Let me praise Terry Farrell as best I can: she was vastly better in her last three seasons as Dax than her first three; she helped to build the Dax-Worf relationship, which is unique for a romantic relationship in Star Trek; and if I had that chance to cast my own series with original actors in their roles, I would be hard pressed to pass her up.
Despite the acrimony, hurt feelings, accusations, and apologies from various sides, Jadzia Dax is still among the better female characters in Star Trek. This is partially true because the writers and producers, I believe, were not content to let the character fall into obscurity (like Chakotay and Kim). Terry Farrell also got better at the role, in part by being the romantic lead, but also becoming a character that could facility understanding and translate experiences between cultures.
Soldiers of the Empire highlights how much Farrell and Dax could contribute to an episode. At times referred to as "Star Trek: Klingon," it could have been "A Matter of Honor redux." The presence of Dax helps to anchor the episode. On the one hand, the character helps prevent the story from devolving into another Worf is not a real Klingon affair, another variation of a fish out of water scenario. Worf experiences Martok's doubt while Dax keeps the temperature of the crew. On the other, Dax translates the experiences of the crew with great fluidity, becoming the outsider perspective (like Spock and Data), but to a group of people who are obviously an alien culture. All the explanations are clear and nuances, as if we were hearing from an expert. Her concern and anxiety feels real. The humor is delivered with a dryness that is perfect. And even if it is obvious that Dax is trying to look tougher than she normally is, it seems natural that the crew would respect that. When she says, "I carry [Curzon Dax's] memories," it feels like the character is assured about her identity.
If Farrell was limited in her acting skills, what little she did she did very well, and Trek was enriched by it. There were other actresses who either never got the opportunity to shine or were pidgeon-holed (Nichols, Dawson). And if it was a struggle for Farrell (and for those around her) to get the character down, I can't dismiss the final results.
Despite the acrimony, hurt feelings, accusations, and apologies from various sides, Jadzia Dax is still among the better female characters in Star Trek. This is partially true because the writers and producers, I believe, were not content to let the character fall into obscurity (like Chakotay and Kim). Terry Farrell also got better at the role, in part by being the romantic lead, but also becoming a character that could facility understanding and translate experiences between cultures.
Soldiers of the Empire highlights how much Farrell and Dax could contribute to an episode. At times referred to as "Star Trek: Klingon," it could have been "A Matter of Honor redux." The presence of Dax helps to anchor the episode. On the one hand, the character helps prevent the story from devolving into another Worf is not a real Klingon affair, another variation of a fish out of water scenario. Worf experiences Martok's doubt while Dax keeps the temperature of the crew. On the other, Dax translates the experiences of the crew with great fluidity, becoming the outsider perspective (like Spock and Data), but to a group of people who are obviously an alien culture. All the explanations are clear and nuances, as if we were hearing from an expert. Her concern and anxiety feels real. The humor is delivered with a dryness that is perfect. And even if it is obvious that Dax is trying to look tougher than she normally is, it seems natural that the crew would respect that. When she says, "I carry [Curzon Dax's] memories," it feels like the character is assured about her identity.
If Farrell was limited in her acting skills, what little she did she did very well, and Trek was enriched by it. There were other actresses who either never got the opportunity to shine or were pidgeon-holed (Nichols, Dawson). And if it was a struggle for Farrell (and for those around her) to get the character down, I can't dismiss the final results.
Which is why I appreciate your balanced and thoughtful post so much. I usually describe my feelings about Jadzia's time on DS9 as the writers discovering who Jadzia is over time and Terry improving all the while. But the way you write it is really much more insightful. Anyway, thanks for the post.
