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Picking up where "In Purgatory's Shadow" left off, this action-packed episode starts with a bang and never lets up. A Dominion fleet has just invaded the Alpha quadrant, and when scheming Cardassian Gul Dukat announces his alliance with the Dominion, Sisko dares him to seize DS9 by force. Worf, Garak, and Bashir are still imprisoned on a Dominion-controlled asteroid, while a changeling, posing as Bashir, plots to weaken DS9's defenses and turn Bajor's sun into a quadrant-destroying supernova. As this plot unfolds with breathtaking momentum, Garak fights claustrophobia to jerry-rig a life-saving transmitter, and Worf survives seven brutal fights with Jem'Hedar combatants. It all leads to a rousing climax, deepening Andrew J. Robinson's superb portrayal of Garak, and giving Worf one of his most honorable Klingon adventures. Chock-full of noble heroics and riveting suspense, this episode was partly inspired by The Great Escape, matching that classic film with its own prison-break plot line. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Keystone to the Series
This was a superb story in the series, full of drama and intrigue. Cardassia has joined the Dominion (shocking!), and it appears an invasion of Deep Space Nine is imminent. The Federation works for a united front with the Klingons. Even the Romulans show up unexpectedly, ready to get involved in the Alpha Quadrant's battle of Armageddon.

The war with the Dominon starts at Deep Space Nine
"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," Episode 113, "By Inferno's Light" (Written by Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Aired February 17, 1997) continues where the previous episode, "In Purgatory's Shadow" left off. DS9 is preparing for the Dominion attack as the Jem'Haddar fleet pours through the wormhole while Worf, Garak, General Martok, and the real Julian Bashir are being held in a Dominion internment camp deep in the Gamma Quadrant. However, the Jem'Haddar do not attack the station, turning instead towards Cardassia. It seems Gul Dukat has been in negotiations with the Dominion and has formed an alliance that will make him the leader of the Cardassian Empire. Meanwhile, in the internment camp, the captives have a plan to escape that required the claustrophobic Garak to crawl into a tiny space behind the way to reconfigure a transmitter.

In terms of understatement, the Dominion-Cardassian alliance changes everything. While the Jem'Hadar are taking turns fighting Worf to prepare them for war against the Klingons, Sisko informs Klingon Chancellor Gowron that reinstating the treaty with the Federation would be a good thing to do before the Dominion and Cardassian fleets attack the Klingon home world. Then there ae the questions of what the Changeling who has taken Dr. Bashir's place is up to and whose fleet has just shown up at DS9 to join in the fun. "By Inferno's Light" becomes a pivotal episode in the history of "Deep Space Nine" since it opens up a new chapter in the series, which finally arrives at the intergalactic war towards which it had been heading. Just as the first part of this two-part episode set up a lot of elements, the conclusion provides a lot of surprises as the new situation is established.

I know that the original "Star Trek" series was read allegorically, so that the Klingons were the Soviets and the Romulans were the Chinese, but while you can draw some parallels between what is happening with what is happening on "DS9" and World War II (the Cardassians are Nazi Germany and the Dominion is Stalin's Soviet Union), I think that is reading too much into it this time around. You can just think of this as a "Star Trek" version of a universal war and not try to draw historical parallels, because this war is going to continue until the end of the series, in the final episode of the 7th season. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Quark has to learn to be a Klingon (in the name of love)
My main complaint with "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" during the second half of its run was that having set up this gigantic story arc of intergalactic war between the Alpha Quadrant and the Gamma Quadrant, courtesy of DS9's local wormhole, it never really seemed to become the focus of every one's attention until close to the end. I thought the idea of the Star Trek universe at war was a pretty good one, but the writers still find time for others things to distract the DS9 gang, a fact amply proven by the comic relief of Episode 101, "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Place" (Written by Ronald D. Moore, Aired October 14, 1996).

Worf (Michael Dorn) is having a nice quiet drink with Dax (Terry Farrell), when in walks Grilka , a Klingon woman. Worf is in the middle of the whole "thunderbolt" bit from "The Godfather," when Michael sees Apollonian in Sicily, when Grilka goes over and kisses Quark (Armin Shimerman). It turns out Grilka is Quark's ex-wife, a result of a complicated marriage of convenience that you just have to accept at face value. However, Worf is smitten so he intends to pursue Grilka, but then he learns that because he does not have sufficient honor among the Klingons to mate with the fair Grilka. Besides, having been raised by humans, Worf knows nothing about the proper way to court a Klingon woman. To make things even worse, Quark comes to Worf and Dax for advise on how to get back on Grilka's good side. At this point Worf is motivated more by the insult to his upbringing than his feelings for Grilka, so he agrees to help. Things go so well for Quark with Grilka that he is challenged to a duel to the death by one of her bodyguards. This sets up the episode's big climax, which consists of figuring out a way to have the Ferengi still be alive at the end of the day.

What makes this one work as a comic DS9 episode is that Worf is pretty much the butt of all the jokes from start to finish, while Quark sails through the episode pretty much unscathed. Of course the biggest joke is set up by Dax, who endures all of Worf's posturing and complaining while waiting for him to come to his senses as to who he should be pursuing (or, perhaps more accurately, who has been pursuing him). Yes, it has nothing to do with the war and this episode may well be too cute for die hard Worf fans, but it does have its moments. Final Notes: "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Place" was directed by Andrew J. Robinson (Garak) and there is great fun to be had in coming up with appropriate lyrics for the rest of the "title" song for this episode.

Companion piece to "Little Green Men"
DS9 was never known for its levity; however, this episode and the one in the above title are, perhaps, the "lightest" that the series ever got. As other reviewers have stated, this installment shows the preparations for and the eventual nuptials of Jadzia Dax and Lt. Worf. It's really an amusing departure for the show and a welcome one showcasing two of "Trek's" most popular characters.

And who's to argue with a show that has tongue placed firmly in cheek as its title plays with the Waylon Jennings classic.

Love at second glance
In this episode, Worf finds love. First he falls in love with Quark's ex-wife Grilka. Quark goes to Dax and ask her for help in getting Grilka and him to "bond". Since Worf was told by one of Grilka's men not to persue her, WOrf decides to help Quark. Not because he wants to, because he hates quark. Doesn't make sense till you see it.
Moving on, Quark is told accept this battle against Grilka's bodyguard. Worf hooks up his body to the computer and controls the movement of Quark. It works, with some troule, but they pull it off. Finally Worf and Dax find love in each other and the relationship begins.

