Creepy Family Drama, Flowers In The Attic Underwelms!

The Good: Generally good acting, Moments of mood
The Bad: Impossible to suspend disbelief, Lousy character development, Ridiculous plot, Predictably bad young child acting
The Basics: The classic “suspense” film Flowers In The Attic is a pulpy movie that fails to deliver a movie of lasting significance or any true greatness.


It sometimes astonishes me the movies my wife likes but that I see through a more objective lens. I know she was shocked when, on our first date, I shared the movie Magnolia (reviewed here!) with her and I was surprised we were so compatible when she declared Knocked Up (reviewed here!) as one of her favorites (along with virtually every Will Ferrell movie). Now that we have been married for almost five years, though, there are very few surprises like that left. However, recently she surprised me by having us sit down and watch another of her favorite movies from her past, Flowers In The Attic.

Flowers In The Attic is a slow drama movie that features what has to be one of the worst mothers in cinematic history and a quasi-incestuous relationship between a brother and sister. The high point has to be the fact that Louise Fletcher is in the movie, though her character is hardly significantly differentiated from her iconic portrayal of Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (reviewed here!). In Flowers In The Attic, director Jeffrey Bloom used good casting, but not terrific acting.

When her father dies, Cathy (his beloved daughter) goes into shock. Soon thereafter, her mother loses everything and Cathy, her brother Chris, and her young twin siblings Cory and Carrie are destitute and forced to move in with their Grandmother. Upon arriving at the palatial estate of her grandmother, Cathy and her siblings are told that her mother was disinherited by her grandfather because her mother and father were actually related. When Cathy’s mother married her uncle, her father left her penniless and now that she is broke again, her mother now wants to get back into the will. Cathy, Chris, Cory and Carrie are locked into a room in the grandmother’s house while their mother tries to get back into the good graces of her father.

As the days, weeks, and months go by, Cathy and her siblings struggle to survive. They are able to leave their room only to go up into the massive attic, which Cory and Carrie use to escape reality. Cathy pushes back against her mother and grandmother and, as a result, the grandmother stops feeding her prisoners. The lack of adequate nutrition leaves Cory sick and an escape attempt by Cathy and Chris fails utterly. When Cathy and Chris learn that their mother is not rescuing the children after her father finally dies, they discover the truth of their incarceration and the deeper horror of their situation.

Flowers In The Attic is a movie that takes a long time to get going and when it finally does, it goes someplace exceptionally dull for the longest time. While it is classified as a suspense film, there is truly only one moment of real suspense in the movie (when Cathy and Chris try to escape through the bars in the attic). Outside that incident, much of the movie is just waiting. There is a mild mystery – how Cory gets weak and who is actually putting him in real peril – but the “mystery” is virtually inconsequential. It does not matter if the mother, grandmother, or butler is powdering the doughnuts that Chris eventually realizes contain arsenic. Which one of the captors is the worst is minutiae; all the people in the house who know the children are being kept prisoner are reprehensible.

The film lacks a sense of subtlety in everything but the incestuous sibling subplot. While this review is solely of the film Flowers In The Attic, my wife read the book and mentioned that in the novel, the older two siblings do initiate a sexual relationship. In the film, there are moments of implication that they have more than just a familial relationship, but it is never fully realized. However, when the grandmother catches Cathy and Chris sleeping in the same bed and Chris talking to Cathy while she is in the bathtub, a full sexual relationship is not executed in the movie. The undertone, however, is plenty creepy.

But the undertone is enough to question much of the basic premise of Flowers In The Attic. If the grandmother has such a serious bugaboo about the incest in her own family, why would she put two pubescent teenagers together, locked away from the world with no one to depend upon but one another?! She’s pretty much tempting bad fate and then punishing them for relying upon one another (because in the film, that’s all they actually do explicitly).

The acting in Flowers In The Attic is fine, but nothing at all impressive. Jeb Stuart Adams is good as Chris and Kristy Swanson is fine as Cathy. Victoria Tennant is monstrous as their mother, but the monolithic nature of her performance makes the character make much less sense. Tennant illustrates absolutely no affection for any of her children; so why she bothers to bring them to her mother’s estate to dispose of them makes no real sense. If she wanted to start a new life, why bring the kids at all?

Outside lacking a credible plot, genuine suspense or characters one really empathizes with, Flowers In The Attic is fine. Sadly, that does not leave the movie with enough to recommend it.

For other works with uncomfortable familial relationships, please check out my reviews of:
Tideland
White Oleander
Arrested Development

3/10

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

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Impressive Acting Drives Up An Otherwise Average A Perfect Man!

The Good: Amazing acting, Decent emotional conflict for the characters, Good character development
The Bad: Formulaic plot, Overbearing soundtrack.
The Basics: A Perfect Man explores the destruction of a relationship, the loneliness the unfaithful man feels afterward and the cautious hope embodied by the woman determined to put her life back together again!


It’s turning into a Liev Schreiber day for me. Schreiber was the star in the science fiction film I watched this morning, The Last Days On Mars and tonight, he was second-billed behind Jeanne Tripplehorn in the limited-release A Perfect Man. It is hard not to give credit immediately to director Kees Van Oostrum; Van Oostrum manages to present Schreiber as initially cold and menacing, but quickly brings him from aloof into dead sexy. The transition happens so fast that it almost seems like Schreiber’s character, James, is suffering from a split personality disorder. Van Oostrum keeps the performance tight, though, so Schreiber never strays over the line into making the viewer doubt the character’s mental health (though we quickly come to doubt his moral intergrity).

Starting with the complicated performance Liev Schreiber is important; it makes the character of Nina, played by Jeanne Tripplehorn, make much more sense right off the bat. Tripplehorn is good, but it is easy to brush her character’s enlightened views about relationships off until one sees Schreiber’s nuanced performance. Schreiber silently portrays the idea that even a man who has fidelity issues can still have a genuine – or convincing – love for his wife and when Nina sees that in him, her character becomes much more layered and real.

After picking Nina up in a bar, James seduces her. They are married shortly thereafter. Over nine years later, Nina and her friend/client Lynne follow Nina’s running buddy, Martha into the nearby city. Nina is suspicious because Martha hates the city and there she witnesses Martha having an affair with James. Revealing to Lynne that this is not the first affair that James has had, Nina does not call James out on his infidelity. James, for his part, seems interested in continuing the marriage . . . right up until the moment, at their anniversary party, when Nina calls him out on his affairs and announces that the pair is splitting up.

