The Top Ten Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Episodes

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The Basics: Neglected by mass culture, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a classic in its own right and possibly the best of the Trek pantheon. These are the indispensable episodes...


So, now that I've begun writing up some of my lists for my readers, I find myself in the pleasant and horrible position of sometimes having to truly be concise and nail down some of my opinions. After all, when I'm simply reviewing a film, book, or c.d., where it falls in my larger pantheon can often be overlooked. I can go back and see trends in my reviewing and justify higher or lower ratings based on what I was experiencing at the time.

This became a real issue when coming up with my list of the ten best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes of all time. There are a number of perfect hours of this much-neglected show and in cutting down the list, I was forced to leave off several worthy episodes, like "Sacrifice Of Angels," "Looking For Par'Mach In All The Wrong Places . ..," and "To The Death" (when I originally posted this, I took a lot of crap for not including “In The Pale Moonlight!”). Paring down the best episodes into a list of ten is a kind of "put up or shut up" for the best series in the Star Trek franchise. If you've never seen Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, weren't able to get into it, or loved it and want to see the cream of the crop, these are the episodes that represent the best the series produced and perfect hours of television that may be returned to again and again and again.

10. "Hard Time" (reviewed here!) - Every season, poor Chief O'Brien got tortured by someone, usually for doing nothing but being in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the fourth season, the show did an episode that smartly dealt with the repercussions of O'Brien being imprisoned by a race that time compresses jail sentences. So while he was unconscious for only a few hours, he had memories implanted in his mind of being imprisoned for decades. The powerful toll that takes on O'Brien makes for one of the most enduring character studies of the series,

9. "Tacking Into The Wind" (reviewed here!) - At one of the last Star Trek conventions I attended while the series was still running, Alexander Siddig (Siddig El Fadil, "Dr. Bashir") was asked the pretty standard question about what season was his favorite and he answered the current (7th) season because the show just keeps getting better and better (in his words). Perhaps there's no better proof of that than in the last few episodes, the series would create one of the top ten episodes of the series. While Damar, Kira and Odo work to free Cardassia from the clutches of the Dominion, Odo begins to succumb to the disease ravaging his people. At the same time, the Klingon Empire stands on the brink of ruin as Gowron's jealousy of Martok overcomes his judgment. A clever episode with a tension that ratchets up until the last moments of the episode, this is one of the last gems the series would produce without feeling like it was going to end (i.e. the events in this episode inspire events that could have inspired a whole additional season!),

8. "Rocks And Shoals" (reviewed here!) - Wow. War sucks, but watching the ethical dilemmas laid out so succinctly when Sisko and his crew crash land on a planet occupied by a lone garrison of Jem'Hadar who are running out of the drug they need to sustain them is intense. Combined with a powerful b-plot aboard the station of a Bajoran's willingness to protest the war at any cost, this is easily the most neglected episode of the top ten. Performances by Nana Visitor on down to the Lieutenant who has to bury the bodies at the end make this an astonishingly great episode,

7. "Return To Grace" (reviewed here!) - One of the nice things about writing a list like this is that it's okay to be biased. Objectively, this spot should probably be saved for “Sacrifice Of Angels;” too bad. I love the character of Gul Dukat. He's Star Trek's" greatest villain and the most consistently, best written adversary for any of the crews. So when Major Kira is transported by Dukat to a conference where the Klingons intervene and she must teach Dukat how to be a terrorist, it's a pretty great hour of television. Smart and managing to make Dukat out of his element without being a buffoon, this episode smartly does what most of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine does best; it forces characters to deal with the consequences of their prior actions and this one knocks it out of the park with that,

6. "Necessary Evil" (reviewed here!) - No episode more poignantly and profoundly changed the direction of the characters without saying anything than this episode. The last shot of the episode knocked my socks off when I first saw it and tugged my heartstrings every time thereafter. A murder investigation makes for a great excuse to look back to how Odo met Kira, Quark and Dukat and it's a smart episode that is a great character study,

