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Why is this all a problem? Pretend it's 1993. You're a TNG Fan. DS9 doesn't interest you. You sampled those one or two episodes, like I said earlier, then you checked out. So now Q's making a guest-appearance, and you decide watch it. Then he's pointing out all the reasons he thinks "DS9 sucks!" If I'm only a TNG Fan, if Q's my guy, then I'd be agreeing with him; thinking, "Yeah! This show sucks!" Then I'd tune out out again. If you want to hook TNG fans onto DS9, don't have a character from TNG constantly putting them down. Have them in a story that shows them at their best.
If I may, I'd like to push back gently against the notion that this episode was a hedge against wavering support among TNG fans. I believe the episode would have already been in the can by the time Emissary aired. Indeed, the original story was approved and script ordered before filming Emissary: it was one of the scripts needing major retooling when the writers realized that the pilot diverged significantly from the characters as presented in the series' Bible. Obviously, Berman and Piller wanted a series that used the assets of TNG, so bringing back characters, effects, models, and storyline is hardly surprising. It was only with time that everyone felt that DS9 needed to be differ, thus should avoid gratuitous borrowing from TNG. Subsequently, much of the first season plays like Next Generation but on a station.
I think a better explanation is the writers' connection between the two series. Vash was Ira Steven Behr's creation. If it was any type of a hedge, it may have been one directed at keeping ISB interested ... and maybe put a little extra money in his pocket. Q may have had no business on DS9, but Vash makes sense. Her pairing with Quark was repeated several times over the course of the series, most notably with Sakonna and (to a lesser extent) Grilka. Despite being the guy who brought war to Star Trek, Behr thought of himself as a comedy writer, and if the episode lacks his pen, I think it was meant to appeal to him.
"Dax" There must have been Trill law about whether a symbiont in a new host is responsible for the crimes of the symbiont in a past host. One side or the other should have found the law and brought it to the extradition hearing.
"Dax" There must have been Trill law about whether a symbiont in a new host is responsible for the crimes of the symbiont in a past host. One side or the other should have found the law and brought it to the extradition hearing.
It's the one thing that should've been addressed in "Dax" that wasn't, but everything else was so solid and intricate that I was willing to overlook it. Especially since it allowed for the arguments presented to take place.
This is an episode where the B-story stands out to me a lot more than the A-story. There's not much to the A-story. Vantika, who can transfer his consciousness upon death, transfers his consciousness over to Bashir. Vantika-as-Bashir has associates who are up to no good who Quark assists. Eventually Vantika is removed from Bashir's body and Ty Kajada, the officer after him, shoots what's storing Vantik's consciousness. There's nothing wrong with it, but not much to say about it either.
Switching to the more interesting B-story. What stands out in this episode is the introduction of Lieutenant Primmin, who represents Starfleet Security. Primmin and Odo clash, but Sisko orders them separately to work together. Eventually they do, and they make a good team. Sisko also makes it clear that Odo is in charge of Security, to which Odo says, "I can live with that."
On the security front: This episode is an early version of three things that will happen later. 1) Later on, Odo will have work with Eddington, who he'll have to coordinate with, and that won't go over nearly as well. 2) Primmin questions how Odo deals with Quark. This is something Worf will also do, when he's assigned to DS9. 3) Kajada tries to spy on Quark and who he's dealing with, before things go wrong for her. Worf, too, will later try to spy on Quark and who he's dealing with. And then Worf's actions will screw up Odo's investigation. It's just amazing how things that will happen later are already built into the framework of the series this early on. Others question Odo's effectiveness at his job, but no one is more effective than Odo.
Two other things that stand out. One of them about Bashir, the other about Vantika-as-Bashir. In the beginning of the episode, Bashir is his usual-at-this-point boasting and arrogant self. Which would be more grating if I didn't know he gets better later on in the series. Then there's Vantika-as-Bashir. Who. Talks. So. Slowly.
I'm giving "The Passenger" a textbook 7. It doesn't get any more "7" than this. Competent episode, well structured, technically I can't really find anything wrong with it, and I like it but it didn't wow me.
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Next up is TNG's "Birthright, Part I". I don't feel like diving into something "new" like Babylon 5 at this hour. (It's 2:19 AM as of this typing). So I'll put on something I already know well instead. For those wondering: Yes. I'm an insomniac. And it's even worse during the summer when it's harder to sleep at night.