Deep Space-90210
Jadzia Dax, the plucky Trill with the heart of a Klingon warrior, has had her eye on Worf since he came aboard DS-9. But Worf is oblivious, eyeing another. Grilka, Klingon Mistress in Distress, has returned. Clueless on how to head her foundering House, the desperate noblewoman must solicit Quark's financial expertise. As the Ferengi businessman saves Grilka's House yet again, the unlikely couple becomes enamoured of eachother. This outrages Worf who, like most Klingons, considers Ferengi "parasites". But Lady Grilka's protective entourage, while disdainful of Quark, will not permit the discommended exile from the Empire to approach their Mistress. So Worf, with assistance from Dax, reluctantly agrees to help Quark woo his Klingon love. Under their tutilage, Quark's interspecies courtship progresses. Still all the while, Worf pines for the fair Lady while Jadzia seethes in frustration. Since no Klingon episode is complete without a batlh'etlh battle, the lowly Ferengi swain soon finds himself challenged by one of the swooning noblewoman's scandalized bodyguards. Dax designs an ingenious virtual-program, lending Worf's superior swordsmanship to ensure Quark's victory, thus winning Grilka's heart. As Worf, the sore loser, mopes in self-misery, the spurned Jadzia has finally had enough. Quoting passionate Klingon poetry, she beats the Living beKahless out of Worf, breaking his bones and enflaming his Klingon ardor! Why would he want the frail, pampered Grilka when he can possess the bold heart of a true warrioress! This episode is a light-hearted adaptation of Cyranno de Bergerac, providing some voyeuristic laughs over the rough-and-tumble sado-masochism of Klingon sex. Personally, I don't care for the namby-pamby portrayal of Grilka -- someone please beam the wimpy wench a copy of "Kodependent, Khest No!" But the episode is vital to the DS-9 space-opera saga, in finally uniting Worf and Jadzia Dax.

WORF & JADZIA The beginning
This is the Deep Space Nine episode where Worf and Jadzia hook up. It's funny how Jadzia is putting out all the signals and Worf just doesn't get it, until Jadzia challenges him to some sort of courting/mating fight ritual. It is great! And it's funny seeing how Quark is trying to win a Klingon woman. It's a must-have for all you Star Trek fans out there. And for all you non-trek fans, it's also a great episode to watch about people looking for love. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Jake Sisko in a DS9 version of "The Red Badge of Courage"
When he grew up Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton) was going to be a writer and not follow in his father's footsteps. In "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" Episode 102, "...Nor the Battle to the Strong" (Story by Brice R. Parker, Teleplay by Rene Echevarria, Aired October 21, 1996) young Jake gets his comeuppance for the arrogance of being so judgmental while watching from the sidelines. Jake is writing an article on Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig), and is with Julian in a runabout when they receive a distress call from a Federation colony being attacked by the Klingons. Excited by the prospect of a good story, Jake convinces Bashir to answer the call. Once there, Jake is stunned by the death and destruction he sees, and any idea of writing a story is quickly replaced by trying to help the wounded and dying people. The fact that the Klingons renew their assault does not help either, and Jake cracks under the fear.

This episode is clearly a homage to Stephen Crane's classic "The Red Badge of Courage," or at least that story's defining moment and the theme of the personal shame that forces some men to make the leap from cowardice to courage. My only real problem with this episode is the idea that Jake, whose mother was killed in the war against the Borg, has such a naive view of war that he needs to have such a rude awakening. However, once you grant that premise this is a pretty powerful episode in terms of the psychological conflict Jake goes through. The cathartic moment of transformation is a long time in coming, as Jake continues to make things worse for himself before he comes to the ultimate moment of understanding, which results not so much from heroism as from pure, dumb luck. It is that aspect which elevates this episode to above average status.

Good Jake Sisko Episode
Bashir and Jake are returning to the station on a runabout when they get a distress call from a Federation colony under attack. Bashir wants to continue on to DS9 because he doesn't want to endanger Jake. However, Jake can only think of the wonderful adventure he will be witness to if they go to the aid of the colony. Jake talks Bashir into going to the planet thinking he will have a fantastic story of heroism to write about. He is immediately thrown into the ugly world of war and death that the young seldom see. After tending to the wounded in the hospital, Jake and Bashir must return to their damaged runabout to get some much needed equipment. Jake panics when they come under attack and runs away. After coming across a field of dead Klingon and Federation soldiers, and coming to the aid of a dying man, Jake makes his way back to the hospital. When the hospital comes under attack, Jake learns first hand that there is a fine line between heroism and cowardice.

Dr. Bashir is my favorite character on DS9 so I bought this episode thinking it was about him. It is actually about Jake Sisko, but I was not disappointed. Cirroc Lofton turns in a strong performance as the troubled Jake. The young Sisko matures a lot in this episode and discovers a special kind of bravery within himself as he makes a confession to his father at the end.

A Jake and Julian ep? i like it!!
When reading the plotline for this ep i was...well....cynical! I thought..."jools and jake going off to become soldiers? how unlikely is that?" however, i was pleasantly surprised! both Alexander Siddig and Cirroc Lofton did the jobs excellently, and really brought home the grittiness and desperation of war, in whatever century!! well done!

Jake and Bashir become soldiers - ahhhhhhhhh!
Jake is doing an interview with Doctor Bashir on the frontlines of the Klingon-Starfleet warzone. When the Kligon's attack in brutal fashion Jake has to change his opinion of war, it is not just the glamourous ship to ship battles but the gritty trench wars in which innocent people die.

The storyline was good and had potential but wasn't given the fully bloody, gritty treatment it deserved and would've sent a better message about war, the true message it was trying to deliver. One of the few episodes given to Jake which he acts great in, pitty no one else does! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Miles O'Brien has to find a way to repossess Keiko
Chief O'Brien (Colm Meany) finds a new way of having marital problems in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," Episode 104, "The Assignment" (Story by David R. Long & Robert Ledermanm, Teleplay by David Weddle & Bradley Thompson, Aired October 28, 1996). Keiko (Rosalind Chao) returns from Bajor and announces to her husband that she is an alien entity that has taken possession and is holding his wife's body hostage. The entity starts giving O'Brien a series of instructions and warns him that Keiko will be killed if he does not obey. What follows is a dangerous game as O'Brien has to obey the entity and try not to do anything that will harm the station. In order to outsmart the entity, O'Brien is going to need some help.

I seem to remember that at one point in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" somebody expressed a concern at all the times alient entities have taken over Captain Picard's mind (I do not remember if it was an actual episode, novel, comic book or even if it was another series). But having your mind taken over by an alien entity is a standard "Star Trek" plot device and it happens to everybody sooner or later. It had already happened to O'Brien. So the chief attraction to "The Assignment" is not the plot, but the fact that Miles gets to actually play the lead role in the episode and that you know in the end he is going to come up with some nice little gizmo or rewire something a certain way to help save the day. Plus, I like who it is Miles gets to help him. Meanwhile, Keiko gets play both emotional extremes, as the frightened Keiko and the rather sadistic entity, which is a nice change of pace for Chao. But if "The Assignment" were about anybody other than Miles O'Brien, I would probably have rated it a star lower.

Shades of "Power Play"
Well, what's good for one member of the O'Brien family is good for another.

In the earlier ST: NG episode, Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) becomes the pawn of a malevolent alien that possesses him. This time around his wife Keiko (Rosalind Chao) is taken over by one of the evil Pah'wraiths (that will fit so prominently in DS9's final season).

While not a notable episode, it still allows a supporting character a chance to steal the spotlight and Chao does a superb job at doing just that.

