Another welcome surprise from an unexpected classic. However, it comes just short of being a great film.
First off, there is a vast cast of characters, yet somehow they are pretty well balanced for a film with a running time of just over an hour. While taking more time to flesh out some characters a la Seven Samurai would have made this more complete, it would have diminished the point of the film. Like most great westerns, this is less about the characters, and more about why they've been put in front of us (a welcome change from hiring who's hot in hollywood nowadays). While the plot itself wasn't all that original (should we take the law into our own hands), the places it takes us are unexpected, thrilling, and sometimes frightening.
The pacing is great, and for a short movie, it takes you to extremely different places for each act. Wellman makes a lot good decisions as director, and a handful of great ones. However, the greatness comes too far into the movie for me to classify this as an example of amazing directing. It's almost like he directed the first two acts to appeal to a broader audience, then directed the third act for aficionados who appreciate everything about a film that makes it great.
1 / 2 directing & technical aspect
1 / 2 story
1 / 1 acting
1 / 1 pacing
1 / 1 dialogue
1 / 1 living up to its genre
0 / 1 originality
1 / 1 lasting ability to make you think
.5 / 0 miscellaneous +/- point
7.5 out of 10
I don't believe I've ever been so captivated by such a deeply flawed movie as I am with Arrival. What others have written about it—with far more insight than I could—is all too true, namely that the acting is hollow at best and the plot is nothing so much as a severely frayed thread in danger of completely unraveling. It's an utter waste of one of the most creative iterations of extra-terrestrial contact in cinematic history. And yet, despite all of these reasons to dismiss this lamentable execution of the cinematic arts, I can't help but admit…I love it.
When you strip away all of the trappings and examine this movie solely for the essential story being told, you are privy to something very profound, and genuinely uplifting: how humanity's manifold foibles, when put together, might just be redeeming after all. Through the protagonist, Louise, we see the unfolding of a series of personal tragedies and yet her response to them is tempered with unflinching dedication to the accomplishment of something worthwhile, and therein she finds her purpose. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I found in this story elements of the best of Disney's heroes, Shakespeare's tragic rulers, and religious texts' unwavering commitment to the belief that there is no such thing as a meaningless sacrifice. While they all could've been done greater justice, I believe their coexistence here is cause to sit up, take note, and eschew any demands for a greater polish and fidelity to realism.
I came away with a greater knowledge of myself and a more forgiving opinion of our species as a whole, and for both of those I am grateful beyond measure. Perhaps in time I'll come to see that the imperfections in its presentation actually work to clarify some or all of these laudable aspects of the narrative,...or perhaps the magic will fade under the weight of familiarity and I'll be unable to defend it again as I have here now. Either way, the two hours I devoted to watching this movie for the first time are ones that I won't ever regret, and perhaps that's the best praise any artistic work can receive, especially in light of this particular story.
Creepy and mysterious, building up to a thrilling and fun conclusion. Seeing Wesley back is divisive for many as it does seem that people generally hate his character, but I find him to be a welcome return. Wil Wheaton was definitely better in the role from season 3 onward, and the older he got the better he seemed to fit.
The story is pure silly entertainment, but it's seeing the characters I know acting so differently to usual which creates a sort of fascination as I watch. And it's a really subtle thing, as they just carry on as if nothing is wrong... although of course it's always going to be uncomfortable when the actors are essentially pretending to have orgasms throughout the episode. It's also unforgivable that the game itself looks so laughably bad, even for 1991 standards.
Ashley Judd is rather charming, a shame she never comes back again, and I like the fact that the geeks work together to save the day. The Lefler Laws are pretty dumb, though. It would have been interesting to see what effect the game would have had on Guinan who is usually wise to things, but she's conveniently absent for this one.
The first regular episode following the pilot is underwhelming, but still solid. I assume they blew most of their budget on the premiere, so had to stick to smaller stories for a while, but DS9 was always a show about the characters and it's not at all out of place that we dive into what makes these people tick.