EDITED TO ADD: Thanks to "Birthright", I'll get to watch DS9 in HD!
Like I said, a chance to watch DS9 in HD! Let me get what that's like out of the way before talking about the rest of the episode. The exterior of the station looks fantastic in HD. It's too bad we can't see DS9 like this all the time. The interiors look just as good. Some of the difference might not be entirely due to HD, however. The Director of Photography (DP) for DS9 Season 1 is Marvin V. Rush while the DP for TNG Season 6 is Jonathan West. I can't put my finger on it but, other than brighter lighting, it looks like they have different shooting styles. Though certain parts of "Birthright, Part I" make it a visually unusual episode. More on that later.
Picard, Crusher, Worf, and Geordi are on DS9, talking about all the great things the station has to offer. Worf and Geordi are in the Replimat. After Geordi leaves, a Y'Ridian who sells information approaches Worf and lets him know that his father, Mogh, might still be alive and that the Romulans captured him on Khitomer along with several other Klingons.
It's already interesting enough to see Worf on DS9 before he'll join the crew in "The Way of the Warrior". What's even more interesting is that you can see DS9 Worf shine through in this episode, even though it's TNG. He's not taking any of the Y'Ridian's shit, grabs him by the equivalent of his collar, and says he'll kill the Y'Ridian if he's lying. A second time, when Worf pins the Y'Ridian on his back against a railing on the second story of the Promenade, it looks like the exact same type of shot that will be used when Dukat pins Garak against that railing in DS9 Season 5's "In Purgatory's Shadow".
Later on, Worf is furious and in denial. He doesn't want to believe that Mogh could still be alive, because it's the Klingon Way to die instead of be captured. Not only that, but it would bring dishonor to Worf's family for three generations. Worf is truly conflicted, because he can't deny the possibility that his father might still be alive. When giving advice to Data, who saw a vision of his own father, Worf finally realizes that he must find out about his father no matter what happened or will happen. In this we see that Worf values doing what he thinks is right over "honor". I think he views his honor as superior to what other Klingons consider to be honor after his experiences in "Sins of the Father", "Reunion", and "Redemption", a.k.a. The TNG Klingon Trilogy (which I'll review here later on, right before DS9 Season 4). This is something we'll see later on in "The Way of the Warrior" when Gowron threatens to take everything away for Worf, but Worf will still do what he thinks is right anyway. Worf can't be forced into submission through fear.
Now for the Data side of the story, and I'll begin that... by talking about Dr. Bashir! Bashir's best episode so far this season was in a TNG episode! Go figure. Here he's not boasting, bragging, chasing after women, or putting his foot in his mouth. Here, he wants to utilize the Enterprise's medical facilities, and that's when he meets Data. Bashir notices that Data is more personable than he expected (take notes, Pulaski!) and Data offers to continue Bashir's experiment in Engineering. This is when Bashir also asks Data about his hair, notices that he has a pulse, and that he breathes. All things that Data says most people don't normally ask him about. So, Bashir is being portrayed as more curious than the average person, which would fit someone of his intelligence. This is the way to portray Bashir!
Through technobabble TNG reasons, something with Bashir's experiment goes "wrong", and then Data ends up in a dream state for the first time. He sees a bunch of images, and the camera gets to do a ton of fancy angles. Low angles, high angles, there must've been a crazy platform to rig those shots. Then, after Data "wakes up", he begins painting images from what he saw in his dream, then extrapolates from those images to include paintings of images that weren't in the dream but were inspired by them. As a Picard Fan, I kept my eyes peeled for anything that could've passed for a painting of Dahj, but all the paintings were specific to Data's part of this episode. So, he probably made that Dahj paining shortly afterwards. But anyway... Data wants to recreate the accident that led to him ending up in a dream state. This next part doesn't have to do with DS9, but I want to talk about it anyway.
When Data goes back into his dream state, it looks like an Omni Movie. If you don't know what those are, an Omni Movie is what you see in a Dome Shaped Theater. The screen is like a gigantic semi-circle, you're seated right in front of it, and it's like you're really there. They have an Omni Theater in the Museum of Science in Boston, which I've been to several times. I'd love to see Data's dreams that way! The camera movements make it look like you're flying through the inside of the Enterprise, finally ending up on the Enterprise bridge. On the bridge, the set is decorated with Data's paintings and he gets to see Dr. Soong as a young man. Soong tells Data he's proud of him for reaching this developmental state. Then the camera goes in motion once again, until it goes outside of the Enterprise and we see the ship surrounded by the Cosmos. This is great stuff, visually. Especially to see on a Projector and in HD.
