A decent character piece for Julian, really putting his ego in check for once, but outside of that it feels incredibly formulaic and is ultimately quite forgettable. That alone makes it feel quite out of place in DS9's fourth season, because for the most part even the weaker episodes don't suffer from being forgettable.
There's very little to get excited about, no real drama or conflict. On the plus side it makes good use of an excellent location which is visually quite a treat given the usual Star Trek alien worlds we see. We also get to see a very different side of the Dominion in which they didn't use violence but still managed to destroy an entire world.
And also, how great does Jadzia look with her hair down?!
Not quite the "feminist Western" which Netflix seemed to promote it as, but that's fine because it didn't need to be. Godless is a lush and rich Western miniseries which somehow feels fresh while still embodying many tropes of the genre. We have a tired sheriff with an overeager deputy, a band of outlaws seeking revenge and a mysterious stranger on the run. All this happens in and around a town populated almost entirely by (badass) women.
It's to the shows credit that it makes each of these clichés feel unique and interesting. The sheriff is losing his eyesight and is regarded as a coward by the women he's charged with protecting, while simultaneously struggling with feelings of resentment to his own little daughter. The evil outlaw (played superbly by Jeff Daniels) is actually a man capable of incredible compassion and acts of love alongside his brutality. And Whitey, the overeager deputy, turns out to be one of the most enjoyable and unpredictable characters in the whole thing.
But it's the girls of La Belle who do manage to steal a good portion of the show. Maggie is tough as nails and doesn't back down an inch when confronted with male posturing, as well as being engaged in a very natural relationship with Callie. Meanwhile, Alice lives her life exactly on her own terms as she raises her son along with her (awesome) Native American mother-in-law.
Godless is not an action-fest, although when things go down it's extremely satisfying. This is more of a measured story which lets things breathe. The cinematography is absolutely glorious and my jaw dropped at the staging of several scenes. I found it to the show's benefit that we spent so much time just taking things in as my attachment to the characters grew more and more. To give a specific example there's an episode in which a lot of time is spent with horses, and while it doesn't further the plot significantly, it pays off down the line and only allowed me to enjoy the experience all the more.
The cast are uniformly excellent, and it's easy to forget that three of the main characters are Brits. The writing is also of a high quality, and while this is not in the same league as the poetry and magnificence of Deadwood, it's very much going for a different vibe and doing its own thing. This feels more like an epic Western whereas the HBO show had a tighter focus on the comings and goings of the town it was set in.
That's not to say the show is perfect. I'm definitely not the first to notice, but there are a number of plot threads which are introduced but go absolutely nowhere. We meet characters like John Doe who have a mystery set up and then no more is given to us. We don't really get any huge revelations into Bill's past with his wife or situation, and what the Indian and his dog were all about. The (fantastic) German character Martha is only introduced at the very end. And we don't even get a proper explanation as to why Roy betrayed Frank in the first place. It definitely feels to me like there is plenty of room for a continuation, but this appears to be a one-off.
But I absolutely loved Godless. It manages to be incredibly satisfying despite its flaws, is one of the best looking shows you can watch right now and when it kicks off the thrills are absolutely glorious.
I go back and forth on this show as we get childish standalone nonsense (like the previous episode) and pretty exciting storytelling that dives into the Star Wars mythos. 'Rebel Assault' (titled the same as one of the fun Star Wars PC games I grew up with) might be the first episode of Star Wars Rebels that has kept me enraptured from start to finish.
From the stunning X-Wing assault to Hera's fantastic escape attempt, this felt completely imbued with the spirit of Star Wars. Plus, as somebody who grew up with the EU books and games in the 1990s, it makes it all the more special to see characters like Thrawn and Rukh, as well as ships like the TIE Defender.
Alongside the exciting action, I finally have started feeling some connection towards the characters. While Ezra feels like he's becoming less and less important, both Kanan and Hera have finally started to leap off the screen. If I have a gripe it's that the formulaic structure of episodes is still really holding things back (as well as the child-friendly nature of the show - see Hera stunning stormtroopers instead of killing them outright), but when it's wrapped up in a package as good as this I can let it slide.
