Ex Astris Scientia - DS9 Season 1 Guest Reviews


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Deep Space Nine (DS9) Season 1 Guest Reviews

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Emissary Stardate 46378.1: Three years after losing his wife at the Battle of Wolf 359, Commander Benjamin Sisko is assigned as the new commander of a plundered space station, orbiting the planet of Bajor. Having liberated themselves from sixty years of Cardassian rule, the newly-established Bajoran provisional government is seeking Federation assistance for the task of rebuilding their beleaguered planet, after it was pillaged by their former oppressors. The discovery of the first stable wormhole into the Gamma Quadrant adds a strategic significance to the station, and when it is moved to the "mouth" of the wormhole, it becomes an attractive target for the Cardassians to recapture. The wormhole itself is inhabited by a non-corporeal species that have a religious significance to Bajoran people, to whom they refer as "The Prophets", and it was prophecied that their "Celestial Temple" (the wormhole) would be found by an emissary, who in this case is none other than Commander Sisko himself.

"Emissary" provides a sufficiently satisfactory, if not unremarkable beginning to the third installment of the Star Trek series. The episode commences with a spectacular opening sequence which documents the Battle at Wolf 359 (although it could have done without the "scrolling letters"), in which Sisko was the first officer on board the USS Saratoga. Whilst it is pleasing to catch a glimpse of the battle itself, which comes from one of the most endeared episodes amongst Trek fans, its overall significance to the premise of the series is minimal. Nevertheless, the ensuing interludes between Picard and Sisko provide another highlight of the episode.
Apart from establishing the premise of the series and introducing the main characters, this episode offers very little else in the terms of a storyline. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as I believe a good "pilot" episode has to do no more, however it does contrast with other Trek pilots, which all provided more, by way of an "extra" storyline that is independent of the plotline of the series. The premise itself, that of an outer-space version of "The Rifleman", is a fascinating one, and contrasts with the premise of TOS which was often billed as a inter-galactic incarnation of "Wagon Train." Unfortunately, this premise is not maintained throughout the series to the same degree it is in the pilot, as the isolation of DS9 becomes less apparent as the series progresses.
It is also worthy to note the development and transformation the various main characters will undergo throughout the course of the series, both in terms of their individual personalities and their interactions with others. For instance, Sisko’s initial reluctance to accept the posting at DS9 contrasts with the affinity he eventually develops for all things Bajoran, over the course of the series, to the point where in the end he "dies" for the Bajoran people. Likewise, we will see a change in Kira’s attitudes towards the Federation, from one of distrust to acceptance. These features are often cited as among the stronger aspects of DS9, and for better or for worse, contrast with other Trek series, where characters have often failed to evolve, and/or relationships have remained static.
Remarkable scene: The destruction of the USS Saratoga, viewed from the escape pod
Remarkable dialogue: "It’s been a long time Captain" - "Have we met before?" - "Yes sir, we met in battle..." (Sisko & Picard)
Remarkable quotes: "There is a Ferengi legal tradition - it called plea-bargain." (Sisko), "Never trust ale from a god-faring people, or a Starfleet commander that has one of your relatives in jail." (Quark), "Doctor, most people in my experience wouldn’t know reason if it walked up and shook their hand." (Odo)
Remarkable facts: To the Bajorans, the "pagh" is considered the lifeforce of every person. Nine orbs appeared in the skies over Bajor over the last 10,000 years. The Cardassians are in possession of eight of them.
Remarkable ship: The Federation runabout is a larger descendant of the Galileo class shuttlecraft from TOS.
Remarkable architecture: The layout of the Operations on DS9 reflects the Cardassian ideal that subordinates must look up with respect to their superiors.
Rating: 7 (Luther Root)

Past Prologue Stardate not given: Tahna Los, a Bajoran terrorist and former comrade of Major Kira, beams into DS9 seeking political asylum after narrowly evading a pursuing Cardassian warship. Tahna’s arrival pre-empts the appearance of the two renegade Klingon sisters from the House of Duras, Lursa and B'Etor, and it soon becomes apparent that he has an ulterior motive. Tahna intends to enlist Kira’s assistance to obtain a runabout, in order to help detonate a bilitrium explosive which he plans to purchase from the Duras sisters, with the ultimate ambition of sealing the entrance to the wormhole, and therefore eliminating the need for a Federation presence in Bajor. In the interim, the Duras sisters plan to double-cross Tahna, and after selling him the bilitrium intend to deliver him to the Cardassians for a price. Although Kira’s loyalty is divided on whether or not she should help Tahna, she eventually succumbs and informs Sisko of his plan. Sisko reluctantly agrees to allow her to accompany Tahna to the rendezvous with the Klingon sisters in the hope of revealing his intended target. Although Tahna manages to briefly elude Sisko and O’Brien, who are hidden behind a small moon, his plan is thwarted when Kira seizes control of the runabout, enters the wormhole, and detonates the device in the Gamma Quadrant.