5. "What You Leave Behind" (reviewed here!) - The series finale of Star Trek Deep Space Nine did what no other Trek series has been ballsy enough to do, it ended the series with a sense of finality and futility that perfectly fit the show's overriding motif of "Dreams die." The Cardassian War ends, with significant casualties both in literal terms (characters are killed off) and metaphorical (one character leaves with a sense of permanence that destroys all of his individuality). Sisko's role as the Emissary comes to a head when he must take on the Pah Wraiths and ultimately, everything ends. The last shot of the series still brings a tear to my eye. Every time,

4. "In Purgatory's Shadow" / "By Inferno's Light" (reviewed here! and here!) - The first of my two cheats on this list is this two-part episode that marks the turning point that leads directly to the Dominion War. Dukat returns from his private war with the Klingons to stand beside Sisko and his team as they prepare for a Dominion assault. Only, there's intrigue afoot and one of Sisko's people is not himself and Dukat's made an alliance with the Dominion that changes everything. This is quite possibly the best, most plot-driven episode that keeps the suspense building until the last moment of the episode and truly juggles every character involved effectively,

3. "Improbable Cause" / "The Die Is Cast" (reviewed here! and here!) - And then there's this two-parter that for the first time gives Garak a real juicy story. When the tailor is almost killed, Odo begins an investigation and what starts as a simple investigation leads to a convoluted scheme. But the brilliance of the two-parter is that the convoluted scheme serves mostly for Garak and Odo to share some deliciously character-building scenes, including the revelation of Odo's true feelings and a quiet, poignant denouement that wraps up an episode with amazing special effects with a genuine character moment,

2. "The Visitor" (reviewed here!) - Anyone who has seen this episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine knows why it's considered almost universally one of the top five episodes of the series and one of the top ten episodes in the franchise. And who would have guessed; it's a story of Jake Sisko! Set in the distant future, author Jake Sisko spends a night with a young author reminiscing about the death of his father and the effect that had on him. Spanning fifty years, the episode is a tear-jerker and the ultimate tale of loneliness and loss. Well written, amazingly acted and all around great, this episode manages to have an effect on viewers every time they watch, even if it's the only episode of the series they ever see,

1. "Duet" (reviewed here!) - What "The Visitor" does on a personal and character level, "Duet" does on a social and historical level. Subtle in its perfection, for an hour, Kira is able to interrogate a Cardassian whose identity oscillates between filing clerk and war criminal. The mystery of one man's identity sparks a character struggle that asks what the true price of vengeance is, and what it ought to be. This is easily the smartest hour of television yet written and it becomes worthwhile for anyone to see. There is no finer reason to own a television than to see this hour of programming.


For other best and worst of Star Trek, check out:
The Worst 10 Episodes Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
The Best 10 Episodes Of Star Trek
The Worst 10 Episodes Of Star Trek
The Best 10 Episodes Of Star Trek: The Next Generation
The Worst 10 Episodes Of Star Trek: The Next Generation

For other television and movie reviews, please visit my Movie Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Denise Crosby Gets Her Trip Around The World Paid For To Make Trekkies 2.

The Good: Illustrates worldwide appeal of Star Trek fandom, Moments of rebuttal
The Bad: More of the same bias from the first film, Buries opposition
The Basics: Denise Crosby travels around the world, but adds little that is fundamentally new with Trekkies 2.


While Trekkies (reviewed here!) was not something I was into when it was released, I knew enough about it to keep myself out of Trekkies 2. I was at the Baltimore convention, Shore Leave, featured in Trekkies 2, so unlike the first volume of these “documentaries” (it is hard not to call it a mockumentary the way interviewer Denise Crosby sometimes asks questions with an incredulous tone and a very biased expression on her face), I actually knew many of the participants in Trekkies 2 and I watched some of the movie being filmed.