Despite James desperately trying to cling to Nina – though ruining her luggage does not make him feel better – Nina leaves and moves in with Lynn. While Lynn brings Nina out for a night on the town, James is approached by Laura, the college aged daughter of a woman he once had an affair with. As James walks home through Amsterdam at night, he finds himself contemplating his life and decisions. Despite the many temptations thrown his way, James resists having a separation affair on Nina. Nina, in recovering her laptop from the apartment, sees another side of James (the one she fell in love with) and she concocts a plan to get James interested in her again. She calls him up, pretending to call the dog, and gets James talking to her. James opens up to Janika, not knowing that it is Nina and they develop an over-the-phone relationship.

A Perfect Man starts out much like The Story Of Us (reviewed here!), without all of the yelling. The film transitions well, motivated by the characters, into a story of people actually developing a relationship with one another again. James is realistically shattered by Nina leaving; as if he had never actually considered the magnitude of his indiscretion and the probability that Nina would actually leave.

The somewhat contrived plot device of Nina re-seducing James over the phone is presented in an engaging fashion. It is interspersed well with scenes that have James’s mother visiting and giving insight into James’s character faults. A Perfect Man manages to be moody without losing its entertainment value and while the plot follows somewhat formulaically, it actually seems organically moved by the characters. James is presented as truly lost enough to talk on the phone to a stranger that calls and A Perfect Man is realistic in its portrayal of a man lost.

Unlike most romantic dramas or romantic comedies (and, despite the overuse of the soundtrack, A Perfect Man definitely falls on the dramatic side), Nina’s utterly contrived attempt to determine how James actually feels never comes across as ridiculous. In fact, even the moment when Nina (as Janika) picks up the phone the first time James calls back, Nina does not seem either goofy or desperate, which would have been a death knell for the film.

The strength of Nina comes down to the performance by Jeanne Tripplehorn. Tripplehorn is subtle and loving, strong without being a parody of feminism, and hopeful but cautious alternatively as Nina and she sells every emotion she is asked to portray. In fact, her performance is so good, it is shocking she does not get more first-billed roles! The magic of Jeanne Tripplehorn in A Perfect Man is that she can convincingly play a wide range of emotions with minimal facial movements and vocal inflections, while still making Nina seem like a viable, realistic character.

Together, Tripplehorn and Schreiber do on-screen what very few on-screen couples are ever able to pull off. They make their characters seem like they once had viable chemistry, lost it, and they make the process of finding love for one another again interesting to watch.

While A Perfect Man might not be the most original story told on film this year, it is bound to be one of the most underrated; the film has powerhouse acting and characters who are far more complex than most films allow.

For other films that explore complications in relationships, please check out my reviews of:
Mr. Morgan's Last Love
Unfinished Song
A Late Quartet
The Best Offer

6/10

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

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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What Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Leaves Behind Is A Perfect Finale With “What You Leave Behind!”

The Good: Engaging acting, Wonderful character work, Great plot, Decent effects
The Bad: Reuse of special effects.
The Basics: Despite some recycled special effects sequences, “What You Leave Behind” finishes the televised saga of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!


As Star Trek: The Next Generation wanted viewers to know, “all good things come to an end.” With Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, it’s all about “What You Leave Behind!” “What You Leave Behind” is the series finale of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and it is the least self-contained finale in the Star Trek franchise. Every other series of Star Trek, one may easily watch the pilot and finale back to back and have, at the very least, an understanding of what is going on. With Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which was much more of a serialized television show, that is not the case. “What You Leave Behind” is essentially the tenth part of a single, long story arc.

Actually, “What You Leave Behind” is the culmination of years worth of stories and character development. It is the climax to a war story, a fierce character conflict, a rebellion, everything but the resolution to a diplomatic nightmare. Despite my considering “What You Leave Behind” to be a perfect episode and one of the top ten episodes of Star Trek Deep Space Nine, “What You Leave Behind” has two problems for people who are detail-oriented. The first is that the mission that Sisko had is not achieved; “What You Leave Behind” does not culminate with the Bajorans joining the Federation. Despite having a decent build-up, like Colonel Kira in a StarFleet uniform for several of the episodes that precede “What You Leave Behind,” the final leap is never made. The other niggling problem is that director Allan Kroeker recycles space battle footage from earlier episodes in “What You Leave Behind.” As much as “What You Leave Behind” should have gone out with a bang, there are troublingly reused sequences, most notably from “Sacrifice Of Angels.”

Outside those two things, which are somewhat nitpicky (especially the first one, at least in the context of the episode!), “What You Leave Behind” is damn near perfect. It is easily the best finale of the Star Trek franchise.

The morning of the united Federation, Klingon and Romulan assault on the Dominion forces in the Alpha Quadrant, Dr. Bashir wakes up in bed with Ezri while O’Brien and his family pack. As the war looks to be coming to a conclusion, O’Brien has decided to move his family back to Earth as he takes a teaching position. On Cardassia Prime, Kira, Damar, and Garak continue to lead a civilian uprising against the Dominion forces. When Jem’Hadar forces storm Mila’s house, killing Garak’s remaining family, he is enraged. As the battle along the Dominion Front is joined, things look grim for the allies until the Cardassians turn against the Breen. Meanwhile, on Bajor, Kai Winn and Anjohl Tennan (Gul Dukat as a Bajoran) are reunited, with Tennan’s eyesight restored by the Pah-wraiths. They begin their journey to the firecaves in order to release the pah-wraiths.

With the Cardassians rising up in the street, the Dominion forces start slaughtering Cardassian citizens wholesale as they fortify their position. With the absolute annihilation of an entire city, the Dominion appears desperate. Damar, Garak and Kira storm the Dominion’s central command post as the space fleet advances. At Cardassia Prime, the fleets are locked in a stalemate when Odo proposes a solution to end the war. Beaming down and linking with the Female Shapeshifter, brings an end to hostilities, but it comes with a price.