The Duras Sisters make an unexpected appearance, and as usual they’re up to no good. This episode fits in nicely as a follow-up to the pilot, and confronts the issue of Bajoran-Federation conflict that permeates throughout the series. The inevitable comparison can be drawn with the Maquis-Federation conflict depicted on "Voyager", which in my opinion was treated superficially and was practically abandoned halfway through the second season.
Here the conflict revolves around Kira, whose loyalty to Bajor is questioned by Tahna, who considers her a "puppet" of the Federation. Although this is not a particularly novel storyline, as a similar theme is explored to a varying degree in TNG: "Heart of Glory", in this episode it is examined in the context of the distinction between patriotism and terrorism, and the urgency of the situation gives it added weight. Moreover, Kira’s inexperience and naivety as a military officer is also shown (not for the last time!) when she breaks the chain of command and questions Sisko’s judgment to a Starfleet Admiral on Earth. Importantly, this episode reinforces the idea that the Federation’s presence on DS9 is on a tenuous standing, a theme that is explored in greater depth in subsequent episodes. Notwithstanding all of this, the major problem with this episode is that the main plot takes a long time to eventuate, and results in the ending being somewhat of an anticlimax.
Nitpicking: It is of interest how Tahna managed to conceal the antimatter converter upon his initial arrival to DS9, which according to Garak he stole from the Cardassians and was the reason he was being pursued.
Remarkable quotes: "Go over my head again, and I’ll have yours on a platter." (Sisko), "There is one thing about you humanoids I can’t imitate very well... pretense - there’s a special talent for it... it’s as hard for me as creating one of your noses." (Odo)
Remarkable character: The first appearance of "plain, simple" Garak is very pleasing, and almost steals the spotlight. The successful development of his character is mostly attributable to the actor that portrays him, Andrew Robinson, who was allowed to create his own characterization for him.
Remarkable fact: The Joranian ostrich hides by sticking its head underwater, sometimes even until it drowns.
Remarkable background info: Admiral Rollman is played by Susan Bay, who is the wife of Leonard Nimoy.
Rating: 5 (Luther Root)

A Man Alone Stardate 46421.5: Feeling on the station runs high when Odo is the main suspect in the murder of Ibudan, a Bajoran member of the underworld, who Odo sentenced to jail during the Cardassian occupation. As a restless mob of the station’s denizens gather to confront Odo, Bashir makes the startling discovery that the murder victim is in fact a clone, created and subsequently murdered by the real Ibudan in order to implicate Odo. In a final twist of irony, Ibudan is swiftly apprehended by Odo, and is accordingly charged with the murder of his own clone. Meanwhile, after Jake and his new friend, Nog, are caught playing pranks on the promenade, and in an effort to overcome her own feelings of inadequacy, Keiko O’Brien decides to open a school on the station.

There are many aspects of this episode that I found rather contrived and difficult to accept. The idea that Ibudan would go to the trouble of cloning himself, and then staging the murder of his clone solely for the purpose of framing Odo and extracting revenge, sounds a bit far-fetched. The reaction of the Bajoran mob is equally questionable, particularly since Odo is long regarded as a bastion of justice from the time of the Cardassian occupation. Furthermore, the evidence of Odo’s implication is solely circumstantial and is certainly not sufficient to warrant such a reaction.
Above everything else, this episode suffers from a deficiency that pervades many science-fiction mysteries, namely once all feasible outcomes are exhausted, the mystery is unraveled by an "out-of-left-field" plot device. Worse still, the issue of cloning is completely ignored notwithstanding the fact the subject of DNA is a key evidentiary issue in the investigation. All in all, this makes for particularly poor drama. The secondary plot involving Jake and Nog’s misbehaviour, and Keiko’s difficulties adjusting to life on the station is far more credible, although not particularly awe-inspiring.
Remarkable character: Although this episode marks the first appearance of Rom, some subtle adjustments are made to his character in subsequent episodes.
Remarkable dialogue: "Who might want to frame you for murder?" - "I can think of about five hundred different people… but I haven’t seen any of them around the station recently." (Kira & Odo)
Remarkable facts: The respective hosts of the Dax symbiont have attempted to solve the Altonian brainteaser for 140 years. Every eighteen hours Odo needs return to his natural, liquid form to regenerate (this changes to sixteen hours in "The Storyteller"). He does this in a pale at the back of his office. A Ferengi education consists of a work-study approach, whereby students are thrown into the business world, and whoever survives, graduates. "Hew-mon" is a mildly condescending term used by the Ferengi to describe Humans.
Remarkable reference: The personal calendar files in Ibudan’s quarters show an entry for Alderaan spaceport, which of course is the name of the planet destroyed by the Death Star in "Star Wars - Episode IV".
Rating: 3 (Luther Root)

Babel Stardate 46423.7: In the midst of being inundated by a spate of maintenance requests, O’Brien inadvertently triggers a dormant Bajoran booby trap leftover from the Occupation that spreads a lethal virus through the station’s food replicators, and causes an advanced form of aphasia. As the virus rapidly mutates into an airborne strain, all of the station’s officers gradually become incapacitated and the fate of the station is left to Odo and Quark, who avert a dangerous situation when a panicky alien attempts to flee the station. With the station placed under quarantine, and in a desperate attempt to find a cure, Kira travels to Bajor and kidnaps the co-creator of the virus by beaming him into her runabout, and is forced to extort the unwilling scientist by exposing him to the virus in an effort to gain his assistance.

A good blend of suspense and humor makes "Babel" a very entertaining episode. The idea that an act of sabotage comes back to threaten its perpetrator is a convincing plot device, and is reminiscent of the excellent Voyager episode "Dreadnought". Quark’s ability to provide comic relief in moments of intense crisis is a testimony to how well his character is written, and contrasts with the ridiculous Ferengi character, Letek, played by the same actor in TNG: "The Last Outpost". Quark’s interludes with Odo in "Babel" are indeed a treat and are among the stronger aspects of this episode. It is also pleasing to see that the premise of a beleaguered space station expounded in earlier episodes is maintained to this point, and is successfully incorporated into the storylines.
Nevertheless, I was a little apprehensive at the ease by which Surmak Ren, who was at the time employed as an administrator, was able to develop the antidote for the virus after a period of 18 years, and more so with the fact we are not given an adequate explanation as to why he was so reluctant to help in the first place, particularly in light of the terrible nature of the situation.
Remarkable dialogue: "I’m only here to visit my less fortunate customers to make sure they’re not faking the illness to avoid paying their bills."- "Nobody can be that devious."- "I am." (Quark & Sisko)
Remarkable quote: "Rom is an idiot; he couldn’t fix a straw if it was bent." (Odo)
Remarkable facts: The station was built 18 years ago (which will be contradicted in "Wrongs Darker than Death or Night"). The Ferengi have an extraordinary strong immune system by human standards. Quark, who served on a Ferengi freighter for eight years, had never operated the controls of a transporter, despite witnessing the procedure hundreds of times.
Remarkable reference: The cargo carried by the alien captain who attempts to flee DS9, is a shipment of Sahsheer which is the rapidly growing, crystal-like substance native to the Andromeda Galaxy, referred to by the Kelvans in TOS: "By Any Other Name".
Rating: 6 (Luther Root)

