star's Journey into the World of DS9...

[star]

DevilEyes... I will withhold judgment until I've watched the series, but thus far they suffer from the same "wait for it, wait for it, wait for it.... oh nevermind, we're not bothering with it anymore" syndrome that all of the other series have had to one degree or another.

I don't watch trek for the romance, for the hook-ups (despite my love of Trip & T'Pol on ENT -- the only ship I've ever shipped and will ever), but when they build one up as intensely as they did Bareil & Kira in The Circle, then I want to see it resolved in one way or another.

Alright, next episode:

Invasive Procedures
♥♥♥♥♥----- (5/10)

The good: I don't know that anything really stood out as "the good" in this episode for me. Everything was so "middle of the line" for me.

The bad: I am trying to understand the relationship between a trill and a symbiot. I get that a new person is born when the two are joined, but it seemed like Dax had all its memories and yet none of the horror for what the murder that Verad was trying to commit here. I mean, Jadzia Dax felt incredible guilt over the affair in Dax (was it?). So it bothered me that there was no remorse whatsoever. Is the symbiot without compassion or feeling? Is it the Trill who brings those cards to the table?

The zany: Quark's fake ear pain.

Summary: I have really mixed feelings about this episode. Trills are fascinating and dealing with a Trill that was denied the right to join was an interesting concept. But it fell somewhat flat for me. It was kind of a slow episode and then I really was trying to wrap my head around how Verad Dax acts. Kinda disturbing and made me really wonder if Dax itself is a worthwhile entity.

Cardassians
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥-- (8/10)

The good: Very deep social issue dealt with here. No matter how the verdict came out, the kid gets the short end of the stick.

The bad: They took away Garak's flamboyance. He's still cunning and mysterious, but I'm not sure that this dialed-down version is as fun and interesting as he was when he appeared in the first season.

The zany: Bashir eager to do Garak's bidding when he doesn't have all the facts. What's up with that?

Summary: As a mother, this was a tough episode to watch. What was the right answer for this kid? Send him back to Bajor where while he is loved, his very species is hated? Send him with his bio-dad to where everything he was raised with is thrown out? Nothing is right. It was fantastic to see Gul Dukat. He is such a self-serving villian and I love it. I think, hands down, he is my favorite recurring character.

Melora
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥--- (7/10)

The good: BASHIR!!! This is how I see his character. Sure, he gets the chick, but in a wonderfully understated way. I really, really, really like him in this episode. Please, please tell me that this is what this character is generally like for the rest of the series (barring a few zany or groan-worthy moments here or there)?

The bad: Overall, if it weren't for Bashir, I'd probably give this episode a 5/10. It's pretty so-so otherwise.

The zany: When Fallit first shows up in Quark's bar... tell me, how does that man drink out of a regular glass? How?

Summary: Mostly a meh episode. I know it's dealing with disabilities and also the question of whether a disability ought to be "cured"... but it's kinda boring. Bashir, on the other hand was interesting, rather than annoying. I love how he calls out Melora on her crap, but he's also sensitive. Also the backstory as to what inspired him to become a doctor was great. Pretty good Bashir episode.

That's all I have time for today. I might be able to hit the last two on this disk tonight, but I don't know.

 

[flemm]

The Circle trilogy in many respects lays the bedrock for everything DS9 will do for the rest of its run. Intentionally or not, a surprising number of future plotlines and events are foreshadowed here (or alluded to in the future, depending on how you look at it). Obviously, I will leave you to discover those resonances for yourself, star.

My only real criticism of the trilogy is that the threat of the Circle evaporates a little too quickly and neatly. Jaro in particular would presumably have not disappeared completely from the political stage after this setback, and presumably there would still be some opposition to the Federation that would live on after this failed coup. It's a minor point, though, as the main thrust of the story is the Federation's relationship with Bajor surviving a major crisis and taking an important step forward. That aspect of things does not evaporate.

Li Nalas' death is something I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand, I agree that he could have been used in interesting ways later on. On the other hand, his death is an important part of the story, thematically speaking, as his legend can only really crystallize with his passing. So, there is a logic to his death, from a storytelling point of view, that having him hang around would undermine.

RHW stated that he didn't have any regrets about killing him off, because "he was created to die, basically," which is indeed pretty clear from the beginning. Not that this is bad: his life has already been sacrificed in favor of his legend before we even meet him in Part 1 of the trilogy, that is part of what makes him a tragic figure.

