Can’t believe this is page 60! That’s a lot of posting. I’ve fallen rather behind, mainly due to fatigue, been watching these episodes faster than I can write about them. But we’ll get there...
“BUSINESS AS USUAL”
Yeah, Quark, getting involved with THESE guys is a really good idea and won’t lead to any potential problems.... /S
“Business As Usual” is more a case of Business As
Unusual. After all, it’s one of only a couple of Quark-centric episodes across the entire series that aren’t played as comedy, but as straight-up drama. Tonally, that’s almost a little disorienting at first because we’re so conditioned to expect a Quark episode to feature zany hijinks involving our barkeeper and at least some of his extended Ferengi family. This, however, is a stark and somber episode that deals with nothing less than...well, potential genocide. So it’s only appropriate that it isn’t played for laughs.
In many respects, it’s a story we’ve long needed to see. While their portrayal as villains on TNG was an unmitigated disaster, DS9 has portrayed the Ferengi in a somewhat amiable, light-hearted light, and to good effect, I might add. But there are elements of their society that do bear significant scrutiny, in spite of Quark’s tendency to shame hew-mons by comparing them unfavourably to his own race. I mean, worship of extreme capitalism regardless of all moral cost is...well, it’s a horrendously dangerous thing. I mean, read
this and literally weep—a “businessman” made £50million by selling fake bomb detectors to war-torn countries and it’s clear that many will have been injured, maimed and killed using them. This vile scammer didn’t seem to care one iota because he was laughing all the way to the bank. This is what happens when capitalism goes out of control and when money is the god that overrules all else, including compassion, morality and basic humanity.
So, it’s about time we took a long and hard look at where Quark is really prepared to draw the line and how much collateral damage he’s willing to inflict on other people in order to line his pockets. It’s an important theme and I’m glad the writers finally decided to explore the darker side of Ferengi culture because, in spite of the harmless and humorous way DS9 tends to portray them, their way of life and cultural paradigm certainly invites, if not BEGS, scrutiny. Just how far IS Quark willing to go for profit? We’ve already seen Quark’s adherence to basic Ferengi ideology and cultural codes called into question in “Body Parts” last season, when he came to realise that he values his life more than he does his reputation. But was that really all that hard a choice? I mean, he has certainly suffered consequences for it, but surely only a fool would place their reputation over their very life—because, even if they save their reputation, they won’t be around to care about it. This episode asks a far more powerful question: is Quark willing to kill for profit, however indirectly?
The answer, at least at first, is yes.
Of course, the episode begins with Quark on the brink of destitution, so he’s particularly desperate and perhaps open to doing things he wouldn’t ordinarily do. Cousin Gaila (effectively and creepily played by Josh Pais) entices Quark into the weapons trade, which, as you might expect opens up a whole host of moral and legal implications. There’s a sense of coercion from Gaila, not to mention the intimidating sociopath Hagath—brilliantly brought to life by veteran actor Steven Berkoff. That, combined with his clear desperation means that we, or at least I, never quite lose sympathy for Quark even if it’s clear he’s going down a very dark path.
He basically seems to have divorced the products he’s selling from their intended usage and the episode opens up some questions about arms and arms dealers. If I sell you weapons, am I at least partly complicit in any harm you may then inflict on others with them? To the Starfleeters, the answer is a definite yes, and Sisko and Dax—and Quark’s usual customers—make their feelings abundantly clear as they boycott his premises. Quark spends much of the episode then trying to rationalise what he’s doing—until that is, an utterly terrifying Lawrence Tierney shows up and casually states that he wants to slaughter 28 MILLION of his people. Quark, understandably, balks...although, from what I recall, he initially seemed willing to go along with it if the number was nearer seven million. So it seems Quark does have his price, and would agree to facilitate the deaths of seven million people. Hopefully, of course, he would have backed out of that too, because that is still utterly horrific. Heck, making money out of even one death would be bad enough.
It’s an interesting dilemma and the writers don't shy away from it. Armin Shimmerman is fantastic from beginning to end and shines in the spotlight, more than proving that he’s capable of handling a dramatic as opposed to largely comedic role. The guests are uniformly strong, with Berkoff stealing just about every scene he’s in with a compelling and memorable performance, while the infamous, menacing Tierney is makes quite an impression even though he doesn’t have many lines. Alexander Siddig, confusingly credited as his old name, Siddig El Fadil, makes his directorial debut here and, while not on a par with the show’s stronger directors, he nevertheless does a decent job. The episode has a fair sense of pace and atmosphere, and David Bell’s score lends it a weighty, ominous feel.
I like that we get some good use of holodeck technology, although somehow things still feel a little dated in its presentation. I mean, you’d think buyers would be able to both interact with Quark and buy from him and Hagath
virtually rather than having to come to the station in person just to view a holosuite demonstration. I mean, the internet was already a thing back when this episode aired, yet the writers evidently didn’t manage to predict the ascent of e-commerce.
If the episode has any real flaw it’s the fact that, quite simply, Quark gets off too easily and without any significant consequences for his actions. You would have thought that being responsible for a shoot-out between the Regent and the rebels would NOT have gone down well and that he’d now have a significant price on his head. Yet there are no mentions or indication of any fallout from this, which I feel is a little improbable. Nevertheless, it’s still an entertaining, gripping and important episode for Quark, and one that sees some significant character development. Oh, I almost forgot the sub-plot. I only have one word for it: cute.
Rating: 8
