness and never quite makes it despite some really good stuff. Its
fantastic to see Dukat return to the series in a pretty permanent sort of way
and this new religious nut job angle for the character is in many ways even
more frightening than the power hungry dictator. Its an episode that sees the
Kira/Dukat tension re-ignited and both Marc Alaimo and Nana Visitor shine in
their scenes together and much of the realisation of the piece is superb with
some exciting set pieces and a real dramatic momentum leading up to the climax.
So what’s wrong with it I hear you ask?
Mostly it is the Bajoran characters who as usual don’t know whether they want a
shit or a shave and come across as a particularly naïve bunch and really strain
the viewers patience as to why we should give a damn about such gullible,
idiotic people. If I were Kira I would have nabbed the nearest runabout and
dashed off at the first opportunity rather than sick around and try and save
them! Their miraculous conversion at the conclusion is especially daft and it’s
the sort ‘he was evil all along!’ revelation that I would expect from Scooby
Doo and not Deep Space Nine. It’s a drama with pros and cons and there are
enough of the former to push it above average but weighed down by the latter
that prevent it from achieving magnitude: 6/10
It’s Only a Paper Moon written by Ronald D. Moore and
directed by Anson Williams
What’s it about: Nog returns to the station, battle scarred
and tries to re-adjust to his old life…
Quirky Counsellor: You would think this would be the perfect
episode for Ezri to be involved with in a very big but I really like how she
remains on the sidelines and observes how he seeks out his own therapy. She is
far shrewder than she sometimes acts and her conversation with Vic when she makes
him realise indirectly that he has done anything he needed to do for the boy is
one of her finest moments. When it comes to the crunch and it is time for Nog
to leave the holosuite Ezri pulls out the big guns and points out that Vic is
just a hologram and she is his counsellor.
Young Sisko: In the same way that I can understand Nog
losing himself in Vic’s music I can also completely respect Jake’s fury at
being forced to experience the same song over and over again. That would drive
me nuts! Jake clearly still has the touch by bringing such a gorgeous date with
him to the holosuite.
Starfleet Ferengi: I couldn’t have imagined an episode like
this in the early years but Nog has been treated to probably the most
fulfilling development than any other character on DS9 going from a comic foil
for Jake to a strong personality in his own right. He has found his identity
through Starfleet and now that has been torn down after the events of The Siege
of AR-558 and now he doesn’t know who he is anymore. Its wonderful to see
everybody rallying around at the airlock as he returns to the station, its easy
to see the affection that this crew (and of course his family) holds for him.
He’s reclusive, depressed and self reflective and he doesn’t want Ezri trying
to pry into emotional state. Nog is sick of being told the pain in his new leg
is in his head when it hurts every time that he walks on it. As soon as Nog
chooses to stay with Vic in the holosuite it’s a double edged sword because its
clear he could learn a lot about finding himself again from the guy but
retreating into a fantasy and hiding away from life is rarely the smart move.
Nog is completely dismissive of Jake visiting him because it is too much of a
reminder of the world that is waiting for him out there when he leaves the
programme. He doesn’t want to be considered a hero and goes out his way to make
Jake’s girlfriend uncomfortable. Nog’s reaction to been thrown out of the
programme is so shocking it is clear that he has become entirely reliant on
fiction. He admits that he feels different, older after he has tackled his fear
of the real world.
Secret Genius & Busty Babe: Opening on a scene that
exposes once again what Rom and Leeta can bring to this show they discuss Nog’s
impending arrival on the station and his lack of contact since he has been in
hospital. Anybody who thinks these two are only treated as caricatures (a
statement I would vehemently deny) should watch this episode.
50s Crooner: This is a great episode to show those people
who thought that Vic was a bad addition to the show because he is presented in
such a gentle, warm and intelligent light it is impossible not to like him. Vic
giving Nog a cane that is much more stylish than his usual one but less steady
is a stroke of genius, forcing him to walk on his perfectly fine synthetic leg.
Kicking Nog out of the club for hitting Jake is a great moment, he really
needed a wake up call at that moment. He realises he has never been tired
before because his programme has never been left on long enough for him to
experience it. There’s a real fairytale moment when Nog asks Vic when he sleeps
if he dreams and he simply replies ‘goodnight kid.’ Since Nog has had the
holosuite running 24/7 he has had a life and in return he wants to give that
gift back to his friend and he knows the only way to do that is to snatch away
this fantasy as violently as possible. Its Vic’s insistence that he is not a
real person that makes me fall in love with him even more – he tells Nog that
if he stays in the holosuite he will end up as hollow as he is. As a result of
his harsh therapy Nog gives Vic the gift of a life too and arranges to have his
programme run constantly. It’s a really touching thank you for all of his help.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘It helped me once when I was unhappy’
‘What more could you ask from a song’ – in that one exchange DS9 explores music
more thoughtfully than Voyager managed in the entire episode Virtuoso.
‘How can hiding in one of Julian adolescent programmes be a
good sign?’ ‘Hey!’ ‘It could be worse. He could be hiding in the Alamo
programme’ ‘Hey!’ ‘Or that ridiculous secret agent programme!’ ‘Hey!’ ‘Or that
stupid Viking programme!’ – the Voyager comparisons continue! People praise Tom
Paris to the high heavens for creating obscenely dull places like Fair Haven
and yet Bashir is criticised for living out his adolescent fantasies in the
holosuite. I know which show I believe in more!
‘When the war began I wasn’t happy or anything but I was eager.
I wanted to test myself. I wanted to prove I had what it took to be a soldier
and I saw a lot of combat. I saw a lot of people get hurt. I saw a lot of
people die. But I didn’t think anything was going to happen to me and then
suddenly Dr Bashir is telling me he has to cut me leg off! I couldn’t believe
it! I still can’t believe it. If I can get shot, if I can lose my leg then
anything could happen to me, Vic. I could die tomorrow! I don’t know if I’m
ready to face that…’
‘You’ve got to play the cards life deals you. Sometimes you
win, sometimes you lose but at least you’re in the game.’
The Good: How many times have found myself lost in a song
when I am going through something emotionally? It’s a very realistic approach
to dealing with something traumatic. I can listen to songs now and remember
precisely times when they were a source of great comfort for me (however some
of them are so embarrassing to admit that I will never list any titles!) so I
can completely understand where Nog is coming from. Especially when this music
was playing when he was trying to come to terms with something as distressing
as losing a leg. The flashbacks to Nog losing his leg are expertly done to show
how these events are haunting his every waking moment. I love how something
that has become a bane of Star Trek storytelling (well at least according to
Babylon 5’s JMS who suggests you shouldn’t need a holodeck to tell good
stories…trouble is he doesn’t have a holodeck on his show and he still can’t
tell a good story) is used so cleverly here to exploit the theme of the episode.
The holosuite is literally used as a way to escape from reality here, for Nog
to not have to confront the terrifying universe that took away his leg and his
confidence. I love the scene where Nog and Vic discuss the lack of consequences
in fictional violence – Nog makes some very succinct points that it isn’t
believable but Vic dismisses it because it isn’t a movie. If that sounds self
congratulatory on DS9’s part for so readily being willing to tackle such
consequences then it should be because not many shows would devote an hour to
something this reflective. All the designs within the holosuite see the DS9 set
team taking the opportunity to create something completely different and
stylish from the norm. That final hug between Nog, Rom, Leeta and Quark is
heartbreaking and a true endorsement of how far they have come as a family.
The Bad: Another round of applause for the waste of a tree
Trek guidebook Beyond the Final Frontier that seems to suggest in their review
of this episode that fleshing out your recurring guest characters is a bad
thing. Nice one chaps, why don’t you stick to reviewing Voyager in the future.
Moment to Watch Out For: It’s a tough call because the
climax where Nog breaks down is really powerful but the montage of
scenes between Nog and Vic goes one better by proving at a glance what makes
DS9 such a different show. There is nowhere else where two such worlds could
collide and the sequence show the two delightful recurring characters enjoying
their lives together to a phenomenal version of ‘It’s Only a Paper Moon.’ It
gives me warm, fuzzy feelings every time I see it. Vic’s final confrontation
with Nog is beautifully performed by both actors and takes Star Trek into areas
it usually shies away from – the real emotional consequences of going into
battle. Aron Eisenberg might just break your heart.
Fashion Statement: Nog looks so cute in a sweater!
Result: An astonishingly honest and sensitive portrayal of
post traumatic stress disorder and the finest Nog (and Vic) episode, It’s Only
a Paper Moon surprises by mixing unusual ingredients and promising little but
ultimately proving to be one of the finest character dramas DS9 has ever
presented. Nog has come such a long way in seven seasons and Aron Eisenberg has
delivered at every step of the way and this is almost a gift from the
production team to him - a fantastic Ronald D. Moore script that offers Nog the
limelight and pushes the character into ever more interesting areas. It’s a
great Vic Fontaine show too that shows what an asset he can be to the show
without playing up the more ridiculous aspects of the character and James
Darren really surprised by delivering such a thoughtful performance (not
because he is a bad actor but because I wouldn’t expect these depths from such
a character). There are great moments of Rom, Leeta and Ezri too and the show
once again highlights the strength that the Ferengi family brings to the show.
Anson Williams delivers his most polished direction and by pairing up two
likable characters and having one teach the other a few important lessons in
life you have one of the most thoughtful and amiable episodes of DS9 in years.
Oh and the songs are great: 9/10
Prodigal Daughter written by Bradley Thompson & David
Weddle and directed by Victor Lobl
What’s it about: Ezri’s homecoming and O’Brien’s secret…
Single Father: He doesn’t take any prisoners when he finds
out he has been lied to, does he?
GE Doctor: The way Bashir pines after Miles is a little more
than just a bromance. He actually moons about the station when his sparring
partner isn’t around! It makes you wonder how they pass the time in that Alamo
programme whilst they are waiting for the attack!
Quirky Counsellor: ‘I’m about to confront my family with
a whole new Ezri and to tell you the truth they didn’t really know the old
one…’ Despite the failings of the episode as a whole there is no part of it
where I could point at Ezri and say that she is rock solidly characterised. In
fact I would say this goes one step further than Afterimage because it sees a far
more confident version of the character returning home to introduce herself to
her family as a joined Trill. Ezri makes me laugh in the first scene when she
almost makes herself retch when talking about a disgusting topic (in this case gagh)
because that is exactly what my other half does on a daily basis! Talk about
weak stomachs the pair of them! Clearly Ezri has tried to put as much distance
between her and her awkward family as possible but her mother now has the
perfect blackmail to entice her back home for a visit. Its easy to buy into
Ezri’s newfound confusion when guys that she used to fancy make her feel
uncomfortable because since she has been joined reminds her too much of one of
her previous hosts sons! She had the sense to get as far away from her mother
and the business as possible and she tries to find a way out for Norvo too
before the woman destroys what little is left of him. When he is exposed as
Marika’s killer she tells Janel to get as far away as possible and refuses to
answer her mothers question of whether all of this is her doing. Silence is
sometimes more damning than words. She understands when O’Brien doesn’t mince
his words when discovering that Norvo got a 30 year sentence for killing
Marika.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘There are days when I wake up and I
don’t even know if I’m a man or a woman until I pull back the covers!’
‘When I get drunk I become an art critic.’
‘I should have gone home a long time ago.’
The Good: All of Ezri’s family are well cast but in
particular Leigh Taylor-Young and Kevin Rahm put in really strong performances.
Yanas is the mother from hell that everybody who has a matriarch ruling the
roost will recognise and the way she highlights Ezri’s deficiencies the second
she lays eyes on her really struck a chord with me (my mother has declares ‘I
hate your hair’ before a hug every time I get a crew-cut!). Despite the fact
that I saw him in this first I cannot get the image of Rahm as the gayer half
of the homosexual couple on Wisteria Lane in Desperate Housewives out of my
head…but he acquits himself beautifully in this episode and delivers some very
subtle but nuanced acting. As usual the planetary matte effects work kicks ass
with the mining facilities looking appropriately grimy and industrial (with
lovely physical effects such as curls of steam polluting the air) and the
Teegan household dominating the skyline and looking over their Dominion. I also
love some of their home furnishings (now I sound totally gay!) – especially the
wishing well shaped fire in the middle of the room. I would definitely have one
of those if I thought Simon would let me get away with it! Yanas talking over
her son so abrasively and Norvo repeating back his mothers words as if they
were his own are both experiences I have had personally (the first was me and
my mother and the second is Simon and his). A mother who comments on the family
as if she is the only one who understands everybody’s needs…yup been there too!
Don’t get me wrong I love my mum but I think a lot of us will find a lot of
recognition in how this family is presented. I love the reactions of Yanas and
Janel when Norvo is exposed as the murderer. Had the episode pushed the drama
to this level throughout we would have been in fine shape.
The Bad: Let me get this straight – O’Brien has felt guilty
about Bilby’s widow ever since the events of Honor Amongst Thieves and has been
in contact with her ever since? Since when? And why hasn’t the audience been
let in on that little titbit in the interim? What this episode desperately
needs is to move away from the Teegan household for a few scenes and follow
O’Brien as he investigates the murder of Bilby’s wife. Confining the whole
story to one location exposes a lack of budget for this story. The
representative of the Orion Syndicate is hilariously camp and not at all
menacing.
Moment to Watch Out For: Just when you don’t think the
episode is going to amount to anything special it manages to pull a rabbit out
of its hat with the revelation that Norvo was the killer of Bilby’s widow. The
way this is handled is where Victor Lobl’s direction really comes into its own
with the arguing voices drowning out as Ezri realises the truth before
everybody else. Kevin Rahm’s quietly pained performance as he admits what he
has done is very poignant.
Result: Not as bas as I remembered but far from being
classic DS9; Prodigal Daughter is hampered by some weak direction (unthinkable
from the man who brought In the Pale Moonlight to life last year) that makes
the whole piece feel very staged and stagnant. What I hadn’t taken into account
was just how perceptive much of the scenes with Ezri’s family were with some
really well observed moments of domestic psychology that made me sit back and
nod my head when thinking back to similar moments with my own family. At times
though this feels more like a daytime soap opera than and episode of DS9 and
seaguing in elements from last years Honor Amongst Thieves doesn’t really
impact because the show wont head out into the mean streets and show O’Brien
investigating the Syndicate. The resulting episode is pretty flat but buoyed by
some great performances and decent individual moments and for more insight into
Ezri (she’s definitely being given the Seven of Nine treatment in the shows
final year!) it is worth a watch. I wish Kevin Rahm’s Norvo had headed back to
the station with Ezri because he would have really fitted in with the misfits
that populate DS9! About as vanilla as this show comes: 5/10
The Emperor’s New Cloak written by Ira Steven Behr &
Hans Beimler and directed by Levar Burton
What’s it about: Quark, Rom and the Nagus in the alternate
universe…
Tasty Terrorist: Where the Indendant used to be a marbled
and fascinating character now she is a thoughtless parody of the same character
with none of edge that made her so riveting to watch in the first place. She is
no longer an unpredictable character who can show mercy on a whim and get her
claws out in an instant…nope she walks on screen and points out that she is a
lesbian and then murders Brunt simply because that is the sort of thing this
character does. Its so appallingly handled I’m surprised the actors didn’t
object.
Mr Wolf: The Regent was such a fun character in Shattered
Mirror but even he has lost his appeal now. When we first catch up with him he
is doing a massive comedy sneeze to camera which is as good of a snapshot of
what this episode offers than anything.
Rather than trying to outthink his enemies the Regent starts punching
his chair like a child that has been told they have to visit their grandma!
Once he has to surrender he picks up his clearly lightweight chair and tosses
it about the room! This is beyond embarrassing.
Quirky Counsellor: Ezri the punk lesbian? I’m lost for
words…
Community Leader: Quark has been trying to arrange a merger
with Ezri for some time now but it looks as though her attentions are starting
to turn towards Bashir despite the bribes that he offers to the Divine
Exchequer.
Plain and Simple: That description has never been more
appropriate! All Garak ever seems to go on about in this universe is his
revenge on the Indendant. There is not a single sign that there is anything to
this character beyond that goal and every breath he utters is tied to the
subject. Its not much for Andy Robinson to get to grips with and the resulting
performance is beyond pantomimic because there is nothing else he can do to
amuse himself. Having the Ferengi characters winding up Garak with cheap
psychology that a four year old could see through is embarrassing and never
more so when he actually engages them on this level.
Secret Genius: I have never seen what people say when they
complain about Rom…until now. The script compounds his character with a
whole new level of stupidity until there comes a point where I was praying for
him to shut his mouth and not say anything. There is a world of sophistication
from his characterisation in It’s Only a Paper Moon and the buffoon we meet
here. Why is Rom obsessing so much
about the differences between our universe and the alternate one and why does
he keep harping on about it so much?
Wily Tycoon: Whilst the idea of Zek trying to expand his
business portfolio by attempting to exploit the alternative universe is a fun
idea nothing that is presented here would suggest that he is the financial
genius of repute. Spare me the thought of the Indendant tugging at his ear
hairs as he all but cheats on Moogie in her dominatrix presence!
Dreadful Dialogue: ‘I can’t believe it! Julian just shot Vic
Fontaine!’ – things manage to get this desperate and that is only 13 minutes
into the story!
‘Have a seat big boy!’
‘You mean no-one can see us? How deliciously deceitful!’ –
why does everything the Indendant says have to have a sensual edge?
The Good: Quark and Rom carrying the invisible cloaking device
along the corridors of DS9 is the sort of subtle humour that this episode lacks
for the most part and takes some skill by the actors to make look convincing
and not ridiculous. The gag with the knuckle duster is pretty funny.
The Bad: It seems to me that all you need to do these days
is punk up one of the main characters and have them turn up on the station to
justify the alternative universe angle. Having Ezri just turn up like Bariel
did in Ressurection lacks any of the imagination or the shock value of
Crossover. These opening scenes in Quark’s quarters lack any kind of tension or
atmosphere and are the epitome of Levar Burton’s dreary static direction. There
isn’t even anything original about the Nagus turning up at the beginning of an
episode and crying out for help…that was done in Rules of Acquisition and The
Magnificent Ferengi too! Even Martok is characterised as an unthinking bully
who stomps through cargo bays and threatens the boys. There is no point where
this episode hits a single beat of thoughtful characterisation. Vic Fontaine
the Rambo-esque android? Are they trying to emulate an episode of Voyager
because they are approaching their level of stupidity at this point and
possibly exceeding it! Of course Brunt is a nice guy in the alternate universe
because he’s such a slime ball in ours. Like everything else it is the most
obvious path the writers could have taken. Everybody who is evil (the
Indendant) or ambiguous (like Ezri) in this universe has a homosexual leaning –
I’m not usually one to moan about this sort of thing but I don’t know if that
is the best sort of message to put out in America! They couldn’t even be
bothered to whip up some new effects footage for the final scene so they
shoehorn in a quick moment from Shattered Mirror instead. Its almost blink and
you’ll miss it so I’m not sure why they bothered and re-using old footage so
brazenly like this is another example of the slapdash approach to this episode.
Oh what a surprise…Leeta is a lesbian too! And a militant manly one at that! A
couple of shots fired and the Regent surrenders? Are his defences that lame?
After all the Regent has put the Alliance through and they just march him
through a cargo bay of cheering Terrans? He should have been executed in the
most painful manner possible! It doesn’t feel like a wrap up in any sense of
the term but more like ticking off the things that need to be completed with as
little effort and intelligence as possible.
