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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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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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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The Final Arc Begins With “Penumbra,” Rocketing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Toward Its End!

The Good: Decent character work, Good acting, An engaging beginning
The Bad: A little light on plot.
The Basics: When Ezri goes searching for Worf and Sisko proposes to Kassidy Yates, a chain of events begins that will change the fate of the Alpha Quadrant!


I recall the sense of delight and dread with which I approached the final arc of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine when it first aired. I was so excited, because the Dominion War story was so engaging and I was eager to see what would happen to all of my favorite characters. At the same time, I felt like I was losing a constant in my life and I was strangely distraught, a feeling that comes up as I begin the final arc again as I watched “Penumbra” for review.

“Penumbra” is, unabashedly, a first chapter in a nine-part story and, thus, is not intended to stand completely on its own. Even so, the episode has everything it needs to get the viewer engaged and it truly is a reward to the fans who have been watching the series for the prior six and a half years. As a result, those who have not seen the prior episodes in the series are likely to be somewhat lost as there are aspects that can only be truly appreciated by those who know the characters involved. That said, it was with a sense of delight that I sat down to watch (and now review) “Penumbra.”

After Benjamin Sisko buys land on Bajor, he informs Kassidy that he plans to retire to Bajor when he retires and he tells her that he wants her to be with him there, which pushes their relationship forward pretty abruptly. Elsewhere, Kira announces that the ship Worf was commanding has been lost near the Badlands and when the Defiant goes to search for it, Ezri is not invited along. The Dominion forces that initially scare off the Defiant are rerouted by Weyoun and the Vorta orders Damar to get a secure subspace console installed for the Female Shapeshifter, who is suffering now from the Changeling disease. Feeling guilty about Worf being abandoned, Ezri takes off on her own for the Badlands.

Ezri’s instincts at the Badlands are good and she actually finds Worf alive. En route back to the station, where Sisko has proposed to Kassidy, Ezri and Worf are attacked and while they manage to escape to an otherwise empty planet, neither brought an emergency communications terminal and the two realize they are stranded. As the Vorta desperately search for a cure for the Founders and Sisko plans his wedding, Dukat arrives on Cardassia to ask a favor of Damar, setting into motion a series of events that will change the face of the Quadrant!

“Penumbra” puts several important pieces on the storyboard and in some places, it does little more than establish the characters as participants in the final arc. Dukat’s arrival on Cardassia, for example, does little more than put the character in play and have him surgically altered to appear Bajoran. The significance of his action or of his continued influence over Damar does not become apparent until later in the arc.

One of the things that makes “Penumbra” so good is how it takes potentially canned ideas and makes them seem fresh. Ezri, most notably, does not seem like she is stuck in a rut or acting simply as a placeholder for Jadzia in “Penumbra.” When she stands looking at the quarters Jadzia and Worf shared and the voices go through her head, it is a surprisingly powerful scene for motivating the character and it works nicely for exactly that purpose. When Ezri defies Sisko, even in the ridiculous way she does it, it feels like Ezri is coming into her own and trying very hard to live up to her own internal desires and pressures. This makes Worf’s coldness to her when she rescues him all the more hurtful. This, however, works well both within the episode and in the longer arc.

The illness within the Great Link is presented in “Penumbra” as a clear and present danger to the Founders. No longer an abstract or a suspicion, the viewer sees the Female Shapeshifter actually suffering and the seeing her with even a hint of desperation is deeply unnerving. The usually commanding Female Shapeshifter orders the death of a whole generation of Vorta scientists simply to motivate the next generation and that type of wholesale slaughter is uncommon for the usually measured character.

At the same time as all the darkness is descending upon the Star Trek Deep Space Nine universe, there is a ray of light, making “Penumbra” enjoyable. As Sisko and Kassidy move to formalizing their relationship, the viewer is given the hint that the series is coming full circle (Sisko was still a pretty fresh widower when the series began) with Sisko moving toward marriage again. More than most of the episodes that have paired Benjamin and Kassidy, “Penumbra” actually gives Avery Brooks and Penny Johnson the latitude to illustrate some chemistry for their characters and it breathes life into the episode in a way that, for example, the chemistry between Nicole de Boer and Michael Dorn, does not.

