In fact I think Quantum Leap finished in May 93, which is after DS9's first season. Surely he's free to make a special horseriding cameo? Although perhaps we should knock a star off TheGodBen if he uses jokes from previous reviews?
Yeah, I think it's time to move on from the Scott Bakula stuff, stretching it beyond Enterprise and into the B5 thread was probably a bit too silly. There shall be no more jokes about characters or actors from Quantum Leap in this thread.
The Siege (***½)
The episode is a step down from the previous two episodes, but not by as much as I remembered. Sadly, it doesn't move at the same breakneck pace as the previous two, because the station-based plot is essentially about stalling for time while Kira and Jadzia do their thing. The political intrigue that enriched the previous two episodes is also mostly removed, the decisions have already been made, this episode is just about waiting for the pieces to reach their destination.
The opening scene is good, but it's a little schmaltzy what with all the Starfleet officers volunteering to stay behind. I prefer "The Line" scene in the BSG finale as the majority Galactica's crew chose not to go on Adama's suicide mission, and if Adama can't convince all the people then Sisko doesn't have a hope. Don't get me wrong, I love Sisko and would be willing to sacrifice a lot for him, but I would kill my first-born child if Adama asked me to. What a guy.
Anyway, the strongest part of the episode is the opening act as we witness the evacuation of the station, these scenes have a certain chaotic energy to them that once again makes this show feel larger than any of the others in the franchise. They're also an interesting parallel to the much more celebrated evacuation later in the series. It's also a nice touch how Sisko left his baseball behind on his desk, beginning its thematic importance that returns many times later in the series.
The rest of the episode is good, although rarely great. Kira and Jadzia find an old ship and try to get to Bajor, while Sisko and co hide out in the maintenance tubes. I did find it interesting that Sisko, Li, and O'Brien, the three experienced combat veterans, are all in the same group while Bashir, the inexperienced Doctor, is given a team on his own while also given the task of babysitting Quark. It's almost as if Sisko makes command decisions based on who annoys him and how far away he can put them. There's some shooting, some hostage-taking, and some ship-to-ship combat, but Kira finally reaches the Chamber of Ministers and hands over a data-pad that shows there's a 98.7% chance that the Cardassians are behind the coup.
The ending is the weakest part of the episode, and trilogy. Firstly, Li Nalas dies a pointless death because the writers thought they were done with him. It would have been more interesting to keep him alive and use him as a recurring character, maybe even taking over the role Shakaar played later in the series. The larger issue is that the underlying problems that led to the coup aren't resolved. The Provisional Government are still weak and ineffective, there's still a fear of Federation interference held by many Bajorans, but these get brushed under the rug so we can have a tidy ending. While the threat of a Cardassian return probably gave some Bajorans pause for thought, the problems that motivated Li's rescue still exist and need to be addressed, which makes killing him off all the more ludicrous.
Form of... a wall: 8
Form of... a tripwire: 9
)
I should find my glasses.
I miss Worf and Martok.