Help Miles! Im Possessed!
I thought we got past "Possesion" episodes by the time this one came around. This is a majorly overdone area. And, Im sorry to say Keikos acting isn't very convincing. I dont get any real sense of evil from this being. Anyway, Miles has to do her bidding, untill (of course) he figures out her motive, and let's say the ending is terribly predictable. This episode is sub average. If I were a newcomer to DS9 and saw this episode, I wouldn't have any desire to see the next.

Evil!
Personally, I love to see an actor I admire play someone truly, subtly, sadistically be evil! Here Keiko Obrian gets taken over by an incredibally sadistic entity, a pah'wraith (Bajoran version of a demon). This thing threatens to kill Keiko and her daughter, Molly unless this demon gets exactly what it wants from Miles.. and she does it with a smile on her face. Any fans of Angelus from Buffy the Vampire Slayer will ove this character. This was one of my favorite episodes for the sheer acting and story-telling ability and the glee that I got from watching that evil grin!

The Assigment... to save Keiko!
Keiko has been on vacation and went to the Bajoran Fire Caverns. When she returns to DS9 it is apparent that she is not the same Keiko and has infact been taking over by an alien entity that wants O'Brien to make some modifications to the station or she'll kill Keiko. O'Brien must work in secret not able to risk telling the others in the hope that once this alien has finished with Keiko he'll get her back!

A great O'Brien episode that has lots of tension and top notch special effects... ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A visit to Risa the pleasure planet is wasted on Worf
Worf (Michael Dorn) and Dax (Terry Farrell) head for a vacation on the pleasure planet, Risa, so they can figure out their relationship, which means things are pretty much doomed from the start. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," Episode 105, "Let He Who Is Without Sin" (Written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe & Ira Steven Behr, Aired November 11, 1996), has the new couple arriving on Risa with Bashir, Quark, and Leeta, so things are already off on the wrong foot. Then Worf learns that Arandis (Vanessa Williams), the social director at Memtibi Lagoon is the former lover of Curzon Dax. Dating a Trill is clearly going to be lots of fun for the big guy. Then, to make things even more interesting, Worf is approached by Pascal Fullerton (Monte Markham in one of his patented swarmy roles), Chairman of the New Essentialists Movement, who wants to shut down the pleasure planet for good.

Worf becomes interested in the beliefs and goals of the Essentialists, especially when he sees Dax and Arandis together (and the way they are dressed helps the viewers to jump to the fantasy if not the conclusion). However, the point at which Worf tells Dax she is not taking the relationship seriously enough is where this one loses me. I am all for making fun of Worf at each and every opportunity when it comes to his relationships with women, but it really has to be out of his stubborn sense of honor and propriety rather than his being stupid. Then Worf reveals something to Dax that only serves to prove to me that this episode is even worse than I thought. Worf has been in more episodes of "Star Trek" than any other character in history (okay, except for the ship's computer as voiced by Majel Barrett), and he even dated a ship's counselor, and yet he has managed to save this particular little tidbit for this point in time?

"Let He Who Is Without Sin..." wastes a guest appearance by Vanessa Williams. For that matter it wastes the entire visit to the pleasure planet of Risa. They have been talking about this place for years on "Star Trek," and the whole visit is wasted on Worf in one of his moods. Suddenly the idea of a blatantly exploitative episode offering a look at "The Women of Deep Space 9" would actually be an improvement, as deeply wrong as that would be in the real world. Final note: This episode was directed by Rene Auberjonois, which is actually a shame because I think Odo would have been less uptight visiting Risa than our favorite Klingon. Meanwhile, is there anybody on this show that remembers there is a massive threat aimed at the Alpha Quadrant through the wormhole?

Volume OFF is best
Avoid this supposed sinful voyage at all costs as this easily one of DS9's top 5 worst episodes. Bad acting even from some of the better cast members, a forced not to mention bad story about shutting down pleasure planet Risa fills throughout most of the show. Forgive me if I sound a bit perverted but seeing Dax, Leeta and Vennessa Williams in skimpy clothes is the only reason to tune in. Like I said in the title leave the volume off or something else below mute should you decide to watch.

Return to the Garden of Hedon
Where do the advanced humanoids of the 24th century go for their R&R? Well, Voyager's crew enjoys interplanetary "Smackdown" matches; Deep Space Nine features a holographic Rat-Packer's sleazy night-club, and Next Gen's officers visit Raiza the Red Light Planet. So much for our enlightened Trektopian future... This DS9 episode, unanimously rated among the fans' least favorite, was apparently conceived for the sole purpose of displaying the crew in bathing suits. Bashir and his Dabbo-bimbo girlfriend go to Raiza to "ceremoniously" end their relationship. This entails partaking in meaningless encounters with a succession of for-hire hookers and gigolos. (Obviously STDs have been erradicated in the future.) Fun-loving Jadzia Dax hauls her dour Klingon mate along "to loosen him up" a little. But Worf is scandalized by the excesses of libertine behavior, particularly when he misinterprets Jadzia's same-sex flirtation with a gorgeous former lover. In a pique of jealousy, he joins a band of fundamentalist guerillas heaven-bent on sabotaging the planet's eco-system and ruining its hedonistic tourist appeal. Actually, this side of Worf's personality is consistant with the established moral character of Klingon males who are described in definitive novel "The Final Reflection" as being much more prudish than the females. One might logically expect Worf to feel threatened and repulsed by Raiza. But most viewers cringe during the scene wherein Worf mawkishly confesses the reason for his aversion to fun and games. It seems little klincub Worf had accidentally killed a Human boy during an exhuberant childhood soccer match, and has never forgiven himself. But, not to worry, once he unloads this traumatic incident onto Jadzia's shapely shoulders, he is miraculously freed of its lifelong burden, and can finally join in some public skinny-dipping.

Taking shots at family values? Why?
The story takes place on Risa, the famous (or infamous) "pleasure planet" mentioned in other Trek episodes. Worf and Dax arrive on Risa to take their relationship to the "next step". Dax meets an old lover (from one of her previous hosts) who wants to shut down Risa because it is not a moral place.

Okay, that's fine. But why portray people with strong morals and beliefs as nuts and radicals? I know Trek has always leaned a bit to the left, but this episode is ridiculous. This episode takes cheap shots at every man or woman who does believe that casual sex is wrong. I guess the creators and writers of DS9 think that half of DS9's fans are just plain nuts. This episode is insulting and an attack on those of us who have differing points of view. Plus, it is was too preachy.

Bad episode, worse than "Rejoined", which took plenty of cheap shots, too.

Unfortunate
I don't think that this was the worst episode of Star Trek ever, as some people maintain, however, it certainly is a DS9 lowpoint. There's nothing wrong with a lightweight episode, it's just that LHWIWS tries to be dramatic and foolish at the same time - Worf's story of a childhood incident seems so forced that it robs the character of credibility. The only plus side is that you get nice location scenery and the cast in swinsuites - only enough to impress Baywatch fans. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Just plain, simple PAST PROLOGUE
I found PAST PROLOGUE to be a fairly decent episode. Not the greatest thing I'd ever seen, but an enjoyable story all the same. It revolves mostly around Sisko, Kira, and Bajoran politics, and by focusing on a smaller number of characters, we get a fairly good story with few distractions.

