My DS9 Rewatch Odyssey

[Farscape One]

Given how many balls were juggled on the air, I still say DS9 had an excellent writing staff. One aspect of their arcs not making the best sense doesn't negate ALL the rest of their wonderful stuff.

I will say DS9 had the most stable writing staff of all the shows. That does help keep things in line and going right.

 

[DonIago]

I wonder whether opinions of DISCO would be any different if they hadn't had the level of writing staff turnover that they've had.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Given how many balls were juggled on the air, I still say DS9 had an excellent writing staff. One aspect of their arcs not making the best sense doesn't negate ALL the rest of their wonderful stuff.

I will say DS9 had the most stable writing staff of all the shows. That does help keep things in line and going right.

Despite dropping a few balls, DS9 got a did a lot of long term development better than most serialized shows today. PTSD is a common staple of shows today, but it is always over the top, with characters we barely know, without any subtlety. Nog's PTSD came after six years of methodically developing his character. It wasn't just something he suffered from; PTSD struck at his sense of self. There was lots of nuance and sensitivity. Nog wasn't a madman who couldn't hold it together.

If the writers did not always do well with details, they more often than not got the characters right.

 

[fireproof78]

I told my wife about this question, and she adds her own...


DS9 - Bareil. He died for peace.

DS9 - Damar. He died for the freedom of his people.


I'm in agreement with her.

These two always get me, especially with Damar's development.

Other deaths in the franchise that hit me: Tomlinson, Robau, George Kirk, Spock, David, Dax. Character deaths are always a difficult balancing act in their handling. Some work well, and some don't. I never ascribe to the idea that I need to know a character, as in they have long screen time, multiple episodes, to move me. That sells the experience quite short in my opinion. I mean, I remember tearing up with the security officer in "Day of the Dove" because it was, as Yar's death, so random but in the line of duty. Kirk's comment was equally potent.

Given that it was 1982 with no other productions in the making, and a sequel was only hinted at, it's very much a credible death.

Exactly. All appearances were that Nimoy was done with Spock as a character and his death would likely be final, and if Spock came back it wouldn't be the Spock that had been known.

But, regardless, that scene still gets me. His passing in Beyond also gets me. I never understood the whole "Well he's not permanently dead so therefore his death has no meaning." Like, really? Spock's choice to walk down there and save the ship, not knowing he would live isn't moving?

That's like the movie logic of Mortal Kombat. "Johnny Cage doesn't do his own stunts so he should go do a death match!" WTF?

All the prophets had to do is tell Kai Winn to burn the book (back when she was willing to do anything to win their approval) and... problem solved. Something tells me that these gods are not as smart as they seem...

Probably not. I mean, they get confused by linear time so the idea of cause and effect is probably something that isn't fully comprehensible to them. This is why the Prophets and Pah-wraiths never bothered me. They are aliens, so weird is fully expected, and kept deliberately ambiguous for a reason. Probably an unpopular opinion but I thoroughly enjoy Dukat post Pah-Wraith, as well as the whole Fire Cave showdown.

 

[ananta]

“IMAGE IN THE SAND”

Tried to come up with a “Yo Mama” joke to caption this...but I failed. Suggestions?

And so, the final season begins—not with a bang, nor a whimper, but more of a confident click. I don’t actually have a whole lot to say about “Image in the Sand.” Feeling rather like the middle act of a play, it does a decent job of picking up various strands from the sixth season finale, while adding a few new ones and setting up not just the following part’s climax but also much of the trajectory for the season to come.

The most compelling thread is definitely the Sisko plot. It’s set on Earth, with Sisko having spent the past three months moping around his father’s restaurant, mourning not only the death of Jadzia but also the loss of the Prophets and his confidence in himself as both the Emissary and a Starfleet officer. What sets the story in motion is a vision from the Prophets of a mysterious face in the sand. This, of course, sends Sisko into one of his ultra-obsessive quests and he soon unearths a whole lot more than he expected, including some deep, dark family secrets.

