Amazon.com

A rousing tribute to the original Star Trek's most popular episode, "Trials and Tribble-ations" is a triumph of clever plotting, technical achievement, and pure, unadulterated fun. Like "The Trouble with Tribbles" from 29 years earlier, this fifth-season episode is an instant classic, beginning when a surgically altered Klingon (Charlie Brill, reprising his role from "Tribbles") uses a Bajoran Orb of Time to travel back over 100 years to prevent his past-tense capture by Capt. James T. Kirk. Undercover time travelers Sisko, Dax, Odo, Worf, O'Brien, and Bashir track the Klingon's scheme on the Enterprise-A and the Tribble-infested space station K-7, turning this two-series hybrid into a nostalgic valentine, with DS9 characters digitally inserted into original "Tribbles" footage. With re-created sets, ships, and costumes, "T & T" mines hilarious gold from its Trek-savvy premise, including the mysteries of Klingon physiognomy, Starfleet snoops whose names are anagrams of "Mulder and Scully," and enough in-jokes to delight vigilant Trekkers everywhere. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (29)

The Best of DS9 ...
Episode 103 Trials and Tribble-ations is the best DS9 episode ever made....and more! The episode transcends DS9 blending arguably one of the best Star Trek "Original Series" episodes -- Trouble with Tribbles -- with charachters from DS9 and Next Generation.

The cinematography is superb as clips from the original episode are seamlessly integrated into this episode. And by "seamlessly integrated" I mean 2 things: technically speaking, and from a plot perspective.

This episode is at once nostalgic, original, filled with drama and humor (mostly Dax's comments, but comments by Sisko and others as well.) The fight scene is particularly well-done and stands as probably the best scene of the episode.

Oh, it's so good to see Kirk and Spock again, but it is all fresh and new and exciting in the context of this extremely well-done DS9 episode. This is a must-buy for not only DS9 fans, but also Next Generation and Original Series fans. Outstanding, and as entertaining as even the full-length movies.

One Of The Finest Hours Of Star Trek, Ever
Oh my, what a hoot! I commend the producers of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" for this witty, wonderful homage to the original series that also shines in its own right as one of the finest "Star Trek" episodes ever made. This is an exquisite blend of new footage around scenes from the "Star Trek" episode "The Trouble With Tribbles". Charlie Brill is terrific as the disguised disgraced Klingon from "The Trouble With Tribbles". Here he tries to change history by sending the "Deep Space Nine" crew back in time, hoping to kill Captain Kirk. Michael Dorn ("Worf") is hilarious as he tries to explain to his befuddled comrades why the Klingons from Captain Koloth's battlecruiser more closely resemble humans than Klingons of Worf's time. And now I know who was responsible for the barroom brawl - and it wasn't really anyone from from the old USS Enterprise! Admittedly "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" was my favorite "Star Trek" series, yet I'm sure this hilarious episode will appeal to "Star Trek" fans of all stripes as well as others, like myself, who enjoy hilarious science fiction television.

A Nice Tribute To The Original Series
Over 30 years ago, the Original Star Trek series produced an episode that continues to be a favorite among fans even today. "The Trouble With Tribbles" was a silly episode with lots of humor.

30 years later, the producers of Star Trek : Deep Space Nine (the best series of the modern Trek era) created this wonderful episode..."Trials And Tribble-ations". Using footage from the original episode, the crew of the Defiant go back in time to save Kirk from a vengeful Klingon.

This episode has many fun moments. The best one is when Bashir, O'Brien and Odo don't recognize the human looking aliens as Klingons. "Those are Klingons?"

A great episode and a fiting tribute to the original. Definitely better than Voyager's tribute episode with Captain Sulu.

This time everybody knows the Tribbles I've seen...
Sooner of later what was happening in the movies with "Zelig" and "Forrest Gump" was going to make a move to the small screen, which is as good an explanation for the fun of Episode 103 of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "Trials and Tribble-ations" (Story by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler & Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Teleplay by Ronald D. Moore & Rene Echevarria, "The Trouble With Tribbles" written by David Gerrold, Aired November 4, 1996). The "Defiant" return from Cardassian space with the Bajoran Orb of Time along with Arne Darvin (Charlie Brill), a Klingon who has been surgically altered to pass as human (gee, doesn't that sound familiar?). Darvin uses the Orb to send the "Defiant" and its crew back over a hundred years to Deep Space Station K-7 where the U.S.S. Enterprise, Captain James T. Kirk, commanding, is in orbit and suddenly we find ourselves in the classic original "Star Trek" episode, "The Trouble With Tribbles."

Darvin turns out to be the same spy that was caught by Kirk poisoning the grain shipment. Darvin wants to change history by killing Kirk, so Sikso, Dax, Bashir, and O'Brien dress up in period uniforms and search the Enterprise for Darvin. Meanwhile Odo and Worf, check out the space station. Granted, the interaction between the two casts consists more of cuts than using computers to insert the DS9 gang into the original "Star Trek" episode, but that does not take away from the fun, and there is a lot of fun to be had in this episode. The best moment is when O'Brien and Bashir join Odo and Worf at the station bar when the Klingons show up and start baiting Scotty and the Enterprise men. The other three all stare at the Klingons, then at Worf with his all those ridges on the top of his head, and then back at the Klingons with their smooth brows. But to their questions about what happened, all Worf will say is that Klingons do not talk about it with outsiders. This may well be the funniest moment in "Star Trek" history (my second choice would be Captain Picard's Shakespearean monologue when he is trying to win Lwaxana Troi back from an amorous Ferengi). Dax mooning over Kirk is not half bad either.

Clearly "Trials and Tribble-ations" is a unique crossover episode for the "Star Trek" universe, and fortunately there was no attempt to duplicate it with a similar project. Actually, since you can make the argument that not since "The Trouble With Tribbles" has there been a "Star Trek" episode that was so totally in the spirit of fun, that "Trials and Tribble-ations" is just the big cosmic wheel coming full circle.

Tribble Trouble
This was the first DS9 I ever saw, and it was wonderful. Sisko and his crew blended in wonderfully, althougth Odo's make-up probally wouldn't have been possible in 1967. This episode was funny, and the special effects(the effects where DS9 mixed with TOS) were great. I even found out how to annoy Worf("Is that lilac I smell"). I only have two complaints. George Takei(Sulu) wasn't in this episode. Then again, I'm not even sure he was in the original, and he was the star in the Voyager episode "Flashback". And second of all, Worf didn't tell us(actually Odo, O'Brein, and Bashir) how the Klingon change from brown humans to boney forehead aliens. Other than that, I love this episode. It's the only one from Deep Space 9 I saw, but already I think this the best DS9 episode I ever saw. I also recommend the orginal episode, "The Trouble with Tribbles. That is just as good as this one. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Terrific, underrated Disney comedy
In my opinion, "The World's Greatest Athlete" may very well be the best Disney comedy of the '70's, even better than "Freaky Friday" or "Apple Dumpling Gang." It's also incredibly underrated, with Leonard Maltin seemingly alone among major critics in loving it.