So, it was with no small amount of disappointment as I watched Trekkies 2 for the first time last night and discovered that some of the most articulate, reasoned, and reasonable voices Crosby interviewed were relegated to b-roll during the closing credits, as they tried to stand up for their subculture and speak out about what a disservice Crosby did to fandom with Trekkies. In fact, Trekkies 2 makes a passing effort to actually address the difference between Trekkers and Trekkies. Sadly, that debate is truncated – in fact, Richard Arnold, who relays Gene Roddenberry’s apparent feelings on the matter comes across as either a simpleton or a jerk the way he tells his story given that: a. Roddenberry may have created Star Trek, but he did not create Star Trek fandom, nor did he control how the subculture identified itself, and b. Gene Roddenberry may have created Star Trek, but the bulk of the franchise (by quite a bit) was built following his death (and it had been that way when Trekkies 2 was released). So, whatever Roddenberry’s thoughts on the matter were, they were not the absolute standard that Arnold tries to make them sound like and Crosby and director Roger Nygard edit the film to support – as are several others throughout the film.

Instead, Trekkies 2 is more of the same mediocre-at-best filmmaking that made up Trekkies. Ironically, however, Trekkies 2 features fewer of the celebrity voices – though a few of the members of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (though noticeably absent from this little film franchise are Rene Auberjonois and Armin Shimerman) and Star Trek: Voyager casts who were passed over for the first documentary and members of the Star Trek: Enterprise cast (which did not exist when the first documentary was filmed) are interviewed – and no unique profiles of fringe Trekkies. Instead, significant portions of Trekkies 2 are diluted with Denise Crosby dining and creating travelogue-like segues between her international (mostly European) convention destinations.

Trekkies 2 explores the international phenomenon of Star Trek fandom as Denise Crosby and her team of documentarians visit conventions in Germany, England, France, Brazil, Serbia, Arksansas, and Baltimore, Maryland. Crosby documents an apartment built to resemble the inside of a Federation starship, a fan whose father lost his job to build the set of a fan filmed production, and various amateur filmmakers and filkers. Crosby participates more directly, talking to the camera for blasé segues (idly wondering what she will find at a French convention as she rides the train) and asking questions more directly of her participants.

One of the highlights of Trekkies 2 is how Crosby returns to re-interview two of the participants of Trekkies. Crosby has no stated love for the fans – some of the actors she interviews, most notably Casey Biggs, clearly adore the fans and appreciate the celebrity their roles on Star Trek have afforded them – and her documenting style frequently insinuates a contempt or indifference to them. She does not seem to care about how Trekkers or Trekkies are portrayed, so long as they are participating. So, for example, one of her subjects eagerly talks about how he makes computer models for space ships; Crosby never clarifies that he is not working on idle projects – he is part of a special effects team that works on television and movies and people who more casually enjoy contemporary science fiction special effects sequences have likely enjoyed his work!

Ultimately, though, Trekkies 2 flops because it does not significantly add to the dialogue and it makes no attempt to redeem itself or its predecessor for the bias it portrays. However, the longer Trekkies 2 went on, the more I found myself thinking that if this were a documentary about another subculture, like contemporary “Christian” culture – detailing the gatherings, literature, services, and specialized music – that so shabbily treated its subjects, there would be an outrage from many groups. Fortunately, Trekkies 2 had such a limited appeal and distribution that it did not reach enough of the subculture (or mass culture) to raise the blood pressure of fans around the world. And as I, and several of the people I know who participated in Trekkies 2 as interviewees, see how the subculture was treated here, we hope Paramount will be done with allowing Denise Crosby to exploit us for her mealticket. Far too often, it seems like that is all Trekkies 2 is.

For other documentary reviews, please visit my reviews of:
The Furious Gods: Making “Prometheus”
The Cream Will Rise
The Big One

1.5/10

For other film reviews, please check out my Movie Review Index Page for an organized listing!

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

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Captain Sisko Becomes A Complete Asshole When “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” Makes Him Into A Baseball Coach.