Moment to Watch Out For: Get out of town! There is no moment
in this episode I would completely endorse. If this section was called ‘Moments
to Avoid’ I could fill it up to bursting!
Field of Fire written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe and directed by
Tony Dow
What’s it about: A killer is loose on the station…
Single Father: Strange how awesome that knife looks in
Sisko’s hands!
Unknown Sample: Whilst you might think this episode is more
suited to Odo’s talents than Ezri’s there are still a number of great
observations from our favourite shapeshifter including tips that he picked up
from Chief O’Brien’s 20th Century crime novels!
Mr Wolf: A scene between Ezri and Worf offers hope that this
par will reconcile their difference before the end of the series and whilst the
thoughtful Klingon admits that he would watch over Bashir or O’Brien in the
same way you know he never would. He cares for Ezri and his assertion that she
will find the killer because she is Dax and ‘it is your way’ is rather
touching.
GE Doctor: More talk about Bashir and O’Brien’s private
holodeck time together. Just what do they get up to in there? Bashir is
offering emotional support in the wake of Ilario’s death and the two of them
seem to be getting closer with each episode. Its easy to see at this point how
they reach their relationship by the end of the season.
Quirky Counsellor: In a season that is fast become Voyager
season four part two, Ezri gets a third episode in quick succession just like
Seven of Nine had numerous opportunities in her first year. The difference
being this is the only year we can explore Ezri and the remaining characters
are all about to get one huge last hurrah in the ten part final arc. She’s
slipped into this group of character effortlessly by now and you wouldn’t be
able to tell at this point that she hasn’t been one of the regulars for many
years. She seems to have the past memories under control now and balances the
young and cute Ezri with the older and more experienced Dax with some maturity.
Because of Joran’s memories inside of her she knows exactly what it is like to
take the urge and the need to take a life. De Boer seems to really enjoy the
chance to pay some darker material and her scenes holding the rifle and
threatening to stab Bertram have some power to them. Where this episode really
scores is the twisted tension between Ezri and Joran – I don’t think I would
mind a series where these two went around investigating murders just so we
could enjoy him trying to get her to join in all the time and her acerbic
insults back! I love how close to the edge she becomes throughout this episode
and the dark places that it takes her. As Joran mentions in the last scene she
can’t just bottle away his memories and homicidal tendencies anymore and if DS9
had a more Farscape style edge to it we could have enjoyed Joran popping up ala
Scorpius in Crichton’s head to give her some advice or simply to wind her up! I
would have welcomed that!
What’s Morn up to: Heading back to his quarters with a Dabo
girl on his arm, Morn is in for a good night!
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘I suppose I shall have to make myself
more endearing…’
The Good: Its hard to give a red shirt (because that’s
exactly what he is) a real personality in only a couple of minutes before
he/she dies (its something that TNG and VOY have tried to master and failed)
but Hector Ilario really jumps from the screen as somebody who could have added
something to this series and that makes his death pretty shocking. He’s
basically Harry Kim (a wet behind the ears Starfleet youth that shows a lot of
promise) but likable and with a sense of humour (‘in the morning I’ll be sober
but you’ll still be beautiful’). The TR-116 is a really well thought through
anachronistic weapon that pleasingly just happens to look completely kick ass
at the same time. Any firearm that can see through walls, beam a bullet into a
room and make you look like you mean business at the same time is definitely
doing something right in my book. Leigh McCloskey might not be anything like
the Joran we saw in Equilibrium (although he was only in one scene for about
half a minute so I’m willing to let it pass) but he does have a great deal of
fun devouring the scenery as the creepiest serial killer Trek has ever
produced. This is a man who genuinely gets off on murdering people and isn’t
afraid to try and seduce Ezri with the same desires and there is no way to play
that but theatrical and gleeful which is a joy to watch (and there is never a
moment when a creepy smile is far from his lips). I like seeing how everybody works
together on this investigation (the complete opposite of Voyager’s Repression
where Tuvok was the obvious suspect because he is the only person working the
case) and the scene where O’Brien and Bashir use their own interests to figure
out the specs of the weapon is very well scripted. O’Brien’s demonstration with
a melon being punctured is pretty gross when you think that could be somebody’s
head with this superior new weapon. Odo offers investigative prowess to Ezri,
O’Brien technical expertise and Worf emotional support – its nice to see a team
of people working together. The episode bubbles along with some skill until
Joran shows up and then it just goes for broke with some wonderfully powerful
scenes of Ezri putting herself in the killers shoes. Actually being able to see
through the sights and scan through bulkheads is great fun and truly invasive
of peoples privacy and gives you an idea of the thrill the killer must be
feeling. I love the way the gun flashes with a little cross every time it fixes
on a victim, it’s a little detail but it makes the weapon all the more
frightening. Joran’s comments about Sisko made me chuckle (‘he’s so
insufferable, so Starfleet…’). Once the leap about Chulak has been made
its great scenes all the way as Ezri has to hunt him down through the bulkheads
of the station and discovers him pointing a weapon at her as she is at him. Its
one of the tensest conclusions to a Trek episode that I can remember!
The Bad: Perhaps Ezri could have her own spin off series – Ezri
Investigates – where she is like a 24th Century Jessica Fletcher
and visits all kinds of space stations and ships and leaves a trail of murder
in her wake? The massive leap Ezri makes about the pictures and the killer
being a Vulcan is pretty unbelievable and it might have made a lot more sense
if she had touted a couple of theories.
Moment to Watch Out For: I remember when I first saw this
episode and I was entranced by Ezri’s hallucinatory dream which doesn’t play
out like the usual Trek dream sequences but instead has real chills and that
disturbing effect of being a few steps from reality that bad dreams have. I
love the slow motion camerawork, the deep redness of the blood and the chilling
music and de Boer’s reaction to the horrific images feels very real.
Fashion Statement: When Ezri says that Ilario admired Bashir
and O’Brien exchange that word for fancied. Lets not beat around the bush and
pretend otherwise…Ezri looks fucking hot holding the TR-116!
Result: My favourite of the Ezri episodes (Afterimage was
full of great character work but a little too quiet and Prodigal Daughter
lacked strong direction) and despite the unusual premise (Ezri Investigates…)
and nonsensical motive of the villain (‘because logic dictated it…’) it is
still an strangely engaging piece of Trek investigative drama. Top notch
direction and lighting really helps to sell the atmosphere of the story but
what counts is Robert Hewitt Wolfe’s long over due return to the series and his
exciting plot and memorable dialogue. It uses both Ezri and Dax’s character
really well by trading on the psychology of the former and the dark past of the
latter and I find Nicole DeBoer and Leigh McCloskey’s (who gives a masterfully
theatrical and sinister performance) chemistry rather beguiling. Add to this a
number of tense and exciting moments, a truly phenomenal weapon in the shape of
the TR-116 and one of my favourite musical scores for any Star Trek episode and
you have an episode where you can probably question its placing in the last
season but the strengths and presentation more than justify its existence. It’s
the start of a 13 episode run of greatness that sees DS9 bow out in real style:
8/10
Chimera written by Rene Echevarria and directed by Steve
Posey
What’s it about: Odo meets another of the Hundred and
questions his place on DS9…
Single Father: I’m glad Sisko points out that the Founders
have deceived them before because planting Laas amongst them is exactly the
sort of machinations they would think up. Odo’s passion for pleading Laas’ case
spills over into discourtesy and Sisko quietly reprimands him in a way that
only he can. Sisko’s ‘dismissed’ tells you that he doesn’t expect Odo to engage
at all in the search for Laas.
Tasty Terrorist: Interestingly Kira joins this episode after
Odo and Laas have linked together. I love the scene where she points out that
it is a little more personal than talking because Nana Visitor underplays her
reaction so beautifully. She’s right, the obvious parallel would be having sex
with somebody to say hi when you are in a relationship because it is a
completely similar sharing of bodies and emotions. The conversations between
Kira and Odo are far more touching than those between Torres and Paris they
don’t scream at each like kids in a playground, they talk like adults that are
struggling with their feelings. It’s a much more effective way to portray a
relationship. Something about linking with Laas gave him the impression that
Odo wanted to leave with him and that really bothers Kira. She wonders like I’m
sure all lovers do if they are enough for the person they have chosen to be
with. She broke my heart when she apologised to Odo for not being able to link
with him. He tries to explain to Kira that when she looks at him it is just a
form he borrowed and he could just as easily be something else. She understands
that but this is what he has always chosen to be – a good man and the man she
fell in love with. When she realises how torn he is Kira gives him the greatest
gift she ever could – she lets him go so he can head of and explore his life to
its full potential regardless of how heartbroken it will leave her. It is one
of the most selfless acts I have seen in this show and truly shows her depth of
feeling for him.
Unknown Sample: ‘They tolerate you Odo because you
emulate them. What higher flattery is there? I who can be anything choose to be
like you!’ For Odo this is the most exciting find since he first found his
people. To have the good fortune to meet one of the hundred like himself and
share stories of how they were treated and what they think of the Dominion is a
rare treat for Odo. Odo points out that dozens of species on the station
tolerate each other very well but Laas adds that they are all basically alike,
bipeds that eat, sleep and breathe. With changelings they are truly
alien to humanoids. I think he has pointed out there why Odo has always been
such a delightful character. The other ‘outsider’ characters on Trek have been
great fun because of their difference (Spock, Data, Neelix…not so much Neelix)
but Odo has been a joy to explore because his character is so different from
anything we recognise and this episode goes out of its way to point out that
whilst that is the case he often pretends otherwise. But nobody can
escape who they really are and I think it is at this point that I realised that
Odo will definitely be returning home at the end of the series despite the
strength of feeling he has for Kira. Laas points out that Odo’s shapeshifting
haven in his quarters hasn’t been used in some time, not since he has been busy
setting up home with Kira. The trouble is that Laas has such a skewered picture
of humanoids that he thinks Odo’s very being is determined by humanoids when he
has made the choice to live the life that he does. Odo suggests he isn’t
embarrassed to link in public but the way he folds his arms is a very defensive
gesture and he does admit that he doesn’t go out of his way to point out that
he isn’t like everybody else. When Dukat offered Kira a chance to go back to
her terrorist ways in Return to Grace I never took the offer seriously and
would have thought less of the series had they made her agree. Star Trek is
always making potential suggestions like that (I think the Doctor has left
Voyager on about four separate occasions only to be back in sickbay at the end
of the episode) but for once this is an offer that I could take seriously
because it is extremely seductive one if you understand Odo’s character well.
Laas suggests they could roam space experiencing their lives as changelings and
find the other 98 shapeshifters that were sent out into the universe and form a
new Link. One that is built on exploration and not warfare. On every count that
must appeal to Odo and he says as much. When he returns to Kira Laas spells out
exactly what he could be giving up – his last chance to exist the way he was
meant to. What a sacrifice to make.
Everyday Engineer: O’Brien continues to feel like the most
20th Century bloke in the 24th Century just be being so
wonderfully flawed. He forgets to get Keiko a present whilst he is away because
he has been married for so long that such frivolities are long skipped over
(Odo basks in the fact that he has bought Kira two presents). I also love the
way that his character has always been uncomfortable around any changeling that
isn’t Odo and that feeling definitely extends to Laas. O’Brien makes barbed
comments that border on racist (when all the changeling is doing is
inconveniencing him momentarily) and he isn’t afraid to show that nastier side
of himself when he thinks it is called for.
Community Leader: There is a terrific Odo/Quark sequence
where once again (just like The Siege of AR-558 and many other examples) Quark
shows real depth and understanding of the situation. Odo is smart enough to
know that people don’t want to be reminded that he is different, especially
during the current war with his people. He gives a brilliant speech about how
our ancestors learnt the hard way that what you don’t know might kill you and
that that instinct is bred into us all.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘We’re not the ones who can disguise
ourselves as anything we want’ ‘Meaning?’
‘You deny your true nature in order to fit in?’ – there is a
whole world of discussion that could be had with that one line taking all kinds
of minority groups (sexual, religious, class and colour) into consideration.
‘They claimed that he surrounded them menacingly!’ ‘The felt
menaced by fog?’
‘Watch your step Odo, we’re at war with your people. This no
time for a changeling pride demonstration on the Promenade!’
‘I hope you find what you’re looking for’ – this scene is
devastating and Kira’s gentle hopes for Odo’s future brings tears to my eyes.
‘You’ve know idea what it means to love someone enough to
let them go.’
The Good: If you need an example of how well DS9 casts its
semi regular characters then you need to look no further than JG Hertzler’s
incredible performance as Laas in this episode. They say that a script can make
or break a man and I believe that is true – Hertzler also played a one of part
character in Voyager (a wrestler in Tsunkatse) but in comparison he was
completely forgettable. With Laas he pours everything he has into making this
person live and breathe and he leaps from the screen as one of the most
impressive characters in ages. He opts for an eerie fluting quality to his
voice which completely disassociates himself from Martok but it is everything
about the portrayal that marks him out as different from the way he carries
himself to his stillness and chilling thoughtlessness. His opinion of the
Founders and their war is so beautiful – ‘I can understand their distrust of
humanoids but why try to conquer them? Why not avoid them altogether?’ It sums
up his character perfectly. What’s really interesting is that Laas has done all
the things that Odo is experiencing now – he has found himself a home amongst
humanoids and a mate – but in his case it didn’t work out and festered a
feeling of distrust for monoforms. It could potentially be a peek into the
future for Odo. Ouch, Bashir’s steak could not have turned up at a more
inopportune moment! The very idea of Laas being fog on the Promenade is hard
for me to get my head around but it sure makes a beautiful looking scene!
Imagine walking through somebody like that? He’s just doing it for effect and
it works precisely how he wanted it to by provoking somebody into attacking him
and proving how violent humanoids are to shapeshifters. Its such an interesting
legal battle because the Klingon did stab Laas first but then he reacted with
homicidal force knowing that he couldn’t be killed. So who is the guilty
party in this situation? Even small details like how Odo isn’t allowed to see
Laas unsupervised and Kira is are perfect. Laas’ reaction when Odo tells him
that he isn’t going with him is spot on - he backs away like a caged rat that
has been caught in a trap.
Moment to Watch Out For: ‘If I ever made you feel you
couldn’t be yourself with me, I’m sorry. I want to know you, the way you really
are…’ The final scene of Chimera makes me melt like few love scenes ever have.
The expression of love both Kira and Odo have made for each other in their
decisions to let go of something important is what makes this so touching but
its Kira’s willingness to explore every part of Odo’s life that really drives
home the depth of feeling between them. Auberjonois and Visitor are at their
absolute peak (and that’s saying something) and the music and effects as Odo
envelops Kira in a warm embrace of light and colour are glorious. Its singularly
the most erotic and the most heartfelt moment in the Trek canon. Bravo for
taking this relationship to such an emotional level – its one that has simply
become more piquant as time has passed.
Teaser-tastic: Amazing that a show that is so inward looking
as DS9 (I don’t mean that in a negative way at all) should open this episode
with a scene that explores Gene Roddenberry’s fascination with seeking out the
unknown better than many a TNG or Voyager episode. The giant space fish that
swims alongside the runabout is a gorgeous creature and leaves both Odo and
O’Brien aghast at what it might do to them. I love the way it collides with the
ship and runs through the conduits before vomiting out of a grille in the shape
of a changeling. You go from Roddenberry’s space exploration to DS9’s mythology
in one easy swoop. A great teaser and a thrilling opening for the story.
Fashion Statement: Odo and Laas is possibly the most
homoerotic moment in all of Star Trek beyond the Bashir/O’Brien relationship.
Orchestra: The music on DS9 started very predictably picking
up from TNG and pretty much emulating the drab scores that plagued the last few
years of the parent show. Since season four things have really changed (with
the advent of David Bell mostly) and the music has become far more dynamic and
exciting. I’ve really noticed how effective the scores have been since the
beginning of season six but pretty much every episode this year has had
memorable music from the Klingon planetary strike in Once More Unto the Breach
to the poignant strings that accompanied the hand to hand battle in The Siege
of AR-558. Now they have sorted out the exciting stuff it gives me great
pleasure to report that the more sentimental episodes are being given the same
exquisite treatment too and in particular Chrysalis and Chimera both enjoy some
very effective (and in no way treacly as in the past) music. I love the ominous
and yet exciting theme for the attack on the runabout at the beginning of the
episode. There’s also great music when Kira confronts Laas in the holding cell
and the finally scene is blissfully realised.
Foreboding: You realise with some horror later in the season
that Odo has infected Laas with the same disease that is afflicting his people
in this episode. We learn something about Odo that we never knew, if it wasn’t
for the war he would be with his people. That’s something that would be very
prevalent given how his journey in this series ends.
Result: The finest love story Trek produced and one of my
top ten DS9 episodes, Chimera has more substance (it’s a word I use a lot but
I’m talking about character development, genuine emotion, intelligent dialogue,
fascinating themes and presenting all of that in a dramatically satisfying way)
to it than anything I have seen in an age. Kira and Odo’s relationship has been
charted more satisfyingly than perhaps any other in Star Trek (Necessary Evil,
Heart of Stone, Crossfire, Children of Time and Behind the Lines to name just
one episode from each season) and with each step we have taken away a greater
understanding of both characters and what they mean to each other. By finally
bringing the two of them together romantically it has kicked off a fascinating
thread and allowed us an intimate peek into their lives. Laas comes along to challenge
all of that in very permanent sort of way and kicks off discussions of how they
see their relationship and how long it might last. His presence forces Kira and
Odo to make a massive decisions about their future. Its not just romance that
is on the cards though – this is an episode that deals with prejudice, matters
of identity and alien perspectives on things that we take for granted. It’s a gorgeous
script and its brought to life astonishingly by Rene Auberjonois, Nana Visitor
and JG Hertlzer. Add some beautiful imagery featuring a space fish, fire, fog
and a final scene that will make you feel more like cuddling your partner than
ever before and you have a piece that works on every count and then some. I love
Chimera; it has a great deal to say and it does it so creatively and
emotionally and with profound impact: 10/10
Badda Bing Badda Bang written Ira Steven Behr & Hans
Beimler and directed by Mike Vejar
What’s it about: It’s the heist to end all heists!
Single Father & Freighter Captain: This is a great
Sisko episode (aren’t all post season five episodes great for his character?).
It could almost be a response to the way Janeway actively encourages her staff
to take their eye of the ball and obsess over the latest Tom Paris holodeck
programme but I loved Sisko’s gruff ‘when do you plan on going back to work?’
to his crew as they all stand around in Ops and discuss helping out Vic
Fontaine. Badda Bing Badda Bang begins what is a run of strong episodes that
deal with Sisko’s relationship with Kassidy and proves what a great idea it was
to keep these two together. The chemistry between Avery Brooks and Penny
Johnson is top dollar (it has something to do with the way Sisko is such a
powerful bloke in all other respects but Kassidy confidently has her own way
with him all the time – you can see how good she is for him) and their
candlelit dinner scene together is gently intimate. Like Take Me Out to the
Holosuite it is great to see Kassidy (and Penny Johnson) let her hair down and
she really throws herself into the role in some very funny scenes. At first I
wasn’t sure if shoehorning in a civil rights message in something this fun was
a good idea but like Far Beyond the Stars it proves to be a very positive, very
Star Trek message for the show to promote. By pointing out how things were back
in the 50s it also points out how they should have been and how far we have
come since then. I know racism is still rife in some areas of the world but we
have made incredible leaps all the same and that is worth celebrating. How good
does he look in a tux tossing those dice up the crabs table? More to the point
what a terrific rendition of The Best is Yet to Come by Brooks and James Darren
– I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this one!