How great is it to see Rukh, Noghri assassin and Thrawn's right hand, finally made a part of Star Wars canon? And voiced by Warwick Davis, no less. They seem to have made him more or less true to Timothy Zahn's original character, if maybe a bit less subtle.
I enjoy the mystical elements of this show far more than the action beats, so there was a lot to like here.
An action episode that successfully manages to place character moments above the fighting. It also has a nice callback to the Iconians from a very old TNG episode. The Jem'Hadar were already a fascinating enemy, but every time the show reveals more about them to us they become even more intriguing - and we see that they are really, really brutal. While they are extremely disciplined it turns out that they are also highly individual. I particularly enjoyed the almost-friendship that begins between Jadzia and Virak'kara, and the complete opposite aggression between Worf and Toman'torax (played by the excellent Brian Thompson).
Of course, this is notable for being the episode that introduces Weyoun (and finally lets us in on how exactly the Vorta function). Played to perfection by Jeffrey Combs (who was already playing the recurring character of Brunt on the show), this guy is grew to be one of my favourite characters in Trek. From the start here he's manipulative, slimy and devious while always being somehow humble and ever so slightly charming. It's an odd mix that results in the viewer both hating him and feeling joy whenever he's on screen because we know if he's around then sparks are going to fly.
There's some good comedy from other areas, especially when Bashir accidentally sits in Worf's favourite chair. That's followed up very quickly by shock when we see that DS9 has had one of its pylons destroyed (fortunately they replace it super fast due to TV magic).
This episode was always memorable to me because the neck-breaking scene was edited on the UK releases (at least on video/DVD). Sky do broadcast it uncut these days, but I remember searching for the clip online back in the day so I could see what I was missing. Not such a big deal now, and the Netflix UK version is the full uncut one.
EDIT: reading about the episode online, it turns out that it was also heavily cut for violence in the USA prior to broadcast, and that footage has never seen the light of day anywhere worldwide. Interesting!
That opening sequence was magnificent.
Maybe a bit too much time spent staring at horses otherwise, but it pays off as the episode goes on and this is incredibly easy to get lost in.
Janeway and Chakotay are stranded together on a planet for several months, and - unsurprisingly - nothing happens. There was never any serious attempt to give the two of them a romantic relationship through the show, and that was definitely the correct path to take. Here we have a heterosexual man and a woman of similar age stuck together potentially for the rest of their lives, so of course there's going to be some mutual need that develops eventually. But when it's happening on Star Trek: Voyager and you know that everything will be back to normal by the end of the episode, it only feels forced. Add to that the fact that the two of them have no real chemistry together. Hell, Janeway showed more affection towards the monkey than she did Chakotay.
Also, that monkey was supposed to be an alien? It was just a plain old fucking monkey. Somebody behind the scenes was feeling lazy.
Things back on the ship are better. Tuvok is placed in command, and that throws up all sorts of interesting dilemmas because he's a Vulcan. And Vulcan's just don't make very effective captains given their lack of flexibility, so any time we see one in charge there's a good chance that sparks will fly. That comes in the form of Harry who finally gets something to do this season, and it's quite exciting to watch.
Also, WOW, was that actually some continuity from an old episode?! Not only are the events of 'Deadlock' discussed, but Denara Pel returns and is quite a welcome sight, and the Doctor's previous relationship with her pays off.
Overall a repetitive episode that attempted to delve into the characters but only really worked for Harry Kim and Tuvok.
That was dramatic! And, as was so often the case with DS9, it's drama that has been earned. It's all about our characters, with the betrayals here feeling genuine.
The Maquis have been a significant issue for some time now, but up until this point there has been no personal connection for anybody, and that especially applies to us as an audience (Sisko's old Starfleet friend was somebody we didn't know, and Chakotay doesn't count because he has no personality to connect to). Now we see Kassidy is not at all who we thought she was all this time, and it works brilliantly. Avery Brooks gets to play through this wonderfully, and the relationship between him and Kassidy - and not to mention how it also involves Jake, because he's a part of this - allows for the narrative to unfold in a very engaging manner.
