Move Along Home

[Qonundrum]

But it really didn't really make me uncomfortable. The action in the game was bland. It was similar to playing Pong or some cheap 80's video game. It reminded me of TOS episode The Empath.

It reminded me more of 1960s Doctor Who in some ways. The action the four pawns had to partake was passable, but the Quark scenes were where the real action was at, since he's thinking his acquaintances are in real danger - and it clearly got to him, with quite a bit of depth put in by Armin. (After TNG, DS9 really took some steps and the Ferengi would finally start to be treated decently, which Armin set the ball rolling on. )

And at least the Wadi games were a bit more innovative than just taking any contemporary game show and plonking it into the episode. But in the 1990s, apart from "Studs!" what game shows were there... eww... well, there's "Jeopardy" but that would really be boring!

I just rewatched the episode last night on a whim. It's by no means DS9's best and the ending was a little weak (the Wadi just leave as mysteriously as they arrive, and Quark waddles out in a futile attempt to get them back - okey dokey), but it's by no means season 1's worst (nor DS9's in general) episode either. And it is a great Quark-themed episode (the budding double-act between him and Odo is on full display and Armin and Rene definitely have some palpable on-screen chemistry together.)

And, yes, I might try "that song" as a ringtone. See if others pick up on it or not... every time there's a calendar alarm, the voice "shap!" is announced, that's the ticket...

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

There are some nice little character moments in this episode, Bashir's naiveté that turns into wonder, Kira's stance as an administrator and not an explorer like the others who must find it all fascinating, to which Sisko disagrees, then later her refusal to abandon them when Dax is injured. The Odo/Quark relationship is always good to see.

It's a good thing O'Brien was off the station at the time, can you imagine what he'd have to go through in the game? #obrienmustsuffer

 

[DS9forever]

Joel Brooks as Falow was great in that episode; I don't think I have seen any of his other work.

 

[NCC-73515]

I think it's the worst episode of the entire franchise, together with VOY The Fight...

 

[NovaStar]

I think it's the worst episode of the entire franchise, together with VOY The Fight...

Have you seen Threshold?

 

[Farscape One]

I think "THE FIGHT" is far worse than "THRESHOLD". While the idea of Chaotic Space is very interesting, the execution is such a garbled mess.

 

[NovaStar]

I think "THE FIGHT" is far worse than "THRESHOLD". While the idea of Chaotic Space is very interesting, the execution is such a garbled mess.

You make a good point. It's been a few years since I've seen the Fight so when I get it, I may remember how bad it was

 

[tafkats]

"Move Along Home" was sort of blah, but no worse than "Let He Who is Without Sin."

 

[kkt]

I respectfully disagree. "Let He Who Is Without Sin" didn't assault us with horrible nursery rhymes, and had quite a few good moments with Quark, Dax, Bashir, Leeta, and even Worf when he wasn't under the spell of the annoying fundamentalists.

 

[NovaStar]

I respectfully disagree. "Let He Who Is Without Sin" didn't assault us with horrible nursery rhymes, and had quite a few good moments with Quark, Dax, Bashir, Leeta, and even Worf when he wasn't under the spell of the annoying fundamentalists.

However, Worf felt so out of character for me. His jerk behavior was really uncalled for when the rest just wanted to have a relaxing time on Risa. I'm surprised Jadzia didn't beat him over the head with something for that.

 

[Lynx]

I actually like this episode.

It's exciting and a bit creepy as well. I even like the "reset" thing at the end because it's an unexpected twist in the tale.

I also like Falow because he's a dead ringer to a person who was my neighbor for some years. This person wasn't a Star Trek fan but I showed the episode for him and we used to joke about it many times, in fact we still do.

This episode also have a special story for me because back in 1997 my local station aired DS9 for the first and only time. In fact those jerks only aired season 1 which is one of the reasons that it took me so long before I've watched the whole series.

Anyway, the night when "Move Along Home" was aired, I decided to go to a rock concert and therefore recorded the episode on my Vvideo recorder. The next day when I should watch it on VHS, then it came to the point when Sisko, Dax, Kira and Bashir have realized that they are in some maze and Kira says: "Oh, no. I'm sure all you Starfleet explorers find this fascinating, but I'm a Bajoran administrator. This is not what I signed up for. "

And there the screen goes blank, or actually gray which lasted for the rest of the episode!

I checked my video recorder, nothing wrong with that. Then I found out that there had been some technical problem at the local station which had shut off the TV airing for that evening.

I did write to the company but got only a blah, blah blah reply, sort of "oh we are sorry for the inconvenience but we have no plans for airiing the episode again. Maybe in a future re-run of the season" and so on. It's been more that 20 years and they stil haven't started that re-run, in fact they didn't even air the rest of the series.

Some weeks later I went to a local store which was renting out video tapes to see if I could find a tape with the episode. They had some DS9 but not "Move Alog Home". So I borrowed the first Voyager episode instead since I hadn't watched that series yet and gt hooked on that series. But that's another story.