Without giving anything away, it is a goofy, inspired slapstick comedy with a terrific cast including an absolutely hilarious Tim Conway as an inept assistant coach, a well-cast Jan-Michael Vincent as a superathlete, the wonderful Roscoe Lee Browne, rising above his stereotypical, potentially offensive role as
an African witch-doctor, and the wonderful Nancy Walker as a blind landlady who mistakes a tiger for a drunken
frat boy.

But top acting honors go to John Amos as the losingest college coach in history. The fact that he is black is important to the story set-up, but is completely uncommented on in the film and therefore makes the film ahead of its time, at least for Disney studios, who I believe had never before had a black lead actor in one of its films. This is also the film in which Howard Cosell plays himself in a hilarious bit and delivers the great line: "I have never seen anything like this in my entire illustrious career!"

The only reason I don't give "The World's Greatest Athlete" better than a *** rating is that it isn't yet available in the remastered, wide-screen special edition DVD it deserves. Come on, Disney, get on the ball. You have a real gem in your vault and you act like you don't even know it.

an awesome goofball movie
this is a dumbell movie chock full of really stupid stuff. it's so dumb it's funny. i wish more movies were like this that doesn't take itself seriously. i own 2 copies of this movie.

boy how i remember
i remember seeing this movie when i was a little kid. my grandmother took me to see this in radio city music hall. that was way back at the beginning of the 70's. what a great film but i will not purchase it until it comes out on dvd. THANK YOU.

A great wholesome comedy for the entire family
A great wholesome comedy for the entire family. The kids will love it too. We need more family oriented movies like this one to be made in todays day and age. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nominated for the prestigious Hugo Award and voted the best Star Trek ever by readers of TV Guide, "The Visitor" transcends the limitations of series canon and exists in a continuum of its own making. There is something indefinable, something both solid and intangible about the love that exists between a parent and a child. If strong enough, it probably could forge a connection through time and space--and beyond life itself. This episode feels very real.

The plot is deceptively simple: a young writer appears on Jake Sisko's doorstep in the middle of a very dark and rainy night. She wants to hear his story; and Jake is an old man. He needs to tell it. Distinguished kudos all around for great writing and great acting. Tony Todd is superb as the adult Jake Sisko. Not only does the man age from twentysomething to 80, he also nails Cirroc Lofton's mannerisms and body language. Lofton's expressive performance as the young Jake is a standout as well. Avery Brooks is a profoundly gentle Sisko here--a father who obviously loves his son. And Rachel Robinson is absolutely luminescent as Melanie, the young writer. (She's also Andrew "Garak" Robinson's daughter.) Kudos to the design team for using color and lighting to express Jake's mounting depression. Honorable mention to Aron Eisenberg as Captain Nog. Watch for the "future" uniforms that seem to come from TNG's "All Good Things." "The Visitor" is an amazing episode and it belongs in every Trek fan's collection. --Kayla Rigney ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Probably THE BEST episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine
If I could, I would rate this episode as 6 stars out of 5, because it's so good.
The episode "The Visitor" deals with the relationship between Jake Sisko and his father, Captain Benjamin Sisko. What happens is Jake, who is an old man who's about 80, tells the story of his father's death to a young, aspiring, and attractive woman named Melanie (played by Andrew J. "Garak" Robinson's lovely daughter Rachel). In the end, when the musical suite plays, we see Ben Sisko, sitting in front of his elderly, napping son, who shows him a draft of a book he dedicated "To my father, whose coming home", which he won't be able to publish, but he reveals to his father what he realized, and why he has taken the path he has. If you're interested, and haven't seen this episode, I won't ruin it for you. But if you either have it, or have seen it, you understand why I would rate this a 6 out of 5.

Perhaps the finest hour of 'Trek' ever.
This episode from the early fourth season was the most moving and heart-rending episode perhaps ever done for any Star Trek series. Outstanding performances all around by Avery Brooks, Cirroc Lofton and Tony Todd as the elder Jake Sisko. There are very few trek episodes I will buy for posterity through the years but this will be one of them, when they finally release it on video.

The best of Trek
Often, episodes that earn the "best of" title are those that take that which is unique to the science fiction universe to the limits. Witness TNG's "The Best of Both Worlds," which is often labelled the best of that series and shows the desperate battle against an implacable enemy. For "The Visitor," however, the science fiction elements are mere window dressing for an examination of human relations. They allow the plot to progress, but except for the specifics of the technology, we're not seeing anything that couldn't happen in this day and age with the most minor of changes.

This is why the episode resonates so strongly with the viewers, who see not the crash and burn of a starship, but of a human life. Everything is immediate and nearly any viewer will be able to find an emotional connection to the events onscreen. It showcases the best father/son relationship I've ever seen on a TV show, and that showcase makes for the best episode of any Trek series.

Best Star Trek episode ever!
This episode clearly marked DS9 as the best,if not equel to TNG by conveying emotions between characters instead of much appreciated action. Never has an episode of Star Trek dealt so realisticly with its characters that it excels as one of the series finest moments. From the stormy beginning to the emotional finale this is Star Trek acting and directing at its best. If you dont like DS9, then this probably wont change your mind about the show due to its character driven plot but for any DS9 fan this is an episode not to miss.

A Standout Episode for a Remarkable Series
"The Visitor", from DS9's fourth season, remains a fan and critical favorite. Like the best of Trek, this particular installment is more dependent on character development than special effects or other technical wizardry.

The acting by all is first-rate. Tony Todd (of "Candyman" fame and an earlier role as Worf's brother) turns in a fine performance as the elder Jake Sisko, enduring a lifelong quest to rescue his father from subspace limbo. Cast member Cirroc Lofton gets one of his few chances to shine as the young Jake. Guest star Rachel Robinson is quite good as a young woman that visits Jake in the winter of his years. Last but not least, star Avery Brooks brings his usual dynamic strength to the role of Benjamin Sisko as he pops in and out at stages of his son's life.

The respective scenes featuring exchanges between Brooks, Todd, and Lofton are endearing and memorable.

Besides being well written and acted, the episode features one of the best scores of any Trek show. It is no wonder that composer Dennis McCarthy's music is featured on a "Best of Trek" compilation album. The music is a combination of subtlety, poetry, and foreboding as it represents the strong bond between father and son.

"The Visitor" is an example of true quality television and deserves a place in the TV Hall of Fame. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Loved Kolchak
I remember enjoying the show when it was on. It scared me to death. Then in it's repeat later, I enjoyed it again. I had been waiting a long time for it to come out on vhs and maybe, I've missed it, but now I'm glad I've found it. I don't own it yet, but you can be sure I will own it shortly.