The Dominion War over, celebrations break out on Deep Space Nine and the crew spends a last night together before Odo, O’Brien and Worf plan to depart the station. But amid the revelries, Sisko is visited by the Prophets and called to the firecaves for a final battle between Dukat, Winn and himself!

The two-hour series finale of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is interesting in that it takes the opposite form of the series premiere, “Emissary” (reviewed here!). While that episode worked its way out from Commander Sisko into a larger universe, “What You Leave Behind” cuts back the big conflicts until only the battle between Sisko and Dukat remains. The culmination of the Dominion War is a necessary plot change, but the resulting battle between Sisko and Dukat is operatic and character-driven. It also has a somewhat refreshing sense of finality to it, which fits in with the darker themes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

One of the nice things about “What You Leave Behind” is that all of the main characters get their moment. Ezri and Bashir appear ready to start a real relationship, which helps motivate Worf’s decision to join Martok on the Klingon Homeworld. Quark manages to get the last line of the series, Kassidy Yates appears for a decent pregnancy moment and Jake Sisko is vital to the final, heartbreaking image of the series (I swear, I’ve never made it through the finale without crying!). “What You Leave Behind” gives Kira her leadership moments, Odo his heroic and humanistic moment, Damar his chance to lead, and Sisko his chance to make peace with the conflicted aspects of his responsibilities (to StarFleet and to Bajor). Even Nog gets a moment.

One of the most compelling moments of the episode actually comes from Garak. With eight hundred million dead on Cardassia, Garak is in shock and his final scene with Bashir actually hints at the potential that Garak might take his own life in the future (which, based on a convention I once had with actor Andrew Robinson at a convention, is what the actor was actually going for in the scene!). “What You Leave Behind” is chock full of character moments and fans still gush over the scene in Vic’s where they can pick out actors, producers and the like out of make-up in the background!

“What You Leave Behind” finds the actors working at the top of their games. Nana Visitor and Casey Biggs bring their characters of Kira and Damar to the point where they are compelling leaders. Louise Fletcher gets the chance to play Kai Winn as delightfully maniacal and Marc Alaimo pushes Dukat over the line to full-fledged villain once again! The episode is a delight to watch for the quality of all of the performers. Avery Brooks manages to have Sisko’s character seem like a religious icon – like Sisko was supposed to have been all along. And without a word, Nana Visitor and Cirroc Lofton see the series off in a way that creates a beautiful, sad, finite end to the series.

We can ask for nothing more.

[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!]

10/10

For other Star Trek episode, DVD and season reviews, be sure to visit my Star Trek Index Page for an organized listing of all the Star Trek reviews I have written!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Klingons Take The Lead And A Risky Path “When It Rains . . .”!

The Good: Excellent character work, Great acting, Generally decent plot
The Bad: Gowron’s character arc seems suddenly altered to service the plot.
The Basics: “When It Rains . . .” finds the Alpha Quadrant defended solely by the Klingons and an underground movement of Cardassians, which is likely not enough to save the galaxy!


There are very few times that the characters in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine were reworked to service the plot of an episode or arc. Dukat was retroactively weakened by episodes like “Wrongs Darker Than Death Or Night” (reviewed here!). After all, Gul Dukat is initially characterized as exceptionally intelligent, with a photographic memory. Yet, if he had seen Kira in the time period of “Wrongs Darker Than Death Or Night,” it seems reasonable that at some point after he met her following “Necessary Evil,” he would have put together that she was familiar to him. The only other real example of a character being altered to service a plot is Gowron in “When It Rains . . .”

In “When It Rains . . .,” Gowron is suddenly transformed from an ambitious, smart leader into a crazed gloryhound. It is easy to understand why writer Rene Echevarria made the change; it leads to a far more heroic character arc for Martok. I like Martok and “When It Rains . . .” sets him on his final path, but it is in the reworking of Gowron’s character to service the plot of “When It Rains . . .” that the episode falls a bit flat. Fortunately, the Klingon plotline is not all that “When It Rains . . .” focuses on!

Following the disastrous losses in the Chintoka System, the hopes of the Alpha Quadrant now rest firmly on Damar’s dissident movement and the Klingons. Analyzing the assault on the Chintoka System, the Klingons have identified a modification that makes their ships immune to the Breen energy dampening weapon. The Klingons, then, make the modification to all their ships to hold the line. Meanwhile, in Cardassian space, Damar and his allies have gone into hiding and Sisko wants to send him help. That help takes the form of Kira, Garak and Odo. Before they leave, Odo leaves a sample of himself with Bashir.

When Kira and her team arrive at the hidden Cardassian base, they are met with hostility by Damar’s lieutenant, Gul Rusot. Despite that, Damar wants very much for Kira to teach his team how to create a useful resistance against the Dominion. On Bajor, Dukat becomes impatient with Winn’s attempts to discern the Book Of The Kosst Amogen and looks inside, getting blinded by the book. Bashir makes a startling discovery when he is studying Odo and he tries to get Odo’s medical records from StarFleet Medical. When Gowron arrives on the station, he pitches a plan to go on the offensive, a plan that puts everyone on edge.

“When It Rains . . .” is dark, but exceptionally watchable. The episode has an excellent sense of pace and it is clearly building to something. In many ways, “When It Rains . . .” is the The Empire Strikes Back of the final arc of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. This is where the characters seem like they are at their lowest and, overall, they are. This is the episode where the Federation and Romulans are powerless and the bulk of the crew is actually trapped on the space station, thanks to a climactic event in the prior episode. Odo is diagnosed with the illness that is plaguing his people and when Bashir is able to analyze that, he learns an even more horrible truth.

It might seem like things are all right for Kira, but she and Odo experience some sensation of torsion in “When It Rains . . .” Goaded by Rusot, “When It Rains . . .” forces Kira to consider Odo in a different, uncomfortable, light. Odo, while only suffering from the illness in a way that he is still able to hide it from Kira, still begins to show some wear. Bashir is horribly disillusioned, Dukat is blinded and Winn is pretty much lost. “When It Rains . . .” has the characters at a low point that, for most of them, begins to turn around as the arc continues.

“When It Rains . . .” is well-directed by Michael Dorn and he gets decent performances out of the entire cast. Nicole de Boer, who is the newest member of the ensemble, does well in her brief scene as Dax, opposite Bashir. While viewers may be frustrated by how the episode does not yet conclusive move the budding Dax/Bashir relationship forward, this is not de Boer’s fault and the episode realistically progresses the relationship as best it can.

