A fantastic end to season 2 gives us a deceptively small episode that grows bigger as it continues and ends with events that will shape the course of the entire series to come. This has a little bit of everything, starting with some lovely father/son bonding between Jake and Commander Sisko, juxtaposed by the funnier relationship between Nog and his uncle Quark.
In many ways, Quark is the real star of this one. His arguments with Sikso culminate in quite a beautiful speech about the nature of Ferengi vs. humans, and it serves to demonstrate the casual racism that everyone, noble Starfleet officers included, show towards Quark and the rest of his species. It seems like Quark's words are strong enough to actually register with Sisko.
The camping trip is a really enjoyable part of the episode, both Quark and Nog providing some really good humour. More so, though, is the continuing and very genuine love between Jake and his father. Any time they end up reminiscing about Jennifer always results in some quite heartbreaking stuff, and both Cirroc Lofton and Avery Brooks always hit the right notes.
Things change with the arrival of Eris (who we will later learn is a Vorta) followed by our first look at the Jem'Hadar. These guys are just great, and at this point it's all about displaying how intimidating they are. They have personal cloaking devices, great strength and a highly aggressive attitude. One of the most powerful moments of the episode is the way that the soldier on the station just casually walks through the force field the crew think they have him contained in; it's done in such a nonchalant way and shot so well that it becomes kind of unsettling.
If we needed a less subtle demonstration, they destroy a Galaxy-class starship. That could easily have been the Enterprise, as it was thoroughly overwhelmed and had no defence. There's a few moments here which don't track with later developments - Eris has telepathic abilities that will never be seen again, and she doesn't recognise what Odo is - but they're small enough things that it's easy to forget.
We've heard a lot about the Cardassian Occupation, but this is our first chance to see some of it thanks to some detailed flashbacks. The station looks like a very different place and it's a wonderful transition from the comfortable DS9 we're used to to the dirty and brutal Terok Nor. It's easy to forget that it was an ore refinery.
The changes in characters past and present are also a joy to see. Kira is a different person, younger and angrier and with a lot of reason to be scared. Odo is unsure of himself and we are shown a great contrast between his questioning skills in the past compared to how they are now (complete with a Columbo moment). We get to see what Dukat was like when he was in charge, with all the arrogance and power it brings. Even Quark is different, playing his part to fit in alongside the Cardassian's rule.
Besides giving us a solid crime investigation, this is an important character episode for Odo and Kira. Their friendship has been built on Kira covering up the murder she committed, and Odo seems to be able to forgive her for it. That seems out of character for him until later revelations (he's in love with Kira), but I doubt that storyline had been thought up at this point.
It's a reminder of what a dark place many of DS9's characters are coming from, and firmly guides the show along this path. There's even room for a little bit of comedy. Great stuff.
Quite possibly the only time TNG managed successfully to pull of a romantic episode. This is a gorgeous and emotional exploration of Picard's spirit, helped all the more by the focus on music as a way to another person's heart. The biggest issue for me is just how much Nella Daren resembles Beverley Crusher; she's literally like a body double or stand in for her, and given Picard's series-long attraction to the doctor this comes across a a bit amusing.
It's great that the story references events of 'The Inner Light' (an episode I criticised for never having any impact on the episodes that follow; this one proves me at least somewhat wrong), but it's also worth noting that something very similar happens here. Picard finds love and seemingly a new way of feeling comfortable with himself, but it's all over by the end of the episode and any effect it may have had on his character is forgotten from here on. It's such a shame that TNG couldn't have plot threads running through episodes.
It's also one of the very few episodes in which music was allowed to be more than bland background noise (I'll never understand why Trek was only ever allowed to use the musical equivalent of a beige carpet). There's some really beautiful pieces here, both played by characters and as a part of the soundtrack. The background story involving the storm and the rescue attempts don't feel very compelling for much of the running time, but it does enable the episode to build up to a tense ending. The good chemistry between the actors was also essential in this working (see the many Troi romance episodes in which there never is any).
What I have to commend this episode for is the depiction of real emotion. It captures the joy of playing music with another person (I know this, I do it for a living) and also heartbreak. The shot of Picard sitting alone in his quarters, coming to terms with the fact that Nella may be gone is really, really upsetting.