I also have a comment about the certain "federal agent". I can't help it. I adore Mulder. And it shows a compliment to the creaters of Kolchak that an unknown writer, (Chris Carter) would use the ideas and put a twist on it.

Kolchak is the man !
The " Night Stalker" ( as Kolchak is known to many of us who watched the series as children, ) is much more entertaining, endearing, and human than a certain 'federal agent ' of recent near- cultism. Vincenzo ( The editor ) is always on our hero's back, only to be frustrated to his wit's end when Kolchak comes through, despite the obstacles faced him.

GREAT only words to describe it!
Darren Mcgavin is awesome in the night stalker possibly the best 70s original show this tape is 2 of the best episodes fans get a real treat listening to Mcgavins wit and humour as well as his serious side fantastic series.

Great Video - Horror & Comedy Combined
Hmmm, I suspect this is the episodes "The Ripper" and "The Vampire" combined together. They're not the absolute best of the 20 Kolchak episodes produced in 1974-75, but they're definitely in the top 10. The Night Stalker is a series that combines horror and comedy - reporter Carl Kolchak is a bit of a bumbler, and is as likely to run in terror from the approaching monster than confront it. Darren McGavin carries the show, capturing the many facets of Kolchak from buffoon to fast-talker to reluctant hero. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

"The die is cast", sequal to "Improbable Cause"
'The Die is Cast' is the second in a two part DS9 story ("Improbable Cause" is the first, and basically sets up this episode). It involves a plot by the Tal-Shiar and the Obsidian Order (kind of like the CIA for the Romulans and Cardassians) to eliminate the Dominion as a threat. Having secretly built a large fleet of warships, they embark on a mission to destroy the homeworld of the Founders, the Dominion's masters. In tow are Garak and a very unwilling Odo. Garak's old mentor wants Odo (a member of the Founder's race) interegated. Garak must decide between returning to the old life he was cast out of, and the life of his friend. Our heroes on DS9 must also decide: Do they try and stop this fleet? A successful attack may eliminate the Dominion as a long term threat, but a failed one could plunge the galaxy into bloody war. Nice tension, great scenes between Garak and Odo, a big ending, and a number of plot twists make this an excellent episode. Huge events which turn the whole 'Star Trek' universe on it's ear are what separate DS9 from the other Star Trek series. This episode is a great example of that grand-scale story telling, yet it does not lose site of Star Trek's signature character drama. Lots of fun, especially when paired with it's partner!

Odo is falling apart - again!
The great season three of Deep Space Nine is coming to a close with only a handful of episodes left, this action packed outing is worth every penny. Garak is interrogating Odo by using a Romulan device that prevents him from returning to liquid form, something that soon becomes torture as Odo's body desperately needs regeneration. In the meantime the Federation gets wind of the Romulan-Cardassian plot to enter the Gamma Quadrant and attack the Founder's homeworld, striking a deadly blow to the evil Dominion! Great battle sequences make this one an intelligent story with a classic ending...

Wow
An incredible episode with more twists and turns than you can shake a stick at. Also filled with very good acting from Andrew Robinson and Rene Auberjonois. Odo and Garak are taken aboard a Romulan Warbird and taken (with several other warbirds and Cardassian ships) into the Gamma Quadrant. With one mission: to destroy the Founder's home world. When they get there, all is not as it appears. I would recommend this episode to anyone and everyone who likes Deep Space Nine.

LESS than the first, but MORE than just your average DS9
Second-part episodes have the dubious distinction of holding the momentum set forth in the first installment. "Die" tries but just isn't as good, although the actors make a valiant effort to keep the story strong. Rene Auberjonois, Andrew Robinson, and Paul Dooley are again brilliant in their respective roles. The special effects crew gets a chance to shine when an all-out Dominion attack surprises the Cardassian-Klingon Alliance.

And the reminder that "no changeling has ever harmed another" comes from a surprising source

Intence darkness and drama
Episode title: The Die Is Cast

Written by: Ronald D. Moore

Directed by: David Livingston

"The Die Is Cast" is a direct sequel to the outstanding "Improbable Cause" and to all surprise, it manages to live up to it's prequel's standards, even if they diverse tremendously.

After the subtle and dramatic "Improbable Cause", "The Die Is Cast" offers direct escalation and powerfully and rapidly paced storstructure.

It is, in a way, as dark as it's prequel, but not at all in the way you'd expect. As "Improbable Cause" was dark in an anxiously repressed way, "The Die Is Cast" throws the pain directly onto the viewer's face.

It's also as slow to open up to the viewer as yo might expect from the earlier episode, but not because it's so subtle, but because it's so out in the open. At first it seems only to be a political action-adventure, but as you watch it more, from analytical perspective, it's one of the most thought-provoking and profound star trek episodes.

So, in the end, it was probably a good thing this two episode long story was divided into two different parts, with two very different writers, and two very different directors.

I never would have thought the infamous third season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine could produce such a masterpiece of drama and talent. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Mature, dark and exiting in a subtle way
Episode title: Improbable Cause

Teleplay by: René Echevarria

Story by: Robert Lederman & David R. Long

Just when the third season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine appeared to be full of potential unused, it shocked by tying the continuing aspects of the season into one neat baggage by the way of a two episode long story.

"Improbable Cause" is the first one of these episodes, and noticably different from "The Die Is Cast", the latter and equally succeeded episode.

It all begins as Garak's shop is mysteriously burned to the ground by a bomb. This leads to a dark and fascinating investigation by Odo, who eventually manages to connect the explosion of Garak's shop to a much more complex scheme within the Cardassian political structure.

The episode progresses with subtle, even modest scenes, but conveys a much more dramatic substance on a deeper level. Garak has finally a meaning, and Odo's developement is been given a new direction.

It's amazing how such a short episode, with minimal dramatical twist can have so much substance and developement in it. It's dark exploration of the characters and their lives is extraordinarily incorporated to the episode, so that it's almost impossible to notice it.

The whole episode, in fact, is so subtle in it's ways of telling what it needs to say, that it takes countless of times to see it before it truly opens up.

A true masterpiece of writing.

Constable Odo investigates an attempt to blow up Garak
Garak's tailor shop is destroyed by an explosion and as Odo investigates the case becomes more and more complicated. It seems give other Cardassians were killed in similar explosions and all of them have ties to Enabran Tain, the former head of the Obsidian Order. It seems, not everybody on this side of the wormhole is waiting for the Dominion to attack. Actually, "Improbable Cause" is the first of two parts, to be continued in "The Die is Cast." As two-part episodes go, this is an above average set-up, but what makes this a great episode is that focuses on Garak and Odo, giving us several scenes featuring the two sparing as they try to figure out what is going on.