Dorn also does a decent job of establishing the new relationship between Garak, Odo and Kira and the way Damar interacts with them. “When It Rains . . .” opens up the potential for Damar to truly feel vital. Earlier in the final arc, Casey Biggs made Damar interesting, but Dorn gets him to play Damar in a way that balances what viewers know about the character with what they might only suspect at this point. Damar is, in many ways, a pragmatist in “When It Rains . . .,” and he has to balance that with his sense of patriotism. Such complexity has been lacking from Damar, but in “When It Rains . . .” it comes full bloom. Damar, the character who killed Ziyal in the attempt to motivate Dukat to evacuate, has truly evolved and “When It Rains . . .” is evidence of that.

“When It Rains . . .” is an essential chapter of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and it is vital to the final arc for the character aspects, performances and plot progression.

[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, movie and season reviews, be sure to visit my Index Page for organized listings!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Perfection In The Final Arc Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Arrives With “The Changing Face Of Evil!”

The Good: Effects, Plot, Character aspects, Acting, Everything!
The Bad: I’m not wild about the reuse of special effects footage, but it doesn’t detract from the episode enough to downrate it.
The Basics: When the Breen make an all-out assault as allies of the Dominion, the Federation and its allies face defeat like never before in “The Changing Face Of Evil!”


It is almost inarguable among fans of the Star Trek franchise that the series that went out on the highest note was Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Building up to its conclusion, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine became a masterful work of great storytelling that led to the end of a vast number of characters. That final arc would not have had the endurance it did if it lacked perfect episodes. The first perfect episode in the nine-part arc is “The Changing Face Of Evil.”

“The Changing Face Of Evil” follows very closely on the heels of “Strange Bedfellows” (reviewed here!) and is the episode where the final sides are drawn for the remainder of the series. It is in “The Changing Face Of Evil” that Damar rises up to save Cardassia, Winn commits to freeing the Pah-wraiths and the Chintoka System falls to the Dominion forces, led by the Breen. More than simply having wonderful plot aspects, “The Changing Face Of Evil” helps define the characters better and set them on arcs that will see them through to their final moments in the series. “The Changing Face Of Evil” has everything a fan could want from an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!

With Ezri and Worf back on Deep Space Nine, things are looking for up for the allies against the Dominion. Unfortunately, the station receives word that the Breen have assaulted Earth. With StarFleet Headquarters in flames, the allying of the Breen and the Dominion spreads throughout the galaxy. With Weyoun suspecting that Damar doubted the Dominion, Damar begins to lay the seeds of dissension between the Breen and the Dominion. Damar quietly lays a framework with Gul Rusot to rebel against the Dominion.

On Bajor, Kai Winn and Anjohl Tennan begin their study of the apparently blank Book Of The Kosst Amojan to learn how to release the Pah-wraiths from the Bajoran firecaves. When the Breen retake the Chintoka System, the Federation, Klingons and Romulans take a stand to liberate the one foothold they had within Dominion space. But the attempt to liberate the Chintoka System leads to a devastating loss for the allied forces. As the fate of the Alpha Quadrant looks grim for everyone, an unlikely hero rises up and cuts the Dominion where they hurt!

Recently, my wife noted that when I like something, I am not overly fond of pointing out faults with the work. I objected, but ever since, I have been making an effort to find any fault I could with things I love. “The Changing Face Of Evil” reuses footage from “Tears Of The Prophet” (reviewed here!). The special effects are altered to include Breen ships, but still “The Changing Face Of Evil” does not have completely new special effects sequences. As well, following the disastrous assault on the Chintoka System, the Female Changeling leaves the escape pods intact without destroying them. While the writers of “The Changing Face Of Evil,” Hans Beimler and Ira Steven Behr, explain the change in tactics well-enough, the initial ruthlessness of the Dominion is diminished by the fact that the Dominion has, in the past, instilled fear simply by killing everyone. The change in tactic in “The Changing Face Of Evil” is interesting, if a bit plot-convenient (namely to save every character the viewer cares about).

“The Changing Face Of Evil” is otherwise flawless and I tend to argue that it is a perfect episode. The plot is engaging and “The Changing Face Of Evil” has one of the big surprises in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The battle for the Chintoka System features a gut-wrenching moment for fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that was, nicely, not spoiled prior to the episode’s release. Moreover, the progression with Damar’s character arc makes for compelling viewing.

In fact, it is hard to think of a perfect episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that has so many things happen, yet manages to develop the characters so well. In “The Changing Face Of Evil,” Damar falls off the fence into action and when he takes a stand finally, it is compelling in a way that he has not been before. Standing as a legitimate leader of Cardassia, Legate Damar is compelling in a way that he never has been before now. Who would ever have guessed that Damar could close an episode the way he does in “The Changing Face Of Evil?!”

The acting in “The Changing Face Of Evil” is universally excellent. As Louise Fletcher redefines Kai Winn, she and Marc Alaimo play off one another very well. “The Changing Face Of Evil” marks the final appearance of James Otis and his brief role in the final arc of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is memorable and as his character meets his fate, it is his delivery of his lines that makes the viewer feel like the character is compelling.

As for the rest of the cast, by this point in the series, the primary cast knows their roles flawlessly and they execute them that way in “The Changing Face Of Evil.” It all adds up to a perfect episode. “The Changing Face Of Evil” escalates the Dominion War and puts the heroes in their worst position yet and it makes the final arc a series one feels compelled to watch!

[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!]

10/10

For other Star Trek reviews, be sure to visit my Star Trek Episode Review Page for an organized listing of all the episodes, movies and seasons I have reviewed!

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

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The Final Arc Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Moves Closer To Perfection With “Strange Bedfellows!”

The Good: Excellent acting, Engaging plot, Good character work, Decent special effects
The Bad: Sisko’s character work.
The Basics: “Strange Bedfellows” is an engaging episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that rockets the final arc of the series in a fast-paced direction.