A classic episode, doing something very different from what we usually get. Data is such a great creation both on the page and as brought to life by Brent Spiner, that it's almost impossible to not be fascinated whenever he's on screen. This episode is funny and light hearted while also engaging from start to finish.
Several things are introduced to the franchise here, including the hairdresser on board the Enterprise and Data's cat Spot. We also meet Keiko for the first time; I've been surprised to read that many fans didn't really like her, as I always found her an enjoyable character. O'Brien is getting more and more to do as the show goes on, establishing him as a strong character in himself.
Gates McFadden gets to show off her skills in the wonderful dancing scenes which are fun to watch. The subplot concerning the Vulcan ambassador and the Romulans is a bit weird, especially its surprise ending. I'm not sure it was integrated into the episode all that well.
The daywatch/nightwatch schedule on the bridge is a new one. It seems a bit odd because it suggests that the senior staff would rarely all be on the bridge at the same time, but every episode up until this point tells us otherwise. It's also convenient that all matters of importance happen during the ships "day time".
Another strong episode that balanced fun with some great emotional material. I think Worf might be stealing the show already at this point, and the Picard/Beverly discussion was simply fantastic with both actors really giving their all.
I really wasn't expecting the Changeling reveal, and I have to say that it was an extremely pleasant surprise. It's got me wondering if Riker might not be himself.
It's not all perfect - spending an entire two episodes now on a single encounter is feeling slightly tiresome, and the back and forth nature of the Picard/Riker argument was really pushing things by the end of the episode (which also gives me further fuel for the above spoiler). Part of me wanted to scream to get on with things and move the story forward, but the other part of me was delighting in just hanging out with the characters. Jeri Ryan is doing great work here even with the limited screen time in this one.
The fact that I'm very eager for more at the end of each episode is a sign that it's doing things right, but it's also very hard to judge what the overall season arc is going for right now. I feel like I know nothing about what's going on.
The de-aging effects for Picard and Riker weren't great.
I enjoyed this, with some adjustment needed to get used to the huge change in direction. There was certainly a time when if you had told me that Burnham was going to have an entire episode with her and no other main cast members, I would have been wary. But she really carried this one well. I especially enjoyed her playful mood when she was on the truth serum! And I loved seeing her natural curiosity and excitement at some of the new technology.
Book is an interesting enough character at this point, too. Still - I REALLY wanted to see Discovery and its crew appear here.
A few annoyances: mostly in regard to the lack of clear answers to questions characters asked. There is some important dialogue that's treated as throwaway and easy to miss. I also thought there was too much dull action where instead a good sit down discussion between people would have made for some far more satisfying scenes.
The lone Federation guy sitting in an office starting at a "searching" screen for 40 years was a bit of a stretch, too.
All in all, a fascinating new beginning for the show that was a visual treat.
Probably the best episode of season 1. This has a lot of fun with the concept of an alternate universe and feels like it's on a bigger scale than anything that's come before. It's all genuinely exciting. I particularly like that it's all from Daniel's perspective as I don't think it would have worked quite as well with any of the other core characters. Plus, he gets to express a level of frustration and disbelief that helps the episode along.
Well, there's a lot to take in here. After eight seasons, one of the greatest TV shows of all time comes to an end with a satisfying and emotional finale. In an episode that (I think) didn't contain a single swear word, sex scene or moment of strong on-screen violence we got something completely character focused that provided closure for just about everyone.
It's a bittersweet ending and one that I really need to spend some time with. In a season that felt very rushed and like it was doing a disservice to characters, this was a slow paced and meditative reflection on where these people had come to and where they needed to go next. Some of the choices made may feel peculiar or unearned, but I couldn't help but feel like it was the right send off.
Striking this show off my "to watch" lists after so many years does feel like it's going to leave a significant hole. This show meant a lot to me as I read the books many years before and used to dream about what a TV adaptation would be like. I even had the pleasure of meeting George R.R. Martin when A Feast for Crows was released and there were only a dozen or so people waiting to get their books signed. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how the story goes in the next books (one day!), as the show diverged from them so much that I can't see things finishing up in quite the same manner.
As many others have said, this ending is strong but the problem is the confusing mess that was how we got here.
It's a relief to finally have an episode that I can say really positive things about! It's become something of a joy in this show to see the main plot be moved along, as it's something that happens so rarely. In that regard, this is a real treat.