When a known Bajoran terrorist seeks asylum on the Deep Space Nine station, Sisko finds himself negotiating between the Cardassians and the Bajorans, as well as navigating the tricky political situation that now exists on Bajor. Some former terrorists currently make up key members of the Bajoran government (including one Major Kira Nerys). Others have remained killers, opposed to the provisional government of Bajor and the presence of the Federation, whom they view as distasteful as the Cardassians. Sisko must decide what the terrorist's real intentions are: whether he has truly reformed or is just twisting his story as cover for further illegal and murderous activities.

It's an interesting little story. While it's at times predictable, real-world comparisons are unavoidable. We know that loyalties will be tested among the regular characters, and although we can probably guess what the resolutions will be, it's exciting to see exactly how they will get to that conclusion.

This episode also introduces Garak, and reintroduces the Klingon sisters from one of the Next Generation movies that I found to be utterly unmemorable. The scenes of those Klingon sisters rather bored me, and I was glad that they didn't take up too much screen-time. Apparently, they were considered popular on The Next Generation, but I just found them to be distracting and out of place. Fortunately, they aren't enough to sabotage this particular episode, which is a good, solid story. Star Trek has always been known for taking a real-life ethical decision, putting it into a science-fiction allegory, and then trying to tell as good a story as is possible within the confines of one hour of television. PAST PROLOGUE adequately continues this tradition.

Superior follow-up to the series opener
Unwilling to rest on the laurels of the very successful pilot show, the creative staff came up with this exciting and suspenseful story. Actually filmed third in the sequence of episodes this was broadcast prior to 'A Man Alone'; sharp viewers will notice some minor differences in the makeup of both Odo and Kira between these two episodes but it's of little consequence. 'Past Prologue' was one of the standout shows of the DS9 inaugural season and it introduced some key elements that would be returned to in later shows and fleshed out more.

The DS9 command center detects a Cardassian warship chasing a Bajoran scout ship. The lone passenger of the Bajoran craft is beamed aboard when his ship begins to break up; he turns out to be a Bajoran named Tahna, a former comrade in arms of Major Kira and he immediately requests asylum. When questioned he proclaims he is no longer a member of a notorious Bajoran terrorist faction Kohn-Ma and that the Cardassians have no right to pursue him. Sisko agrees to temporarily postpone a decision on the matter until he can gather more information. In the meantime...tension between Sisko and Kira reaches a critical point; two more Kohn-Ma members seek asylum at the station; Bashir meets the only Cardassian still a permanent resident on DS9; and two Klingon renegades stop by the station for a 'visit'. All these events will seamlessly intersect in the finale with Kira facing a tough decision choosing her loyalties.

Rarely does a new series achieve back-to-back hits right from the beginning, but ST: DS9 manages it with panache. Featuring a strong storyline 'Past Prologue' is notable for introducing the Cardassian, Garak, who makes an unlikely living as a tailor with a shop on the Promenade and played brilliantly by Andrew Robinson. Also the popular Klingon sisters Lursa and B'Etor from ST: TNG episodes (and one movie) make an appearance here as well. This trio of aliens is incorporated into the script perfectly; both separate parties figure into the story prominently and are used effectively. We also get to see that Odo and Kira have a close relationship; when she wrestles with the burdens of her new duties and her desires to help out her former comrade, she turns to Odo for friendly advice. In direct contrast to this is the tone of the conversations between Kira and Sisko who are beginning their assignment on separate sides of the fence; this tension between the two would be returned to several more times in future first season episodes.

A final note: the Starfleet admiral that Kira speaks to on a desktop monitor is played by Susan Bay, wife of Leonard Nimoy - someone who needs no introduction to any Trekkie. She would return to play the same role (Admiral Rollman) in the second season show 'Whispers'.

Major Kira makes the mistake of helping a Bajoran terrorist
"Past Prologue" helps to establish the "Cold War" atmosphere of the Deep Space Nine series. Sisko beams aboard an injured Bajoran, Tahna Los, whose damaged scout ship was being pursued by the Cardassians. The Cardassians claim Tahna is a terrorist, the Bajoran claims that part of his life is over, and Garek the tailor claims the Duras sisters Lursa and B'Etor have made a deal to sell Tahna a cylinder of bilitrium. Since the "former" terrorist has an antimatter converter he stole from the Cardassians, he would then have a major explosive device with which to play. Major Kira supports her fellow Bajoran, only to discover he is an Isolationist who wants to use his bomb to collapse the entrance to the wormhole.

Ultimately the value of this early DS9 episode is that it introduces Garek, the mysterious Cardassian who remained behind the space station after the occupation ended. To say we will learn more about Garke later is an understatement. We are still dealing with expositional elements here in terms of the current state of affairs between Bajor and Cardassia, but the significance of "Past Prologue" is that it underscores the major problems that exist between Sisko and his second-in-command, one of the major twists in terms of the world of Star Trek this time around. An average DS9 episode, but it sets up things you have to know about down the road.

Had Tahna bit the bullet, it would have been no Los for me..
Oh, just shoot Tahna Los in the first 5 minutes of this episode and put me out of my misery...!

I can sum up the episode in one word, if I must. Cranky. This is a cranky little episode, surrounding the actions of an annoying Bajoran character, Tahna Los.

Here's the plot. Kira meets up with one of her old terrorist friends, Tahna Los, who is seeking political asylum on DS9. The Cardassians chasing him for crimes against Cardassia want him back. Sisko refuses. Cardassian gets cranky. Kira thinks Sisko is not supporting Bajoran causes by hesitating to give assylum. Kira gets cranky. Kira goes over Sisko's head to Starfleet Command, and pulls an Admiral out of a staff meeting. Admiral gets cranky. Admiral complains to Sisko. Sisko gets cranky. Meanwhile, Tahna Los tells Kira she's sold out to the Federation. Kira gets cranky. Klingon chicks show up armed on the promenade. Odo gets cranky. Klingon chicks try to do business with Tahna. Garak gets suspicious... but not cranky. Tahna tries to blow up a big bomb. Everyone gets cranky.

Just for laughs and giggles, I sat through the whole episode. I got cranky...

In all honesty, I did give this episode 3 stars. But that's mainly because of the wonderful introduction of our favorite Cardassian character, the "plain and simple" tailor, Mr. Garak. "No, not Mr. Garak... just plain, simple Garak..." And it was worth the 40 minutes of painful acting and drawn out plot line just to see the looks on Julian Bashir's face as his new Cardassian playmate breaks the good doctor into the spy game.

I was also happy to see Lursa and B'Etor, the Klingon sisters from the House of Duras, show their pretty faces in the Trek universe once again. *They're just SOOO delicate and feminine...!* But, I hate to say it... they seemed to be there not on their own merit, but as a way to give the Trek series legitimacy in its early days.

For anyone interested in learning about Garak, this is unfortunately an important episode to see. History is important, after all, and it does set up the whole Garak/Bashir/Lunch at the Replimat theme that shows its wonderful head throughout the run of the show. And it does have a few great moments... like where Garak tries to sell lingerie to B'Etor and Lursa. *SILKY!* Or where garak is sitting alone at Quark's, secretly watching the klingon chicks... *hubba hubba, Elim!* Or watching Garak's first attempts to seduce the innocent Dr Bashir into establishing their 7 year long lunchtime friendship... This is classic Garak. Who wouldn't love it?