“Penumbra,” appropriately, ends with a series of bangs and the rest of the final arc is impossible to discuss without revealing where this episode ends. As a result, if you are a fan of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine who has managed to get this far without the end of the series getting spoiled for you, I highly recommend stopping here. Pick up “Penumbra” and the other eight episodes that complete the series. Don’t read the analysis ahead of time, simply enjoy the experience of immersing yourself in watching this final arc for the first time; you only get to do that once!

[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

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

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Long Time Anticipated, Pretty Big Disappointment: Lt. Ezri Dax's Mediocre Action Figure Debut

The Good: Good accessories, Coloring, Poseability, Articulation
The Bad: Few sculpt issues, Cannot hold all of her accessories, Slight issue with head/hair size
The Basics: Long anticipated by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fans, the Ezri Dax action figure, is a big disappointment to fans of the show and the toys!


Art Asylum, who now distributes most of their limited edition figures through Diamond Select Toys, might well be the premiere creator of collectible toys in the world right now. They are known for creating some of the most detailed sculpts of characters and having an attention to detail on accessories that is unheard of. So, when it was announced that Art Asylum would be making the first ever Ezri Dax figure, that got a lot of fans excited. Most of us, though, no longer are.

The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Series One figure of Ezri Dax is the first action figure of Ezri Dax to be produced by a toy company and it is a fair sculpt of the counselor of Deep Space Nine. Actually, Ezri's a tough figure to make (in the last few years, I have seen some pretty terrible custom figures of Ezri, as well as a very few good ones); it's pretty much a challenge to make Ezri look like Ezri and not an action figure of a twelve year-old boy. Indeed, with the fact that this is the first and only Ezri figure released, she is what is selling the cases of the first Series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine figures. Sadly, though, this is not the best figure in the line. Art Asylum and Diamond Select were pretty much due for a flop anyway.

Basics

The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Series 1 set of action figures contains a Lieutenant Ezri Dax figure, technically as she appeared in the final season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as she was only in the one season. She is wearing the black and gray uniform with the teal (Sciences) top peeking out from beneath. Standing six and five-eighths inches tall, which puts her in proportion to the other action figures realistically. While Art Asylum managed to get the height of Ezri right, this is not amazing likeness of Lieutenant Dax. The uniform is well-detailed for the character, but the face is far more gaunt than that of actress Nicole de Boer, who played Ezri. Ezri has a very round face and this figure lacks the cheeks of Ezri.

In addition, Ezri has a very short, boyish haircut and the fine sculptors at Art Asylum apparently tried to give that detail by having a lone set of bangs that is out of place and it looks terrible. As a result, there is far less realism to the face. The hair is much too big, as well, and - frankly - Ezri never wore pants as tight as this figure has on. Yes, Ezri Dax has some pretty wonderful butt cleavage in this sculpt and it is utterly unrealistic for the uniform she is wearing. The figure includes such important details as the continuity of spots on the neck and face!

The paint job is generally well done. The skin tones are colored well and they even include the detailed shapes of the spots up the neck and around the eyes for a more realistic look to Lieutenant Dax! The uniform is appropriately colored and the figure looks good in that respect. In fact, my only beef with the paint job is a slight mark on the figure's communicator badge where it seems it was either not perfectly painted or it was slightly chipped away at! On this figure, almost half her communicator wasn't painted!

Accessories

Lieutenant Ezri Dax comes with five accessories: An experimental StarFleet phaser rifle, a PADD, a coffee mug, a baseball cap and the targeting system for the phaser rifle. The phaser rifle is the one from "Field Of Fire" and it is an incredible sculpt with realistic coloring that is pretty impressive. It is also very large and while the right hand has the best potential to hold the handle, there is no way to make a solid two-handed grip on the weapon with her that way.

Similarly, targeting system is far too flexible to make for a good accessory. With the monocle over Ezri's eye, the ear hooks of the thing do not line up. With the ear hooks over the figure's ears, the eyepiece is not in front of her eye! With this on, she looks like she is wearing a demented tiara.

