I am watching DS9 for the first time (some observations)
- Thread starter CRM-114
- Start date
As we see with Quark, Julian's dad and Jake not everyone is the premier expert perfectly all knowing, Shakespeare quoting
Expert musician, top notch foil fencer like everyone seems to be on The Enterprise.
And because you're not all of the above they don't drop you off on a class H planet alone.
One thing I might point out is that the Enterprise is the flagship of the Federation, and as such would certainly be captained and crewed by the very best. I think that is a reason why humans on that ship seem so near-perfect.
Sometimes those near-perfect aspects of the humans would bother me a bit over the years, until I realized that long ago. Because of that, I give those preachy moments more of a pass when they happen.
And to be completely honest, if I ever have kids, I would play TNG for them on issues of ethics and morality. Picard and Data are two of the best examples of morality I've seen in scifi.
Just finished "Armageddon Game", another decent episode that succeeds on its' character moments. O'Brien and Bashir working together to help destroy the Harvesters on behalf of the T'Lani and Kellerun seems like it would be the climax of a different episode but instead is just the set-up for our story.
O'Brien and Bashir learn more about each other, loves lost, and how marriage can be enriching if you choose to let it be so. We also get to see how much they respect each other despite their differences: enlisted man vs. career officer, older man vs. younger man, engineer vs. doctor. The show struck storytelling gold when they discovered the relationship they could build between these two.
As to the T'Lani and Kellerun and the Harvesters, we see two races working together toward a common goal, and yet, there is still a streak of distrust. They don't trust anyone with the knowledge regarding the Harvesters to the point of executing innocent people. One wonders how long the two races could go on trusting each other. It also provides an interesting contrast to Bashir and O'Brien who lean on each other to get through their mutual crisis.
...
Next, "Whispers".
O'Brien and Bashir learn more about each other, loves lost, and how marriage can be enriching if you choose to let it be so. We also get to see how much they respect each other despite their differences: enlisted man vs. career officer, older man vs. younger man, engineer vs. doctor. The show struck storytelling gold when they discovered the relationship they could build between these two.
As to the T'Lani and Kellerun and the Harvesters, we see two races working together toward a common goal, and yet, there is still a streak of distrust. They don't trust anyone with the knowledge regarding the Harvesters to the point of executing innocent people. One wonders how long the two races could go on trusting each other. It also provides an interesting contrast to Bashir and O'Brien who lean on each other to get through their mutual crisis.
...
Next, "Whispers".
"Whispers" was the second straight episode in which O'Brien finds himself in some kind of trouble. People are being secretive toward him, Keiko and Molly are distant, and O'Brien himself becomes convinced of a conspiracy against him, and it all seems to center around an upcoming security conference. He's proven right, but not in the way he expects.
After an episode deepening the relationship between O'Brien and Bashir, it's fun seeing O'Brien on his own trying to figure out what's happening around him. We learn a little more about him, including his cantankerous attitude about doctors and how he possesses a certain wiliness when the pressure's on. Even when we learn the O'Brien we've been following isn't the man we (and he) thought he was, we still gain a greater insight into the man himself. He never has cause to suspect himself, nor we as an audience to suspect anything is wrong with him.
The payoff is a little out of nowhere, but it explains why everyone regards O'Brien with suspicion. YMMV.
...
On to "Paradise".
After an episode deepening the relationship between O'Brien and Bashir, it's fun seeing O'Brien on his own trying to figure out what's happening around him. We learn a little more about him, including his cantankerous attitude about doctors and how he possesses a certain wiliness when the pressure's on. Even when we learn the O'Brien we've been following isn't the man we (and he) thought he was, we still gain a greater insight into the man himself. He never has cause to suspect himself, nor we as an audience to suspect anything is wrong with him.
The payoff is a little out of nowhere, but it explains why everyone regards O'Brien with suspicion. YMMV.
...
On to "Paradise".
"WHISPERS" is one of my favorites of season 2. When it originally aired, I did NOT see that ending coming. Even on rewatches, it still feels fresh. One of the best mysteries the franchise did.
Absolutely. With just a few facial expressions, Rosalind Chao manages to convey such menace.
I love Whispers too, even on rewatch. It's a little like TNG's Clues, in that it will never be quite as interesting as the first time you see everything unfold, but I like seeing everyone acting so coldly towards him.