And then the episode blindsides you with what's REALLY going on. Eddington has been around since the very start of season 3, so it's a real shock that he turns out to also be a Maquis. Honestly, I think his appearances have been a bit too few and far between for this to have all the impact that it could have, but it's a great plot twist. Eddington has also been pretty bland and forgettable, but it looks like that was all an act as he rips into Federation values with gusto at the end. I've never really agreed with what the Maquis stand for, but now that the show finally delivers a passionate spokesperson it's much easier to see where they're coming from. And he's spot on correct about the Federation's fake veneer of all cultures getting along together in harmony.
One other thing I love about this episode is the relaxed nature we get to see at several points. From Bashir and Garak hanging out at a springball match to the casual family dining going on with the Sisko's, Deep Space Nine feels like a place full of friends.
Almost a disaster of an episode due to the central premise, which ends up only being creepy. It's the ethical situation which arises around it which makes the episode work much better than it has any right to. Merging Tuvok and Neelix, two of the most uninteresting characters on the show, results in Tuvix who honestly freaks me out more than anything. I'm not sure he was cast quite right, even though Tom Wright does a pretty fantastic job in the role.
It doesn't really get interesting until the final act (honestly - that opening sequence is torture, as Neelix STILL doesn't seem to comprehend the basic fact that Vulcans don't feel emotions). Once Janeway makes her decision it's quite uncomfortable viewing, and the ending leaves a bad taste. That's the second episode in a row to finish on a sour note, and it certainly makes things memorable.
One of the few things I kind of liked about that was the Starfleet uniform mixed with Neelix's garish suit patterns. This probably would have had some real ramifications if Tuvix had stayed around for a few episodes.
Lwaxana Troi's final on-screen appearance. The stuff with Odo and Lwaxana is quite charming, helped no end by both actors drawing upon their character's histories and delivering something very heartfelt. I particularly enjoyed the hide-and-seek game they were playing in Odo's quarters. It's also nice that Lwaxana is fairly low-key here. A missed opportunity for some good comedy with Mr. Woof, though.
The Jake-and-the-alien-muse story is more problematic. When I watched DS9 as a teenager I identified a lot with Jake and his desire to be a writer, and I still really like that side of his character. This doesn't work too well, though, despite Meg Foster's delightfully creepy performance as Onaya. It's just not that compelling or executed with any real weight. I really want to know a bit more about the story Jake writes, too (Anslem, the same story from the episode 'The Visitor').
Probably the most enjoyable Mirror Universe episode so far, and that's more down to the newer elements than any of the recurring plot points. Notably, Cirroc Lofton is absolutely fantastic here, and managed to effectively pull on my heartstrings as he connects Mirror-Jennifer to his own late mother. Mirror O'Brien is even more fun this time around (pattern suicide!).
The best part, though, is the Mirror Garak/Regent Worf pairing. These guys play off each other with magnificent delight and get all of the episode's best moments. There's some really hilarious stuff in there and they both ham it up in true larger-than-life fashion, which is exactly what the episode needed. As far as I'm concerned, they could have had their own spin off show.
I might be mistaken, but I'm thinking that this may by DS9's first fully fledged extended space battle. It's exciting stuff and put together very well. Lots more of that to look forward to in the future. How great is the Defiant?
We've also had our three main Ferengi characters (Quark, Rom, Nog) killed in each MU episode so far!
A real struggle to get through despite having the great Michael McKean. In fact, in many ways he's part of the episode's problem as he is so over-the-top. The whole thing has a horrendous visual style and it pushes the cringe factor to high levels. It feels extremely low-budget. Trek has been guilty of doing this before (TNG's 'Cost of Living' to name one), but apparently any kind of alien party needs to include jugglers, fire breathers and weirdos doing interpretive dance. It's like being in a damn circus and it's certainly nobody's idea of a good time.