Tasty Terrorist: Kira is the best girlfriend you could ever
ask for – she tells Odo to enjoy himself looking at the beautiful ladies whilst
he gets to work.
Mr Wolf: Hurrah for Worf who seems to be the only person
(other than Sisko) who doesn’t suffer from Vic fever. It has the adverse effect
of excluding him from the episode (which is a real shame considering this is
the last ensemble piece with everyone together) but there definitely needed to
be somebody to comment on the latest holosuite craze on the station otherwise I
might have thought that the writers didn’t know how far their obsession for
this character extends.
Quirky Counsellor: Ezri is part of this team now. There have
been enough episodes that allowed her to find herself and fit in and now she
feels as much a part of the ensemble as any of those who have been around for
seven seasons. Try hard as I might but I never got that impression from Jadzia
in her first year. I somehow could have guessed the first problem during the
heist would start with Ezri but she redeems herself completely by manipulating
the count man into swigging back the laxative infused cocktail!
50s Crooner: After being built up as such an unbelievable Mr
Fix-it its rather refreshing to see Vic being pushed around so savagely and
given a splash of cold water. Despite their over enthusiastic outpouring of
love for the guy you realise in this episode just how many people Vic has
helped out in his short time on the show. Getting Kira and Odo together,
soothing Bashir and Quark’s woes at losing Jadzia to Worf, helping Worf to
remember his wife and getting Nog back on the road to recovery after losing his
leg. The Mob taking over Vic’s is a not very subtle take on the Dominion
snatching DS9 at the end of season five but from his point of view it is just
as invasive.
What’s Morn up to: Like Quark he is being kept well out of
the action and can only guess what is going on at Vic’s.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘I needed that money to buy a gift from
my mama!’ – I don’t know why that line tickles me so much but I think it has a
lot to do with Johnson’s insane accent!
The Good: Basically this whole section is going to me
enthusing about Mike Vejar’s astonishing direction of Badda Bing Badda Bang
which goes beyond his usual skill into something avant-garde. This
episode has the energy, the style and the pace that Live Fast and Prosper was
desperately searching for in Voyager’s sixth year and if I had to describe the
episode in one metaphor it would be like watching a champagne cork popping and
alcohol raging forth without mercy. The idea of a jack-in-the-box in Vic’s
holosuite programme is great fun – the writers don’t even bother to pretend
that this is anything but a bit of frippery (unlike Our Man Bashir, The Bride
of Chaotica or Fair Haven that all try and shoehorn in jeopardy plots). Who
doesn’t love a heist story? I like Badda Bing Badda Bang for the same reason I
adore Ocean’s Eleven and Hustle; the creativeness of the direction, the
enjoyment of the cast and general pizzazz that the piece radiates. The reason
why the rehearsal scenes in Dark Frontier didn’t work is because when we got to
experience the real thing later in the episode it plays out in exactly the same
way meaning that we have had to watch the same material twice. The rehearsal in
Badda Bing Badda Bang works so joyously because it shows us how everything is
supposed to fall into place at each stage and then the reality of the situation
trashes all over their carefully orchestrated scheme with marvellously chaotic
results. The fluidity of the camerawork in the rehearsal is like water running
from one stream to the next, its absolutely flawless and it continues right
through to the heist itself. Nice that Robert O’Reilly should get a little
cameo out of make up. At one point Vejar impresses with a 360 degree camera
spin across the gambling tables and that isn’t an easy feat to pull off.
Brilliant POV of the empty safe and dramatic close ups as Frankie realises he’s
been had. The pan along the bar with the DS9 crew all turning around to watch Frankie
Eyes being ejected from the premises is cheesy as hell and I love it.
The Bad: Did anybody not think Sisko would turn up at the
door when they are one man down? We’re back in Disney territory!
Moment to Watch Out For: Check out the montage after the
rehearsal discussions and then tell me that this isn’t the finest ensemble that
Trek assembled? Odo zipping up Kira’s dress and kissing her on the shoulder,
Kassidy doing up Sisko’s tie as he practices rolling the dice, O’Brien and
Bashir staring through the glass of water straight at the audience and the crew
walking down the Promenade in slow motion to a jazzed up version of the DS9
theme tune. These guys were just made for each other. Plus the image of
a black man and a white man arm in arm singing a song is what Star Trek is all
about.
Fashion Statement: No matter what your preferences are this
episode has something very tasty for you to look at. For the ladies and the gay
guys in the crowd it’s the chance to see Avery Brooks and Alexander Siddig
suited and booted and looking as sharp as. And for the gents and anybody who
finds women easy on the eye you can enjoy the scantily clad Ezri and Kira and
all manner of skimpy costumes and flesh on display. The guard that Kassidy
flirts with is an absolute hottie too.
Orchestra: A wonderful, wonderful score that
highlights how unique this episode is. Its stylish, lively, sunny, snazzy and
damn catchy! During the actual heist I was practically dancing on my desk
chair! And who ever knew that the DS9 theme tune leant itself so well to being
spunked up and papered so slavishly over an episode? This is one soundtrack
that deserved its own CD release.
Result: Its DS9’s last piece of fluff so it pleases me to
report that it is warm, witty and rather wonderful – a chance to bask in the
incredible chemistry between the cast and have a high fluting adventure in
Vegas at the same time. As much as this is a gift to the DS9 cast and chance
for them to dress up in some fabulous clothes and have a great deal of fun together
it is also a present to Mike Vejar who is out and out (only Allan Kroeker holds
a candle to him) the greatest directorial find in modern Trek. Between them
they get to bring a great deal of sensuality (I love all the casual intimacy
between the cast), energy (every scene is packed with detailed choreography)
and frivolity to the screen and it all climaxes on one hell of a musical number
that informs us that things are about to get even better. A massive shout out
for everybody involved in bringing this episode together from the set designers
to the hairstylists and costume designers and the musician – its an extremely
attractive looking and sounding piece that sees everybody falling in love with
the period atmosphere. A crazy, colourful adventure with great performances and
infectious energy, Badda Bing Badda Bang might be rejected by hardcore Trek
fans but that just leaves more enjoyment to be had by the rest of us. The best
is yet to come indeed but what we are getting now is also of a standout quality.
Happy viewing: 9/10
Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges written by Ronald D. Moore and
directed by David Livingston
What’s it about: Section 31 has an assignment for Bashir…
Single Father: Sisko reports that officially Starfleet has
made an announcement that they are appalled at the very notion of Section 31
but unofficially they have quietly brushed any investigation into the
organisation aside. They know about it and they are happy for them to
operate in the shadows as long as nobody finds out about it.
GE Doctor: That bloke Bashir has had an incredible run of
luck in past the couple of seasons, hasn’t he? Our Man Bashir, The Quickening,
Dr Bashir, I Presume, Inquisition…its been one knockout episode after another
(and to think he started out with episodes like The Passenger and Melora!).
Inter Arma is his last standalone episode and fortunately it is one of his best
with the good Doctor proving to be adept at weaving his way through the
deceitful plots of Section 31 and the Romulans and having the wool pulled over
his eyes at the same time. If there is one thing you could say about Bashir it
is his belief in the ideals of the Federation and he still upholds them to this
day despite everything that he has seen. Its during this episode where the
scales finally fall from his eyes and he sees how far up to the neck the
Starfleet is in it when it comes to their tactics to win the war. What’s clever
is how Bashir is on the right track throughout most of the episode – he
correctly guesses that Sloan has a Romulan ally – but is too naïve to take the
deduction to its darkest conclusion. Its only once you have already watched
this episode that you can see how dexterously Bashir is manipulated into
turning to Cretak for help and thus putting her squarely in the firing line. He
ends this episode staring darkly into space and pondering the revelations that
this piece has thrown up and I don’t think a character has felt more like me in
this shows entire run.
Section 31: ‘Have you come to take a bow?’ Sloan
proved himself to be a great actor last year by convincing Bashir that he was
working for Starfleet security to test whether he was a Dominion spy. He’s
equally adept in this episode pretending that he has only just met Bashir by
accident in front of Ross and Cretak and lying his way through each and every
scene until the last where his true motives are revealed. He’s such a skilfully
crafted character because you never know what he is telling you is the truth
but Sadler delivers every line with such sincerity that you are beguiled into
believing him anyway. The snippets that he gives the audience about Section
31’s role and the sort of work they do is enticing to say the least. Sloan will
casually talk about assassinating Romulan dignitaries if that will further the Federations
best interests. Can you imagine what Picard would say if he were privy this
conversation?
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘I must say I’m disappointed at hearing
you mouth the usual platitudes of peace and friendship regarding an implacable
foe like the Romulans. But I live in hope that one day you’ll come to see this
universe for what it truly is rather than what you wish it to be.’
‘This war isn’t over and you’re already planning for the next.’
‘Let’s make a deal, Doctor. I’ll spare you the ends justify
the means speech and you spare me the we must do what’s right speech. You and I
are not going to see eye to eye on this subject so I suggest we stop discussing
it.’
‘Pull your head out of the sand and take a look around
Doctor – these are not nice people we are dealing with here!’
‘I’ve spent the last year and a half asking young men and
young women to die – I like that even less!’ ‘That’s a glib answer and a cheap
way to avoid the fact that you’ve trampled on the very thing that those young
men and women are dying to protect!’
‘The Federation needs men like you, Doctor. Men of
conscience, men of principle…men who can sleep at night.’
The Good: Klingon/Romulan tension is always a joy and could
you detect the ice cold hatred between Kira and Cretak in the first scene? Kira
might be an administrator but that doesn’t mean she has to like the people she
works with, especially after the woman was ready to blow her up at the
beginning of the season. You might think that this is going to be a ‘Garak
returns to Romulus’ episode given his appearance in the pre titles sequence but
it manages to surprise you before the credits have begun by making this a
Bashir piece and re-introducing Section 31. Its always nice to see our plain
and simple friend anyway and his casual racism is a riot! I have waiting for
the return of this perfidious organisation ever since they were introduced in
Inquisition because they are so a glorious window into the darker side of the
Federation that the franchise usually shies away from. Oh and we get William
Sadler back who gave one of the most impressive guest performances of the
previous year. I loved hearing Sloane’s projection of future conflicts because
it goes to show just how far Section 31 thinks ahead. Oh the irony of setting
most of this story on the Voyager sets but featuring a script that is far
denser and more intelligent than anything they could have come up with in their
entire seven seasons. I love that they use these sets which are usually the
setting for fluffy action adventure tales and having dark and devious plots
brewing in them. It opens a window to the sort of show that Voyager could have
been. The Romulan Tal Shiar and Section 31 are both nefarious organisations so
pitted one against the other for an episode promises a great deal of
stratagems. Leave it to the Romulans to consider the Quickening virus the
Dominion used an effective weapon rather than a abhorrence that needs to be
eliminated. Have we visited Romulus before in Star Trek? Not to my relocation
and certainly not on DS9 so it makes this trip an exciting one off that another
trip to Bajor, Quonos or Cardassia wouldn’t be. Ross suffering an aneurysm
works a treat because it feels like Bashir’s allies are being removed and the
net is closing on him. Once Bashir truly gets his hands dirty and is taken into
a back room and tortured I had absolutely no idea how this episode was going to
end. The framing of the scenes before the Senate are very nicely done, its
great to see David Livingston providing such memorable visuals in his last DS9
episode. The next great surprise is when Sloan is brought before the Senate and
made to account for his made up crimes – could Section 31 really be a figment
of his fevered imaginings? John Fleck gives an impressively sinister turn as
Koval and there isn’t any point in this episode where you would even suspect
that he is anything but a loyal Romulan politician. The final twists are great
– Koval is working for Starfleet, Ross is the one who has manipulated Bashir so
thoroughly, the war has afforded Section 31 to come out of the woodwork and
shake hands with Starfleet so openly and Cretak was always the intended victim.
Can nobody appear on DS9 and not get their hands dirty? Eddington seemed like a
safe bet until he was revealed to be the leader of the Dominion. Our next hope
for humanity was dear sweet Admiral Ross but this episode exposes even him as
getting in bed with the enemy to ensure the safe running of the Federation.
Thank goodness none of the TNG crew made a significant appearance on this
show…I would hate to tarnish any of their bright, appealing images with some
DS9 dirt.
The Bad: A shame that they had to recast Cretak but the new
actress does a fine job so its more of an annoyance than a hindrance.
Before the Final Chapter: I find the accusation that season
seven ignores the Dominion war until the final ten part arc really hard to
swallow especially since I have just reached that point in the season during my
marathon rewatch. Lets take a look at the evidence –
Image in the Sand: Scenes with Damar and Weyoun discussing
the war plus a Romulan presence on the station because of the war.
Shadows and Symbols: A raid on a Dominion shipyard.
Afterimage: Garak’s claustrophobic attacks are directly
linked to his intelligence reports on Cardassia to bring down the Dominion
alliance.
Treachery, Faith and the Great River: The Founders disease
introduced and Weyoun’s new clone defects to the Federation.
Once More Unto the Breach: An attack on a Dominion base.
The Siege of AR-558: A bloody fight to hold onto a Dominion
listening post.
Its Only a Paper Moon: Nog is dealing with post traumatic
stress after the siege of AR-558.
Field of Fire: A murderer loose on the station whose motive
is linked to the war and the loss of his shipmates.
Chimera: Much discussion of the Founders and their conflict.
Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges: Federation political
machinations putting safeguards in place because of the current Dominion
conflict.
Which leaves Take Me Out to the Holosuite, Chrysalis, Covenant,
Prodigal Daughter, The Emperors New Cloak and Badda Bing Badda Bang and I know
there is a mention of the war in each of these stories. I honestly think if the
producers had had their own way and condensed this into a season long arc
without any deviations from the war it would have grown quite tiring by the end
– it would have been a season of Babylon 5! Throughout this year there are
strong step forwards in the arc to get all the pieces in place for the final
marathon long arc, a ten episode epic to tie everything up. It was the best
possible outcome – although I would have tossed away the middle episodes
(Daughter and Cloak) and saved more money for the finale.
Moment to Watch Out For: Just as everything has been wrapped
up very neatly with Sloan’s exposure and death along comes the confrontation
between Bashir and Ross. Where we realise Bashir isn’t as daft as he might
seem. Where we realise that Ross has dirtied his hands in a major way. Where we
realise that Starfleet is completely aware of Section 31’s messy plots and is
helping them implement them. A scene that confirms that Sisko’s dark plans in
In the Pale Moonlight weren’t a one off and perhaps the Federation has only
maintained its pristine image by dirty methods behind the scenes. If this might
seem like another one off plot that leads to murder and corruption there is an
even nastier surprise to come in When It Rains… With its fantastic performances
and fantastic dialogue, this is a moment that proves that things will never
quite be the same again.
Result: I love the four episode run that takes place before
the ten episode arc because it shows categorically why DS9 attracted the
following that it did with an eclectic but equally strong group of episodes.
There’s a fun and tense murder mystery, a poignant love story, an energetic
comedy and finally a razor sharp conspiracy thriller. Section 31 using Bashir
as an undercover agent visiting Romulus? That’s a premise that would get
anybody excited! Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges is one of the most impressive
scripts of the last season because it keeps piling on layers and surprising
with its plot developments until the very last scene – you go into it expecting
something dark and twisted and you depart breathless that the series would
actually penetrate this darkly into the heart of Federation. I refuse to
believe that anybody knew where this episode was heading when they first
watched it, Ron Moore deploys the master craftsmanship of Agatha Christie by
constructing a piece full of red herrings and a plethora of suspects and then
saves the best surprise until the very end. There is a feeling of paranoia and
claustrophobia as the lies close in on Bashir and an elaborate trap is sprung
to catch an innocent victim. Choosing a favourite scene is hard because the
dialogue kicks some serious ass throughout (when Ronald D. Moore left Star Trek
it was a real loss to the franchise) but the final climactic moment between
Bashir and Admiral Ross must rank high as one of the finest scenes in the
franchise. If the Final Chapter can produce anywhere near this quality as DS9
sprints to a climax we will be in great shape and with episodes such as The
Changing Face of Evil, Tacking Into the Wind and The Dogs of War still to come
season seven is about to kick some serious ass. A triumphant espionage drama, a
top notch Bashir episode and a skilfully constructed dialogue piece for David
Livingston to bow out of this series on: 10/10
Penumbra written by Rene Echevarria and directed by Steve
Posey
What’s it about: Worf and Ezri get lost in the past whilst
Sisko and Kassidy think of the future…
Single Father: ‘Stay on the path, Benjamin…’ It’s a
great point to start being reflecting since the show is about to come to an end
and the first scene of Penumbra sees Sisko deciding to build a house on Bajor
and move down there with Kassidy during his down time. Given his first reaction
when he stepped foot on DS9 was to try and get reassigned he has come such a
long way since then with regards to his feelings towards the planet and his
role in its mythology. Just this year Sisko has learnt why ‘he is of Bajor’
because his entire life has been manipulated by the Prophets, the very reason
he was brought into being was because of them. He was also still hurting
because of the loss of his wife in Emissary but since then we have seen those
wounds heal and him move on and forge a life with Jake and a relationship with
Kassidy and now he is ready to commit again and start another family with her.
Its all very refreshing, positive development. From the moment he stepped on
the station nothing has turned out how he imagined it – that’s true for Sisko
and the audience too.
Freighter Captain: When Sisko first told Kassidy about his
real mother she was really surprised but the more she thought about it, the
more she realise what an amazing thing it was. The proposal scene is very
understated which is just the way I like these things and you genuinely believe
that these two have bond together. When she melts under his proposal and he
purrs ‘I love you’ its difficult not to melt yourself. Kassidy wants a nice
simple affair (its so refreshing to hear a woman say that) but forgets that she
is marrying the Emissary of the Prophets and ‘people are saying that this going
to be the biggest wedding Bajor’s ever seen!’
Mr Wolf: And thus begins Worf’s head fuck as Ezri rescues
him from the Badlands and he gets lost in the past. It bothers Worf that Ezri
knows him so well because of Jadzia’s memories. When he returns to the campfire
and shoves a beast on the floor and cries ‘dinner!’ I laughed my head off! What
a funny bloke. Its easy to see how he and Ezri end up in the clinch that they
do because their sniping behaviour screams of two people that want to get their
clothes off and roll around in front of the fire.
GE Doctor: Bashir criticises Captain Boday for being an
opinionated and arrogant womaniser which is exactly what he was in season one!
Its proof that Bashir has come quite a way on this journey too!
Quirky Counsellor: ‘She’s a Dax. Sometimes they don’t
think, they just do…’ The writers very quickly got a handle on this
character (I guess they had to with the limited screen time left for her) and
know exactly where she is going and what she needs to get through in this ten
episode arc to complete her journey. I’m glad she gets such a central role in
the early episodes of the Final Chapter and especially that she was paired up
with Worf because de Boer and Dorn have such winning chemistry. Learning that
Worf has gone missing during a Dominion attack Ezri cannot ignore the feelings
instilled in her by Jadzia for the man and heads off in a shuttlecraft to find
the man she used to love after the search is called off. Her fake static as
Sisko tries to order her back is really funny and her plan to cut the runabouts
engines and allow the currents to toss the runabout to where they took Worf
proves she is no slouch in the brainbox either. For somebody who gets space
sick that’s quite an ask. She’s sick of not being able to discuss with Worf the
things that they have in common and finally lets rip on the arrogant sod. Ezri
is so tiny so that when she grabs Worf’s head and snogs the face off him I was
cracking up!