Data's inspiration to paint what he saw in his dreams is something I share in common with Data, just not through painting. I've written, directed, and edited two independent films of my own. I'll get into them as it makes sense to go into them. But that isn't the point. What's relevant here is that one day I want to make a short film that's based on my dreams. I've written down all the wild, crazy, wacky dreams I've had over the past 40 years, looked at what they've represented and symbolized, and I've tried arranging them in some sort of order that makes sense, and one day I want to shoot it... when it's feasible for me to. It's definitely not now. But Data's not the only one driven to create art that was inspired by his dreams. So, in this regard, I view Data as a sort-of kindred spirit.
Back to Worf. After Worf agrees to let the Y'Ridian take him to where Mogh supposedly is, and the other captured Klingons from Khitomer definitely are, it's clear they did some location shooting. The greenery is very lush, and there are very slow tilts and pans that give you a sense of the landscape. Eventually, Worf is discovered. He finds out that Mogh really did die on Khitomer, but the Romulans don't intend for him to leave. "To Be Continued".
Picard Wisdom of the Episode, when he's giving advice to Data: "You're a culture of one, and a culture of one is no less valid than a culture of one billion."
That's all I have to say about this episode. Even though the rating I give this episode isn't going to be averaged in when I look at DS9 Season 1 as whole, I'll rate it anyway. I give this episode a 9.
Next up is Babylon 5's "The Gathering", then "Birthright, Part II" (might as well), then it's back to DS9 with "Move Along Home". After that, I'll already be half-way through the season!
Six days later. Sorry, I did not mean to take this long, but Babylon 5's "The Gathering" was a LOT to take in.
I have to credit JMS for not underestimating his audience and having faith they'd be able to take in everything he threw at them. DS9 had it easy. Most of the concepts there were already introduced in TNG with separate episodes devoted to introducing each of them. The Bajorans, the Cardassians, the Trill, the Ferengi. The groundwork for Sisko's backstory was already laid down in "The Best of Both Worlds". Whereas in B5, they just introduce EVERYTHING to you all at once and throw you right in. I can see how having a one-year gap between the pilot and Season 1 would've benefitted everyone. Time to take it all in, watch it several times if they recorded it, and adjust.
Where do I begin? I'll begin with the comparisons between Deep Space Nine and Babylon 5. What's similar, what's different. Going over the characters in detail and reviewing "The Gathering" itself, I'll save for the space I'll put in Spoiler Code.
First, the age-old question: Do I think Deep Space Nine is a rip-off of Babylon 5? No. I don't think it's a rip-off. There are some similarities, but they're very superficial, and the some names are the same, but it doesn't mean the characters are the same. The execution of similar concepts couldn't be more different.
Now for the comparisons that aren't spoiler-y:
DS9 used model work for most of the time, while B5 used CGI. I don't know if what I watched on Amazon was the original CGI or if it was upscaled, but it looked pretty good for 1993. I bought into it.
For the interior shots, B5 looks older-fashioned and more realistic than DS9. The sets in B5 look more lived-in and not as clean. They remind me of a cross between Star Wars and Alien. I think JMS was looking at examples of successful space operas besides Star Trek when creating Babylon 5. The computer graphics look like a cross between Alien and Blade Runner.
The actors who play Human (or basically Human) characters don't have as much makeup applied to them on B5, so they look more "real" instead of "perfect". The alien makeup for characters with speaking roles is very good. The alien makeup for background characters not so much.
I think the acting on DS9 is a little better than the acting on B5. In DS9, you tell a lot of the actors had a theater background just by watching them act. In B5, the actors seem a bit more naturalistic. But one thing that stands out to me in B5 in a bad way is the ADR. I don't go out of my way to try to pick up on those things. I'm more into video than audio. So if I'm noticing the ADR, it's pretty obvious. But not the end of the world.
That's the last I can talk about without getting into Spoilers.
One more thing on the production end:
The Vortex, B5's version of the DS9's Wormhole, looks like the wormhole the Enterprise went into in Star Trek: The Motion Picture when they tried to go into warp for the first time. "Taaaarrrrgeeetttttiiiiinnng Aaaa-ssstttteee-ROID!!!!!"