What could have descended into tacky soap opera stuff is actually highly enjoyable and intriguing, helped immensely by the gravitas Avery Brooks brings to his performance and the marvellous, heartwarming chemistry between the Sisko men. I’m always delighted to see Brock Peters return, and this may be his finest performance yet. We end up with an impending quest to unearth the “Orb of the Emissary”, although Jake’s suggestion that perhaps it didn’t go black like the other orbs and that it might defeat the pah-wraiths is a huge supposition on his part (and one that turns out to be entirely true, of course). It’s compelling stuff, although every time I watch this episode I’m always left shrugging and wondering where the heck Tyree is and why it’s referenced as though we ought to already know of its existence. I mean, that desert in Sisko’s vision surely could have been any number of planets.

The dramatic high point of the episode is, of course, the shocking moment when Sisko is stabbed outside the restaurant by a member of the pah-wraith cult. It’s an unnerving and traumatic scene, undone only by the fact the very next shot has Sisko fully recovered and ready to put the experience behind him. It’s still interesting to see that not ALL Bajorans are quite as homogenised as we’ve often seen in the past. I’ve always wanted to see more diversity on Bajor and some indication that not all Bajorans think and behave the same way; that some may be atheists and others might adhere to different religions. While the pah-wraith are as basic and archetypical a villain as you can imagine, it’s interesting to see their affect on Bajor and the ripples caused by their cult.

The B-plot takes us back to the station, commanded by the now-promoted Colonel Kira, who’s also given herself a makeover to boot. There’s not a lot to say about this story, which largely consists of repetitive scenes of Kira being surprised at how personable and seemingly un-Romulan-like the newly appointed Senator Cretak is. Of course, it’s not long before Cretak shows her true colours and that duplicitous Romulan streak is laid bare. It’s basically all setup for the next episode, but it’s great to see Kira back in badass mode as she barges into Admiral Ross’s meeting and demands the Senator remove her stockade of weapons on the Bajoran moon.

Our final plot thread deals with Worf’s grief over Jadzia—and, as it transpires, his anguish that she hasn’t made it to Sto-Vo-Kor. I do find it improbable the Klingon afterlife runs an “equal opportunities” admittance policy when it comes to other species, and I’m not altogether convinced Jadzia would WANT to spend eternity there, but there you have it!

While this provides some much-needed follow up to the tragic events of “Tears of the Prophets” I’m afraid that, like that previous episode, it falls rather flat for me. Vic’s appearance is even more gratuitous and forced than in “Tears” because while I can understand Worf might get hung up on a song Jadzia loved, I have no idea why he had to go to the holosuite and Vic’s lounge to hear it. Don’t they still have Spotify in the 24th century? This scene fails because, for a start, we’ve no idea WHY we’re hearing this song until later in the episode, and secondly, Michael Dorn’s performance just doesn’t quite sell it. If that had been Rene Auberjonois sitting there, emoting like hell through his mask, I daresay it would have been an altogether more heartbreaking moment. But, alas, the scene and the entire plot failed to move me, and I’m speaking as someone who loved Jadzia. I just didn’t feel the emotion or conviction. While you could argue that it’s been three months since Jadzia’s death, so most of the crew should largely be over it by now, I nevertheless expected to feel devastated, and instead the aftermath of her death felt weak and strangely emotionless. All we really got were a few scenes of Worf being grumpier than usual, although I did like the idea of everyone embarking on a dangerous mission to honour her memory.

On the whole, “Image in the Sand” is a low-key yet proficient start to the season. It suffers from the fact it’s basically all setup with no real payoff, but it’s generally a compelling and entertaining hour. The writing also feels somewhat refreshed following the season break; for there’s a clearer sense of focus, confidence and assuredness that was sorely lacking at the tail end of the previous season. Things end, of course, with the arrival of one Ezri Dax in an understated and beautifully intriguing cliff-hanger. But I’ll discuss that in the next review. Rating: 7

 

[Trekker09]

Very nice recap…I loved seeing Sisko at the piano in the restaurant - would like to have heard him play the rest of Thelonius Monk’s “Round Midnight.” Go Avery!
About Worf listening to “All the Way” to mourn Jadzia - at least it’s not Klingon opera.
Stovokor is probably the last place she'd want to end up.
Strange they name the planet the same as Kirk's old friend Tyree.
Much as I admire Brock Peters’ acting, I wish they’d found an actor who looked more like Brooks.