It is also funny to look back at one of the first episodes of DS9. The acting seemed blase, and the story line was predictable at best, boring at worst. DS9 turned out to be an excellent show... but after viewing this episode, I was amazed how the show ever made it past the first season.

Had Gul Danar -- the Cardassian chasing Tahna Los in the first 10 minutes -- been a better shot, the whole episode would have been much less painful. Maybe not for Tahna Los.. but certainly for me...

Damn Klingon's!
Those damn Klingon sisters from Generations and a hand ful of Next Generation episodes are back in a story that focuses on Major Kira and her underground terrorist background. The inital 20 minutes are slow but the ending Runabout action sequence is great, with Kira having to trust her friend or Sisko. A real character building episode that proves nobody does it better then Star Trek. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Odo's latest case reopens his very first case aboard DS9
Constable Odo has been on Deep Space Nine longer than anybody else and in "Necessary Evil" we not only learn how he came to the station but also of an early encounter with Kira Nerys. When Quark is shot, Rom explains to Odo how the two Ferengi had just discovered a list of Bajoran names on the other side of a wall plate in one of the promenade shops. This information leads Odo to reopen the unsolved murder case that had caused Gul Dukat to bring the shapeshifter to DS9. The shop had belonged to a Bajoran named Vaatrik, whose widow had accused Kira of the murder. The episode goes back and forth in time as Odo pursues both investigations and finally arrives at the truth. "Necessary Evil" is a much better detective story that all of the Dixon Hill fantasies Picard sloshed through on The Next Generation. Besides, this is one of the few times Odo gets to work a case without somebody interfering, which makes it a first rate DS9 episode for fans of the Constable.

Trek noir
This episode had a spectacular film noir feel to it, with Odo serving as the PI figure and Kira and Pallra as mysterious femme fatales that could lead to Odo's untimely demise if he trusts the wrong one. It's a great story of murder, blackmail, and lies set against a dark, spaceborne version of a Nazi concentration camp.

Top 5
Without question Necessary Evil is one of the best hours of Trek that you'll ever see. Once again Peter Allan Fields shows his enormous tallent and one wonders what seasons 3 and 4 would have been like had he added a few of his masterpieces. Kira and Odo are the stars here, yet it's the intricate plot that forces you to look into the minds and modivations of these characters - tearing apart your assumptions about who they are and replacing it with the cold, hard, yet believable truth. This will always remain a Top 5 episode for me.

"Nessacary Evil" is nessacary for every fan!
"Nessacary Evil" is, after all of DS9's 7 year-run, still one of the most popular episodes of the series. The show is done in both present DS9 time, and marvelous flashback scenes to when the station was under Cardassian occupation. The direction is wonderful, making this a truly compelling show. But, standout characterizations are the key here, and they shine. The basic's of Odo's persona are revealed in the episode, as well as a dark chapter from Kira's past. Wonderful performances all across the board (as usual). The show is a very effective look into the Cardassian occupation, Major Kira's past, and Chief of Security Odo. A must see.

One of the best
This is still one of DS9's most highly regarded episodes, and for good reason. The story embraces a rather film noir style both with its murder mystery plot and its dark, unsettling atmosphere. The plot, told mostly in flashbacks, deals with the sordid past of several characters, including Major Kira, Odo, Gul Dukat and Quark. The opportunity taken to portray these characters during the time of the Cardassian Occupation is not wasted, and Odo and Dukat are memorably portrayed in this different environment. The story is engrossing and well-paced, with just enough sensation, humor and mystery to add breadth to the story. The ending is also a bit of a surprise, but an appropriate one. What makes 'Necessary Evil' a standout episode also encapsulates what was great about DS9 in general - the eagerness to be different and daring, to be unafraid of taking chances with its characters and telling stories more disturbing than its sister shows, but more compelling and rewarding in the end. ... Read more

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The Ferengi evoke a strong reaction from fans, who either love them orhate them--mostly, they hate them. (Retail managers particularly hate them for some reason.) The Ferengi were the oo-mox-starved failed villains of the Next Generation universe. As villains, they were pretty pathetic and tended to shriek a lot for no reason. ThenDS9 came along and changed all that. DS9 gave us Quark and theRules of Acquisition. Sure Quark still craved oo-mox, but at least he shriekedonly when it was absolutely necessary to the plot. More importantly, the actorplaying Quark (Armin Shimerman) imbued him with intelligence, wit, and guile--and a strong dose of heart.

"The House of Quark" is a major hoot. The person who came up with the idea of pitting Quark against the Klingon High Council deserves some sort of medal. The plot is so absurd that it actually makes sense. Mary Kay Adams is fabulous as Grilka, the honored widow. Robert O'Reilly returns as Gowron, honored head of the High Council, and Carlos Carrasco is menacing as D'Ghor, Klingon without honor. Kudos all around for the scene where Quark baffles the High Council with Basic Accounting 101. Great ensemble acting. Great line: "A brave Ferengi... who would have thought it possible?" The annoying B story features equally annoying Keiko, but that's why fast-forward buttons were invented. "The House of Quark" is a delight and a must-own for all Quark fans. Klingon fans will get a kick out of it, too. --Kayla Rigney ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Mildly entertaining and well performed, but nothing new
Episode title: The House of Quark

Written by: Ronald D. Moore (teleplay) & Tom Benko (story)

Directed by: Les Landau

"The House of Quark" is the first reqular episode shown after the third season two-hour premiere "The Search", and is probably meant to give the wievers a break after a political episode wich changed the direction of the whole show, while reflecting on the consequences of the major changes onboard the station that occured during "The Search".

The story begins ridiculously. One night at "Quarks", a drunken Klingon trips over his knife and just happenes to die in the progress. After that, Quark gets an idea out of nowhere: he decides to tell everyone that he killed the Klingon, so that he can increase sales as customers line up to hear the miraculous story.

As a result Quark gets drawn into the complicated schemes of two powerfull Klingon houses, by being forced to marry the wife of the Klingon he claims to have killed.

The story is ridiculous from beginning 'till the end, but is well constructed, and offers good scenes, sharp dialoque, and introduces an ordinary, but well-placed sub plot about Miles and Keiko O'Brien's marrital relationship after all families decert the station under the Dominion threat that has risen.

Nothing special, but definitely worth a watch.

