The Delta Flyers now covering DS9

[Crewman6]

They tore “Homefront” to shreds. Robbie gave it a 4/10, geez. The nitpicking gets very tedious sometimes and there was a low energy this week. Always found it an excellent two parter and one that was spookily prophetic for events in the years that followed.

The episode was SO low energy it was hard to finish it. Yeah, I get that Robbie didn't like it but the conversation was sooo dull and it was clear Robbie was so utterly disinterested that it translated to his review and engagement.

I used to love the HF/PL two-parter and still think it's thematically rich with a lot of great qualities. But it's not perfect. Yeah, the actor playing the president isn't great (nor is the makeup) and the first part is a little shaggy in spots. It definitely suffers from a very low budget, which I clocked even during my first viewing.

Literally all we ever see of this massive Starfleet "takeover" of Earth is two security guards posted outside Sisko's restaurant. That's at least one reason why the tension doesn't quite track.

But a four is insanely off the mark as a review. They were shocked the fans liked it. But of course they did. It's a good episode and it's a seminal one in the overall Dominion arc. It was also eerily prescient, given that it came years before 9/11 ignited similar real-world debates about government overreach during times of crisis.

I take comfort in knowing that Homefront, while flawed, is still vastly better than literally 95% of all Voyager episodes.

And it's also very hard to judge on its own, as you really need the second half to make it worthwhile.

 

[Crewman6]

Though generally speaking, I do think Robbie is the one with the craziest taste.

Robbie seems to like episodes that are silly and funny. He even gave high marks to crap like "Fascination" because it was, in his words, "fun." His highest episode reviews overall have been for stuff like "House of Quark."

Garrett there if you want someone to represent Impeccable Trek Taste

Not sure how Garrett gets "Impeccable taste." He's pretty forgiving and complimentary most of the time, but every now and then, he's weirdly harsh on quality episodes.

 

[Crewman6]

And for what it's worth, I never liked Homefront and Paradise Lost that much either, having the episodes mostly set on earth didn't feel like DS9, it's an easy skip for me.

On the contrary, the fact that they're set on Earth ups the stakes of the whole show. No longer are events restricted to just a far-flung corner of the galaxy, but Sisko is literally interfacing with the actual UFP president (an office which barely appears, ever, across the entire franchise) and trying to safeguard Earth itself.

It elevates the importance of everything else happening in the series.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I tried listening. I couldn't get through the episode. Hearing about the direction for Morn, the fate of background actors, and Peters' health was interesting, but the novice-level complaining about communication times turned me off.

 

[ananta]

I tried listening. I couldn't get through the episode. Hearing about the direction for Morn, the fate of background actors, and Peters' health was interesting, but the novice-level complaining about communication times turned me off.

Yeah I gave up on this one, the whole tone of the commentary was a downer, excessive nitpicking gets annoying fast.

 

[Crewman6]

Yeah I gave up on this one, the whole tone of the commentary was a downer, excessive nitpicking gets annoying fast.

I wish I had done so. I had it on during a long drive, but the podcast just made the drive longer.

I do find it funny that they never follow up and correct themselves on erroneous things said in the past. During the "Die Is Cast" two-parter, someone said something, like, "This is the only two-parter where the episodes have different names!" Or a similar mistake.

And, once again, I found myself shouting into the void. Surely they'll realize their mistake eventually, right....?

Nah.