I've returned to Deep Space Nine...

[carlmarx]

So in a hackneyed attempt at maintaining thread momentum despite slowdown, the undeterred Jeff O'Connor has put forth a challenging question of intrigue and inspiration:

What are your top three episodes of the second season, and why?

Necessary Evil - nothing more to be said.
Whispers - Absolutely brilliant, the best of "Twilight Zone-Trek".
Crossover - The mood they manage to create in this one is completely engrossing. That and all the over-the-top characters makes it both riveting and super-fun.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

2x13
"Armageddon Game"

"Women. That's all you ever talk about!"
"No it isn't. But I do think about them a lot!"
-O'Brien and Bashir

Before I begin the more proper words of this review, I'd like to make note of one simple thing. I don't quite understand why the T'Lani couldn't just launch the harvesters into the sun? Wouldn't that have been much simpler? I mean, yes, the episode would have lacked some punch, perhaps. But it seems kind of silly... I'm sure the writers could have explained that away, but as it stands... yeah.

So anyway, two warring cultures have put aside their violent tendencies and one of their leading scientists enlists the help of the Federation to devise a means by which to eliminate the harvesters, deadly biogenic weapons. In the teaser, we see the success of this joint operation, but of course, all is not as it seems. Bashir and O'Brien were the duo who assisted, and they contact Sisko, who recommends they stick around for a celebration to be held. Looking back, had Sisko for whatever unlikely reason agreed to let them return to Deep Space Nine, they might have bypassed quite a bit of trouble.

Action suddenly enters the fold as armed men storm the science station Bashir, O'Brien and the T'Lani scientists they work with are in, killing almost everyone before being taken down by the Starfleet pair. This is nicely-done by second-season standards; much of the choreography looks tense and real. Our heroes of course escape in the nic of time, but only on to the planet below, where they'll be on their own, and only after O'Brien unwittingly receives some bad chemicals to his arm.

From here, the episode really picks up. It soon becomes apparent that it's a Bashir/O'Brien episode, and in some ways it's the first. Sure, we have the first season's "The Storyteller", but this is the first one to really establish these two as excellent opposite-one-another. Whereas "The Storyteller" was fixated almost entirely on its plot (and the plot wasn't all that good), "Armageddon Game" has a lot to do with its characters (and its characterization is superb). The banter between these two really shines for the first time here, and back on DS9, the realization, acceptance and subsequent denial and quest for the truth concerning the alleged deaths of Bashir and O'Brien as reported by T'Lani ambassadors is also well-done.

Speaking of those ambassadors, they're good liars. I guess they would be. There's an air of ambiguity in the scene in which they 'break the news' to Sisko, maintaining mystery by proposing that perhaps these two really don't know the truth behind the situation back home. Of the scenes on DS9, there is much to enjoy: Kira, Dax and Quark have a great part together and Quark's recital of the 57th Rule of Acquisition is touching and funny at the same time. There's a lot to like about the scene when Sisko informs Keiko, but best of all is Keiko's own investigation upon seeing the falsified security tape. I think it's pretty nifty that she'd be the one to note the inconsistency based upon her husband's consumption of coffee at a time he wouldn't do so, and skipping ahead to point this out, the bit at the end where he tells her he does in fact drink coffee in the afternoon is going down as one of the funniest things I've seen on this show to-date.

But it's Julian and Miles who are the stars of this play, trapped together in a war-torn section of the planet, just talking to one-another for the bulk of the episode while trying to reach Starfleet. And so here is where much of my analysis should focus on. Meaney's O'Brien and his initial lack of interest in Bashir, who is simply speaking entirely too much and trying to help in ways that are unwanted, is classic. El Fadil's turn as the eager-to-please frontier doctor is solid, typical Bashir. The slick transition into Bashir actually having to take over under O'Brien's guidance upon discovery that the chief is immensely ill from the drop of fluid which fell on his arm is successful in keeping us interested; it's the banter between this legendary Trek pair that drives the episode.

The race-against-the-clock as O'Brien's condition worsens is handled admirably; thanks to Keiko's knowledge (pseudo-knowledge?) of her husband's drinking habits, Sisko and Dax embark on a journey to get to the bottom of things. In the climax, in which the truth is unraveled and the ambassadors of the alien world explain their desire to erase all lives involved in the dismantling of the harvesters to avoid the scientific data ever falling into anyone's hands, I think this is all well-handled and well-written but for one key issue: there's a noticeable dropoff in the writing quality for the guest stars after Sisko's runabout trick is successful. It's only a few lines, but their dialogue together feels incredibly forced and spoken for the audience's benefit. It's just a moment's time but it's really quite jarring.

"Armageddon Game" is probably the best totally, 100% standalone episode yet when it comes to this show. The Bashir/O'Brien arc opens up, sure, but in terms of overarching plot developments and long-term implications of the series premise variety, there really aren't any to be found here. Yet it is a strong piece, with largely impressive writing and a spotlight on great characters. It won't win any awards from me, but I'm quite glad to have seen it.

Oh, and rest in peace, Ganges.

Rating: 8/10

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

2x14
"Whispers"

"They'd even broken into my personal logs to see what they could find there. I hope they enjoyed reading the sexy letters to my wife."
-Miles O'Brien

That was damn good.

As we fade in, Chief Miles O'Brien is piloting a runabout, ordering a coffee from the replicator while surprising us with some cryptic, conspiracy-suggesting dialogue. He's started an entry in his personal log, speaking in ways that seem to imply he's alone now, and that others from the station will soon be chasing after him. And that he's the only one who hasn't been 'gotten to', and he has to try, desperate as his odds may be, to warn a race called the Paradas of the implications of everything.

O'Brien, trying to think back to when things began to appear strange on the station, flashes us back to his first day back on the station after the events of a meeting with that same race, the Piradas. We don't know much yet, but we see his point: Keiko is acting oddly and the somehow-always-reliable Molly delivers a blow with 'go away' when her father attempts to speak with her. Things continue to pile up in the strangeness department after this; a technician is committed to a task he normally wouldn't have anything to do with, Keiko and Sisko are meeting together, Bashir is incredibly insisting in O'Brien getting his physical, Sisko's story that his son is struggling in school is contradicted by Jake himself and there are other blatant examples of the commander lying. It all comes together to climb an impressive mountain of conspiratorial incidents, and at the center of it all is Miles O'Brien, gradually convinced that things are very, very wrong on the station.

And with peace talks between the Paradan government and the rebellion it had fought for twelve years coming up soon, O'Brien – who had originally been assigned to help with security measures to prepare for their talks on Deep Space Nine – is being made to focus on another, time-consuming task. It all makes no sense. The levels of tension rise and the writing and directing remain crisp and confusing. In fact, I would go so far as to say much of O'Brien's best writing yet is to be found here, and considering he's technically been on television screens for seven years at this point, that's saying something.

There's a scene between him and his wife around this point that really escalates matters, but it's also unintentionally hilarious, so I'd like to reference it: after further oddities are noticed by the chief regarding Keiko, he says that he knows full-well the woman sitting across from him is not 'his Keiko', and between the camera staring at Rosalind Chao in a close-up, her eyes in turn starting at Meaney for long seconds, and Meaney's narration, it's all somehow very amusing. At least to me; your milage may vary. I'm known to be a bit strange, myself, but this just had me cracking up.