Quark becomes the head of a Klingon House...really, he does
It is amazing how much trouble one little lie can get you into. A Klingon named Kozak gets drunk and falls on his knife in Quark's bar. The Ferengi makes up a story about a fierce battle in which he slew Kozak. Surprisingly, D'Ghor, Kozak's brother, supports Quark's wild story and the next thing the Ferengi knows the Kozak's widow, Grilka, kidnaps Quark, takes him to the Klingon home world, and persuades him to marry her by holding a knife to his throat. It seems that because Kozak died "honorably," in battle with Quark, his house was about to go to D'Ghor since Kozak had no male heirs. Grilka quickly wed the person who killed her husband, thereby creating the House of Quark. Of course, matters between Quark and D'Ghor are only going to be settled in the end by personal combat. With all the clashes between the Federation and other cultures it is wonderful to get them out of the way and let the Klingon and Ferengi views of the universe collide like this. After all, Quark is basically a coward out who just wants to make a profit, which means Gowron and the rest of these Klingons do not have a chance. Although this episode focuses on Quark and his predicament, there is a sub-plot that shows Bajorans abandoning DS9 because of the threat of the Dominion. But that is just treading water while Quark as the head of a Klingon house certainly qualifies as jumping into the deep end of the pool. "The House of Quark" would be my pick for the best Quark episode ever, at least in terms of the "funny" ones.

the canonic decline of the Klingon female
Most Trek episodes featuring the buffoonish Ferengi are comedy. Or the greedy, cowardly, conniving, sexist little trolls serve as foils for the nobler, more enlightened Humans and other Federation species. "House of Quark" establishes a disturbing view of a species apparently even more misogynist than the Ferengi. Ironically, that species is one wildly popular with the series' female fans: the Klingons. Admittedly, Klingon women's role in Trek had already degenerated, from the powerful warrioresses who could command ships in battle and rule the Empire, to little more than lusty, cleavage-baring dominatrixes. But as revealed in "House of Quark", the Klingon wife is basically a chattel. She cannot head a House, inherit property, or even fight her own duel for Honor. A widow may be forced to marry her husband's murderer to retain her position as mistress of his House. This is the basis for the episode's "cute" plot device -- Quark has to marry a Klingon! There is obviously no love between Grilka and her useless mate Kozak. But when the drunken petaQ falls on his own knife in Quark's Bar, his hapless widow must coerce Quark to champion her. The resulting comical situations don't disguise the unsettling revelation that a Klingon female has fewer rights on her own Homeworld than does a Ferengi male! Considering the Klingon opinion that Ferengi occupy the lowest rung on the Galactic "food chain", this is unpalatable fare indeed! Luckily for the damsel in distress, Quark is more chivalrous than the average Ferengi, and clever enough to convince the Council to grant Grilka "special dispensation". Although overall "The House of Quark" is entertaining, I consider it a poorly-conceived, disappointing episode. It institutes the canonic disempowerment of the Klingon woman, which will progress throughout the DS9 series and continue in Voyager.

Quark Marrys a Klingon- well not by choice
I thought this was an excellent episode, one of the better episodes of Deep Space Nine. Quark accidently kills a drunk klingon, and as a result the Klingon's wife comes looking for revenge, and kidnaps Quark, and takes him back to the Klingon Homeworld. Where the widowed klingon has to fight for her family's honor, and Quark after marrying her helps, by looking at the finances of the house, and helps her keep the family's honor. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

3 million refugees descend upon DS9 and Bajor
A damaged ship comes through the wormhole carrying four Skrreeans, a race that has been freed from the oppression of the T'Rogorans by the mysterious Dominion. The Skrreeans believe the wormhole to be the "Eye of the Universe," that will lead them to their true home, Kentanna. Sisko sends ship out to guide the rest of the Skrreeans and soon there are three million of them in vessels around DS9. While Sisko and Dax search for a planet to serve as the new home for the Skrreeans, their leader Haneek decides that Bajor is really Kentanna.

"Sanctuary" is one of those Star Trek episodes that obviously speak to contemporary concerns, in this case the refugee problem that afflicts war torn corners of the globe. Of course the Bajoran provisional government turns down the Skrreean request to settle. Given what they went through under the Cardassian occupation it is not surprising that Bajor would reject three million refugees (or immigrants if you want to think of the Skrreean farmers that way). "Sanctuary" is a thoughtful and slightly above-average DS9 episode. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Commander Sisko and the Mysterious Lady wearing red
Feeling a bit low following the anniversary of the death of his wife, Sisko encounters a mysterious woman named Fenna, who is dressed in a red catsuit. He is attracted to Fenna and the feeling seems mutual, but then she has this strange habit of disappearing just as things are progressing nicely. Meanwhile, the famous Gideon Seyetik has arrived at DS9 to make the final preparations for his greatest scientific achievement, to bring the dead star Epsilon 119 back to life. When Seyetik invites Sisko and his staff to dinner, the Commander discovers that Seyetik's wife Nidell looks exactly like Fenna. However, Nidell claims she has never met Sisko.

Given that Sisko is still mourning for his beloved Jennifer, "Second Sight" is a bit cruel because the Commander finally finds a woman he is interested in only to discover he is caught in an impossible situation. I do find the idea that Halanans create other individuals from their unconscious during times of emotional stress to be interesting, although certainly problematic in terms of having a career, trying to maintain a relationship or raising children. But there is something about Sisko in love that just makes you want to smile every time Avery Brooks' face lights up. "Second Sight" ends up being an average DS9 episode.

Not good, but not a complete waist of time
The main plot of the story is that this terafromer guy comes to the station to bring a nearby sun back to life. Along with him is his wife a mysterious alien with telepathic powers. Shortly after, Capt. Sisko in one of his insomniatic phases, goes for a walk around his station, and meets a mysterious woman (what a coincidence). Well it ends up turning out that the two mysterious women are one and the same. But the one Sisko met is actually a telepathic projection of the other. The wife chick is unhappy in her marrage to the terrafromer. So in a bold gesture he flies the probe type ship into the dead sun bringing it to life, and ending his. Thereby freeing this wife from their marrige. (Actually the coolest part of the episode, and one of the best death scenes in Trek). I may be wrong on some parts, and my symmary is kinda haizy, but thats because this is all from memmory, I would not actually buy the episode, but I'm sure it's in my library somewhere. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Mr Shatner called; he wants his speech back
I wasn't especially thrilled with A MAN ALONE. Both of the main plots in this episode seemed shallow and uninspired. There were glimmers of potential in there, but the episode eventually just takes the easy way out.

The main plot revolves around a suspicious murder on the station, of which Odo appears to be the prime suspect. Various clues point to the constable: he had a strong motive, he had the ability, he had the opportunity, and his alibi is non-existent. I suspect this entire plot was worked just so that Sisko could have a loud speech imploring an angry mob that they shouldn't hate or harm a man just because he's different. Yawn. It's not an awful idea, it's just a horrendously clichéd one. How many thousands of times have we seen this scene before? How many hundreds of those times have we seen this in a Star Trek episode? William Shatner must be able to recite that exact speech in his sleep by now.

The secondary plot revolves around Miles O'Brien's wife, Keiko, deciding to open a school for the various children who live on the station. This might have actually been quite interesting, if it had delved deeper into the questions that it raised (how to teach children of different cultures in the same class, how someone with no background in education could rise to the challenges, how to persuade the skeptical that education is not propaganda, etc). Unfortunately, most of the solutions that Keiko must arrive at take place off-screen, so we never get more than a superficial look.

There are a handful of good moments in this episode. I like seeing the crew getting all grumpy with each other. Odo gets a few good lines and scenes. It's a pity the whole thing just feels rather convoluted.