 

[Farscape One]

Excellent review, as usual.

Nothing I can really add. Except I had a theory years ago about Worf's quest... we might all be getting it wrong.

It's not just about getting Jadzia into Sto'vo'kor, but assuring she is there makes it much more likely HE will see her when he dies. I think it speaks more about his loneliness than anything else.

A quiet opening, but it just shows that DS9 is that confident in itself. A 7 is fair, and I'm with you on it.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

The tone of the episode doesn't bother me. I think that this should have been a three-parter: there are simply too many things going on.

I loved seeing Sisko at the piano in the restaurant - would like to have heard him play the rest of Thelonius Monk’s “Round Midnight.” Go Avery!

I loved the suggestion from The Orb podcast that Sisko should have had a piano in ops, and he could have been playing while the crew came to talk to him. And he could have worn funky hats as well.

 

[ananta]

It's not just about getting Jadzia into Sto'vo'kor, but assuring she is there makes it much more likely HE will see her when he dies. I think it speaks more about his loneliness than anything else.

That’s really insightful, I love it! I do wish the writers had gone into the psychology of it a bit more, perhaps exploring issues of the afterlife and why this is so important to Worf. If they’d included what you said here, it would have really added a great deal of emotional resonance to it.

I loved the suggestion from The Orb podcast that Sisko should have had a piano in ops, and he could have been playing while the crew came to talk to him. And he could have worn funky hats as well.

That’s hilarious, I love it! I’d so have been here for that

 

[ananta]

“SHADOWS AND SYMBOLS”

You don’t have to be crazy to work here, but it helps.

“Shadows and Symbols” brings this season-spanning trilogy to a close and, while it’s been a bumpy and uneven ride, I’m happy to say that things end on a high. Ira Behr and Hans Beimler’s script adeptly balances all the plot elements and builds to a genuinely exhilarating finale, while Allan Kroeker does a superb job on the directorial front. In fact, this is hands down the strongest episode of DS9 since “In the Pale Moonlight”. While certainly not on that episode’s level, it’s nevertheless an engaging, intriguing and ultimately rewarding hour. That said, I do think that “Image in the Sand” and “Shadows and Symbols” may have worked better as a single, feature-length episode rather than a two-parter.

The episode begins by introducing us to our new Dax, Ezri, so that’s where I’ll begin as well. On the whole, I thought the character was well introduced and Nicole deBoer immediately charms with an engaging and amiable performance that subtly recalls some of Jadzia’s mannerisms while establishing a very different tone of character. It’s interesting to see Dax go from confident, assured and comfortable in her own skin to...well, basically a neurotic misfit. Fortunately, she’s also rather endearing (although the space sick gag decidedly less so). Alas, if there’s any disappointment it’s that Avery Brooks lacks the chemistry with deBoer he enjoyed with Terry Farrell, and I expected more emotion upon Sisko meeting his third incarnation of Dax. I guess Ben was preoccupied with his mission to Tyree, and then, when they get there, he slips into full-blown whack-a-doodle mode. Still, I liked the way Ezri’s presence didn’t dominate the episode but rather added to it. I think my biggest complaint is the closing scene where she reunites with her old comrades on the station (seemingly forgetting the Trill reassociation taboo, I might add) and her first words to Worf are an offhand, dismissive “Worf, we need to talk.” Geez, given that her last memory as Jadzia is dying in Worf’s arms, you’d think she’d have a little more emotion at seeing her former husband again. I know the writers are going to explore the relationship more fully in the following episode, but it’s still a monumentally insensitive moment. Worf’s reaction is wholly understandable.