Captive Pursuit Stardate not given: The station receives its first visitor from the Gamma Quadrant, an unannounced ship carrying a single lifeform named Tosk, who happened to spot another ship going through the wormhole and followed it. The visitor's starship is damaged and requires help from the station. While awaiting repairs the visitor is followed by another starship from the Gamma Quadrant, which promptly scans the station and comes after Tosk, who by this time is cooling his heels in one of Odo's security chambers. The crew of the new ship, transport over and attempt to take Tosk forcibly. After a battle with station security the leader locates Tosk, captive of DS9 security. Further negotiations calm the situation down, and we find Tosk is the "hunted" and these others are the "hunters" all players in a deadly game of galactic hide-and-seek.

A very good episode, it gives us a peek at life on the other side of the wormhole. As an audience, we sense early that Tosk is hiding something, possibly criminal in nature. The effect blossoms when Tosk asks the computer about where the weapons are stored and then goes after them, only to be thwarted by station security. Odo handles the matter through negotiation straightforwardly if not diplomatically. However this is an O'Brien episode, and from the beginning it is clear that the DS9 engineer will play a main part in the story. After making friends with the newcomer, the chief gets involved deeper and deeper with him, relaying to Sisko that "he likes him" and eventually coming to the point that he feels responsible for Tosk's imprisonment and subsequent extradition back to the Gamma Quadrant, such that he decides to help Tosk escape and resume the game. Scott MacDonald did a convincing job of portraying a creature that's wild-eyed and naive to the surroundings and technology, yet is quite capable in his own right (admits he can fix his own ship with the right tools, knows how to pilot a ship, use the station's computer and is quite good at combat, as we see towards the end.)
Remarkable technology: Tosk can go invisible! As we later learn the Jem'Hadar can also shroud themselves, and indeed the reptilian look the producers gave Tosk and to a lesser extent his hunters suggests ties between the two. Furthermore, the crossbow-like weapons (powerful energy weapons) resemble those used by the Jem'Hadar. I was a bit surprised that Chief O'Brien seemed to take this ability in-stride.
Remarkable quotes: "Alpha Quadrant has far too much downtime." (from Tosk during a visit to Quark's), "I live the greatest adventure one could ever desire." (Tosk, while turning down an invitation to Quark's holosuites), "Allow me to die with honor." (Tosk during a private conversation with O'Brien in Odo's security chamber)
Remarkable data: "Ferengi Print" -- During the introduction to the episode a Dabo girl is voicing a complaint against Quark and shows her employment contract to Sisko. It's obviously similar to "fine print" and is quite extensive, 20+ pages with numerous subsections and provisions.
Rating: 7 (Gadrin)

Q-Less Stardate 46531.2: The Runabout Ganges returns to the station with hardly any power and its crew and passengers in danger from lack of life support. Jadzia Dax and another crewman have returned with Vash after finding her in the Gamma Quadrant. With her is Q who is hounding Vash as a travelling companion, trying to get her to accept him. Also along are several artifacts which Vash has acquired during her travels. She makes fast friends with Quark and strikes up a bargain with the Ferengi profiteer to auction them off, but there's a danger posed by one of the items, an embryonic lifeform imprisoned inside a huge, glowing gem, which Q obviously knows but doesn't let on, in his familiar position of being the only one who knows the cards on the table.

Another entertaining episode, featuring the quasi-legit Vash (Jennifer Hetrick), Captain Picard's former flame from TNG, up to her elbows in something mysterious, speculative and deadly, and the supremely annoying Q character (played by John DeLancie.) As usual, Vash handles all comers with tact and aplomb -- Dr. Bashir, Commander Sisko and Quark -- except Q who she feels requires no such coddling. From the beginning equipment intermittantly suffers from mysterious powerdrains, first aboard the runabout, then on the station. O'Brien spots Q and informs the senior officers, who attribute the power losses to him. Q appears during a problem solving session and informs them, albeit cryptically, but considering the source, plus the fact he's so insulting, Sisko and the others ignore his warning. As the DS9 personnel struggle to overcome the station's collision course with the wormhole, they eventually discover the source, while Q mocks their impending doom during an auction. As much as the story centers around Vash (and Q) it also features a close-up look at Quark and the way he deals with the opportunities and encounters that come his way.
Remarkable dialogue: Vash: "You're arrogant, overbearing and you think you know everything." - Q: "But I do know everything." - Vash: "That makes it even worse."
Remarkable quotes: "If that's the sort of company you kept before meeting me, it's no wonder you ended up with Picard." (Q to Vash after a negotiation session with Quark), "Is Starfleet penalizing you, or did you request such a dismal command?" (Q to Sisko at Quark's bar)
Rating: 6 (Gadrin)

Dax Stardate 46910.1: After sharing a drink with Dr. Bashir, Dax is accosted by a group of men on her way back to her quarters, intent on taking her by force back to Klaestron IV to stand trial for treason and the murder of General Ardelon Tandro. The attempt falls short and DS9 becomes the site of an extradition hearing, which allows the story to delve into the rights of the Trill host Jadzia Dax, and her former joined host, Curzon Dax who is actually the accused.

