Yup, I have such great memories of season four and I think, in terms of episode by episode quality, it may well be the show’s finest season, even if the overall story arc gets a little more interesting in the fifth and sixth season.
My DS9 Rewatch Odyssey
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Yup, I have such great memories of season four and I think, in terms of episode by episode quality, it may well be the show’s finest season, even if the overall story arc gets a little more interesting in the fifth and sixth season.
In order to say this, though, we would have to be able to prove that Sisko could act with full will and intentionality, which he could not. Yes, it's icky, and it would have been better to see some measure of either regret or disgust from the script or the performance. However, the situation is closer to one in which the person experiences disorientation after being abducted from their environment. If someone is to blame for rape, it really should be Smiley, who apparently did not prepare Sisko for this very real meeting.
Yeah, I wouldn’t go nearly so far as to say it was rape myself, but it just felt a tad awkward to watch. I wonder if the writers even had any discussions about how this might come across? I definitely think Smiley should have warned Sisko so he could have been ready with that age old excuse: “sorry, love, not tonight, I’ve got a headache!”
I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be uncomfortable to watch, but I haven't seen the episode in a long time, so maybe it doesn't exactly come off as being played that way.
I just don't see what other options Sisko had in the situations he found himself in (again, going from memory). He was effectively a spy, among other things, and while a lot of spy fiction shies away from this aspect of what the business entails, in some ways I'm willing to give this episode some respect for going there.
Or I've just been watching too much The Americans lately...
I just don't see what other options Sisko had in the situations he found himself in (again, going from memory). He was effectively a spy, among other things, and while a lot of spy fiction shies away from this aspect of what the business entails, in some ways I'm willing to give this episode some respect for going there.
Or I've just been watching too much The Americans lately...
I feel the same way. The first MU episode was a joke but at least it was a good one, plus TOS had accustomed us to that kind of fantasy, with the many "earth-like" planets, I mean planet gangster, planet nazi, planet 20th-century gladiator, planet "e plebenista", planet three-hundred-year-old kids...
As much as an episode like Parallels from TNG makes sense, the others do not.
Well, at least it allows the main characters to show us evil versions of themselves which is an interesting exercise in acting if nothing else.
I'd say the strongest run of DS9 is from the last episode of S3 (The Adversary) to mid-S4, specifically up to and including Paradise Lost (ep 12).
Not including The Sword of Kahless, that one is a stinker.
Still doesn't reach the quality of TNG S3/4/5/6, IMO, though.
I'll pile on the hatetrain for the mirror episodes. It's a dumb premise and mostly an excuse for the actors to chew the scenery. Sometimes it works (Linda Park; Michael Dorn), sometimes it really doesn't (Nana Visitor, Avery Brooks, Scott Bakula), but in either case, it's a stupid premise that really challenges suspension of disbelief and brings nothing but a stom of overused tropes.
At least in TOS the premise was used more interestingly than the following outings.
Good point about Sisko finally letting go so he can meet Kasidy with his mind clear! I hadn't noticed that before.
Perhaps Sisko took some theatre extension classes at the Academy. You never know when some improv experience will come in handy. He was uncomfortable with the sex scenes, but could not show any more than he did or people would get suspicious. If he's impersonating horndog Mirror Sisko he has to be a horndog too. As has already been pointed out, it's not rape because he lacks agency. He's been kidnapped and his only chance of seeing his home and his son again is doing what Mirror O'Brien wants.
I've been watching season 1 of Discovery, which does a better job with the mirror universe in a lot of ways. There's a story arc over several episodes that they plotted out ahead of time - not just dropping in for an episode that's not connected to anything else. On the other hand, Discovery's pacing bugs me. Everything is turned up to 11 all the time. Can't they just play a game of darts or having a drink in the rec room sometimes? It would make the characters more sympathetic.
I really liked the first three mirror universe episodes of DS9. Alas, there were five....
“IMPROBABLE CAUSE”
The real reason Garak was exiled? He criticised Tain’s horrible taste in cardigans.
Now THIS is more like it!