No in-depth review of "Whispers" would be complete without mentioning the great scene in which O'Brien, later into the night after Keiko goes to bed, combs through heaps of personal logs and we're treated to a wonderful burst of dialogue from various key characters. It's all so very much in-keeping with their styles and, given Star Trek's timeless obsession with the log mechanic, hearing so much of it at once is really cool.

The chief makes contact with Odo upon his return to the station, and for a time he finally has an ally in his search to uncover the truth behind the strange behaviors exhibited by nearly everyone else around him. Odo agrees to begin a full-scale investigation, and here the episode does a good job of masking its intentions with its eyes closed: it seems like the two of them are poised to come upon something crucial to aid in solving the mystery, yet we know that things don't get resolved entirely since O'Brien in present-time is escaping to Piradan space, alone. And yet Odo doesn't wind up particularly helpful, because soon enough he's also 'gotten to', from the looks of it. O'Brien is truly alone.

And so as we race toward the conclusion, O'Brien overwhelming an attempt at sedation by the mysterious figures apparently posing as the senior staff, it becomes apparent to me in rewatching that O'Brien is in fact tragic in this episode. Quite tragic. For as we learn upon his arrival at Parada, he is in fact the only person not as they seem. He's a replicant, put in place by the Paradan government to disrupt the peace talks in some unknown way, but he looks and feels human. "Some even think they are human." He has a plan, but he's unaware of it. A sleeper agent, that's what he is, and the real O'Brien was recently found.

The dialogue here feels a little forced compared to the rest of the episode, clearly written for us viewers a little too noticeably. Even still, the shock of the revelation that the man we've been following for the entire hour is not O'Brien, and a look back at the actions of the staff on DS9 as it all begins to make sense, is done masterfully. So why is this man tragic? Well, because if he'd been subdued by the senior staff rather than outwitting them with his mechanical finesse, he may have avoided the fatal shot fired at him here in the last scene. There's no telling if he'd been programmed not to self-destruct at a certain time or som esuch, of course, but there's no implying he certainly would have.

In a connection to "Armageddon Game", the replicant O'Brien's last words speak a desire to have someone (in this case, the real O'Brien, oddly) tell her he loves her. It's a connection because while dying in the previous episode, he wanted Bashir to do the same; sure, it's a weak connection, but it's quite noticeable when you watch these two back-to-back. And perhaps it's by far the most fitting to ask none other than his true form to tell the woman; certainly the message will get delivered.

In case you're just joining us, I thought "Whispers" was terrific. No sooner do I proclaim one episode to be the best total standalone yet than this one flies on in directly afterward. While it's not without a couple of hiccups such as the unintentional humor of the dinner scene and the for-your-benefit word choice of some of the finale, this is an extraordinary episode that really delves into a character and then flips him – and us – on our heads with a ridiculously powerful finisher. Don't take my word for it: watch this one.

Rating: 9/10

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Well then. I might change this answer tomorrow but for now I'll say:

Necessary Evil - You've already covered this one. Stepping beyond what Trek had done before, introducing tension between two main characters, the layers and layers of subtext.

The Wire - Garak is my favorite character and this is where he goes from being a harmless enigma to a dangerous and developed character with more depth than Harry Kim ever had. Watching Bashir naively trying to follow Garak's stories before realizing that he's never going to hear the truth, but decides to save him anyway, is great. Meeting Tain for the first time is a delight as well.

The Jem'Hadar - All season we've been hearing about the Dominion, a vague power that seems to pull the strings in the Gamma Quadrant. Here we see their teeth. It's amazing that such a great episode starts with a little science survey camping trip with banter between Sisko and Quark, but ends with a new power revealed, a Galaxy class Starship destroyed, and a long, long summer for first-run viewers.

Great choices, no doubt. I'm looking forward to both "The Wire" and "The Jem'Hadar" quite a bit. So true about the last one. I do recall its beginning and its ending, and they just seem so incredibly different from one-another. What a trek for one little episode.

Necessary Evil - nothing more to be said.
Whispers - Absolutely brilliant, the best of "Twilight Zone-Trek".
Crossover - The mood they manage to create in this one is completely engrossing. That and all the over-the-top characters makes it both riveting and super-fun.

"Crossover" is one of the other episodes I'm super-excited about, alongside the two I covered in the other response and "Blood Oath" and "The Maquis" two-parter. It's interesting to note that so many of the better-received episodes of the season got shoved toward the back end. Kind of like the producers knew they had some recurring gold and wanted to bombard viewers with it for fear that they might not return once TNG was off the air, which of course it was signing off around then.

 

[Kira Nerys]

It been awhile since I have caught any of St.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

It been awhile since I have caught any of St.

With a name like Kira Nerys, you must be fairly busy.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

2x15
"Paradise"

"That's the first core behavior I've seen from you since you arrived."
"Core behavior? Does that chapter come before or after sexual procurement?"
-Alixus and Sisko

Often-maligned and even looked down-upon by the production staff, "Sanctuary" was an episode I expected to hate. Imagine my surprise, then, when I found an episode that although I had some problems with it, all told I found fairly decent.

Sisko and O'Brien get the spotlight this episode, with a round or two of Kira and Dax for good measure. The two men are discussing some things of note -- Sisko getting Jake involved in an internship with O'Brien since obviously the prodigal son must want to join Starfleet (more on that next week) and O'Brien going on about the ever-popular pastime subject of Setlik III. Soon enough, they stumble upon a human colony and, surprised, decide to investigate. Of course, things go horribly wrong when they discover they can't leave the colony, but surely all these isolationist nature-lovers will put their minds to ease.

We soon learn the leader of this back-to-basics community is a rather strong-willed woman by the name of Alixus. I'd like to address one of my chief concerns about this episode immediately: it never quite settles on its portrayal of this woman and her beliefs, and the people that follow her. I'll openly admit I'm a liberal, which here in America is kind of like being a liberal in other parts of the world; the long and short of it is, I can sort of see where Alixus is coming from in her writings on 'modern humanity'.

Then again, Star Trek has always done its best to show a mostly-utopia within future humanity, so I'm not totally sold on her stuff. But even disregarding that, we go from Sisko finding her fascinating to her harsh methods and eventually the revelation that she orchestrated the crash to build a primitive culture, and everything in-between, and... somewhere along the way, we as viewers really lose touch with what exactly the writers were trying to say, here. This might not be such a problem on other sci-fi shows, but Trek has usually tried to say something with its plots, and here we have something ripe for the picking but in the end there's just this very odd inadvertent neutrality on the matter, or... something.

