"Civil Defense"
I loved this episode when I was 15. 30 years later, I still do. Every now and then, I run into someone who says they're afraid of AI. Do you know what I tell them? This is what I say: "I'm not afraid of Artificial Intelligence, I'm afraid of Artificial Stupidity." The Cardassian computer on Terok Nor is a prime example. They're not designed to be intelligent. They're designed to do what they're programmed to do and only understand what's within the parameters of that programming. We see it here in this episode. We'll see it again in "Dreadnought" (VOY). Cardassian computers are stubborn, unimaginative, and always assume the worst. Which makes the computer on Terok Nor deadly when it thinks the Bajoran workers are trying to overtake the station.
I call it the Terok Nor computer because that's what it thinks it is.
Just one trip-up and the DS9 computer went away and became the Terok Nor computer. And just like every difficult computer, every time you try to figure out a work-around, the difficult computer blocks you. Every time you try something; it triggers something else. Deadlier and deadlier with each step. I loved it just as much as Garak when the program even turned on Dukat after he visited, leaving him stuck there with them.
This episode takes a cue from "Disaster" (TNG) in that we see different pairings. Sisko, O'Brien, and Jake down in Ore Processing. Odo and Quark in Odo's office. Everyone else in Ops. "Civil Defense" doesn't do unusual pairings like "Disaster" does, but we get to find out more about pre-existing character dynamics which makes it worth the trade-off. The highlights are finding about Garak's history dealing with Dukat and his father (makes me want to know more!) and what Odo really thinks of Quark.
This is also the first time Dukat postures in front of Kira, and Garak calls him out on trying to sweep Kira off her feet. I think this is the point where the writers wanted to start developing a rivalry with Dukat for Kira that was distinct from Sisko's rivalry with him and that was more personal than just Bajorans vs. Cardassians. I tried so hard not to think of what happens later as Kira tells Dukat she'll destroy the station before she ever gives it back to the Cardassians. It adds even more context to just how much Kira must've hated the position she was in during the opening six episodes of the sixth season.
Anyway, the less dependent we are on computers, the better. Specifically because of what might go wrong. And I appreciated everyone's ingenuity in trying to figure out a way to first outsmart and then bypass the computer.
The more I type about this episode, the more i like it. Always a good sign. Overall,
I give this episode a 10.
One more thing: Jake working with O'Brien. I'm wondering if that's the equivalent of a part-time job for Jake? He's 16 and working age, so I can see it.