Community Leader: Quark thinks up the most vacuous reason
for Worf trying to stay alive but the simple fact that he is trying to make
Ezri feel better sees him trying to be a good friend.
Slimy Snake: When Dukat was telling Kira that he has come to
know the love of the Pah Wraiths in Covenant it was hard to believe a word that
he said but when he says the same thing to his old friend Damar it becomes all
the more frightening because he has no reason to lie to him. Seeing Dukat as a
Bajoran is one of the best surprises of the year so far and you have to wonder
what the hell he is up to.
Wily Weyoun & Pretender to the Throne: Weyoun sighs
wearyingly as he informs Damar that once again the Federation have become aware
of one of their outposts. You get the feeling that he is as sick of the
continuing war as Sisko is. Damar talks about the sacrifices that Cardassia has
made for its alliance with the Dominion and how not one family hasn’t lost
somebody. Oh Damar, you aint seen nothing yet. Damar is still
entertaining women behind his wife’s back and drinking too much. He’s in a
slump of depression and looking for relief in all the wrong places.
Malleable Monster: The Female Shapeshifter is falling to
pieces, scabby and weak from the disease that is tearing through the Great
Link. They haven’t been able to find a vaccine for the disease and proving how
ruthless she is she orders the Vorta Doctors eliminated and their replacement
clones activated because as fresh eye might bring better results. Weyoun is
happy to give this order but he looks genuinely scared that he is just as
disposable.
The Good: The Badlands effects have just gotten better and
better over time and now the plasma storms look absolutely three dimensional as
the curly in front of the screen and toss the runabout about. I really like how
quickly Worf and Ezri have to abandon the runabout after being fired upon –
usually these scenes take forever and we have to go through the rigmarole of
watching the ship crash land on the nearest planet. This time it doesn’t even
make it into orbit, it’s a sudden attack that leaves them stranded in about
half a minute! The introduction of the Breen is very sudden and unexpected and
hinges the story in a new direction. What role do they have to play in the
Dominion war?
The Bad: Dukat’s return to the series couldn’t be more
underwhelming. It should have been a massive moment but he simply walks through
a door very casually with nary a musical sting or dramatic camera angle to be
seen. I’m glad Worf brings up Trill reassociation but the show does seem to
want to skip over what was a very serious crime in Rejoined quite airily.
Moment to Watch Out For: Just as Sisko is about to go ahead
and marry Kassidy and be happy for a change those pesky Prophets pop up with
portents of doom again – this time about his future wife! ‘If you do you will
know nothing but sorrow…’ There comes a point when you might want to tell them
to fuck off out of your life! Still these ominous whispers promise exciting
things to come…
Result: Penumbra is unlike any other DS9 episode in that its
sole purpose is to kick start most of the plots that will be bubbling away in
the next ten episodes but has no intention of resolving any of them. On one
hand I might have hoped for something with a little more oomph to kick start
the final arc but on the other the slow build of tension does pay off in the
last ten minutes and leave you wanting more and the material that makes up the
episode is all good stuff. Primarily its about Sisko and Kassidy and Ezri and
Worf and with them you have the epitome of a DS9 romance (genuine feeling, a
shared history, respect for each other) and a Voyager one (sitcom antics and
thinking with their bodies). Both are fun to watch but the former shits all
over the latter because I am emotionally involved rather than superficially so.
With the return of Dukat, the inclusion of the Breen and the reawakening of the
disease plot there is plenty of substance but everything is all a bit too quiet
at this stage to be truly engaging. It’s like a massive jigsaw that has only
just begun, you can see how this could be a satisfying whole but we’ve only
assembled the edges so far. This isn’t entirely satisfying as an episode but as
an opening instalment to a ten part arc there is a lot of rich material here: 7/10
‘Til Death Do Us Part written by David Weddle and Bradley
Thompson and directed by Winrich Kolbe
What’s it about: Will Sisko marry Kassidy? Will Winn kiss
Dukat? Will Damar shake off his depression? Will Ezri and Worf reconcile their
differences? And what the hell are the Breen up to?
Single Father: You might think that any reasonable man might
tell the Prophets to go hang themselves (as I did in the last review) after
telling Sisko not to marry Kassidy but taking a step back for a minute and
considering his history with these beings actually shows that this a tough decision.
The Prophets gave him his life back when he moved to Bajor and allowed him to
move on from Jennifer’s death, they blasted an entire Dominion fleet into
oblivion at a crucial point in the war and prevented the takeover of the entire
Alpha Quadrant and recent he has discovered that they are the very reason he
exists. He has owes them a lot. And yet his heart sings for Kassidy and he
knows that it is right to be with her. Sisko has that crushed look down pat
every time it is announced that Kai Winn is approaching! The choice he makes to
go ahead with the wedding is a bold one especially after the ominous warnings
during the ceremony but that just makes him a more kick ass kind of guy than I
already thought he was.
Freighter Captain: Kassidy’s reaction to Sisko’s warning is
much calmer than I would be but she has already shown that she understands how
much the Prophets mean to him. She walks away rather than confront him or make
the choice harder and cannot disguise the hurt in her face.
Tasty Terrorist: There hasn’t been much in the way of
Kira/Sisko scenes this year but this episode rectifies that with a great moment
when Sisko reveals he has called off the wedding and Kira backs him up saying
that he should go against the Prophets. One thing I will say about Kira she has
always remained faithful to her belief throughout the show even when it might
prove to be an unpopular decision. She does attend the wedding to support her
friend but she cannot hide how she feels about it.
Mr Wolf: Clearly Worf has been catching up on the latest
repeats of Doctor Who since he has tried everything from ‘my cellmate is ill’
to ‘short circuit the door’ to try and escape the Breen cell. Its devastating
because Worf so tenderly declares his love for Ezri and her body language
screams that their roll in the hay was a one off mistake.
Spiritual Leader: Winn’s appearance in the ten part arc is
where it goes from good to great. She’s so much fun as a villainous schemer and
yet here (like season fives Rapture) we are about to probe much deeper than
usual to see what makes her tick. Her no-nonsense dialogue always makes me howl
and I especially love it when she butts into Sisko’s wedding plans and takes
over assuming that he didn’t ask her to originally because he must have thought
that she was busy! As if! When she admits to Sisko that the Prophets have never
spoken to her it is through gritted teeth and spitting jealousy and Louise
Fletcher absolutely nails Winn’s awe when what she thinks is the Prophets
finally do consent her a vision. The though of Winn and Dukat together is
enough to make you feel quite nauseous and yet its so deliciously perfect that
two such powerful villains should pair up – no matter how unknowingly – that it
makes you wonder why they haven’t done it before! Winn leaps out of bed when
Ahnjol comes calling in the middle of the night, barely having time to do her
hair and straighten her nighty! It would appear that the spiritual leader of
Bajor has carnal needs too! Ugh!
Slimy Snake: There is a gorgeous moment between Dukat and
Damar where he reminds his old friend that the fighter he once knew is still in
there despite how much the Dominion has beaten him down. The guileless role he
plays as Anjol is so skilfully done that despite the similarities in features
to Dukat you would never guess it was the same man. He manipulates Winn from
the second he walks through the door and I was on tenterhooks waiting for the
penny to drop throughout! Dukat is clearly as good a performer as Marc Alaimo
and I love the way he supplicates himself in front of Winn (casting his eyes
downwards, always humble and apologetic) but slowly grows in confidence as each
scene progresses.
Wily Weyoun: Hilariously Weyoun isn’t even bothered that
Damar has helped turn Dukat into a Bajoran – he thinks of him as some pesky
insignificance with crazy delusions!
Pretender to the Throne: Damar is a tragic shadow of the man
he once was, woken by Weyoun in a drunker stupor with his greasy hair hanging
around his face and ladies underwear strewn on his bed.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘This is no time for your jokes!’ ‘It’s
no time for Klingon chest thumping either!’
‘It seems a shame to let something so beautiful go to
waste…’ – Quark chipping in with a beautiful line at the right moment.
Dreadful Dialogue: ‘Kiss me Julian!’ – really? That’s
the best you thought of doing this?
The Good: You just know that Winn’s vision is not the work
of the Prophets, its bleached blood red and the entities close in on her in a
menacing fashion. Its very dramatically done with sinister performances and low
angles. As soon as we see Dukat swaggering down the Promenade the reason for
his cosmetic treatment becomes clear and his involvement suddenly becomes a lot
more interesting. I love the way that the Breen suddenly appear (especially
cutting through Ezri’s dream-talk) and torture Worf with their pain sticks.
It’s a really effective way of showing the danger these two are in the way they
are casually tortured. I wont write a section for Solbor because he doesn’t
have much to contribute but heavy sighs and disdain for Ahnjol but he does it
so well! The Female Shapeshifter is looking more ill than ever but has hatched
a plan that Damar isn’t going to like…I love all this foreboding atmosphere. I
can’t help but compare shows when it comes to something like marriage but ‘Til
Death Do Us Part has quite a lot in common with a Voyager season seven episode
where two of the regulars get married because they show the two characters
doubting the relationship before the wedding take place. However Voyager’s
vacuous excuse for a relationship shows B’Elanna upset because Tom always wants
to tinker with toys rather than spend it with her whereas DS9’s doubts are full
of substance and are tied into the mythology of the series and the journey of
its characters. Its another example of why I prefer this show. Its hilarious
that every time Worf and Ezri start talking about their feelings the Breen turn
up suddenly to interrupt them! Its almost as if they heard my prayers! The
Dominion and the Breen are joining forces and Ezri and Worf are Weyoun’s
prisoners…more please.
The Bad: All of Ezri’s dream bollocks struck a bum note with
me…it strikes me as Deanna Troi mumbo jumbo and a really lame way of getting
Ezri to admit to Worf how she feels about Bashir.
Moment to Watch Out For: How ominous is that moment between
Sisko and Sarah during the wedding ceremony? What dangers is his mother warning
about?
Result: With its emphasis on the Sisko/Kassidy wedding, the
Breen making a dramatic impact and the strong use of some DS9’s finest
recurring characters (Winn, Dukat, Damar and Weyoun) this is much stronger
puzzle piece than Penumbra and is packed full of memorable moments. What I love
about this episode (and the next) is that it doesn’t go down the route of
throwing space battles and major developments by way of juggling Empires (that
all comes later) but instead it kicks off this arc by focussing on two of DS9’s
greatest strengths – the incredible acting talent of the cast this show has amassed
and the top notch range of characters it has nurtured. The highlight for me is
the material between Marc Alaimo and Louise Fletcher because the pair of them
run with what is a truly fantastic idea – Dukat and Winn getting it
together! The way that Dukat manipulates Winn is a joy to watch especially
since she thinks she is in control of this relationship the whole time and I
can’t wait to see where this goes. I could do without the Ezri dream talk but
at least we get to see Worf tortured a bit and DS9 once again proves that it
can take a strong theme (calling the wedding off) and use its cast to chip in
with their opinions and create some fine drama. Again this is just another
piece of the puzzle but ‘Til Death Do Us Part is far more dramatically satisfying
than the opening instalment and closes one storyline whilst opening others. I
would happily enjoy more episodes of this type but things are about to get
bigger, bolder and more remarkable. I can’t wait: 8/10
Strange Bedfellows written by Ronald D. Moore and directed
by Rene Auberjonois
What’s it about: Winn discovers who her allegiances are
really with, Ezri and Worf come to an understanding and Damar is pushed to take
action…
Single Father: ‘And so…the battle begins!’ Sisko’s
marriage is still given some consideration and after a genuinely glowing scene
with Martok where he discusses the virtues and the woes of being married he
returns to his quarters and discovers that controlling the little woman might
not be as simple as he thought! Kassidy married him but she didn’t convert to
Bajoran religion and she’s not going to suddenly start acting as though she
believes in the Prophets as he does. Good for her for sticking to her own
believes and telling him where to go! I understand there was a further scene in
this episode planned where she does give in and attends the Bajoran ceremony
for her but actually I prefer the episode as it goes out with her sticking to
her guns.
Quirky Counsellor: Suddenly the Ezri/Worf relationship is
being handled by Ronald D. Moore so their scenes are suddenly much funnier and
fulsome and blood entertaining! Worf declares that he was seduced and betrayed
by Ezri which leads to a very amusing bitch fight! I’m so glad Ezri tells Worf
off for going on about honour and her line ‘I hate to burst your bubble Worf
but was never that good!’ made me crack up. Worf eventually admits that
he doesn’t love Ezri as he loved Jadzia and they both decide to put their
dalliance to rest and focus on being good friends. It took a little too long to
get here but it’s a satisfying conclusion and would lead to some lovely scenes
in subsequent episodes between them.
Spiritual Leader: ‘You’ve sacrificed everything for them
and how have they rewarded you? They’ve appointed an alien Emissary, they’ve
rejected you at every turn…even now they wont speak to you!’ Winn is
completely under Dukat’s spell (although she still doesn’t know that he is
Dukat) and it makes for some deliciously loathsome moments. She’s feeding him
in bed and flirting outrageously with him and he is still nudging her
unknowingly in the direction he needs her to go. She proves that she isn’t
completely shallow and after the mucky stuff is out of the way she wants to get
to know Ahnjol better. Things that might seem trivial to him mean a great deal
to her. Winn expresses sheer horror at learning she has been contacted by the
Pah Wraiths and not the Prophets. It’s a massive moment for the character
because it working with these creatures goes against everything she has
believed in for her entire life. You suddenly realise with absolute clarity why
the Prophets have never spoken with Winn. They can see the future as well as
the past and can see her entire life mapped out before them and her allegiance
with the Pah Wraith clearly marks her out as an enemy. It seems almost cruel
that this woman should be used as a pawn by these elemental forces but she’s
seen to be so conniving in the past that it almost feels deserving at the same
time. Or maybe its because she has been manipulated so that she has been such
an inveterate schemer. Maybe that is what these forces wanted her to be and she
is actually the shows biggest victim? Winn is so desperate that she turns to
Kira to confess her sins and the Colonel genuinely thinks that she can be redeemed
if she steps down as Kai. It’s the one point where Winn could turn this all
around but no matter how many doubts she has about her faith her ambition still
reigns supreme and nothing would make her give up her power. It’s the
point where she signs her own death warrant and turns her back on everything
that could have saved her. Its quite voyeuristic to watch this play in
retrospect. She thinks she is making the decision to walk the path of the Pah
Wraiths now when she has been doing so her entire life. The difference is she
only realises about their presence in her life now.
Slimy Snake: Dukat literally saunters through the corridors
of DS9 as Winn’s faith crumbles to dust. What a bastard.
Wily Weyoun: One of the best Weyoun episodes yet and one
where he gets a huge slice of the
action and a chance to be witty , lecherous, acerbic, toadying and, well, dead.
The Weyoun clones have afforded the show some very black humour and all the
gags surrounding the sudden death of Weyoun and his reappearance a few scenes
later really hit the spot (‘Maybe you should talk to Worf again!’).
Pretender to the Throne: Damar has reached breaking point
since the Dominion is not even treating the Cardassians as second class
citizens anymore…now they’re third class citizens behind the Breen.
Unbelievably a secret itemised treaty has been drafted offering territorial
concession from Cardassia to the Breen but it doesn’t list what they are! The
Dominion is literally giving chunks of the Empire away! Damar has to act and
act soon to regain his peoples dignity. It’s a fascinating turn of events that
we should suddenly feel for Damar so much when last year he was probably the
shows most hissable villain. Damar throwing the drink in the mirror is a very
telling moment because this is exactly what he has been doing for the past year
- drowning himself in booze when he cannot face what he has become. Damar takes
the opposite road to Winn. She had the chance to step down and redeem herself
but refuses whereas he has the chance to step up and redeem himself which he
makes the decision to commit to here.
Imperiatrix: ‘With the Breen at our side the Federation
will not be able to stand against us. They’ll be erased from the face of the
galaxy!’ The Female Shapeshifter looks scabbier and more desperately ill
every time we see her but she can hold her shape for short periods to keep up
appearances in front of their new allies.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Over the course of our marriage I have
won my fair share of battles but in the end I know she will win the war!’
‘You have the biggest ego of any man I have ever known!’
‘Considering how many men you have known that is quite a statement!’ – oooh!
Miaow Worf!
‘Go! Crawl back to your Prophets! Beg their forgiveness!
Live the rest of your life in Sisko’s shadow!’
‘The Founder! She wishes to speak to me. She’ll have to be
told about this!’ ‘Oh I’m sure she’ll understand and if she doesn’t I’ll look
forward to meeting Weyoun nine!’
‘I remember when I first saw the gate of the Celestial
Temple. I was on the Promenade. When it burst into view this whirlpool of
colour and light the people all around me were in awe. They said they could
feel the love of the Prophets washing over them. Do you know what I felt
Ahnjol? Nothing. Absolutely nothing but I smiled and pretended that I
did because it was expected of me. I’ve never admitted that to anyone. They’ve
never spoken to me, never offered me guidance, never trusted me with the fruits
of their wisdom and now I’m supposed to step down as Kai in order to be blessed
by them? No. I have worked too hard, waiting too long to give it all up
now. The Prophets have turned their backs on me after all I’ve done, all the
pain I’ve endured for them. I’m a patient woman but I have run out of patience.
I will no longer serve Gods who give me nothing in return. I am ready to walk
the path the Pah Wraiths have laid out for me’ – a truly impressive dramatic
reading by Louise Fletcher and the best Kai Winn scene to date (a hotly
contested category).
The Good: I love the way we cut from Weyoun and Damar
talking about Septimus Three and how the Dominion will pretend the Cardassian
garrison to Sisko and Martok laughing about how it will be crushed in the
upcoming fight. Its odd to see the Federation as the conquerors whilst those
who should be the enemy are painted as the victims. DS9 has never taken the
black and white route and this is another great example of why that is a rich
approach. Martok describes marriage as a long gruelling intoxicating war!’ Ron
Moore certainly writes the richest dialogue, doesn’t he? Rene Auberjonois is no
slouch when it comes to directing DS9 and he has picked up so much in the
handful of episodes he has helmed. I like how he frames scenes (Dukat purring
in Winn’s ear in the mirror), how much exposure he gives the actors (he affords
Nicole de Boer and Michael Dorn some extreme close ups during their feistier
moments) and how he slowly tracks in on characters so the screen starts off
empty but slowly fills with nothing but what we need to be concentrating on
(this works wonderfully in reverse in the scene where Winn begs the Prophets to
talk to her and we pull back from her piteous pleas to the Orb box that she is
supplicating to). Only DS9 would have scene as gorgeous as the one where Weyoun
tries to provoke Ezri into betraying the Federation before have Worf snap his
neck! Damar’s reaction of laughing his head is priceless! I love the shots of
Cardassia at dusk, they are very evocative. Winn’s latest vision is fluidly
shot and stylishly framed. It was during this episode that I realised just how
often we head behind enemy lines in this series and how much depth it affords
its bad guys. It offers a far more absorbing conflict when both sides are
characterised this strongly.
The Bad: Proving that the human characters don’t have much
to offer at this stage of the game there is an utterly pointless contractual
scene with Bashir and O’Brien at Quarks which adds absolutely nothing to
proceedings but to remind us that they exist.
Moment to Watch Out For: Winn’s journey in this episode is
incredible but the scene that really gets to me is when she sitting on the
floor and begging to the Prophets to speak to her. I never thought I would be
able to feel so much for her and Louise Fletcher is willing to take the
character to such a pathetic low that I really admire. Its mesmerisingly good.