Garak and Odo!
Garak's shop is destroyed and it looks like someone is trying to kill him, Odo is called in to investigate, using his contacts on Cardassia it is revealed that a lot of Garak's former 'associates' were eliminated. Odo and Garak take a Runabout and go deep inside Cardassian space where they find evidence of Romulan involvement. It becomes apparent that Garak's death-threat is just a small piece of a bigger puzzle as a fleet of Cardassian ships decloak. It seems the Romulan's and Cardassian's are preparing an attack force but who is the target?

D.S.9. - Dialogue Show Ninefold.
DS9's 3rd season was probably its worst and yet it still managed to produce one of the best double episodes ever made. This first installment was marginally the stonger of the two with a totally faultless hour - don't expect extravagent SFX - DS9 sticks to its now famous character driven shows with unparalelled flair. It also stands the test of time, showcasing the qualities of the character of Elim Garak and revealing some of the master plan the writers had install for him. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Major Kira is Enceinte, or, Any Womb in a Storm...
So, what do you do when two of the stars of your television show decide to get married and have a baby but their characters do not really like each other? Well, the first thing you do is set up a distraction by dragging up the old chesnut about the guy who is told by his doctor he only has a short while to live, the guy sells off his possessions, and then learns the doctor made a mistook. Well in "Body Parts" Quark gets to play this part. Told he has Dorek syndrome and a week to live, Quark sells his body parts on the Ferengi futures market. But then, when he is told he is not going to die (good news), he discovers that Brunt (remember him form "Family Business" and "Bar Association"?) now owns his body (bad news). So while this nonsense is going on, nobody will really notice when Keiko is injured and her baby has to be transplanted into Major Kira. After all, with the imminent (yawn) threat of a Dominion invasion, who would not want DS9's second-in-command carrying Chief O'Brien's baby? Enough sarcasm. There is one redeeming sequence in "Body Parts," when Quark dreams of going to the Divine Treasure of the Ferengi afterlife when he has a spirited discussion regarding the Rules of Acquisition with Gint, the first Grand Nagus. This is really a sub-standard episode and the idea of putting these two plotlines together is rather unsettling, but you have to admit this is an original method of dealing with Nana Visitor's pregnancy.

Funny!
The wonderful thing about DS9 was that it didn't always take itself too seriously. Some of the best episodes were centered around Quark (played by Armin Shimmerman). Armin isn't just an excellent actor but he has an excellent sense of comedic acting. His comedy delivery is exceptional. Even though this episode likely won't make any DS9 fan's Top-10 list it is, nevertheless, funny.

Quark is up for sale!
Quark is diagnosed with a fatal illness, in Ferengi tradition he begins selling off his body parts in advance, to his surprise his entire body is bought... by Brunt.

When Quark realises he doesn't have the disease he is forced into an interesting situation, break the contract with Brunt or die. But if he breaks the contract he will forfeit Ferengi rule and one of the Rules of Acquisition that the Ferengi Empire was founded upon!

A mediocre episode that serves to fill some air-time while the budget is saved on some big budget season finale... or so I thought. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Odo has to rejoin the Great Link and be tried for his crime
In a story that we knew was coming, Odo collapses and begins to lose his ability to remain solid. The only thing to do is for Odo to be returned to the Great Link. Sisko flies the Constable into Dominion territory, transmitting a call for aid. A Jem'Haddar ship arrives with a Changeling who will take Odo back to his people. Merging with the Great Link will save Odo's life, but the Changelings will also judge him for having killed another Changeling (See "The Adversary"). "Broken Link" is a pivotal episode in the massive DS9 story arc of the coming war with the Dominion, not to mention its impact on Constable Odo. I was pretty sure that when this moment came there would be some sort of significant twist that would have a major impact on both storylines, and that was certainly the case here, especially in terms of Odo's punishment. Odo was always the most interesting character on DS9 and the whole bit with the Dominion puts him at the heart of the storm.

To be continued...
In the season 4 finale we see Odo lured into the Gamma Quadrant in an attempt to find a cure for the disease that has infected him, he cannot hold a solid shape. Once he enters Dominion space and transmits an urgent message to the Founders in the hope that they will know of a cure - the Defiant is quickly surrounded by Jem'hadar.

Odo beams down to the surface of the new homeworld of the Founders, with Sisko and Bashir, the Female Changeling leads Odo into the Great Link (which seems to have expanded hugely since the last time we saw it in The Search). Time passes, possibly days, and Odo finally emerges. He is weak, but solid, apparently cured. It is at this point that we learn that Odo IS solid, a punishment for killing another Changeling (season three finale). Once Odo returns to the station he sees an image of Gowron, the leader of the Klingon Empire, he realises he is a Changeling!

A fairly good stand-alone episode that sets up season five with a lot of possibilities, unfortunately the next season doesn't quite flow as smoothly as the last two. All in all a good solid, no pun intended, script but not a very exciting season finale! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Sisko discovers a wormhole and that his life is not linear
The two-hour pilot of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" starts with a flashback to the Federation's battle with the Borg as Wolf 359, when Jean-Luc Picard was Locutus. The Borg destroy the USS Saratoga, killing the wife of Commander Benjamin Sisko, who escapes with his son, Jake. It is now three years later and Sisko is placed in command of Deep Space Nine, a space station built by the Cardassians around the planet Bajor. The occupation over, Sisko is charged with helping Bajor prepare for membership in the Federation. But the planet is on the brink of civil war and Kai Opaka, the spiritual leader of Bajor, declares Sisko to be "the emissary." The Cardassians have stolen eight of the nine crystal orbs that can lead to the Celestial Temple, where dwell the Prophets, the deities of Bajor. Sisko and his science officer, the Trill Jadzia Dax, discover a wormhole and Sisko encounters the Prophets, who turn out to be non-corporeal aliens who live there. Then things get really interesting.

Now that DS9 is long gone, I think we are in a much better position to evaluate the pilot episode, especially in terms of how the series was able to develop and expand upon the various premises established here at the start. Sisko as the Emissary and his love of baseball, the wormhole and Bajor's religion, the Cardassian occupation and their continuing involvement in the quadrant, Dax and the Trills, Odo and the Founders, Quark and the Ferengi, are all still important at the end of the series, which would seem to speak to how successful DS9's creators were in establishing the series. So if you have asked me way back when what I thought about these first two episodes I would have rated them a 4; but in retrospect I have to bump it up one more star. Of course, there are so many characters and so much exposition being established that there are lots of gaps to be filled in later--and Sisko does lay it a bit heavy on poor Picard--but that is why DS9 is best considered as a series and not some sort of episodic sitcom.