Odo is accused of murder while Keiko starts a school
Odo has an encounter with a bad dude named Ibudan and when the guy shows up dead in a holosuite, Deep Space 9's Security Chief is the prime suspect. The only way of getting in and out of the room is perfectly suited to a shapeshifter and since Odo was in his liquid state in a bucket in his office, he does not have an alibi. The subplot for this episode finds Keiko starting a school for children on the station, who might not be interested in learning from the new "occupying" force. Given that "A Man Alone" is one of the earliest DS9 episodes only serves to remind me how so many of the Star Trek writers must be frustrated mystery writers. Of course we are supposed to have our doubts about Odo, since he served as Security Officer during the Cardassian occupation, but it is clear from the start that the Constable prizes the law above such minor niceties as Starfleet. This is an average episode of DS9 at best, that only begins to explore the potential of Odo's character. However, there is a consistent effort in these early episodes to indicate that Commander Sisko does not have a tradition Starfleet crew, forcing him to play the diplomat with his own officers (i.e., this is not your parents' Star Trek).

This was a very good episode!
This was a very good episode. Odo is one of my favorite characters and this was the first to revolve around him. You got to learn a little about his past in this episode. "A Man Alone" is a good episode. I would recommend it to all my friends!

Leave Odo Alone!.. better yet, leave this episode alone..
I am torn by this episode. On the one hand, I thought it was a typically poor first season episode. Yes, setting up plot is important. But this just bored me to tears... On the other hand. there were some good Odo scenes here...

Ibudan is a Bajoran recently released from prison. He was in for killing a Cardassian, so the Bajorans let him out. He however has a past with Odo. Odo and Ibudan get into a scruff at Quark's, then less than an hour later, Ibudan is murdered during a holosuite session. Too bad... he was really getting it on with that funky looking alien chick. Oh well.

Odo pretty much is targeted as the main suspect, and has to be taken off of the case because of the conflict of interests. Soon, Odo is pretty much ganged up on in the promenade. Lynching mob, rock throwing, etc etc...

The mystery is solved with the help of Bashir, etc etc... Basic DS9 problem solved in 40 minutes. This was just plain old uninteresting...

Honestly, this should get only one star. But there are a few great scenes here, not to be missed. First involves the nasty Bajorans sitting at Quark's bar. All too often we see Bajorans depicted either as peace loving saints, helpless victims, or righteous freedome fighters. This episode shows them in a different light. They have their faults too... and they are not all so nice...

I also like the way Odo was portrayed in these early days. Odo is still trying to figure out how to handle himself now under Starfleet's command. He still wants to use the swift hand of justice, allowable under Cardassian rule, but now frowned heavily on. He is very frustrated, and quite honestly, has a really neat and sharp edge to him in these first episodes. His relationship with Quark is fun... not this back and forth bantering, but real distrust and hatred. Pure and simple. He also has some authority issues going on with Sisko, which is interesting to see.

The other interesting thing was the way that the writers played with the episode's title in some of the subplots. Or at least I think they were playing with it... While "A Man Alone" probably refers to Odo, it may also refer to Bashir in his loneliness as he persues Dax. Either way, I thought it was fun to watch that...

This was not the best DS9 has to offer. But it's there...

Odo on his own - alone!
The first season of DS9 featured several episodes dedicated to each specific character, this one went to Odo. It's slow, boring and solid - the exact opposite of the Odo we love and adore. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) is a good person. She often serves as theseries' voice of reason, because she can always be trusted to do the right thing. This trust is hard earned because Kira also has one very particular prejudice, and everybody knows it: Kira Nerys does not like Cardassians. Her prejudice elevates "Second Skin" from just ironic to deliciously creepy. Imagine waking up in a strange place in the middle of your own worst nightmare. All the people around you insist that this is reality and everything you hold to be true is a lie. Now imagine that when you look in the mirror, the reflection of your mortal enemy stares back at you...

In this episode, nothing is what it seems. The viewer is forced to peel away layer after layer to finally reveal the answer. And that answer isn't black or white. It's gray--like the Cardassian skin in which Kira finds herself encased. Nana Visitor is given good, solid material here, and she runs with it. Cardassian kudos to Lawrence Pressman as Legate Ghemor and to Andrew Robinson as the ever mysterious Garak. Great line: "Anything worth doing in a holosuite can be done better in the real world." Great scene: Sisko gleefully blackmailing Garak into submission. "Second Skin" is a puzzle within a puzzle--there may be only one solution, but getting there is half the fun. --Kayla Rigney ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Kira wakes up and discovers she is a Cardassian...
In one of her best DS9 episodes ever, Major Kira wakes up on Cardassia, looks into a mirror, and discovers she has been changed into an agent of the Obsidian Order. She is then told an amazing story by her captor: Ten years earlier the Order had kidnapped a Bajoran resistance fighter named Kira Nerys, who memories they took and transferred to an agent named Iliana Ghemor, who was then surgically altered to look like Kira and sent back to Bajor. Kira is told that SHE is Iliana and that she has been given a drug that will restore her true memories. She is then introduced to Iliana's father, Legate Tekeny Ghemor, a high-ranking member of the Central Command. Of course, Kira is convinced this is all some sort of game and is trying to figure out what the Cardassians really want from her. This is a first-rate DS9 episode where the payoff is actually equal to the mystery, which is about as good as it gets with DS9. You have to hand it to the Obsidian Order, they are more than willing to go to great lengths to get what they want. Another strength of "Second Skin" is that it plays Kira's hatred for the Cardassians against her basic decency when confronted with Legate Ghemor, who treats her like a long lost beloved daughter. This is one of Kira's better episodes to be sure.

Great Show for Kira
Major Kira is one of my most beloved Star Trek characters. I can't help but admire her strength, compassion, and intensity. Well, I guess that intensity trait belongs to Nana Visitor rather than Kira. One thing that made this character compelling was her hatred of Cardassians. You don't have to look hard to realize why she feels this way. They raped her world for 50 years and she has fought against them since she was "old enough to pick up a phaser." She HATES Cardassians, in all caps. Imagine her suprise when she learns, she could be a Cardassian. That's right, according to Entek, an officer of the Obsidian Order, Kira (or Illayana) was a Cardassian who volunteered to have her face sugically altered and her memories of being a Cardassian replaced with memories of being a Bajorian freedom figheter to go undercover. The plan was to, years later, retrieve Kira, and de-brief her as she was re-integrated into Cardassian society. Kira doesn't believe this, and nor do we, at first...Entek produces piles of evidence that all say Kira is a Cardassian. We are kept guessing up until the very end. But one of the things that really makes this show incredible for me is the last scene. Who would ever imagine Kira would be describing a Cardassian as an "honorable man" right to his face, with tears in her eyes? Not me. This is definatley a good buy. ... Read more

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Security chief Odo (Rene Auberjonois) travels with his "father"--actually the scientist Dr. Mora Pol (James Sloyan), who discovered and studied him--to a distant planet to investigate DNA signatures that might provide a clue to Odo's origins. While there, Odo is exposed to a mysterious gas that causes him to metamorphose against his will, tantamount to a split personality in that he can remember nothing of what he says or does in his alternate, monstrous form.