Onto the plot/s! The main storyline features Sisko’s obsessive quest to find the Orb of the Emissary. It makes for an entertaining romp and is bolstered by a surprise call-back to last season’s “Far Beyond the Stars”. Revisiting Benny Russell was a genuine surprise and works extremely well, with Benny furiously scribbling the entire story of DS9 on the walls of an insane asylum. As enjoyable as it is, this storyline doesn’t bear a huge amount of scrutiny. Coincidence abounds, and we’re never quite sure why there’s a Bajoran orb buried in the desert on some alien planet, and why it contains a Prophet who requires someone to open the orb in order to shoot toward the wormhole and destroy the Kosst Amojan Pah-Wraith. I guess you could surmise that the Prophets foresaw all this happening so set the whole thing up in advance. But, really, why was Sisko even necessary when all he did was open a box. Couldn’t anyone have done that? In fact, couldn’t the Prophet have slipped through the crack or something? As I’ve said before, I do like the mythology of two battling races of extra-dimensional beings, yet I can’t help but think Ira Behr and co have only sketched out the barest of outlines. There are some cool ideas—the quest for a previously unknown orb and the Pah-wraiths trying to stop Sisko with a false vision—although the way the orb magically resets everything is just a little too...I dunno, easy.

(Another nit: how did Kosst Amojan go from being forced out of Jake’s body in “The Reckoning” to being stuck within the statue that Dukat broke open in “Tears of the Prophets”?)

The revelation that the Prophets arranged Sisko’s birth wasn’t all that much of a surprise to me given the way the series was going. The ethics of how they did it, however, certainly raise an eyebrow. Basically, they possess a woman named Sarah, get her to hook up with Joseph Sisko and make sure that she becomes pregnant and gives birth to baby Benjamin, before discarding her (and we find out that she evidently died of an accident not long after, which made me wonder if it really was an “accident”!). Sucks to be Sarah, huh? The Q truly have nothing on these guys. I also wonder why they needed their Emissary to have Sarah’s specific DNA? What difference does that make? Why couldn’t they have chosen the child that would likely later have been born of Joseph and his subsequent wife? This is kind of LOST-style storytelling in which each new revelation comes with a dozen new questions, most of which never receive answers.

Nevertheless, by restoring the Prophets, Sisko gets his mojo back and returns to the station with Ezri in tow. Before I move on, one particular disappointment I had with the storyline was the way poor Joseph was sidelined. I felt rather sorry for Brock Peters being dragged along on the location shooting (it looked uncomfortably HOT, as DS9 location shooting often is) only to deliver two short lines of dialogue at most. Given this is the final time we see the character, I feel he was short-changed. It’s only natural that Ezri would receive primary focus, but it’s sad that it was at the expense of the delightful Joseph Sisko.

The B-plot features Kira in true badass mode, taking a stand against both the Romulans and Admiral Ross as she blockades the moon of Durna. It’s a nice acknowledgement that Bajoran interests may not always align with Starfleet interests, a conflict we’ve never really seen since the early second season and the Circle coup. It’s great fun to see Kira at her passionate, resilient and obstinate best, back to defending her world against (potential) alien oppressors with Odo supporting her every step of the way, not so much as a security chief, but as her lover and best friend. Thanks largely to Nana Visitor’s fiery performance and the brilliant directing of Allan Kroeker, which elevates the entire episode, these scenes are nicely tense, even if the outcome is never really in doubt. I rather wish we’d seen more of Senator Cretak (although if I recall she does make one more, recast appearance by the end of the season), as it would have been interesting to where her relationship with Kira went after this.

The final storyline features Worf’s mission to earn Jadzia a place in Sto’Vo’Kor. There’s not a whole lot to this, and some of the special effects are surprisingly disappointing, but it’s enlivened by sparky, engaging characterisation, with Quark nabbing all the best lines. Again, I felt Jadzia’s death was shortchanged in general, and I wasn’t particularly moved by any of this, but it’s decent enough and provides Worf with some closure—at least, until he gets back to the station, that is.