It appears quite likely I won't be maintaining structure with this review, so I'll continue to jump around. See, that's the thing: thematically, jumping around is exactly what "Paradise" does, and it does so to its own detriment. I never got a feel for what the writers were trying to state with the settlement. In the end, when it's discovered Alixus had indeed arranged for the group to crash on this lovely little world, everyone gets chill with the idea fairly quickly. Punishing her for her actions is all well and dandy, so she's taken with Sisko and O'Brien when they inevitably escape. But there's this big 'partial redemption' speech in honor of Alixus in the final scene, where the villagers explain that she's given them something terrific and they don't intend to leave. This is all well and good, I guess, except to paraphrase the girlfriend upon getting around halfway through the episode, every other time Alixus speaks:

"Bitch!"

And then, to paraphrase her during the final scene:

"No! Someone needs to slap her! Sisko, O'Brien, Joseph, Cassandra, someone. Slap her!"

And lastly, to paraphrase her when the credits rolled:

"That would have been a 10/10, but that bitch needed to get more severely punished than that. She was such a... a... bitch. Why the hell were they all so happy in the end? Stupid."

Two things of note: yes, she's more immediately expressive with her thoughts than I am; and yes, I'm also concerned about her reaction to the fate of the Female Changeling in the series finale...

Since we've long since abandoned natural progression in regard to coverage of events, I'll go over some things I really liked. Sisko's scenes where he refuses to change out his uniform are simply incredible. I figured he wouldn't do it, but when he very nearly crawled out of Alixus' structure and put himself back in the punishment box, it was very moving. I also enjoyed Dax's 'rope trick' with the runabouts, O'Brien's brief foray into the world of Die Hard toward the end, much of the acting behind Alixus' character (not so much the unevenness of it) and the two children staring, bewildered, in the final shots of the episode after four people beam away from the farming colony.

So what kind of score do I give an episode like "Paradise"? It had such a promising premise, if we could at least look past the oddness of such a fundamentalist group existing in the first place. It had plenty of good scenes and strong characterization, but it also punched itself in the face too many times toward the end. What we're left with is a battered, beaten episode that somehow managed to keep me entertained from start to finish, even if by finish I was more entertained by my girlfriend's ranting than anything. So, "Paradise", I won't race to rewatch you anytime in the foreseeable future, and you've got some ugly, ugly pimples. But you're alright.

Rating: 7/10

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

2x16
"Shadowplay"

"Could you turn into a loaf of greenbread?"
"I suppose I could."
"Show me."
"And let you gobble me up? I don't think so."
-Taya and Odo

Let's get down to the thick of things this time: "Shadowplay" juggles several plots, and each one is a joy to watch. The problem isn't any particular plot so much as it is the act of juggling. I can only imagine that the writers thought of three distinct things, none of which they felt justified an entire episode, so they sandwiched them together and hoped for the best. And what does that sandwich taste like? Well, it's got too many things on it but nothing is sour. Various flavors, each of which perfectly serviceable, add life to the bread but the trouble is, they don't go together very well so the attempt at meshing winds up an annoyance. It's like someone said 'let's make a tuna, roast beef and veggie patty sandwich' and for whatever reason, the other person agreed. Except not, because that would be terrible and "Shadowplay" isn't terrible. It just... you know, forget the sandwich thing, this is falling apart. Going back to the original analysis, it's juggling that messes everything up. Every plot is solid, but going back and forth all the time makes things sloppy.

Anyway.

Odo and Dax are in a runabout together in the Gamma Quadrant, and nice dialogue between them ensues. This is notable primarily due to the lack of exchanges between them so far. They have pretty decent chemistry for a pairing which barely ever shows up. Soon enough, they detect omicron particles, which are quite rare, on a nearby world. Of course they go to investigate, and of course when they arrive stuff is whack. The villagers have been disappearing lately, which is certainly a problem. There's also the fact that not one of them has apparently ever left a certain rather small radius from town, nor do they seem to have any remote desire to do so.

What works here is Odo. Not that the rest of the ordeal isn't passable, although the rather routine discovery that everyone is in fact a hologram (except one man, who made them all) and the technobabble-heavy solution is perfunctory and hardly compelling. But Odo brings something delicious to the table and I'm damn glad he was involved here. Originally he'd gone with Dax in hopes of tracking down more information on his people. While this teaser is nothing more, it does give him the opportunity to develop a friendship with a little girl, er, hologram of a little girl, which is genuinely moving and insightful. Odo is 'looking for his parents, too', as he puts it, and it's very well-done. Of equal note is the surprising talent of the girl's young actress, Noley Thornton. I was floored by her performance, considering she was all of eleven years old at the time of filming. Their scenes together are a real treat. Odo opening up like this is a rarity, and that's why his stuff with Lwaxana (fun fact: spellchecker tried to replace her name with 'relaxant'... yeah, right!) back in "The Forsaken" was so gripping. This is a very different kind of thing, of course, but it's got the same basic beauty: when Odo lets someone in, Auberjonois' brilliant acting never lets you down.

Oh, and look at the time. That's a third reference to the Dominion. Apparently the man who created the village and masquerades as he does comes from a world conquered by them. So we learn a little more about this mysterious organization, we get another glance from main characters at the mention of their name... good stuff.

To sum up my feelings on the A-plot, I'd say that if Odo hadn't tagged along, I might have been largely unmoved. Yet he's here, and he's wonderful here, so suddenly it's good. I still maintain it's all a bit too perfunctory, but it's good.

Now for the other plots, which also work but keep invading at awkwardly-chosen times and just feel disconnected majorly. Kira and Bareil are strong together; I'm aware a lot of people think otherwise, but I don't have a problem with them. Their scenes are decent; I think the writing isn't stellar or anything, but the acting on the parts of both characters in question makes up for any misgivings. I do have to say, though, that their first kiss is hilariously hokey. I mean, seriously. Who kisses like that? I felt very strange sitting there, watching them clearly attempting to devour one-anothers' heads. I hope Bareil is okay, because Kira is fierce, you know. If he doesn't watch out, he'll be missing a few limbs. It was like Klingon courting, but less violent and without the Klingons. (Spellchecker tried to replace that word with 'ducklings'. Yeah, right!) Just... weird, man.

Lastly, the Jake thing. I kind of loved this, and I'm glad it was understated and an oh-so-rare C-plot instead of getting overdone because someone thought it needed an entire episode. Of course, I will still complain that the pacing between everything was faulty, but it was solid despite that. It's such a middle finger to all the boring The Next Generation scenes where Wesley is beaming because Starfleet Academy is on the horizon. Not that there's anything wrong with wanting to join, but it's just so obvious it's hardly compelling television. That Jake just isn't interested is a delightful twist. And using my retrospective binoculars to scope out as-yet uncharted territory, I know full-well that Sisko Junior's trek toward journalism is a fun ride, even if he does get sort of forgotten in the last year of the show. You know, I didn't have a father figure while growing up, but if I did, I wouldn't mind it being Benjamin Sisko. He's so cool with his son not wanting a career in Starfleet, and instantly realizes he was wrong for assuming otherwise. What a guy.

So what's the deal, "Shadowplay"? You've got it going on, and it's going good. But you juggled too much and dropped your balls somewhat. You could have used some serious editing, but you come out pretty well for yourself anyway. You're a flawed but fulfilling episode, and I tip my hat to you.

Rating: 8/10

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Got three more reviews pending. I really need to get back to doing them one-by-one, but the girlfriend insists we watch multiple episodes before I can stop.