As Star Trek: Deep Space Nine entered its final arc, the risk that the writers and producers took with a serialized story was mitigated when the series began to move at a faster pace. With the main plot threads in place from the first two episodes in the arc, “Strange Bedfellows” arrived as a chance for the arc to truly launch and it did. In fact, “Strange Bedfellows” is an almost-perfect episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and it leads into an exceptional episode.

In fact, the only real problem with “Strange Bedfellows” comes with the Sisko character. That issue comes from a strange ignorance of the Sisko character’s history. Sisko, as most viewers know, started the series as a widower. In “Emissary” (reviewed here!), viewers watched as Sisko was forced to leave his dead wife. Sisko was married before and he is married now to Kassidy Yates. Yet, for some strange reason, writer Ronald D. Moore seems to forget that in the interactions Sisko has with Martok. Martok, who has been married the entire series and whose wife we only see once, acts as an expert on marriage and Sisko stumbles along listening to him as if he has never been married before this point.

That doesn’t work.

It is the only thing in “Strange Bedfellows” that does not work.

With Ezri and Worf turned over to the Dominion as a gift by the Breen, the Female Changeling works hard to maintain her form and conclude negotiations with the Breen. As the ship heads back to Cardassia, tensions begin to rise between Damar and Weyoun. Damar, irked at treaty concessions that give the Breen Cardassian territory and the Dominion not reinforcing Cardassian troops besieged on Septimus III, begins to solidify his dislike for the Dominion and its leadership. As Sisko and Kassidy get used to living with one another, Dukat (still disguised as a Bajoran) manipulates Kai Winn and Worf and Dax end up as prisoners on Cardassia.

As the two officers await their scheduled execution, Worf manages to kill Weyoun. When the next incarnation of Weyoun arrives, Damar makes a choice that will change everything. On Bajor, the Pah-wraiths reveal themselves to Kai Winn and Anjohl Tennan and Kai Winn makes her choice as who she will serve.

“Strange Bedfellows” seems like it would not be a great standalone episode, but it truly works. After the exceptional closing moment of “’Til Death Do Us Part” (reviewed here!), “Strange Bedfellows” picks up in a great way. The episode, despite having problems with the characterization of Sisko, is impressive in the way it uses the characters of Worf, Dax, Winn and Damar. Worf, who has the longest character arc in the Star Trek franchise, is forced to wrestle with the idea that his actions with Dax when they were stranded on the planet were not entirely honorable. He wants very much to be heroic, but in “Strange Bedfellows” he has to accept that he has some pretty base needs as well. Dax, for her part, uses her time on Cardassia to differentiate herself from Jadzia. In “Strange Bedfellows,” she comes to accept that she has romantic feelings for Bashir.

As for Kai Winn, in “Strange Bedfellows,” her arc takes the turn that makes her a full-on villain. After years of seemingly doing what she believes is to save Bajor as best she can, Winn here takes her ambitions to the next level. In “Strange Bedfellows” Winn commits to doing the wrong thing, advancing her own career instead of fighting for the soul of Bajor. This will frame her in the rest of the episodes, but in “Strange Bedfellows,” the process of watching her make that choice is very compelling.

On the other side of the episode, Damar’s character growth becomes worthwhile. Damar rejects the idea that Cardassians are somehow less than other Dominion forces. In “Strange Bedfellows,” Rene Auberjonois – who directed the episode – and writer Ron Moore sell what could be one of the most cliché moments of the final arc. Damar makes the leap to take a stand and in that moment, when he sets aside his alcohol, Moore and Auberjonois land what could be a real obvious moment.

It is also Casey Biggs who sell the moment where Damar takes a stand. Casey Biggs has a pretty incredible character arc and as Damar illustrates his real love for Cardassia, Biggs gets the chance to shine as Damar. In “Strange Bedfellows,” he not only proves that Damar is a vital character, he shows that his ability to perform is exceptional. In fact, “Strange Bedfellows” has all of the actors performing at their peaks.

“Strange Bedfellows” also represents the final point in the last arc that one can reasonably jump into the series. From this point, it’s all one story and to understand those episodes, you need this one. This is part of the essential Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

[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 a complete listing of all the Star Trek episode, movie and season reviews, check out my specialized Index Page!

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

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“‘Til Death Do Us Part” Firmly Establishes The Direction Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Final Arc!

The Good: Decent character work, Good plot development, Decent acting
The Bad: Attempts at humor fall a bit flat
The Basics: With “‘Til Death Do Us Part,” the final arc of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine pushes toward a resolution to the Dominion War and the Bajoran plotline!


As Star Trek: Deep Space Nine wound down, the show illustrated that it was not at all short on ambition in the storytelling department. Instead, the writers and executive producers opted to make the final arc of the series a sweeping story that would rocket to a conclusion that provided resolution for all of the main characters – and most of the supplemental characters – of the series. To accomplish that without simply seeming like they were looking to end the television series, the writers cleverly introduced new elements and brought previously minor elements from the overall series back to the forefront. With “‘Til Death Do Us Part,” the final arc takes on a new, clear direction.

It is virtually impossible to discuss “‘Til Death Do Us Part” without alluding to how “Penumbra” (reviewed here!) ended and from this point on in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode reviews, there will be no more “spoiler alerts.” The show is headed in a direction and given the heavily-serialized nature of it, it is impossible not to reveal some aspects of the show from prior episodes. “‘Til Death Do Us Part,” in addition to picking up where “Penumbra” left off, utilizes the Breen pretty heavily. While they have been alluded to many, many times, “‘Til Death Do Us Part” marks only the second appearance of multiple Breen, after “Indiscretion” (reviewed here!). While a lone Breen was seen imprisoned with Martok and Bashir in the two-parter in the fifth season, “‘Til Death Do Us Part” represents only the second time the inscrutable race has been seen on screen en masse.

Stunned by the Prophets, specifically his own mother, telling him that he must not marry Kassidy Yates, Benjamin Sisko is dismayed and shares his vision with Jake. At that time, he is visited by Kai Winn, who wants to officiate the wedding and experiences what appears to be her first vision directly from the Prophets. Turning away from the Emissary to achieve a Restoration that the Prophets appear to demand, Winn begins waiting for a guide to reveal himself to her. Meanwhile, Ezri and Worf are tortured by the Breen and they have a difficult conversation after Ezri unconsciously indicates she has feelings for Doctor Bashir.