And then, the episode manages to pull out a couple of really excellent moments that shows there was something good hiding underneath. Namely, the Doctor's first appearance when he saves Harry from surgery is excellent comic timing and performed wonderfully, and the final moments with holographic Janeway revealing what they've done is a really powerful scene. Both Kate Mulgrew and McKean do truly excellent work and have great dialogue as we fade out, and it's a shame that 95% of the episode is not worthy of that. Indeed, a story about the power of fear should be one of the most relatable, so what happened here is extra disappointing.
Baby Harry in a Stafleet uniform is also worthy of a giggle.
A really strong performance from Colm Meaney helps elevate an already strong story. Interestingly, I'd always thought of O'Brien as a man who was always on the edge of losing his temper, so the scenes of him getting angry at Quark and then Molly is both in keeping with his character and also horrifically disturbing. Very well done. I also like that he addresses the notion that humans are supposed to now be an "evolved" species who put petty thoughts of hatred and anger behind them, and this demonstrates that it's pretty much nonsense.
The other part of the story which works well is Ee'char who is played wonderfully and creates a very sympathetic foil for Miles to play against. But once again, it's the Miles/Julian bromance which really pays dividends. The show has earned the moment in which Julian is able to save his friend from suicide through everything we've seen them go through up to this point.
The big problem that I have with this, though, is the lack of repercussions for O'Brien. DS9 is an episodic show more often than not, but it allowed it's characters to grow and feel the effects of the events they go through. Not so here, as Miles never refers to any of this again and doesn't seem to have any recurring emotional issues. I guess maybe mental health has been really sorted out in the 24th century? One can hope.
Strangely boring. I mean, I really struggled to keep my attention on this, and it's hard to say exactly why. Possibly because this is a trope-filled Star Trek courtroom episode with a main character on trial, and we know they always end exactly the same way. There's no real stakes. Worf being goaded into punching Ch'Pok was quite terrible, you can see it coming a mile off and it's ridiculous that Worf has so little self control.
Most of all though, the entire concept of the episode is absurd, because the Klingons and the Federation currently have no formal diplomatic relationship. Why the hell would there be any sort of extradition hearing?
A few interesting things, though, there was a nice cinematic technique in which the actors speak directly to the camera as they fill in their statements. Ron Canada also does a pretty good job in the role of Ch'Pok, but the best moment of the whole thing is the dressing down and discussion that Sisko gives Worf at the end.
Tuvok with a bunch of kids is not particularly compelling, even though these aren't the worst child actors in the world. I did appreciate that this gave us a good look at Tuvok's character and more info on his background, but outside of that this did nothing for me. The alien race was also annoying.
Quite magnificent. This is a gorgeously slow paced and sedate episode that asks big questions - but those questions are not about our world or our own point of view, but rather questions about our characters. Captain Sisko has long been uncomfortable with the role of Emissary, but here the age old addage of not knowing what you've got until it's gone comes into play. He finally is able to embrace it and see it for the honour and pleasure that it has the potential to be.
It's also a deftly clever look at religion that allows for all points of view to be viable. Some of our characters have faith, some don't, and both are absolutely fine because they can live their lives comfortably with those beliefs. I find the notion of the Bajoran caste system quite fascinating (it's explored a bit more in the Terok Nor novels) and the ruling which Akorem makes to bring it back is obviously jarring, to the point where it's scary how many people are willing to accept it.
One thing I really enjoyed, which was understated, was the fact that Akorem accepts that he was wrong without kicking up a fuss. He was never a bad person, just of a different time.
The Miles/Julian bromance is a pleasant backdrop to all of this, again resonating with the main story by showing what our characters want or need to make them comfortable with their lives. I'd also forgotten that Keiko's pregnancy was going to start this early!
I should like this more than I did, but for whatever reason on this rewatch the Ferengi episodes aren't clicking with me all that well. There's a lot of great stuff here, but I just wasn't really into it.
Such a shame, because the performances are stellar throughout. Notably brilliant guest star Jeffrey Combs is back as Brunt (I can't believe we still haven't met Weyoun by this point), but it's Max Grodénchik who steals the episode as Rom. Finally, his character is set on the path he was always meant to be on and after many misadventures has found his courage. There's a lovely look at the relationship of siblings Quark and Rom, and the reveal that they both really care about each other despite feeling the need to things which make life harder for the other.