Although the start of the third season promised to be absolutely paradigm-shattering, it almost felt as though the writers promptly got cold feet and immediately reverted to the same kind of largely episodic storytelling as the second season, albeit with far less focus on Bajor (for which we can thank the Paramount number-crunchers—and the viewers who switched off in droves whenever Bajor was prominently focused). It felt to me that, for a good part of the season, we’ve been treading water. The writers haven’t actually done anything with new villains, the Dominion, aside from the brief appearance of the female Founder in “Heart of Stone” and a Jem’Hadar boy in “The Abandoned”. That said, while the last few episodes have smacked of filler, they’ have adeptly sown seeds throughout the season—such as highlighting the increasing influence of Cardassia’s shady Obsidian Order and the mystery behind their covert military build-up in the Orias system, not to mention setting up the involvement of the Romulans. Well, it all comes to fruition here—the first instalment of an absolutely iconic two-parter which, intentionally or not, became one of the defining moments of the entire series.
Things start with a literal bang as Garak’s tailor shop goes up in smoke, with events gradually escalating into galactic-wide proportions by the end of the episode. From beginning to end, “Improbable Cause” is an enthralling episode which is meticulously plotted and wonderfully scripted by Rene Echevarria. Andrew Robinson has been a delight as Garak throughout the series and this is his finest hour yet, and Rene Auberjonois is just as good as Odo, who spearheads the investigation into the attempt on the tailor’s life. Once again, I just adore seeing Odo in full-on Hercule Poirot mode. Whereas previous and subsequent security chiefs on Trek often did little more than fire phasers and provide muscle on away teams, Odo is portrayed as more of an investigative policeman and it makes for wonderfully compelling viewing. Odo deduces that Odo’s would-be assassin is a Flaxian perfume merchant—a memorable guest turn by Carlos Lacamara, who audaciously seems intent on out-camping even Garak. The episode’s first brilliant twist is revealed quite early on—namely, that Garak destroyed his own shop to prompt Odo to begin an investigation into the Flaxian assassin. This is just total Garak through and through: why do something the straightforward way when you can manipulate and lie your way to the same end? As he even says at one point, “I’ve always believed that the truth is just an excuse for lack of imagination.”
There’s a superb scene where Odo meets with an informant and learns that he is “investigating a very insignificant piece of a much larger puzzle”. Assassinations of top-level Obsidian Order operatives an an ominous build up of ships point to a possible invasion brewing. I’m not normally a fan of Trek’s dreary cave sets, but this sequence is absolutely wonderful. Avery Brooks’ direction is phenomenal throughout (in my view, Brooks is easily the best star-turned-director in Trek since Jonathan Frakes), the lighting is beautifully effective and David Bell’s music nicely tense and ominous.
Of course, the episode culminates in an extremely high-stakes cliff-hanger which finally promises to push the Dominion story arc to the fore. Garak is reunited with his old Obsidian Order boss, Enabran Tain; a man with whom he clearly has a complex and difficult relationship. The final act is one long scene in a single from, which might have dragged had it not been delivered by three actors as masterful as Auberjonois, Robinson and Paul Dooley, who makes a welcome return as the understated yet intimidating Tain. I do think Tain’s plan is rather shortsighted—killing the Founders would surely only create a power vacuum and make the Jem’Hadar, Vorta and the rest of the Dominion more dangerous than ever? However, that politicians are nothing if not short-sighted seems to be one of the few constants in the universe.
This is just a superb episode. The script is excellent, the performances are first rate, Brooks’ directing is superb (he has a really great sense of visual style with a number of wonderfully effective shots), and even the music takes things up a notch. I can’t recommend this one highly enough. Rating: 10
The real reason Garak was exiled? He criticised Tain’s horrible taste in cardigans.
Now THIS is more like it!