Not a great episode overall, confusing and tedious at points, but a necessary one for character development. I suppose traditionally episodes that center around a character tend to give that actor/actress a lot of lines and screentime, but this one seems to be crafted differently. In later episodes ("Equilibrium" & "Field of Fire") we get to look deeper into the relationship between a host & symbiont, and at the intracacies that arise from such an arrangement. The Bajorans send a judge to preside over a trial-like hearing by Sisko and his opponents, and listens as another Trill give an official version of what it's like to be a host; all the while Teri Farrell sits around, looking ashamed and not saying very much to anyone. This is the part I didn't understand, why, if at all, was the Trill minister present? His dialogue concerned telling what it is like to be a joined Trill, not whether the previous host and the current host sharing the same symbiont are responsible for the crime. I would think that a society who's been joining hosts and symbiots for several centuries would have come to a conclusion on this point, or at least been able to provide psychological data, since the joining process is clearly more that a physical or medical one. The backstory is nice though, and we get to see Odo off the station but still very much in his element -- conducting an investigation -- before returning to DS9 with the murdered man's wife who explains that Curzon wasn't responsible for the incident: she and Curzon were having an affair. It also turns out the General cooked his own goose.
Remarkable scene: Odo finishes interviewing the General's wife Enina and she asks how Curzon is, leaving Odo to explain he's long dead and the Trill her son is seeking to extradite, is a 28 year-old female named Jadzia Dax.
Remarkable casting: Kudos to the casting department for the choice of actresses in the characters of Enina Tandro (Fionnula Flanagan) and the officious, Bajoran arbiter Judge Renora (Anne Haney). Both were convincing in their roles, and I especially liked the look the arbiter shoots at Enina Tandro as she adjourns the hearing.
Rating: 4 (Gadrin)

Dax Stardate 46910.1: Synopsis in main DS9 listing

This is one of the most boring episodes of Star Trek I have ever seen. It totally lacks substance and much plot. It is like a boring rehash of TNG: "The Measure of a Man". I admit that I already have a bias against the character Dax since I don't really like her. I find her to be just a pretty face and not much more. I find her coy behavior to be annoying, and unfortunately, it is not limited to just this episode. This episode also messes up the whole Trill thing even more. I am glad to know that DS9 eventually grows into a good series, but the first season sucked, and this episode is a good example of it.
Nitpicking: It is only the seventh episode of the series and I already notice a common theme where bad guys easily override and evade the station security.
Rating: 0 (Chris)

The Passenger Stardate not given: Major Kira and Dr. Bashir are aboard the Rio Grande when they respond to a distress signal sent by another ship. While Kira puts out fires, Bashir tends to the remaining life-signs reviving first a female security official and the other, her prisoner. After applying a hypospray, the prisoner assaults Bashir briefly then dies. Kira, Bashir and the female beam back to the runabout with the body of the prisoner, which heads back to DS9 with the damaged ship in-tow. The prisoner turns out to be an arch-villain and after several twists and turns almost succeeds at commandeering a starship arriving from the Gamma Quadrant filled with rare deuridium, for his own nefarious purposes.

A good episode which fills the audience with curiosity, horror, and doubt as the story unfolds. The shipment is enroute to DS9 and it turns out the dead captive, a criminal named Vantika, also a Kobliad, was after it. The dead man was a brilliant scientist who has used his knowledge to perpetrate horrors and elude his jailer, a Kobliad named Ty Kajada, for 20 years. Back at DS9's sickbay, Ty Kajada grills Julian upon waking, and demands to see the dead man's body. She gives it her own preliminary check before she gruesomely stabs the lifeless body with a large instrument, reminiscent of a scene from a vampire movie. She then requests Dr. Bashir to confirm the prisoner's death with several detailed scans, including one of her vessel, furthering the audience's impression she's been stalking a monster of some type.
From here the story moves along nicely as mysterious events occur and the story bounces various clues at us, hinting at the way Vantika might have survived (a sort of scientific-possession) and who might be harboring him. A few red herrings are tossed our way too, all adding to the mix and confusion of what's really happening. As predicted by Odo, Quark is involved and when he brings a group of mercenaries hired to assist the rogue Kobliad, we find the villain is controlling Dr. Bashir. From here things narrow as the station crew discovers Bashir missing and a runabout enroute to greet the arriving freighter. After snagging the freighter in a tractor beam, Sisko and his officers deal with Vantika and regain control of the starship and Bashir.
Remarkable quote: "This one I can't bring back." (Bashir after Vantika dies aboard the damaged starship.)
Remarkable technology: microscopic generator -- used by Vantika to house his brain patterns under his fingernails, which he used to transfer his life-essence into Dr. Bashir.
Rating: 6 (Gadrin)

Move Along Home Stardate not given: A Vulcan ship has made contact with a new species in the Gamma Quadrant and Sisko and his senior officers don their dress unis to greet them when the arrive at DS9. Highly interested in games, the newcomers gamble at Quark's where they catch the Ferengi cheating. As a penalty, Sisko and his senior officers are trapped inside a game world controlled by the Wadi, while Quark and Odo watch helplessly, reacting to the game as they go, in an attempt to free their comrades.

Not one of the better episodes, mainly because it shows us a race and their abilities and you know you'll never see either again in the series -- which means it was a "filler" episode. Well I guess they all can't be exciting. The childish, alien hop-scotch sequence that Jadzia, Kira, Sisko and Julian participate in as they try to find their way out of their prison reminded me of parts of the similarly silly prancing sequence in the TOS episode "I, Mudd". As mentioned, our intrepid heroes are forced to bounce from level-to-level, room-to-room, within the game board, due to a faux pas by Quark. With the Wadi winning at Dabo, he has one of his Ferengi assistants rig the game and the chief Wadi, named Falow, catches him. A series of visuals worthy of a stage magician, causes a strange, new gameboard to appear and Falow offers Quark a chance to play, to ease the affront. Without knowing the rules, Quark accepts, and the audience discovers that the senior crew are represented by the pieces, moving through a life-sized maze in concert with those of Falow and Quark. Just as the situation turns life-threatening to Sisko and the others, the Wadi end it, slyly explaining there was never any danger since "it was just a game."
Remarkable quote: "Only children enter at the first shap." (Falow says to Quark as he places the pieces on the Chula board) Given the first "encounter" within the maze is girl playing hop-scotch, it makes the audience wonder: What might have been there? A gingerbread house? Or possibly a trail of breadcrumbs? ;)
Remarkable facts: While Sisko chides Dr. Bashir about not wearing his dress uni, we observe that the Bajorans don't have one, or feel it's necessary in this case, as Kira turns out in her familiar pink ensemble for the meeting (and wears it throughout the episode).
Rating: 3 (Gadrin)

Move Along Home Stardate not given: Deep Space Nine is greeted by the first race to visit from the Gamma Quadrant, the Wadi. The Wadi only seem to have an interest is playing games, and puts the senior officers into the game.