Foreboding: What we need to see was what the Breen could
bring to the war (besides that shrill electronic whining) but we don’t have to
wait very long. Sisko is about to suffer a couple of wounding blows in the next
episode…
Result: The best Final Chapter episode yet. I love
how much time they are devoting to the recurring guest characters and proving
once again how much richness they can bring to the series. Strange Bedfellows
is all about making bad choices and trying to deal with the consequences in the
best possible way. Damar has allowed the Dominion to crush the Cardassia in
their palm as they attempt to take the Alpha Quadrant, Winn has gotten into bed
with the Pah Wraiths and Ezri and Worf have slept together. Ronald D. Moore
charts these three storylines but adds his own unique brand of dialogue and
character that raises it above the first two instalments. If you had told me
last year that by this point in the show the two characters I would feel most
sorry for would be Damar and Winn I would have laughed in your face but it is a
another example of how DS9 manages to advance and surprise with its characters.
Whilst Marc Alaimo and Casey Biggs have a great deal to offer Strange
Bedfellows is owned by an exceptionally powerful performance by Louise Fletcher
who has never been better. Weyoun is killed, Damar is plotting the Dominion’s
downfall, Dukat is having a whale of a time destroying Winn’s faith and the
Ezri and Worf have resolved their differences…Strange Bedfellows continues the
momentum of the last two episodes and paves the way for some dramatic twists in
the next episode: 9/10
The Changing Face of Evil written by Ira Steven Behr &
Hands Beimler and directed by Mike Vejar
What’s it about: Bajor, Cardassia, DS9, the Defiant…its this
series in a nutshell!
Single Father: Its official! Nobody touches Sisko’s peppers!
The scenes on the station are as joyful as ever and I am loving this trend of
following Sisko and Kassidy’s marital problems. She’s trying to cheer him up
because of the bad news about Earth and he is trying to protect her from being
hurt by the Dominion…the trouble is neither or them are very good at it but
their hearts are in the right places! You can understand why Sisko is so
protective of Kassidy because he lost his first wife in a battle where an
implacable foe was attempting to attack Earth. The situation with the Dominion
is even more volatile and dangerous but Kassidy is fearless and refuses to live
her life in the shadows just because her cargo ship might be attacked at
some point. She well and truly gives him a piece of her mind when he tries to
arrange for her to have a month off work to keep her safe and he responds by
giving her flowers and champagne. Unbelievably bad timing interrupts (because I
think he was on promise if you know what I mean) and Ross turns up with news
that requires Sisko to head into battle and risk his life once again. Sisko
struts around the Bridge during the battle as though his ship is invulnerable
and it makes his loss even more painful.
Mr Wolf: How refreshing to hear Worf goading Ezri about her
feelings for Bashir rather than condemning her for them. Theirs is a friendship
I think would have really grown had the series continued because its in a
really good place at this point.
Pretender to the Throne: If you would have told me that
Damar would become the ultimate Trek hero in season seven and the one character
I was rooting for more than anybody I would have laughed in your face. Very
long and hard. He was slipped into the series almost invisibly in Return to
Grace and turned up in subsequent episodes about Dukat until he was established
as his right hand man during the attack on DS9 in Call to Arms. From there is
how role just grew and he was shown to be a loyal soldier and a nasty
misogynist and his lowest act was murdering Ziyal in cold blood to save her
father from defeat. Since Dukat was stripped of his command Damar has been
trying to fill that hole ever since and doing a terrible job of it. Its not a
role he sought or was capable of performing and he has been manipulated by
Weyoun and the Dominion ever since. The Cardassians have literally been canon
fodder, the first wave of troops sent into every battle to cushion the blow for
the Dominion soldiers behind. Damar has lost any sense of self respect and has
turned to drink and women to try and keep his spirits up but as the death toll
for his people rises daily and he is continually insulted and losing all authority
over the fate of his people. Over the past three episode we have seen him look
at the black hole of despair inside himself and try and reach in and find some
dignity and strength to fight back. And that’s where we are in The Changing
Face of Evil. Damar is finally smiling again, working to bring down the
Dominion whilst still pretending to be controlled by them and waiting with a
big surprise for Weyoun who is more cajoling than ever. Its been a fantastic
character arc and the best part of it is that it isn’t over yet. This is a real
high for the character and the series and yet there are still six episodes to
go to explore this character and the consequences of his actions here further.
Wily Weyoun: It’s a lovely roller coaster episode for Weyoun
which allows Jeffrey Combs to play a massive gamut of emotions. He begins the
episode with an air of euphoria as the Federation casualty reports are revised
after the successful attack on Earth (something he was lobbying for as far back
as Sacrifice of Angels) and ends it in with a look of paranoia as his very life
might be threatened by those around him and everything in between is just as
delicious.
Spiritual Leader and Slimy Snake: More top notch material
with Kai Winn and Dukat that climaxes on a truly phenomenal scene where she
realises who he really is. I love how the two of them and Solbor dance around
each other in this episode and given their strained relations it is clear that
before the piece is over one of them is going to exit stage right. It really
surprised me that that person wasn’t Dukat and just how far Winn was
prepared to go now she has sign up to the Pah Wraiths cause. Solbor’s heavy
sighs just get better here and I laughed when Winn suggested that she was going
to spend the day studying and meditating and in walks Dukat her charismatic
lover! Dukat is lavishing compliments and poetry on the Kai to keep her
focussed on the task but her doubts are creeping in regardless. By studying the
text of the Kostamojan and working towards freeing the Pah Wraiths Winn is
heading down a dark path and Dukat is at her shoulder at all times purring in
her ear that she is doing the right thing. Its gorgeous viewing. As long
as he keeps talking about power and ambition Winn is like putty in his hands. I
get the impression that Dukat really enjoyed smacking Solbor around – he
gleefully tosses him off screen like a rag doll! She had the chance to redeem
herself in Strange Bedfellows by stepping down as Kai but she chose power over
humility and she has another chance here by rejecting Dukat when she discovers
who he is (and is clearly horrified by the fact) and supporting Solbor to have
him removed but instead she murders her aide because he might expose her part
in all of this. Killing her most faithful friend over the man who enslaved her
planet, Winn is now beyond redemption and has to see this thing through. What
makes these scenes so powerful is how Louise Fletcher can make all these grand
character moments and despicable decisions seem full of doubt and horror. She
isn’t a pantomime villain in any way but a living, breathing person who feels
she has been backed into a corner and has to lash out to protect herself. Her
ambition has lead her to this point and now she has blood on her hands. Its
vintage Trek and great drama and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘There’s something different about you
today Damar I can’t quite put my finger on it. Its almost as if you’re only
half dressed…you don’t have a bottle in your hand!’ – poor Weyoun has no idea
why Damar has suddenly regained his confidence but he’s sure going to find out
pretty soon…
‘How would you like it if I called Admiral Ross and said ‘do
me a favour, please don’t send my husband on any dangerous missions this month?’
‘That’s what happens when you share your toys…’
‘We’re going to lose many fine soldiers’ ‘At least they’ll
be dying for Cardassia and not the Dominion’ – and there is the crux of why
Damar is fighting back.
‘Poor Captain Sisko…I believe he was quite fond of that
ship!’
‘And so two years ago our government signed a treaty with
the Dominion. In it the Dominion promised to extend Cardassia’s influence
through the Alpha Quadrant. In exchange we pledged ourselves to join the war
against the Federation and its allies. Cardassians have never been afraid of
war, a fact we’ve proven time and again over these past two years. Seven
million of our brave soldiers have given their lives to fulfil our part of the
agreement and what has the Dominion done in return? Nothing. We’ve
gained no new territories, in fact our influence throughout the Quadrant has
diminished and to make matters worse we are no longer masters in our own home.
Travel anywhere on Cardassia and what do you find? Jem H’adar, Vorta and now
Breen. Instead of the invaders we have become the invaded. Our allies have
conquered us without firing a single shot. Well no longer. I call upon
Cardassians everywhere. Resist! Resist today! Resist tomorrow! Resist until the
last Dominion soldier has been driven from our soil!’
‘Legate Damar may be the key to saving the Alpha Quadrant…’
The Good: The Breen have attacked Earth! Oh my God! Of all
the pre titles cliffhanging hooks that ranks up there as one of the best and
its attention grabbing enough t ensure that the Breen entering the war is never
forgotten. The shot of the carnage they left behind (the Golden Gate Bridge is
in tatters) is very memorable and its another very personal cost for Sisko and
his crew. Suddenly the war feels as if it has stepped up a gear and nothing is
safe anymore – not is Starfleet HQ can be reduced to scrap! And strangely
because of this terror attack it genuinely feels as if both the series and the
war is coming to some sort of climax because it has come to a point where the
stakes cannot be any higher. Not even the Borg managed to attack Earth so what
else is there to be put a stake? I love the way this episode is lit so
evocatively but variedly from location to location. Of all the scenes the ones
in Damar’s quarters and the setting sun across a day in the Bajor scenes in
particular stand out. The text of the Kostamojan has a lovely air of dark
mythology about it and brings a touch of Tomb Raider t the series that would be
explored further as we head into the Fire Caves in the last episode. Watch the
interplay between the regulars as they head off into battle – they share
fantastic chemistry at this point and yet when called for they really bring the
gravity of the situation home. There is a silent sequence as they approach the
fight which has an intensity of its own and you know this isn’t going to
be your usual skirmish. Something big is going to happen. The one foothold the
Alliance has managed to make into Dominion territory is about to be snatched
back and then every loss the Federation has suffered is compounded because they
have nothing to show for it. It’s a quick, savage fight (I love the slow motion
explosions) with fantastic effects and (for once) a very clever use of
technobabble as various crew members chip in with the systems that are failing
and forcing Sisko to make the decision to abandon ship. Even when they all
piled out of the ship I still thought there was going to be some trite
interruption that saved the Defiant because the ship has been with us now for
five seasons. It was only when the ship was literally torn in half and you
could see its guts hanging in space that I realised they were going through
with this. Oddly this had more of an impact on me than Jadzia’s death did last
year – it feel like a massive loss to the show. That is one emotional
explosion. It says something about Dominion psychology that they are willing to
let Sisko and his crew go free in their escape pods to spread the message of
fear to the rest of the Federation. It’s a really cruel thing to do but its
also one of the mistakes that the Female Shapeshifter makes that costs her the
war. As if finding out that Ahnjol is Dukat and murdering Solbor wasn’t enough
to rock this fantastic narrative the book feeding on blood and exploding with
knowledge is the icing on the cake.
The Bad: The Breen have attacked Earth! Wasn’t this worth an
entire episode on its own? The fact of the matter is that this show isn’t based
on Earth and has far more ties to Bajor and Cardassia and the characters that
live there and that is where this episode spend most of its time.
Moment to Watch Out For: The closing scene of The Changing
Face of Evil is one of the highest high points in DS9’s entire run. Damar’s
speech to his people is fantastic (quoted in full above) and the way it cuts to
the different reactions of the entire cast of this show – the good guys and the
bad guys – exposes just how building up such a great cast of characters can
really pay off in arc twisting moments like this. The way the writers offer a
double blow to the crew (Earth being attacked and the Defiant destroyed) and
then hand out salvation from a truly unexpected source is enough to make you
scream out your love for this show. Weyoun’s reaction in particular is a
scream. Beautifully acted, written and directed – its Star Trek at its very
finest.
Result: Wowza! This is what the first four episodes
have been leading up to and its one killer twist after another in the last ten
minutes! With the show now taking place on two planets, a space station and various
spaceships it feels more epic than ever and with Mike Vejar in town he gives
each a very different visual look. The first half an hour of The Changing Face
if Evil is one knockout character scene after another with Winn, Dukat, Damar,
Weyoun and our regulars all at the top of their game as the many narratives
entwine around each other. They gather momentum slowly and then explode during
the climax as the Defiant is destroyed in an unforgettable space battle, Solbor
is murdered at the hands of the Kai and then in a conclusion of pure triumph
Damar publicly announces that Cardassia has turned against the Dominion and
their days are numbered. Its an episode that offers highs and lows to all of
its characters and reminds you of what their core beliefs are and why they are
fighting this war. Its beautifully packaged by Mike Vejar and feels with its
planet hopping, dazzling effects and slick camerawork that DS9 has become a
movie franchise. But ultimately it sees the war move on in leaps and bounds and
flaunts DS9 greatest weapon – its cast. Visual splendour and surprises are
vital to a shows success but the reason I keep watching this show so avidly is
because I care about these characters and am constantly surprised at the acting
talent on display. One of DS9’s best ever episodes: 10/10
When It Rains written by Rene Echevarria and directed by
Michael Dorn
What’s it about: Kira and Garak join the Cardassian
alliance…
Tasty Terrorist: ‘You want me to go behind enemy lines
and teach a bunch of Cardassians how to be resistance fighters?’ It’s one
of the best ideas in a very strong final season and is loaded with so much
irony I could almost believe that the Kira’s journey throughout the series and
the fate of the Cardassians had been planned just so we could get to this cheer
out loud development! If you had asked Kira to do this in the first season she
would have spat in your eye and then gouged it out for good measure. She hated
the Cardassians with such a passion during the aftermath of the Occupation that
the idea would have been abhorrent. But since then she has met more than a few
Cardassians that she liked (Maritza, Ghemor) and has come to appreciate the
threat of the Dominion and how this resistance group would benefit them. The
irony of her going back to her old role as resistance fighter but this time
fighting with her old oppressors against their oppressors is ripe for
great drama. When Damar murderer Ziyal (I’m glad somebody remembers that) he
killed somebody that Kira considered to be a part of her family and the thought
of working with him leaves a very ugly taste in the mouth. Old wounds are
opened when the Cardassians that they have come to help try to remind Kira that
her lover was once in cahoots with her enemy.
Unknown Sample: The twist that Odo is infected with the
Founder’s disease comes at a point where Odo really needed to be dragged into
this story and boy what a personal way to do it! It’s a little strange that Odo
held off from showing symptoms of the disease until the revelation had made
itself aware…but it works in dramatic terms because it shows that his days are
numbered.
GE Doctor: The whole Bashir/Ezri awkwardness could have been
cringe-inducing but we have O’Brien in the background making fatuous comments
and winding his friend up (‘I haven’t seen you in days!’). Just as we
seem to be heading into sitcom territory (Bashir thinks Ezri and Worf are back
together) and massive plot twist leaps between them and cuts this thread dead
for a while! Hurrah! There’s a gorgeous moment where Bashir is trapped in a
bureaucratic nightmare trying to find out as much as he can about Odo’s illness
and is pushed from pillar to post by Starfleet. Little does he realise that
they are covering up their own involvement in a genocidal plot to wipe out the
Founders but as he keeps pushing the dark truth emerges. Alexander Siddig is
fantastic in this scene.
Pretender to the Throne: Back on Terok Nor during the
Occupation of the station Damar used to tell Rosot how much he despised Kira
but that is a luxury he can no longer afford.
Plain and Simple: Of course Garak is going with Kira and Odo
to Cardassia. Not only will his skills be invaluable but the one thing that he
has been working towards by giving Starfleet so much intelligence is to
liberate his people. Now he has the chance to do that in person and he isn’t
going to miss the opportunity.
Spiritual Leader: ‘Do you really believe I could let
myself be touched by a man whose hands are stained with the blood of my
people?’ The cat is most definitely out of the bag as far as Dukat is
concerned and the Kai is disgusted that she has slept with a man she has
reviled for so long. Winn is so convincing in her concern for Solbor’s safety
you might almost think that she hadn’t murdered him herself!
Qapla: Robert O’Reilly is such a presence in any scene he is
in so it’s a delight to see him back in the show. I chuckled out how they
skipped over Gowron and Worf’s previous tension with a few lines – any other
character and I might have been annoyed by Gowron is a politician and they have
often been known to switch their allegiances depending on which way the wind is
blowing. He plays his hand very well by coming to the station to honour the
many battles that Martok has won and immediately afterwards snatching away his
authority and taking command. Martok was becoming increasingly popular with the
troops and Gowron knew that if he was to retain his title he was going to have
to kick him back into the ranks and take over. It’s the worst possible news for
the Alliance though because Gowron is a politician and not a military tactician
and he is about to make some questionable decision in order to humiliate
Martok.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘How nice. And now that the
formalities are over lets not forget that our enemy is the Dominion and not
each other.’
The Good: With the Breen energy dampening weapons causing
such a dramatic impact on the war (crushing the Defiant single handedly) it has
fallen to the Klingons as the only line of defence for the Alliance since their
ships aren’t affected. It’s a nice way to shift the emphasis away from the
Federation and onto the Klingons for a couple of episodes and bring Gowron back
into the action. It’s more important than ever that the Klingons take their
role in this war seriously and not simply enjoy the thirst for combat but with
Gowron’s political ambitions riding high things are about to get a lot worse.
Its great that both sides have suffered a loss – the Federation can no longer
fight which is a crippling disadvantage but the Dominion has to cope with
Damar’s resistance group which is sabotaging their offensive from behind enemy
lines. At this stage of the game the outcome of the war is still up for grabs
by either side. It was only in the wake of The Changing Face of Evil that I
realised that the series had manoeuvred the Cardassians into exactly the same
position that Bajorans were in during the Occupation. They got in bed with the
Dominion because they thought it would bring them the same sort of power they
had during the Occupation but instead (as Damar so eloquently put in the last
episode) ‘our allies have conquered us without firing a single shot.’ I love
any story with a rebellion movement (a staple of Doctor Who) because it gives
you a chance to really engage with the cause they are fighting for and
sympathise with those who are willing to fight their oppressors. With DS9 the
waters are ever muddy and it is the bloodthirsty, all conquering Cardassians
that make up the resistance movement this time so we are completely for their
cause but cannot help but question whether they had this coming given their
past. It’s a gorgeous scenario and adding Kira and Garak to the mix
makes it irresistible. Let me get this straight – Starfleet sanctioned a plot
that would drag the Romulans into the war and cause a massive amount of
casualties for their people, they got in bed with Section 31 to drag a Romulan
politician into the mud and to ensure that the Alliance with them stays intact
until the wars conclusions and now they are exposed as having deliberately
infected Odo with a disease that would murder all of his people. I have no idea
what Gene Roddenberry would have said about this but it is terrific drama and
pushes the boundaries of where Star Trek can go in terms of its core beliefs.
This powerhouse revelation takes us back as far as Homefront/Paradise Lost
where Odo must have been infected and Broken Link/Behind the Lines where he
must have infected the Female Shapeshifter and taken the disease to the Great
Link. It gives those four episodes much more meaning during a rewatch of the
show and provides a punch in the face to those who still defend Starfleet as a
morally superior organisation. I love all this stuff and I am certain that Odo
(and Bashir) are going to have some serious questions to ask about Starfleet’s
approach to fighting a war in future episodes. Kira talking through her
knowledge of terrorism is a highlight because much of what she says comes from
experience (she knows that if they don’t attack bases that have Cardassians
posted at them then the Dominion will realise this quickly and post them at
every strategic target).
The Bad: Like Penumbra, When It Rains comes to a grinding
halt in its last scene just as everything is getting really juicy…lucky Ronald
D. Moore gets to pick up all these exciting threads!
Moment to Watch Out For: In an episode that is packed full
of wonderful moments of irony – Kira being forced to fight for the Cardassians
and Odo being the one who infected his people in the first place – my favourite
(as usual) belongs to the Dukat and Winn narrative. To have Dukat try and usurp
the dark secrets from the text of the Kostamojan from under Winn’s nose and to
be punished by the Pah Wraiths by taking away his eyesight is glorious to
watch. In the ever playful tug of war between these two characters now Winn has
the upper hand and chooses to give Dukat a (long overdue) lesson in humility by
tossing him out on the streets to live the life of a blind beggar! I was
applauding the first time I watched this – it’s the sort of twisted fate that
DS9 revels in. Winn’s little smile as he is thrown out is fabulous.