The Good: I’m struggling here . . . moments of character, Not entirely predictable, That the actors make it through it while appearing to take it seriously.
The Bad: Plot, Character, Guest performances, Utter lack of purpose.
The Basics: “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” might well be, objectively, the worst episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.


At the outset of this review, I must confess: the rating at the bottom is actually wrong. I know, I make the ratings, I should just have the right rating there. I’ve rated “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” a 2.5/10 when it ought to be a 1/10. Why is it 1.5 points higher in this review than I honestly believe it ought to be? Some strange block in me exists that will not allow me to accept any episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at the worst episode of the series except “Destiny” (reviewed here!). “Destiny” is predictable, but it actually ends up having consequences that resonate through the rest of the series after that. That said, I don’t like it, I think it’s cheap Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and I’ve considered it the worst episode for so long that when I eventually make my Worst Ten Episode list for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, it will top (or bottom) it.

But, objectively and honestly, “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” is worse. In fact, “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” has no real redeeming qualities, which makes it irksome for me to write about. I love Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” is a pointless episode that distracts from the narrative flow of the seventh season and is almost enough to make me reconsider the “perfect” rating I gave the final season of the series. Rumor is that “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” stemmed from Michael Piller’s love of baseball and while that might work as a character aspect of Captain Sisko, it works terribly as an episode in the series.

Captain Benjamin Sisko, as it turns out, has a rival. His name is Captain Solok and he is a Vulcan. He has achieved pretty much everything Sisko has either faster or more times than Sisko, making him exceptionally jealous. When Solok comes to Deep Space Nine, he challenges Sisko and his crew to a baseball game. Sisko, a huge baseball fan, is unable to resist the allure of taking on his rival in his favorite game, so he spends a week with Jake and Kassidy trying to get his crew, Rom, Quark and Leeta into shape to beat the Vulcans. This, however, brings out all of Sisko’s worst qualities and in the days leading up to the game, he makes life utterly unpleasant for all of his crew and friends, making them not particularly want to play the game.

Wow, “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” is bad. It is so bad that for the best part of it, there is merchandise. Yes, you can get Deep Space Nine baseball uniforms and hats and they make sense because they were featured in an episode. But beyond that, there is little good in the episode save that it is not entirely predictable (the motley crew of Deep Space Nine does not get into a position where Rom will come up to bat and help them win the game) and Odo throws Sisko out for touching the umpire. And Sisko seems to ultimately learn a very valuable lesson which five year-olds learn these days, so . . .

Sisko’s rival, Solok is one of the least Vulcan Vulcans to ever grace the Star Trek franchise. So, when the circumstances arise which allow Odo to eject him from the game, it seems ridiculous to most Star Trek fans. Indeed, from the moment Solok appears on the station, he appears to be exhibiting a very un-Vulcan sense of pride and ego.

The rest of the episode is a pretty unfortunate wash; Sisko is a jerk throughout and most of the crew only goes along with the baseball game because Sisko has essentially ordered them to (implicitly). In order to make the utter lack of a plot work, the characters are dumbed down – for a former terrorist, Colonel Kira’s sudden lack of coordination is unforgiveable and the fact that Worf is not creaming the balls out of the park when he is at bat is unfathomable as well.

So, “Take Me Out To The Holosuite” ends up being a sport’s game filled with silly acrobatics and other nonsense that does absolutely nothing to advance the plot or characters of the series. This is, truly, the bottom of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine barrel . . . if only I could get by my block to rate it as such!

[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!]

2.5/10

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

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Recovering From Losses, "Image In The Sand" Finds The Crew Of Deep Space Nine Spread Thin.

The Good: Decent character work, Fine acting
The Bad: Somewhat mediocre plot.
The Basics: With the Dominion manipulating the Romulans and Bajorans, Worf mourns his loss while Sisko works off-station to find himself in “Image In The Sand.”