In many ways, the crossover elements turn this almost into more of an episode of The Next Generation, especially given how little we actually see of the Voyager crew. Lt. Barclay (great to see him again) takes up the main focus along with Counsellor Troi providing quite a bit of a supporting role. Most of the time when are with the Voyager crew it's not actually them, but rather a holographic simulation.
The set up of the episode is a little bit weird. Barclay announcing that he's become obsessed with Voyager feels a bit forced and unnatural, and the flashback format is rarely something I fall in love with. It's especially a bit trite that Barclay is unloading all this in the form of a counselling session. I can forgive that, though, because I like that it meant Marina Sirtis could get involved.
I really like the fact that Starfleet HAVE been searching for Voyager and putting in quite a bit of effort. We've had vague hints that they hadn't forgotten about them, but nothing to really say that there is a massive ongoing project. Once they establish direct contact and we switch back to the real Voyager crew, it all becomes surprisingly emotional. The show had strengths and a powerful hidden core as this clearly demonstrates, so why did it so rarely elect to use them?
A few little things I noticed:
- The photo of Tom on his father's desk is actually from the actor's appearance as Locarno from the TNG episode he appeared in (a nice way of using it).
- The Golden Gate bridge appears to have been completely rebuilt since it was destroyed by the Breen a few months earlier. Nice work (either that or Voyager forgets once again that continuity is a thing).
- I was also a little confused that the Doctor didn't appear to recognise Barclay, since he had quite a memorable interaction with a version of him previously.
I do love time travel stories. This is an odd one, in that it doesn't seem to want to take itself too seriously. Of course, most time travel stories don't but this one in particular feels like it plunges ahead with abandon, not really caring too much about tidying things up.
It's good fun, though. I like that we revisit past events and there's a serious continuity nod by bringing back Captain Braxton (even if he's played by a completely different actor). The episode moves through different tones and ends in a very different place than it starts. Jeri Ryan is given a lot to do and - as usual - pulls it off very well. Once Janeway becomes involved in the time travel shenanigans it really begins to become great.
The ending is a let down, in that everything is wrapped up quickly and we're told not to worry, the timeline will now sort itself out and things were done off-screen to fix all the causality/paradox problems. And all the different versions of people will magically recombine into one. Somehow.
Slight continuity issue that really jumped out at me: the Doctor is activated for the first time at a completely different moment to what we've seen/been told before (everything previously has stated he was first activated in 'Caretaker' once they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant). What we see here does make more sense, of course, as you would think he would have been turned on previously for testing purposes if nothing else.
Section 31 are a controversial inclusion in the Trek pantheon. I totally get that people see it as an unwelcome intrusion into a future where humans strive to be better. Myself, I kind of love it for the fantastic storytelling opportunities and characters it presents. Case in point here, Luther Sloan is just brilliant (helped no end by William Sadler's performance).
I also really enjoy Bashir-centric episodes. His character is one that allows for a number of different narrative styles to be explored; Bashir can be immature and silly or extremely serious and professional, and both of these aspects of him manage to ring true. I guess this applies to most characters in the show, really, they all have so much depth by this point that you could just follow them through their day and become wrapped up in what happens.
This is a fun and intriguing episode that throws in some excellent twists. There are moments of genuine doubt as to whether or not Bashir is a Dominion sleeper agent, and the episode brilliantly incorporates events of previous ones to muddy the waters. The Doctor is really put through the ringer in a manner that would befit one of the "O'Brien Must Suffer!" shows.
For me, Section 31 add something new and extremely interesting to the Star Trek universe, despite it being add odds with what the franchise has always tried to present. I'm sure the writers were relieved and delighted to have it as a storytelling tool, and it's no wonder that it keeps reappearing even as the franchise has evolved and semi-rebooted. Looks like we can look forward to their presence in Discovery too, and I can't wait.
There's a real sense of fun about this one which helps to make it very watchable. The opening suggests that something is very off with B'Elanna being an ensign, Janeway's old hairdo, etc., and to be honest I was ready to write the episode off as nonsense after the opening scene, but once the holonovel aspect is revealed it changes gears wonderfully.