Where it all began...
The first episode(s) of Deep Space Nine provided us all with an insight into a new, darker, more violent Star Trek, Deep Space Nine. The characters are all fully fleshed out by the end of this brilliant episode which concentrates on the newly acquired freedom the Bajoran's now enjoy, the Enterprise is in orbit of Bajor and protecting the planet, but when Picard and crew are called away on an urgent mission it is left to a skeleton crew headed by Commander Benjamin Sisko who must defend the former-Cardassian space station, Terok Nor, from the old landloards who are on their way back to retake what they believe to be there's...

Sisko discovers a wormhole and the strange beings that live in it, with his untested crew on DS9 they are the only ones who can stop the Cardassian invasion ship! Explosive!

If at first you don't succeed, kick the console
EMISSARY suffers from a lot of the flaws that have plagued Star Trek spin-off pilots, although I think it has so far been the most successful. This, however, isn't saying much; I've found most of those pilots to be dull, boring, and/or incoherent. The Deep Space Nine pilot wasn't as bad as all that, though I hated it when I watched the initial airing. Re-watching it again recently with the benefit of hindsight, I found I appreciated it much more. It's still not exactly terrific, but it does do everything that one expects from a first episode while still managing to tell a story.

The problems that face Star Trek pilots are usually the same ones that crop up every five years or so (whenever Paramount decides to launch another moneymaker). "We need to introduce the characters," I imagine the suits saying, "We need to introduce the setting; we need to introduce the political undertones; we'd like to give the major characters a backstory; we'd like to drop some hints about storylines that we'll be following up on in the future; we'll need to populate the immediate area with some convincing bad guys; we'll want to explore the religious aspects of the indigenous people; we'll want to introduce some amazingly advanced alien creatures that humans are encountering for the first time; and we'll want an extended cameo from a star of the previous series. Oh, and yeah, we'll want some kind of a story in there too, okay?"

For everything that it's trying to do, I think EMISSARY mostly succeeds. The story itself is relatively simple, and revolves around introducing Ben Sisko (and the audience) to his new setting, his new command, and the various plot strands that will be cropping up in the future. The introduction of the characters is mostly handled well, although there are a few clumsy moments, and a lot of the people and their makeup don't appear to be quite in their regular form yet. I like the fact that the episode neatly subverts itself. The set up begins with this station being the backwater of the universe (influencing the decisions of more than one character), but by the end this has been completely reversed.

The pilot also contains a few examples of the sort of thing that I really dislike about Star Trek Series That Do Not Star William Shatner. I am talking about, of course, the reliance on technobabble and the ability of the crew to come up with miraculous solutions to problems in no time at all. Fortunately, there aren't too many examples of this on display here. Unfortunately, the two that spring to mind are particularly poor. The first is that Dax is able to totally redesign the way the laws of physics work, and throws out this observation as if she's giving advice about which wine goes with a particular kind of fish. In order to make the station's thrusters move the ship faster, she figures a way of lowering the mass of the object, therefore requiring less energy to push it. The question that immediately comes to mind is: if lowering the mass of something is so easy, why on Earth isn't this standard operating procedure for all forms of transportation? Do Starfleet care as little for fuel efficiency standards as the U.S. government does?

The other piece of "instant brilliance" is the fact that O'Brien manages to boost the power of the station's phasers with almost no effort on his part at all. Truly amazing. I can just imagine thousands of Federation scientists working around the clock, trying to think of a way to increase the efficiency of their government's phasers, only to be beaten to the punch by Miles O'Brien after two whole seconds of thought.

There are some nice touches that rescue this episode from being a plodding introduction that one must get through in order to understand the series. Sisko's discussion and explanations concerning "linear time" are quite interesting, although the first time I saw this, I thought that the story violated its own internal logic, and nothing that I saw on my second viewing convinced me that I was wrong (how could he teach the concept of linear time to beings that exist outside of it, when surely they would be stateless creatures and could only either already know of linear time, or could never know of linear time?). I liked the aliens living in the wormhole, even if they fall prey to many Star Trek stereotypes (alien beings that are so highly advanced that they act and talk like complete idiots). The characters only have one episode to establish themselves, but in that time I already find them much more interesting than the entirety of the Next Generation crew. The setting is again more intriguing than that of the previous series, and really makes the show feel that there is a lot of potential for conflict here. A rough start, but not a bad one.

The best pilot episode of all the Trek series
The powers that be pulled out all the stops for this excellent and very good-looking first show of the Deep Space Nine series. The infamous and often referred to battle at Wolf 359 is finally seen to some extended length in the beginning of 'Emissary'; the rundown space station is a well-conceived set design; the matte painting of the Bajoran temple on the planet surface is mesmerizing albeit too briefly seen; and all those aliens! The production design put forth here was the most superior effort by the creative staff in any Trek program to date - heck some of the movies don't look this great!

Also the story is a terrific, hard edged and dyed-in-the-wool science fiction tale that is handled well. The revelation of the existence of the wormhole; the incorporeal wormhole beings using a variety of people from Sisko's memories to interact with him; the explanation of the mysterious Orbs and their purpose; Sisko using the game of baseball to demonstrate the concept of linear time; his rush of emotions over his admittance of his inability to 'exist beyond the moment his wife died' and that he has been living in non-linear time; many more brilliant touches are present within this well-structured script.

The characters are surprisingly well defined for a first episode. Normally the main characters undergo a severe change in the shows immediately following; an actor will begin to add their personality to the composite of the person they are playing and these differences are usually noticeable. That doesn't happen on ST: DS9 though, the character flow from pilot to series inception is practically seamless. The best character interchange we get to see in 'Emissary' is the scene in Sisko's new office where he has called together Odo and Quark for a meeting. The tension between Odo and Quark comes into play right away; Quark breaks out in uproarious laughter at Sisko's request for him to remain at DS9 and become a community leader; Odo sarcastically makes the observation that Quark has all the natural qualities of a politician. The addition of the character of Dax allows the show to continue the familiar Trek theme of the differences between our Earth-centric view of everything in terms of humanity and the point of view from an outsider that adds interesting and conflicting complexities. Being over three hundred years old and having existed as a variety of alien beings added a great and very unique dimension to this Trek series. As far as the actors go for this particular show an honorable mention should be made for the young Cirroc Lofton; he stood in for the wormhole aliens in a variety of sequences and did an admirable job. Also his scenes with Avery Brooks as father and son are believable and convincing.

Best line: Sisko and Gul Dukat's first meeting is quite memorable. When Gul Dukat makes a point of how uncomfortably close the Federation members are to the formidable Cardassians Sisko remarks sarcastically "We'll be sure and keep the dog off the lawn."

The best Trek yet!
People will debate this for years to come, but in my opinion, the best Star Trek series ever started here... Deep Space Nine.