Although the start of the third season promised to be absolutely paradigm-shattering, it almost felt as though the writers promptly got cold feet and immediately reverted to the same kind of largely episodic storytelling as the second season, albeit with far less focus on Bajor (for which we can thank the Paramount number-crunchers—and the viewers who switched off in droves whenever Bajor was prominently focused). It felt to me that, for a good part of the season, we’ve been treading water. The writers haven’t actually done anything with new villains, the Dominion, aside from the brief appearance of the female Founder in “Heart of Stone” and a Jem’Hadar boy in “The Abandoned”. That said, while the last few episodes have smacked of filler, they’ have adeptly sown seeds throughout the season—such as highlighting the increasing influence of Cardassia’s shady Obsidian Order and the mystery behind their covert military build-up in the Orias system, not to mention setting up the involvement of the Romulans. Well, it all comes to fruition here—the first instalment of an absolutely iconic two-parter which, intentionally or not, became one of the defining moments of the entire series.
Things start with a literal bang as Garak’s tailor shop goes up in smoke, with events gradually escalating into galactic-wide proportions by the end of the episode. From beginning to end, “Improbable Cause” is an enthralling episode which is meticulously plotted and wonderfully scripted by Rene Echevarria. Andrew Robinson has been a delight as Garak throughout the series and this is his finest hour yet, and Rene Auberjonois is just as good as Odo, who spearheads the investigation into the attempt on the tailor’s life. Once again, I just adore seeing Odo in full-on Hercule Poirot mode. Whereas previous and subsequent security chiefs on Trek often did little more than fire phasers and provide muscle on away teams, Odo is portrayed as more of an investigative policeman and it makes for wonderfully compelling viewing. Odo deduces that Odo’s would-be assassin is a Flaxian perfume merchant—a memorable guest turn by Carlos Lacamara, who audaciously seems intent on out-camping even Garak. The episode’s first brilliant twist is revealed quite early on—namely, that Garak destroyed his own shop to prompt Odo to begin an investigation into the Flaxian assassin. This is just total Garak through and through: why do something the straightforward way when you can manipulate and lie your way to the same end? As he even says at one point, “I’ve always believed that the truth is just an excuse for lack of imagination.”
There’s a superb scene where Odo meets with an informant and learns that he is “investigating a very insignificant piece of a much larger puzzle”. Assassinations of top-level Obsidian Order operatives an an ominous build up of ships point to a possible invasion brewing. I’m not normally a fan of Trek’s dreary cave sets, but this sequence is absolutely wonderful. Avery Brooks’ direction is phenomenal throughout (in my view, Brooks is easily the best star-turned-director in Trek since Jonathan Frakes), the lighting is beautifully effective and David Bell’s music nicely tense and ominous.
Of course, the episode culminates in an extremely high-stakes cliff-hanger which finally promises to push the Dominion story arc to the fore. Garak is reunited with his old Obsidian Order boss, Enabran Tain; a man with whom he clearly has a complex and difficult relationship. The final act is one long scene in a single from, which might have dragged had it not been delivered by three actors as masterful as Auberjonois, Robinson and Paul Dooley, who makes a welcome return as the understated yet intimidating Tain. I do think Tain’s plan is rather shortsighted—killing the Founders would surely only create a power vacuum and make the Jem’Hadar, Vorta and the rest of the Dominion more dangerous than ever? However, that politicians are nothing if not short-sighted seems to be one of the few constants in the universe.
This is just a superb episode. The script is excellent, the performances are first rate, Brooks’ directing is superb (he has a really great sense of visual style with a number of wonderfully effective shots), and even the music takes things up a notch. I can’t recommend this one highly enough. Rating: 10
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Great point about this being Sisko's way of finally moving forward with his life in terms of fully letting go of Jennifer. It was a necessary step.
"IMPROBABLE CAUSE" is slways a rewatch for me, for pretty much exactly what you said above.
And I agree... Avery Brooks is the best DS9 actor-turned-director. Him, Frakes, LeVar Burton, Roxann Dawson, and Robert Duncan McNeill are definitely the 5 best ones from STAR TREK.
I don't really have anything else to add. Superb review!
And I agree... Avery Brooks is the best DS9 actor-turned-director. Him, Frakes, LeVar Burton, Roxann Dawson, and Robert Duncan McNeill are definitely the 5 best ones from STAR TREK.
I don't really have anything else to add. Superb review!