The reason why I picked this episode is that I actually liked it. I know that most of the reviews that I've read were by people who hated this episode (and most of the first two seasons). Here we have a species who aren't interested in conquest, political intrigue, technology or the typical struggles we've seen on television. Here we have a group of aliens who only want to play games. They even have no intent on harming anyone, which is also a welcomed change. They are just looking to have a good time. Pity no one else realizes this. Though it is fun to watch Odo investigate the Wadi ship only to find himself back on the station in Quark's.
One thing I have often wondered about in the Star Trek universe is what do people do to pass the time? They don't have televisions, they don't seem to watch movies. They have holograms, but seem rather dull (I remember an episode of TNG with Riker before the beard watching a hologram of women playing the harp). Their only real entertainment seems to involve either the holodeck/holosuite or the bar. Is the future full of workaholics? Eh, I guess that's another rant. But I do find it hard to believe that the only games on Deep Space Nine are in Quark's bar.
Too bad I can't find a home version of Chula. That would make a great Christmas gift.
Rating: 7 (Jason Feagans)

The Nagus Stardate not given: DS9 is invaded by the Ferengi, come to hold a business conference at Quark's to discuss their future in developing the virgin Gamma Quadrant. Grand Nagus Zek feels he's too old to lead and names Quark to take his place as Nagus, who accepts and shortly learns of the title's pitfalls and benefits.

Jokes and slights punctuate this episode from the start, from Commander Sisko's son Jake, to Quark, Rom and Nog, all dealing threats, insults and backstabs to those within range. There's also family and racial themes working here as shown in Sisko's relationship to his son and the portrayal of the Ferengi: a comedic blending of trolls, the Pope, and mobsters, with the obligatory "worm and vermin eating scenes" thrown in to boot. Of course there's something going on, especially after Zek tells his fellows about being old, where as when he's introduced to Quark at the beginning, you get the impression that despite his weathered looks, he's still going strong. Anyway, as Quark assumes the mantle, he's subtly threatened by another Ferengi and rushes to Zek for counsel. The former Nagus is busy planning his vacation and gives Quark a few pieces of advice before abruptly dying. From this point things get worse, as an attempt on Quark's life fails because the greedy Ferengi bent down to pickup a stray coin, causing a flying Ferengi locator bomb to barely miss him. Quark shrugs off this incident and slips into his "king for a day" role, hamming it up with the trappings of office and dispensing his wisdom, while cutting himself in for a percentage of the profits. Not long after the audience discovers that Rom and Krax (Zek's son) are behind the attempted bombing, plotting further to assassinate Quark and move up the foodchain.
Meanwhile, the whole situation has driven a wedge between Jake and Nog, who are forced apart when Zek learns the Ferengi boy is attending a human school. Groveling at the sign of weakness, Rom orders him not to attend any further and to stay away from "hu-mons". The two end up getting back together, even to the point that Sisko, wondering where his boy is and what he's up to, discovers Jake tutoring his Ferengi friend on school work.
Finally, Quark prepares for a trip to the Gamma Quadrant and we find Rom attending his Nagus by dressing him. As earlier, Rom queries about taking over the bar from Quark, who rebuffs him bluntly, and Rom leads Quark to an airlock, knowing that Krax fabricated the travel plans in order to assassinate the new Nagus. Odo intervenes, along with Zek, who's alive and Quark is saved. The whole event was a test by Zek to see if Krax was ready to take his place.
Remarkable quotes: "I'm just not as greedy as I used to be." (Grand Nagus Zek), "So he's the first, is he? Well, he won't be the last." (Zek to Quark upon hearing of his first death threat), "It is also customary to show respect, by kissing my...scepter." (Nagus Quark to Odo).
Remarkable facts: Zek has been Nagus for 85 years. -- When a Ferengi of Zek's stature dies, the body is vacuum-dessicated and sold as a prize collectible. -- The Ferengi Locator Bomb tracks its quarry via pheromonal sensors. -- The computer can track Jake Sisko despite the fact that he doesn't wear a com-badge. In "Captive Pursuit" Chief O'Brien left his com-badge in Odo's office so he couldn't be tracked. -- Grand Nagus Zek can enter a Dolbargy sleeping trance to appear dead.
Rating: 7 (Gadrin)

Vortex Stardate not given: A Miradorn raider docks at DS9, bringing plunder to sell behind the scenes at Quark's. The transaction is interrupted by an alien from the Gamma Quadrant, who tries to steal an item, but ends up killing one of the Miradorn. Odo, after capturing him, discovers the alien is wanted on his homeworld for previous crimes, but also discovers the man knows something about Changelings. During transport to the alien's homeworld the Miradorn's twin brother comes after the pair, which land on an asteroid, evade their pursuers and after discovering the alien's daughter in stasis, Odo lets the wanted man go.