Fashion Statement: Why did nobody think to put Kira in a
Starfleet uniform before? She looks gorgeous!
Result: Much like Penumbra this is a reasonably quiet
episode (at least in its execution) that gets on with setting up narratives for
future powerhouses but what sets it apart from Rene Echevarria’s last
contribution is how dark the material is and the wonderful scenarios that it
conjures up. Kira is off to Cardassia to help her old sparring partner to fight
dirty against the Dominion, Odo has the disease that has poisoned his people,
Dukat is blinded and forced out onto the streets of Bajor to beg for scraps and
the Federation is revealed to have instigated a plot to commit genocide. There
is no part of that sentence that doesn’t kick some serious ass and then turn
around and give you another beating when you get up. There’s also the return of
Gowron and his meddling in Martok’s handling of the war. Most of these plot
developments are taken to a whole new level in the next (and superior)
instalment but they are still introduced very evocatively. My favourite scenes
are the Dukat/Winn ones because the performances are as relishable as ever but
all the scenes between the newly formed resistance fighters are top dollar as
well (especially with the inclusion of Garak). This ten part arc was the only
possible option that DS9 could have taken to have even begin to have wrapped up
all of the character and plot arcs this series has developed but halfway
through now and it is proving to be a catalyst for some of the finest drama the
show has ever produced. When It Rains is an example of the arc that is pausing
for breath but even these episodes are packed with twists, wonderful dialogue
and great performances. Most shows lose their way in their final year (TNG
certainly did) but DS9 is bucking that trend and going out in real style: 8/10
Tacking into the Wind written by Ronald D. Moore and
directed by Mike Vejar
What’s it about: Kira and Odo head a dangerous mission to
capture a Jem H’adar ship whilst Worf has to tackle the thorny problem of
Gowron…
Single Father: ‘Do whatever it takes Mr Worf. Those
Klingon ships are the only thing out there between us and the Breen. Gowron is
risking the safety of the entire Alpha Quadrant and he has to stop…’ Sisko
is scarier than he has ever been before in this episode. Avery Brooks always
seems to relish the chance to delve into the good Captain’s darker side and he
performs miracles with this material. Not everybody would be brave enough to
scream in the face of a Klingon chancellor but since Gowron is sacrificing the
war to advance his career Sisko gives him a right tongue lashing. In what must
be considered a watershed moment for the character Sisko as good as orders Worf
to assassinate Gowron in order to put his homicidal machinations to an end. A
Starfleet commander ordering a politician to be murdered? This was has well and
truly pushed its ‘good guys’ into making some very dark choices and this is the
most attention grabbing yet.
Tasty Terrorist: ‘I love him Garak. D’you really think I
wouldn’t notice?’ Its one of the most touching examinations of Kira and
Odo’s relationship (if its not stronger than Chimera it is at least as
affecting) yet as she watches him slowly deteriorate and tries to pretend that
she cannot see how weak he is getting. If it allows him a shred of dignity to
pretend to her that he isn’t weakening then she is willing to go on pretending
that she doesn’t know anything until the day he dies. There are few scenes in
DS9 as satisfying as the one where Kira kicks the shit out of Rosot – the last
time I felt this much elation at somebody getting a good seeing too like this
was Damar in Behind the Lines. Its another reminder of how Damar used to be.
Rosot genuinely believes that Kira is enjoying sending Cardassians to kill
Cardassians, he cannot get over the fact that the Bajorans kicked the
Cardassians off of Bajor and regained their independence and that prejudice is
given a good beating. ‘I guess I hit a nerve’ ‘No…this is hitting a
nerve!’
Unknown Sample: What a horrid disease this malady has turned
out to be and when we see Odo shivering, scabrous and barely able to move it is
a harsh reminder of his torture in season three’s The Die is Cast. In that
episode Garak was the one inflicting the pain but now he is trying to comfort
him. But this is Odo we are talking about and he has no use for pity…he just
wants to get on with his work and try and cope with his illness as quietly as
possible until something can be done about it. Odo genuinely thinks that Kira
knows nothing about his condition and it as much a declaration of his love for
her that he would prefer to spare her that knowledge as it is a declaration of
her love for him that she allows him to enjoy that illusion. When the walls of
pretence come crashing down in the climax and Odo can no longer hold his shape
it is a very touching moment between the two characters where she just holds
him close.
Mr Wolf: ‘What I have done was for the Empire. A new day
must dawn but I am not the man to usher in that day…’ Worf has come so far
since he joined the cast of DS9. Entering the show in what is considering a
turning point for the show he was used quite ineffectively in his first year
only serving to increase the quota of Klingon episodes. But very quickly the
writers got a handle on this most charming of characters and realised that they
could do something with him that TNG would never have dared (and don’t even
mention that old sweaty bollocks about him and Troi getting together – ugh!)
and that was to put him in a long term relationship with Dax. We had two
fantastic years with these two together and Worf was seen to lighten up like
never before (with still the occasional moment of stubborn gruffness…he
wouldn’t be Worf otherwise!). In the advent of his wife’s death we got to see
him go through the grieving process and become good friends with her (very
cute) successor. Throughout all of this he has formed a bond with Martok,
joined his house and become a powerful man amongst his fellow Klingons as he
fought battle after battle in the Dominion war. That leaves one remaining plot
element to tie up and that is his long term conflict with Gowron. When It Rains
handled that rather briskly but it was just leading us off on a false scent and
with permission from Sisko he can hatch a plan to finally get rid of his
nemesis and give the Klingon Empire a leader that can truly herald a new
beginning. What makes this material so rich is that it is grounded in Worf’s
history on DS9 – it has nothing to do with anything that came before that.
We’ve seen this love/hate relationship between Worf and Gowron development to
epic proportions and now it is time to bring the affair to a dramatic
conclusion. And what a conclusion it is! He tries to take the diplomatic
approach and encourages Martok to challenge Gowron’s authority but his brother
refuses to commit treason even though he can see that Gowron is trying to ruin
him. Martok cannot imagine a single Klingon warrior swearing an allegiance to
somebody from such humbled beginnings as him but Worf has the foresight to see
through such prejudice (perhaps the Federation did instil some goodness in him
after all) and appreciate the dignity and glory who could bring to their
people.
GE Doctor: Wow, Bashir is barely recognisable from the
callow youth he was back in season one. Here is a man who is willing to work
until he drops to save Odo’s life, keep secret a genocidal plot concocted by
Starfleet from his commanding officer and tell his best friend to get out of
his face whilst he tries his best to cope with a bad situation. It takes
O’Brien to make Bashir realise that he isn’t going to find a cure and that they
are going to have to lure an agent of Section 31 to the station and force one
out of them.
Quirky Counsellor: Worf vocalises that he considers Ezri to
be a worthy successor to Jadzia. Its what she needs to hear more than anything
and in return she tells him what he needs to hear more than anything. Ezri has
a far less romantic view of the Klingons than Jadzia did and she thinks that
their current way of going about things (ruling through corruption and murder)
deserves to be brought to an end. ‘If you’re willing to except someone like
Gowron’ she tells Worf ‘then what hope is there for the Empire?’ A great
scene for Ezri.
Plain and Simple: It’s a measure of how fond we have grown
of Garak that he is the one we trust the most out of everybody in the
rebellion. However he hasn’t lost his edge and I love the image of him hiding
in the shadows watching Kira dish out some pain to Rosot and considering the
ramifications. Garak taking up arms against Rosot to save Kira during the
climax is a punch the air moment.
Rebel Leader: Damar initially supports Rosot and his bullish
ways because he has been his friend for many years and he represents everything
that Damar believes a Cardassian should be. Its when he receives the news that
the Dominion has caught up with his family and murdered them that he realises
things have to change on Cardassia. They have to change. In a moment of
breathtaking tension Kira reminds Damar that he was exactly the sort of officer
that ordered the deaths of women and children just as the Dominion have done to
his family. It’s a shocking reminder of past conflicts but its like throwing
cold water in his face. He finally wakes up to the reality of the situation.
The Cardassians can no longer behave like that – he can see the situation from
the other side now and understands that what they did during the Occupation was
wrong. Rosot is still championing that way of life but Damar understands
that they have to be better than that if they are to have a future.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘If I don’t want pity from the woman I
love why would I want it from you?’
‘If Damar destroys another shipyard he will have to kill a
great many of his own countryman as well. This will help turn his people
against him.’
‘To kill her and my son. The casual brutality of it. A waste
of life. What kind of state tolerates the murder of innocent women and
children? What kind of people give those orders?’ ‘Yeah Damar what kind of
people give those orders?’
‘Its very honourable’ ‘Better, albeit a little obvious’
I can’t believe that line came from Worf’s mouth! Bloody hilarious!
‘Kahless said great men do not seek power…they have power
thrust upon them.’
‘He was my friend. But his Cardassia is gone and it wont be
coming back’ – Damar’s choice to kill Rosot is surprising but the only way forward
for his people. When looked at dispassionately it is a mercy killing because
Damar is right…the Cardassians can never be the way Rosot wants them to be
again.
The Good: The music and effects are all in on the deception
that sees the episode open with what turns out to be a replay of one of the
terrorist attacks that Damar’s resistance cell has committed rather than
actually experiencing it live. Their efforts are a success at the moment
because the Jem H’adar are getting sloppy rather than the Cardassians are good
at this sort of thing. Rosot encapsulates everything that is wrong with this
resistance cell – an old school Cardassian who still believes in their absolute
superiority despite the fact that they are living on the run and facing a far
superior enemy. He forgets the training the Kira has given him because he
thinks that nothing can be learnt from a Bajoran. He is what Damar used to
be and the episode very subtly points out that this is exactly what Damar
can no longer afford to be if they are going to succeed and see this thing
through. The make up for the Female Shapeshifter is ever more grotesque! She’s
starting to look like something from the diseased mind of Edvard Munch!
Everything about the raid on the Jem H’adar ship is edgily executed. There is
always something exciting about going behind enemy lines but for our heroes to
put themselves in the open like this and try and bluff their way into the heart
of the enemy is foot tappingly tense. Their plan to take Kira on board as a
prisoner and have Odo pose as the Female Shapeshifter is rather brilliant and
Garak’s homicidal actions as soon as he has a Jem H’adar weapon was shocking. I
loved Kira’s impression of the Vorta, she manages to imitate those honeyed
tones perfectly. The way Damar’s narrative plays out where he has to choose
whether to kill Kira and take the Cardassians back into the past or kill Rosot
and beckon the future is horribly inevitable. That this happens during their
already tense mission to steal the Jem H’adar ship is unbearable to watch! Like
the Worf/Gowron plot there is no way of knowing how this is going to end which
is what makes it so damn exciting! Another thing this final arc gets very right
is how it thinks through its twists and then deals with the consequences in a
satisfying way. The Breen energy dampening weapon was introduced spectacularly
in The Changing Face of Evil when the Defiant was destroyed and so the
resistance steal a ship that has been installed with the device so the
Federation can study it and counteract its effects. There are lots of stacked
developments like this throughout the arc that make the overall story flow
beautifully and satisfyingly.
Moment to Watch Out For: Worf tossing away his comm badge
(as if to strip away his allegiance to Starfleet and fully embrace his Klingon
heritage at this moment) and picking up a Bat’leth to fight Gowron is the
precursor to one of the most exquisite fight scenes in Trek. Not only is it
Worf’s finest moment but its also a fight that really means something because
if Gowron succeeds in killing Worf it might signal the end of the Alpha
Quadrant and a victory for the Dominion. David Bell’s music has never been
better and Worf crashing through glass in slow motion has to be seen to be
believed. Electrifying action that signals the end of one of the most memorable
Trek guest characters in a way we will never forget.
Result: Possibly the finest Deep Space Nine episode.
Lets be honest, DS9 isn’t really Star Trek any more at this point, is it? It
might exploit the same races that were gestated on TNG but come season seven
this is a series that has become entrenched in its own mythology and universe
and is riding high on the high quality cast of characters it has nurtured and
the story arc it has evolved. There is so little here that can be connected to
the rest of Star Trek that at this point I could happily consider them separate
entities and without trying to denigrate the franchise this is so much better
than anything you will find in the other Trek series. Its more intelligent,
more involved, better acted and written and with production values to die for
used in all the right places. Tacking Into the Wind is a great piece of
television full stop never mind the Star Trek connections. It exposes the shows
best characters in glorious fashion, it furiously continues the arc in riveting
style, it cherry picks the shows own mythology to add depth and it does all
this whilst providing gripping entertainment and moments of on the edge
tension. Outstandingly directed by Mike Vejar who deserves so much credit for
the atmosphere he brings to the piece and the cherishable performances he
coaxes from the cast. Ronald D. Moore has refined his craft to such an extent
now that you can see all the tough drama and scorching character work he would
bring to his reimagined version of Battlestar Galactica. Both are
certainly in evidence here and some excellent dialogue too. Tacking into the
Wind would easily secure a place in my top three DS9 episodes: 10/10
Extreme Measures written by Bradley Thompson & David
Weddle and directed by Steve Posey
What’s it about: Bashir gets the chance to wander around
Sloan’s brain to discover the cure for Odo’s disease…
Single Father: Sisko’s underplayed reactions to all the
schemes that Bashir was eager to keep from him was actually very amusing.
Duping Starfleet medical, luring somebody from Section 31 and their plan to use
a Romulan mind probe…all very underhanded. The fact that Sisko expresses
surprise but doesn’t stop his officers proceeding with this plan shows just how
far he is willing to turn a blind eye to this sort of thing there days.
Tasty Terrorist: For Kira (who lost Bariel in similar
circumstances on a bio bed in Bashir’s infirmary) it must be extremely hard to
see Odo in a similar situation and about as far from the strong, solid man she
has fallen in love with than you can get. She loves his so much at this point
Kira literally doesn’t care how Odo looks.
Unknown Sample: Odo is such a realist and demands a time
frame from Bashir of how long he is expected to survive. He might be being
selfish but he wants Kira to continue working with Damar to undermine the
Dominion – he doesn’t want her to spend his dying days mooning over her the
same way she did with Bariel. He doesn’t want the last thing he sees to be pain
in Kira’s eyes.
Everyday Engineer: O’Brien wants to come with Bashir into
Sloan’s mind but not because he doesn’t want to be the one left alone to
explain to Sisko their lunatic scheme but because he has clearly come to love
the guy and wants to look after him.
GE Doctor: Bashir sits outside as Kira and Odo say good bye
looking for all the world like a big fat failure. We realise with some horror
as Bashir has done that it would have taken the work of at least 73 people at
Starfleet to have put the genocidal plan to murder the Founders into action
(including Admirals and Doctors). Bashir can barely stop himself from laughing
when Sloan points out that the Romulan mind probes he is about to use on him
are illegal in the Federation (‘I hope you can appreciate the irony in
that…’). Sloan thought Bashir was just an idealist but now he believes he is a
dangerous man who would destroy the Federation with his do-good values.
Section 31: Sloan tries his scare tactics on O’Brien by
subtly mentioning his wife and children but Bashir isn’t impressed. He knows
these are the words of a desperate man who has been beaten. I hate to be
dismissive of trying to add depth to a character but this is one time where I
don’t feel it is necessary. I don’t want to meet Sloan’s friends and family and
get to appreciate why he does what he does. He’s much better off staying as a
mysterious, shady character whose motives are unclear, its much more
interesting that way. What I want to know is the sort of things that he has
been up to the past – how much established Star Trek history he has been
directly involved in. Assassination attempts or nudging governments to act? The
writers could have had great fun ret-conning all kinds of Trek tales by adding
a Section 31 presence. Instead we get to listen to Sloan making speeches to his
family before he ‘dies’ which is fine on the superficial level because Sadler
is such a good actor but I was expecting so much more.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Genocide committed by people who call
themselves Federation citizens?’
‘This organisation! This thing that has slithered its way
into the heart of the Federation! It has to be destroyed…’
The Good: The first scene between Odo and Kira is
deceptively beautiful and leads you to believe that this is going to be a very
sensitive piece. To be fair Bashir and O’Brien’s plan to capture somebody from
Section 31 and force them to reveal what they know about the disease is
innovative and daring and should have led to a really exciting episode. I love
Bashir’s simple way of shutting Sloan up – turn of the forcefield and shoot
him! It fills me with pride to think that somewhere in the heart of DS9 there
are two Federation officers mentally torturing an intelligence agent for the
greater good. Try hard as I might but I cannot imagine that sort of thing
happening behind closed doors on either the Enterprise or Voyager. Sloan
cleverly has a failsafe suicide switch in his brain to activate if he is ever
in a situation like this – the typical Section 31 murder approach.
The Bad: Its extremely odd to not have a ‘previously on…’
montage at the beginning of this episode to put its many developments in
context. It just sort of begins and DS9 is so serialised at this point it must
have jarred for a new viewer to switch on in the middle of this massive closing
arc and be thrown in at the deep end with no explanations. I’m not saying that
every episode should juggle up a hundred plot threads but the last three or
four episodes have done such a great job of doing so and keeping up a great
pace that as a result a single narrative tale like Extreme Measures suddenly
feels really light and really slow as a result. A second plot line featuring
Kira and Garak heading back to Damar’s resistance cell would have done the
world of good to this episode. I thought Section 31 were supposed to be
thinkers so trap Sloan so easily behind a forcefield (I would have expected it
to be something far more elaborate) seems a bit easy. Its so
disappointing that the first place we end up inside Sloan’s mind is a turbolift
on the station – its here that my heart sunk as I realised this was going to
become a re-run of Distant Voices without the surrealism. They literally spend
a ten minute scene chatting in the drabbest, cheapest looking corridor you have
ever seen. I cannot believe the writers attempted to pull off the ‘they’re
really awake…oh no hang on they’re still dreaming’ scenario which has been done
to death at this point. I expect more from DS9 than to surrender to clichés
like this.
Moment to Watch Out For: The weirdest declaration of love
you will ever hear in Star Trek…and its between Bashir and O’Brien! In the
middle of a not-so-surreal dreamscape adventure through Sloan’s mind Bashir
decides this is the moment that he loves Ezri ‘passionately’ but he likes
O’Brien a bit more. What the hell? Of all the times for Bashir to reveal his
hot gayer feelings for O’Brien! I’m at a loss as to why this was included when
their plutonic bromance has always been a constant delight without having to
spell out how they feel for each other. O’Brien looks very awkward at the
confession, as is the audience.
Result: In typical Deep Space Nine fashion there has to be
one point in an outstanding run of episodes that stumbles and Extreme Measures
is the only episode during the final arc that comes as an unhappy surprise.
Whilst that is great going on the whole it is frustrating that there should be
a break in the momentum at the eleventh hour. To be fair the first third of Extreme
Measures is rather good with a touching scene between Kira and Odo and a focus
on a depressed Bashir who is trying to come to terms with how Starfleet is
corrupted by Section 31 and leaving me wondering how far he would go to stamp
it out. After several expensive budget bursting episodes it was time to save
some money before the climax of the series so we’re stuck with a jarringly
linear piece set on stock sets and unfortunately Weddle and Thompson opt for
something a little too simple after the multifaceted Section 31 shenanigans in
Inta Arma. Despite the dark undertones this is the only episode in the last arc
that feels like clichéd Star Trek with Bashir and O’Brien wandering around
inside Sloan’s head in a not very interesting dreamscape discovering very
little about his character and his secrets. I was hoping for so much more.