Producer Ira Behr called this episode a "cross between Forbidden Planet and primal therapy." Certainly it has the visceral impact of a good monster movie and the psychological urgency of a complex character personifying his anxieties in a bold way. Any episode focusing on the tragic, shape-shifting Odo is a good episode anyway, since it creates an opportunity for veteran actor Auberjonois to demonstrate his stirring command of any scene he's in.

"The Alternate" was the last Trek television assignment for director David Carson before he helmed the theatrical feature Star Trek Generations, and while the budgetary contrast between the two can not be more pronounced, "The Alternate" looks and moves terrifically well within its tight constraints. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Another dead end in the mystery of Odo's origins
Dr. Mora, the Bajoran scientist who first studied Odo when he was discovered near the wormhole, comes to Deep Space Nine for the Constable's help. A substance similar to Odo has been found on a planet in the Gamma Quadrant by a Bajoran probe and may offer a clue to Odo's origins. When a runabout from DS9 investigates they find the substance, but an earth tremor releases gas that paralyzes every one by Odo, who beams them all to the ship safely. However, soon after the substance is returned to the station something destroys the lab. Then, after the substance "dies," a blob attacks Bashir in the infirmary.

The one thing I do not like about "The Alternate" is that it is yet another dead end regarding the mystery of where Odo came from. The character already has enough pathos without toying with him like this once again. Then again, by the time we finally get around to meeting the Founders it does end up being a surprise because the series has cried "Odo" so many times. All in all, "The Alternate" is nothing special. We have seen stories like this many times before on Star Trek and this time it is Odo's turn. ... Read more

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Major Kira (Nana Visitor) has another attack of divided loyalties when her former mates in a Bajoran resistance cell come under fire from the new Minister of the Bajoran Provisional Government: the loathsome Kai Winn (Louise Fletcher). Oblivious to the irony of persecuting the very people who fought Cardassian occupiers for self-rule, Winn becomes unnervingly reminiscent of Fletcher's turn as the manipulative, power-mad Nurse Ratched in One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. A major problem in the first couple of seasons of DS9 was overexposure of Kira in too many episodes focused on her. Thus a Kira-centric story such as this one from the series' third year, in which she rejoins her old compatriots, really does look better with time and distance. Supporting players Duncan Regher, Dianne Salinger, and William Lucking, among others, are very good as weathered freedom fighters ready to take up arms again--this time against an internal enemy. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Strong Episode
Okay, so I'm not exactly a veteran DS9 viewer. However, recently I've really gotten into reading about the show ( at startrek.com and reading the excellent episode guide ). Finally, a few days ago, I stumbled upon an episode on T.V. I was thrilled to find one and have been watching it regularly since. Today's episode was Shakaar, which I believe is an excellent action AND character oriented show. It may be a tired retread of earlier episodes, and that's entirely possible. Every Star Trek show has its certain flavour, and that can get tiring after awhile. However, since I'm not accustomed to DS9 yet, I can enjoy even the slighter episodes. I don't believe in any way though that Shakaar is a "slight" episode though. The characters are strong, particularly the title one. I also like how one of the villain's soldiers ( a "bad guy" ) is confronted in a scene where life and death matters are discussed like the results of a recent football game. Overall a very good episode.

Kai Winn gets another taste of political power
Kalem Apren, First Minister of the Bajoran Provisional Government dies, and Kai Winn is appointed to the interim position until new elections can be held. As soon as she is in power, Winn decides to move several soil reclamation units from Dahkur Province to Rakantha Province. The machines are needed because the Cardassians poisoned most of Bajor's soil before they left. Winn wants the valuable crops that can be produced by Rakantha, even though the units were promised to Dahkur for a year. Shakaar is not only the leader of the Dahkur farmers; he was the head of Major Kira's resistance cell during the occupation. So Winn tries to get Kira to help with the situation. On the one hand I want to say how realistic is it that a politician as incompetent as Kai Winn would be given a chance to do this much damage in this short a time. Then I look at the sort of people who are in office in this country and I get my answer. Although this episode effectively knocks Winn down a peg, it also whets her appetite for more power. Given all these serious going ons, the sub-plot involving Chief O'Brien's winning streak at darts seems out of place.

Kai Win
When I was watching this episode, I finaly realized how evil Kai Win was. I had missed a lot of the first few seasons, such as the Bajoran Revolution and the exitingof Kai Opaka, and at first thought of Win as just another side character. But when I watched this episode, I realized she was as much of a dictator as anything. it happened as soon as the Bajoran security guards walked into the hut where Kira and her former leader were located and said 'You are under arrest by order of the Kai,' for no other reason thans he wanted it to happen, she became the villan captains hate: in charge of a government who thinks she's wonderful, wanted to be remembered as great and willing to do anything to get there, and angery that the prophet is a non-Bajoran.

The last time I saw this episode, I didn't fully understand it, but since then, I've gotten a new under standing of military and political operations and dialogue (Thank you West Wing and Tom Clancy). Kai became a spoiled girl in this episode. By trying to coerce Sisko into giving her Federation help by withdrawing Bajoran application for membership, and by trying to arrest people for no reason, she became to me what I think the writers wanted her to be: someone who is in a position they should not be in, too small and too weak to do anything but what they want.

Politics aside, there might be a story here ... somewhere ..
The return of a famed Bajoran resistance leader poses a unique challenge for the world of Bajor, seemingly in endless political disarray already. Shakarr's arrival appears nothing more than an attempt by the writers to say 'Hey, let's not forget about Bajor, in the midst of all of the other subplots that carried successfully throughout DS9's own continuity. Certainly not a stinker, SHAKARR just didn't explore new territory; quite frankly, it was an inferior single episode retread of Season Two's fantastic three-part opener, regarding almost all of the same themes. ... Read more

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Dr. Julian Bashir (Siddig El Fadil) tries to avoid 21st-century Earthhistory because it's "too depressing." Well, sometimes the truth hurts, and in"Past Tense," the painful reality of history—-including homelessness and theplight of the mentally ill--can’t be avoided. Thanks to a fluke transporteraccident, Sisko, Bashir, and Dax are thrown back to San Francisco during 2024,the year of the Bell Riots. Being an attractive "tattooed" white woman, Dax is"rescued" by a wealthy businessman, while the two brown-skinned officers arearrested and thrown into that hell called Sanctuary District A. In a matter ofdays, Sanctuary District A will explode into the civil disturbance that made theFederation possible.

"Past Tense, Part 1" references ugly historical truths at every turn. Most obvious is the use of the term "Sanctuary District" to refer to what is veryobviously a ghetto/prison. Americans of a certain age will cringe when thegovernment bureaucrat tells Sisko and Bashir that detention is for their "ownsafety... and it's the law." The internalized racism is subtle and hard to catchupon first viewing, but that's what makes it so effective. And "Past Tense"isn't without its lighter moments. Fans will love the nods to both the originalseries' "City on the Edge of Forever" and TNG's "Time's Arrow." Watch forStarfleet's Temporal Policy and the hurkin' canonical blooper regarding Chief'srank. All-around gre