But once the Seska twist is comes into play, things kind of begin to fall apart. I'm always happy to see Seska again - especially since her end back in 'Basics' didn't give her a decent send off - but none of this rang true. I can't believe for a second that she programmed all of this to happen in such detail before leaving Voyager. There was absolutely no reason for her to, plus how did she manage to change a program that only Tuvok can change? The fake dramatic tension and threat also serves to undercut the fun the episode was having as things turn into yet another "holodeck gone wrong" episode.
Fortunately, that final third isn't enough to ruin things, and this has to be one of my favourite Voyager episodes so far. Tom and Tuvok work very well as the comedy odd couple, and how weird is it to see a character in a different colour of Starfleet uniform that we're used to?
'Fair Trade' managed to do something incredible, and that was to make me care about Neelix. I've often spoken about how he's my least favourite character on the show - maybe the whole Trek franchse - and that I generally think he brings things down. I've never thought that was the fault of the actor, Ethan Philips, but rather the horrendous writing of the terrible character he was given.
And yet here, Philips manages to show what he's capable of doing when paired up with good writing. This episode is a gripping tale that kept me engaged from start to finish. Seeing Neelix get dragged into more and more precarious situations was exciting not because of the peril he was in, but because of how we imagine it might affect his relationship with Voyager and its crew. I didn't want to see his worst fears realised, and that surprised me more than anybody. No surprises that his Talaxian friend Wix turned out to be a ciminal, though. Well, duh.
I like that it shows a different side to Neelix, he's so much more interesting when he has a serious story rather than being over the top comic relief. Janeway gets a good scene in which she's able to give him a bit of a talking to, too.
Interesting to see the introduction of the Vulcan Ensign Vorik, who bears a remarkable resemblence to the Vulcan character the same actor played previously on TNG (Taurik). Novels will establish that they are twin brothers, and I like that notion. I also like Neelix's conversation with Tom that kept things vague enough about his crime that we can still imagine he's actually the same character as Locarno from the TNG episode 'The First Duty'.
A surprisingly strong episode.
An exciting opener to the season that I really can't deny I enjoy so much purely because we get to see a bunch of our regular cast disguised as Klingons. It's so much fun.
I particularly like how each of them take to the challenge in different ways; Sisko makes for an astoundingly good Klingon and really plays up to the stereotypes of being aggressive and full of vigour. Odo, meanwhile, struggles to break out of his depressed state and doesn't quite fit into the Klingon mould as he's quiet and reserved. And then there's O'Brien who really doesn't succeed at all, despite putting some effort it. Apparently Colm Meaney absolutely hated the prosthetics and was really uncomfortable, and some of that comes across on screen.
In many ways, this episodes gives me a newfound respect for the actors who regularly play Klingons and how easy they make it look. Michael Dorn is the obvious candidate, but JG Hertzler as Martok is absolutely fantastic here (and it's no surprise that he returns later). It seems a little strange that Jadzia doesn't go on the mission given her extensively knowledge of Klingons.
There's also brilliant fun scenes with Dukat and Damar, who is acting more like the character he'll become. This gets the show nicely back on track to dealing with the Dominion as a big threat and patching things up with the Klingons, and it's really successful.
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.
As season enders go, this is an excellent example. It gives us the setup for the show going forward from this point and makes the Changeling threat suddenly feel very real. The whole episode has a wonderful sense of isolation, claustrophobia and paranoia. While it's hard not to view it as a fairly obvious rip-off of The Thing (down to the blood test scene), this puts a nice Trek slant on that. Maybe it just appeals to me because it's sort of like a monster/creature feature.
Sisko finally gets a promotion to fully fledged Captain. Part of me wonders why the hell he wasn't already a captain when the show began, part of me thinks that his rank doesn't really matter. But there's something very inherent to the way Star Trek works, and having a captain being in charge is a part of that. At any rate, it suits Sisko very well and does lend him more of an air of authority. Looking back, I have to wonder why all those admirals and ambassadors were ever listening to a lowly commander for the past three seasons.
The episode throws in some tried and tested moments that are always used when sci-fi does a "doppelganger/impersonator" episode, but it makes them exciting. It succeeds in that it keeps you guessing and surprises you when the revelations come. The two Odo's saying "no, he's the Changeling!" is great, no matter how many times I've seen it.