This is a good thing... mostly.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

2x17
"Playing God"

"You've got the station. You've got the voles. By the way, their mating season begins in about six weeks..."
-Cardassian officer

Hey guys, remember last week's episode where I told you that everything worked, but it all came together weirdly and the idea that merging stories together in a hodgepodge was totally whack? Well, meet "Playing God", except I'm not even sure things worked quite as well this time.

Dax gets a fountain of good character backstory in this episode, and that's always a plus. We soon learn she's been assigned a 'Trill initiate' by the name of Arjin. Initiates come by the thousands every year, but there are only so many symbionts available, and it's most Trills' lifelong passion to get one of those slugs in their bellies, so naturally it's a tough job market. Dax is legendary for the shear number of rejections she supplied as Curzon, so Arjin is understandably nervous. In a great scene early on, Arjin's initial meeting with Jadzia (who constantly reminds him she's a different person from Curzon) comes when he finds her playing tongo with Quark and his Ferengi employees. Thrown off from the get-go, some decent chemistry and strong writing beautifully illustrates the young man's (and later Jadzia's) plight in all this.

Meanwhile, a nasty infestation of Cardassian voles -- horrendously ugly creatures with a thing for chewing wires -- is being dealt with. This makes for an alright B-plot; it doesn't have much of anything to do with the Dax story (apart from, I don't know, straw-grasping but... Dax is 'playing god' with Arjin and everyone else is 'playing god' with the rodents?) but it doesn't, pardon the pun, infest the A-plot too badly. There are some funny scenes involved here. Of note are Bashir's "Hamlet" joke, Sisko's changing orders as the threat grows worse, and above all else, the brief but brilliant exchange between Chief O'Brien and a Cardassian he asks for help with no favorable results.

If "Playing God" balanced these two plots and found a way to get rid of what I'm about to mention, or just move it to another episode, it would have been great. Unfortunately, a third plot (which effectively replaces the vole infestation by all directing accounts provided) soon arises: a protouniverse. For its contents, it appears absolutely diminutive, but in truth it contains a universe of much, much tinier proportions. Dax and Arjin quite literally stumble upon it in the Gamma Quadrant, refer to it as 'subspace seaweed' and from there, it begins to infest the episode (d'oh) from thereon out.

Now, it's not that the matter of a 'protouniverse' is an inherently bad one. It probably belongs on TNG before DS9, granted, but Dax is a science officer; she should have something like this to deal with every now and then. And of course since much of the focus remains on Dax and Arjin, their drama remains front-and-center frequently. It's just not frequently enough. Too much of the episode gets bogged down by technobabble and scenes featuring people not named Jadzia Dax discussing things not at all related to the core conflict of Curzon's successor and her means-well but arrogant young initiate, and her questions of self and revelations of the past. No, that wasn't good enough for some reason; we needed the whole sector (and beyond!) to face the perils of pygmy pseudo-civilizations.

I mean, I see what they were going for. I do. Sisko has to face a question of deity-playing just as Dax does. It all ties in smoothly enough with the episode title, but it's too distracting. Sisko's Borg reference is cool, but other than that the lack of screen time devoted to either major story hurts them both. And while Jadzia's decision on the fate of Arjin -- no for now, but try again, much as she herself had to deal with after Curzon flunked her -- is resolved well, the fate of the protouniverse seems hackneyed and odd. For a time it's a question of 'them or us' -- do we exterminate the potential worlds, peoples, cultures within, or do we face our own demise. Then, rather suddenly, it's decided that Dax and Arjin will simply fly through the wormhole (which, by the way, since they have to do so manually makes for some very strong special effects work) and return the protouniverse to where they found it, and that will fix everything.

And here we have the episode's greatest failure. In all the back-and-forth between the provocative intrigue of Jadzia Dax and her initiate and the protouniverse story, we never do get much of an explanation as to how moving the thing back to its origins will fix everything, and it seriously harms the strength of Sisko's reflective logs when that's all that needs to be done to solve everything. Despite all the excellent character work in the A-plot, the B-plot that replaces the original B-plot is badly-placed and confusedly-resolved.

Make no mistake: that hurts "Playing God". A lot. But like "Sanctuary", the integrity of much of the remainder of the episode is so solid that it still passes. Without the protouniverse, I might have awarded this one an 8.5 or so. Its revealing look into Trill culture and into Jadzia is outstanding. Arjin himself comes off as somewhat cocky and quite rude when he feels he needs to be, but still very likable and more than anything, believable. The shenanigans with the voles are lightweight fluff but entertaining. The protouniverse? It keeps getting bigger and bigger as the hour moves forward, and with its insidiously-injected presence comes a diminishing of score. But this is still a decent trip to Deep Space Nine, and a testament to the fact that even when the writers are smoking, they still pull things off often.

Rating: 7.5/10

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

2x18
"Profit and Loss"

"Well, some people should never be promoted."
-Garak

What a travesty. Why am I even wasting my time on this? I'm reminded every week since coming back to Trek that this is one of the worst episodes in the entire franchise. I should just give it a big, fat zero and be on my... wait, this is "Profit and Loss", not "Lace". People are allowed to like this one.

Which isn't necessarily to say that I did.

A Cardassian vessel, badly damaged, swings by good ol' DS9 with three passengers: Natima Lang and her two 'disciples', Rekelen and Hogue. They claim a meteor storm did them in, but it's soon discovered weapons fire is the culprit. We learn they're part of a movement against the Cardassian military -- an uprising which aims to shift the balance of power to a civilian state. Political outcasts intent on reform, these three mean business. This sounds like a real winner, doesn't it? Big stuff, sweeping stuff.

Too bad it's largely derailed by the unlikely choice of Quark as Natima's old flame. What begins as a harmless distraction as he courts her in his Ferengi ways, telling Odo this is the 'happiest day of his life' and such, eventually just gets too much screen time. This should be an episode first and foremost about the dissident movement, mainly because Quark's later scenes with Natima are painfully drab and entirely too melodramatic. Nevermind the fact that I have a tough time swallowing the idea that Quark could be quite like this with anyone, and I can only be thankful it's quickly established that they have a history together. If this kind of writing spawned from a first encounter, I would have thrown my arms up in frustration.

Let's cover some of this great things about this episode, though, because they do exist. First and foremost, Garak. It seems even one-time Trek writers Flip Kobler and Cindy Marcus can't get him wrong; he's just too damned awesome to screw up. Garak shares a lengthy, terrific scene with Quark early on, using metaphors strictly related to the tailoring trade to impress his viewpoints on the movement and warning the Ferengi not to get involved. Not only is this unforgettable in its own right, it also adds further intrigue to the already-very-intriguing Cardassian tailor.

Garak gets some meaty stuff throughout the rest of the episode, too, further suggesting by his actions that he has contact with Central Command back home and he's far more than meets the eye. His interactions with one Gul Toran, apparently a former rival and someone who offers him a chance to return to Cardassia, are superb. It all adds up to make Garak all the more enigmatic, no doubt prepping us for the big Garak episode coming soon to a 1994 near you.