Elsewhere, Weyoun demands that Damar accompany him on a secret mission as Cardassia’s head of state. Before they depart, though, Damar meets one last time with Dukat, who is now surgically-altered to appear as a Bajoran. As Anjohl Tennan, Dukat arrives on Deep Space Nine and makes his way to an audience with Kai Winn, presenting himself with enough buzzwords to make her believe he is her guide from the Prophets. Throwing caution to the wind, Sisko prepares to marry Kassidy and the Prophets make one last attempt to convince him not to.

“‘Til Death Do Us Part” is a fairly plot-intensive episode and it does a lot of the heavy lifting of the final arc of establishing the major plot threads for the final chapter. It is in “‘Til Death Do Us Part” that Damar is given his final pep talk by Dukat, which inspires the change that viewers will see in subsequent episodes. This episode also connects Winn and Dukat (as Tennan) and it does not insult the viewer when it makes that connection. In fact, only the most dim viewer will not figure out that Kai Winn is being manipulated by the Pah-wraiths. The vision Winn has in “‘Til Death Do Us Part” is one provided by the Pah-wraiths and when Tennan has his audience with Winn, it is so carefully scripted as to be almost insulting. However, it works very nicely to establish the relationship between Winn and Tennan.

“‘Til Death Do Us Part” does not neglect the Dominon War, either and the final moment of the episode is a chilling revelation that, as one character promises, will change everything. With the Dominion somewhat desperate for a decisive victory over the entire Alpha Quadrant, the machinations of the Female Shapeshifter make a great deal of sense. While all of those plot elements indicate the show is going in a very finite direction, the wedding of Benjamin Sisko and Kassidy Yates implies that there will be something for the characters after the final arc is over. The implication of dire consequences to the act of marrying makes “‘Til Death Do Us Part” a rare departure for the Prophets; they are anything but noninterventionist in this episode. When they demand Sisko not marry, it is almost a redefining of the usually opaque entities.

The fact that Sisko does defy the Prophets in “‘Til Death Do Us Part” is an interesting character twist. Sisko has worked very long and very hard to accept his position as Emissary and arguably, he resists the will of the Prophets in this matter because he is still shocked from the revelation in the season premiere that his mother was, indeed, one of the Wormhole Aliens. Sisko’s resistance to Sarah’s demand in “‘Til Death Do Us Part” puts the character, arguably for the first time, in a state of balance. By not simply doing what the Prophets wants, Sisko is not going over-the-top in his acceptance of being the Emissary, which suggests that his sabbatical at the outset of the season actually had its desired effect of helping him clear his head and find the balance that had been lacking in his life.

What also works exceptionally well on the character front in “‘Til Death Do Us Part” are the characters of Kai Winn (whose given name is finally revealed as Adami) and Damar. Winn has previously been characterized as an entirely political religious figure who is out for her own self-interest and is more concerned with power and control than actual spirituality. So, in “‘Til Death Do Us Part” it seems perfectly natural that she and Tennan would hook up. After all, there was an implied relationship between Winn and Minister Jaro back in the second season of the series. So, it makes sense that after being burned by him, she would open up to a similar tactic to a man she believes was brought to her by the Prophets.

Damar in “‘Til Death Do Us Part” has a significant role as well. Now the leader of all Cardassia under an alliance with the Dominion, he has taken to drinking and is little more than a puppet for the Dominion. But his idolization of Dukat hints that he still cares and their brief shared scene in “‘Til Death Do Us Part” makes that very clear. So, “‘Til Death Do Us Part” is actually critical for the Damar character. It is in this episode that Dukat cedes any lasting influence over Damar and Damar starts down the path to actually leading all of Cardassia.

On the acting front, “‘Til Death Do Us Part” is flawless. The strength of the episode’s acting comes from the fact that all of the performers know exactly who their characters are, if not where they are going. The result is the feeling that each performer knows their marks and they hit them consistently. Only Nicole de Boer suffers some on this front in that the writers give her a few lighter lines that do not work as well as others.

Ultimately, “‘Til Death Do Us Part” is an engaging hour of television that works and holds up very well over many, many viewings. As part of the final arc, it is harder to watch as a standalone episode, but because the writers and producers are doing such a great job even at only the second episode of the arc, why would you want to watch “‘Til Death Do Us Part” on its own?!

[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

Check out where this episode lands in the pantheon of Star Trek episode, movie and season reviews by visiting my specialized Star Trek Review Index Page!

© 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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“In The Cards” Foreshadows The Big Bang On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!

The Good: Humorous, Good character work, Intriguing plot
The Bad: Simplistic villain, Somewhat lame concept
The Basics: A simple barter story takes a turn for the interesting when a weird scientist seeks immortality and Kai Winn gets into dangerous negotiations with the Dominion.


Star Trek: Deep Space Nine tends to work best out of the Star Trek series' because it was not afraid to be serialized. It was an adult show that required an adult commitment to it week after week. As a result, entire seasons were used to build concepts and ideas and the result is a body of work that feels like it is moving at the pace of a series of current events. By this point in the series, near the end of the fifth season, the Dominion Threat has become a constant menace and it seems that war is inevitable. "In The Cards" is the penultimate episode of the fifth season and it alludes to the end with a series of events that seem somewhat mundane at first, but more significant in the near future.

When Weyoun, the Vorta ambassador from the Dominion, visits Deep Space Nine, his purpose appears to be negotiations with Bajor. He and Kai Winn discuss the possibility of a non-aggression pact. While they try to hammer out the details of such an agreement, Jake Sisko finds himself concerned about his father. Sisko has become increasingly depressed as the Dominion Menace weighs down on him. Jake sees an auction for a baseball card as the opportunity to cheer him up. When he loses the bid to a scientist interested in other items in the same lot, Jake engages in a series of trades with Dr. Giger for the card, but not before they arouse the suspicions of Weyoun.

"In The Cards" is a disarming, pleasant little episode that seems to fill a necessary gap in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It is both a silly little story of bartering - which was done back in "Progress" (reviewed here!) and will be revisited in "Treachery, Faith, And The Great River" - and a chance to establish several important plot events. While the baseball card ultimately becomes unimportant to the series, the meeting of Jake Sisko and Weyoun is significant. Jake and Weyoun will interact over several of the upcoming episodes and as a result, seeing their first meeting here opens up the ability for straightforward interactions later on. As well, the non-aggression pact that Kai Winn is mulling over here comes into play in the season finale.