If I had to criticise the episode, I would say that the central premise of the Defiant going into Tzenkethi space doesn't make sense - why didn't Sisko just check with his superiors about what's going on? Since when does an ambassador order him on missions? We also never get an explanation for the weird living cables that have infested the ship's systems, what the hell were they? This is a big episode for Odo's character as he becomes the first Changeling to ever harm another and he also speaks about not really understanding his own people; this doesn't really track with his behaviour earlier when he seems to act like he knows exactly what the Changeling will be up to.
Minor quibbles in an otherwise excellent episode that has a great ending. "It's too late. We are everywhere." If that doesn't bring you back for more, I don't know what will. Get ready, DS9 is about to go through a change, and it's going to be awesome.
The second part resolves this with a much more tense and exciting episode, which - unlike many previous Trek double episodes - lives up to the promise of the first one. Avery Brooks in particular is on fire here, giving a great performance and letting a lot of anger through which feels appropriate for the situation.
The episode also highlights how much Dr. Bashir has grown. Pairing him up with Sisko is something that we haven't seen very much, and it would be easy for Julian to get lost in the commander's large shadow, but he really holds his own and acts maturely throughout the whole adventure. He's caring and compassionate while never backing down, and it's probably this episode that made me really like him at long last.
Frank Military is also really memorable as the slightly unhinged BC, who is given a much more rounded personality here and comes off as one of the strongest parts, despite how antagonistic he is. I particularly love his really unexpected line, "Errol Flynn was born in Tasmania!"
The small amount of comedy with Kira and O'Brien is appreciated, as otherwise this would be a really heavy episode. Dax's adventure is probably the least interesting part, although we get an amusing if odd appearance by Clint Howard (although, those are pretty much his defining characteristics). This two-parter was a real high point of early DS9, and I'm blown away at its powerful and relevant messages.
For all the Kira showcasing contained in this episode, somehow it's Garak who ends up making the largest impression on me. We get little bits revealed about him with every appearance, and even after 'The Wire', this is the one where we first realise how dangerous he potentially is. Andrew Robinson also has impeccable comic timing, so his line about overhearing the security code is really hilarious.
But all that aside, this is a Kira episode and quite a powerful one. It manages to create some genuine question about whether or not she really is a Cardassian agent and the relationship that builds between her and her "father" gives a beautiful arc to the story. It also furthers the proof that the species aren't all deserving of hate and even Kira, a Bajoran freedom fighter, is able to see that (a journey she begun back in 'Duet'). Nana Visitor also makes a pretty fantastic Cardassian.
There are shades of this being a repeat of the TNG episode 'Face of the Enemy', but this goes in quite a different direction. Entek is a pretty fantastic villain, too, and the sneaky use of Odo once the gang arrive at the end is really nicely done.
DS9 has been establishing itself in lots of different ways up to this point, building characters and the politics behind everything. It's given us a look at a lot of different facets of the world these people inhabit, but I think that this is where the show firmly and confidently assumes its own identity.
'The Maquis' is an aggressive episode. Not in terms of action - of which there is very little - but in terms of force of characters. The weight of the responsibilities Commander Sisko has really hits home and he's angry at how little he feels he can do. Kira stands up to him to make her valid arguments and reminds us that she's one of the lucky ones who managed to survive life with the Cardassians. There's even a furious discussion between Odo and the rest of the senior staff which pulls zero punches and is almost uncomfortable to watch.
But on top of all that, we get to really meet Gul Dukat. He's made a number of small appearances so far, but here he's given a big role and we can see the joy that Marc Alaimo brought to the role. Dukat is insincere, evasive, manipulative and yet it's impossible not to absolutely love him (or at least love to hate him). There's not a hint of a one-dimensional bad guy about him, he's a fully formed character with faults and emotions who is written and performed to perfection. Every scene he has with Sisko is dynamic and full of double meanings, it's impossible to take your eyes away.
The only really weak point is Sisko's old friend Cal Hudson, who just never seems to relax into the role and is a distracting performance. He also looks a lot older than our Commander so it's difficult to believe that they came up through the academy together.
The episode itself is a slow burner but effective. A follow up to the narrative established in 'Journey's End' over on TNG, this formally introduces the Maquis who will be around for a long while. The show manages to enter some grey areas where you're not entirely sure who to root for, and while their methods are thoroughly wrong I find myself being sympathetic. I even found the space battle played out with on-screen graphics to be effective here.
Quark also does a good job of flirting with a Vulcan, which can't be an easy task.