The Characters:
Commander Jeffrey Sinclair (Michael O'Hare): He seems like a standard, rugged straight-laced alpha male. His voice always sounds like it's in ADR, and the ADR makes Sinclair sound like a John Wayne type. "I'm a man's man." I like the character. I like that he has a past he doesn't want to talk about. He seems like the type who doesn't have to prove anything and he gets along with everyone pretty well. Unless they're an enemy, in which case he shows that he means business.
Lt. Commander Laurel Takashima (Tamlyn Tomita): I don't have much to say about her. She's a by-the-book First Officer, she does her job, and she stays on top of things.
Dr. Benjamin Kyle (Johnny Sekka): Does a good job as the Doctor and that's all I've got.
Security Chief Michael Garabaldi (Jerry Doyle): He's about as different from Odo as you can get. Very relaxed, very "normal guy". In a way, I think he looks like Bruce Willis.
Lyta Alexander (Patricia Tallman): She's a Human who's also a Telepath. You'd think this would make her similar to Troi but she's used differently here. First to help with business dealings and then to investigate a crime scene.
Now we get into the Council made up of the different alien ambassadors.
Delenn (Mira Furlan): Ambassador Delenn is a Minbari. She's helpful when she can be, but usually very cryptic. The Minbari were at war with Earth until 10 years ago. The Minbari were winning but chose to end the war themselves. The reason remains a mystery.
Lando Mollari (Peter Jurasik): Ambassador Mollari represents the Centauri. They were a great empire in centuries past, now living off former glory. Mollari spends his time gambling and losing money. He has a history with Garabaldi. You'd think this would make him similar to Quark, but he's the opposite. Mollari is friends with the Security Officer, Garabaldi, instead of an adversary. Mollari doesn't own a bar, he just chronically gambles. Mollari is exactly the type of person who Quark would take advantage of. Then there's the hair... that's all I'll say about that! Moving on.
G'Kar (Andreas Katsulas): Ambassador G'Kar represents the Narn. He's an opportunist who wants to manipulate everyone, looks for any way to get ahead, and wants to disrupt everything while pretending he's not. He's the Gul Dukat of this series. The only difference between G'Kar and Dukat is that G'Kar is operating from a position of weakness and is trying to get ahead. His race is the only one who doesn't have telepaths, so (as far as I'm concerned) he sexually harasses Lyta, and wants to mate with her so there can be a Narn with telepathy. He tries to manipulate Delenn into having the Minbari form an alliance with the Narn since the Minbari have the most advanced technology and the Narn have the highest population, but Delenn drives him off rather forcefully. IMO, he had it coming after the way he approached Lyta earlier. He coerces Mollari to side with him in a highly sensitive diplomatic ruling. And he tries to undermine Babylon 5 and Commander Sinclair. He's nothing but trouble. But at least Sinclair lets G'Kar know he's onto him.
The Plot:
Babylon 5 is prepared to greet Vorlon Ambassador Kosh for a reception celebrating all five major powers being united and working together at Babylon 5. Galactic Peace is the Earth Alliance's goal. Then Kosh is poisoned and Sinclair is framed for the assassination attempt. The B5 crew have to investigate what happened, and then discover a Changeling masquerading as Sinclair is the one who tried to assassinate Kosh. Unlike in DS9, Changelings here are people who use holographic projections to make them look like anyone else. To do so expends a lot of energy and the B5 crew are able to find the Changeling once they know how to track him down. They also discover that the Changeling was a rogue Minbari who was working for G'Kar to destabilize everything, even though they technically can't prove G'Kar's involvement. Sinclair is eventually cleared of all charges when the truth is revealed.
There's not much to the actual plot, but there doesn't need to be. Introducing all the characters and all the different races was more than enough.
Once again, I'm truly impressed with how much the pilot for Babylon 5 tried to do in so little time. I'll give "The Gathering" an 8.
Onto "Birthright, Part II" next (I'll keep that one short) then it's back to DS9 with "Move Along Home".
Security Chief Michael Garabaldi (Jerry Doyle): He's about as different from Odo has you can get. Very relaxed, very "normal guy". In a way, I think he looks like Bruce Willis.
DS9 used model work for most of its work, while B5 used CGI. I don't know if what I watched on Amazon was the original CGI or if it was upscaled, but it looked pretty good for 1993. I bought into it.