What doesn't make sense is the use of Kai Winn for the negotiations. First Minister Shakaar is the leader of Bajor and as a result, it is inappropriate for Winn to be engaged in any sort of negotiations on behalf of Bajor. Logistically, it is a problem that is significantly smaller than the lame concept of the a-plot. The whole "one character goes through a chain of bartering" plot is becoming a Hollywood standard and it is somewhat disappointing to see Star Trek: Deep Space Nine sink into such an overdone, pathetic plot. For what it is worth, "In The Cards" does it well by combining the overdone Hollywood plot with sensible character motivation, a quirky scientific plot and balancing it with a strong, compelling b-plot.

Ultimately, it is the characters that make "In The Cards" work. Dr. Giger, whose quest it to achieve immortality using a cellular recreation device, is one of the weirdest guest characters in any Star Trek series. His segments are funny and make the viewer smile. Nog's appearances for the bidding and bartering help flesh out his already interesting character, by reconnecting him with his Ferengi roots that he had appeared to abandon. Even Captain Sisko's brief appearances here are worthwhile; establishing Sisko as reluctant to see the place he has come to love threatened.

Even Jake Sisko is an interesting character in "In The Cards." He is genuinely trying to do something decent and his love for his father here seems much more mature and adult than the clingy, needy love he has in "The Visitor" (reviewed here!). It is a refreshing bit of character growth. Weyoun is established once again as shifty, devious and clever. His work in this episode seems to be to manipulate Winn and he does it quite well.

The episode's real strength is in the character growth of Kai Winn. Here she defers her judgment to Sisko and it's refreshing to see her attempt to trust the Emissary her faith holds in such high regard. Playing Winn, an essentially villainous character, off Weyoun, who comes across as a more likable adversary, is genius and the apparent justification for Winn handling political negotiations that should be outside her realm.

Winn is adeptly acted once again by Louise Fletcher and it is a pleasure to see her. She is eloquent and quietly menacing as Winn, a contrast to Jeffery Combs' slick and obviously devious Weyoun. Combs and Fletcher play off one another with expert acting grace and that makes the episode stronger than the simple bridge episode it might otherwise appear to be.

Part of the essential Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for the introduction of the non-aggression pact idea and the meeting of Weyoun and Jake, "In The Cards" is too insular to be enjoyed by anyone but fans of Star Trek or a simple barter story. It is family friendly, but the intricacies and overall importance of the episode are lost out of context. Of course, I would argue that it is worth becoming a fan of the series to be able to enjoy such quality episodes when you finally get to them.

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


7/10

For other Star Trek reviews, please visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2012, 2007, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Sisko's Visions Of The Future Cause A "Rapture"

The Good: Interesting character development, Nice acting, Basics of the plot
The Bad: Most of the rest of the series is revealed
The Basics: When Sisko discovers a lost city on Bajor, all of existence is opened up to him for him to understand, if only he can survive the visions!


Near the end of the fourth season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Captain Benjamin Sisko accepted his dual role of religious icon and StarFleet captain. Since then, the subject has been avoided. Until "Rapture," which is still in the first half of the fifth season. It's refreshing to see that the first place this duality is tested is in a fairly major way. "Rapture" has the biggest consequences of the series to date.

Captain Sisko's mission appears to be a complete success when the Federation announces that Bajor is ready for admission into the Federation. Sisko, for his part, finds himself obsessed with a painting that has the only evidence of a mythical Bajoran city. Sisko uses the artwork to find the real Ba'hala and the Bajorans and Federation are each impressed. But as Ba'hala is unearthed and Kassidy Yates - the Captain's estranged love interest - returns, Sisko begins to suffer from more and more visions like the one that allowed him to find the mythical city. The visions come with a price and Sisko's brain is put in serious jeopardy. Bashir reveals that he can help, but his aid comes with a price: Sisko will never be able to receive another vision from the Prophets.

In Sisko's maddened state that comes from lack of sleep and more visions of the future, this consequence is unbearable. Sisko wants nothing more than to understand how all of time fits together as he tries to process the imagery from the Prophets. And unfortunately, some of the imagery is not terribly difficult to understand for fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. For example, Sisko sees a swarm of locusts over Bajor, but he understands that it is headed for Cardassia. This is a pretty significant revelation about where the series is going if one only considers what type of ship looks like a locust. And very simply, "Rapture" does reveal major plot points for the rest of the season, if not the rest of the series.

If anyone was to give away this much of the rest of the series, I suppose it's good it comes in the codified terms of the series itself. Unlike the internet where rumors surface constantly, "Rapture" gives the viewer prime dirt on upcoming arcs of the series without the potential for being wrong. And it's a clever idea. When Sisko finds the lost city, the madness overtakes him and it is compelling to watch.

Sisko's character arc is significant beyond anything else in "Rapture." As Sisko becomes more and more ill, he is forced to deal with the various aspects of his life. First, he turns away from StarFleet and his duty as his mission on Bajor nears completion. Sisko is in danger of becoming obsolete as the reasons for his assignment to Bajor come to an end. Second, his sudden embrace of Kai Winn pushes him away from Kassidy, who feels unsure of their relationship to begin with. Sisko seems to have overcome his feelings of betrayal over her aiding the Maquis in a way that he has not forgiven the other defector. Finally, Sisko turns away from his own son by putting the visions ahead of his own health. Jake faces the possibility of losing his father while Sisko is utterly indifferent to the probability. One of the best moments of the episode is the somewhat whimsical dialog between Kira and the vision-trapped Sisko when Kira, quite worried about his catatonic state, wakes Sisko and he loses the meaning of everything.

This is an episode that could have suffered greatly had it not been so very focused on the characters. Instead, "Rapture" is pulled off as a tight hour that has a compelling series of conflicts. We believe inherantly in Sisko and his desire to understand the entire realm of history is believable. After all, given the chance to see everything that will ever happen and attempt to draw meaning from it, who wouldn't want to take the opportunity?