Spoiler: some serious spoilers, do not read

Also, in certain respects, Li's life and death blaze the path that will eventually be followed by Damar in season 7, so that is another interesting aspect of his story.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Yay, star is finally on the second season! I quite liked much of season two, and I hope you do as well. Good reviews.

 

[TheGodBen]

I don't watch trek for the romance, for the hook-ups (despite my love of Trip & T'Pol on ENT -- the only ship I've ever shipped and will ever), but when they build one up as intensely as they did Bareil & Kira in The Circle, then I want to see it resolved in one way or another.

Think of Kira/Bariel like Trip/T'Pol; they teased the hell out of those two before deciding to not actually do anything with them. Kira/Bariel is being teased here, and they may or may not hook up in the future, but it's not something that will be forgotten about. There's a number of possible relationships in DS9 that are teased long before anything concrete happens.

Invasive Procedures
♥♥♥♥♥----- (5/10)

The good: I don't know that anything really stood out as "the good" in this episode for me. Everything was so "middle of the line" for me.

This episode is a bit of a let-down after the Circle Trilogy, to go from political intrigue to a fairly contrived hostage situation is underwhelming. There's some interesting stuff about Trill society, but the main plot isn't that good.

Cardassians
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥-- (8/10)

The bad: They took away Garak's flamboyance. He's still cunning and mysterious, but I'm not sure that this dialed-down version is as fun and interesting as he was when he appeared in the first season.

I prefer him this way, but Garak was already my favourite character before I even saw Past Prologue, so that episode stands out for me as being the episode where Garak isn't quite right. I prefer him this way, he's slightly more... reptilian.

Melora
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥--- (7/10)

The bad: Overall, if it weren't for Bashir, I'd probably give this episode a 5/10. It's pretty so-so otherwise.

I have a theory that when Trek writers don't know what to do with a character, they put them in a romance-of-the-week story. It happened with Troi on TNG, it happened with Chakotay and Harry on Voyager, and here the writers do the same for Bashir (and later this season, Sisko). That always runs through my mind when I watch this episode, and while there are still parts that I like, I just want something more for Bashir than pairing him up with someone that wont be around next week.

Also the backstory as to what inspired him to become a daughter was great. Pretty good Bashir episode.

Some guys just feel that they're a woman deep down inside, it's a part of life. Personally, I'm glad he changed back and became a son again, it makes the Garak subtext all the more interesting this way.

RHW stated that he didn't have any regrets about killing him off, because "he was created to die, basically," which is indeed pretty clear from the beginning.

But he was made to die partly because DS9 was still half-stuck in the TNG mindset, DS9 hadn't yet become the DS9 of later seasons. If Li Nalas had been introduced in season 4, they may have decided to keep him around because he might be useful in the future. Sure, his arc would probably inevitably lead to his death, but his death didn't have to happen so soon.

 

[star]

I don't watch trek for the romance, for the hook-ups (despite my love of Trip & T'Pol on ENT -- the only ship I've ever shipped and will ever), but when they build one up as intensely as they did Bareil & Kira in The Circle, then I want to see it resolved in one way or another.

Think of Kira/Bariel like Trip/T'Pol; they teased the hell out of those two before deciding to not actually do anything with them. Kira/Bariel is being teased here, and they may or may not hook up in the future, but it's not something that will be forgotten about. There's a number of possible relationships in DS9 that are teased long before anything concrete happens.

Wait, are you telling me that I'm going to have to deal with more Kira/Bareil angst? I'm so tired of shows that get characters all angsty and do nothing about it. Trip & T'Pol filled my quota for a lifetime.

This is why I don't ship (other than TnT). It's a big friggin' headache.

Also the backstory as to what inspired him to become a daughter was great. Pretty good Bashir episode.

Some guys just feel that they're a woman deep down inside, it's a part of life. Personally, I'm glad he changed back and became a son again, it makes the Garak subtext all the more interesting this way.

Yeah, I spotted that typo and fixed it. I'm not getting enough sleeep these days.

 

[intrinsical]

The good: BASHIR!!! This is how I see his character. Sure, he gets the chick, but in a wonderfully understated way. I really, really, really like him in this episode. Please, please tell me that this is what this character is generally like for the rest of the series (barring a few zany or groan-worthy moments here or there)?

Season 2 is when the writers start getting a firmer grip on what works for each character. For Bashir, the natural thing is to give him the "doctor" episodes like "Melora". However, I felt that the writers were worried that Bashir will end up stuck in the infirmary just like Beverly Crusher in TNG. "Cardassians" offered a way for Bashir to play a more active role outside of the infirmary. So in a way, I can see shades of who Bashir will grow to be in both "Cardassians" and "Melora".