Entering the final season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the crew of Deep Space Nine was essentially in tatters. It is virtually impossible to discuss the opening episodes without revealing the death that occurred in “Tears Of The Prophets” (reviewed here!). That’s all the “spoiler alert” for the episode “Image In The Sand” you get! The seventh season opened with a more subtle premiere that refocused the show on the characters once again. “Image In The Sand” is the episode and it picks up months after the prior season left off.

It is worth noting that “Image In The Sand” is almost entirely inaccessible to those who are not already fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The show is ponderous and delves into the emotional turmoil of two of the main characters (Sisko and Worf) while Colonel Kira (yup, she got a promotion!) tries to hold the station and the alliance together. The result is a pretty slow building episode that is very much a transition piece. That is not to say it is bad, but it is heavily reliant upon both where the show has been and where it is going, making it a thornier standalone episode.

Following the collapse of the wormhole and the murder of Jadzia Dax, Worf is moody and taking it out on the Defiant’s crew and Kira is running Deep Space Nine. She and Odo are alarmed by public demonstrations by the Cult of the Pah-wraiths on the Promenade, but they make no move to stop the fringe worshippers. On Earth, Sisko receives a vision from the Prophets where he is on the planet Tyree, digging. In the sand, he sees a face and Captain Sisko and Jake are astonished when Benjamin reconstructs the face on a PADD and Jake recognizes it. Sisko’s father reveals a previously untold family truth in explaining who Sarah, the woman in the picture, was and when Sisko seems to have a path again, he is stabbed by a member of the Cult of the Pah-wraiths.

Meanwhile, back on Deep Space Nine, Kira helps the new Romulan attaché set up an office. But when the Romulan request to set up a hospital on the Bajoran moon Derna reveals that the Romulans might be stockpiling weapons there to stay entrenched, she decides it is time to act. And O’Brien and Bashir learn what is troubling Worf; the Klingon wants to make sure that Jadzia gets into the Klingon afterdeath (Sto-Vo-Kor) and that means he must win a battle in her honor.

“Image In The Sand” does a decent job of employing the full cast of characters. Virtually all of the characters have something to do in the episode and that makes this ensemble piece feel like the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine universe is truly a broad, complicated place. The brief appearance by Weyoun and Damar is memorable and helps to promote the tension between the two of them that has been brewing since Damar abruptly became the Cardassian Head Of State in the prior season. Even Vic Fontaine’s appearance is more than just filler.

Part of what makes “Image In The Sand” a worthwhile transition piece is that it truly feels like it is part of a continuum. Events in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine do not occur in a vacuum and “Image In The Sand” is a great example of that. From a wonderful conversation between Worf and O’Brien wherein they reference the Enterprise and the ever-failing holodeck to the nature of Sarah, there is a feeling that the characters are being guided by the full breadth of their experience before this episode. It works. It might not stand up well on its own, but it works for those invested in the characters because we see the growth. Even the potentially contrived nature of Sarah does not feel false with the way it is revealed, making it more of a payoff for loyal viewers than an awkward, late-addition plot device.

The character growth that arguably rewards viewers most is the new Kira. Kira Nerys is presented in “Image In The Sand” as both calm and commanding. Her violent past seems mostly behind her and she exhibits actual leadership traits in this episode that make it seem like the three missing months between episodes actually had a weight to them. She and Odo also seem much more comfortable in their relationship, which is a nice bit of personal growth for both as well.

As for Worf, he is appropriately moody and his gruffness makes for a decent excuse for Martok to keep returning. Worf is a character who has lost so much in the course of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and it is refreshing to see the show dwell on him in mourning for a while. With the death of K’Ehleyr, the loss of his brother and even the loss of the Enterprise so quickly swept aside for Worf, it is actually growth for the character and the show to illustrate him reacting poorly to something. The natural quality of his mourning is realistic and affords Michael Dorn the opportunity to stretch his acting wings in a direction he has not, traditionally, been allowed to before this episode.