Anyway, some months later I bought "Move Along Home" on a VHS tape and finally watched the episode. I liked it then and still like it!

Allamaraine

 

[UnknownSample]

The game was not boring, you know why? Because Quark started to think life and death were involved. It doesn't matter what the game really was. We see inside Quark for the first time, and we find out that when it comes down to it, he isn't totally callous and cynical, as it looked like he probably was until that point. I have to start appreciating that more, as I find out more and more how callousness is the world's default state.
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Only Quark matters here. The rest does weaken the story. I suppose all the wanderings around inside the game were totally a red herring. You could say the lameness of the game itself creates the air of tension and dread that Quark responds to. If these guys are acting so grim and serious over a light, meaningless game, weak unentertaining entertainment, then they're up to something! So the fact that it was a bad game served that purpose, but afterward we do wonder why they all bothered, the Gamma aliens.
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I don't want to talk myself into liking this one, but maybe I am. It's like they set up the story for the sake of a good moment with Quark, but the set up isn't good enough and is annoying to watch. I think my negative impression of DS9 for a while came from Kira's pathetic blow up, something like "I did not sign up for this!!!" I think it was unclear where they were going with the character, and she just didn't know how she was supposed to play it. So she went overboard...

 

[JoeCabby]

I enjoyed it as well.

Except for allamaraine.

 

[Zander]

I watched Move Along Home after someone recommended it to me as a "fun" episode of ST. Overall I enjoyed it for several reasons:
- the psychology of how people cope when thrown into an unexpected and rather bizarre situation.
- it's a real-life board game. How cool! Ok, it's not the most elaborate game environment but the show has limitations for what is possible due to set cost, episode running time, and being made in the 1990s. I would still play it!
- Quark's pleas. "Pleeeeaaaasssseeee... pleeeeeaaaaassseeee!" Hahaha! Such great acting from Shimerman!
- the ususal Quark and Odo tension which is always fun to watch.

I see a common criticism of episodes like this is "they were never in any real danger (so the episode is pointless)". But isn't it true of every episode of Star Trek? They're never in any real danger because they're fictional characters and main cast aren't going to die unless they've been written out of the show. They're always perfectly safe (no matter how many horrible things happen to them ).

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I think "THE FIGHT" is far worse than "THRESHOLD". While the idea of Chaotic Space is very interesting, the execution is such a garbled mess.

It's a Chakotay episode, so it's always going to be a bit of snoozefest.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

They should've named the new documentary "Move Along Home."

 

[UnknownSample]

I watched Move Along Home after someone recommended it to me as a "fun" episode of ST. Overall I enjoyed it for several reasons:
- the psychology of how people cope when thrown into an unexpected and rather bizarre situation.
- it's a real-life board game. How cool! Ok, it's not the most elaborate game environment but the show has limitations for what is possible due to set cost, episode running time, and being made in the 1990s. I would still play it!
- Quark's pleas. "Pleeeeaaaasssseeee... pleeeeeaaaaassseeee!" Hahaha! Such great acting from Shimerman!
- the ususal Quark and Odo tension which is always fun to watch.

I see a common criticism of episodes like this is "they were never in any real danger (so the episode is pointless)". But isn't it true of every episode of Star Trek? They're never in any real danger because they're fictional characters and main cast aren't going to die unless they've been written out of the show. They're always perfectly safe (no matter how many horrible things happen to them ).

God forbid they should step outside the formula! I'm very sick of the formula so many are attached to. Is mortal danger the only interesting or dramatic thing? Isn't the surprise, finding out they're not in danger, a great thing? It's a big universe, full of so many amazing experiences to have, and we're addicted to the problem-of-the-week and stopping the villains from killing them?
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Aren't there interesting experiences in life without danger? I'm glad when a show dares to avoid that formula. However, none of this makes Move Along Home good!

 

[Bad Thoughts]

God forbid they should step outside the formula! I'm very sick of the formula so many are attached to. Is mortal danger the only interesting or dramatic thing? Isn't the surprise, finding out they're not in danger, a great thing? It's a big universe, full of so many amazing experiences to have, and we're addicted to the problem-of-the-week and stopping the villains from killing them?
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Aren't there interesting experiences in life without danger? I'm glad when a show dares to avoid that formula. However, none of this makes Move Along Home good!

I agree that I don't find the absence of danger to be a compelling critique. The episode focused on playing and gaming, where there is clearly no danger. The problem I find in the episode is that actors don't seem particularly invested in the story--with the exception of Visitor, who seems overinvested.

 

[seigezunt]

It takes a truly sophisticated mind to appreciate the subtleties of this episode. I feel sorry for those who can't understand it.

Oh, who am I kidding? It's silly as hell.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I think it was a great idea for an episode. They just failed to make the game interesting.