^Because...we like moments of escapism?
Our Man Bashir; any fans?
- Thread starter Willieck
- Start date
^Good answer, Rushbo. 
I was just gonna say that.
I was just gonna say that.
I love this one. I've criticized Avery Brooks before for being hammy and over-the-top, and I think this is one of the episodes that used this acting tendency of his in the best way possible. Navaros and I clearly have 'mirror universe' opinions on a great many things related to DS9. 
I seriously think Avery's purposely manic Bond villain parody here was one of his best performances. I think his very best work was in "Facets", so as you can tell, I tend to like him playing other characters on the show. 
As for Bashir, I think this is one of those episodes that really turned me around on the character after I started off finding him annoying and not liking him very much. By the end, he was one of my favourite characters and this episode contributed to that a lot. It also warmed me up to a Garak a bit too, who I initially found insufferable. Here, he was a bit more likable with his gentle teasing of Bashir. That moment where Bashir is happily kissing and Garak cuts into it by saying something like, "this is a side of you I never wanted to see" was terrific. Even if the episode doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of the series, it's nice once in awhile to have a light-hearted adventure episode that builds our affection for the characters.
I seriously think Avery's purposely manic Bond villain parody here was one of his best performances. I think his very best work was in "Facets", so as you can tell, I tend to like him playing other characters on the show. As for Bashir, I think this is one of those episodes that really turned me around on the character after I started off finding him annoying and not liking him very much. By the end, he was one of my favourite characters and this episode contributed to that a lot. It also warmed me up to a Garak a bit too, who I initially found insufferable. Here, he was a bit more likable with his gentle teasing of Bashir. That moment where Bashir is happily kissing and Garak cuts into it by saying something like, "this is a side of you I never wanted to see" was terrific. Even if the episode doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of the series, it's nice once in awhile to have a light-hearted adventure episode that builds our affection for the characters.
Great episode.
^I'd forgotten about that...I loved the part with the spatula.
I recently watched it along with a few other 'novelty' episodes like "Little Green Men". I still enjoy it. I used to take Garak's lines about being a real intelligence agent quite seriously.
Nana Visitor is hilarious (and uh, interesting
) to watch as a Russian.
Nana Visitor is hilarious (and uh, interesting
) to watch as a Russian.
Because it is, dare I say it, entertainment, and if it entertains a lot of people who like Star Trek, (and you do admit that it is popular) than that is reason enough.
It seems logical to me.
As far as I know there was a sequence filmed for another later episode, but it was not used then due to the not very positive atitude by eon.
I'm not sure which episode that was. I will look it up.
I'm not sure which episode that was. I will look it up.
There was an episode with a scene where Bashir is sitting in a limo wearing his special agent outfit while talking to O'Brien (in his villain costume with eye patch) who is outside his window. I heard Eon's attitude was why we only saw that quick scene rather than another whole episode of Bashir's secret agent stuff. I forget which episode it was.
This episode is fun. I like it a lot.
The world is not poorer for one less Trek episode that's trying to "say something."
The world is not poorer for one less Trek episode that's trying to "say something."
Feh. This episode was great and it had plenty to say--it was meta in the same awesome way that "Tribble-ations" was meta. Trek, Bond, the Avengers, Flint: all are cut from the same 1960s escapist cloth. By commenting humorously on the others, Trek commented on itself.
Of course, the episode was also just a cynical move to cash in on the release of a Bond movie, just as TNG's "Q-pid" was a cynical attempt to capitalize on the release of a Robin Hood movie. Thing is, with the exception of a gag lifted from Animal House, that episode sucked more than my stripper girlfriend (full disclosure: I loathe Vash). This episode? Not so much.
EDIT: This cynical episode was justified by Julian's character, who had already been established as an espionage geek, hence his friendship with Garak. Seldom has a cash-in been so organic--in a way, it set the stage for Sloane.
A fantastic episode - and a great entry in the Trek pantheon of fun romps with 'nothing much to say' that stretches back to the earliest days of the original series.
As a Brit, I can conclusively say YES, he has a very British accent (like his Dad. although it is from a different region)
It's a very fun episode.
One of the more interesting points brought up about Our Man Bashir is that the secret agent program is a way for Bashir to escape from a reality where he has to hide his genetically-engineered talents and go into a scenario where he can put them to use.
One of the more interesting points brought up about Our Man Bashir is that the secret agent program is a way for Bashir to escape from a reality where he has to hide his genetically-engineered talents and go into a scenario where he can put them to use.
Very good point.
When this episode took place, he didn't know he was genetically engineered yet.
He knew. But everyone else didn't.
I'm not a big fan of DS9 but what I have seen of it Bashir is my favorite character.
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