“Shadows and Symbols” is an episode that definitely picks up the pace. It has a lot to do in the space of forty-five minutes, but it does so admirably, on the whole. While certain story elements feel a little arbitrary and sketchy, it’s executed with such panache that I can forgive a fair bit. Ira Behr and Hans Beimler deliver one of their tightest, wittiest scripts in considerable time, and Allan Kroeker’s directing is perfect, cultivating a superb sense of pace and rhythm that culminates in a truly exhilarating climax. On the whole, I’d consider this a fairly strong start to the season. Rating: 8

 

[Trekker09]

Excellent review and very witty. Yes, the Q have nothing on the Prophets, the way they're acting -!
So, the way to get your wife into Klingon heaven is to destroy an enemy shipyard in her honor…. Kinda surprised Quark goes along with this.
The handwriting on the walls was real, the art staff copied scripts from an early draft of the DS9 Companion.
Loved Casey Biggs as the mental hospital doctor…. the baseball playing a crucial part in locating the orb... Admiral Ross’ decision inspired by Kira’s bluff.
Ezri was the only available Trill to accept the symbiont, just as Kira was the only available female to accept the O’Brien fetus…no choice was involved. DeBoer did an excellent job, though it doesn’t replace Jadzia.
So now Sisko is part Prophet as well as Emissary…isn’t it a bit strange the Prophets chose a human woman as mother rather than a Bajoran?
Anyway a really strong episode.

 

[DonIago]

As we never get a literal translation of Kosst Amojan, that I'm aware of, I've always assumed that the three(?) Pah Wraiths we've seen to date are never the same one twice.

 

[oldtrekkie]

Great review! I personally enjoyed the episode, or more precisely the two-parter. It's much better than the two episodes that follow.

One would think that the holosuite is a place where you can break anything you want without consequences. I always find it weird that they can't put everything together with one order to the computer... I think they went a little overboard with the Vic character, he may be sentient (in the world of Startrek that is) but surely his musicians aren't... Anyway, I still found that episode to be enjoyable and I guess Worf breaking furniture was necessary to set up his next move.

 

[oldtrekkie]

Regarding the prophets and all that we have to accept the idea that we're in a world of fairy tales where things happen because of "magic" and not because they are making sense. I could make a hundred objections to the whole pah-wraith... saga without breaking a sweat but that would be pointless... Let's say that things are what they are because that's how they are and leave it at that... Open Sesame... and all that...

 

[Trekker09]

Ananta wrote,
how did Kosst Amojan go from being forced out of Jake’s body in “The Reckoning” to being stuck within the statue that Dukat broke open in “Tears of the Prophets”?

Good question…The writers could have made an effort to connect the dots. Even black magic needs to make some sense!

Memory alpha admits that Kosst Amojan could refer to a single entity, or to the whole group of PahWraiths.

I liked how Sarah’s face in the sand resonated with long-buried truth--Joseph keeping the secret of Sisko’s birth mother -- and to the orb in the desert. Guess it could only be opened by Sisko himself.

 

[ananta]

“AFTERIMAGE”

“So, Garak, I’m looking for some feedback. How would you rate my counselling skills?”

“Where, exactly, do you want me to BEGIN...?!”

“Afterimage” is a necessary episode; one that deals with the veritable can of worms opened by the arrival of a new Dax. It certainly covers all the right bases: Ezri’s justified hesitancy at returning to her old life, the eeriness of revisiting the place she (or, rather, Jadzia) was killed, her uncertainty over over her future and the difficulty of forging new/old relationships and, in particular, dealing with Worf. Unfortunately, however, the execution is sorely lacking, rendering this a dull, tepid episode that rarely transcends the inherent predictability of its beats.