The PADD is a 7/8" choking hazard that is equally incredible in its detail. This works as a decent accessory for Ezri as she was counselor and used them frequently. It does fit in her hands (either of them) and instantly the bounty of accessories makes me wish that Diamond Select and Art Asylum would be ambitious enough to release a Deep Space Nine playset of some sort. One basically has to choose between Ezri the warrior or Ezri the relaxed with these accessories!

Ezri the relaxed would include the coffee mug which fits perfectly into Ezri's hands and fits her character wonderfully.

What doesn't fit at all is the baseball hat. The cap does not fit on Ezri's head because of her big hair. Instead, it sits atop her head making her look like a doofus. To be fair, though, it is remarkably detailed like the other accessories.

Playability

Lieutenant Dax sets a decent standard for Art Asylum and Diamond Select Star Trek figures in terms of playability. Lieutenant Ezri Dax is blessed as well by having sixteen points of articulation: ankles, knees, groin socket, biceps, elbows, wrists, shoulders, neck, and waist. The neck articulation is incredible given that the base of the neck is a ball joint, allowing for up and down posing as well as left to right movement. But the shoulders are equally impressive. As ball and socket joints (like real shoulders!), Lieutenant Dax is able to strike a number of poses that might otherwise be impossible and allow her to be posed in pretty advanced poses.

Moreover, for use with actual play, Lieutenant Dax has all sorts of movement potential making her one of the more realistic Star Trek action figures to play with (for those who actually play with these toys!). Well balanced, even in a running pose, Ezri is kept stable by the ankle articulation that keeps her sturdy. Indeed, this sculpt balances perfectly the look of Ezri in motion with the articulation to keep her standing. Having figures on display that do not tip over is a wonderful thing and Ezri's balance makes her decent.


Collectibility

Art Asylum and Diamond Select mass produced the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Series 1 figures, including the Lieutenant Dax. However, their version of "mass produce" is pretty limited. Unlike previous toy lines, there are no individual numbers on these figures, but mostly they were only available at hobby and comic book shops, so it is not like they were drastically overproduced by any means. The Ezri is one of two limited figures in the line (Odo was released as an exclusive) and because this is the first and only Ezri figure so far, it will be pretty highly desired.

Overview

Frankly, I'd like to see Art Asylum and Diamond Select take another stab at this sculpt. Ezri's good, but she could be better, especially in terms of the accessories fitting her hands. Sure, she stands up, but it's hard to have her look good with her best accessories while doing it.

This toy is based upon Lieutenant Ezri Dax as she appeared in the seventh season (her only one) of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, reviewed here!

For other Star Trek: Deep Space Nine figures, be sure to check out my reviews of:
Captain Benjamin Sisko as a Klingon
Captain Kang
Jadzia Dax from “Blood Oath”

4/10

For other Star Trek toy reviews, please visit my Toy Review Index Page!

© 2012, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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A Decent Murder Mystery Puts Ezri As A Detective In “Field Of Fire!”

The Good: Decent acting, Interesting character conflict
The Bad: Very basic plot, Nothing superlative in the episode.
The Basics: “Field Of Fire” is a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode that has nothing superlative or terribly detrimental, but puts Ezri in the role of detective.


Arguably the final weak episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is “Field Of Fire.” “Field Of Fire” is not a terribly weak episode, but it is also the last episode that is not terribly strong. The series went out on a very high note, but between the establishment of Ezri Dax and the final arc of the series, there were a few weaker episodes. The episodes were not terrible (outside “Take Me Out To The Holosuite”), but they were not incredible in any way.

In “Field Of Fire,” Ezri Dax is again given the spotlight and the fact that she is involved in yet another murder mystery is less a lack of imagination on the part of the writers and producers – “Prodigal Daughter” did something similar – than it is a chance to push Ezri’s character in a new direction. Ezri gets an experience with Joran Belar, who was briefly Joran Dax. The tension of dealing with Joran becomes a story that gives Ezri yet another new direction to grow in.