But in the case of the spiked weapon, he "liquifies" himself so the weapon would pass through him. But yeah in general his shapeshifting "rules" were always kind of wonky lol. He supposedly had difficulty with faces, but could go into great detail with the other things he transformed into...
Was Rosiland Chao told to be as unpleasant as possible?
I don't know what it is, but it always seems like she's a little angry and it's just below the surface. It's been mentioned in at least one episode that Keiko was unhappy about O'Brien's assignment to DS9, and maybe Rosalind Chao was just trying to convey that.
I guess it's a kind of chicken/egg thing. Either the powers that be behind DS9 told her to lay it on thick or Chao really trying to be completely unsympathetic.
I thought the show did a good job of showing a couple's response to a situation where both spouses can't be completely happy. Keiko is a botanist, but there's approximately zero chance of doing any botany on DS9. But DS9 is a huge opportunity for Miles to rise in responsibility that he probably wouldn't get again as a noncom in Starfleet. You can't expect Keiko to give up her career without a whimper. So they coped as best as possible, Keiko teaching school and going on trips away from the station where there was botany to be done, while still rejoining Miles when she could. Both of them still showed a lot of love for the other also.
I don't have anything consequential to add. I just want to say, I wish I could experience watching this show for the first time again.
I don't mean that in a fanboy way, either. It really changed my life. Ben Sisko was a black guy from New Orleans. I'm a black guy from New Orleans. It got into my soul in a way I'm still working to understand, 20 years later and God-only-knows how many repeated viewings later. It touched my heart in so many ways. I don't know if it's even possible to describe with words. I can only say that it's more meaningful to me than anything I've seen or read or imagined since, aside from marriage and 3 kids. And even those things seem somehow interconnected, like I couldn't have gotten from point A to point C without first going to point B. IDK if this makes any sense, I'm kinda drunk but it's from the heart, you know.
I don't mean that in a fanboy way, either. It really changed my life. Ben Sisko was a black guy from New Orleans. I'm a black guy from New Orleans. It got into my soul in a way I'm still working to understand, 20 years later and God-only-knows how many repeated viewings later. It touched my heart in so many ways. I don't know if it's even possible to describe with words. I can only say that it's more meaningful to me than anything I've seen or read or imagined since, aside from marriage and 3 kids. And even those things seem somehow interconnected, like I couldn't have gotten from point A to point C without first going to point B. IDK if this makes any sense, I'm kinda drunk but it's from the heart, you know.
Having been in her relative position (at 31, I basically sacrificed my career so my wife could advance hers) I get it. There's a resentment always beneath the surface. And it's been 10 years since that choice was made. I wouldn't change anything, and I know with every fiber of my being it was the right decision. But somewhere in there, I resent her for letting me do it so easily. It's not wounded ego, it's just wishing she had been a little more considerate of my feelings back then. It's hard to deal with, and it's likely no coincidence our first child was named "Miles." On one hand, that name represents a fictional character that I like and admire. On the other hand, that name represents me trying to take some control at a point in our relationship where I really needed some.
Sorry for being all drama, I'm cool. I think. LOL
I know you wrote this a year ago, but thank you for posting it, I am enjoying reading your experiences with DS9 and remembering my own first run
I am sorry, my gaydar is super strong and would've been stronger in season 1 when I was hitting puberty, what crewman checked out Wesley? And crewman implies "grown up" and Wesley was a kid and shouldn't be checked out. Does the D have a sec offenders registry?
And lastly, I am sorry I am asking about something you posted 4 months ago....
Just rewatched it (whispers). Great show, yes.
Of course, the crew (and Keiko) could have acted a bit more subtle, in a way that would have aroused o' Brien's suspicions less, and saved themselves a lot of trouble
Of course, the crew (and Keiko) could have acted a bit more subtle, in a way that would have aroused o' Brien's suspicions less, and saved themselves a lot of trouble
Last edited:
Sorry I haven't been around lately. Despite lockdown rules, I am working outside the house. That said, I've been a little under the weather so I do have time to get back to this. I think I've been kind of shying away from Trek based on my own underwhelmed reaction to PIC. I do want to keep this going, because I've really enjoyed DS9 so far. A friend that I didn't even was into Star Trek told me to hang with it.
Similar threads