Croden is the alien from the Gamma Quadrant, who's wanted for a myriad of crimes on his homeworld of Rakhar. While Sisko and Dax take a runabout through the wormhole and contact the Rakhar planet, Croden gives Odo a small locket, that when opened, changes shape, much like a shapeshifter. Odo has Dr. Bashir analyze the trinket and he reveals its composition resembles Odo. Sisko and Dax discover the Rakhar government wants Croden returned, so once back on DS9 Sisko orders Odo to take the prisoner home. In an effort to get revenge, the remaining Miradorn twin is having his ship scan all departing vessels for Croden. Using a Rigellian ship as cover, Odo and Croden leave through the wormhole on the voyage back to Rakhar. Eventually the Miradorn loses patience and forces Quark to help him locate Croden. Tapping into the security system, the Miradorn discovers that the prisoner is being transported back to Rakhar. The audience also learns that Quark was in cahoots with Croden in the attempt to steal the item, and, as it turns out, in the death of the other Miradorn. During the trip to Rakhar, Croden repeatedly questions Odo about his curiosity with other Changelings. This, and the sudden appearance of the Miradorn raiding ship forces the Constable's hand; Odo lets Croden navigate through a region called the "Vortex", where they evade the Miradorn ship and land on Croden's "home" asteroid. Hidden inside a cave within the asteroid is a small stasis pod, and Croden's shapechanging-key opens it, inside is his daughter. The asteroid comes under attack and Odo is knocked unconscious. Later, while aboard the runabout they encounter a Vulcan science vessel heading home. Odo has a change of heart and let's the pair go.
Remarkable quote: Croden calls Odo a "changeling", the first time we hear the term in the series.
Remarkable fact: The Miradorn Raider looks quite a bit like the ship the mercenaries used in TNG's Season 7 episode, "Gambit".
Rating: 6 (Gadrin)

Battle Lines Stardate not given: DS9 receives a visit from Kai Opaka, the spiritual leader of Bajor, whom Sisko offered a tour of the station. Sisko also takes her and members of his senior staff through the wormhole, where they find trouble. The runabout is attacked and it crash-lands on a moon, killing Opaka and leading the survivors into a strange nether-world, where the dead seem to rise and live, and die, and live, and die...

Not one of my favorite shows, this episode seems to revolve around mysticism, the meaning of life and death and the choices people make in their lives. First comes Kira, who in talking to the newly-resurrected Opaka, comes face-to-face with the violence in her life. She's instructed by Opaka to accept it, so she can then move past it. Next comes the two warring clans: the Ennis and the Nol-Ennis. Brought face to face after a promise by Sisko to transport them from this strange, pseudo-life and death struggle. Here the audience finds a pair of wary men, who despite a bright offering, are reluctant to accept it, or each other. A fight ensues and Opaka confirms that indeed, these two cultures have abandoned any hope of living. Furthermore during the battle, Dr. Bashir determines that the microbes responsible for granting "immortality" are environment specific: even if Sisko gets them to agree to end the conflict and leave, they'd still all die. In addition, there seems to be a major inconsistency from a technical/engineering perspective. How, if the dampening field around the moon screens 99% of all incoming and outgoing signals, did O'Brien's probe detect the runabout in the first place? In communicating with Sisko from orbit, O'Brien uses the fact about having 1% to work with to signal Sisko. This seems somewhat plausible -- but he had to know about the effect first -- in order to deal with it.
Remarkable quotes: "Please commander. I don't get out often." (Opaka to Sisko, in an effort to extend the short trip through the wormhole), "Isn't that a bit like assisting a jailbreak?" (Dr. Bashir to Sisko, when he finds that Sisko intends to transport the inhabitants off their prison-moon), "I'm sorry commander, but I've discovered we can't afford to die here -- not even once." (Dr. Bashir to Sisko, after tackling him, to prevent him from being killed during a skirmish). Just for laughs: Close your eyes after Dr. Bashir pronounces Kai Opaka dead. Is Kira performing a Klingon Death Ritual? ;-)
Remarkable fact: Idran is the closest system in the Gamma Quadrant to the wormhole. It's a ternary system.
Rating: 3 (Gadrin)

The Storyteller Stardate 46729.1: While the station is hosting a diplomatic conference, Dr. Bashir and Chief O'Brien are sent to Bajor for a medical emergency. The two discover that an energy form of some type periodically attacks the village, and does so while the pair are there. Aiding the dying leader O'Brien helps back the strange phenomenon away, saving the village, causing the locals to proclaim O'Brien as their new leader.

An interesting show, especially once the tension between Chief O'Brien and Julian Bashir surfaces during the trip to Bajor. Throughout the episode we find opposing forces coming together: Julian and Miles, the Paqu and Navot, Nog and Varis, even Miles and Hovath eventually unite after a murderous interlude. The writers fake the audience out a bit in the beginning, where the intro focuses on the conference between two opposing factions from Bajor: the Paqu and Navot and the introduction of the very young Paqu leader Varis Sul, their Tetrarch. Of course the episode's title gives it away and the audience can soon distinguish between the main and backstory. Overall, the show has a "young adult" theme, with the fairytale portion concerning the montrous Dal'Rok and the way the backstory weaves the audience through the perceptions of Jake, Nog and young Varis Sul. Bashir and O'Brien have at it when the chief is proclaimed the new Sirah, and everything Bashir says seems to put them further at odds, particularly when the magistrate Varen brings in a delegation of well-wishers bearing gifts. There's also a bit of a turning point for Bashir in this episode too. Unlike the naive officer that fumbled about with Jadzia Dax and Garak; Bashir picks up on things right away, and the audience sees a glimpse of the character he eventually evolves into, in Season Four's "Our Man Bashir".
Remarkable scenes: The appearances of the Dal'Rok was well done, with the storm-cloud and winds and it's "attack" on the village. Unfortunately the energy the citizenry provides to combat the menace lessened the overall effect. Strangely, when Bashir and O'Brien meet the village's Sirah, he distinguishes "the one the Prophets sent", not by the traditional Bajoran method of grasping the person's ear (to measure the strength of their Pah), but by taking their hand.
Rating: 4 (Gadrin)

Progress Stardate 46844.3: The station is assisting the Bajoran government in an energy transfer, tapping the molten core of Bajor's fifth moon in an attempt to provide energy for the main world. The moon holds some settlers and Kira and Dax are dispatched with a runabout to make sure the evacuation is complete before the transfer can begin. Sensors pick up lifeforms and Kira beams down to find a group of Bajoran farmers who refuse to leave their home.