Leeta finally makes another appearance too, it's easy to forget about her since she hasn't appeared much at all since her first episode. It's easy to understand why she's a fan favourite, but at this point she's really not been given anything interesting to do. There's a nice hint that she and Rom may like each other, though (I can't believe the episode gets away with a blatant conversation about masturbation).
More good stuff with Worf trying to fit in, too. Overall though, my attention was wandering through this one.
I feel like this episode kind of ruined Tony Todd's character, Kurn. He had been an intimidating but fun Klingon in his previous appearances as Worf's brother, but here he doesn't really feel like the same person. Which I'm sure was actually the intent somewhat, giving us Kurn broken and depressed, but somehow I found it went a bit too far. The notion that he'd want to die rather than fight to regain his honour didn't quite work.
It's also shocking that Worf was so readily willing to kill him, but that at least sits in line with his character. Worf is probably the most Klingon Klingon who ever Klingoned, which is completely add odds with the fact that all the other Klingons are far more ready to throw aside honour or just have fun. Worf is having none of that, and raises the question on whether or not he really IS a true Klingon or is he just trying to be the ideal notion of one that he always imagined they should be?
I like that we see the results of his earlier actions in 'The Way of the Warrior' and the effect his selfish decisions have on those around him. I don't like the way this was all resolved with the memory wipe. The highlight for me was actually Captain Sisko's dressing down of Worf after the attempted murder ritual.
Also, clear signs that Worf and Dax definitely have chemistry together!
I have to admit, I find myself quite perplexed at the dislike this episode seems to have received from all over the interwebs. While I was a bit put out when it began by the revelation that we weren't going to be picking up from the massive cliffhanger of the previous episode, I soon settled into what is easily one of the most emotionally powerful and interesting episodes of the season so far. What it lacks in thrills it makes up for with superb character development.
I could understand the hate a little bit more if this were a traditional show and we had to wait a week between episodes, but the series' format negates this entirely in that, at worst, this is a 50 minute diversion before getting back to the Hawkins plot.
Eleven's/Jane's story here was heartbreaking and riveting. The gang of outcasts she falls in with were a lively, interesting bunch and her "sister" is remarkable in that she's evolved along an opposite path to Eleven, having friends but never really being friendly with them in the same way that El has. Once the intercutting back to her friends in Hawkins began, it tied things together in an immensely satisfying way that had huge emotional payoff.
Loved it, and Millie Bobbie Brown was spectacular.
Interesting that the format of this show means that a filler episode is one of the most enjoyable things it's done.
Creative and enjoyable, with a pleasantly weird alternate-universe/time-shift aspect that never becomes too complicated to follow. It leaves you with the odd feeling of having seen the Voyager crew die, but never really being sure if they were our original crew, or whether that even matters. The exact same thing happens to Harry that happens to O'Brien in DS9's 'Visionary', in that we are left with a version of the character who isn't exactly our own one.
It was also good to see the Vidiians back to being pretty decent bad guys again. There was something chilling about the way they just assessed unconscious people by which organs they could harvest from them. Janeway was a bit of a badass in regards to the solution to getting rid of them.
Having the duplicate Janeways standing so close to each other during their scenes made it look like they were about to kiss, and really made me aware of how shows had to work within the 4:3 aspect ratio back then. I felt a bit more let down that the two versions of Kes didn't really interact with each other at all.
I got quite wrapped up in the ordeal of Ensign Wildman finally having her baby, which certainly ran through a gamut of emotions! Chakotay was as useless as ever, and I noticed that Voyager didn't require his authorisation to concur with setting the self-destruct - I guess Janeway changed that because she knows he'd just mess it up.
I'd forgotten how atrociously bad some of the actors (Chidi and Tahani) are in this.