Just how successful Ezri is as a character is a matter of personal taste. I know a lot of people love the character and some even prefer her to Jadzia. I’m on the fence. I greatly miss Jadzia but I do find Nicole deBoer an engaging and amiable presence and a good addition to the cast. My main objection is basically the fact the writers chose to introduce a brand new character in the final season and then devote a significant chunk of that season primarily to exploring that character, much to the detriment of the rest of the cast. Frankly, I’ve been pissed about this for over twenty years! Whereas Ezri gets three entire episodes devoted to her (four, if you include the god-awful Mirror Universe episode), many of the rest of the cast barely get a look in. Poor O’Brien doesn’t get a single episode this year and Jake practically ceases to exist. The writers are basically like kids with a new toy and they all want a shot. It doesn’t help that most of the Ezri episodes are pretty damn poor, and also the fact Jadzia didn’t get a single non-Worf focused episode for the entirety of her final two seasons, which also adds insult to injury.

Anyway, back to the episode at hand. In all honesty, I found “Afterimage” a struggle to get through. It simply isn’t very engaging and is, on the whole, actually quite boring. There’s a great deal of dramatic potential in the idea of a host being wholly unprepared for joining with a symbiont and the resultant trauma that causes. Alas, Ezri’s struggle isn’t nearly as compelling as it ought to be and I didn’t feel the episode had a strong enough dramatic core. It’s kind of soap opera stuff and, sadly, the writing, performances and directing are all a little sub-par by the show’s usual high standards.

There are some good moments, such as the scene in the temple and some effective interaction with Worf, who at times runs the risk of being unlikable, although his anger and confusion is certainly understandable. But I do take exception to some of the characterisation and writing. For a start, it’s understandable that Sisko wants to have another Dax around, but I don’t actually think being on the station is really in Ezri’s best interests. As we know, Trill are bound by a reassociation taboo which strongly discourages a new host from going back and simply living out the life of the previous host. Given that Ezri is already struggling with mental health issues, it hardly seems the healthiest environment is somewhere not only on the frontlines of an interstellar war, but a place where she experienced a traumatic death and must deal with a crew who are clearly finding it awkward dealing with a new incarnation of a deceased and beloved friend. Just being around Worf is clearly and understandably difficult for her—and even more so for him. I truly think it would have been in best their both interests to get some space between them in order to heal.

But, no, Sisko manipulates Ezri into doing what he thinks is best including convincing her that she doesn’t even need to finish her counselling training in order to qualify as station counsellor. Hello? It was made abundantly clear in season one that Jadzia never coasted on her symbiont and earned all her qualifications and status on her own merit. There was none of this, “what can I learn now that I haven’t already learned in the past seven lifetimes?” It’s also staggeringly offensive to counsellors and people in the psychology profession! It’s almost as bad as the assertion back in season one that Keiko didn’t need any training to be a school teacher because, well, basically anyone can do it. I also have no idea why the writers thought it would be a good idea to add another counsellor to the show. The TNG writers never had a clue what to do with Deanna Troi and most of the actual counselling scenes they wrote betrayed their own lack of understanding when it comes to psychology. Unfortunately, Ezri would not be a whole lot better and the counselling we get to see in this episode is obvious in the extreme.

This is also a rare episode where I have to criticise some of the acting. As I’ve said, Nicole deBoer is an engaging actress, but she overdoes the “cutsey” mannerisms here, with some of her expressions and reactions seeming almost cartoonish. I didn’t feel she quite managed to carry the episode, but, then, the writing and directing weren’t at their best, either. Acting-wise, the moment where Ezri breaks down into tears is particularly painful to watch (for the wrong reasons).

Ordinarily the presence of Garak immediately elevates an episode, but this, sadly, is perhaps his weakest outing yet. While Andrew Robinson is always watchable, and has some excellent moments—particularly during Garak’s scathing indictment of Ezri (and I loved his description of Jadzia, by the way)—there were moments his performance felt overly histrionic in a way that only Avery Brooks ordinarily (just) gets away with. I found the panic attack scenes horribly ineffective and poorly directed. Whereas Benny Russell’s breakdown scene in “Far Beyond the Stars” gets criticised by a number of fans, that was a moment that moved me to tears. Robinson really goes for it here, but rather than being moved, I was actually quietly cringing. Yup, while there’s the kernel of a good idea here—specifically, Garak’s unconscious conflict over essentially “conspiring with the enemy” of his people—the execution is just forced and obvious.