My anticipation for this was off the charts. Given my high expectations, its only natural that I would end up being a little underwhelmed by this premiere episode. Still, overall I really liked it.
The biggest compliment I can give it is that it feels like Star Wars. It fits in very nicely with the aesthetic set up by the original trilogy, while managing to also make things a bit seedier. The lighting and colour palette is lovely, the set design is incredible and I absolutely love the use of practical effects alongside CGI. There's a bold use of music which doesn't entirely match what you would expect from Star Wars, but I found it more intriguing than off putting.
That's all important, but the storytelling is the main thing that needs to work. This first episode came across as a little bit restrained in that respect. Most of the first half felt like it was playing it safe and was ticking off the thing that make you think 1) Star Wars, and 2) a western. It was hard to get any reading on our main character since he barely spoke two words and we can't see his face.
That began to change around the halfway point where the story kicked in with a bit more force and there was a hint at both character development and world building. The Mandalorian culture is a complex one that has been explored (perhaps too much) in both The Clone Wars and Rebels animated series. This managed to tease enough to make me want to know more. The metal and the armour is a cool angle to approach thing from and the hints of a painful backstory for our main character beg for more detail. I hope he gets a name. In fact, the lack of names for characters, locations and things in this episode was one of the biggest frustrations for me, leading me to explore Wookieepedia for more info.
By the final 10-15 minutes of the episode I was fully in to it. The bounty hunting side of things is just plain fun. The introduction of the IG droid and his self-destruct routine was really enjoyable and the action felt very nicely choreographed. Plus, it enabled the Mandalorian himself to come more into focus. The final reveal of what they were hunting came as a big surprise and opens up a lot of questions, so right now I can't wait for episode 2!
Things I noticed:
* A mention of Life Day from the Holiday Special.
* The stormtrooper's armour didn't quite seem to fit right; wondering if that was intentional.
* The ending. That most likely wasn't baby Yoda himself, but what if there's some cloning thing going on?. At any rate, it suggests some major reveals ahead.
Here I am, entering the final stretch of episodes. I don't want it to end.
The ten hours starting here tell one continuous story to wrap up the show. It was a massive undertaking for Star Trek in a time when serialised television was still in the infant stages. The Sopranos had just begun by this point, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was entering its stride and The West Wing was around the corner - and of course, Babylon 5 had done its thing.
Star Trek was also a notoriously episodic franchise in world where episodic television was successful, and DS9 was daring to do something different, much as it had done all along. The six-episode experiment done at the start of season 6 had worked well so now we were ready for something much more ambitious.
'Penumbra' is a tentative start, very much focused on characters and setting up the direction for how things are going to end. All the events on the station are quite low key with the highlight being SIsko's general state of contentment. Wanting to move to Bajor and asking Kassidy to marry him feel like very natural steps for his journey by this point.
The real excitement comes from the fallout of the very complex relationship between Ezri and Worf as they are forced to spend time together and face their issues. Sparks fly in more ways than one and it's really enjoyable to see it all happen apart from the fact that Worf is being a big old jerk face. They are definitely not a good match in the way that Jadzia and Worf were, but it feels right that they finally sort this stuff out. I can see this focus on relationships being a turn off for the sci-fi fans who want to see wondrous technology, space battles and alien problems solved by human ingenuity, but the characters have always been the reason I watch anything.
Also, seeing Dukat as a Bajoran never fails to make me smile. A nice twist. However, I think the best part of the episode is Damar mocking Weyoun once he's left the room.
An incredibly serious episode. It's so serious, in fact, that the crew's banter stands out as inauthentic (for example, O'Brien and Nog venting their frustration by saying "damn", and O'Brien telling him to watch his mouth stands out to me as incredibly awkward and jarring, whereas Discovery's controversial use of "fuck" came over as completely natural to me).
This is a powerful and strong episode that deals with the rules of warfare and the respect that can be given to the enemy - and how that can be a mistake. It's also a massive episode for Kira who comes to the realisation that she's collaborating (playing by the wrong rules), and Nana Visitor is simply superb. It feels like a bit of a leap for her character, given how vehemently opposed she was to the Dominion/Cardassian rule in the previous episode, but it's done well.
I don't quite enjoy this one much as the previous episode - the cheesiness of the cave scenes in particular with the injured Dax bug me a bit - but it's hard not to give it a high rating still. Sisko is in full-on leader mode and does an excellent job. I'm also a fan of how well Nog's character has developed by this point, and I'm delighted that Garak is along for all this.