 

[Admiral Shran]

I don't watch trek for the romance, for the hook-ups (despite my love of Trip & T'Pol on ENT -- the only ship I've ever shipped and will ever), but when they build one up as intensely as they did Bareil & Kira in The Circle, then I want to see it resolved in one way or another.

I don't know how to talk about Kira/Bareil without wrapping everything in spoiler tags, so I'll just say.... patience.

Cardassians
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥-- (8/10)

The good: Very deep social issue dealt with here. No matter how the verdict came out, the kid gets the short end of the stick.

For me, the problem with this episode is that it presents us with an either/or solution. Either Rugal goes with his biological father and leaves his Bajoran parents, or he stays on Bajor and has nothing to do with his bio-dad.

As someone who isn't a father I might not know what I'm talking about, so take this for what it's worth. But I always thought that there was a clear third option that none of the characters even considered....

Have Rugal stay with his Bajoran parents, since he clearly wants to, and have his Cardassian father slowly integrat himself into Rugal's life. That way Rugal gets the benefit of having all the people in the case in his life in some manner. Seems a lot better, at least to me, than simply throwing the boy into a situation that he clearly has no interest in.

Other than that, however, the Garak/Bashir/Dukat storyline is very good. Good old DS9 doing what it does best, laying the groundwork for things to come.

 

[DS9Continuing]

Cardassians
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥-- (8/10)
The zany: Bashir eager to do Garak's bidding when he doesn't have all the facts. What's up with that?

Well, that's actually an interesting aspect to Bashir's character. Remember back when Bashir said he was looking for adventure, how he'd come here specifically to "rough it in the wilderness" ? This is his way of doing that. Garak taking an interest in him gives him an excuse to have that adventure that he craves, and the desire for that adventure can sometimes override his common sense. This is an aspect of Bashir that the series will continue to explore in more depth.

 

[TheGodBen]

Wait, are you telling me that I'm going to have to deal with more Kira/Bareil angst? I'm so tired of shows that get characters all angsty and do nothing about it. Trip & T'Pol filled my quota for a lifetime.

Don't worry, there's not much angst, Bareil doesn't show up all that often, and it's not dragged out forever like Trip and T'Pol was. However, there is one romance on this show that is rather drawn out and angsty.

 

[DevilEyes]

Cardassians
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥-- (8/10)

The good: Very deep social issue dealt with here. No matter how the verdict came out, the kid gets the short end of the stick.

For me, the problem with this episode is that it presents us with an either/or solution. Either Rugal goes with his biological father and leaves his Bajoran parents, or he stays on Bajor and has nothing to do with his bio-dad.

As someone who isn't a father I might not know what I'm talking about, so take this for what it's worth. But I always thought that there was a clear third option that none of the characters even considered....

Have Rugal stay with his Bajoran parents, since he clearly wants to, and have his Cardassian father slowly integrat himself into Rugal's life. That way Rugal gets the benefit of having all the people in the case in his life in some manner. Seems a lot better, at least to me, than simply throwing the boy into a situation that he clearly has no interest in.

It's because there really were only the either or options. The third one, the best one, was entirely unrealistic at the time, considering the relations between Bajor and Cardassia.

Spoiler: season 3

They don't even have formal diplomatic relations until "Life Support".

 

[flemm]

But he was made to die partly because DS9 was still half-stuck in the TNG mindset, DS9 hadn't yet become the DS9 of later seasons. If Li Nalas had been introduced in season 4, they may have decided to keep him around because he might be useful in the future. Sure, his arc would probably inevitably lead to his death, but his death didn't have to happen so soon.

I have mixed feelings about the choice which are similar to yours, but my point was there are strong thematic reasons for Li Nalis to die at the end of this story arc: this particular example cannot be reduced to a simple case of the writers being half-stuck in the TNG mindset and feeling the need to tie up loose ends. You could have him die later, but then the end of the trilogy itself doesn't have the same resonance.

RHW's comment was made well after the show ended and so, from his point of view at any rate, the right choice was made even from the perspective of later seasons.

Recurring characters are great, but it's possible to have a character that makes an important contribution to the show without returning, which I think is the case with Li Nalis, Marritza, Laas and a few others. So, while I wouldn't have minded seeing him stick around, I think his death works well as is.

Spoiler: later seasons

More disappointing from my point of view is the lack of any success in building Shakaar into an interesting recurring character later on.

