2x02
"The Circle"
"If you want to change the government, Minister Jaro, you vote to change it. You don't sneak up on it from behind with a dagger."
-Kira
Deep Space Nine proves its arrival on television earlier in the year was well-earned as the riveting three-part premiere of the new season continues to impress.
The first scene continues to draw the viewer into the increasingly-complex web of deceit scattered across recent events. Sisko and Jaro are discussing the matter of Kira's transfer from the station, and both actors deliver noteworthy performances. It is becoming more and more clear that Jaro is not all he appears to be, but there isn't much Sisko can do about that right now. As the scene concluded, I recalled reading that Jaro's actor, Frank Langella, didn't accept his role for money or fame, and as testament to this, his name doesn't even appear in the credits. He did this for his children, who are avid fans of the franchise. That he did so and then brought such a great performance here, and succeeds as a foil for both Sisko and Kira throughout the trilogy, is something I feel must be addressed. It's quite a heartwarming little story, if I do say so myself.
The next scene to impress is not far off at all: opening the first act with the most delightful characterization I daresay the series has seen up 'til now, we are treated to several minutes of perfect dialogue as several main characters crowd Kira's quarters one by one, interrupting her packing. Odo is fierce in his declaration that she should not give up, as he sees her as doing. Dax is far more cordial, an inquiring mind. Bashir stumbles over his words and is lost in translation. O'Brien is short and sweet, and, sensing the tension in the room, hesitant to stay for long. Quark is probably sincere, but nevertheless opportunistic. And lastly, the unexpected Vedek Bareil is courteous and offers something the weary Kira doesn't refuse: respite at his arboretum. Every character here is unique and enjoyable in their presentation. I was truly blown away by the smooth flow, the brilliant writing and the relentlessness of it all, and after learning that director Corey Allen accomplished this feat in one, rolling take, I was floored. I say this not to bash another work, but to explain my love for this show: if Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is capable of this level of gripping television, then perhaps it is no surprise the franchise began to exhibit tremendous fatigue and eventually went dormant for several years not long after it went off the air. I simply don't remember a scene this touching in Voyager or Enterprise.
Then there's the bit with Li Nalas and Kira Nerys, the new and the old on Deep Space Nine, and it's a testament to the overall presentation of this trilogy how well this scene works. Once Sisko arrives to add his own flavor to the proceedings, there's a deep sense of sorrow but not a hint of resentment from anyone involved. Li has his important role to step into, despite his apprehensions. Kira's request for disembarkation and Sisko's firm response that he's going to get her back, his promise 'to both of them', very nearly brought a tear to my eye. At the beginning of the last season, Kira was barking at him and he had his own problems. Now he's going to fight to bring her back home. I can count on one hand the shows I've watched that have pulled me in this well, and we're still in the seasons a fair few folks claim are the 'weak, uninteresting' years. Crazy. Just because nothing exploded on Kira's way out the door doesn't mean it isn't gripping television.
Kira and Bareil at his arboretum continue the trend of steady characterization. Her confessions, their growing chemistry and obvious degree of sexual tension, and her subsequent vision when he reveals to her the Orb of Prophecy and Change never miss a beat. I'm not often much for romances, but I think Bareil's actor has taken a step up since his first appearance and as a result, and given her current predicament, I can understand the situation. But more relevantly, the vision: it's well-directed and clearly representative. More on Dax's attire in the following review, though. (As odd as that sounds.)
As the episode continues, we're treated to a barrage of build-up. Much of the remainder of the episode is just that, and it's the added screen time awarded in doing not even just a two-parter, but a three-parter, that really allows for all these wonderful character moments. I've read that some involved in the production of the Bajoran trilogy believe it should not have gone on for three hours, that it was too drifting for it. I will concede that amidst all the intrigue, there are a couple of parts where I felt things dragged. Vedek Winn's scene in which she surprises Kira and Bareil is a decent one, but it seems to drag a bit too much and doesn't end with quite the level of punch it probably should have. Sisko and General Krim, the man he meets on Bajor to discuss the predicament, also suffer the same fate in their scene: it's a bit long, a tad plodding and despite the relevant context it ends on, it could have been trimmed.
Nevertheless, apart from some minor quibbles, "The Circle" is another knockout episode for Deep Space Nine's sophomore year. Soon enough, Odo, who has once again proven in his shapeshifting that the writers know a good gimmick when they see one (he masquerades as a rat; I love it), has uncovered a shocking truth: the race which has been supplying weapons to The Circle is obtaining them, in turn, from none other than the Cardassians. It's a good twist, and explains a lot in a very reasonable manner. The Cardassians wish to see Starfleet forced to abandon the station, and the Bajorans tearing themselves apart; what better a chance for them to reclaim the station and take solitary control of the wormhole? And Sisko's return to Kira, and her decision to go with him, is just as touching as any of the rest of their scenes through all this. I find it a bit difficult to accept that her captors, who quite suddenly leap into the fray and take her against her will not ten seconds after Sisko walks away, are quite that skilled at hiding, though, but no big matter.
And so Minister Jaro stands before Kira as she is brought before him, and in an instant the identity of The Circle's leader is revealed. I chose the quote for this episode from the conversation that ensues, and it's a pretty good one. I quite like Jaro despite his status as antagonist. He's cold and methodical, but he truly believes in what he's doing, and as I analyzed in my review for "The Homecoming", he even has well-developed reason for that. I've been skimming the teleplays for these episodes as I write my reviews, something I didn't often do in the first season. More than anything, I've wanted to gain insight into some of the characters' minds as they were written, and I find it noteworthy that, in the script, as Jaro reluctantly sends Kira off to be tortured for the information on potential Federation actions that he seeks, it is noted that as he is so conflicted, he almost rescinds the order. I think I saw this in the acting, but again it adds nice depth to the character.
I have to admit, Jaro and Winn, and their vague sexual tension as they scheme, is quite akin to a certain other case of this classic trope rearing its head much later on in the series. While it isn't taken here to nearly the extent it is in the final season, it's worth noting for those who have seen the show through to its end.
The final scene is again a good one. Two Bajoran vessels are en route to the station, and they're giving Starfleet seven hours to evacuate. The conflict on Bajor has reached its inevitable state, as the plan to get rid of the Federation is well underway. Sisko contacts an admiral, who insists on the equally inevitable: they leave. In a defiant turn that will as the series goes on continue to define Benjamin Sisko, he uses what is hardly even a loophole to his advantage, and with it, decides he's going to stay. Chaos is erupting, everything he's worked for this past year is crumbling rapidly, and he's not abandoning Deep Space Nine.
All told, despite a few points in which it rises even higher than "The Homecoming", "The Circle" on the whole is a bit more wandering and so a mostly-negligible degree or two lower than its predecessor in score. Despite a couple of hiccups, the likes of which I'd never bother mentioning in the first place in a more average episode, it maintains a very good story and provides the kind of insight into these characters, and what makes them tick, that really gets me going. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion.
Rating: 9/10