The introduction of Garak, the Cardassian tailor/spy, is the big draw here. His first appearance isn't anything special, but Andrew Robinson brings charm to role and distinguishes himself clearly from other Cardassians. He's polite, happy and thoughtful - which in some ways makes him even more menacing. His description of himself as "plain, simple Garak" tells us that he's anything but. Right now we don't really understand why he's on DS9 or what his background is, and the show will continue to play with our expectations of him. It's also hard to believe that Dr. Bashir is so dense as to not understand what Garak is trying to tell him.
The episode is a good showcase for Major Kira as she has to fight against the person she's been all her life. The problem is, at this point we don't know who Kira was before, and her dilemma doesn't strike any chord.. It's easier to get a grip on things after knowing her character through watching the show previously, but for a new viewer I can imagine it's hard to care. For all that, Nana Visitor puts in a heartfelt performance and it's very clear that she cares. I like her conversation with Odo and the fact that he just makes a decision based on it. A lot of the details about her history with Tahna Los and the Kohn-Ma terrorist cell are provided in the Terok Nor novels, but of course they're not canon (however well they manage to fit in).
The Duras sisters were a fun addition, keeping the links to the TNG universe alive. It's also impressive that even this early, the writing is so much more mature than on that show.
If the internet had been as prevalent in 1993 as it is now, I feel sure that the phrase "I am Tosk" would have become a meme. This is a strong episode when taken within the context of DS9's first season, and an excellent exploration of O'Brien's character. This may be the first episode in the entire franchise that's been fully focused on him as a person and really lets us into his personality (I'd argue that various TNG episodes only ever gave us hints).
Turns out he's quite willing to throw away the Prime Directive and even his career for what he believes in, and he seemingly does it with a smile on his face. Maybe it's a bit too much to believe that the Chief has no hesitation or internal debate whatsoever to breaking the rules like this, but it makes for a decent episode. He gets annoyed pretty easily, as the scene with Quark demonstrates (as well as the previous 'Babel'); I think this is the first utterance of "hew-mon". We also get the first indication that he doesn't like Julian that much! But it also shows how kind and open he is quite beautifully.
Special mention does need to be given to the pretty amazing design job for Tosk. He looks amazing even to this day.
I'm always a sucker for a good courtroom drama, and while this isn't a stellar example of one the episode does however manage to represent a classic Trek philosophical conundrum: can a being who lives multiple lives be held responsible for the crimes of one of their past ones?
Someone disappointingly, it doesn't actually answer that question. Additionally, even though Kira is assigned to find out what the Trill law is in regards to that (they must have sorted this out many centuries in their past), we never hear about what she discovers. It weakens it somewhat that we are never really allowed to get into it or have our opinions swayed. Never mind, though, because the episode manages to succeed due to it's focus on the characters rather than the plot (something DS9 is going to consistently prove as one of its strengths).
It's great to finally find out about Jadzia Dax (even though the character herself does so little here) and get a better understanding of how the lives of Trills work. The friendship between her and Sisko works from the very beginning and Anne Haney is wonderful as the no-nonsense arbiter. Kira gets a superb scene as she tells Tandro that his actions "annoy us". But again, Dr. Bashir doesn't get presented in the best light as he goes all creepy and even a bit self-pitying over Jadzia. There's an annoying contrivance that the only suitable place on the station to hold the hearing is in Quark's bar (the station is huge and has all sorts of large rooms and areas, not to mention that they could have just used a holosuite).
Some dissonance in regards to the supposed harmonious future gender equality here too, as Bashir stops fighting when he suddenly realises his opponent is a woman, and Sisko laments that he can't punch Dax because she's not a man anymore.
I'd confidently rate this as the strongest episode since the pilot. Encountering a planet of people who can't die while being embroiled in a constant war is a classic sci-fi concept, delivering a strong message on the pointlessness of war. The only thing that lets it down is how small-scale and cheap it all feels, as well as how non-violent the fight scenes are. Look past that and there's a fine story here. The addition of Jonathon Banks to the guest cast really elevates things (while he's mostly known these days for Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, he had a long career prior to those).
It's also notable to me for the decision to write Kai Opaka out of the show. True, she'd only been in one episode before this, but she felt like an important character (and I'd grant a lot of that to Camille Saviola's performance), enough that her "death" here makes an impact. I do wonder why the writers made the decision not to keep her around any longer but it's also going to be established on this show that even supporting characters can have a lot of depth and can meet their fate at any time.
It's also an important episode for Kira. She's still in full-on angry mode all the time, which can begin to feel over the top, so the Kai helping her realise that she needs to let go of it all is quite a touching moment. I did find her reaction to Gul Dukat's report on her at the start of the episode quite entertaining, though (side note: the Terok Nor novels suggest that Dukat purposely diminished her criminal records to make her look unimportant in an effort to protect her, given that he was in love with her mother).
An episode based around the theme of coming together, in some cases to work towards a goal or in some to just forge a friendship. This is the beginning of the fantastic O'Brien/Bashir pairing, and it's off to a rocky start. I love that O'Brien just doesn't like Julian, but I also love that Julian isn't oblivious to this. It seems the writers might have realised just how arrogant they were making the character and began the process of making the doctor more likeable.
The Jake/Nog friendship has also grown to the point where the two of them are becoming inseparable, and to where they now comfortably argue a lot. They behave as believable teenagers, far better than Wesley ever did over on TNG. I have to admit, when I watched this episode as kid I also had a massive crush on Varis Sul, and it's interesting that I had forgotten about her completely but the episode brought it all the memories back!
It's a notoriously cheesy moment within the first season of the show, though. The whole storyteller plot line in the village is really hard to take, mostly because of how stupid the villagers come across. Our first real visit down to Bajor presents a people who seem moronic among the galaxy's occupants, shouting at a cloud in the sky. We've been told repeatedly what an advanced and cultured civilisation they are. I always laugh at O'Brien's attempt to tell the story, though ("once upon a time...").
The ingredients are all here for a strong episode. It has a wonderful performance from guest star Brian Keith as Mullibok; it's an excellent dive into Kira's personality and what drives her; it creates lots of conflict, both for Kira herself and between her and a number of other characters; it gives us a good look at Bajoran life; and thematically it asks questions about the true value of what we've got.
And yet, I can't deny that I find the episode a bit plodding and edging on boring. No matter how much time Kira spends with Mullibok, it's like they just keep having the same conversation in different ways. Part of the problem is that I struggle to see Mullibok as anything but selfish.
I do think that the episode has a bold ending, though, and again feels like something that the characters on TNG would never have done (yes, I know that Data does essentially the same thing in 'The Ensigns of Command', but the motivations behind his decision are very different). Mostly, the reward here comes from seeing Major Kira's development - in many ways, this episode really defines her from this point forward.
The side plot with Jake and Nog is good fun, those two have become quite a delightful part of the show by this point. A shame they couldn't just Google an explanation for self-sealing stem bolts - but couldn't they have asked the computer?
Nothing else in season 1 quite prepares you for this. An absolute tour-de-force of writing and acting produces not only the best episode of the season, not only one of the best episodes of DS9, but one of the best of the entire Star Trek franchise. Screw it, it's among the best hours of television ever made.
The atrocities of the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor are brought into the light and we get our first real understanding of what went on. The fierce and judgemental nature of Kira makes a lot more sense after seeing this, and the first season of the show turns out to be very much about shaping her character going forward. She's full of hate, and as the season has progressed we've seen her discover more and more that it's something she needs to let go of. It also goes a long way towards finally humanising (for lack of a better word) Cardassians.
It plays to the strengths of the show at this point in time: it's a small scale story completely focused on character. The various dialogues between Major Kira and her Cardassian prisoner are the high points in that they overshadow everything else. Fortunately, there's no B-story here in the background to take away from it. Nana Visitor pulls out a very strong and nuanced performance, but it's really guest star Harris Yulin as Marritza/Dar'heel who grabs your attention. He manages to give us something that we just can't take our eyes away from, and his voice is mesmerising. There are lines here which have been stuck rattling around in my head for 20 years.
Surprisingly, this is the first appearance of Gul Dukat since the pilot episode. I'd forgotten how little he appears early on. But his part in this is great as ever, and his reminiscence of playing games with Odo is quite fun.
The ending might be a bit groan-inducing but that somehow doesn't take away from it's power at all, and I particularly like the surprise on Kira's own face when she says, "no, it's not." An essential piece of viewing and a clear indication of how powerful this show is going to become..
While season 1 closed with a look at Bajor's religion, season 2 begins with a dive into its politics. Trek's first three-part tale is a slow burning and thoughtful episode with a lot of moving parts. As with much of early DS9, it's more about intrigue and character rather than explosive storytelling (although that will certainly become a big part of the show too later).
Kira and O'Brien's rescue mission is an enjoyable adventure, and they work surprisingly well together with their various attempts to deceive the Cardassians - O'Brien trying to sell her services is particularly well done and they both play it up perfectly. The POW they resuce, Li Nalas, is a fascinating reluctant hero played very nicely by Twin Peak's Richard Beymer.
What I most appreciate is that there is a sense of DS9 really finding its own identity here and forging ahead with confidence. The father/son moments between Sisko and Jake remain strong and always feel genuine. You could possibly accuse this episode of being a bit flat, but then Frank Langella turns up and is a great mix of charming, smarmy, arrogant and friendly.
The sedate pacing is a far cry from the usual action of TNG (especially when you consider they had just aired the frantic and messy 'Descent' two-parter alongside this), but it allows far more depth to the storytelling. Action junkies will get their fix later, but for now the show's world is being expanded and given life.
There's a moment in this episode where Sisko interrupts Kira "daydreaming", and I have to admit I also found myself daydreaming a lot through this one. It's a slow paced and drawn out episode that takes a very long time just to inform us of something very simple: the Circle are ready to begin their coup, and are unknowingly getting their weapons from the Cardassians.
It would be okay if the episode didn't let our characters fall by the wayside. Kira is lost, floating about (being "useless") while Sisko is just reacting to all the developments coming his way. Frank Langella and Louise Fletcher provide a fantastic supporting cast, but everyone else doesn't really get much of a look in. Vedek Bareil is actually kind of creepy and Bashir is beyond rubbish at his attempt to rescue Kira.
This is just setting things up for the final part, and if it wasn't for the WONDERFUL scene at the start with everybody coming into Kira's quarters (finally realising that these are her friends, a big step) and the pretty good cliffhanger, it would be a complete loss.
Side note: Winn gets one of my favourite condescending lines of dialogue - "Please, feel free to stay as many days as you'd like... even a week if that's necessary."
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.
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.
This has the distinction of being the final "new" DS9 episode I ever saw, as I managed to miss it during its first UK broadcast. I don't think I managed to see it until I got the series on DVD in 2003.
I wasn't missing anything particularly special, though. While the episode does have a compelling story, it's ruined by the fact that the Skrreeans are just incredibly annoying. Even that name is annoying to type. The worst culprit is the late Andrew Koenig as Tumak who is very difficult to enjoy watching and seemingly written to be nothing but an angry pest. Leland Orser is also present, but strangely is not really used at all - I guess this was early in his career.
Another issue is that there is never any proof that Bajor is the planet that the Skrreeans are looking for, and Haneek's reaction is unnecessarily over the top. The alternative they are being offered is better in every way, but some prophecy tells them they need to act like idiots.
But I do quite like the downbeat ending and the fact that Kira's relationship with Haneek is not mended, or even salvageable by the end. It's also interesting to see the universal translator not quite doing its job, and we get another foreboding mention of the Dominion. There's also a great moment for Quark as he defends his nephew, both against the Skrreeans and with Odo.
I do wonder why Bajor didn't allow a small contingent of Skrreeans down as a test of sorts, maybe a couple of thousand to see if they could farm the land and make it work. That would have seemed to be a sensible compromise.
It has a rocky start with some terrible expositional dialogue and it's hard not to laugh at the fact that the harvesters look like containers of Pringles, but I do enjoy this episode. The pairing of Miles and Julian was always one of the best parts of the show, and it's especially great here in the early days because Miles still just doesn't like the doctor very much - but he's starting to warm to him a little. O'Brien has a short fuse whenever they are together which makes me laugh, but I've always liked to think that Julian knew the Chief wasn't too fond of him and changed his ways a bit.
I really like the way that Sisko believes Keiko without any question when she demonstrates her reason for believing her husband is still alive. Maybe it's because our commander was married, and I couldn't picture Picard doing the same thing.
The rescue of Bashir and O'Brien is a bit too convenient, and Sisko and Dax's trick at the end is a bit too obvious but it's nice that the solution taken was a sensible one for once. The final moment with Keiko is just perfect.
Possibly gets the award for the worst alien haircuts ever.
Garak - perhaps the most intriguing character in all of Star Trek - gets a whole episode dedicated to his story for the first time. Andrew Robinson is absolute gold in the role and completely makes it his own, but this is also a great showcase for Dr. Bashir. We can see first hand how much he has changed from the early season 1 character he was, and yet he's still true to that initial set up. He's still got the arrogant and brash streaks, but he's far more mature.
As enjoyable as this episode is, it almost feels like it tries to do a bit too much. With Garak's overlapping lies and stories being delivered in a rush and then an abrupt slow down as Bashir attempts to help him, the pacing of this is very elastic. I also find that I don't enjoy the character of Enabran Tain at all - I don't know whether this is due to the writing, the actor or just the whole concept of him, but something about him makes my brain want to switch off.
I really like the little things that crop up in this episode, like the fact that Julian admits he knows that Chief O'Brien doesn't like him, that Sisko is being treated for a sore throat due to yelling at admirals, the discussions on Cardassian literature, or that Odo enters some very ethically wrong areas by monitoring all of Quark's communications. All this put together leaves an episode that throws a lot at you and it hinges on some excellent performances. And at the end, we feel like we still barely have learned a thing.
The mirror universe, established in The Original Series, is a place that really makes no sense, but I always looked forward to these crazy episodes. The cast get to play with their characters in extreme ways, sometimes being the complete opposite of what they usually are.
If you stop and think too much, then it seems ridiculous that the counterparts of all these people are in the same places doing similar things. It doesn't really make sense that any of them would have been born at all. But these episodes are meant to be fun, so just go with it.
DS9's first trip to the other side very briefly fills us in on some details. Kirk influenced Mirror Spock who eventually rose to take command of the Terran Empire and preached a message of peace. That allowed the Empire's enemies to destroy them and a Klingon-Cardassian Alliance has now enslaved humanity.
This would actually be nothing more than an okay episode if not for Nana Visitor. Her performance as the Intendent is irresistible, she dials everything up to 11 and just steals the show (her delivery of the line "QUI-ET!" to Bashir is a total joy), and the special effects in scenes with the two of her are a big step up from similar stuff seen on TNG, it's near flawless. Mirror Odo gets to be evil and happy, Sisko is a crazy but depressed pirate and O'Brien is... pretty much himself but just downtrodden.
Quark is one of the real surprises, he seems to be brave and kind of heart. The mirror universe also allows for main characters to be killed off, so he doesn't stick around too long. The opening scene seems to undo all the maturing that Doctor Bashir has done over the past season as he's arrogant and oblivious again, but it's funny.
A good return to this world, though a bit restrained and unimaginative.
The first episode of season 3 shakes things up a little. New combadges, new hairdos, a new cinematography style and some new sets with the wardroom on board the station and the various locations on the new starship Defiant. For all the newness, though, the story is picking up from right where we left things at the end of season 2: the threat from the Dominion.
Of course, there's also new faces behind the scenes. The brilliant Ronald D. Moore came over from TNG and joined the writing staff on this show, and made his mark with his first episode here.
Being the first part of a double episode, this one moves at a leisurely pace and allows for some calm character moments. Again, we're reminded of the deep bond between Sisko and Jake as they officially begin to think of Deep Space Nine as their "home". Far more electric is the scene between Quark and Odo, the latter becoming extremely forceful and feeling far more aggressive than we've ever seen him before. It's clear that something more is wrong that we've been told. Quark handles it pretty well.
The new ship, the Defiant, is a glorious creation. An overpowered little warship, it's going to give us a lot of fun. In an interesting twist it has a cloaking device which comes along with its own Romulan operator (not sure how long she'll be around). It's a bit of a let down when it seemingly gets utterly thrashed during its first battle. We also meet Michael Eddington who appears to be replacing Odo as the head of security on DS9, and causes a massive upset. Odo's on his own quest here, though, and it's causing him to act far more irrationally than usual.
It's always bugged me that, when Odo finally finds his own people, they all just happen to look exactly like he does. I know it's a contrivance of television storytelling to make things clear for the audience, but it makes absolutely no sense.
This would be a very grim episode if not for the lighter material provided by Quark. As a season opener it's intriguing and begins to take us in new directions.
A really fun episode that demonstrates what the writing staff changes behind the scenes brought to the show. Quark has always been far from a typical Ferengi and was used a means to change our perception of the race, but this episode really lets us see what he can be capable of. Mixing Klingons and Ferengis isn't an obvious choice, and it inevitably leads to some really funny stuff (I love seeing Gowron and the High Council flicking through financial documents with confused looks on their faces).
This was also an opportunity to finally give Keiko something to actually do. She's been kind of underused and her character's potential squandered, so it's nice to see an attempt to get things back on track for her. I like the genuine feel that her marriage has, at least at this point in the show, and both she and Miles make quite an adorable couple. I also found it quite cute the way that people were giving him advice and seemed to know all about his problems; the Julian/Miles friendship is beginning to feel like a friendship here, although you'll notice they're still not quite on first name terms.
Grilka is a joy to watch, and there's some hilarious stuff between her and Quark ("get your hand off my thigh"). The final scenes with him in the council chamber are excellent, and Armin Shimmerman really knocks it out of the park. Because TNG had finished, the Klingon storylines from there transitioned to this show, and they were always something to look forward to.
Dax is such an interesting character with the multitudes of lifetimes to explore, but somehow I thought that DS9 managed to make her the least developed character. Terry Farrel was great in the role and when the show gave her something really good, she flourished. This is not quite one of those stellar moments, however important it is to her character development.
The revelation that one of the past hosts was a murderer is a big one, but it doesn't feel like it's made as big a deal of as it should be. This should be a character-changing moment for Jadzia, but the effects of this episode seem to have zero bearing on her future. We see an angry and confrontational side of her personality develop here, but it will seemingly be kept under wraps from here on despite the revelations she has. DS9 was usually a bit better at allowing characters to change with big events (although, fair enough, it's not ignored entirely in future episodes).
The episode has some great moments, though. Odo stirring the souffle is quite charming and it's great to see that Bashir has matured enough to be a doctor rather than a womaniser, as demonstrated when Jadzia comes to sleep in his quarters. Also, how fantastic is it that Sisko has his entire senior staff over for dinner and cooks for them? Picard would never do that.
I think it's a great story and I love learning more about the Trill, it just falls a bit flat in the execution for me.
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.
This is a pretty good one, most notably famous for having Jonathon Frakes guest star as Riker. The twist that he's not actually Will Riker is absolutely fantastic if you go into this without knowing (and the beard-removing moment is kind of funny in its epicness).
For all the good stuff, I do find this episode slightly disjointed. It's split into two very distinct parts, with the early acts being a nice ensemble piece on board the station, and then changing into something very different once Riker is on board the Defiant and Sisko is on Cardassia.
Those Cardassia scene are quite fantastic, though. Sisko is especially great and demonstrates his excellent tactical skills, as well as his ability to find a way to get what he needs. The scenes between him and Dukat are quite electric, thanks again in no small part to how great Marc Alaimo is in the role. The bonding moment they share over both being fathers is a real highlight - thought, a part of me does wonder how truthful Dukat was being. Given all that we discover later about his character, this doesn't quite ring true and feels more like a manipulation. However, I like to think that at this point in the series, the writers wanted to make him genuine, so it's nice.
The stuff on board the Defiant is a bit less enticing, and I find that the episode sort of slows to a crawl as it goes on. Jonathon Frakes' charm helps it, but there's a lot of staring at screens and characters trying to persuade each other to get through. Kira has some great dialogue, fortunately.
First mention of quantum torpedoes, and a nice mystery being set up about what's going on in the Orias system. It's a real shame that the Thomas Riker storyline was never followed up on screen, but it does get some continuation in the relaunch novels.
It's silly to the extreme, but I have a lot of fun with this one. Taking its cues from a Shakespearean style comedy, this is enjoyable but feels so very un-Star Trek. There's no real scientific aspect to the story, or exploration of human nature, or politics or even action. In fact, nothing really happens at all here. It's just a fun diversion with our characters getting to act a bit weird. But DS9 was far more about its characters than other Trek shows.
The acting is actually what always made this memorable for me, with Cirroc Loften (Jake) and Terry Farrell (Jadzia) in particular embracing the comedy aspects and really making them work. The creepy side of Bareil actually gets to work its way into the story, and that actually makes this one of his better appearances! (I LOVE it when he punches SIsko, and then Dax decks him.) Avery Brooks directs and does so beautifully, and there are some lovely epic camera movements spread throughout. The station looks bright and colourful.
I also like the O'Brien/Keiko marriage difficulties storyline, as it feels quite realistic (at points) here.
There's also Lwaxana Troi, who is a difficult character for some people to enjoy. I usually kind of enjoy her appearances, although they could be hit and miss. DS9 managed to use her well and bring out a more caring side to her personality, notable here for the great moment where she recognises Odo's feelings towards Kira.
I remembered this as being a strong two-parter, but rewatching here I was blown away. I'm not sure if there has ever been a Trek story so blunt or that feels quite as prescient as this does by today's standards. With Trump over in America, the "sanctuary cities" debate and Brexit happening here ("Europe is falling apart") among all sorts of other issues of homelessness and unenployment, the insanely high cost of living and excessive force used by police, this is absolutely chilling to watch. Maybe over the top in some ways, but this franchise was never really about subtlety.
This is pure Star Trek, and is overflowing with ideas and messages. From something as simple as Sisko and Bashir (two men of colour) being arrested and chucked in what is more-or-less a prison, and Jadzia (an attractive white woman) being treated like a princess who's done no wrong after being found in the exact same circumstances as them, this deals with so many issues that we have screaming in our faces today. Would Chris have been as quick to stop and help the commander and the doctor? This present a society where people don't want to deal with other people's problems and money is the more important factor, which sounds too familiar.
In fact, the most unrealistic things about this episode are the quaint 1990s style computer terminals being used and the fact that nobody seems to have mobile phones.
Side note: the first time I watched this was on the initial UK BBC2 broadcast. The channel showed it as a 90 minute movie, even though it was listed as a single episode in the Radio Times. I remember thinking "this seems long" and looking at the clock, realising over an hour had already past. Fantastic viewing experience.
I also love the way that Jadzia really quickly improvises and makes her explanations upon being found. She's got a lot of experience to draw on! PLUS, for once Star Trek did a time travel story that didn't just go back to our "contemporary" Earth, which became contrived very quickly.
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.
Mostly memorably for the pretty great twist at the end, but it's Nog's story which remains the best part of the episode. His desire to enter Starfleet seems to come out of nowhere, but through a combination of some good writing and Aron Eisenberg's great performance, it all manages to feel right. The scene in which Sisko wrings his reasons out of him is mesmerising to watch due to impressive work from both actors. I also love the moment in which Rom defies Quark and lets Nog know he would be proud of him.
The Kira/Odo A-plot is a bit more problematic. Not because of it's content, which is great, but because of how off so much of it feels in execution. Nana Visitor's performance is just not very good, and while I sincerely hope that this because she was trying to convey that she's NOT really Kira, it's something that I can't say with certainty. Her strained voice becomes grating very quickly, and the dialogue is unnatural. Again, possibly clues that she's not who she appears to be, but hard to watch without cringing.
Rene Auberjoinois, meanwhile, is fantastic. The story of how he got his name is charming, and it's heartbreaking that the reason he realises he's not talking to Kira is because she tells him that she loves him too.
O'Brien must suffer! A fairly unique time-travel episode with a cool idea behind it. It stumbles a little bit because as it goes on, more and more it bugs me that things don't quite make sense. Especially once O'Brien travels ahead for the final time, why hasn't the Miles he meets already done the same thing? "I hate temporal mechanics" indeed!
It's most memorable for doing a very non-Star Trek thing, and that's killing the main character! It somehow feels quite daring that they decided to kill of "our" O'Brien and use the future O'Brien for the rest of the series (this echoes back to the original plan with Thomas and Will Riker, which the producers eventually thought went too far). Even though there's no real difference between them, the script does reflect the viewer's own thoughts in that somehow it's like he doesn't belong here. I wonder if he ever told Keiko and Molly about it?
The Miles/Julian friendship is pretty firmly established now, through their dartboard being set up in the bar and the amusing argument they have about letting Miles die. The show made this friendship grow very naturally across the past seasons, and I love it.
The Romulan stuff is surprisingly boring. Kira's outrage feels a bit stale, and why they even bother to interview Quark I don't know. Odo's stuff is much better and he's quite funny all the way through - I especially like his fake indignation in regards to what Kira tells him. It does seem more than a little obvious that the singularity orbiting the station is a cloaked Romulan ship, though, why did none of the crew think of that?
This is an episode made up on some extremely powerful moments, yet somehow when it's all put together I just don't find myself all that enticed and I'm hard pressed to say exactly why.
The Odo/Garak stuff is still the bulk of the story, continuing on from the previous episode. Here they are much more at odds with each other and while they were never particularly friendly towards each other, this really shows that what they go through here puts a strain on whatever relationship they did have. This is supposed to be Garak back in his element, but all we see is a man who wishes he were anywhere else rather than having to torture Odo.
And the torture scene is pretty heavy stuff, at least in the terms of this franchise. Excellent make-up on Odo makes him look like he's drying up and flaking into pieces which is quite a horrifying effect. Still, the impact on character is the real punch to the gut here as Garak begs him to just make up something so that he can end the interrogation, and we get Odo's admission that he just wants to be with his own people.
I can't think of another franchise that would have two characters bonding over one torturing the other, as the episode ends with a wonderful scene that seems to solidify a friendship between the two of them. It's also shot beautifully with Odo's reflection being revealed in the dirty mirror - in fact, the entire episode is full of quite fantastic cinematography including dutch angles and extreme close ups.
This also gives us DS9's first real major space battle, and it's pretty impressive. The Defiant finally gets to show its teeth as it mows its way through Jem'Hadar ships. It feels like we've been waiting a long time to see that.
And yet, I don't find myself being able to love the episode. Perhaps its because the Romulan/Cardassian stuff is so laboured, or maybe it's because I realised that this is the episode which really made me dismiss Enabran Tain as a watchable character. The guy is so driven by his ego and acts so magnanimously, but when it all falls apart at the end he's revealed to be a gibbering wreck. It could have been a great role but Paul Dooley just doesn't cut it for me because it feels cartoonish.
Maybe it's because this episode has MAJOR events for the Trek universe happening - both the Obsidian Order and Tal Shiar are wiped out, and the Dominion show their truly aggressive side - and yet, it doesn't really register as a massive thing.
All that, and the rest of the DS9 crew barely get a look in. Sisko defies orders and (of course) gets away with no repercussions. Dax gets to show of her piloting skills, O'Brien gets to fix things and Eddington reappears for the first time since his initial appearance and pretty much reveals himself to be a dick. I did quite enjoy Bashir trying to substitute O'Brien as a replacement for a lunch partner, and the whole thing failing.
Slightly more hit than miss, this Ferengi episode manages to be pretty good because it isn't full of crazy antics. Instead, we get a grounded and simple story about family and that's what makes it work. The different dynamics between how Quark, Rom and their mother each treat each other make them highly watchable, possibly relatable and sometimes cringeworthy! It's almost shocking to see how vicious Quark and his mother can be to each other but the comedy keeps things from descending into uncomfortable territory (well, apart from the brother's desire to see their mother unclothed).
It tackles Ferengi sexism head on, and is pretty successful at it. Ishka is maybe a bit much to take with a very big performance, but all of the points she raises are entirely valid. It was also telling that Quark was disgusted with the idea of a female earning profit until he thought she was willing to share it with him. Greed is indeed eternal.
One of the real joys here comes from the introduction of Brunt (FCA), played by the excellent Jeffrey Combs. He's one of the best characters on the show, always good for a laugh and always easy to hate. I also like our first look at Ferenginar and the culture that exists there, notably with the way they have to pay each other for the most basic tasks like entering someone's home, using an elevator or sitting in a chair.
I actually found myself enjoying the background story a bit more. Commander Sisko has his first date with Kassidy and they hit it off in quite a delightful fashion by bonding over baseball. I love Jake's happy reaction as he watches from a distance, and the gossip he's spread around the station is pretty funny.
I don't dislike (most) Ferengi episodes, I just find them difficult to get excited about.