The episode also has one of the best Jem'Hadar characters from the show, and a delightfully slimy Vorta. And I'm impressed that the show re-used its standard quarry location but made it look and feel different to previous episodes.
This one went right over my head as a young teen. While there's nothing exciting or explosive on display here, this is a fascinating and fast moving journey full of intrigue and deception. Much like 'Duet', it's built on the fallout from the Occupation, but moves in a very different direction. It's absolutely wonderful, and it's no coincidence that it so prominently features Garak and Dukat. Surprisingly, this is the first appearance of Garak since we met him way back at the start of season 1. It's obvious why he's a fan favourite, and arguably the greatest character across the entire Trek franchise.
Racism and politics are brought to the forefront, and caught up in all of this is a young boy who is being taught to hate his own kind. It's evident that O'Brien's own racism hasn't completely disappeared, but he's able to work through it as he gets to know Rugal.
It turns out that this is a great showcase for Julian, too. He's finally moving far away from the arrogant blunder head we met him as, although his over-eagerness does get him in some trouble when he interrupts Sisko's talk with Gul Dukat - quite a funny scene as Sisko takes it all in stride while simultaneously expressing his annoyance. Kira's little reaction to it is also fun. But he's maturing considerably, and pretty much all his arguments in the episode end up being right on the money.
But it's Garak leads us on this journey and it's a real rollercoaster. His constant deceptions and "truths" are a joy, and half the fun is in figuring out what he's up to. It's also a telling scene when he encounters the Cardassians orphans and clearly feels the shame in the way his society abandons them as outcasts. We feel the beginnings of the long running conflict between him and Dukat, and find out for certain that Dukat is playing all sorts of games.
The odd part is the ending - it's not a happy one, but more than that is that it seems very arbitrary and not fully explained. Rugal's own feelings don't seem to be taken into account at all.
I did think Keiko was being a bit insensitive in serving Rugal some Cardassian food (made all the more odd after she admonishes Miles for his lack of tact). Also worth noting, this is first time we hear the name 'Terok Nor'. Which is an awesome name.
Second episode has a very different tone to the first, I thought. It was a lot to take in and I think I enjoyed it a bit less, but still very engrossed. The two newcomers are obviously stand-ins for the two leads in the original film, though they've made their personalities very extreme (Ben Barnes is a monster).
LOVED that disorienting transition from the staging area to suddenly being on a moving train. What on Earth is going on there? Fascinating.
Thandie Newton's stuff was the most interesting, along with Delores' continuing story, though I really wanted to follow her more. The Man In Black's story was odd - I like it, but if he can't be hurt then there isn't much real tension in any of it. It's like he's being cruel just for the sake of it, and I don't see why it's at all necessary right now. Obviously, we need more of his story revealed. Ed Harris is great, anyway.
And as everyone else is saying, Sizemore the scriptwriter is just... appalling. How did this guy get cast? Is it intentional? It's utterly horrendous acting and dialogue. Is it going to turn out that he's a robot that they're trying to teach emotions to? Similarly, I'm not amazed by the female administrator either, and the reveal that she's sleeping with the engineer felt a bit soap opera-esque.
Great use of 'No Surprises'.
I've often accused Voyager of being formulaic and dull. I think that point stands (it's taken me close to a year to struggle through these final two seasons), but every so often an episode like this pops up. For once, the characters are given the spotlight and we get a fascinating and even emotional story with them. It happened earlier this season with the episode 'Lineage', and here it happens again.
In many ways, this is almost a complete copy of the classic TNG episode 'The Measure of a Man', in which Data's right to be recognised as a living being is put to trial, but here there's enough of a Voyager twist to make things feel different enough. In particular, the Doctor is one of the most original and thought-provoking characters in the Trek franchise. I do attribute that mostly to Robert Picardo's great performance, but his performance can't exist without the writing to back it up.
The episode actually flows through several things before arriving at the final hearing. My favourite parts were the holonovel that the Doctor had created which shine a fun and sometimes hilarious alternate light on what the crew of Voyager could be like. From there we get some good discussions on whether his work is offensive and damaging to the crew with the Doctor's position being sympathetic enough to make us be in his corner. But the crew do all have a point, and it's almost painful to see the way they forcefully inform the Doc how inconsiderate he's being.