The fresh lieutenant Hector Ilario is being honored in Quark’s by Bashir and O’Brien for an amazing maneuver aboard the Defiant when he is disappointed by the men’s refusal to let him join them in the Holosuite for a trip to the Alamo. After a night of drinking and revelry, Ezri returns Ilario to his quarters and is awakened later to learn that he has been murdered. Odo and Bashir are confused when the weapon fired to kill Ilario used a projectile weapon, but there are no powder burns for the projectile’s launch at the range it was fired from.

In order to assist in the investigation using her knowledge of criminal psychology, Ezri accesses Joran from the Dax symbiont. As another murder occurs, Ezri and her perception of Joran look closer at the method used to kill the Federation officers. When a Bolian officer is killed, Ezri and Joran look for clues. As the investigation continues, Ezri becomes more and more unsettled by Joran whispering in her ear. Resisting Joran and finding the killer becomes a devastating psychological issue for Ezri and she becomes more and more concerned that she will become a murderer herself.

“Field Of Fire” is edgier for the character of Ezri Dax than any of the prior episodes. The character is working very hard to differentiate herself from Jadzia Dax and “Field Of Fire” works very well to do that. The two prior episodes involving Joran – “Equilibrium” where his presence is first revealed and “Facets” where the character is briefly revisited as a pure psychopath for a scene – had Jadzia more unsettled than empowered. “Field Of Fire” helps to further differentiate Ezri from Jadzia by giving her more of a commanding presence against Joran.

In “Field Of Fire,” Leigh McCloskey takes on the mantle of Joran Belar. Taking the role from Jeff McBride, McCloskey restores a level of control to the character of Joran that the performance Avery Brooks gave in “Facets” lacked. McCloskey is eerie and smart and his analytical qualities make “Field Of Fire” a more compelling episode than some of the others in the Dax arc. Belar comes across as interesting and troubling in the episode and that is what “Field Of Fire” needs; otherwise, it is a pretty mundane murder mystery.

Nicole de Boer does a decent job as Ezri Dax in “Field Of Fire.” Losing the insecure character aspects, de Boer presents Ezri as a confident, but inexperienced character and it works. Instead of second guessing herself or coming across as dippy, Ezri in “Field Of Fire” is using a new skill set provided by Joran, without seeming like she is an idiot or still mired in her initial characterization. “Field Of Fire” forces Ezri into a remarkably quick character progression. And it actually works.

What makes “Field Of Fire” more memorable is actually how the bottle episode ties in well to the overall series. Details of Odo – his reading of Mike Hammer detective novels – and Bashir and O’Brien’s Alamo program are good. The way Worf, of all characters, talks Ezri into accessing Joran for the Rite of Emergence is surprisingly wonderful.

But “Field Of Fire” is surprisingly light on substance. Ezri is slowly unsettled by Joran such that she ends up throwing an officer to the ground and putting a knife to his throat. But the mystery is not terribly compelling. Unlike the buildup on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for the character of Enrique Muniz, who appeared for several episodes before his character was brutally murdered, Ilario shows up in “Field Of Fire” and is pretty promptly killed. The other two victims were shown only as casualties; the viewer does not really care about the murder victims. “Field Of Fire” is appropriately character-driven and focused on Ezri and Joran and it works for that.

But, while it is good television, “Field Of Fire” is not great television. Fortunately, it is the last episode of the series to truly leave the viewer less than enthusiastic about coming out for the next one!

[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!]

6.5/10

For other Star Trek episode, movie and season 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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Closing Another Subplot: “The Emperor’s New Cloak” Ends The Tyranny Of The Mirror Universe!

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7.5/10

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

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

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Ezri Tries To Return Home In A Fairly Mundane Mystery: “Prodigal Daughter”

The Good: Decent acting, Interesting character issues
The Bad: Pretty mundane plot
The Basics: In “Prodigal Daughter,” viewers learn more about Ezri Dax and the lengths O’Brien would go to for his friends.