There’s a moment when Bashir is a heartbeat away from being able to rifle
through Sloan’s darkest secrets which is the angle this episode should have
took throughout. DS9 has long proven it can provide fascinating, intelligent
stories on just its regular sets but Extreme Measures is proof that you need
the right writers to bring that to life. This is perfectly watchable but
nowhere near as interesting or as revealing as I was expecting: 5/10
The Dogs of War written by Rene Echevarria & Ronald D.
Moore and directed by Avery Brooks
What’s it about: Kira, Damar and Garak’s rebellion is
crushed and Quark thinks he has been offered the post of Nagus…
Single Father: Has enough time passed for Sisko to be given
another Defiant class ship? Would it seem right for Sisko to have fought the
final battle in What You Leave Behind without one? Who cares! The look on his
face when the ship appears on the screen is lovely and the way everybody leaves
him to get acquainted with his new ship made my heart sing. Given his many
losses during the war this is a really welcome gift from the Federation. ‘The
Founders started this war…not us’ – erm no actually Mr Sisko I think you are
mistaken there. The Dominion told you that the Gamma Quadrant was their
territory and that you weren’t welcome and the Federation with your holier than
thou ‘we can explore where we like’ creed decided to ignore that advice. I’m
not condoning their murderous behaviour since then but I think it is worth
pointing out that you were given the chance to back away and leave them alone
and when you chose to ignore that warning you suffered the consequences. An
eleventh hour pregnancy might seem like a desperate bid to get some attention
but for Sisko and Kassidy it is another natural development to their
relationship and caps off this substantial episode with one last surprise.
Brooks and Johnson work magic together now and I love his reaction when he
realises he didn’t put the condom on (sorry, have his injection). To Sisko
another child is a joy and perfect reminder of what he is fighting for. For
Kassidy is more like a warning bell because of the Prophets threats but he
assures her in that gentle way of his that nothing is going to happen to their
baby. Ooh, its lovely.
Unknown Sample: As Odo was told that he didn’t contract the
disease from the Founders but rather he gave it to them as a gift from Section
31 I was sinking into my seat. There was no way that conversation could end
pleasantly and the questions that he puts to Sisko are ones that needed to be
aired by somebody with regards to the Starfleet’s tactics.
GE Doctor & Quirky Counsellor: I’m so glad that the
writers were leading up to Bashir and Ezri getting it together otherwise I
would have had to question why so much time has been devoted to this issue when
there is so much else to wrap up. Finally we reach a development between these
two who have been tip toeing around each other ever since Ezri’s return in The
Changing Face of Evil and (again thanks to Avery Brooks’ intimate direction and
handling of the actors) this proves to be the best episode for this pair. Worf
declares that Bashir is an overgrown child and Ezri is very confused but
O’Brien can see they are made for each other and it makes no sense for them not
to leap on each other like a pair of crazed voles (growl…). Siddig and de Boer
play the scene where they decide not to take their relationship to the next
level so flirtatiously that you know the second they get a moment in private
their tongues will be performing the most exquisite ballet together! Lo and
behold in the next scene they pop in a turbolift in Ops connected at the jaw
and Worf has to send them on their merry way before anybody notices. There’s nothing
particularly deep here but its very nicely presented and fun to watch.
The Ferengi Family: ‘You’re my brother’ ‘And you’re an
idiot! But I love you…’ How lovely to see the Ferengi featured so
prominently before the end of the show and to give Quark and Rom go out on such
a high. Everybody is tossed into the mix – the Grand Nagus, Brunt, Leeta,
Moogie, Nog…and they still make me smile as much as ever when they are together
(plus it manages to get rid of that bad taste that The Emperors New Cloak left
in my mouth – hurrah!). What looks like it might be a rerun of the season one
episode The Nagus where Quark is handed the reins of power becomes some much
funnier as we start to realise just how far that planet and Quark as a
character has come since then. He’s still a greedy, misogynistic little toad
but he has been tempered by acts of bravery and kindness that seven years of
exposure to the Federation has imbued him with! New social reforms are going to
turn Ferenginar into a grotesque parody of a Federation planet and so Quark
(believing that he is to be the Nagus) intends to crush them. Quark and Rom’s
approach to Ferenginar are revealed in a cleverly scripted scene where Quark
criticises all the social reforms to the planet and Rom offers and explanation
for why each one might be a good thing. I’ve heard some people complain that
making Rom the head of the Ferengi Alliance is a daft comic book ending to a
daft comic book culture but having just watched the entire series to me it
makes a lot of good sense. Rom has proven himself to be far cleverer than
anybody ever thought, that he can step up to the plate when required and that
he has a big heart. It warms my cockles to think that we have followed him on
his journey to independence so that he can wind up in such an important
position and continue to run the Alliance in the kinder, gentler vein that has
been established over the last couple of years. It’s a great ending for him and
his final shot standing there holding the staff and unsure what to do next or
how to process the news really made me smile. He’ll do a great job. Which
leaves Quark (who does feature in the finale so its not the last we see of him)
in the unenviable position of clinging onto everything that he considers to be
great about Ferenginar; the greed, sexism and lust for latinum! His bar is
going to be the one final outpost that will symbolise everything that
Ferenginar used to be and do you know what if anybody could pull of that can
feat – literally pushing against the tide of an entire planet – my guess is
that Quark would succeed through pure doggedness. The thought of him staying on
the station with Morn propping up the bar and condemning whatever
administration is in charge also makes me smile. It’s a good place to leave
both characters. And its lovely to see Wallace Shawn one last time. He’s been
at the top of his game throughout this series (‘Good luck kid! You’re gonna
need it!’).
Rebel Leader: Everybody he knows has either been arrested or
killed and it would appear his attempted rebellion has been well and truly
crushed. With Damar so despondent at their failiure it takes Mila to inform
them that the people on the streets are still talking about his rebellion and
how they don’t believe that he is dead. Kira is no stranger to spreading
terrorist propaganda and realises that they have an opportunity here to use
Damar’s image as a symbol for rebellion. If they could sneak him onto the
streets and get him to make some rousing speeches to whip the people into a
frenzy the Dominion could have a real fight on their hands. This material works
so well because Damar (once again) is the unwilling participant in this plan.
Just as he never wanted to be the leader of Cardassia he doesn’t want to be the
poster child for a rebellion that will likely be crushed but he does everything
that is needed of him because he knows it is the right thing to do. A
reveals him as a selfless individual with nothing to lose – truly he has become
one of DS9’s most fascinating characters (and who ever saw that coming?). The
way Damar whips the crowd into a rebellious frenzy after the bombing of the
plant makes you want rise up and join him too!
Plain and Simple: ‘Don’t blame me if you don’t have any
friends left’ We get to see a whole new side of Garak as he is reunited with
his housekeeper that he grew up with (I say reunited…she’s the only person left
on Cardassia that he can turn to for help) and he acts almost human for a
change, humbled in her presence.
What’s Morn up to: Morn is present to enjoy Brunt’s disgusting
grovelling to Quark as he learns that he is indeed going to be the next Grand
Nagus.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Interesting, isn’t it? The Federation
claims to abhor Section 31’s tactics but when they need the dirty work done
they look the other way. It’s a tidy little arrangement wouldn’t you say?’ –
Odo’s condemnation of the Federation cannot be argued with and as if to prove
his point Sisko quietly acknowledges his criticism.
‘You never told me you had a secret mountain hideaway…’ ‘I
was going to surprise you.’
‘The line has to be drawn here! This far and no further!’ –
perhaps Ron Moore and Rene Echevarria should have written more of the Ferengi
episodes because this First Contact piss take is very funny!
The Good: What a pre titles sequence! If there was ever
going to be a way to whet our appetites for the approaching finale then to have
Damar, Kira and Garak’s rebellion crushed in one single blow, their ship
destroyed and stranding them on Cardassia without help is just about the most
exciting way I think they could have done it! Its such a massive development
and over with so quickly but thanks to some economical writing and Avery
Brooks’ dynamic direction this is truly a twist to remember. Massive kudos for
the effects in this scene too – both the physical and CGI effects of the ship
being destroyed give this a sense of urgency and drama. Phenomenal
stuff. Leave it to the Dominion to shoot first and ask questions later and
leave it to a Cardassian to turncoat – Damar’s rebel base is littered with
corpses and Gul Rovok strolls amongst them smugly with a Vorta representative.
The harsh Orwellian lighting in the basement set gives Kira’s situation a
visual sense of hopelessness – they are literally hiding away in an old woman’s
dirty basement with no way of getting help from the Federation and Dominion
soldiers searching each and every house for them. Its great to see Mila back
(her only other appearance was Improbable Cause in season three) and Julia
McCarthy gives a gorgeous, world wearying performance as Garak’s old
housekeeper (‘Do you want to live under the Dominion for the rest of your
life?’ ‘I’m an old woman! I’m long past caring about such things!’). To learn
that the Federation council considered giving the Founders the cure for the disease
but decided against it is pretty shocking news. Yes they are at war with the
Founders but by attempting to wipe them out in exactly the same method that
Dominion used when they deployed the Quickening does that make them any better
than them? Not in my eyes. I’m against capital punishment and this is an
interesting parallel what with the Federation fighting fire with fire – when it
comes down to it the Federation are saying that anybody that opposes their tidy
view of the world or tries to impose another will be executed and that is
unacceptable on any terms. I love the disguised swear words that they manage to
slip into the scene where the Nagus tries to talk to Quark through snowy
static. For the record the lines are ‘The contractor used substandard merchandise
the greedy bastard! What fucking mess!’ I know it is supposed to be ‘frigging’
but the static gets in the way so I’ll make it up for myself! What a great
sequence the bombing of the plant is with a slow pan down onto the setting, the
slow motion explosion and the savage way that Garak stabs a Jem H’adar in the
neck. This show definitely has not lost its bite. The Dominion is making a
strategic withdrawal into Cardassian space so they can concentrate their
resources on protecting a smaller area – it sounds like a strong plan but as
far as the Federation are concerned it is the first step back the Dominion have
made and they plan to take full advantage of it. Now we can see the playing
field for the final battle between the Alliance and the Dominion laid out we
are ready for the finale.
The Bad: Re-using old effects shots for the attacks on the
rebel bases is the only real niggle I have but its so quick I don’t mind so
much.
Moment to Watch Out For: I have watched a lot of science
fiction in my time and seen plenty of outrageously sexist outfits but the leafy
bra that Allura wears has to be the most revealing costume I have ever seen a
woman wear. Shockingly it looks rather nice and she definitely has the figure
to pull it off! Chase Mastertson fully clothed is more than a match for her
though…that woman really is stunning.
Result: This is more like it! The Dogs of War is just about
the perfect lead in to the finale that we could have hoped for and is packed
full of everything that made DS9 great in my eyes. There’s exciting action (the
pre titles sequence, the bombing), complex political machinations (Damar
rousing the people, the Dominions ‘tactical withdrawal’), belly laughs (Quark’s
declaration that Ferenginar has gone Starfleet!), domestic drama (Ezri and
Bashir get it together), character twists (Garak is finally home, Rom has
become the Grand Nagus, Kassidy is pregnant) and some powerful build up for the
final battle. If that sounds packed then marvel at how effortlessly virtuoso
director Avery Brooks makes it all look by inspiring some mighty performances
from his actors and capturing each scenario in a different but equally
impressive visual style. Watch the camerawork in this episode and you will see
a director at the height of his powers - there is a sense of movement and of
trying to shoot each scene in as dynamic a way as possible. Considering the two
main plotlines are tonally so different is astonishing that they feel like a
perfect fit for each other and it gives us the chance just before time for
Jeffrey Combs to dazzle us with his portrayal of Weyoun and Brunt. The Ferengi
family enjoy one last little adventure and there are some great observations
made about both the development of the culture and Quark’s character and he and
Rom leave the series in just about the most ideal way (with one holding the
Grand Nagus’ sceptre and the other clinging onto the vestiges of what used to
make Ferenginar great!). However my favourite plot is the Cardassia based one
and for Damar’s continued renaissance, the Garak/Mila scenes and that gorgeous
shot of Kira in the shadows as Cardassia starts rising up against the Dominion
this is one to remember. Overall this is fantastic and it’s a
penultimate episode that could be held as a great example of the many facets of
DS9: 10/10
What You Leave Behind written by Ira Steven Behr & Hans
Beimler and directed by Allan Kroeker
What’s it about: The final battle and so many goodbyes…
Single Father: ‘Maybe a year. Maybe yesterday. But I will
be back..’ I love the Sisko/Kassidy relationship (did you get that by now?)
because I find it a very convincing portrayal of an adult relationship without
all the hysterics and sitcom nonsense that most shows feel they need in order
to make a couple work on screen. Avery Brooks and Penny Johnson feel so natural
together and there is no need for them to scream and shout and behave
irrationally (like Tom and B’Elanna) to prove that they love each other. Its
subtle and rather wonderful. When the Prophets warned Sisko that marrying her
would lead to a great sorrow they were ominous words and now Kassidy is
pregnant it is open to interpretation in many ways. Did they mean something
would happen to the baby? Or that Sisko would die in battle and she would have
to raise it alone? When Jake walks in to see Kassidy suffering morning sickness
there is a lovely family vibe between these three – Jake has a new mother now
and rather marvellously it was somebody he picked out! Its been fascinating to
watch Sisko’s relationship with his ‘mother’ develop over the final season too.
Initially she was cold and aloof but with each subsequent encounter she has
become warmer and more intimate with him. She cradled him when he defied the
Prophets and chose to marry Kassidy and now she strokes his face and tells him
that his journey is about to end. If you had asked where I thought Sisko’s
journey would end the last thing I would have said was that he would ascend
into a higher being and literally become a God. It feels like a massive step
into fantasy for a show that has always kept one foot on the ground. When I
first saw this I wasn’t sure what to think. Having watched the whole series
over a year and written so much about it now makes a whole lot more sense to me
and its clear that some kind of union with the Prophets was the only way for
his journey to end. Certainly if he had been back at his desk shuffling papers
at the end of the series I would have been desperately disappointed. It makes
sense of the Prophets warning and it ties in beautifully with Odo’s homecoming
too because they will both bring a fresh perspective on humanity to the races
they joining. As Ira Behr said Starfleet Captains are like Gods to their fans
and now Sisko literally embodies that. Without all the hints and his developing
relationship with the Prophets this would have been ridiculous but with them it
adds a chilly edge to his parting, a touch of sorrow that I rather like. The
scene between Sisko and Kassidy is beautifully performed and scored (a lovely
reminder of The Visitor) – I’ve heard complaints that this scene should be with
Jake but Sisko’s priority is Kassidy now and the baby growing inside her. His
promise to return and her promise to wait leaves their relationship on a
cliffhanger that will never be resolved and leaves me wanting more. Every
finale should have a little bit of that…with DS9 I felt it more than many
others.
Tasty Terrorist: ‘Ironic isn’t it? The saviour of
Cardassia, a former Bajoran terrorist!’ Who would have predicted in the
first series that a Cardassian would be thanking Kira for helping them to
reclaim their planet? There’s a gorgeous atmosphere between the four characters
hanging out in the cellar especially when Mila starts flirting with Damar and
Kira comments on the action. How funny is the gallows humour when they are
stuck outside Dominion headquarters with no way in! Kira cannot stop laughing
and suggests that they go up to the doors and ask the Jem H’adar to let them
in! She sums up the Female Shapeshifters position quite succinctly (‘This war’s
over. You lost’). I wont say too much about Kira and Odo kissing each
other delicately on the hands and face as they say goodbye because I might
burst into tears again (big wuss) but needless to say its exquisitely performed
and shot. Season seven ends the same way season six did with Sisko departed for
places anew and Kira in charge of the station but this time it feels triumphant
rather than depressing.
Unknown Sample: Ira Steven Behr might have always known that
Odo was going home to the Link in the final episode but he didn’t send me a
memo! Odo’s parting is the one that makes me choke the most because I have come
to invest so much in his relationship with Kira in such a short space of time
and to see them part when they are so happy together is a really sad. However
his reasons for going back are perfectly understandable – honourable as Worf
might say – to teach the Founders everything that he has learnt being amongst
the solids so they can understand not to fear them (given their tactics over the
past two years good luck with that!). No it does make perfect sense but with
Odo announcing his departure along with O’Brien and Worf the aching truth dawns
that this family is breaking up and the show is over. The last half an hour of
What You Leave Behind is beautifully bittersweet in this respect.
Mr Wolf: It has been a mad, bumpy and wonderful ride for
Worf since he joined DS9. He found himself a lover and lost her in tragic
circumstances. He was the direct cause of his family’s downfall but reclaim their
honour when he murdered Gowron and placed Martok on the crest of Klingon
politics. He’s been afforded some glorious material, especially in the last
three years and he’s the one character who you can guarantee we will see again
in the movies. He’s even cracking jokes about Ezri’s relationship with Bashir
(‘I am going to kill him…’). Sticking to his Federation roots but
indulging in his Klingon heritage for a change, Worf is moving on too to be an
Ambassador on Qo’noS with Martok.
Everyday Engineer: Keiko, Molly and Kirayoshi! I thought
they had been sucked into a black hole! O’Brien’s long and fruitful Star Trek
adventure comes to a close in a typically realistic fashion with him keeping
his promise to Keiko (made in Time’s Orphan last season) that as soon as the
war is over they will move back to Earth. Whilst it might be nicer to think
that everybody will be left in a holding pattern ala the TNG crew in All Good
Things it is typical of DS9 to take the more realistic and upsetting approach
of people moving on with their lives and onto new adventures elsewhere. Its not
that he is having trouble leaving the station, its Bashir he is having
difficulty admitting that he is leaving to. To think seven years ago these guys
couldn’t stand the sight of each other but now they have been through so much
together and become the best of friends and now it is time to say goodbye. It
leaves a lump in the throat and you wonder when O’Brien is going to pick his
moment. Wisely he chooses the heart of the battle when console has exploded and
damaged his arm and Bashir cannot object because he is too busy treating him!
GE Doctor: ‘Spare me your insufferable Federation
optimism…’ I’m so pleased that they thought to include a final scene
between Bashir and Garak because their relationship has been far and away one
of the highlights of the show. Bashir tries to comfort Garak through the
tremendous loss Cardassia has suffered and it affords him one last chance to
toss an insult at the Starfleet. Garak affirms their friendship and its rather
lovely the way he puts his hand on his shoulder delicately as they part because
that is exactly the same way they met in Past Prologue. His silent parting with
O’Brien says more than words could.
Quirky Counsellor: Its very rare for skin on skin contact in
Star Trek so the first scene stands out for so much exposure to Ezri and Julian
pressing their bodies together as they talk about their first night together.
Seeing them give each other a hopeful look across the Bridge in the middle of the
battle is really nice.
Community Leader: There’s one scene that I always thought
destroyed the flow of the first half of What You Leave Behind but watching it
today it would appear that I was wrong. Quark sits in Vic’s as his friends and
family head off to war and has to wait behind to hear the news of their
survival. For once we get a glimpse into the head of this often comic character
and how he feels when those he has built his life around risk their lives.