Trouble is, what doesn't work in "Profit and Loss" really doesn't work, and that's the bulk of Quark's story from about halfway in onward. For a while I was hoping he was using Natima, considering that's just what he does with most everyone he bumps into. Eventually, I was willing to accept, albeit slowly, that he really did feel as strongly as he shows; I thought it was alright, so long as Natima's rejection angle continued. This made for some fine, fun entertainment, and I would have been okay with the inevitable change-of-heart at the end of the episode, followed by the cliche wistful glance of untold tomorrows and the credit roll. It's not my thing, but I wouldn't have held it against the episode. Unfortunately, what happens instead is rather dull and ridiculous.

Natima fires a phaser at Quark, who refuses to give her a much-needed cloaking device to get the hell out of Dodge before the Cardassians apprehend the dissidents. He won't do it unless she stays with him, because he's an ass like that, which is all well and good. When she shoots him, however, we go to commercials and then immediately upon returning, the woman makes an about-face so abrupt as to be unnerving in execution. She rushes to the man's aid, deeply apologetic, and then the two spend literally something like five minutes madly in love and spouting cheesy nothings. Not only does this ruin their chemistry in my eyes, ironic as that may sound, but it also spoils much of the hour's remainder because the two 'lovebirds' have all the coupling believability of a golden retriever and a Cardassian vole. No offense to Natima, of course; if either of them is a vole, it's Quark.

Some good scenes do continue to offer us respite; Garak's remain strong enough and Quark's ritual Odo-begging doesn't miss the mark. But at hour's end, when Natima of course leaves to continue her movement -- something that was sorely underdeveloped here in favor of a hackneyed romance -- I had a very hard time accepting that Quark was really that sad, or that I was supposed to care when it's all so formulaic and soapy. It doesn't help that Miss Lang is never seen on-screen again; I looked up her character on Memory Alpha and while she's brought back for the relaunch novels, the writers and producers of the show itself apparently had no desire to return her to Quark's 'waiting' arms.

Speaking of those 'waiting' arms, he's already citing 'feminine wiles' on the part of a Vulcan woman just two episodes from now. That's the Quark I know, not this guy, who, had he any hair, would have found it blowing gently in the Promenade's wind as he waited for his One True Pairing (TM) to return one day, from the war, and make him a happy housewife. No, I don't know this Quark.

Rating: 5/10

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

2x19
"Blood Oath"

"Of course you should come! The splendor of fighting and killing; a bloodbath in the cause of vengeance; who wouldn't want to come?"
-Kor

It's commonly considered that the last eight episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's second season are all fairly strong. Sure, there are people who disagree, and maybe I'll even be one of them. I don't know yet. But I do know this: "Blood Oath" kicks off those eight episodes in style.

I didn't grow up with The Original Series. My mom wasn't even born until it was almost off the air. To be perfectly honest, I haven't even seen most of the series. I have seen "The Trouble With Tribbles" and "Day of the Dove", both when I was a child but I remember them well enough. So the draw of getting these aging actors back to reprise their roles almost thirty years after their original episodes is not totally lost on me. Besides, I'd think it's a great concept regardless.

Quark complains to Odo about a very loud, very drunk Klingon by the name of Kor who has refused to exit the holosuite several hours past his agreed-upon departure time. In an amusing opening string of scenes, Odo has the Klingon placed in a holding cell and another by the name of Koloth soon arrives. He appears to be requesting Kor's release, but upon seeing just how drunk his friend still is, he has them remain there for the time being instead.

Things suddenly take a sharp turn toward interesting when Jadzia reveals that Kor and Koloth, along with a third Klingon by the name of Kang, are all dear old friends of Curzon's from some eighty-odd years past. Not only were the four of them close, they also vowed revenge in the form of a 'blood oath' after a nemesis of theirs in turn vowed revenge against them and made good on his word by slaughtering the firstborns of each of the Klingons, including Curzon's godson. He even did so while they were infants with a deadly virus. This is some first-rate nastiness, the kind that would get any human's blood boiling. So you can imagine how Klingons would react, and Curzon, too.

Much of the episode is dedicated to Jadzia's place in the proceedings. Thanks to Trill social customs, she has no official bearing in the ordeal; Jadzia isn't Curzon, as we're often reminded, and that concept is put to good, strong use here. She isn't Curzon, and she doesn't have to tag along now that the three Klingon Da'Har Masters have a lead on the Albino, as the decades-past murderer is known. But she has the passion of Curzon within her, and she is Dax, and damn it all, she wants to go. Two of the Klingons -- Kang and Koloth -- are apprehensive about it and Jadzia must prove herself to them while making peace with her own decision. Kor, on the other hand, is all for her accompanying them, and his line to that end is so priceless that in an hour chock-full of quotable quotes, I picked it above all others.

A riveting bat'leth duel between Jadzia and Koloth concludes with her defeat, but it's pretty close and he's one of the best there have ever been, so she certainly makes her point. Jadzia Dax may be but a young science officer, but buried deep within her memories are those of Curzon, whose proficiency with the Klingon weapon was admirable. Kang comes around when Dax presses the matter regarding his son being the one to whom Curzon was godfather, and at last the triumvirate becomes four.

All of these scenes are handled with remarkable ease by director Winrich Kolbe, and Peter Allan Fields, whose praises I have already sung on multiple occasions, continues to floor me with his gift for screenwriting. There is a very tangible tension in every scene, and Klingon drama has not seemed so interesting to me yet in my rewatches of TNG and DS9. I'm reminded of my childhood fascination with them only really existing thanks to Deep Space Nine and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, a film my late grandmother had on VHS and I watched quite often. There's just something about their portrayal here on the station near Bajor that always gets me going. It's not that I see true glory in their virtues, nor even the stylized action that often shows up when they do. They're just... fun.

And speaking of fun, I love Jadzia here. The woman is passionate, vibrant. Full of life in an episode about seeking a good death. After a gripping scene where Sisko urges her to reconsider her decision to run off and kill, and an even more powerful scene before that where she and Kira discuss the issue of murder in a very telling light, she officially runs off with the Klingons and soon realizes Kang in particular is seeking an end to his life. He was so against Jadzia coming with because she's barely thirty and he knows something the others don't -- their chances of victory are incredibly slim. And he's okay with that. This is yet another well-scripted and well-acted scene, and it becomes harder and harder for me to remember that there was a time I was iffy on Terry Farrell's acting. When given something decent on her plate, she gobbles it down like it's nothing.

The action sequences during the final act are solid, especially for the earlier, less-flashy years of Deep Space Nine. The music is surprisingly good and the production design, ambitious. Seeing Jadzia put her science officer training to ample use while surrounded by bat'leths-blazing old Klingons is almost as much of a joy to watch as the late John Colicos' ceaselessly entertaining shenanigans. I'm a little disappointed that the Albino, whose fate is blatantly sealed, is taken down by Kang rather than Dax, leaving the tough moral dilemma a bit unfulfilled. But at the same time, the quartet mows down dozens of guards and I'm pretty sure anyone who gets stabbed with one of those blades isn't going anywhere, so it might be unnecessary nitpicking on my part. Besides, godfather or not, one of those infants was Kang's flesh and blood son.