This opening episode felt like a metaphor for season 1 condensed down. It starts well but sort of begins to feel like it's run dry and then just gets repetitive (that biting joke, eesh) and a bit dull. All of a sudden, it pulls together for the finale and has some great fun with the premise and ideas. I think I have to admit that the only reason I'm really watching this is due to my love for Kristen Bell.
I'm as surprised as anyone that I've found an episode with Neelix in such a prominent role that I quite enjoyed. But it's not because of him, it's because it's the culmination of a plot thread that has been building over the past bunch of episodes - even though that culmination may not be the most satisfying end. At any rate, Neelix's scenes saying goodbye to Tom did work very well.
It turns out Tom Paris has been faking his misbehaviour (duh) because Janeway and Tuvok suspect there's a spy on board. They decided to keep Chakotay out of the loop to make it seem more real, but I think it's really because they didn't trust Chakotay not to mess things up. I think what's impressed me most about it all is that the show kept this thread running over the course of several episodes, and it just feels like such a breath of fresh air to have some serialisation that I'm happy to sit back and enjoy it, despite it not being all that compelling.
Tom's fight to escape from Seska and the Kazon is unimpressive, seeminly limited to one corridor set that he has to run back and forth through. Seska herself is revelling in being evil, and I have to admit I get a weird thrill out of the cheesiness of it all. I almost didn't expect Jonas to die, and at least he goes out in style.
Neelix's TV show could become grating if we see lots more of it, but the funny subplot with the Doctor did entertain me. One moment that took me right out of the episode was when Janeway contacts engineering and explains everything that's going on to Jonas ("we need the transporter, because we've detected a Kazon shuttle and there is one human life sign on board and we think it might be Tom Paris") despite no captain ever taking the time to do this in Trek history. Also, Jonas being the only person in engineering is really bizarre.
Okay, I'm feeling more convinced that Bob is a good guy now. And it was painfully obvious here that he's going to get ditched by Joyce at some point along the way, because she seems to have eyes for Hopper now. There wasn't a hint of that throughout season 1, but this season seems to be pushing them more in that direction.
Great reference to The Goonies which made me laugh out loud.
This episode was absolutely full of storytelling, so many great plot threads to follow. Which meant that my favourite one - Dustin and Dart (and now Steve too) - couldn't be explored in much detail, but I'm looking forward to it.
Quite a nice romance story and Robert Picardo gets to shine as the Doctor. I think I quite enjoyed it for its simplicity, but also found myself craving something with a bit more to it. I'm kind of bored of the Vidiians already, even though Danara has a much different attitude to any one of them we've met before. There were echoes of the Doctor's antics in 'Heroes and Demons' and the romance he found there, but this at least developed things considerably more.
There's a real issue here which the show hasn't addressed, and I've brought it up before because it bugs me: the Doctor appears to have become completely sentient and self-aware. This suggests that ships are capable of creating life forms, and it's not being treated with the kind of importance it deserves. The TNG episode 'Elementary, Dear Data' and its sequel did investigate this concept with some detail, but that's far removed from the current situation.
The Doctor acting on Kes' advice and telling Danara he's romantically attracted to her is a great comedy moment, and I also really liked his subsequent talk with Paris. And again, Paris almost gets the best parts of the episode with his continuing streak of bad behaviour - however, if any viewer was confused about what's been going on with him, then this episode absolutely bashes you over the head with the obvious suggestion that it's a ruse to root out Jonas, the spy on board the ship.
"Shmullus" is an unfortunately laughable name, sorry to anyone who actually has that.
The silly fun of having B'Elanna speaking to herself for much of the episode aside, this is really nothing special. The moment a captain decides to initiate a self-destruct, any episode will become extremely predictable. I found myself more interested in Tom's bad attitude and misbehaviour.
There's a bit more serialisation than I remembered, what with Jonas spying for the Kazon.
Just when I wonder what new bland tale Voyager is going to present to me today, Brad Dourif shows up. I knew he appeared somewhere along the way but I couldn't remember where. He's quite possibly in my top 5 actors of all time, the man is amazing and one of the most talented actors ever. Unfortunately, he's always been typecast in the role of psychos and killers*, often in low budget horror films.