 

[star]

I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate everyone's thoughts on my reviews. I'm so excited to get through this so I can fully join the "I watched all of DS9 club" where I can swap knowing looks and inside jokes.

All right, I'm finishing off the second disk tonight, then I've got to wait for Netflix to ship the next batch.

Rules of Acquisition
♥♥♥------- (3/10)

The good: I suppose a Ferengi female trying to break out of the box.

The bad: The rest.

The zany: I can't decide between the Dosei (sp?) face painting or the grand Nagis patting his lap and telling Kira to have a seat.

Summary: I suppose you can officially put me in the camp that don't particularly care for Ferengi episodes. It was meh and too over the top. I actually like Quark now, but the episode felt too... I don't know. Just didn't work for me.

Necessary Evil
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥--- (7/10)

The good: GUL DUKAT. Aside from Q on TNG (and only TNG)... Gul Dukat is the BEST recurring character. The dude is awesome. Seriously awesome sauce. The episode got a heart just for having him in it.

The bad: Some of the pacing of the episode. My little brain rewrote parts and edited more once we finally got to the real meat of the episode.

The zany: Quark's grin when he overhears his brother realize that saving his life meant losing hope for owning the bar.

Summary: It was a so-so episode until we get to the first flashback. Once that happened, I was saying "Whoa! Now that's pretty cool." I liked the background on Kira and Odo. And I will say it over and over again, I loved seeing Gul Dukat in action. Seeing the station as it was under Cardassian rule was neat too. Great backstory. The rest was kinda okay... not annoying, just not as nifty as the middle. And I have mixed feelings about the ending. On one hand it makes sense that Kira committed the murder (especially under the circumstances).. but on the other hand I didn't really want it to be her. So I'm not sure if I like how it ended. But at least the middle rocked. Oh and did I mention that I LOVE Gul Dukat? I did, didn't I?

Alright a few more days until the next disks come in the mail. (Monday's a holiday here in the states too, so it will prolong my wait. *sigh*)

 

[Gul Re'jal]

Oh and did I mention that I LOVE Gul Dukat? I did, didn't I?

You did, but not enough times. Go on, please.

I suppose you can officially put me in the camp that don't particularly care for Ferengi episodes.

Keep watching them, though, as there is at least one that is really enjoyable. Iggy Pop is in it too. I could watch that particular Ferengi episode over and over again. Rules of Acquisition is nowhere on my list: pick up one for tonight and watch (I do that when there's nothing else to watch and I feel like staring at a screen and having fun).

 

[TheGodBen]

I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate everyone's thoughts on my reviews. I'm so excited to get through this so I can fully join the "I watched all of DS9 club" where I can swap knowing looks and inside jokes.

The best part about the Niner club is that you get to go to the Voyager forum and tell them how much their show sucks. I became a Niner just for that reason, TNG is my real favourite.

Rules of Acquisition
♥♥♥------- (3/10)

Summary: I suppose you can officially put me in the camp that don't particularly care for Ferengi episodes. It was meh and too over the top. I actually like Quark now, but the episode felt too... I don't know. Just didn't work for me.

I'm okay with the Fenengi episodes, I think they can be both good and bad, but I'm not a huge fan of this one. Frankly, this whole episode is a write-off, nothing of importance happens here, nothing from this episode is ever referenced again, and it has no historical context within Trek history. Just forget everything about this episode.

Necessary Evil
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥--- (7/10)

And I have mixed feelings about the ending. On one hand it makes sense that Kira committed the murder (especially under the circumstances).. but on the other hand I didn't really want it to be her. So I'm not sure if I like how it ended.

I love how it ended, personally, and since this episode is considered a classic, I imagine that most people do. It really sets DS9 apart from the other Treks to make one of the main cast a murderer, especially since she feels little remorse for her past actions. Kira wasn't just some idealistic freedom-fighter, she was a killer and a terrorist, and she had to be, because that was the only way to get rid of the Cardassians. She's not like Chakotay the noble native-American warrior, or B'Elenna "I'm angry at everything" Torres, Kira was a real terrorist, and she has to live with that for the rest of the series.

 

[DevilEyes]

Necessary Evil
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥--- (7/10)

The good: GUL DUKAT. Aside from Q on TNG (and only TNG)... Gul Dukat is the BEST recurring character. The dude is awesome. Seriously awesome sauce. The episode got a heart just for having him in it.

The bad: Some of the pacing of the episode. My little brain rewrote parts and edited more once we finally got to the real meat of the episode.