It's also another frustrating example of Voyager's inconsistency, as we've had numerous episodes in which the crew - especially Janeway - don't seem willing to recognise the Doctor as a real person with feelings. This happened as recently as a couple of episodes ago with Harry Kim in 'Workforce'.
There's also a quite lovely B-story involving the crew finally getting to have direct communications with their families back home. I actually feel like this didn't get quite enough story time and held back a bit too much. The only conversation which really resonated here was B'Elanna and her father, although Seven speaking with her aunt did work well (anyone else think it was kind of creepy that Seven was always standing in the room while everyone was having their deeply personal conversations?). I would have liked to have seen Tom interact with his father - who was RIGHT THERE - and that feels like a missed opportunity.
Honey, I shrunk the runabout! Okay, this is a silly episode that gets a pass from me because it's really good fun and put me in a good mood. We get to see a tiny runabout flying about inside the Defiant and that's just cool. It's the sort of thing I imagined when playing with my toy cars when I was little. The sequence with Bashir and O'Brien wandering about a "forest" of isolinear chips is absolutely brilliant. I also appreciate that the episode puts some effort into the science side of things.
But, yes, it's quite a silly episode. That's made worse by some truly idiotic Jem'Hadar characters - they've never seemed this stupid before, and it took away a good deal of their menace. Think back to the Jem'Hadar child that Odo tried to look after as he matured in 'The Abandoned' and how single-mindedly aggressive he was, and the comparison is night and day to what we are presented with here. I think the rift between the Gammas and the Alphas is an interesting one, but it was portrayed here as nothing but petty.
The comedy is on point throughout, and there's some especially good lines at the very end with Worf/Dax and Odo/Quark.
A very strong place-setter for the six episode arc, and one of the most staggeringly brilliant run of episodes in Trek history. It's not too flashy and could be accused of being a bit sedate, but the character moments are absolutely vital. It all leads up to a very effective and tense ending.
It shows war as an ugly and depressing experience. Dukat has reached full egomaniac mode and his truly creepy scene with Kira is brilliant. Meanwhile Weyoun is fantastically watchable with all his charm and insincere smiles (thought, they are so easy to get taken in by). I love the way he immediately agrees to Odo's request after turning down the same one from Kira, and won't hear Dukat say a bad thing about it.
Sisko's conversation with his father is delightfully sweet, and an example of just how well the show's characters are now defined. Dialogue is quite excellent throughout, outside of some necessary exposition. The banter between the crew on their stolen Jem'Hadar ship works very well, and the fact that the extremely tense bomb scene is told all through characters speaking just shows how well written it is.
I'm less of a fan of the way Bashir seems to suddenly have become a walking computer, spouting off mathematics. His character is a bit all over the place in this one, getting angry at Sisko for the losses he has no power over, being super serious and then joking around.
Great stuff. The slow pace of the episode indicates that it's the first part of a two-part story, but don't let that bother you because it means we get to spend time exploring more of these wonderful characters. Most of the best guest characters are all assembled here, from Garak to Dukat and now the real General Martok finally makes his first glorious appearance. I'm super impressed that J.G. Hertzler managed to make this version of the character feel different from the previous one(s) we've seen, he's definitely more thoughtful and less aggressive.
Plus, Ziyal has another new actress in the role.
However mean it is of me to say, one reason I like this episode because it finally does away with Enabran Tain. Again, I don't know exactly why I didn't like the character but I'm glad we don't need to see him again.
It's also a turning point for Gul Dukat: he's become almost sympathetic by this point in the show, and you'd be forgiven if you found yourself actually liking him. This episode begins the process of reverting him back to his old self; a man who's egotistical, power hungry and has his own interests at heart. I have to say, he almost won me over.
The biggest shock is reserved for the revelation that Dr. Bashir is in the prison, and the version of him back on the station is a Changeling infiltrator! That's a fantastic twist. I love that he's wearing the old Starfleet uniform. It does present some questions, as to how the Changeling managed to perform the various medical procedures we've seen Bashir do over the past few episodes, but it doesn't matter because it's a great moment.
That's a really good cliffhanger to end on, too. Finally it looks like a war with the Dominion, teased for so long, is about to officially begin.
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.
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.