Ultimately, much of the episode hinges on Sisko and Avery Brooks does his best to make the Captain appear lost and without direction in a way that is different from how he was at the beginning of the series. He does, but Captain Sisko only becomes empathetic late in the episode, whereas Worf’s mourning seems much more natural. Brooks does a good job with what he is given and he plays determined exceptionally well.

Better in conjunction with the episodes that precede and follow it, “Image In The Sand” is a part of the essential Star Trek: Deep Space Nine because of how it moves the characters and plot of the series along.

[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!]

8/10

See how this episode stacks up against the other episodes and movies in the Star Trek franchise by visiting the Index Page where the reviews are organized from best-rated to worst!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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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.
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"The Sound Of Her Voice" Is An Intimate, Subtly Extraordinary Episode Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!

The Good: Wonderful character exploration, Decent acting, Neat effects
The Bad: Mediocre plot.
The Basics: As the Defiant races to save a shipwrecked captain, Jake Sisko studies Quark and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has a very cool episode with “The Sound Of Her Voice.”


I will admit, in the interest of full disclosure, that I have a special affinity for the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “The Sound Of Her Voice.” “The Sound Of Her Voice,” the penultimate episode of the sixth season exists, arguably, to soften the audience for the character death that was coming in the final episode of the sixth season. Unlike “Skin Of Evil” (reviewed here!), character deaths in the Star Trek franchise are not typically followed by extended good-byes and living wills. So, “The Sound Of Her Voice” allowed the entire crew of Deep Space Nine to come together for one last scene that would not be replicated in the episode that followed it.

But for me, “The Sound Of Her Voice” is so much more. When I first encountered “The Sound Of Her Voice,” I was at a very low point in my life. But when I saw the episode, it resonated with me. It resonated in such a powerful way – especially the final scene of the episode – that it inspired me to write a novel. My second novel, Living In The Wakes (reviewed here!), actually came about because of the final scenes and the way the performances affected me. I owe a lot to Colm Meany, Alexander Siddig, director Winrich Kolbe and writer Ronald D. Moore for how they inspired me.

The U.S.S. Defiant is headed back to Deep Space Nine when it receives an audio transmission from a crashed Federation ship. Trapped alone, Captain Lisa Cusak transmits to the Defiant while the crew speeds to her rescue. To keep her sane and diverted from her potential impending death, members of the crew talk with Cusak. In conversing with Lisa Cusak, Captain Sisko, Dr. Bashir and Chief O’Brien explore their feelings about the war, their relationships and their lives. Cusak is a wonderful conversationalist and in the days it takes to make the journey, the officers aboard the Defiant begin to become truly attached to her.

Meanwhile, back at the space station, Jake Sisko decides to do an expose on Quark and his nefarious activities. Quark tries to school him on extra-legal transactions and as Jake studies him he comes to realize just how hard Quark has it. As Odo moves in on the deal that could make Quark more profit than he has seen in a long time, Jake and Quark begin to get paranoid that the security chief will foil their plans!

“The Sound Of Her Voice” has a very simple concept and is a pretty archetypal a-plot, b-plot story. The episode works, despite two simple plots, because it is a pair of engaging character studies. Sisko, who starts the episode moody and upset with Kassidy Yates – who is along for the trip – wrestles with his feelings and in Lisa Cusak, he actually has a confidant he can talk to candidly. While Dax and Jake, his traditional confidants, have been rooting for his relationship with Kassidy, it makes sense that he would not be able to talk to them about his doubts and deeper feelings about the freighter captain. In Lisa Cusak, Sisko finds an emotional outlet he would not have otherwise had.

Similarly, O’Brien is able to talk about his feelings for Keiko with Cusak because she seems to understand married life and none of the Chief’s peers are married. As well, she becomes a woman outside his marriage who is very safe to talk with. On an equally compelling front, Bashir comes to realize just how much he has buried himself in his work since the war began and part of what makes “The Sound Of Her Voice” so compelling on his character’s front is that it clearly does bring about a change in him given that at the outset of the next episode, he is working hard to make it possible for Dax and Worf to have a baby.