Benjamin Sisqo (Avery Brooks) plays the head of a Starfleet delegation sent to bridge relations with the Bajorians. Bajor has been under the enforced rule of the Cardassians for the past 50 years, and after winning their freedom, reluctantly accept the help of the Federation in rebuilding their society. However, the discovery of a wormhole to another sector of the galaxy changes everything.

Over the course of seven seasons, DS9 went from being the afterthought of the Star Trek universe to being the standard bearer. Well thought plotlines, and stories that had consequences made this worth the visit every week. There are weak episodes, and there are great episodes. Make sure you don't miss any. ... Read more

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Arguably one of the best episodes of Deep Space Nine and a jewelin the entire Trek canon (it was shown during the Museum of Television and Radio Broadcasting's Tribute to Excellence in 1994), "Duet" is apowerful and moving tale about the apparent capture of a notorious war criminal.When a middle-aged Cardassian (Harris Yulin) arrives on the station to receivemedical treatment, Major Kira (Nana Visitor) accuses him of being a monsternamed Gul Darhe'el, the "Butcher of Gallitepp," who killed thousands of Bajoransat a notorious labor camp. What ensues is an incendiary exchange between Kiraand the imprisoned Darhe'el, in which he boasts provocatively of his crimes andstrikes a nerve in the major by accusing her of ignoring the pain and deaths shecaused as a Resistance terrorist. Seeing red, Kira keeps returning to Darhe'elfor more verbal combat, but Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Odo (Rene Auberjonois)suspect something is amiss.

Pitched by a couple of interns on the show as a Judgement atNuremberg-like courtroom drama, "Duet" was instead given a Man in the Glass Boothspin by writers and coproducers Ira Behr and Peter Fields. Ironically, theepisode was made during a state of end-of-the-season exhaustion and under afrustrating mandate to shoot cheaply. Yet the result is stellar, a morally andpolitically complex drama. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A fantastic work of psychodrama
Wow...this is "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" at its best. The plot is simple (Kira suspects that a sick man brought aboard the station is actually a notorious Cardassian war criminal), but terrific direction, great music, and fantastic acting from everyone involved make this episode totally riveting. Harris Yulin is arguably Star Trek's most impressive guest star ever, and his Dr. Hannibal Lecter-ish role is wonderful. The psychology of prejudice is examined in the simplicity of the interrogation scenes and comes to a head in an incredible ending. A nearly flawless and definitely recommended episode.

"We're guilty, all of us."
This one was definitely a highlight of Deep Space Nine's first season. Playing with the old wounds of the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, the writers created an intricately constructed story that parallels some real-world events, but adds enough of its own material to retain a unique flavor.

The plot of this episode takes a number of tricky twists, so I won't go into a summary of them here. It's enough to say that a possible Cardassian war criminal appears on the station, and Kira must determine who he is, and what crimes he committed in the past. The plot, as it unravels, is diabolical, and had me completely fooled and eager to get to the next revelation.

This is an episode hinging on strong performances and steady direction. Harris Yulin as the Cardassian is particularly notable. Two scenes in particular stand out, and I'll try to describe them without giving away any plot points. In the first scene, we see Yulin's character from Major Kira's point of view, and what she sees is genuinely frightening and unsettling. In the second scene, the scripted lines are very similar, but Yulin alters his performance, and the direction is just different enough to throw a completely different spin on what is unfolding on the screen. We see the action through Kira's eyes, and the difference is startling. Kudos to everyone involved for managing to completely change the tone using only the most subtle of means.

This episode proves that Deep Space Nine can do a terrific episode without leaving its main sets. In fact, the narrative rarely moves away from three rooms, and this gives the episode an intense and effective claustrophobic feel. The strong script, excellent performances, and confident direction combine to make this episode one of the best Star Treks that I've seen. This one is definitely recommended, especially to those people who know that science fiction (and indeed good drama) is far more than mere visuals and special effects.

Being Cardassian IS'NT Enough!!!!!
I get COLD CHILLS at the end of this episode.I'm a
Star Trek fan with some HARSH criticism about DS9 but THIS
is one of their Top 10 BEST shows.It's about an alien who tries
to take credit for his old masters murder of Bajoran laborors
to expose his people's attrocoties.He's played by Harry Yulin
who's blood curdling performance and Nane Visitor's emmotionally
charged delivery make "Duet" DS9's highlite.And it's a "bubble
show"-no action takes place outside the space station.But

existing in tandem with real-like documentary films such as
"Schilnders List" this show's theme transendes all science
fiction and is CLASSIC storytelling.I recommend this to all
Trek fans who dissmissed DS9 early on-it more then makes up for
some of the drek later accociated with Star Trek's big black
sheep.

Simply put...
Simply put, this is the best Star Trek episode that I have ever seen, and I have seen the majority of them. Flawless, brilliant, and cutting, this is the best of DS9, and the best of Trek. Those five stars are not enough for this episode.

Not just great Trek, but great storytelling
This is an classic story, and a fascinating and ultimately moving hour of TV. Major Kira, her wounds still fresh (and deep) from her planet's previous occupation by the Cardassians, goes through a major transformation after dealing with an alleged Cardassian war criminal who is apprehended on the space station.

A lot of DS9 episodes may take a little familiarity with the backstory to appreciate, but this episode stands firmly on its own 2 feet. You get all the exposition you need, and the payoff at the end is powerful. Plus, Harris Yulin's performance as the Cardasian suspect is nothing short of awesome. Great sci-fi, but more importantly, great drama. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A good episode with some inconsistencies
This episode has great special effects, and I for one never get tired of great space battles in DS9. However, when compared to previous episodes such as "The Way of the Warrior", it pales in comparison. The Alliance sees fit to send at most six ships to try and retake the station, yet in "The Way of the Warrior" a massive Klingon fleet is dispatched to DS9. And isn't Terok Nor supposed to be orbiting Bajor? What happened to the planet?

Back Through the Looking Glass for Captain Sisko
Jennifer Sisko comes from the Crossover universe to lure Jake back with her and force Captain Sisko to follow. The rebels have taken over Terok Nor (DS9 Crossover counterpart), but an Alliance Fleet led by Regent Worf is coming to take it back. "Smiley" O'Brien had stolen the schematics for the Defiant, but their version of the warship has some problems and they need Sisko's help to get it ready for battle. "Shattered Mirror" has one of the all-time best Star Trek battle sequences at the end and while we might be wary of so many episodes involving the Mirror Universe there is always the pleasure of finding out what Intendant Kira is up to in her catsuit. Unfortunately, this time it has to do with the idea that sometimes there are tragic parallel events in parallel universes. "Shattered Mirror" is a first-class DS9 episode.