Outstanding episode, excellent review. I don’t have the vocabulary to describe how clever and far-reaching the writing is – the many twists and turns-- the acting was equally compelling. Also like the way the opening dialogue on “Julius Caesar” fit with the story. Loved the perfume testing scene--and the Flaxian had the most amazing makeup. Garak has some terrific outfits (as he should).
It is paradoxical, that anyone can so quickly re-affirm loyalty to the very man who tried to have him killed.
It is paradoxical, that anyone can so quickly re-affirm loyalty to the very man who tried to have him killed.
Love the episode, though I believe Tain's theory was that without the Founders the Vorta would be ineffectual, and the Jem'hadar would die out due to their Ketracel White addiction.
This is also the first we see of Mila! Who I really assumed would be a one-off character, and it was a thrill to see her show up again late in the series.
I still want to know who Odo's informant was.
This is also the first we see of Mila! Who I really assumed would be a one-off character, and it was a thrill to see her show up again late in the series.
I still want to know who Odo's informant was.
Joseph Ruskin... the same guy who was the master thrall in "THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION" and the Klingon priest for Grilka, and the Vulcan master in VOYAGER's "GRAVITY".
But yes, I always wondered who he was. He clearly owed Odo a favor. I do wonder if he told him what he knew afterward to get him back on debt again. He seemed like a really good source of intelligence.
But yes, I always wondered who he was. He clearly owed Odo a favor. I do wonder if he told him what he knew afterward to get him back on debt again. He seemed like a really good source of intelligence.
“IMPROBABLE CAUSE”
The real reason Garak was exiled? He criticised Tain’s horrible taste in cardigans.
Now THIS is more like it!
Although the start of the third season promised to be absolutely paradigm-shattering, it almost felt as though the writers promptly got cold feet and immediately reverted to the same kind of largely episodic storytelling as the second season, albeit with far less focus on Bajor (for which we can thank the Paramount number-crunchers—and the viewers who switched off in droves whenever Bajor was prominently focused). It felt to me that, for a good part of the season, we’ve been treading water. The writers haven’t actually done anything with new villains, the Dominion, aside from the brief appearance of the female Founder in “Heart of Stone” and a Jem’Hadar boy in “The Abandoned”. That said, while the last few episodes have smacked of filler, they’ have adeptly sown seeds throughout the season—such as highlighting the increasing influence of Cardassia’s shady Obsidian Order and the mystery behind their covert military build-up in the Orias system, not to mention setting up the involvement of the Romulans. Well, it all comes to fruition here—the first instalment of an absolutely iconic two-parter which, intentionally or not, became one of the defining moments of the entire series.
Things start with a literal bang as Garak’s tailor shop goes up in smoke, with events gradually escalating into galactic-wide proportions by the end of the episode. From beginning to end, “Improbable Cause” is an enthralling episode which is meticulously plotted and wonderfully scripted by Rene Echevarria. Andrew Robinson has been a delight as Garak throughout the series and this is his finest hour yet, and Rene Auberjonois is just as good as Odo, who spearheads the investigation into the attempt on the tailor’s life. Once again, I just adore seeing Odo in full-on Hercule Poirot mode. Whereas previous and subsequent security chiefs on Trek often did little more than fire phasers and provide muscle on away teams, Odo is portrayed as more of an investigative policeman and it makes for wonderfully compelling viewing. Odo deduces that Odo’s would-be assassin is a Flaxian perfume merchant—a memorable guest turn by Carlos Lacamara, who audaciously seems intent on out-camping even Garak. The episode’s first brilliant twist is revealed quite early on—namely, that Garak destroyed his own shop to prompt Odo to begin an investigation into the Flaxian assassin. This is just total Garak through and through: why do something the straightforward way when you can manipulate and lie your way to the same end? As he even says at one point, “I’ve always believed that the truth is just an excuse for lack of imagination.”