Much of "Rapture" is dependent on the acting of Avery Brooks. Brooks plays Sisko with a glassy eyed reverence and cluelessness that he has never done and that keeps the episode visually interesting for the viewer. His confusion as things take over Sisko's perspectives is realistic and well-played. This is the first and only episode Brooks plays Sisko with a complete sense of abandon and it's an acting challenge that Brooks rises to meet right away.

The episode is filled out by decent guest acting in other quarters as well. Penny Johnson is great as Kassidy, making her uncertain in a different way. She keeps Kassidy's body language withdrawn, which is realistic considering how her character betrayed Sisko and how naturally mistrustful he must be of her now. Similarly, Cirroc Lofton plays Jakes Sisko quite well as a son who faces losing another parent and being powerless to stop that from happenning. The guest cast is rounded out by Louise Fletcher who does an amazing job portraying Kai Winn as cold and indifferent. Here, Fletcher has the chance to open up some when Sisko turns to her for aid. Her warmth and desperate joy over being accepted by Sisko is greatly conceived by the acting of Fletcher.

In the end, "Rapture" is a fine episode for anyone who enjoys a tense medical drama or anyone who wants a decent debate on the nature of religious enlightenment. It is often too insular in the series, but at this point in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the series is focusing more on telling a quality story than actually trying to get new viewers. And when one considers the locusts swarming Cardassia . . . well, those of us who are into it, we're hooked. Part of the essential Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for the return of Kassidy, the Bajor aspects and the choice Jake is forced to make.

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

7/10

For other Star Trek reviews, please be sure to visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2012, 2007, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Protecting The Separations Of Church And State: "Shakaar"

The Good: Good character development and acting
The Bad: Story is set up in an obvious way, Technical aspects of the universe
The Basics: In a wonderful transition episode, Kira and her old resistance cell leader go rogue to protect Bajoran freedoms.


When Vedek Bareil died in the third season of Star Trek Deep Space Nine, there was a sudden gap in Major Kira's life. As well, Kira and Sisko lost an important ally in the conflict with Kai Winn. Kai Winn, the spiritual leader of Bajor, had been held in check by Kira, Sisko and Bareil and without the Vedek, Winn has the potential to be more of a menace than ever before.

"Shakaar" picks up this rather obvious potential and runs with it. When Kai Winn becomes the pro tempe First Minister of the Bajoran government, it seems that she is in complete control of both the religion and the government, a perilous place for any society. When a group of farmers refuse to release some equipment that the government loaned to them, Winn calls on Kira to solve the problem. Why? One of the farmers is Shakaar Edon, the leader of Kira's resistance cell during the Occupation. Kira is sent to get the equipment back from Shakaar and instead finds herself on the run with him and other people from her past.

One of the nice things about "Shakaar" is that it fills a nice gap of time. Kira is on the run from the authorities for over two weeks. There's the sense that this is a complex problem and it makes sense that it is not easily solved. The situation illustrates its complexity when Shakaar is forced to face off with Bajoran security and it becomes obvious that both leaders have reached a stalemate.

This is one of the most intelligently written single-episode scenarios of the series and it feels like that from the moment the episode begins. Unfortunately, the same may not be said of Kira's character arc. The way the episode is constructed, with her mourning for Vedek Bareil in the beginning, is a little more formulaic. So when the end comes and Kira declares her mourning for Bareil over, it seems very obvious.

Beyond that, the episode is pretty fabulous, certainly better than most episodes of any hour-long drama out there today. Kira's conflict is a rather massive one and the scope of it is almost instantly pulled from the small issue of farm equipment to the problems inherent in a theocracy where the head of state is also the religious leader.

This conflict is a wonderful one to present with Kira as the focus. Her character has often been caught between her duty and her religious zeal. Here, even a fundamentalist such as Kira sees the problems and it is her political duty and strong moral code that steps over the bounds, encouraging her to rebel and not take the potential tyranny laying down.

While Kira is presented wonderfully in the episode as the central character, the other characters have strong resiliency as well and add balance to the episode. While Kira is the fulcrum, Kai Winn is on one end of the lever. She illustrates her megalomaniacal traits perfectly beneath the veil of reason and religious mandate. Shakaar, introduced here for the first time, makes his presence known as a clumsy, but morally firm man who wants nothing more glorious than to work the earth in peace. He's a natural leader and that comes across in this episode very quickly and very well.

The problem with the struggle is that the understanding of the Star Trek universe seems to be suspended for the purposes of dragging the episode out. While even now it might be debatable that a group of people trying to hide out in the hills ought to be fairly easy to track using U.S. spy satellite technology, it seems ridiculous to believe that a band of rebels hiding running through the hills of Bajor could not be found using starship scanners. And we've seen Bajoran ships, they're out there; with a problem of this magnitude it seems strange that they would not be employed to find Shakaar and his group. And that "reads" as wrong. Why Lenaris Holem is hunting Shakaar by foot in an age of starships and transporters seems somewhat questionable.

But this is not the fault of the actors and here they give a whiz-bang performance. Recurring as Winn is award winning actress Louise Fletcher and she once again illustrates why good money should be spent for getting great actors for television. Fletcher has a subdued quality to her that makes her character's political machinations believable. She manages to create one of the most quiet and cunning adversaries ever to grace television. And it goes far beyond the writing, it has everything to do with Fletcher's bearing and the way she modulates her voice from suggestive to menacing.

Nana Visitor similarly gives a decent performance, standing out for making the time frame of the episode seem believable. That is, Visitor's performance in the latter portions of the episode give the viewer the feeling that she has been on the run for weeks and there's a wary quality to her performance here that sells us on the idea that she is tired of fighting and of war and terrorism.

The final actor of note is Duncan Regehr, who plays Shakaar. He creates a man of great charisma and it goes beyond his obvious rugged good looks. Instead, Shakaar is played like the common man of intelligence and it's a welcome sight to see someone both intelligent and practical on screen.

Despite having everything to do with the machinations of Bajoran government, this episode remains very accessible to non-fans of the series as a stirring story about the dangers of losing the separations between church and state. It is a worthwhile episode that makes a lot of sense and enhances an already wonderful main story of this series. Part of the essential Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and a nice civics lesson to boot.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Third Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the breakout season by clicking here!
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7/10

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© 2011, 2007, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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