Mirror, mirror... Defiant, defiant!
In a great mirror universe adventure Sisko must help O'Brien put the finishing touches to a Defiant they have built, you see an Alliance ship is on it's way with an evil Worf as it's Captain. In a greatly over-acted episode we get to see Worf and Sisko go head to head as the Defiant look-a-like goes up against a ship 10 times the size of it. Great plot and top-notch special effects! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Terry Farwell- takes us on a tour of deep space nine
I thought this was very good, they showed the model of Deep Space Nine. They explained a little about how they did the sound effects, for instance, how they put in the laser beam effect after they fire a phaser. It was very interesting how they explained how they made Odo's shapeshifting scene's look real. and each of the actors explained a little about their parts, but I was surprised that avery brooks did not make an appearance on this video. Terry did a very good job on this tour. ... Read more

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Original airdate: 5-10-93. Stardate: 46849.3. A first-season highlight,"Progress" combines an amusing subplot involving Nog (Aron Eisenberg) and JakeSisko (Cirroc Lofton) with a moving dilemma faced by Kira (Nana Visitor) on thenearly evacuated Bajoran moon Jeraddo. It is there that Kira encounters Mullibok(Brian Keith), an elderly farmer who refuses to leave. Kira's efforts topersuade the old man lead to a painful examination of their shared heritage andviolent history against the Cardassians. This interplay (blessed by the fineperformances of Visitor and TV veteran Keith, in one of his best roles of hislater years) lends the episode an emotional urgency that intensifies Kira'stension between her turbulent past and present obligations to Federation dutyand Bajor's future. While Jake and Nog pursue amateur profiteering that turns surprisingly in their favor, "Progress" combines humor with the kind of ethicaland emotional crises that allowed DS9 to maximize its first-season potential. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few
Throughout PROGRESS, I was convinced that the episode was going to cheat on me, and take the easy way out of the problem. When it confounded my expectations, I was surprised and extremely pleased. I hate it when drama dupes the audience by setting up difficult stakes and then ignoring them, so I was very happy to not only see that avoided here, but that the episode itself was quite thoughtful.

Three farmers stand in the way of progress. Bajor is planning to harvest the molten energy in the core of one of its moons, but to do that all the inhabitants of that moon must relocate. Three simple farmers refuse to leave. The cast includes a man who escaped the earlier Cardassian occupation through sheer strength and determination, and two others who were tortured to the point of losing their power of speech (which, of course, meant that the show producers didn't have write lines for them, or pay them for speaking roles).

The story is rather familiar, as, in fact, are the farmers. It's thanks to a solid performance from Brian Keith as Mullibok, the crusty and cranky old Bajoran, that the story successful so well. The episode rests on his refusal to leave his home, and the actor and the writing are extremely effective at conveying his point of view. He's an extremely sympathetic character despite his overblown and arrogant personality. The episode sinks or swims depending on how likeable the audience finds the farmers, and it is definitely a success on that point.

What I really liked about this one was the fact that there is no real room for a satisfactorily happy ending, and that the episode refuses to take the easy way out. There's a silly subplot revolving around Jake and Nog trading useless items for more useless items in a vain attempt to eventually get their hands on some gold-pressed latinum. It's a nice counterpoint to the seriousness of the rest of the story and the overall episode is quite good and very satisfying.

Our first exposure to the softer side of Major Kira
The Bajoran government and the Federation make plans to provide energy for the planet by tapping the core of one of Bajor's moons. However, there is a stubborn old coot named Mollibok who refused to leave the home he made forty years ago when escaping from the Cardassian occupation. Of course, Major Kira is sent to get Mollibok to change his mind. Meanwhile, Jake and Nog have acquired 5,000 packages of Cardassian yamok sauce from Quark and are trading their way up to a really big deal. "Progress" is another first-season DS9 episode where the emphasis is on fleshing out the characters. We get to see the softer side of Kira, who does not explode every time Mollibok provokes her and even tells a story about a gnarly tree, and the friendship between Jake and Nog is explored as the boys seek to turn a profit. This is a slightly above-average DS9 episode mainly because the ending of the Kira/Mollibok conflict does not offer one of those happy endings where everybody listens to the voice of reason. Just another example of how the needs of the many outweights the needs of the one in the Star Trek universe.

Character arc at it's best!
This episode focuses mainly on Kira. Our favorite strong willed Major must confront her own demons when faced with a simple, yet complex mission. Is the majority vote always the best case? A crusty, yet charming Bajoran farmer provokes these issues and more in this episode. One of my "early" DS9 favorites. ... Read more

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Always intent on tackling big themes in unique ways, the various StarTrek series have covered the subject of death, from suicide to terminalillness to euthanasia, a number of times over the years. "Life Support"continues that bold tradition with a challenging story about dying andmedical ethics. A radiation accident brings Vedek Bareil (Philip Anglim),Bajoran leader and lover of Major Kira (Nana Visitor), to the brink of deathon the eve of important negotiations with the Cardassians. Aware of hiscondition but determined to see a historic treaty struck, Bareil pleads withDr. Bashir (Alexander Singer) to keep him alive and conscious so he can coachthe less diplomatic Kai Winn (Louise Fletcher) through the difficult talks.Bashir, who would rather place Bareil in indefinite stasis while seeking acure, reluctantly yields but then protests as Kai Winn and Kira plead forgreater and grimmer interventions to stave off the inevitable.

The strong butflawed script by Ronald D. Moore tries to lighten things up with a trivial,secondary story line about a conflict between Jake Sisko (Chiroc Lofton) andNog (Aron Eisenberg), as if the main action is nothing but a turn-off. Infact, Bareil's tragedy is presented with painful honesty about the wisdom andmorality of sustaining a life that might reasonably be called something lessthan human. The crossfire of altruistic and selfish interest between sundrycharacters makes for compelling drama, and the final scene of parting betweenthe living and dying is quite moving. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A major step for the series, a minor one for the writers
Episode title: Life Support

Teleplay by: Ronald D. Moore

Story by: Christian Ford & Roger Soffer

Directed by: Reza Badiyi

After jumping apparently aimlessly around, the third season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine finally returns to the series' roots with an episode centered around the rebuilding of Bajor, and the forming of peace with it's longtime opressor, Cardassia.

The story is executed poorly, making the whole step of forming a peace between Bajor and Cardassia an insignificant one, not a tide-turning political event it, with all sence, should be.

In the episode, Commander Sisko finds out about the previously mentioned negotiations as a Bajoran ship carrying the negotiators (our old friends Kai Winn and Vedek Bareil) gets into trouble near the station.

Bareil dies for the injuries he aquires, but Doctor Bashir is able to bring him back alive by ridiculously fantastic methods. Soon it is discovered however, that the good condition of Bareil is only temporary and his body starts falling apart due to the use of a highly unstable medication that only prolongs his life.