Nicole de boer takes some flack for her presence in the final season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and I think that is, largely, unfair of people. After all, it’s a tough job to join a seasoned cast for its final season, as de Boer had to. Part of the reason I think de Boer takes a disproportional amount of blame for her presence in the seventh season is that too often, the producers and writers seemed unsure of how to use and develop her character. “Prodigal Daughter” is an example of that.

“Prodigal Daughter” is an unfortunately mundane episode that presents Ezri Dax in the middle of a murder mystery that takes a ridiculous amount of time to establish itself as that. In fact, by the time there is the traditional scene in the mystery where a detective asks the initial questions that establish the potential suspects’ whereabouts at the time of the crime, the episode is over. As an interesting twist, “Prodigal Daughter” pairs Ezri and O’Brien and it is only then that the viewer is likely to realize that O’Brien and Jadzia shared very few scenes exclusively with one another.

In “Prodigal Daughter,” a distracted Dr. Bashir is forced to reveal to Captain Sisko that O’Brien has gone AWOL and lost while attempting to locate Liam Bilby’s widow. As it turns out, Ezri’s family is a prominent business family in the area of New Sydney where O’Brien went missing. Ezri’s mother uses O’Brien’s loss to lure her daughter back home and there, Ezri quickly gets caught up in her family’s familiar drama. Her overbearing mother keeps Ezri’s two brothers on a short leash. Norvo, Ezri’s artistic younger brother, is an artist who Ezri thinks is being smothering by Yanas, while her older brother, Janel, runs much of Yanas’s mining operation.

When O’Brien resurfaces, battered by the Orion Syndicate, he has learned that Marika (Bilby’s widow) is dead and he has the Syndicate’s activities traced to New Sydney. O’Brien is put to work by Yanas fixing a mining tool and comes to believe that the Teagan family (Ezri’s family) is involved in the Orion Syndicate. The longer Ezri digs into the murder of Marika Bilby, the more connections she finds with her own family’s business and soon it becomes clear that her estranged family is made up of very different people than she remembered.

Ezri is still in the process of being established in “Prodigal Daughter.” Until this point, we mostly know that Ezri is a nervous counselor who was not prepared to be a joined Trill. She gets spacesick from motion sickness and has become very confused by the voices of the past hosts within the Symbiont’s memories. In “Prodigal Daughter,” we learn that she is essentially estranged from her mother and two brothers. Ezri is protective of her brother Norvo and has almost no relationship with her other brother. The complex relationship between Ezri and her mother is not bad, but Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has done it before, with Dr. Bashir. And, at least, the show is smart enough to acknowledge the similarities.

“Prodigal Daughter” is not bad, per se, but it is a pretty bland episode. The show is remarkably uncomplicated. What is refreshing about it is that it makes “Honor Among Thieves” (reviewed here!) have a real purpose. That episode is one of the odd dangling random episodes in the series and while Bilby’s cat pops back up, it is not until “Prodigal Daughter” that the episode has a chance to make a real statement about O’Brien that truly endures.

The O’Brien character arc in “Prodigal Daughter” is one that is more inferred than made explicit. O’Brien, reluctantly part of an undercover investigation, developed an affection for his mark. It is a real easy thing to dismiss that and let it fall by the wayside. The writers, however, give it a real decent shot by having O’Brien following Bilby’s family so doggedly in “Prodigal Daughter.” It’s an interesting character arc for him and the only real problem with his part in this episode is that he does not address how Keiko must be doing in his absence.

That said, while the O’Brien arc is interesting, the episode truly is an Ezri episode. “Prodigal Daughter” gives Nicole de Boer the chance to shine and that is through her playing the character with less of a sense of confusion. Babbling less, de Boer is able to slowly recharacterize Ezri as someone who is plausibly a counselor and actually interesting. She makes it work in “Prodigal Daughter” and de Boer and Colm Meany play off one another surprisingly well.

Even so, it’s not a superlative episode . . . in pretty much any way. “Prodigal Daughter” is good, but not terribly exciting. It is, however, at least worth watching.

[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!]

5/10

For other Star Trek reviews, please visit my Star Trek Review Index Page!

© 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!
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9.5/10

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

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