Quark is basically the stand in for every family that waits during
wartime and it’s a rather poignant role to give him. There had to be a parting
scene for Quark and Odo because their friendship has been one of the rocks of
this show. The way that Odo refuses to show any emotion at leaving the station
and Quark and dismisses him so bluntly says absolutely everything you need to
know about how much he loves the little scoundrel.
Young Sisko: Jake is one character who seemed to slip
through the cracks this year and despite turning up quite a bit in the early
episodes of season seven his story has seemed to have ground to halt. It’s a
shame because every year there has been one episode where he has been allowed
to shine (especially The Visitor and Nor the Battle tot the Strong) but there
has simply been too much happening this year to save any room for Jake. The way
Kassidy kisses him so tenderly as he pines after his father is a lovely moment
when you realise that she is his mother now.
Rebel Leader: ‘He’s eaten everything on his plate which
explains why he is such a fine handsome figure of a man!’ Damar’s story is
practically over by the time we reach What You Leave Behind. He has achieved
everything that he needs to in The Dogs of War by rousing the people and now he
just has to see his handiwork through. I’m in two minds about his death because
part of my wanted him to go on and try and rebuild Cardassia because he has
finally earned the role as its leader but another part of me thinks this is the
more realistic option where not all of the good guys survive. Let’s put it this
way he will certainly be remembered more vividly this way as the man who
sacrificed his life for his people. The death scene itself is a little unsubtle
though – how many times can somebody be shot?
Plain and Simple: ‘My Cardassia’s gone…’ How small my
life with seem now I’m parting with the fabulous Elim Garak. By far one of the
standout DS9 characters and one who has aged to perfection like fine wine. Mila
describes him as being a deceitful, scheming child and nothing much has changed
as an adult but at least he can turn those skills to a virtuous cause in the
rebellion. There’s a shocking close up on Garak’s face when he is informed that
Locarian City has been reduced to ashes and you realise with some horror that
this is where his arc has been heading all along. He has been unable to return
home because of his past and made a life for himself on DS9. The only way he
could ever dream of setting foot on Cardassian soil again is if the current
administration has been wiped away and they aren’t going without making the
people suffer in as dramatic a way as possible. It makes him the most tragic
character on DS9; he could only have his dream come true if his home was
reduced a blasted heath and his people slaughtered. The look on his face is his
(and our) realisation of that. Its one of the few times when I would say that
seeing the violence is nowhere near as seeing the reaction to it – this moment
is all the more powerful for this being the first we have heard of it.
Spiritual Leader: ‘To think I took Gul Dukat to my bed!
One of the most hated men in Bajoran history!’ Winn is so blind she thinks
that is the worst thing she will be remembered for as she is systematically
plotting the destruction of her people. Its such a shame that they couldn’t
have linked up this plot and the war one but there is something rather
wonderful about there being a second threat waiting behind the already massive
war for Sisko. It pushes the theme of life goes on even after warfare. Now the
cat is out of the bag about Dukat she isn’t having any of his flirtatious
nonsense and demands that he calls her Eminence! Once she has summoned up the
Pah Wraiths she tosses away her Kai’s robes and basically becomes a nutty
Doctor Who villainess, snogging Dukat and basking in the power that she thinks
she will control. Poor, foolish deluded woman. Its not the sort of depth we
have come to expect from Winn but being a nutty Doctor Who enthusiast myself
its great fun to watch her embrace the dark side so fulsomely before she is
pushed off the mortal coil. She’s always been something of a villain so its
nice to see her shrug of any pretence and commit to the role. In true DS9 style
she even subverts that role in a moment of redemption just before she is
consumed by flames, telling Sisko how to stop the Pah Wraiths and save the
universe. Man I love Winn…but I’m glad she died in the last episode.
There had to be punishment for that much selfishness over the years!
Slimy Snake: I do find it very amusing that Winn has been
keeping Dukat around all this time just so she can sacrifice him to the Pah
Wraiths! And of course Dukat being Dukat knew that this was what was intended
of him but he had already assigned that role for her! I could watch these two
trying to double cross each other all day! It makes perfect sense that somebody
as egotistical as Dukat would boil down his rivalry with Sisko to ‘I’ve won,
you’ve lost’ because those are terms that Dukat has always thought in.
Much like Holmes and Moriarty there seems to be this impression that Dukat and
Sisko are long term adversaries when that was only really brought up in Waltz
and has been sidelined ever since. And like Holmes and Moriarty they get to
tussle on a great ledge and apparently plummet to their deaths. Oh and like
Holmes and Moriarty the hero survives and the villain dies. As it should be.
Bye bye Dukat, you were an awesome bad guy.
Starfleet Ferengi: Nog is piloting one of the most important
ships in the attack on the Dominion fleet. If you had told me that seven years
I would have laughed so hard that a little bit of wee would have come out. What
an incredible journey Aron Eisenberg has had with Ira Steven Behr determined to
grow the kid up and give him some independence and development. Putting Nog in
for a promotion was one of Sisko’s last official acts which seems appropriate
since he supporting the Ferengi throughout his career.
Imperiatrix: ‘Are you telling me that the Cardassian
people are rising up against us?’ Quite by chance the Female Shapeshifter has
become the villain of the final season to watch especially with Salome
Jens giving one unforgettable performance after another. There is something
oddly motherly about her tones that contrasts sharply with her disgusting
scabby face and murderous threats. Wonderfully she offers the Breen control of
Earth if they claim victory in the final battle and when they are barely out of
earshot she freely admits to Weyoun that she is dangling them a carrot to get
them to fight harder. You get a sense that she is tired of fighting now, that
their conquest techniques don’t usually play out over years because they can
normally intimidate anybody in compliance. She’s usually so calm so when she
finally snaps and starts choking Broca to death whilst screaming in his face it
is an eye opening moment.
Wily Weyoun: ‘I would give me life to save yours…’
Weyoun had to die. I wouldn’t have been satisfied with anything else but this
fate for this deliciously malevolent character. Securing Jeffrey Combs has been
a massive draw for DS9 and he has done incredible work with Weyoun over the
past three seasons. Its hard to think of a time when he wasn’t a part of the
show but he only signed up in this role in the latter third of season five.
Before he dies the Female Shapeshifter gives him the only give she has left to
bestow, telling him that he is the only solid she has ever trusted and that he
has served her well. The look of elation on his face is priceless and you get
the impression that he has died happy.
What’s Morn up to: Brilliantly Morn gets his place in the
last scene. In Quark’s bar. As it should be.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Let’s get on with it!’ – that line
couldn’t have come at a more apposite moment because I was wondering when the
fighting was going to begin!
‘Shall I have them brought here?’ ‘What for? Have them
executed. Immediately…’ and her equally wonderful ‘I want the
Cardassians exterminated!’ ‘Which ones?’ ‘All of them! The entire
population!’ ‘That will take some time…’ ‘The I suggest you begin at once…’
‘You two get out there and see that no one gets through that
door! You stay here…in case they fail.’
‘Earth’s nothing but a rotating ball of borderm!’
‘Are you still here?’ – what a great parting
line from Dukat to Winn!
‘The more things change the more they stay the same…’
The Good:
- The stacked two hander scenes showing the many domestic arrangements on DS9 mark this finale out as something very different from the rest of the franchise with a couple naked in bed (gasp!), a solid family unit (shock horror!) and a loving pair getting through the early stages of pregnancy. Its another phenomenal example of how domestic DS9 can be and with the final battle lingering in everybody’s minds it gives these scenes more meaning because at this point we don’t know who is or isn’t coming home.
- DS9 is being told on a massive scale in this final arc and its wonderful how we can jump from the station to the Defiant to behind enemy lines with the Female Shapeshifter and Weyoun to Bajor with the Kai and Dukat and onto the streets of Cardassia with Damar, Kira and Garak.
- Dominion sledgehammer tactics are precisely what isn’t needed at this stage and their second big mistake (their first being letting Sisko & Kira and the other escape in pods after the destruction of the Defiant in The Changing Face of Evil) is attempting to punish the Cardassian people for their acts of rebellion. It’s a gob smacking moment when we realise that they have levelled an entire city as retribution for a power failiure (killing two million men, women and children) and it gets the Cardassians more angry than ever. This is the sort of mistake that can turn the tide of a war.
- I love the dusky pink and yellow sky over Cardassia, its amazing how pretty they can make that Orwellian architecture look with some pretty lighting. Allan Kroeker is constantly looking at ways of shooting scenes distinctively and so we get great shots such as the ariel pan down on Vic’s bar and the slow rise from a chasm to settle on Winn and Dukat entering the fire caves. Things get even more interesting visually during the battle scenes where Kroeker suggests an almost tennis match back and forth action between the guys on the Defiant (the camera swings to the left from Sisko to Ezri) and the villains on Cardassia (the camera swings to the right from Weyoun to the Female Shapeshifter). It means that even during the talking scenes there is a feeling of movement, of dynamism. Another nicely framed sequence is the treaty being signed after the war is over with the Dominion representatives on one side of the table and the Federation on the other and the camera slowly pans along as Ross makes a speech.
- Its an almighty humdinger of a final battle despite the recycling of some old effects shots with so much batting back and forth between the heroes, the villains and the rebels it has a dizzyingly dramatic whiplash effect! The old effects used are still fantastic shots but you can’t help but feel sorry for a production team that weren’t given the budget to pull of their grand ideas with fresh effects. However they are intersped with some glorious shots from the movies or Klingons being sucked into space and Bridges being torn to pieces – the result is something that feels breathtakingly dramatic, even more so than when they were first used in Sacrifice of Angels and other episodes. However there is a wealth of new CGI too and my favourite moments are two innovative set pieces. One features the Defiant doing an impressive 360 degrees turn where we get to see the war playing out from all angles and the other is a dominating shot of the Defiant facing the camera and looking as though it is coming at you in 3D. They may not have had the money they wanted but that didn’t stop them giving their all.
- There is a perfect example of why the Dominion has to be overthrown when Jem H’adar troops murder and old woman on her doorstep (Mila) and toss her dead body down the stairs. What a horribly unjust end for a lovely character. Whilst he might have had it coming there is a great moment when Weyoun reports that the Cardassians have turned against them in the battle and focus is on Broca’s imminent death. Weyoun’s ‘I wont miss him’ made me howl (he’s so deadpan) as he was dragged onto the streets and stabbed to death by two Jem H’adar soldiers!
- Bombs exploding, Kira grabbed by Jem H’adar soldiers and dragged into the light and a sudden cut to spaceships exploding in space – I don’t know where this is all going but its bloody exciting!
- I remember when I first watched this I couldn’t quite get my head around seeing the Cardassians opening fire on the Breen and the Jem H’adar and it took an explanation from Nog to knock it into my head! But boy did I punch the air…even more so than the Klingon intervention in Sacrifice of Angels. That’s where this whole thread with the Cardassian rebellion has been heading – a race who sick of being trampled and take the most opportune moment to strike at the enemy on their doorstep. It’s a great moment (plus those Breen ships break apart in spectacular fashion!).
- At this point you can really see how the tides have turned against the Dominion and how they are going to be defeated but what I appreciate is that this isn’t a typical Star Trek reset. We’ve seen over the past ten episodes how the Damar has undermined the Dominion from within and how the Federation has counteracted everything they have thrown at them (including the Breen and their energy dampening weapons). Slowly but surely (and with some arrogant mistakes made) every avenue the Dominion has had to attack has been cut off. Its come to a point where they had to fall back to Cardassian space and after this battle even further to Cardassia Prime. And then even further inwards to Dominion headquarters. They have nowhere left to run. What’s even more impressive is the lengths the Dominion will go to in order to make the Alliances victory look like a defeat. Everything isn’t rosy in the aftermath of this war – hundreds of millions of people have lost their lives, the political landscape of the Quadrant has been changed and Cardassia has been reduced to rubble. It’s a devastating cost and a (here’s that word again) realistic DS9 approach to things not being put back in the toy box tidily. The scene between Sisko, Ross and Martok allows the writers to comment on the success of the war (Martok is drinking wine amongst a see of corpses on Cardassia Prime) and their distaste for what it has cost (Sisko and Ross pour there’s away in disgust at the literal interpretation of the death count of the war they are facing).
- Kudos to the effects team for the fearsome visual of the fire caves exploding with wraiths and flames. The stage is set for Sisko and Dukat to have their own Reichenbach Falls moment…but we just need to get Winn out of the way first. Whilst we’re talking about effects the last line of defence at Cardassia is enough to make you crap yourself with Jem H’adar and Breen ships plus orbital weapon platforms guarding the planet. They save the shot of the scorched Cardassia until the aftermath of the war so we can see the results of this conflict.
- One of my favourite moments in the entire run of DS9 in What You Leave Behind and that is when Odo beams down to Cardassia to talk to the Female Shapeshifter. Its not the dialogue especially or even the performances (even though both are exceptional) but what this scene signifies. After all the slaughter and loss of the war it isn’t a big dramatic space battle that brings this horrific conflict to an end but a simple, intimate moment between two people. One person can make a difference. There’s also the impression that in that single moment of linking that they have enjoyed a long, fruitful exchange because time works differently for the shapeshifters than it does for us. Just gorgeous. The Female Shapeshifter has always maintained that the Link is more precious than the entire Alpha Quadrant – they are fighting for their protection after all. Odo having the key to their salvation is a massive bargaining chip but also his agreement to return home also carries a lot of weight.
- Leave it to the DS9 crew to throw a party and get everybody to go including the actors who are usually slapped up in make up (Jeffrey Combs, Max Grodenchik and Casey Biggs are clearly all visible) and the writers and make it part of the episode. There’s a great atmosphere to these moments because we know this is the last time these characters (and actors) will all be together but its great to see them raise their glasses and toast to this incredible show they have made together. Its very fitting for Vic to sing one last song and it’s a gorgeous rendition of ‘The Way You Look Tonight.’ No wonder Nana Visitor kept breaking down…I could barely keep the tears in myself!
- The flashbacks really got to me in a way that such scenes usually make me groan. Its just that I have such an attachment to these characters so to see a snapshot of their time over the past seven seasons really brings home what an incredible journey it has been with them. The pairings they choose – O’Brien and Bashir, Quark & Odo, Kira & Odo and Jake and Sisko – are some of the greatest pairings in the Trek franchise and here is a great chance to celebrate these characters before they all split up. Fantastic music for these montages too.
- The handful of ‘life goes on’ scenes at the end of the episode are necessary and rather lovely. Bashir and Ezri flirt on the Promenade, Kira congratulates Nog on his promotion and keeps Quark in check. It makes the last line seem very appropriate.
- The final shot of Jake looking longingly at the wormhole is very poignant and proves that there will stories to come that we aren’t privy too. That it manages to leave threads hanging like this and still feel like a satisfying ending is quite a feat.
- As we pull away from the station and gets smaller and smaller I always get the urge to reach out for it and keep the show going. Perhaps that was the idea.
The Bad: There’s the occasional moment of duff dialogue in
the Cardassia sequences – ‘Chop off a snakes head and its body will die!’
‘That’s for Locarian City!’ There is an obvious time scale issue with the
Winn/Fire caves plot because whilst they are in the caves they manage to have
the final battle, convince the Founder to surrender, get back to DS9, sign a
treaty and have a party! Was Winn prancing about the Fire caves the whole time
chanting ancient Bajoran! That’s some staying power! When we cut back to her
after the party scenes I was like ‘I’d forgotten about you!’ Dukat’s weird
growling when he wakes up is odd too…like he’s some kind of savage dog! A shame
they couldn’t get permission to use Terry Farrell in the flashbacks because it
feels like her time on the show has been forgotten!
Moment to Watch Out For: The most upsetting moment in the
finale comes in the aftermath of the war as Garak is back home on Cardassia at
last but not as the Cardassia he knew. In a haunting sequence the camera
focuses squarely on Andy Robinson as he expresses Garak’s loss. Eight hundred
million dead is a lot to get your head around as a viewer but when Robinson
pushes Garak into an almost suicidal stance you can see the pain of that loss
in his eyes. Its an extraordinary moment that drives home the futility of war
better than practically any other. ‘We had a rich and ancient culture. Our
literature, music, art was second to none. Now so much of it is lost. So many
of our best people. Our most gifted minds.’
Result: ‘To the best crew any Captain ever had. This may
be the last time we’re all together but no matter what the future holds, no
matter how far we travel, a part of us, a very important part will always
remain her on Deep Space Nine…’ A massive undertaking and for the most part
What You Leave Behind is a very satisfying final episode of Deep Space Nine.
You get action, excitement, great production values, terrific performances,
tons of character work, plot resolutions, deaths and plenty of goodbyes. There
is so much going on this is by far the longest review I have ever written. The
Dominion war has proven to be a huge innovation for DS9 and so it pleases me to
report that it managed to remain a story arc that was at the top of its game
right up until its demise. There’s plenty of fireworks here and the scale of
the final battle is immense but what especially pleased me was that the
aftermath was not a rapturous celebration but a tragic confrontation of what
had been lost. Ultimately their own arrogance is what ensnared the Dominion and
the way we watch them being hemmed in with no where to hide is brilliant
television. DS9 doesn’t want to keep everybody together in its final episode
but instead sends its crew off for new adventures. Worf is off to Qo’noS,
O’Brien to Earth, Odo is returning to his people and Sisko undergoes an
incredible transformation. The last half an hour is one goodbye after another
and its tough to watch if you have been as close to this show as I have.
There’s a memorable moment for everybody and the party scene at Vic’s made my
heart sing. The only major disappointment (and even that plot line is full of
great moments) is the Winn/Dukat one and that is mainly because it is so
disconnected from the main story that it feels tacked on rather unnecessarily.
Do I think that DS9 could have handled another year? You bet your ass I do –
there was so much they could have explored in the aftermath of the war and
these are characters that have kept on giving for seven years without showing
any sign of tiring. Had I been in charge of the franchise I might have chosen
to have the Alliance lose the war (they could have had a brilliant
Blake’ Seven-esque ending for the show) and set the next series on a Dominion
occupied Earth…but those are thoughts for another time or if I ever get around
to reviewing Enterprise. No, What You Leave Behind didn’t answer the questions
about Bajor joining the Federation but that is possibly the only thing that
wasn’t dealt with that I would have liked to have seen but didn’t. Otherwise it
achieves a massive amount in a very short space of time giving everybody a
moment in the limelight and rounding off the series with an exciting, funny,
tragic but most of all hugely entertaining finale. The fact that it comes close
to getting it perfect is a miracle but perfect is not a word I like to
associate with a show as down and dirty as DS9. An amazing series to experience
and a great closing number: 9/10
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ReplyDeleteIt's extremely lazy reviewing if you have to resort to slagging off Voyager in each and every episode breakdown. Shows a very limited mindset and lack of ability on your part. Not to mention the excessive use of italics, overly purple prose and a tendency to use the word "gorgeous" every 10th line.
ReplyDeleteYou clearly class yourself as some sort of high end reviewer. Let's see if you have the guts, integrity and honesty to not delete this comment.
Of course I won't delete the comment, it's amused me no end. No, not a high class reviewer (whatever that is), merely a humble scribbler whose words people tend to enjoy. You call it purple prose, I call it hyperbole, and I'm the master at it. I have a passion for television and I make no apology for expressing it. I'll slag off when I think the episode deserves it, with Voyager there was an aching sense of missed potential and if that seeped into my reviews of each episode then that is simply the approach I chose to take and because you don't like, it hardly makes your criticisms valid. My opinions are my opinions, it's subjective. As for the word gorgeous, I would point that at your comment too.
ReplyDelete