DS9 – Progress

Plot – The nuts and bolts of the episode is the idea that a project that will tap a moon of Bajor will provide power for hundreds of thousands of people who are recovering from the Occupation. The trouble is that three people fled to this moon, one of them over 40 years ago and have made it their home and they don’t want to leave. What does Kira do? Dispossess three kind people like a bullish Cardassian or sabotage the project that is going to benefit entire cities? ‘If I leave here I’ll die’ says Mullibok, suggesting that if he is forced to move he will commit suicide and he will suffer the same fate if he stays and they begin cracking open the moon.

It’s hard not to be charmed by a Jake & Nog subplot in the early years of DS9 because they display a wonderful naivete and appeal unlike anything else this show has to offer. It’s two boys let loose on a station that is thriving with alien activity and trying to make a buck. At this point Nog is still trying to be a decent Ferengi and living up to his Uncle’s reputation (certainly not his fathers) and even though he scores a lucky win in Progress (no doubt thanks to Jake, who is sneaky enough to be a decent Ferengi) he soon comes to realise that that isn’t the path for him. I like the innocence of these scenes and any chance to catch up with Aron Eisenberg is great fun. He brought something quite unique to this show, not only in his development but with his enthusiasm and congeniality. And this is where you learn you can’t get a better self-sealing stem bolt in the sector. The ending, where their instincts pay off and they even manage to outfox Quark, is a delight.

The dialogue is so sharp (Peter Allan Fields is probably the sharpest writer Trek has ever seen) that a scene might appear to be about one thing (like Mullibok sharing his experiences of how he tamed the moon) when it is actually making a very strong point (he is telling Kira how he intends to hang on like a fanatic until she leaves). The big ugly tree story is another great example. ‘Oh it was a big selfish, annoying, nasty old tree…’ ‘Sounds to me like it had a lot of character’ ‘A lot’ ‘What happened? Did you cut it down?’ ‘I don’t know yet.’

Character – Dax is already showing signs of greatness, gossiping away to Kira about Morn and the things she finds cute about him. It strikes me that this is the sort of thing women really talk about rather than the po-face conversations that Troi and Crusher have on TNG.

Straight off the bat Mullibok knows how to rile Kira; calling her halfway pretty, suggesting she is a bully like a Cardassian and giving the indignity of being called ‘girl.’ It’s how Kira responds to these is where the magic is – with good humour and banter. This isn’t a combative relationship despite what the two of them are saying to each other. It’s not until he compliments her butt that she bites by quickly realises his game.

It’s a subtle touch but Mullibok’s two friends who refuse to talk because of what the Cardassians put them through is a striking addition. It suggests the horror of the Occupation without having to go into any detail.

Performance – Nana Visitor is extraordinary here in an episode that was essential for her character. For the first half of season one she plays administrator but she doesn’t really want to be there. She’s suffering from severe PTSD after the Occupation and is shoved into a bureaucratic role to get her out of the way. Here we are at the midway point of the season where Kira is starting to make friends on DS9 and starting to enjoy the responsibilities and comforts of her job and is coming to the realisation that she the autocrat making the decisions that effect people rather than the terrorist reacting to the decisions being made. Visitor has to play all of that here; Kira’s warm relationship with Mullibok, the conflict between how she feels and what she knows is right and her tricky decision to choose her uniform over her heart. She’s excellent. I know people lament the loss of Ensign Ro on this series but I genuinely think Visitor is the better choice by far. She brings a rawness to the part that makes you fall in love with her instantly, no matter how violently she is behaving.

Production – The backdrop of the moon isn’t the most convincing and what I find most interesting about the direction of this piece is that the garden and the house act effectively as a set in a theatre for this drama to play out on. That’s how this feels at times and there is no reason whatsoever that this story couldn’t be transported to the stage.

Best moment – If anybody wants to know why I love DS9 so much they only need to watch the scene where Sisko beams down and reminds Kira of her duty. He has to tell a former terrorist that she is on ‘the other side’ now and to get used to how uncomfortable that is. It’s about two people who have previously disagreed on many things finding things in common, getting to know one another, and forging a relationship. It’s exceptional character work and it always brings me to tears.

The ending is beautifully understated in the best of ways. It leaves the situation resolved but open ended. Kira has done her duty, chosen her side and she’s very unhappy with it. Mullibok is being forced to leave and we are left to think about his potential fate. It was the only real route that the episode could have taken satisfactorily and it leaves you with a bittersweet taste in your mouth and much to think about. John Debney’s music is gorgeous and I love how the kiln is used as a metaphor for Mullibok’s tenure on the moon and it’s destruction marks his departure.

Worst moment – The action sequence (tussle?) in the middle of the episode is necessary for how things play out but its almost a shame that the script has to resort to any kind of violence. It does such a good job of proving how riveting a sedate drama can be.

I wish they hadn’t done that – Ever notice how nobody is ever walking on the upper level of the Promenade in the first season? That’s because it hasn’t been properly built yet.

A reason to watch this episode again – What strikes me as a great strength about DS9 is that it can impress when it is juggling Empires at war and it can also shine when stripping everything right back and telling a powerful story about two people in a room (Duet, Waltz) as long as the characters involved are exciting enough. Progress is early DS9 and so it is almost deliberately ponderous but it uses its time so effectively to build a relationship between Kira and Mullibok and to reflect upon Kira’s newfound role as oppressor rather than fighter. It’s one of my favourites from the first two seasons because it has a raw honesty about it that is hard not to love and the performances are all so strong. When the producers of DS9 said they wanted to instil some conflict and ethical drama into the franchise this was exactly the sort of thing they were talking about. At this point this was Nana Visitor’s best but that wouldn’t even last the season and Brian Keith gives one of the brightest guest star turns of the first year (both of these would be superseded by Duet). Proof that you can put away the technobabble, torpedoes and phasers and still tell powerful Star Trek. This is precisely why I adore the franchise because at its best it can touch your soul with some profound character work. I don’t care if giving this episode full marks is controversial or not, it’s simply (not simple) great television.

***** out of *****

Clue for tomorrow's episode: