The Worst Ten Episodes Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

| | | The Basics: Even a great show has its duds: these are the bottom ten episodes Star Trek: Deep Space Nine produced!


In the tradition of the Top Ten Lists I have for the other series’ in the Star Trek franchise, I figured that it was about time for me to revisit Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (reviewed here!) is a bit tougher to make a Top Ten List for (though I did, back when I was writing for another site, here!), largely because after a certain point, the show becomes heavily serialized and pieces of other episodes are required to get the most out of later episodes.

But, even for a perfect series, there are less-than-stellar episodes. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had some duds, though none fell nearly as far as the bottom episodes from the other works in the franchise. For the Bottom Ten Duds Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one need only look to:

10. “Battle Lines” (reviewed here!) – Killing off characters can be a tough sell, but when the whole point of the episode is to bury a guest character it can be dicey. The series eventually got it right with episodes like “Life Support,” which has one of the most heartwrenching finishes of the franchise. But in the first season, in order to set off a perfectly reasonable religious schism that would play a part throughout the rest of the series, Kai Opaka needed to be lost. “Battle Lines” is the result and while it is an initially interesting idea, it replays exceptionally poorly. This is, arguably, the worst essential episode the series produced,

9. “Melora” (reviewed here!) – I admire the message of a handicapable officer, but the execution with “Melora” just sucks. It’s a sad thing when the b-plot (in this case, a disgruntled former partner of Quark’s returning to kill him) entirely overwhelms the character for whom the episode is named. I suppose the writers just really wanted their original characterization for the doctor on Deep Space Nine to see the light of day. This episode is the reason revisions get made (outside the budgetary constraints!),

8. “Fascination” (reviewed here!) – It’s a Lwaxana Troi episode and the real knife in the gut to fans is that it is Vedek Bareil’s penultimate appearance. After being part of this ridiculous “love spell” episode, I think I’d want my character dead, too,

7. “If Wishes Were Horses” (reviewed here!) – On The Simpsons, in one of the “Treehouse Of Horror” episodes, Springfield is overrun by the icons of businesses in town that become animated. The donut-eating Lard Lad, for example, goes on a rampage, stomping on everyone. The denizens of Springfield soon realize that they are fueled by the attention of the townspeople and a catchy jingle (with the simple lyrics “Just don’t look, just don’t look!”) solves the problem. “If Wishes Were Horses” is an equally simple and insulting episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Moreover, it raises nagging theoretical issues (much like “Where Silence Has Lease” did on Star Trek: The Next Generation) where fans can just ask, “If the solution to the problem was just imagining different readings on the consoles, doesn’t that mean everyone is still in The Matrix?!” I find myself wondering if, had the writers known where they were going with Bashir, they would have hinted at his secret in his fantasy here,

6. “Rules Of Engagement” (reviewed here!) – I admire taking narrative risks, especially in a show that usually tries to keep things gritty, realistic, and trending toward the tragic. But, not all risks pay off. “Rules Of Engagement” proves that. While most people I know would swap “The Sword Of Kahless” with this on this list, I like that “The Sword Of Kahless” doesn’t cheapen itself with a “magical” explanation – the characters all just become assholes in their pursuit of the sword. “Rules Of Engagement” relies on a conceit that makes no sense when one considers how efficient Odo usually is (seriously, writers, it takes him days to discover the ship’s crew had been dead for three months?!) and the comedic relief in it is just lame,

5. “Babel” (reviewed here!) – Talk about great ideas that replay poorly. “Babel” has no character development and a painfully simplistic plot. It does, however, have some pretty impressive acting. The fact that so many actors can speak mumbo jumbo the way they do in this episode is cool, but it’s not enough to save it,

4. “Meridian” (reviewed here!) – Sure, it was the “Brigadoon” episode and entirely lame for that reason, but . . . No, there is no “but” here. “Meridian” is a pretty silly one-shot romance episode focusing on Dax. In fact, the only reason to go back and rewatch the episode is to really have the knife twisted in when one considers how much the writers built up Jadzia’s youth and potential,

3. “Q-Less” (reviewed here!) – The most shameless attempt to exploit the Star Trek: The Next Generation audience. Damn,

2. “Destiny” (reviewed here!) – Usually, I consider this the worst episode. “Destiny” is a simple, obvious, prophecy episode and if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. A prophecy is made, no one really believes it, but it affects the way they act and lo and behold, by the end of the episode, there is a way to look at it where the prophecy actually came true! It’s a formula that is so beneath Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that it is shameful that they allowed an episode that relied upon such a “done” conceit to be produced. If Bajoran prophets were so good, how is it none of them made a clear, reasonable prophecy, like, “When you see the Cardassians coming on stardate XXXXX.X, destroy their ship or for 70 years, our people will be raped, killed, enslaved, etc.?” Despite the establishment of the communication’s relay on the other side of the wormhole, I wince each time I feel compelled to watch this episode,

And finally . . .

1. “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” (reviewed here!) – Objectively even worse than “Destiny” is the baseball episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Let us forget, for a moment, that the episode has the least-Vulcan Vulcans (including Vorik on Star Trek: Voyager) the franchise produced up until the liars in Star Trek: Enterprise. Let us completely disregard how the episode makes characters who have absolutely no emotional investment care about a ridiculous grudge match. We can try to believe that Worf, who nails flying drones when swinging his phaser rifle in Star Trek: Insurrection, would actually have issues with hitting a baseball and that he would not be a power hitter for Sisko’s team (we can try . . .), but the Sisko issues are just too much. In context, “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” makes Sisko and StarFleet look like a bunch of absolute idiots and simpletons. Within a year, Captain Benjamin Sisko has: pretty much lost his mind (“Far Beyond The Stars”), been tortured (“Waltz”), sent a married couple on a dangerous mission they completely botched (“Change Of Heart”), conspired, abetted multiple murders, and entirely violated the Prime Directive as well as a number of interstellar laws (“In The Pale Moonlight”), been forced to watch as his son was possessed by a malevolent entity after he destroyed a priceless religious artifact (“The Reckoning”), and lost his best friend in the universe and abandoned his post for months as a result (“Tears Of The Prophets”). Then, he becomes obsessed with a baseball game that causes him to injure his crew and act like an ass to a fellow captain and civilians living aboard his station (most of whom just want to help him out). Seriously?! How does StarFleet not fire this guy?! I love Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and I am a huge fan of Benjamin Sisko, but the fact that Bashir did not relieve him for being emotionally strung out absolutely unfathomable. “Take Me Out To The Holosuite,” with Sisko’s behavior in it, is the line too far in the progression of terrible shit that happens to Captain Benjamin Sisko and it is utterly unbelievable that after this point the military branch of the Federation would allow him to keep his post.

And it’s a baseball episode in the middle of a serious and engaging storyline. “Destiny” might insult genre fans, but “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” is just offensive to people who like decent television!

For similar lists, be sure to check out my:
Top Ten Episodes Of Star Trek
Top Ten Episodes Of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Bottom Ten Episodes Of Star Trek
The Worst Ten Episodes Of Star Trek: The Next Generation

For a comprehensive list of the Star Trek franchise, Best To Worst, check out my ever-growing Star Trek Review Index Page where the reviews are so organized!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
| | |

With “Caretaker,” Star Trek: Voyager Is Off With A Bang!

The Good: Excellent initial characterization, Reasonably good plot, Competent acting
The Bad: Only the usual starting show problems
The Basics: Quit while you're ahead - watch “Caretaker,” enjoy it, and don't break your back to watch other Star Trek: Voyager episodes!


I almost managed to keep my promise to myself that I wouldn't spend this review lambasting the entire Star Trek: Voyager series following the pilot episode. I guess right now I'm failing. There are some good episodes of Voyager in the first three seasons (there's not a single superlative episode thereafter) and the series peaked with the penultimate episode of the second season ("Resolutions," if you're interested).

Part of the problem is "Caretaker," which got the series off to a great start. Despite the simple resolution to the essential character conflicts (which are much more understandable in the immediate situation in "Caretaker" than in the following episodes), "Caretaker" is easily the best beginning to a Trek series ever. The writers and producers succeeded in making a collection of interesting characters, putting them in an interesting ethical conflict and actually succeeding in making the viewer care.

"Caretaker" is the story of a group of renegades who are whisked off into another corner of the galaxy by a powerful alien. Shortly thereafter, their pursuers from the right side of the law are similarly abducted while hunting for the renegades. In the far corner they find themselves forced to rely on each other as they unravel the reasoning behind why they were abducted and, in the process, are forced to make a difficult decision.

The problems the U.S.S. Voyager and its crew immediately find themselves embroiled in take two forms: the mysterious Caretaker (the alien who brought the crew into the Delta Quadrant) and the Kazon, a warlike nomadic race on a nearby planet that menaces the subterranean Ocampa which the Caretaker is bent on protecting. Lost in a far corner of the galaxy, the two crews must protect the Ocampa, stop the oppressive Kazon and attempt to find a way home.

As this is only the first episode of the series, one might guess they fail with that last part.

The Federation Starship Voyager is led by Katharyn Janeway, who is commanding a new state of the art starship that is environmentally friendly. She is hunting a renegade named Chakotay and the reason she was tapped was because her Security Chief, a Vulcan named Tuvok, was aboard the ship enemy ship when it was lost. The crew is rounded out by an ambitious ensign, a former criminal as the chief helm officer, a holographic surgeon and a half-Klingon, half-human woman who will soon become the chief engineer. In the distant corner of space they find themselves, they meet a guide and his telepathic assistant. They also, in the process of resolving their ethical dilemma, make a new enemy.

"Caretaker" is light on the special effects, though it has some excellent effects in a climactic space battle. This works to the strength of the show; the first episode is packed with character. And if Tom Paris seems especially well defined in the first scene he appears in, there's good reason; actor Robert Duncan McNeill taped at least two versions of it with the woman originally cast as Janeway.

The acting in the first episode seems remarkably good considering it is a pilot episode and the show has so much further to go.

To understand Star Trek: Voyager better, it helps to know who the characters are as established in this pilot episode. They are:

Captain Kathryn Janeway - A scientist who is sent on a rescue mission when her ship is abducted by an alien force. Highly ethical and humane, Janeway is forced to make a moral decision that pits the life of a planet against the easy return of her crew to where it belongs,

Lieutenant Tuvok - The Vulcan security chief, he is efficient and commanding. Tuvok was undercover investigating a Maquis ship when it was abducted by the Caretaker alien, compelling Janeway to hunt for him,

The Doctor (The Emergency Medical Hologram) - The chief medical officer when the medical staff is inadvertantly killed, he is a hologram with the sum total of the Federation's medical knowledge programmed into him. He is limited to Sickbay as that is the only place on the ship that has the holographic projectors,

Ensign Harry Kim - Fresh from the Academy, Kim is on his first mission. After leaving Deep Space Nine on Voyager, he is tortured by the Caretaker. He's not having the best week,

Lieutenant (j.g.) Tom Paris - Formerly StarFleet, Formerly Maquis, Janeway buys his way out of prison with the mission to the Badlands because in addition to being a criminal, he's an ace pilot. He is a rogue willing to work for anyone, for the right price,

Captain Chakotay - Leader of a Maquis cell that is lost in the Badlands. Chakotay is a Native American Indian who teams up with Janeway to try to find a way back to the Alpha Quadrant, though the appearance of the warlike Kazon soon scuttles his plans,

B'Elanna Torres - Chakotay's chief engineer, a half-human, half-Klingon woman who is filled with anger. Abducted and experimented on by the Caretaker, this Maquis is not having a great week either,

Neelix - A Talaxian (new race native to the Delta Quadrant) and a junk merchant, Neelix is essentially a freemarket guide living in the area who offers his service for passage on Voyager,

and Kes - A young Ocampa (also a race introduced in this episode), a race that lives very short lives. She is deeply compassionate and a friend of Neelix, she aids Janeway in rescuing Kim and Torres.

The characters start out as an interesting mix and "Caretaker" presents them in a way that gives the viewer hope that their characters might be maintained and grow. They certainly have a lot to work with!

More than any of the other Star Trek series', Voyager begins with a feeling of polish and a stronger sense of what it is. It's disappointing to see how very far off course it went. A pleasant surprise for those who aren't Trek fans as well.

[Knowing that the season is a much better investment, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Voyager - The Complete First Season on DVD, which provides the full opening to the series. Read my review of the premiere season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

9/10

For other Star Trek reviews, be sure to check out my Star Trek Review Index Page for reviews on episodes, films and seasons across the entire franchise!

© 2012, 2007, 2002 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
| | |

“The Dogs Of War” Sets Up The Final Episode Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Exceptionally Well!

The Good: Decent character development, Good acting, Wonderful humor, Good mood
The Bad: Set-up for reuse of special effects, Punchline nature of much of the episode
The Basics: Setting up the last episode, “The Dogs Of War” pays tribute to the Ferengi subplot while putting the Cardassian Resistance in its most dire situation yet.


In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, there were several subplots, outside the main plot of the show that dealt with both Bajor and the Dominion. One of the best-developed b-plots of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was the Ferengi subplot. In Ferengi episodes, Quark, Rom, Nog, and the recurring Ishka, Brunt and/or the Grand Nagus, usually had an adventure which fleshed out the Ferengi culture and made the somewhat generic Capitalist villains of Star Trek: The Next Generation into an actual, viable culture for the Star Trek franchise. There were a few times when the Ferengi plot intersected with the main plot, most notably “Rules Of Acquisition” (reviewed here!) in the second season where the Dominion is first teased! “The Dogs Of War,” the penultimate episode of the series, illustrates the importance of the Ferengi subplot by including it in the final arc of the series.

Actually, in “The Dogs Of War,” there is a lot going on. Instead of a traditional a-plot, b-plot story, “The Dogs Of War” actually has three plotlines progressing concurrently. But the fact that the Ferengi plotline is included at all is pretty cool and it does make “The Dogs Of War” feel like a more fleshed out and complicated episode than it actually is.

The new Defiant-class U.S.S. Sao Paulo arrives at the station to replace the U.S.S. Defiant and Sisko and his crew are thrilled to be able to rename the ship Defiant. As Sisko settles aboard to test its systems, Damar, Kira and Garak arrive at Cardassia Prime. Unfortunately, the contacts Damar has there who were supposed to add to the ranks of the Resistance are slaughtered as the Cardassian Resistance is betrayed! Unable to stop the carnage, the trio retreats to Mila’s home, Garak’s childhood house. There, they are demoralized to learn that Damar has been declared dead and that the Resistance cells have been wiped out.

As Odo moralizes about the Federation’s role in genocide against the Founders, Quark learns that the Grand Nagus is headed to Deep Space Nine to name his successor. With the Nagus planning to retire, Quark – and the newly-arrived Brunt – believes that Quark will be named Grand Nagus. As Brunt kisses up to Quark to curry favor with the new leader, Quark learns of the “disturbing” social reforms on Ferenginar. As Damar and his team take their resistance to the streets, the Dominion retreats to a defensive posture, Quark confronts the Grand Nagus and the allied forces prepare to make a decisive end to the Dominion War!

“The Dogs Of War” is half a dark story of war and resistance and half a long set-up for a particularly lame punchline. Fortunately, the two divergent moods are kept at quite a distance from one another. The Ferengi plotline is the source of humor in “The Dogs Of War” and some of it truly works. When Quark reacts to Brunt’s information on the state of Ferengi society, the riff on Picard’s seminal scene from Star Trek: First Contact (reviewed here!) is absolutely hilarious. Even the build-up to it is surprisingly well-executed with Quark and Brunt having an uncommon banter between themselves.

But, the Ferengi subplot in “The Dogs Of War” (and, thus, for the series) culminates is a pretty lame punchline as the new Grand Nagus is named. After all the build-up, it is hardly a surprise. But, basically the joke hinges on the fact that the original transmission Quark receives is very garbled. It’s a long set-up for a pretty mundane pay-off.

Arguably the more significant portion of “The Dogs Of War” are the other two plotlines, both of which lead directly into the series finale, “What You Leave Behind.” Unfortunately, even within “The Dogs Of War,” the arrival of the new Defiant is somewhat suspicious. It’s not that it’s not cool that Sisko gets another Defiant-class vessel, but the fact that the crew is instantly allowed to rename the U.S.S. Sao Paulo “Defiant” should raise the hackles on the necks of fans everywhere. And the attentive ones are appropriately irked; the ship is not renumbered NX-74205-A or NCC-74205 or NCC-74205-A. Instead, the introduction of the new Defiant serves the purpose of bringing the series finale in on-budget by allowing the special effects to be reused from prior episodes, much the way “The Changing Face Of Evil” reused footage from “Tears Of The Prophets” earlier in the final arc. The producers aren’t fooling anyone with the introduction of the new Defiant, but by the end of the episode, most viewers who were engaged enough to feel disappointment about this will be disappointed simply by the punchline in the Ferengi plot and excited about the impending end of the Dominion War.

And “The Dogs Of War” feels, appropriately, like it is rushing toward the end of the main plot of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. With the Cardassian Resistance crushed, but Damar and his team laying waste to a Jem’Hadar barracks, there is some hope for Cardassia. Moreover, the determination of the allies at the climax to “The Dogs Of War” is admirable.

In addition to providing some closure for the character of Quark, “The Dogs Of War” represents pretty much the culmination of Colonel Kira’s character. In “The Dogs Of War,” she rallies the distraught Damar and uncharacteristically defeated Garak. In a real leadership role, Kira guides the Cardassian Resistance and Nana Visitor completes the transition for the character beautifully.

The Cardassian part of the arc hinges on Damar and the performance by Casey Biggs at least as much as it hinges on Visitor. Biggs brings Damar to the forefront and when the Cardassians are cheering for Damar, we have the feeling that the character has come an exceptionally long way from the disgruntled officer serving aboard Dukat’s ship, as he originally was introduced. Biggs has the gravitas to play the part of a leader who is done with the process of becoming. In “The Dogs Of War,” Damar has arrived and he stands ready to save Cardassia. The power of Damar’s character and Biggs’ performance is that the viewer wants to see Cardassia saved. The Cardassians are originally characterized as an interstellar analogy to the Nazis and that the series has come to a point where the viewer would be rooting for the survival of Cardassians is something that is initially enough to make one squirm. But, “The Dogs Of War” pulls that sentiment off and as the Cardassians rise in the streets, the viewer cannot help but feel empathy.

“The Dogs Of War” sets up a few other final-episode threads, notably Odo’s feelings on the Federation allowing Section 31’s plan to go unchecked, the abrupt establishment of the Bashir/Dax relationship and the plan to invade Cardassian space. On the performance front, it is worth noting that Jeffrey Combs performs twice as much in “The Dogs Of War.” As both Brunt and Weyoun, Combs plays in both main plots and he is characteristically wonderful in both roles.

Ultimately, “The Dogs Of War” is a decent set-up episode and, despite the somewhat lame way it executes the Ferengi plot, it prepares the viewer well for the tone, plot and character arcs for the final episode of the series.

[Knowing that the season is a much better investment, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Seventh Season on DVD, which provides the full story for the conclusion to the series. Read my review of the final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

9/10

For other Star Trek reviews, be sure to visit my Star Trek Review Index Page for an organized listing of all the episodes, movies and DVD sets from this franchise that I have reviewed!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
| | |

Closing Another Subplot: “The Emperor’s New Cloak” Ends The Tyranny Of The Mirror Universe!

The Good: Decent acting, Cool character aspects, Nice plot resolution.
The Bad: Repetitive, Very plot-focused
The Basics: “The Emperor’s New Cloak” is the final Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode that focuses on the Mirror Universe . . . and it combines the Ferengi subplot to do that!


As Star Trek: Deep Space Nine wound down, the Mirror Universe subplot was one that seemed to have been dropped. The prior installment in that subplot, “Resurrection,” seemed to go in a very different direction and “The Emperor’s New Cloak” ended the subplot in a more definitive and dramatic way than the prior episode in the arc. “The Emperor’s New Cloak” puts the least likely character set into the Mirror Universe and it provides a reset for the Mirror Universe that leaves the next star Trek generation with a place to pick it up that will actually be compelling.

For those unfamiliar with the Mirror Universe, in the original Star Trek, Captain Kirk and three others ended up in an alternate universe where humans were part of a vicious Empire. Picked up on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the Mirror Universe was a place where the Klingons and Cardassians unified in order to enslave the human race and Vulcans. With the Bajorans, the Klingon/Cardassian Alliance had been pretty effectively running down the human rebellion, whose only real victory has been to take Deep Space Nine from the Alliance. With their own Defiant, the Rebels have held Deep Space Nine for years. And there, “The Emperor’s New Cloak” picks up where the last trip to the Mirror Universe left off.

Pining over Ezri, Quark returns to his quarters where he is visited by a surprisingly angry Ezri. Quark realizes that the Ezri who has visited him in his quarters is the woman from the alternate universe. Ezri informs Quark that they have Grand Nagus Zek held hostage and Regent Worf will release him if only Quark can bring a cloaking device into the Mirror Universe in exchange. Stealing Martok’s ship’s cloaking device, Quark and Rom join Ezri in the Mirror Universe. There, they are captured by the Rebels.

Liberated by the mirror universe Brunt, Quark, Rom and Ezri deliver the cloaking device to the Regent, but Quark and Rom are quickly captured. Menaced by Garak and Regent Worf, Quark and Rom are reunited with Zek as Ezri is reunited with the liberated Intendant Kira. As Rom installs the cloaking device, the Terran Rebels face down the very real possibility of their extinction at the hands of the Alliance.

“The Emperor’s New Cloak” is another one of the seventh season episodes that gets a surprisingly bad rap among the fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Dealing with the Mirror Universe, “The Emperor’s New Cloak” provides Nicole de Boer with another chance to impress viewers with her acting abilities and she manages to pull it off as the alternate version of Ezri. Predictably, de Boer manages to keep Ezri as a more sexualized character than she has come across as, much like Kira and Intendant Kira before her. Nicole de Boer has a surprising amount of force as the mirror Ezri and she makes the role work.

Even better, “The Emperor’s New Cloak” once again cements Jeffrey Combs as one of the great character actors of all television. Combs has spent much of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine establishing himself as two of the more intriguing villains of the franchise. As Brunt, he has played a surprisingly ruthless Ferengi and as Weyoun, he has made one of the most cunning villains who makes diplomats cool. In “The Emperor’s New Cloak,” the Mirror Brunt is an entire new interpretation of the character and he is fascinating to watch.

What is somewhat irksome is Rom’s role in “The Emperor’s New Cloak.” Rom tries to reason his way around what the Mirror Universe is and it is initially amusing, but the longer “The Emperor’s New Cloak” goes on, the more tiresome his refrain of “it’s alternate!” wears thin. On the flip side, one of the very best of the Rom moments in the character’s history comes in “The Emperor’s New Cloak.” When Rom, Rom of all people!, stands up to the mirror universe Garak, it is a shining moment for the character and makes “The Emperor’s New Cloak” well worth watching. It is also a sterling moment for Max Grodenchik as he presents a likable character standing up to one of the most despicable characters in the multiverse.

But most of “The Emperor’s New Cloak” rides on the performance of Armin Shimerman. Shimerman’s Quark has been building up the up the idea that Ferengi are more worthwhile than the other major powers in the galaxy consider them. Quark expresses a strong sense of loyalty to Zek that helps to redefine what the Ferengi are and it works. Shimerman makes Quark a credible hero once again in “The Emperor’s New Cloak” and the episode becomes one where the viewer keeps rooting more and more for him.

Ultimately, though, the point of “The Emperor’s New Cloak” is to finish off the Mirror Universe subplot in a compelling way and it succeeds admirably. The usual bloodbath for this subplot, “The Emperor’s New Cloak” does what it sets out to do very well.

[Knowing that the season is a much better investment, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Seventh Season on DVD, which provides the full story for the conclusion to the series. Read my review of the final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

For the rest of the Mirror Universe episodes, be sure to check out my reviews of:
“Mirror, Mirror” (Star Trek)
“Crossover”
“Through The Looking Glass”
“Shattered Mirror”
“Resurrection”

7.5/10

For other Star Trek reviews, be sure to check out my Star Trek Review Index Page for an organized listing of all the episodes and movies I have reviewed.

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

| | |

Nog Gets Real Character Conflict With “It’s Only A Paper Moon!”

The Good: Excellent acting, Great character work, Decent plot
The Bad: Annoying “reverse psychology” with Vic Fontaine
The Basics: With his return to the station, Nog finds life has all sorts of new challenges he is not yet ready to face in “It’s Only A Paper Moon.”


One of the impressive aspects of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is how the show took seemingly minor characters and developed them into fully-realized, interesting characters who could hold both scenes and entire episodes. One of the characters who had a surprisingly extensive character arc on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was Nog. As the show wound down, Nog continued to get some truly intriguing storylines. Nog’s final spotlight episode was “It’s Only A Paper Moon.”

“It’s Only A Paper Moon” stands out in the story of Deep Space Nine as an intimate character arc and while it has never attained the stature of “The Visitor” (reviewed here!) or “Duet” (reviewed here!), it is still an impressive episode. Like all the best episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, it focuses quite tightly on a character dilemma and really explores the character of Nog in a way that is very revealing. The episode is a follow-up to “The Siege Of AR-558” (reviewed here!) and it helps to watch that episode before seeing “It’s Only A Paper Moon.”

When Nog returns to Deep Space Nine with his new robotic leg, he is uncharacteristically distant. While the officers and his friends try to engage him, he professes to be tired and Ezri encourages everyone to give him a little space to recover from his trauma. Nog takes to lying in bed, listening to recordings of Vic Fontaine singing “I’ll Be Seeing You,” as it brought him comfort while he was in the sickbay on AR-558. Jake, however, quickly tires of hearing it and he swipes Nog’s recording.

So, Nog goes to the holosuite to visit Vic Fontaine himself. Enamored with the world of Vic Fontaine, Nog decides that the holosuite is going to be his choice of place to recover. Things go fairly well for Nog there, despite Rom being frustrated by his son’s reclusion. Nog starts helping Vic build a larger casino facility and he becomes entirely invested in the fake world, at the expense of his life outside the holosuite. But when Dax visits Vic on the eve of their groundbreaking, she leaves the hologram with something to consider that will change things for Nog.

“It’s Only A Paper Moon” does a fairly decent job of fleshing out both Nog and Vic Fontaine and the only real problem I have with the episode is how obvious Ezri's attempt to work reverse psychology is. Vic Fontaine has been characterized as a surprisingly perceptive hologram up until this point and when Ezri has to nail home her point, it lacks some of its punch. As it is, it is not a dealbreaker for the episode. In fact, the fact that Vic slips a little bit could easily be viewed as character development and on that front, it works.

Largely, “It’s Only A Paper Moon” focuses on Nog, though and even the potentially melodramatic moments of him and Jake fighting work in the context of the episode. In fact, upon rewatching “It’s Only A Paper Moon,” one of the things that always strikes me is how so very much is forgiven by the epiphanic moment for Nog's character. When Nog finally tells Vic Fontaine how he is feeling, the moment is one of the defining ones for the Nog character, on par with his revelation in "Heart Of Stone" (reviewed here!) about not wanting to end up like his father!

What “It’s Only A Paper Moon” does even better than the prior high water mark for the Nog character is give Aron Eisenberg the space to truly emote. When Nog wrestles with what it means to lose his leg, Aron Eisenberg is granted the great dramatic opportunity to shine and present a more serious side of what has frequently been a comedic or troublingly monolithic character. And when the chance comes, Eisenberg takes it, embracing the opportunity to have Nog express both genuine difficulty with describing his emotions and then later breaking down.

“It’s Only A Paper Moon” is light on special effects, but once again employs James Darren's voice as a sterling example of how great a male vocalist can be. That's a pretty special effect in my book! “It’s Only A Paper Moon” might be the best, low-tech episode of the series and, in true Star Trek: Deep Space Nine tradition, part of the success comes from the fact that the series is prioritizing an underutilized character played by a superior performer who is finally given a real chance to show their worth!

[Knowing that the season is a much better investment, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Seventh Season on DVD, which provides the full story for the conclusion to the series. Read my review of the final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

9.5/10

For other Star Trek episode, movie and DVD set reviews, be sure to visit my Star Trek Review Index Page!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

| | |

“The Siege Of AR-558” Chronicles One Of The Darkest Nights In The Dominion War!

The Good: Mood, Character moments, Acting, Effects
The Bad: A little light on plot surprises
The Basics: When the Jem’Hadar attack the StarFleet outpost at AR-558, Sisko and his officers must stay to hold the line.


One of the dangers in having a long-running television show is that, as your series progresses, there is the danger that you might repeat elements that you have already created in prior episodes. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, a series embroiled in one war after another after a point, worked hard not to offer too much repetition. So, by the time the show got to the seventh season episode “The Siege Of AR-558,” the writers and producers had some pretty firm ideas on how to prevent the episode from going where prior episodes had been.

Knowing that they wanted to do a gritty war story with “The Siege Of AR-558,” the producers were in danger of treading close to where they went with “. . . Nor Battle To The Strong” (reviewed here!) and “The Ship” (reviewed here!). To avoid replicating elements of “. . .Nor Battle To The Strong,” the writers and producers rightly left Jake Sisko (the subject of that episode) out of “The Siege Of AR-558.” Fortunately, with the death of Jadzia and Worf and O’Brien remaining with the Defiant, similarities to “The Ship” were pretty much eliminated. By shaking up the cast, “The Siege Of AR-558” actually comes across as a dramatically fresh episode, even if its mood and theme are somewhat oppressive.

With the casualties mounting for the Federation and Klingons in the Dominion War, Captain Sisko and the Defiant are sent to the Chin’toka System to resupply the outpost at AR-558. A vital foothold in Dominion territory, the collapse of AR-558 would mean the Federation and its allies would lose its only inroads in the war. Sisko, Nog, Bashir, Dax and Quark – who is along as a factfinder for the Grand Nagus – find the outpost in dire straits. While the Defiant is forced to engage the Jem’Hadar in space and draw the Dominion forces away from the planet, the Away Team struggles to relate to the soldiers on the front lines, most of whom have watched everyone they care about die.

Ezri befriends a young engineer, while Nog finds himself impressed by Reese, a battle-hardened veteran who has killed many Jem’Hadar. With Jem’Hadar forces landed on AR-558, the group prepares for an all-out assault. But before the attack can come, Sisko orders Nog to participate in a scouting mission, an act that will profoundly change Nog’s life. With the compound swarming with cloaked antigravity mines and an advancing Jem’Hadar force, AR-558 is poised to fall!

“The Siege Of AR-558” is a dark episode, both thematically and physically. The characters all seem to get scarred in “The Siege Of AR-558,” save Bashir, who has been through similar events as this siege before. But Dax is deeply unsettled, Nog has permanent injuries and Sisko actually sees firsthand what his offensive against the Dominion has wrought. And while most are quick to write-off Quark, “The Siege Of AR-558” marks only the second time in the entire series that he shoots to kill. With the StarFleet facility overrun, Quark must defend Nog and that he is once again willing to defy the expectations of what viewers think they know about Ferengi is nice.

“The Siege Of AR-558” is frequently noted for the guest starring appearance by Bill Mumy, but Patrick Kilpatrick’s role of Reese is much more memorable. Reese is a badass and he skulks around the compound with Ketracel White tubes around his neck. Klingons have been seen with Cardassian neck bones, Reese has the Ketracel White from the Jem’Hadar he has killed and the messages are clear. War is hell and it changes the nature of the people in it. Reese is not the evolved Federation human we have come to expect all our officers to be. His very presence inspires and unsettles Nog.

What works especially well in “The Siege Of AR-558” is the character of Ezri. Paired with a naïve engineer, Ezri quickly discovers that her lighthearted, fun attitude is not going to help anyone and she takes on a decidedly more serious demeanor. This gives Nicole de Boer an opportunity to differentiate Ezri from the trickster-like Jadzia. Despite the character’s problems with assimilating the Symbiont, Ezri is actually very serious and professional. “The Siege Of AR-558” gives de Boer a chance to show that side of the character and she presents it very well.

While Aron Eisenberg has decent character moments as Nog in “The Siege Of AR-558,” his acting is limited after a point and Alexander Siddig and Armin Shimerman do more of the heavy lifting. Shimerman manages to give Quark a significant character moment without simply repeating his performance from “Sacrifice Of Angels” (reviewed here!). “The Siege Of AR-558” is a decent ensemble piece and when Quark and Sisko go toe to toe about how the Captain orders Nog into dangerous situations, it provides Sisko, Quark and Nog with some well-presented character moments!

“The Siege Of AR-558” is an appropriately dark war story and it does not shy away from a sense of carnage that is appropriately disturbing. That might make it more intense than some fans are looking for, but makes for a pretty solid hour of television!

[Knowing that the season is a much better investment, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Seventh Season on DVD, which provides the full story for the conclusion to the series. Read my review of the final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

9/10

For other Star Trek episode reviews, be sure to visit my Index Page on the subject for a full list!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
| | |

“Once More Unto The Breach” Writes Kor Out As A Legend!

The Good: Character development, Decent acting
The Bad: Somewhat melodramatic, Light on plot
The Basics: As the Dominion War heats up, Kor finds himself obsolete and Martok is troubled by Worf’s affiliation with him.


One of the nice things about having such a rich palate of characters to play with as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine did is that it really increases the storytelling potential. Even so, with so many characters, it is hard to get wild about all of them and Kor, the aged Klingon, was never one of my favorites. So, my initial reaction to “Once More Unto The Breach” is to consider it one of the less compelling episodes of the series. However, the reason “Once More Unto The Breach” actually works extraordinarily well is that it is a very subtle payoff to an idea planted a very long ago.

In “Reunion” (reviewed here!), back in the fourth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gowron was introduced as a challenger for the position of Chancellor of the Klingon High Council. At that time, Worf knew little about him, save that he was an outsider and a reformer. Outside the initial civil war that was precipitated when Gowron ascended to lead the council, he has been a pretty straightforward, mundane, Klingon leader. In fact, the most audacious thing we have seen him do (on screen) was promote women’s rights in “The House Of Quark” (reviewed here!). But in “Once More Unto The Breach,” Gowron’s position as an outsider from the mainstream political system of the Klingon Empire is reinforced by implied association. Martok, first introduced as Gowron’s chief advisor in “The Way Of The Warrior,” is revealed in “Once More Unto The Breach” to be of a lower social strata in the Klingon Empire. That Martok could ascend to be the Chancellor’s most valued aide when he is considered undesirable actually illustrates that Gowron IS the reformer or outsider he was initially characterized as!

When Kor arrives on Deep Space Nine, it is to ask Worf for a favor. He has been unable to get any significant position and earn any glory since the Dominion War began. Knowing that Worf is now in the House of Martok, he hopes Worf can get him a ship. Martok, however, is adamantly against the idea. Kor, as it turns out, blocked Martok’s early attempt to get on the officer track based on being born in the Kethel lowlands. Martok wants nothing to do with Kor and is irked when Worf takes him on as the third officer aboard the Rotarrn.

Martok’s disgust only grows as the crew fawns all over Kor, listening to his stories about the good old days of fighting StarFleet and the like. But when the Rotarrn’s mission to destroy some Dominion facilities takes a bad turn, Kor proves that he is not fit for command, giving orders that make it clear he believes he is on a past mission. With the Rotarrn and the other ships in the Klingon squadron in retreat, Jem’Hadar ships near to put an end to them all!

“Once More Unto The Breach” initially comes across as the tale of Kor as a doddering old fool, an aged warrior who has long outlived his usefulness. He has the desire to die with honor and part of the purpose of “Once More Unto The Breach” is to give the chance for Kor to explicitly be written out of the franchise as a hero. And in that regard, it works.

What “Once More Unto The Breach” actually is, though, is a Martok story and one that sets up the character’s final arc exceptionally well. As Star Trek: Deep Space Nine winds down, it has a lot of characters to leave and Martok rapidly became one of the most vital characters in the series. By adding the element that he is lowborn, “Once More Unto The Breach” makes his final arc – especially Gowron’s impending issues with his popularity – that much more understandable. “Once More Unto The Breach” allows Martok to appear as a warrior who is anything but evolved. Having hung onto his anger at Kor for decades, there is no simple solution for him and “Once More Unto The Breach” is smart enough to never simply wipe away the anger Martok has an clean the slate that way.

“Once More Unto The Breach” allows J.G. Hertzler to shine once again. Not at all a supporting player in “Once More Unto The Breach,” the episode gives him the chance to play the character of Martok with a little more depth than normal. Martok is complicated and Hertzler infuses the performances with subtleties, eye movements and hunched body language that sells the character’s sense of conviction and his disdain for Kor. Hertzler plays off both Dorn and Colicos with wonderful deliveries and a strong range of emotions, making for an excellent performance.

The b-plot in “Once More Unto The Breach” finds Quark convinced that Ezri is looking for a new relationship with Worf. It’s a very minor b-plot with a quick resolution. Far more interesting is the episode’s set-up, which has O’Brien and Bashir debating their Alamo program with Worf making commentary on it.

Ultimately, “Once More Unto The Breach” is a decent character exploration of one of the most significant supporting characters of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that does a decent job of foreshadowing the end of the series.

[Knowing that the season is a much better investment, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Seventh Season on DVD, which provides the full story for the conclusion to the series. Read my review of the final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

For the other episodes that feature John Colicos as Kor, be sure to check out:
“Errand Of Mercy”
“Blood Oath”
“The Sword Of Kahless”

7/10

For other Star Trek episode reviews, please be sure to visit my Star Trek Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
| | |

The Conclusion Of The Dominion War Comes In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season Seven!

The Good: Excellent character, plots, acting and special effects
The Bad: None; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine goes out on a high note!
The Basics: The Dominion War comes to its amazing conclusion in this bonus-packed DVD set. A true classic!


I tend to refer to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the underappreciated, underdog of the Star Trek franchise, as an epic. Indeed, it is. Over seven years, the series told one big story about a time and place that was distinctive, grand and impressive. It populated a space station with distinctive, intriguing characters and it held the attention of those who gave it a chance. The seventh season DVD set of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a fitting conclusion to this amazing saga.

Deeply wounded by the death of his best friend at the sixth season's conclusion, Sisko begins the season on Earth while Kira commands Deep Space Nine. On Earth, Sisko learns the truth about his lineage and comes to understand the nature of the religious person he is and is to become. He returns to Deep Space Nine after successfully reopening the wormhole, with Ezri Dax in tow. The season finds Sisko working diligently to end the war, Ezri becoming familiar with the station and the people she finds in her life and Kira coming to realize she can be the leader she has always wanted to be. As the war turns in the favor of the Federation and its allies, the Dominion gains a powerful new ally that threatens to crush the Federation.

The seventh season is massive in its scope. While the war story is the dominant one, the season tackles issues of theology ("Shadows And Symbols"), psychoanalysis ("Afterimage"), loyalty ("Treachery, Faith, And The Great River"), love ("Chimera") and political intrigue ("Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges"). The season does an excellent job of illustrating the horrors of war ("The Siege of AR-558") and balancing it with nice family moments ("'Til Death Do Us Part"). As with the previous six seasons, the characters are what is important and here is how they develop toward the conclusion of the series:

Garak - Experiences great resentment over causing the death of so many Cardassians ("Afterimage"), so he organizes a Resistance movement on Cardassia ("Tacking Into The Wind"),

Damar - The leader of the Cardassian Union travels a redemptive arc in the finale of the series,

Martok - Confronts his birthright as a Klingon ("Once More Unto The Breach") and finally takes what should be his as a warrior ("The Dogs Of War"),

Dukat - Now a religious fanatic ("Covenant"), Dukat nudges Damar in the right direction while he goes to meet his own fate on Bajor ("Strange Bedfellows"),

Jake Sisko - Has almost no role outside supporting Nog, though the last shot of the series is his . . .

Nog - Now a full StarFleet officer and a soldier, he comes to realize the painful realities of the life he has chosen ("The Siege Of AR-558"),

Quark - Rescues the Grand Nagus from the alternate universe ("The Emperor's New Cloak") in a culmination of that subplot,

O'Brien - Bonds with Ezri in his quest to do right by Bilby ("Prodigal Daughter") and makes a decision on what's best for his family ("What You Leave Behind"),

Ezri - Reconciles herself to life on the station ("Afterimage"), life around Worf ("Penumbra"), and life with someone new,

Bashir - Becomes the spy he always wanted to be ("Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" and "Extreme Measures") and comes to realize his life as a scientist is what he truly needed,

Worf - Deals with his profound loss ("Shadows And Symbols") and moves on,

Odo - Feels the lure of his people after he is infected with a virus that kills Changelings ("When It Rains . . ."),

Kira - Takes charge of Deep Space Nine ("Shadows And Symbols"), learns to love ("Chimera") and does what she can to resolve Bajor's place in the galaxy,

Sisko - Comes to understand that he is a being of destiny ("Image In The Sand") and he finally meets his destiny ("What You Leave Behind").

The seventh season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has something for anyone who loves science fiction or just great drama. For the science fiction enthusiasts, there are massive space battles and medical mutations. For lovers of great drama, there are stories of how people deal with profound loss and how they work together to overcome. This is drama at its best.

The acting is once again top notch, with Avery Brooks leading the amazing cast. Nicole deBoer is an excellent addition to the ensemble, eagerly portraying youth and genuine kindness in her Dax. It is Nana Visitor who takes the biggest leaps forward here, opening up Kira's emotional side in several episodes. No longer emotionally distant or resistant, Kira is played by Visitor in this season with a wide array of very realistic emotions.

While not for those who have not seen the previous six seasons, the DVD treatment of the seventh season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a real treat. The behind the scenes bonuses are wonderful and they help encapsulate an amazing story. Deep Space Nine remains true to what it is up until the very last shot of the series. This is going to be the most enduring science fiction drama. Trust me, it's worth the investment. Get ahead of the game and pick it up now.

For a better understanding of all that is in this DVD set, be sure to visit the reviews of each episode at:
Image In The Sand
Shadows And Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out To The Holosuite
Chrysalis
Treachery, Faith And The Great River
Once More Unto The Breach
The Siege Of AR-558
Covenant
It’s Only A Paper Moon
Prodigal Daughter
The Emperor’s New Cloak
Field Of Fire
Chimera
Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang
Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
Penumbra
‘Til Death Do Us Part
Strange Bedfellows
The Changing Face Of Evil
When It Rains . . .
Tacking Into The Wind
Extreme Measures
The Dogs Of War
What You Leave Behind

10/10

For other Star Trek reviews, be sure to check out my Star Trek Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2012, 2004 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
| | |

An Unsatisfying Resolution Is Hardly Enough To Discount The Great Acting In “Profit And Lace!”

The Good: Brilliant acting, Funny, Moments of engaging plot, Moments of character
The Bad: Character growth is all undone by the end of the episode
The Basics: When the Grand Nagus visits the station, Quark is forced to impersonate a woman to woo the member of the Ferengi Commerce Authority who holds a swing vote over keeping Zek in power!


Sometimes, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine took real risks. Those were the great episodes. One of the common factors among episodes that failed to break out of simply being “good” was that they lacked ambition. In television, ambition is often illustrated by taking characters in radical new directions. In the case of Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the potential for a radical shift in the character came yet again in “Profit And Lace.” In “Profit And Lace,” Quark has the opportunity to completely change how he treats women and for the latter half of the episode, he does make a pretty profound change. Unfortunately, the changes do not ultimately stick and “Profit And Lace” becomes something of a ridiculous bottle episode.

This is not the first time Quark has the chance to seriously reform. In “Body Parts” (reviewed here!), he ultimately decided life was more important than money and early in the sixth season, he goes on a crusade to illustrate that Ferengi can be heroic and not dependent upon others. But equally as often, Quark has reverted to his initial characterization. He began instituting reforms in his bar following “Bar Association” (reviewed here!), yet his workers continue to complain and he continues to generally treat them poorly. So, with “Profit And Lace,” Quark has another chance for character growth and the hope of most viewers was that he would learn, grow and develop. Instead, Rom once again shows more of a grasp on bettering himself than Quark does.

When Grand Nagus Zek and Quark’s mother, Ishka, arrive on Deep Space Nine, Quark, Rom and Nog are shocked to learn that Ferengi society is in a state of collapse. Urged on by Ishka, Zek instituted sweeping reforms that have put the pure capitalist Ferengi business model in danger. Brunt, naturally, is using the opportunity to attempt to seize power and it looks like this time he has all the leverage and strength with all the right people to make it happen. After calling in every possible favor, Quark and the others are only able to persuade one Ferengi to come to the station to consider supporting Zek. That Ferengi is Nilva, the powerful owner of Sluggo Cola.

Nilva is willing to endorse the Bill of Opportunities if he can meet Ishka, which becomes impossible when Quark traumatizes her into shock. Desperate to save Ferenginar, Quark is surgically altered to be a female in order to interact with Nilva . . . who promptly falls in love with “her.” Now, Quark must reject Nilva and save Ferengi society without pushing Nilva into the camp of potential Grand Nagus Brunt!

“Profit And Lace” has the unfortunate reputation as one of the worst Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes, but I think that is a bit harsh. Much more effective than some of the other farce episodes, most notably “Who Mourns For Morn?” (reviewed here!) earlier in the season, “Profit And Lace” is genuinely funny and has some truly memorable moments. Moreover, the recurring gag about Brunt only being the acting Grand Nagus is executed quite well.