There’s a superb scene where Odo meets with an informant and learns that he is “investigating a very insignificant piece of a much larger puzzle”. Assassinations of top-level Obsidian Order operatives an an ominous build up of ships point to a possible invasion brewing. I’m not normally a fan of Trek’s dreary cave sets, but this sequence is absolutely wonderful. Avery Brooks’ direction is phenomenal throughout (in my view, Brooks is easily the best star-turned-director in Trek since Jonathan Frakes), the lighting is beautifully effective and David Bell’s music nicely tense and ominous.
Of course, the episode culminates in an extremely high-stakes cliff-hanger which finally promises to push the Dominion story arc to the fore. Garak is reunited with his old Obsidian Order boss, Enabran Tain; a man with whom he clearly has a complex and difficult relationship. The final act is one long scene in a single from, which might have dragged had it not been delivered by three actors as masterful as Auberjonois, Robinson and Paul Dooley, who makes a welcome return as the understated yet intimidating Tain. I do think Tain’s plan is rather shortsighted—killing the Founders would surely only create a power vacuum and make the Jem’Hadar, Vorta and the rest of the Dominion more dangerous than ever? However, that politicians are nothing if not short-sighted seems to be one of the few constants in the universe.
This is just a superb episode. The script is excellent, the performances are first rate, Brooks’ directing is superb (he has a really great sense of visual style with a number of wonderfully effective shots), and even the music takes things up a notch. I can’t recommend this one highly enough. Rating: 10
I know a guy or two who have a similar relationship with their father as Garak does with his.
Past Prologue
The opening scene...Garak basically cruising Bashir at the Replimat! I’d totally forgotten how overtly camp he was before the producers dialled things back. Bashir’s deer in headlights reaction is quite amusing, although he gets pretty annoying when he slips into hyperactive Boy Scout mode in Ops. Andy Robinson has so much fun as the tailor/spy, I can’t believe this is his only appearance in the season. Back at the time I assumed he was just a one-episode character.
The rest of the episode is...competent, if a tad dull. It’s a standard ‘divided loyalties’ tale, unfolding beat for beat in a fairly pedestrian way. For me, a large part of the problem is Jeffrey Nordling’s somewhat bland, forgettable performance as Tahna. The character doesn’t have the menace, danger or dark charisma to be interesting or to feel like much of a threat. As a result, the dramatic core of the episode doesn’t quite ignite, and the ‘climatic’ runabout chase, which ought to inject a little excitement, is lame in execution.
There are plenty wonderful little details, the highlight of the episode being Sisko’s takedown of Kira when she goes behind his back, complaining about him to Starfleet Command. There are no theatrics, just Sisko towering over her in Ops, firmly warning her that the next time she goes over his head, he’ll have hers on a platter. Enter Sisko the badass. A turning point in their relationship. He’s otherwise fair to and supportive of Kira, but he establishes himself as a force not to be crossed. I also loved the scene between Odo and Kira, which establishes their strong bond; the chemistry between Nana Visitor and Rene Auberjonois already much in evidence.
The inclusion of the Duras sisters adds a little spark to proceedings, and includes a great scene with Garak, but Quark’s presence is sorely missed, and inexplicable given that this is the first episode to air after the pilot.
An unintentionally funny moment comes when Kira shows Tahna to his room. Kira: “How long has it been since you slept in a comfortable bed?” Me: Judging by the look of that bed, it won’t be any time soon. I’ve seen more comfortable-looking autopsy tables. Ironically these beds won’t change for the duration of the show, nor those awful looking triangular ‘pillows’.
Overall, this is a decent but unexceptional episode. It’s a necessary part of Kira’s arc, but compared with gems like “Duet” and “Progress”, it’s quite middling fare.
I’d rate this a strong 6, but probably no more.
I n my view all of the main characters were great, but in quite a few episodes Garak and Quark really shine especially together, episode names elude me atm but the episode where Quark thinks he's dying has me in stitches as do others
The humor element is more prevalent in this series than in the others, i loved and watched The Magnificent Feregi earlier and enjoyed it every bit as much as the first time i saw it, and as for guest stars it had Steven Berkoff Lawrence Tierney and Iggy Pop. DS9 is without a doubt my favourite Star Trek series
Body Parts.