The deaths of Kang and Koloth are fitting and handled with heartfelt direction, although I'd like to have seen one more scene with the surviving Kor after the massacre. Speaking from the perspective of someone reviewing a series more than a decade after it's gone off the air, I do know of course that I'll be seeing him two more times, so it's no big. Jadzia's return to Deep Space Nine is speechless, and the quiet looks given to her by Sisko and Kira say all that needs be said. This is a chilling last moment; maybe not on par with the likes of "Necessary Evil", for example, but it really doesn't have to be. It succeeds in every way, much like the majority of the episode.

"Blood Oath" is a boisterous tale of courage, conviction and finality. It blends the best Dax story at least of the first two seasons with all the blood and bravado of three Klingon war veterans. Those who can't stomach anything Klingon -- I know you're out there, I've met you -- might not find much to like about this one, but for everyone else, it's a thriller you won't want to miss.

Rating: 9/10

 

[DS9Continuing]

I'm in agreement with much of your review of "Profit and Loss" - Quark's romance with natima is one of the least convincing romances in a franchise that has never been particularly successful on that score, not helped by entirely atrocious acting by Mary Crosby (daughter of Bing Crosby, and aunt of Denise Crosby, btw).

If you want more of the back story concerning the Klingons, Dax and the albino, you might want to read Forged in Fire (http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Forged_in_Fire), which cleverly ties together so much of the TOS, movie, and even ENT backstory while telling an truly excellent story, plus explaining how K, K & K got their ridges back.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

I'm in agreement with much of your review of "Profit and Loss" - Quark's romance with natima is one of the least convincing romances in a franchise that has never been particularly successful on that score, not helped by entirely atrocious acting by Mary Crosby (daughter of Bing Crosby, and aunt of Denise Crosby, btw).

If you want more of the back story concerning the Klingons, Dax and the albino, you might want to read Forged in Fire (http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Forged_in_Fire), which cleverly ties together so much of the TOS, movie, and even ENT backstory while telling an truly excellent story, plus explaining how K, K & K got their ridges back.

Would you believe I actually have that link up in another tab already?

I saw a link to it on the "Blood Oath" page, I think, and immediately I was intrigued. It's on my must-read list now.

 

[DS9 Gal AZ]

Yeah, definitely wasn't feeling Quark's so-called 'romance' with Natima... god, it was so cheesy.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Yeah, definitely wasn't feeling Quark's so-called 'romance' with Natima... god, it was so cheesy.

It really was. And so blatantly out-of-character with what we've seen to this point. Which I get is kind of the point in a way, but it isn't convincing. Less convincing still is Natima's turnabout.

 

[InklingStar]

Yeah, definitely wasn't feeling Quark's so-called 'romance' with Natima... god, it was so cheesy.

It really was. And so blatantly out-of-character with what we've seen to this point. Which I get is kind of the point in a way, but it isn't convincing. Less convincing still is Natima's turnabout.

I noticed you didn't mention in your review that the entire episode was an homage to the classic film Casablanca. This exposes a problem with adapting a story to existing characters, that is, sometimes the characterization just doesn't ring true. In some ways Quark is like Rick (a bartender in the middle of an alien culture) but in other ways he is completely different (willing to give of himself for a past love knowing he will get nothing in return, not even her love.) I can see where they were going with this one, but it's too sloppy to be a truly good episode.

Blood Oath though, is quite awesome. One caveat I have is that it seems to weaken Sisko's authority. He orders Jadzia not to go, and then gives her a very stern look when she comes back. That's all?

If you're reading Memory Alpha you'll know that the Cardassian that O'Brien talks to about the voles is none other than Gul Evek, who will be seen again in DS9, in TNG, and even in the premiere of Voyager. Interestingly enough the next time O'Brien sees him will be when Evek is arresting him. I love continuity.

Shadowplay: If you've watched TNG recently you'll remember Noley Thornton as young Clara, the girl who summons an evil imaginary friend in the episode of the same name. If you've watched Enterprise recently you'll remember an episode with nearly the same plot, made all the more obvious when Rene Auberjonois guest-stars. Anyway, back to the episode, treasure the moments when you see Odo smile. They are so rare.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

I noticed you didn't mention in your review that the entire episode was an homage to the classic film Casablanca. This exposes a problem with adapting a story to existing characters, that is, sometimes the characterization just doesn't ring true. In some ways Quark is like Rick (a bartender in the middle of an alien culture) but in other ways he is completely different (willing to give of himself for a past love knowing he will get nothing in return, not even her love.) I can see where they were going with this one, but it's too sloppy to be a truly good episode.

You're right, I neglected to mention that. I got caught up along the way in thinking about how it just didn't work very well for Deep Space Nine. Good point.

Blood Oath though, is quite awesome. One caveat I have is that it seems to weaken Sisko's authority. He orders Jadzia not to go, and then gives her a very stern look when she comes back. That's all?

I see your point, but I think there's a rather blatant shake-up in Sisko's command structure when it comes to Dax. Her former host was his mentor; she gets away with calling him 'Benjamin' all over the place. It's different. If it were anyone else, I'd have a problem with it, too.

If you're reading Memory Alpha you'll know that the Cardassian that O'Brien talks to about the voles is none other than Gul Evek, who will be seen again in DS9, in TNG, and even in the premiere of Voyager. Interestingly enough the next time O'Brien sees him will be when Evek is arresting him. I love continuity.

Been watching TNG alongside DS9, and we're a tad uneven in our ensuring the original air dates line up, but we saw him in "Journey's End" recently and again in "The Maquis", which is next on my slate of write-ups. That's right, though -- he's in "Tribunal". It's been so long since I've seen Voyager that I didn't realize he was also in "Caretaker". Good stuff.

Shadowplay: If you've watched TNG recently you'll remember Noley Thornton as young Clara, the girl who summons an evil imaginary friend in the episode of the same name. If you've watched Enterprise recently you'll remember an episode with nearly the same plot, made all the more obvious when Rene Auberjonois guest-stars. Anyway, back to the episode, treasure the moments when you see Odo smile. They are so rare.

Yep, good actress. I read about Auberjonois noticing the similarities for his Enterprise cameo on Memory Alpha. And yes, they're delicious all the more so for their rarity.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

2x20
"The Maquis, Part I"

"I'm glad to see you had no trouble finding us, Ben. It seems that one disaster after another keeps bringing us back together again."
-Calvin Hudson

So, we've finally arrived at the formal introduction of the political group largely created with Star Trek: Voyager in mind. While a thousand Trekkies could argue for a thousand days and a thousand nights about whether or not the Maquis in the Delta Quadrant live up to the potential provided in their setup, I'd rather just stick with the Deep Space Nine presentation. Which is good, because as I recall, they're done quite nicely back home in the Alpha Quadrant, anyway.