As for the b-plot, it is pretty easy to discount, as it involves a pretty generic Quark scheme. That does not lessen the exploration Jake makes into the criminal underworld and given that it is a pretty benign operation, Odo’s reaction is interesting to watch. Cirroc Lofton and Armin Shimerman play off one another very well in the b-plot, making for an engaging and amusing distraction from the thematically heavy a-plot.

In the a-plot, the acting is homogenously excellent. Guest star Debra Wilson is amazing at emoting with only her voice and she creates a pretty incredible character. Avery Brooks, Alexander Siddig and Colm Meany all give powerful, subtle, emotive performances that truly illustrate just how incredible they are as actors. Without doing much, they play across a wide range of emotions to make their characters seem realistically troubled by where exactly they are as a result of the war.

Ultimately, “The Sound Of Her Voice” is one of the rare episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine where the episode is about the journey, not the destination. It deserves to be seen, rather than analyzed; it is well worth watching time and again.

[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 with Debra Wilson, be sure to visit my reviews of:
Hoodwinked, Too: Hood Vs. Evil
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Scary Movie 4

9/10

Check how this episode stacks up against other episodes and movies within the Star Trek franchise by visiting my Star Trek Review Index Page where the titles are arranged by rating from best to worst!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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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.
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Captain Sisko Wrestles, Yet Again, With Being The Emissary In “The Reckoning,” An Important Set-up Episode Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

The Good: Character development, Acting, Special effects, Plot in the larger story
The Bad: Very simple plot/character elements.
The Basics: In one of the neglected decent episodes, “The Reckoning” sets up the final arc of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine exceptionally well!


Sometimes, one of the truly great things about having a complicated story is that readers or viewers might not realize at the time the importance of certain events when they first encounter them. In the case of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which is a legitimately great television series, there are arcs that begin surprisingly late in the series that have incredible importance to the overall series. After seasons of whining about being the Emissary of the Prophets, Benjamin Sisko seemingly made peace with his role in the episode “Accession” (reviewed here!). So, when “The Reckoning” comes along, it does seem a little forced that he complains at all about his dual role as a StarFleet officer and a religious icon to the Bajoran people. That said, “The Reckoning” is one of those rare episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that is vastly better in-context than it is on its own (so, when considered as a part of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine the rating of this episode would certainly be higher).

“The Reckoning” comes from the promise left in “Sacrifice Of Angels” (reviewed here!). (Fear not, no spoilers!) At the climax of that episode, Sisko learned that there was a price for the Prophets intervening to save Bajor. While, at the time, most viewers assumed that price was the death at the end of the episode, we were all wrong. “The Reckoning” arrives as the payment of the debt Sisko has to the Prophets. “The Reckoning” also marks the return of the Pah-wraiths first introduced in “The Assignment” (reviewed here!). The events of “The Reckoning” set off a chain of events that deeply influence the season finale as well as the series finale, which helps the show feel like it is a continuum, not just a random collection of episodes.

Sisko, Kira and Jake visit Bajor and the ruins of B’hala where the archaeologists have found a mysterious tablet. Kira is shocked when the tablet bears an inscription that reads “Welcome Emissary.” Baffled, Sisko takes the ancient tablet back to the station where he begins studying it. While Dax gripes about trying to figure out what makes it at all special, Sisko is confronted by Kai Winn, who is offended that Sisko did not ask the Vedek Assembly for permission to remove the tablet. When it appears that the removal of the tablet might actually start a political quagmire with the Federation, Sisko is ordered to return the tablet. Instead, he destroys it.