Anyway, that’s about all I can say about this one. When all is said and done, it’s a necessary episode, I just wish it had been better done. The writing is by-the-numbers at best, Les Landau’s directing is sub-par, and even the performances aren’t strong enough to hold things together. It’s not a bad episode per se; it does what it sets out to do, it’s just far from compelling. Rating: 5

 

[ananta]

As we never get a literal translation of Kosst Amojan, that I'm aware of, I've always assumed that the three(?) Pah Wraiths we've seen to date are never the same one twice.

I guess. I always assumed Kosst Amojan was the name of a particular Pah-wraith. But maybe it’s just a generic term for Pah-wraith?

One would think that the holosuite is a place where you can break anything you want without consequences. I always find it weird that they can't put everything together with one order to the computer... I think they went a little overboard with the Vic character, he may be sentient (in the world of Startrek that is) but surely his musicians aren't... Anyway, I still found that episode to be enjoyable and I guess Worf breaking furniture was necessary to set up his next move.

I never thought of that. It’s strange the way the trashed holosuite is treated on a par with a trashed hotel room when it could effortlessly be reset in a flash.

Regarding the prophets and all that we have to accept the idea that we're in a world of fairy tales where things happen because of "magic" and not because they are making sense. I could make a hundred objections to the whole pah-wraith... saga without breaking a sweat but that would be pointless... Let's say that things are what they are because that's how they are and leave it at that... Open Sesame... and all that...

Good point. I’ve come to realise that DS9 is less sci-fi and tech-based that the other Star Trek series. It’s more of a character-based space opera with fantasy overtones. In a way it’s good they didn’t feel the need to insert reams of technobabble to explain every last element. But, yeah, you just have to accept the genie-in-a-bottle type storytelling and roll with it.

 

[Trekker09]

Fine review...this statement stood out for me--

My main objection is basically the fact the writers chose to introduce a brand new character in the final season and then devote a significant chunk of that season primarily to exploring that character, much to the detriment of the rest of the cast.

I agree. ..The writers made Ezri childlike, timid and confused, pretty much the opposite of Jadzia’s personality-- and I can’t help thinking the extended focus on her was a way of punishing Terry Farrell for leaving.

 

[oldtrekkie]

Fine review...this statement stood out for me--

My main objection is basically the fact the writers chose to introduce a brand new character in the final season and then devote a significant chunk of that season primarily to exploring that character, much to the detriment of the rest of the cast.

I agree. ..The writers made Ezri childlike, timid, and confused, pretty much the opposite of Jadzia’s personality-- and I can’t help thinking the extended focus on her was a way of punishing Terry Farrell for leaving.

I don't know. Telling a good story was IMO way more important to them ( and to keep their jobs) than taking petty revenge against one actor. They did what they thought was best for the series (now that it was missing one of the original cast) and I personally like Ezri, I think she's a breath of fresh air compared to all the other members of the main cast. Her doubts, her frailties, her nonconformism... all contribute to make her a very interesting character. For instance, I don't think Jadzia would have dared to say to Worf that the Klingon empire was dying and deservedly so.

 

[ananta]

I doubt the writers were intentionally trying to get back at Terry, I think they just got sidetracked. I resented it, though, because these were characters I’d come to know, love and feel very attached to. I don’t think things needed “freshening up”. Unlike TNG, this season was the last time we’d ever see these characters again and I do feel precious time was wasted on too many mediocre, inconsequential Ezri stories. The will-they-won’t-they hookup with Worf was rather a blight on the closing run of episodes, but that said, I agree with OldTrekkie that her conservation with Worf about the Empire in “Tacking Into the Wind” very nearly made up for it.