Building on events recently developed in The Next Generation's "Journey's End", the construction of a Demilitarized Zone between Federation and Cardassian space and the signing of a treaty to that effect is causing quite a bit of harm in the name of peace. Various colonies once belonging to both sides have now found themselves on the opposite end, and so everything many of the colonists have known is thrown aside when they're told to abandon their worlds or find themselves in Cardassian space, abandoned by the Federation, or vice versa. TNG had already made it known that this matter was not going to be a simple one, shoved under the rug; "The Maquis" two-parter goes a long way toward furthering that sentiment.

The Bok'Nor, a Cardassian freighter, is stationed at Deep Space Nine; we see a quick shot of an apparent Starfleet maintenance officer tampering with something, then we see the Bok'Nor exploding as it departs the station. Probably one of the more effective teasers in the show's run as of yet, this likely got folks going back in 1994 for the simple fact that it looks like that's a human fiddling around with things and quite possibly responsible for the destruction of the ship. In the Federation utopia of the earlier 90's Trek seasons, this would have been a big shocker. Oh, almost an aside, Kira and Dax have a conversation played for humor about one Captain Boday before all this goes down. I'd leave this out of the review were it not for the recurring mention of said captain later on in the series.

The investigative scenes that play out for some time thereafter are handled well, with enough character and impact to avoid the dreaded Trekkian Technobabble Overload (TM), a common disease among Starfleet officers and their allies which spreads quickly with no known cure. It's been known to contaminate entire episodes, killing them with the merciless vigor and determination of a Heisenberg compensator and a cross-phasic Baryon sweep combined. It can even derail reviews with frightening accuracy.

Thankfully, the dialogue in "The Maquis, Part I" is recognizable even throughout these proceedings.

More interesting than anything Dax or O'Brien discover, however, is the sudden arrival of some much-needed backstory (and, soon enough, character development) for Sisko in the form of Lieutenant Commander Calvin Hudson, an old friend we've never heard of played by the talented Bernie Casey. In true form to anyone Sisko knows, Dax must know them too, and indeed Cal was friends with Curzon as well. There's a very foreshadowing line here when Hudson tells Sisko he wished it didn't take a disaster to bring them together. The recent loss of Hudson's wife goes a long way toward explaining how he could find himself making the kind of stand we later learn he's made, and the chemistry between Brooks and Casey is top-notch.

A web of complex intrigue continues to spin, one of Deep Space Nine's many hallmarks of excellence shining brightly today. The man who sabotaged the Bok'Nor is abducted, but not before we see him consorting with a Vulcan woman, who Quark soon takes a strictly selfish interest to. (That's the Quark I know, not some love-starved twit.) The woman, Sakonna, soon reveals that what she desires are weapons of all kinds, and Quark, not the sort to deal in such a trade directly, acts as the middle-man he loves to be. The scenes between Quark and Sakonna, the Ferengi and the Vulcan, are highly successful because they're played for all the laughs they're good for and really highlight the array of differences between the two cultures, while still somehow maintaining a degree of respectable similarity through analogy and metaphor.

The arrival of Gul Dukat into the slow-cooker is all the more welcome as Marc Alaimo delivers his A-game yet again. Here in "The Maquis" is where the multifaceted, brilliant relationship between Dukat and Sisko is truly born, and we see more into Dukat's character in just the first episode than we've seen thus far. Here, he's boldly three-dimensional, and he shifts from calm, coy and collected to crisp, chiding and cunning as quickly as he pleases. And yet this is that same demon we saw in "Necessary Evil", that same devil who was last prefect during the Occupation. Everything the writers do here works: from his arrival to 'assist Sisko in house-cleaning', to his gradual proving to Sisko that matters in the Demilitarized Zone are out-of-hand, to the little revelation that the man has seven children. If the chemistry between Brooks and Casey is respectable, the chemistry between Brooks and Alaimo is extraordinary, and no doubt the production staff saw this.

All this talk of characters and chemistry, and so little on the story. Dukat arrives to bring Sisko to the DMZ, but en route, the pair witness a conflict between a Federation merchant ship and Cardassian vessels which ends in disaster despite Dukat's attempt to prevent it. They soon arrive at the Volan system, where we meet the character of Gul Evek, who makes several franchise appearances around this time, once again. He is Hudson's Cardassian equivalent, an attache to the Demilitarized Zone for their side of the game. Also present are influential people across the formerly-Federation colonies shaken by the recent treaty, and it's heated. Hudson is present as well, and in a variation of the classic 'court room angst on all sides' angle, things go harshly for everyone involved. And then we learn a startling fact: a full confession of a Federation terrorist responsible for the bombing of the Bok'Nor, the man apprehended on the station. He also just so happened to have 'killed himself' afterward. Very Cardassian.

A fight breaks out, and when it's over, Sisko and Hudson are alone and share their best scene of the episode. Hudson is adamantly anti-Cardassian despite his position, because in spite of it he's seen the truth. The Cardassians are far from cordial with their new, formerly Federation guests, and the real grip to this scene is the fact that Commander Benjamin Sisko, Starfleet, is trying desperately to see a Federation utopia angle here and fixate on that, but Lieutenant Commander Calvin Hudson, Starfleet, is making him realize that things are deadly serious around these parts and the Federation hasn't done a damn thing about it. This is imperative to the success of Sisko's character in part two, but obviously we won't get into that just yet.

There's also a blatant continuity error in the script here, where Sisko states that not long ago, the Cardassians were secretly shipping weapons to a Bajoran extremist group via a third party, the Yridians. He is, of course, referring to the events of the season opener, but it wasn't the Yridians the Cardassians were working with. Funnier still is Hudson's response: "That sounds about right." No, it doesn't! I feel it necessary to subtract about a half-point for making such a mistake, but in the grand scheme of things this error is nothing but a piece of trivia.

Sisko and Dukat continue to steal the show despite terrific Sisko/Hudson pairings, reminding us endlessly that above all else, "The Maquis" is the best Benjamin Sisko story up to this point. In particular, Dukat's 'don't give me your Federation holier-than-thou dogma' line strikes true; it's like the sharp, biting blade of a dagger just slashed its way into Jean-Luc Picard's beating artificial heart in order to remind us viewers that no matter how much of a paradise Earth may have become, there will always be conflict, always animosity, somewhere. Anywhere. It's the core of Deep Space Nine's human element in a lot of ways, and its first real incident is here in season two. More on that paradise thing later...

And then there's the Sisko/Kira scene soon after that. This is certainly one of their best. Not only does it highlight the marked differences between them, but it also continues the beating into Sisko's head that these dark times are probably justified. And that no one is completely sacred, or above such violence. Sisko is the perfect captain (well, commander at this point) to go through these things, because when first we meet him he's already lost his wife in a bitter struggle. He's already darker than the rest. When Kira calls the Federation 'even more naive than she already thought it was', and Sisko doesn't do a thing to defend it, this really rings true. Feel that, Picard? I'm sorry, buddy, and I love you, and I'm gonna let you finish, but someone just stabbed you again. Hard.

Dukat gets kidnapped, Sisko gets bitched at, Kira and Odo bicker, Sisko goes guns-blazing to find The Maquis and... bam, the last piece of the episode and Hudson's a Maquis leader. The relevance of his previous statement to an old friend comes full circle here, when he notes that one disaster after another is what's bringing them together. We're left on quite the cliffhanger.