In destroying the tablet, Sisko unleashes two entities and begins the Reckoning. The Prophets find a willing body in Major Kira and they prepare to do battle with the Pah-wraith that was released as well. As Kai Winn looks eagerly for the battle to make Sisko as the Emissary irrelevant by ushering in a new golden age for Bajor, Sisko works to protect the residents of Deep Space Nine. But with most of the station evacuated, the host body for the Pah-wraith is revealed to be Jake Sisko and Captain Sisko is caught between his faith in the Prophets and the desire to see his son survive the battle!

“The Reckoning” is a very simple episode that works very hard to get to the point because the purpose of the episode is not immediately apparent. Like some other episodes in the recent storyline of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, much of the point of “The Reckoning” is not evident until pretty much the last act. The real conflict in “The Reckoning,” the one intended to make viewers care and feel like the episode has consequence in and of itself is when Major Kira – inhabited by the wormhole alien – and Jake Sisko – inhabited by the Pah-wraith – are set into a fight to the death and Sisko must face losing his first officer and the embodiment of his spiritual protectors or his own son. That conflict is essentially introduced as the last act.

What fills up much of the rest of the episode, then, is a surprisingly important character journey for Kai Winn. Kai Winn, frequently an adversary of the protagonists on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine arrives on the station with a surprisingly valid point. Sisko did remove an ancient artifact from Bajor in a way that was reminiscent of the Cardassians. She even had a reasonable solution; Sisko should have consulted with the Vedek Assembly prior to the removal of the tablet. Winn doesn’t own the Assembly, odds are Sisko could have easily gotten the permission he needed. So, Sisko made a mistake (albeit a reasonable one) and Kai Winn pounced on it.

So, the character journey Kai Winn begins to make is one that will ultimately lead to her character’s final end. That arc begins in “The Reckoning.” Here, Winn mentions that the Prophets have never spoken with her the way they do to Sisko. The seeds of jealousy are planted in that character revelation and when Winn latches on to the idea that the successful resolution to the Reckoning will be an end to the Vedek Assembly, the position of Kai and . . . the Emissary. Winn seems very eager to see Sisko’s position as Emissary end and that is telling. Winn could easily sate her ambitions in another field, but if Sisko is no longer the Emissary, he loses all authority and standing he has in Bajoran society. “The Reckoning” reveals Winn’s desire to eliminate Sisko as Emissary and expresses her feelings – once again – that the Prophets made a questionable decision in choosing him for the role. Her actions at the climax of the episode are arguably the character’s big moment of change.

What “The Reckoning” does not do as well on the character front is use Dax. Dax is treated as something of an idiot in “The Reckoning” and that is very frustrating. It is Sisko who reminds Dax that the Prophets have been watching over Bajor for over a thousand years (in the pilot episode, it is Dax who puts that time at over ten thousand years) and Dax has to be told that Deep Space Nine is the battleground for the Reckoning (usually, it is Dax, who is the more creative thinker who interprets such imagery for Sisko!). On the flip side, Dax has two great exchanges with Sisko where her sense of humor and irony come out beautifully. In fact, Terry Farrell’s delivery in defining the tablet as a rock is one of her funniest.

That said, “The Reckoning” does fairly well with the rest of the cast. Rene Auberjonois is able to continue incrementally loosening Odo up as he slowly transforms from the dour persona he has maintained for years. He and Nana Visitor continue to play off one another well as Auberjonois makes Odo a little more affectionate. Michael Dorn uses his brief time on screen well and Louise Fletcher continues to make Kai Winn an intriguing character to watch in all of her scenes.

But it is Nana Visitor and Cirroc Lofton who steal the episode from Avery Brooks on the performance front. Visitor and Lofton spend almost an entire act staring at one another with massive special effects done in post production doing the work of the scene. As a result, the two actors were simply staring at one another and that does not come through at all in their performances. Instead, the scene holds up as a vital conflict between two possessed individuals and that is a testament to their acting.

Ultimately, “The Reckoning” is a long build-up to a short battle and while it might seldom be considered a memorable episode, it has incredible ramifications throughout the rest of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, making it an essential episode.

[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!]

7.5/10

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

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