Following on the heels of "The Storyteller" this episode echoes some of the "childlike" theme of its predecessor. We find Nog and Jake fervently trying to barter and sell leftover goods, after the young Ferengi feels a "tingling in his lobes". The episode weaves a thread of communication between sentients, from the subtle guile of merchant dealings to the interaction between Bajorans.
Kira's struggle to convince her fellow Bajorans to leave is quite entertaining. It moves from direct opposition at first, to playfulness (mild insults and exaggeration) before finally turning grave and sad in the end. It was easy to side with Kira and her decision to stay and find out more about these people before the coming of change. Kira's torn at points between the person she is, someone with a job to do, and what she was, a person not unlike the farmers.
Remarkable scenes: Actually the scenery itself. Throughout the series we see glimpses of Bajor through matte paintings and sets. The production crew succeeds in making Mullibok's farmstead downright homey and appealing, making it easy for the audience to sympathize with his unwillingness to leave.
Rating: 7 (Gadrin)

If Wishes Were Horses Stardate 46853.2: Various manifestations of the crew's imagination come to life and threaten the station, causing a variety of strange effects and perplexing behavior. The effects are actually the result of a new race making first contact with the Federation, without their knowledge.

One of my least favorite shows in the DS9 series and seems to break the producer's rules about the series in general; unlike a ST show based on a starship and the characters simply ride away into the sunset, here, on DS9 there was "consequences for their actions" and a history would be built. Much like the earlier episode "Move Along Home", we find the "consequences" temporary and fleeting. I prefer shows that build on other shows and events in the series, as though the group were getting somewhere, instead of an hour of filler. And what the heck is up with Bashir? Is he related to Harry Kim? Oh, well, at least we can root for Worf later on. ;)
Remarkable Dialogue: "It's a living." (Quark to Odo after a comment about his holoprograms being disgusting)
Rating: 2 (Gadrin)

The Forsaken Stardate 46925.1: A group of Federation ambassadors arrive on the station, proceeding with a fact-finding mission concerning the wormhole. A pompous and demanding group, Sisko has the foresight to assign Dr. Bashir to escort them about the station while he tends to business. Shortly afterwards a probe comes through the wormhole and the station begins to experience strange technical difficulties.

An enjoyable episode. We see Majel Barrett reprise her role as Lwaxana Troi from TNG as one of the ambassadorial contingent aboard the station. After Odo recovers an item stolen from her, she pursues him romantically. While romance isn't one of the constable's better developed traits, it's interesting to see his reaction to the opposite sex, compared to the one he uses in pursuit of his job, where women criminals occur just as frequently. In addition, we first find Chief O'Brien up to his elbows in maitenance, fighting with the station computer to have things run his way and getting nowhere. After the probe comes through the wormhole and the team downloads its huge computer matrix, the station's computer starts performing without a hitch -- minus the fact that Odo and Lwaxana are stranded in the upper pylon turbolift. O'Brien determines that the computer does fine when he's around, but when he leaves an emergency happens that brings him back to ops, much like a puppy starved for attention. The team decides to upload the downloaded information back to the probe, but when they attempt to do so the station's power cuts out, reinforcing their theory. As the team tries to divert the computer's attention by having it perform several intensive tasks, they slowly disassemble portions of it so they can perform the upload physically. However it catches on and a series of mishaps occur, one which, a plasma explosion, threatens the trio of ambassadors and Bashir. O'Brien figures out how to remove the new "influence" from the computer core, which allows the station to return to normal operations. Bashir gets high marks from the ambassadors he led to safety inside a wall compartment (station equivalent of a Jeffries tube) and Odo and Lwaxana establish an understanding in a touching scene that the writers carefully built up, culminating inside the turbolift.
Remarkable quotes: "Quark has plenty of reason to feel guilty but he usually doesn't have to resort to petty theft to fleece his clients." (Odo to Ambassador Troi after explaining she can't read Ferengi minds), "They are the Ambassadors of Unhappy." (Bashir to Sisko while venting his frustration at his assignment), "Keep it off the furniture." (Sisko to O'Brien after finding out he intends to keep the station's new computer "pet")
Remarkable dialogue: Sisko: "Constable, you can handle thieves and killers, but not one Betazoid woman?" - Odo: "I understand thieves and killers."
Remarkable facts: Dopterians are distant relatives of the Ferengi. -- When one of the ambassadors requests to be personally involved with the research of a small probe that came through the wormhole, Sisko counters instead with a briefing "at 0400", which would be 4 AM if using military time. While it's possible the ambassador's arrival time wasn't within the normal "work day" of the station it seems unlikely that Sisko's crew would have to suffer for this and it suggests that Sisko meant 1600 hours (4 PM) instead. -- The probe is made of a corundium alloy (which isn't in Bernd's encyclopedia ;)). -- According to The Star Trek Deep Space Nine Companion, there's a minor costuming change in this episode, concerning Kira's uniform. In an effort to show off Nana Visitor's figure, the flap bottom of her tunic has been done away with. Yow!
Lwaxana Troi hairstyle count: 4, pink (1st scene in Quark's), full-blown red (Odo's office when she comes for him), blonde (when she surprises Odo on the Promenade), black (her natural color, when she removes her blonde wig just before Odo changes into his gelatinous form).
Rating: 8 (Gadrin)

Dramatis Personae Stardate 46922.3: A Klingon ship comes through the wormhole and explodes. The vessel's first officer is able to beam aboard the station, but dies after cryptically uttering the phrase "Victory!". In addition, a Valerian ship has put into port and Kira suspects they're dealing with Cardassia as they did during the occupation. She and Sisko butt heads initially, as the Federation has no reason to challenge the Valerian's purpose. Slowly, cracks develop between the various factions and alliances of the station staff, escalating and dividing the station into several opposing camps each scheming to eliminate the other.

