Shattered Mirror

[garoo1980]

Hey everyone,

I just watched this one. I largely missed DS9 when it originally aired so it was my first time. And I hate to call 15 year old episodes spoilers, but please don't share what comes after as I haven't seen them. I know the Dominion War is coming but only in a vague sense, I don't know any details

Anyway, just watched Shattered Mirror and I have to say I was disappointed. I don't really like the Mirror stories in general but this was seemed especially poor. I didn't care at all about any of the characters. Bashir was ridiculously OTT. Jennifer was better than in any of her other appearances I will grant her but that's about it.

Jake's story with his "Mom" seemed really predictable. Worf was largely wasted playing just a typical Klingon I thought

What does everyone else thing? Am I missing something? I know its interesting for the cast to play against characters sometimes but I don't find it really paid off for the viewer here.

 

[DS9forever]

I liked "Shattered Mirror", it was probably the best mirror universe episode after "Crossover".

 

[BDJ]

Count me in as a Mirror Universe fan. I enjoyed all of the DS9 Mirror eps! I think that DS9 was the perfect series to explore the Mirrorverse! I also would've loved to have seen
Voyager explore that universe for an episode or two! Tuvok with a goatee would've killed!!!

 

[Dick_Valentine]

Yeah but what a spectacular battle as the Mirror Defiant dodges around the giant Klingon ship!

Surely one of the best ship on ship battles in all of Trek and a rare moment you see the Defiant using its topside phaser array instead of the over-used pulse phasers.

Oh yeah, and there were some people in it to sometimes...

 

[bullethead]

Yeah, I was never much of a fan of DS9's take on the Mirror Universe, because it took a lot of the "mirror" out of it. We never really got to see the characters in positions with reversed morals (aside from Kira) and we definitely didn't see the galactic political roles reversed, with the Federation being the domineering empire and the Cardassians being a fledling power being slowly crushed by the might of the Empire. Just remove the few references to the old Empire and you could easily make the DS9 MU a sequel to the alternate timeline from Yesterday's Enterprise, where the Federation fell and the Klingons and Cardassians dominate everything.

 

[toughlittleship]

The mirror universe episodes were more action-led than story-led really. I liked them generally, although "Resurrection" is more a dull romance episode than a mirror universe story.

 

[G2309]

Its the only episode where we see the Defiant and DS9 fighting at the same time so that's at dog fight between the pylons.bonus. A great dog fight between the pylons.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

DS9's take on the Mirror Universe was a fun idea to begin with, but it just got progressively worse. No spoilers, just want to make sure your expectations are not high because Shattered Mirror was one of the "good" episodes.

However, there's a lot lot more that's a lot lot better. Concentrate on the Dominion War, don't worry so much about the MU.

 

[RandyS]

DS9's take on the Mirror Universe was a fun idea to begin with, but it just got progressively worse. No spoilers, just want to make sure your expectations are not high because Shattered Mirror was one of the "good" episodes.

However, there's a lot lot more that's a lot lot better. Concentrate on the Dominion War, don't worry so much about the MU.

Incorrect. The Mirror Universe was the best thing that ever happened to Star Trek.

Of course, the war story wasn't bad, but it could NEVER hold a candle to the Mirror Universe. One of my biggest disapointments was that TNG and VOYAGER didn't do episodes set there. TNG had Parrallels though (SEVEN, count, 'em, SEVEN parrallel Universes in ONE episode! 17 years later, I'm STILL drowning in drool....), so they are forgiven.

 

[BillJ]

DS9's take on the Mirror Universe was a fun idea to begin with, but it just got progressively worse. No spoilers, just want to make sure your expectations are not high because Shattered Mirror was one of the "good" episodes.

However, there's a lot lot more that's a lot lot better. Concentrate on the Dominion War, don't worry so much about the MU.

Incorrect. The Mirror Universe was the best thing that ever happened to Star Trek.

I think Temis was referring solely to DS9's take on it.

 

[RandyS]

DS9's take on the Mirror Universe was a fun idea to begin with, but it just got progressively worse. No spoilers, just want to make sure your expectations are not high because Shattered Mirror was one of the "good" episodes.

However, there's a lot lot more that's a lot lot better. Concentrate on the Dominion War, don't worry so much about the MU.

Incorrect. The Mirror Universe was the best thing that ever happened to Star Trek.

I think Temis was referring solely to DS9's take on it.

I know that. I'm just saying that I disagree. All of the Mirror Universe episodes were good, regardless of the show they were on.

 

[BillJ]

Incorrect. The Mirror Universe was the best thing that ever happened to Star Trek.

I think Temis was referring solely to DS9's take on it.

I know that. I'm just saying that I disagree. All of the Mirror Universe episodes were good, regardless of the show they were on.

Most of the DS9 ones were pretty dire.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

Back when I was reviewing every episode of DS9, I wrote:

Increasingly, as the mirror universe plots become more and more hyperbolic, they become less and less informative about character and have less of an impact on the series as a whole. If the original episodes demonstrated something about the inherent natures of these characters, this installment almost doesn’t care — it just wants to be a fun action-adventure installment. Which is fine, but it becomes an exercise in diminishing returns. The episode is fun but these are becoming increasingly hollow experiences.
​

The thing is, I enjoyed "Shattered Mirror" for its sheer bravado. But it was nowhere near as valuable in terms of character or theme as, say, "Crossover."

 

[Shatnertage]

^ That makes a lot of sense. And I love the avatar.

I don't like the post-"Mirror, Mirror" episodes in general because they just don't do a lot for me dramatically. I just saw "Shattered Mirror" for the first time (and talked about it in my watch thread), and it's kind of fun but doesn't really make a lot of sense if you think about it from a character perspective.

Even the ENT MU episodes weren't really that good, outside of the fanboy delight of seeing the TOS-era Defiant in action, with all of the sights, sounds, and sights (an extra "sights" for the uniforms). It's just everyone being mean to each other.

 

[garoo1980]

DS9's take on the Mirror Universe was a fun idea to begin with, but it just got progressively worse. No spoilers, just want to make sure your expectations are not high because Shattered Mirror was one of the "good" episodes.

However, there's a lot lot more that's a lot lot better. Concentrate on the Dominion War, don't worry so much about the MU.

So far I'd agree with that. I think the first one was worthwhile, even maybe the second. But its not a show about the MU, I don't care what happens to those versions of the cast. Its interesting sometimes to see them play against type but its lost any effect it once had with me

 

[Dick_Valentine]

Its the only episode where we see the Defiant and DS9 fighting at the same time so that's at dog fight between the pylons.bonus. A great dog fight between the pylons.

Yeah I never understand why they "parked" the defiant in "Way of the Warrior" or why they wouldn't use the Runabouts/Bajoran Vessels/whatever else was floating about as fighters or something, but I guess that's another topic for another thread?

 

[bullethead]

Its the only episode where we see the Defiant and DS9 fighting at the same time so that's at dog fight between the pylons.bonus. A great dog fight between the pylons.

Yeah I never understand why they "parked" the defiant in "Way of the Warrior" or why they wouldn't use the Runabouts/Bajoran Vessels/whatever else was floating about as fighters or something, but I guess that's another topic for another thread?

IIRC, the Defiant was a bit messed up after having to do their "rescue the Detapa Council" bit, but I maybe mixing up the episode and its novelization.