Yes, I really liked "The Maquis, Part I".

Rating: 9/10

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

2x21
"The Maquis, Part II"

"On Earth, there is no poverty, no crime, no war. You look out the window of Starfleet Headquarters and you see paradise. Well, it's easy to be a saint in paradise, but the Maquis do not live in paradise. Out there in the Demilitarized Zone, all the problems haven't been solved yet. Out there, there are no saints -- just people. Angry, scared, determined people who are going to do whatever it takes to survive, whether it meets with Federation approval or not!"
-Benjamin Sisko

This is one of those 'like he was going to use any other quote' moments.

Capitalizing on everything part one had to offer, "The Maquis, Part II" is a roaring, sweeping political tale with plenty of heart.

In a nice cliffhanger, it was revealed that Sisko's old friend Cal Hudson is a prominent leader among the ranks of the Maquis, and that he'd been using his Starfleet commission secretly to that end. In the opening scene, a beautiful style is employed. You can tell that Hudson takes violence very seriously. That he's still a man of principle. Awkwardly, he and Sisko try to maintain a friendly repertoire for the sake of all their past years together. It's a little painful to watch, because our beloved commander's struggle with Hudson is dramatically done to the point that you really feel his loss.

A recurring theme of the episode begins here, when Hudson hands Sisko his Starfleet uniform. This is obviously a hugely symbolic move, and that move haunts Ben for the remainder of the hour. He'll attempt to give it back on numerous occasions, hoping in vain his friend will rethink his actions while wrestling with the very reasonable, understandable 'enemies' that are the Maquis and the moral and ethical implications to that end. These are not all-consuming Borg. These are former Federation citizens, many of which are human beings just like Sisko. This is the kind of conflict your 2360's parents told you would never happen.

Sisko wants Hudson to see reason. Hudson wants Sisko to see reason. Cal is hoping for Ben to join him. To let the Maquis use Deep Space Nine for its strategic placement and such. Ben, of course, will have none of this and wants Cal to drop the act and join him in a more legal investigation into the claims that the Cardassians are fueling their colonists for war. It's all one big stalemate, and, seeing that, Hudson has Sisko and the others knocked unconscious. There will be no agreement here.

Soon enough, Sisko's back on the station and a Cardassian Legate is en route to meet with him in an hour, preempting his request to speak with Central Command. Admiral Nechayev is already here, preempting his request to speak with Starfleet, too. The tension in their scene together is noteworthy, as is Nechayev's distrust in Odo's ability to run security. More on that soon enough, as I recall. A vitally important beat here comes when Sisko is forced into making a choice: to reveal his dear friend Cal Hudson's involvement with the Maquis or to rather blatantly break Federation policies and omit that little detail. His decision not to speak of it is the first of several times in the series in which Benjamin Sisko does something really anti-Starfleet. This is not a man you want on the opposite side of a war, folks.

Nechayev's departure, coupled with Kira's entrance and a very frustrated, torn and jaded Benjamin Sisko and his masterful monologue all comes together to form the best scene in the entire two-parter. Sisko's 'Earth as paradise' allegory is one of the strongest moments in the series' seven-year run. The passion in Avery Brooks' acting meets the raw power of Ira Steven Behr's clever teleplay to create a soaring performance. And it's only just the one monologue and a brief, blunt Kira. But it's the best thing Sisko's been given yet, topping even his terrific exchanges during the Bajoran trilogy.

One good scene after another. Quark's in a holding cell, much to Odo's pleasure of course. Sisko confronts him about his involvement in the Maquis woman Sakonna's weapons-smuggling activities, and makes him get to work on assisting his crusade through the ambiguous shadow war at hand. The bit that's truly memorable here is, when Odo asks the commander how long he should be keeping Quark detained, Brooks delivers the quip 'forever' terrifically. In an episode that's dark and dreary, and challenges our assumptions about the rosy future of Roddenberry's dream, we can count on getting some laughs, too.

The Cardassian Legate, Parn, arrives with an obvious barrel of lies from Central Command. Covering up their likely-true treaty-breaking practices in the Demilitarized Zone, some opportunistic Cardassians (really, that's a bit redundant) are now implicating Dukat, painting him the rogue who is taking matters into his own hands and providing the Cardassian colonists with a means to fight their anti-Federation battles. Deliciously enough, as soon as Parn departs, seemingly convinced his schpiel is successful, Sisko and Kira immediately tell one-another they don't believe it for a second and proceed from there.

There's just too much in this episode well worth bringing up. Fast-forwarding quite a bit, it's worth attention that Alaimo's Dukat continues to excel, and in a delightful scene after his rescue where Federation guidelines simply don't get the group where they need to be going, his takeover of communications with a smug alien harboring clues bears the fruit of an arrogant, powerful Cardassian at his finest. One line sticks out with me for all the wrong reasons:

"I'm not just any Cardassian. I am Gul Dukat, Commander of the Second Order."

It sticks out because in my mind because immediately upon hearing it, I half-expected him to claim himself holder of a sacred chalice.

Sisko goes to Volan once again, a plan with Dukat playing the detective and Sisko, the warrior in place to find the depot with Sakonna's weapons stockpile and prevent a massive conflict now underway. After an ultimatum is delivered for the people there to hear, Hudson returns with another spectacular line:

"A very rousing speech, Ben. I suppose my best rebuttal would be to kill you."

I'm telling you, if it weren't for Sisko's famous 'paradise' speech being in this episode, it would have been a lot harder to pick a quote.

The recurring attempts of one Benjamin Sisko to make Hudson accept his uniform return here full-force as a reply to the threat. Hudson once again refuses; this time he even vaporizes the thing. Dukat delivers the goods -- the depot is found and the battle to prevent a war begins. The lines are drawn, and in an inevitable 'twist', Sisko and Hudson find themselves the leaders of opposite ends of the encounter.

The three runabouts at this point in service on Deep Space Nine all work together to combat two Maquis ships, and I love seeing them all at once. The conflict is played out in the best form of early seasons of DS9 and their space battles: lots of gritty characterization with a few shots of the fight thrown in for good measure, focusing first and foremost on the people inside these tools of war. I enjoy the recognition that the Maquis aren't necessarily at a disadvantage due to be outnumbered. They're used to the odds game being firmly in their opponents' favor already. For once we see the 'never tell me the odds' trope on the other side, and it really hammers home who these people are, and who they'll become.

In the end, Sisko simply can't bring himself to kill his friend, and Hudson escapes, much to Dukat's fierce chagrin. It's only a shame Bernie Casey never returns to play the great foil of Hudson again in the future, and looking at the teleplay for the episode, it's apparent there was at one point intent to make that happen. But it's a small enough thing; other Maquis will take his place at the forefront -- one in particular, ironically enough whose eventual presence on the station is alluded to here.

"The Maquis" is outstanding, and the second part raises the bar that much more than the first. I would say "Duet", "Homecoming" and "Necessary Evil" are still stronger episodes, but it's a damned close call when they're all given the highest possible score. I simply can't recommend this episode enough.

Rating: 10/10