Plenty of intrigue in this episode, paralleling some of that from Season Two's "Crossover" episode. After Odo's brief hospitalization, a series of scenes builds up the fact that two factions, one headed by Sisko, and the other, represented by Major Kira are growing farther and farther apart, also illustrating that their personalities are slowly changing. Sisko exhibits signs of withdrawl and seclusion, Dax of fond remembrances and O'Brien and Kira that of "take charge" with an eye to foiling any opposition. Odo notices the changes during a meeting and begins investigating things on his own. Despite the two "camps" of the Federation and Bajorans, both sides try to curry favor with the other: Kira swaying Dax and O'Brien confiding in Odo. Despite the fact that they share a common employer (the Bajoran government), Kira has to work to get Odo on her side, which suggests something else at work. Dax and O'Brien perform a data interpolation on the mission recorder they recovered from the doomed Klingon ship and Odo finds that the Klingons discovered a set of spheres, which where telepathic in nature. These turned out to be an archive describing an ancient power struggle that destroyed a race called the Saltah'na. Odo puts two and two together and realizes that the archive caused the Klingons to reenact that struggle and was likely doing the same on DS9. In a great ending, Odo manipulates Dr. Bashir into freeing Sisko, Kira and the others affected by the telepathic interference before eliminating it.
Remarkable dialogue: A scene in which Odo pumps the doctor for information, realizes he's affected too, and manipulates him into helping without knowing the real reason of his interest. Bashir: "An interesting theory, Constable but I'm certainly not behaving out of the ordinary." - Odo: "Of course not, but what if you and I are the only two who aren't affected?" - Bashir: "Do you think we could use this to our advantage?" - Odo: "Exactly."
Rating: 7 (Gadrin)

Duet Stardate not given: A freighter docking at the station requests medical help for a passenger it's transporting. The passenger turns out to be a Cardassian with a case of a rare disease obtainable only from those who were located at labor camp during the Bajoran occupation. Kira Nerys has the man placed under arrest and delves into his background in an effort to identify and capture one of the biggest war criminals in Bajoran history.

Aamin Marritza's symptoms of Kalla-Nohra syndrome provides Major Kira with almost incontrovertible proof that the Cardassian was present at the forced labor camp called Gallitep, which Kira helped liberate 12 years previous. A double-check by Bashir with medical records soon confirms this. After Sisko's inital misgivings about her objectivity, he allows Kira to pursue the investigation, which she does, passionately. Nana Visitor does a strong job, conveying the task she has at hand, tempering it with the strong emotional content, that you'd expect from a person in this situation. The acting is superb by all, including the Cardassian's chilling confession in the security chamber. However, the story is a bit awkward. The suddenness of how the situation arises may chafe viewers, but it is necessary as it's hardly an story worthy of a multi-episode arc. The twists and turns keep you guessing and wondering about the resolution, but the fact that the whole event is a mistake may leave viewers with a bad taste in their mouths, considering that the Gallitep situation had actually occured and somewhere there are war criminals about. It would have been more satisfying to have an ending that provided some hope, given the story-line. The ironic twist is that the item that triggered the whole event (Kalla-Nohra syndrome) is the confirming factor that the man is an impostor, as the real war criminal -- Gul Darhe'el -- was back on Cardassian during the mining accident which caused the malaise. Furthermore, when the Cardassian dies in Kira's arms, by the hand of another Bajoran the audience senses that despite the age of the conflict, wounds from the occupation will never heal.
Remakable facts: One of the things I've always liked about DS9 (and Trek in general) are the sets. Considering the task put before them, they're invariably well done and believable. Odo's security chamber has a table in it, from which Kira (or anyone) can interrogate prisoners.
Rating: 6 (Gadrin)

In the Hands of the Prophets Stardate not given: Keiko O'Brien is conducting class when Vedek Winn shows up and confronts her about her non-religious teachings. Using this as platform she then foments fervor against the Federation and Commander Sisko in particular, culminating in an attempted assassination by a member of Chief O'Brien's staff who is foiled at the last moment.

An interesting episode in that it gives the audience a glimpse of Bajoran politics, something further amplified in later episodes (Season Two's "The Circle" and "The Siege"), which on the whole aren't much different than the Cardassian's (remeber Gul Dukat's exposure in "The Maquis") or the Federation's (as witnessed by Picard's methods at the end of TNG's "The Hunted"). While the audience knows that Bajor's religious beliefs play a large part in their society, how they're used and who implements them are unveiled here, giving the audience a feel of what is to come. At first the politcal maneuverings seem inconsequential, as Major Kira backs Winn's ideas rather matter-of-factly, and when Sisko travels to meet Vedek Bareil, who informs him he'll do nothing. However, once the situation is escalated by violence this suddenly changes and the players come to meet each other face-to-face, some sensing opportunity, some out to obtain a resolution, some for both. The back-plot sheds light on how and eventually who, with Chief O'Brien giving the station a good going over to uncover what's going on. Finally the ending shows us the real reason: Vedek Winn's plan to keep Vedek Bareil from becoming Kai. A decent place to end the season, making the audience aware that things aren't quite as tidy as they seem.
Remarkable quotes: "I told her I would do anything to look into their eyes." (Vedek Winn recounting a talk she had with Kai Opaka), "I envied Vedek Winn because she was a true believer." (Major Kira to Sisko), "I don't think that you're the devil." (Major Kira to Commander Sisko)
Rating: 7 (Gadrin)

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