You were likely watching the special edition, so a lot of the effects were added in 1998, but they weren't improved that much. This is basically the level of quality you can expect from the first season, which will be exactly what people saw on TV back in '94.
The funny thing about the hair is, I don't think it's something Babylon 5 fans look back on as something embarrassing about the show, or anything they'd change given the chance. It's kind of an aristocratic affectation, so it makes sense that it's as strange to outsiders as giant curly wigs or neck frills.
Wow, that is a lot higher than I expected. Fans generally rank it among the worst stories from season 1, so that's a good sign. Unless it means you've got very different tastes to most fans and you end up hating the rest of it. That would be bad.
Wow, that is a lot higher than I expected. Fans generally rank it among the worst stories from season 1, so that's a good sign. Unless it means you've got very different tastes to most fans and you end up hating the rest of it. That would be bad.
The rating was for the characters and the world-building. This is one time I actually prefer that there wasn't much to the story. My brain felt overloaded learning everything about Babylon 5 practically from scratch.
I took nine pages' worth notes, single-spaced, and then set them aside before writing this review. I had to do all of that because I had to get myself up to the point where I'd sound like I know what I'm talking about.
The rating was for the characters and the world-building. This is one time I actually prefer that there wasn't much to the story. My brain felt overloaded learning everything about Babylon 5 practically from scratch.
That makes sense, it really does drop a whole universe on you. Fortunately most of it is relevant to the series going forward (throw out the page you wrote on Delenn's magic rings).
Also, on a different topic (spoiler for an upcoming DS9 episode and The Gathering):
He's Gul Dukat of this series. The only difference between G'Kar and Dukat is that G'Kar is operating from a position of weakness and is trying to get ahead.
This just made me realise something that never occurred to me before. The Narn are the Bajorans of the show, recently freed from occupation, so G'Kar isn't Dukat in this movie... he's Vedek Winn!
With Lando, what type of accent is that? I can't pinpoint it at all. It's probably made up, but it sounds like it has its influence from something. It sounds Eastern-European to me, but I can't pin it down any further.
With Lando, what type of accent is that? I can't pinpoint it at all. It's probably made up, but it sounds like it has its influence from something. It sounds Eastern-European to me, but I can't pin it down any further.
Londo's accent was made up by Peter Jurasik. I think it was inspired by eastern Europe.
I do know that, when he returned each season after the shooting break, that he would say, "Mr. Garibaldi, Misssster Gggggaribaldi" repeatedly to get his accent back.
At my current pace, there's no way I'll make it to "Past Tense, Part I" by 8/30/24. So, I'm no longer going to aim for that. But I've long planned to re-watch "Past Tense" that day anyway, just like I re-watched Back to the Future, Part II on 10/21/15. So, I'll watch "Past Tense" that day, wherever I am with the re-watch, and just post my DS9 2024 vs. Real 2024 take in the other thread that's going on about "Past Tense".
If I really put the pedal to the metal, I could get every prior episode out before then; but by burning through, I'd burn myself out. Not worth it. Plus, believe or not, I have a life outside of here.
At my current pace, there's no way I'll make it to "Past Tense, Part I" by 8/30/24. So, I'm no longer going to aim for that. But I've long planned to re-watch "Past Tense" that day anyway, just like I re-watched Back to the Future, Part II on 10/21/15. So, I'll watch "Past Tense" that day, wherever I am with the re-watch, and just post my DS9 2024 vs. Real 2024 take in the other thread that's going on about "Past Tense".
If I really put the pedal to the metal, I could get every prior episode out before then; but by burning through, I'd burn myself out. Not worth it. Plus, believe or not, I have a life outside of here.
At my current pace, there's no way I'll make it to "Past Tense, Part I" by 8/30/24. So, I'm no longer going to aim for that. But I've long planned to re-watch "Past Tense" that day anyway, just like I re-watched Back to the Future, Part II on 10/21/15. So, I'll watch "Past Tense" that day, wherever I am with the re-watch, and just post my DS9 2024 vs. Real 2024 take in the other thread that's going on about "Past Tense".
Well, I haven't seen B5 since it was on, but from what I remember, I think it's harsh to compare G'Kar to Dukat or Winn. I don't remember G'Kar being evil.
Well, I haven't seen B5 since it was on, but from what I remember, I think it's harsh to compare G'Kar to Dukat or Winn. I don't remember G'Kar being evil.
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