So begins the overly simplitic and unprofound conflict between Winn, Kira and Bashir, as the only person able to fully conduct the negotiations refuses stasis as his internal organs shut down one by one.

The ultimate loss of credibility occurs when the other half of Bareils' brain is replaced by a mechanical positronic matrix.

The subject of the episode had lots of potential to it, but the way the issues were treated was probably one of the worst ways imaginable.

Nevertheless, the episode did lead to something, but the progress seemed forced, as the whole episode seemed to have been written as an oblication to the series, fullfilled lazily by the way of a naivé and badly constructed plot. This feeling wasn't eraticated one bid by a horrible subplot about Jake's first date, wich was taken straight from a teenage soap opera.

It truly is a shame that an episode changing the direction of the series so noticably had to be so bad.

Vedek Bareil becomes more machine than man
For those of us who have always wondered how far medical science can go in the 24th-Century, "Life Support" provides a chilling answer. Vedek Bareil is fatally injured in an accident and Dr. Bashir uses extraordinary means to bring him back to life. Bareil, along with Kai Winn, was engaged in secret negotiations on a peace treaty between Bajor and the Cardassians. The negotiations are moved to DS9 so that Bareil, whose role has become pivotal, can continue to participate. However, Bashir's repair work has already damaged Bareil's circulatory system and while their is a drug that will allow him to continue, it can do further damage. Bareil insists on assuming the risk at what proves to be a ghastly cost.

I have long believed that just because medical science can do something does not mean that it should be done. In other words, life should not be preserved at all costs; there is a line that has to be drawn. In "Life Support" circumstances are contrived which means that line has to be crossed, several times, with horrific results. Of course the episode also serves to underscore one last time the decency of Bareil in contrast to the vainglorious machinations of Kai Winn. Although I thoroughly detest the character, I have to admire the DS9 writers for keeping her around to cause trouble all those years. Kira has to carry the emotional burden of this episode, caught between her love for Bareil and her patriotism as a Bajoran. It simply does not pay to fall in love with a character on Star Trek.

Uneven, at best
The story of Bareil's gradual slipping away, coupled with a political backstory, is shoddily handled throughout, leaving the end result nothing more than an episode wherein it might appear that a great cameo actor asked to written out of the Trek continuity. While Nana Visitor's performance is outstanding, it's not enough to lift this single-hanky story out of the doldrums to stand with integrity alongside the far superior TNG's THE INNER LIGHT, TOS's CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER, or DS9's THE VISITOR. Close, but no cigar. ... Read more

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Exploring the Gamma Quadrant, Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) encounters a planet where none had existed moments before. That planet, Meridian, shifts between dimensions, appearing in our time and space for short spells every 60 years. Upon investigating, Dax falls in love with one of Meridian's inhabitants, Deral (Brett Cullen), setting up a big problem as the clock ticks down to another, imminent dimensional shift. Basically a star-crossed romance from the get-go, "Meridian" doesn't have a lot of mystery to it. But it does have the considerable charm of Terry Farrell, whose Jadzia was always a woman for all seasons onDS9: gorgeous, funny, tough, lusty, a tomboy, a lover, a surrogate sister. Not surprisingly, this character-driven story, with a higher quotient of emotion than usual, was directed by Jonathan Frakes, Riker on The Next Generation and heir to directorial duties on Star Trek feature films. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Getting soapy in space again
Episode title: Meridian

Teleplay by: Mark Gehred O'Connell

Story by: Hilary Bader & Evan Carlos Somers

Directed by: Jonathan Frakes

"Meridian" is one of those low-budget-romantic-TV-movie-turned-into-star-trek kind of episodes. We have a plot about a planet that shifts between dimencions, being 60 years at a time in a foreign dimencion and a couple of days in our own.

The crew of the Defiant just happen to stumble upon it just as it makes it's once-in-sixty-years shift to our universe, and Jazia Dax just happens to fall suddenly in lovewith one of the natives.

We also get a sub plot concerning a rich businesmann visiting DS9 and ending up lusting after Major Kira and ordering a sex programme from Quark featuring our good Major.

Even Jonathan Frakes's competent directing or Terry Farrel's talented performance can't do much for this episode, wich is all about a weak plot combined with old fascioned storytelling.

Yes, a bad episode as DS9 rips off "Brigadoon"
Yes, it is hard not to think of "Brigadoon" when the Defiant discovers the planet Meridian, which phases into the "real" universe every couple of decades. Only during this period of time, which gets shorter each time, can the inhabitants of Meridian age and reproduce. Sisko and crew try to help the planet stabilize and eventually they figure out something that just might possibly work. However, matters are further complicated when Jadziah Dax falls in love with Deral, one of the Meridians, and decides she will stay with him when the planet phases again.

Actually, if this DS9 episode had been a musical that might have been an improvement. Just think of Deral, Sisko and O'Brien dancing around and singing something along the lines of "Go Home with Jadziah Dax." The Dominion is supposed to coming pouring through the wormhole at any moment and Dax is going to leave her friends to die because of a relationship she has established with some new guy in a few days. Can you imagine Curzon doing this? "Meridian" makes "Brigadoon" look like a documentary. This is one of those rare DS9 episodes where the sub-plot, involving a guy named Tiron who gets shot down by Kira and gets Quark to put together a holo-program involving the Major, is more interesting and earns the episode a third star. Oh, well. They cannot all be good, you have to expect bad episodes every once in a while.

BRIGADOON! In space! Just throw 'em in the brig!
Horrible, horrible, and horrible. A cheap rip-off of an arguably bad musical, the cast stretches absolutely no acting muscles in the dull tale of a mythical planet that appears every X-many years for absolutely no reason. The romantic subplot is EXTREMELY difficult to accept, especially given that it surrounds the station's science officer! Avoid at all costs.

Now that was just terrible!
This episode was a complete flounder. The plot was horrid as was the writing. The dialog made me sick, litarally. This was by far the worst Dax episode. (Except for Rejoined, maybe) ... Read more

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This ambitious two-part adventure opens Deep Space Nine's fourth season with a major station shake-up, drafting Worf (Michael Dorn) from Star Trek: The Next Generation and pitting the Federation against their allies, the Klingons. The warrior race has their own plan to protect the quadrant from the threat of the Dominion on the other side of the worm hole, which involves "glorious battle" that will break the precarious peace the Federation has maintained. In many ways, it redefines the show in a rougher mode and puts the station in a more volatile situation. The Federation's clash with the Klingons breaks a 20-year peace and forces Worf into the most difficult decision of his life. Sisko's newly shaved pate adds to his battle-hardened authority and Worf's rigid adherence to military protocol adds some much-needed tensions back into the station. It's the most exciting show to date, a sharply written, action-packed episode climaxing with a spectacular battle that moves from outer space to the inner corrido