The zany: Quark's grin when he overhears his brother realize that saving his life meant losing hope for owning the bar.

Summary: It was a so-so episode until we get to the first flashback. Once that happened, I was saying "Whoa! Now that's pretty cool." I liked the background on Kira and Odo. And I will say it over and over again, I loved seeing Gul Dukat in action. Seeing the station as it was under Cardassian rule was neat too. Great backstory. The rest was kinda okay... not annoying, just not as nifty as the middle. And I have mixed feelings about the ending. On one hand it makes sense that Kira committed the murder (especially under the circumstances).. but on the other hand I didn't really want it to be her. So I'm not sure if I like how it ended. But at least the middle rocked. Oh and did I mention that I LOVE Gul Dukat? I did, didn't I?

Alright a few more days until the next disks come in the mail. (Monday's a holiday here in the states too, so it will prolong my wait. *sigh*)

Just 7/10? It's a masterpiece! One of my favorite DS9 episodes. I loved the flashbacks, and the way it was written and filmed as Trek's own film noir (Terok Nor = Trek Noir?). And the ending is one of the greatest things about it. A lot of other shows (including every other Trek show) would make Kira innocent, but this episode makes the show's heroine guilty of murder, which is great. It doesn't sugarcoat the fact that she was a terrorist and a murderer, and yes, it was necessary, and it was the only way for the resistance to fight Cardassians. You can't always stay perfectly morally clean, you just have to cross some lines in order to be in any way effective against a ruthless and stronger enemy. As the title says - necessary evil. This is something that you'll see more of in future episodes, and it's one of the things that sets DS9 apart from other Treks. (Though ENT did get somewhat DS9-ish in its season 3, particularly "Azati Prime"/"Damage".)

 

[star]

Hey, I did say that the flashbacks were pretty darn fantastic. But the beginning of the episode up to that point it was so-so. It didn't wow me until the flashbacks. It felt like a bait and switch -- in a good way: "Here's a somewhat interesting but not particularly compelling episode," then BAM -- AWESOME stuff. But the awesome stuff doesn't completely undo the fact that I had to sit through 20 minutes of "meh" mingled with "slightly annoying" to get to it.

And I won't lie, having to watch "Rules of Acquisition" just before it, didn't make me thrilled to see a Quark and Rom show at the beginning either. The episode, for me, just didn't get good until the flashbacks.

And I get what you all are saying about making it real what Kira had to do during the Cardassian occupation. I do. But it doesn't change the fact that I have mixed feelings. I can accept that she killed. I can accept that she killed a Bajoran who was collaborating with the Cardassians. I don't mind darkness. I think maybe it felt weird to me that there were going to be no consequences other than Odo's shock and disappointment. That's it. Is there a standing order on Bajor that murder is of a Bajoran is allowed if that Bajoran was working with the Cardassians? Or that all Bajorans are acquitted of crimes committed during the occupation, even those committed against fellow Bajorans?

And Pallra, though annoying to no end, does she not get any vindication that she was right that Kira murdered her husband? Or on the other hand, if Pallra knew her husband was a collaborator -- or she was one herself -- is there any kind of trial for those who are known to have been working with Cardassians? A war crime tribunal? Or do we fall back to some unspoken rule that what happens during the occupation stays in the occupation?

I can accept that Kira was a real terrorist. I never believed she wasn't. I didn't want it to be her, because my sense of justice demanded that now there was a shaky, but quasi-established government on Bajor though should be something -- that there should be some kind of consequence -- even if it's merely an inquisition that leads to a public acquittal. And it galls me that Odo will keep her secret. He is all about right and wrong... I need a more compelling reason why this will stay between the two of them -- if there are any consequences to be had for the murder. If there are no consequences expected, then I needed to know that too. There are just too many unanswered questions and loose ends for me here with the final scene of the episode.

If I watched an episode starting with 10 hearts at the beginning then it lost two hearts for the beginning and one for the end. But in truth I watch with every episode starting with 5/10 and it can either go up or down from there. Necessary Evil didn't earn hearts until the flashbacks (which I LOVE) -- in fact it lost a couple for the beginning. And it didn't earn hearts for the ending.

It's all subjective, you know. My not finding it to be a 10/10 episode doesn't mean that I believe no one else should love the heck out of it. I am not one of those folks who actually believe that my opinion is actually fact. I know that some of you gave me the hairy-eyeball for loving Battle Lines. *shrug* I'm just telling you what my personal opinion of each episode is. It's totally cool if you disagree.