It's a little disappointing that the character of Lon Suder isn't a huge departure from that, but as the episode goes on he certainly goes through a change. In fact, he's not really in the episode enough for my liking, but Dourif is a master at giving nuanced and subtle performances that manage to project a huge amount of emotion, and it's no surprise that he acts circles around the rest of the cast... except for Tim Russ as Tuvok.
This really is Tuvok's episode, and what Tim Russ does here is quite fantastic. The writing is just elegant enough to sell the moral themes without bashing us over the head with them, and it's an interesting exploration of the motives behind violence that quite purposefully (I think) doesn't give us a final answer.
*having just watched through all the Child's Play/Chucky films, it was quite easy to imagine some of his dialogue in this episode fitting right with them. Anyway, if you want to see some of Brad Dourif's work then I was always won over by his roles in Deadwood, the ridiculous/fun techno horror film Death Machine (superior UK cut, if you can get it), an early episode of The X-Files, his breakout role in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and of course as Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
I named my band after the title of this episode!
A quite excellent study of Dukat's character at this point in his overall storyline. It sometimes felt to me like the writer's didn't entirely know what they wanted to do with him, but whenever they made a choice they really went at it full force. This resulted in a number of really standout episodes that gave actor Marc Alaimo a lot to work with.
Right now, it seems that Gul Dukat is - kind of - a good guy, or at least he wants to be one. Ziyal suggests that he genuinely regrets all the atrocities he committed during the Bajoran occupation, and from what we see he appears quite genuine. It's quite clear that, no matter what Kira says, her hatred towards him is softening. Then she will suddenly remember and it flares up again. That's Dukat's real strength, he's disarming. He makes you want to like him. From a real-world perspective, it's quite insane that Dukat would be the one assigned to do this work, but from a storytelling perspective its gold.
Also notable for introducing the character of Damar, who is far more agreeable and laid back here than the character we will get to know in subsequent appearances. Some super dialogue between Kira and Dukat make this a pretty great episode all round. I like that the show is confident enough to pretty much ditch the entire regular cast outside of Kira.
I don't know what they were thinking when they made this one. It manages to be not only ridiculous and stupid, but offensive to basic scientific concepts of evolution. Apparently humans are going to evolve backwards and become primitive lizard lifeforms. I can't think of any reaction other than to stick a giant middle finger up at this piece of garbage. I almost hope that somebody's career as a writer was finished after this (cough Brannon Braga cough).
The early sections with the whole idea of attempting to break the warp 10 barrier are actually somewhat interesting, but it's the way the episode becomes completely derailed after that which ruins things. Robert Duncan McNeill gets to overact gloriously and try to get the Fly-esque makeup effects to be taken seriously.
What's even more dumb, though, is that they do actually succeed in achieving warp 10, meaning they have a viable means of getting home. Sure, it's going to turn them all into lizard freaks but the Doctor could just revert them all back to their original state, as he does at the end of this episode.
Worst episode of the entire Star Trek franchise? ... quite possibly, yes. Watch it to laugh at it, make a drinking game out of it, just don't take it the slightest bit seriously.
I wish I had a group of friends as awesome as these guys when I was a kid. I was always the lone geeky one amongst the people I hung out with.
So much to enjoy here. Dustin's feelings of protection toward his newfound pollywog are a bit odd, mostly because the thing is not cute in any way! His friends' reactions were a bit more in line with my own, and I get the feeling that it's going to keep growing into something nasty. But there's something very cute about the way he interacts with it. I was also won over by Max here in much the same way Mike was as she skateboarded around him and made him laugh - typically, Eleven would turn up right at that moment. Great use of tension as she and Mike nearly meet each other, anyway.
But again, none of this compares to the horror that Will is going through. In any other situation, Bob's advice about standing your ground would probably have been good, but of course it backfires here - and again, I have to wonder, did Bob set that up on purpose?
Major Teen Wolf (the original) vibes during the basketball scene. Not sure what Nancy is up to, because I can't believe she's stupid enough to make that phone call to Barb's mum without realising the danger it puts her in.