What people seem to neglect when thinking of “Profit And Lace” is just how good of a performance Armin Shimerman and Max Grodenchik give. When Grodenchik as Rom strides to show Quark how to walk like a woman, he does it so convincingly that it is impossible not to laugh. Moreover, when Shimerman becomes Lumba, he actually creates a significantly different character with his body language and the delivery of his lines. The performance aspects of “Profit And Lace” set it well above the bottom episodes of the series.

Also worthwhile is the plot. If there was ever a contrivance to put Quark in a dress, the idea of trying to save Ferengi civilization from Brunt’s rule would have to be the best possible reasoning. Impersonating Zek’s “secret advisor,” becomes as reasonable a conceit as one could get for this sort of thing. For such a conservative character, the stakes are truly that high to get him to take such a drastic measure and that element works. The costumes are pretty awesome also.

“Profit And Lace” is not a great episode, but the biggest fault of it is that it is not ambitious enough. Quark walks a mile in the stilettos of Ferengi women and he ultimately learns nothing. That is truly disappointing.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Sixth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the penultimate season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

For other works featuring Wally Shawn, be sure to visit my reviews of:
Toy Story 3
Furry Vengeance
Southland Tales
The Incredibles
The Princess Bride

7/10

For other Star Trek episodes, please check out my film and television index page for an organized listing by clicking here!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
| | |

One Less Dangling Thread Is Snipped When "Valiant" Returns The Red Squad Cadets To Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!

The Good: Great continuity, Interesting character work, Surprisingly good acting, Awesome special effects
The Bad: Premise takes a little to buy into.
The Basics: Nog leaps at the ability to join the crew of the U.S.S. Valiant when the ship rescues him and Jake from a Dominion attack.


One of the truly wonderful things about serialized television and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in particular is that if it is done correctly, plotlines may be introduced at any time that pay off and play out much, much later. In the episode “Paradise Lost” (reviewed here!), the elite squad of StarFleet cadets known as Red Squad abruptly disappears from the story. Left on their own, they are essentially patsies for Admiral Layton and if they had never been referenced again, odds are few viewers would have missed them. But because it is Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Red Squad does resurface and the episode they pop up in again is “Valiant.”

“Valiant” does much more effectively what “Descent, Part II” (reviewed here!) from Star Trek: The Next Generation attempted to do. That is to say that the episode focuses on a cult-like mentality and in the case of “Valiant,” the episode pulls off the message quite well. “Valiant” is populated by ambitious characters who are simply led astray and it makes for a solid, decent hour of television.

Jake Sisko and Nog are headed back to Deep Space Nine following a secret meeting Nog had with the Grand Nagus of the Ferengi. Jake, eager to get a story that reports on how the Ferengi might support the war effort against the Dominion, is stonewalled by Nog and it looks like he might have wasted a trip. When the Runabout is attacked by a Jem’Hadar ship, the pair is rescued by a Defiant-class vessel, the U.S.S. Valiant. Surprised and relieved, Jake and Nog quickly discover that their rescue puts them in less-than-ideal circumstances. The U.S.S. Valiant is manned by the cadets of Red Squadron, under the command of the young acting Captain Tim Watters.

As Nog acclimates himself to the ship and earns his own battlefield promotion to Chief Engineer when he is able to solve an engine problem the Valiant and Defiant share, Jake begins digging into the conditions aboard the ship. Jake gets Collins to open up to him and when she shows emotion and a real longing for home, Watters and his spying first officer, Farris call her out. Jake is further dismayed to realize that the Valiant is not taking him right home, but rather Watters and the Valiant are attempting to complete their mission: the destruction of a prototype Dominion warship. As the Valiant moves to complete the mission on its own, Jake becomes increasingly worried that they are on a suicide mission.

“Valiant” is a pretty simple episode that does what it sets out to do and it does it very well. The crew of the U.S.S. Valiant is essentially a bunch of young adults playing soldiers. It is easy to see how Watters would have the leadership qualities that would make him a potentially good captain and “Valiant” makes the decent argument that even those who have “the right stuff” can fail to rise to greatness without the experience needed to guide them. Nog integrates well to the structure the Valiant crew offers, while Jake rejects it much the way he rejected entering StarFleet.

The cult-type mentality of the military is well-lampooned in “Valiant” as well. Watters’ first officer, Farris is almost a caricature of the bitchy woman in power archetype. She comes with a tight hairstyle and an almost entire lack of humanity. She plays bad cop to Watters’ good cop in their tag teams and through that, it becomes easy to imagine just how the Valiant survived for so many months behind enemy lines. The producers and writers of “Valiant” are also smart enough to populate the ship with the only other recognizable Red Squad cadet from “Paradise Lost,” Riley Shepard. So, the continuity is pretty awesome.

As with all worthwhile episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, “Valiant” is really a character study. This episode is a character contrast between Jake and Nog, who have been well-contrasted in the past. Nog, in many ways, represents the road not taken by Jake and Jake’s desire to write is treated as something of a slacker field, which was what most assumed would happen with Nog. Nog, however, has developed to become a StarFleet officer who technically outranks everyone on the Valiant. Despite that, he integrates seamlessly into the crew because he is trained as a professional.

Jake, as always, looks for the human aspect and he shows some real adeptness for relating to people when he starts talking with Collins about her home on the moon. The use of dialect (“lunar schooner”) helps make the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine universe seem deeper and it works. Moreover, the performance by guest star Ashley McDonogh in expressing Collins’ longing for home is actually a pretty incredibly delivery and she makes her mark in the one-shot role.

Despite the young cast, “Valiant” works very well on the acting front. Paul Popowich has just enough charisma to be a viable captain as Watters and he has enough presence to be commanding when he delivers his lines. Popowich has an authoritative bearing and it works in the episode just as Courtney Peldon, who plays Farris, is able to play stone cold bitch. The two play off one another well and they actually have enough subtext in their body language in their scenes alone to sell the idea that they have been relying upon one another for over a year.

Aron Eisenberg also does a decent job as Nog. Nog is not simply absorbed into a cult-like work structure and Eisenberg gives Nog enough sidelong glances and pensive frowns to make it realistic that he still has some doubts about the captain and crew. As always, he and Cirroc Lofton play off one another exceptionally well.

Ultimately, “Valiant” is a bottle episode that removes any doubt about the fate of the Red Squad cadets and it makes for an entertaining, though not vital, episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Sixth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the penultimate season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

8.5/10

For other Star Trek episodes, please check out my film and television index page for an organized listing by clicking here!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
| | |