 

[TheGodBen]

I can accept that Kira was a real terrorist. I never believed she wasn't. I didn't want it to be her, because my sense of justice demanded that now there was a shaky, but quasi-established government on Bajor though should be something -- that there should be some kind of consequence -- even if it's merely an inquisition that leads to a public acquittal.

But that's what happens in the real world, the people that commit or order these murders form the new government once the occupation ends, so they pretend they never happened, or they issue a blanket pardon. It's what happened in my country, there are several stories about IRA men killing Irishmen for collaborating with the British government, and sometimes they killed protestants just because they didn't like them. But once the war of independence was over and the Irish Free State was established, the leaders of the IRA formed the new government, and they let these things slide. Even today, you'll find people that are willing to justify the most dubious of those murders as being legitimate acts of war.

And it galls me that Odo will keep her secret. He is all about right and wrong... I need a more compelling reason why this will stay between the two of them -- if there are any consequences to be had for the murder.

Why would Odo say anything? Kira is his best friend, and if she did nothing illegal in the eyes of the law, what would be the point in telling everyone else what she did. Besides, who is to say that Kira wasn't right in what she did?

I'm just telling you what my personal opinion of each episode is. It's totally cool if you disagree.

Actually, Niners have to agree about everything, it's part of the contract. If we disagree with the consensus, we're ostracised from the rest of the group and we're not allowed back in the forum unless we change our point of view. It's a holdover from the great DS9/Voyager war of the 90s.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

TheGodBen makes my 'just got out of work' hours fantastic. Most excellent literary prowess, fellow Irish person.

 

[star]

I can accept that Kira was a real terrorist. I never believed she wasn't. I didn't want it to be her, because my sense of justice demanded that now there was a shaky, but quasi-established government on Bajor though should be something -- that there should be some kind of consequence -- even if it's merely an inquisition that leads to a public acquittal.

But that's what happens in the real world, the people that commit or order these murders form the new government once the occupation ends, so they pretend they never happened, or they issue a blanket pardon. It's what happened in my country, there are several stories about IRA men killing Irishmen for collaborating with the British government, and sometimes they killed protestants just because they didn't like them. But once the war of independence was over and the Irish Free State was established, the leaders of the IRA formed the new government, and they let these things slide. Even today, you'll find people that are willing to justify the most dubious of those murders as being legitimate acts of war.

I can see your point, and I agree. I think I didn't want the writers to assume that's the stand I would take, however. A well placed comment in the conversation between Odo and Kira would have probably given me the closure that I was seeking.

And it galls me that Odo will keep her secret. He is all about right and wrong... I need a more compelling reason why this will stay between the two of them -- if there are any consequences to be had for the murder.

Why would Odo say anything? Kira is his best friend, and if she did nothing illegal in the eyes of the law, what would be the point in telling everyone else what she did. Besides, who is to say that Kira wasn't right in what she did?

Again, an interesting point... I suppose my sense of legal justice (or a more clear explanation for the lack of it) is coloring how I feel about the ending.

I'm just telling you what my personal opinion of each episode is. It's totally cool if you disagree.

Actually, Niners have to agree about everything, it's part of the contract. If we disagree with the consensus, we're ostracised from the rest of the group and we're not allowed back in the forum unless we change our point of view. It's a holdover from the great DS9/Voyager war of the 90s.

Good to know. I'll keep that in mind when writing my reviews.

 

[Admiral Shran]

Rules of Acquisition
♥♥♥------- (3/10)

Summary: I suppose you can officially put me in the camp that don't particularly care for Ferengi episodes. It was meh and too over the top. I actually like Quark now, but the episode felt too... I don't know. Just didn't work for me.

I'm okay with the Fenengi episodes, I think they can be both good and bad, but I'm not a huge fan of this one. Frankly, this whole episode is a write-off, nothing of importance happens here, nothing from this episode is ever referenced again, and it has no historical context within Trek history. Just forget everything about this episode.

Agreed. Nothing of consequence here.

It's all subjective, you know. My not finding it to be a 10/10 episode doesn't mean that I believe no one else should love the heck out of it. I am not one of those folks who actually believe that my opinion is actually fact. I know that some of you gave me the hairy-eyeball for loving Battle Lines. *shrug* I'm just telling you what my personal opinion of each episode is. It's totally cool if you disagree.

I know how you feel and it's all cool. Hell, I often get a lot of s for liking Precious Cargo.

As for Necessary Evil - I probably wouldn't give it a 10/10, because it is true that it does drag a little before the flashbacks start. I probably would give it an 8 or 9.