Tag: Family

“Star Trek: DS9”: Season 1, Episode 11 (“Vortex”)

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Quark:  You think the whole galaxy is plotting around you, don’t you? Paranoia must run in your species, Odo. Maybe that’s why no one has ever seen a changeling. They’re all hiding!

A Mindaran ship arrives on DS9 w/ twin brothers, Ah-Kel and Ro-Kel (Randy Ogelsby), known as smugglers. Another mysterious alien, Croden (Cliff De Young), has been spending time in Quark’s bar. He comes from the Gamma Quadrant, so is one of a kind on DS9. There are reports of he and Quark (Armin Shimerman) having long convos. Odo (Rene Auberjonois) disguises himself and catches Quark negotiating w/ the Mindarans about an artifact (probably stolen). Odo can’t prevent Croden from killing Ro-Kel while trying to steal the artifact. Ah-Kel vows revenge, as twins of his species are like two halves of one being.

[Croden has killed Ah-Kel’s brother in self defense]

Ah-Kel: My only purpose in life from here on… is to see him dead!

Croden, who is roguish and talkative, tells Odo that he has seen shape-shifters before (he uses the term “Changeling”- a first for DS9). He claims they once lived on his home planet, but were driven out. He saw them on another planet a few years ago and can take Odo there. Croden opens a locket containing a shape-shifting fluid; Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) declares this is partly organic (living) matter! Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Dax (Terry Farrell) go through the wormhole to inform Croden’s people that he has been arrested. They want no contact w/ outsiders and demand his return. Sisko agrees; Odo is tasked to fly Croden back.

This is a strong ep which was inspired by a Western. New viewers, as well as fans who are re-watching, will enjoy this story. It turns out that the prisoner is not what we assumed. We may wonder if he deserves death, as his planet has no trials. The security chief is faced w/ a conflict between his duty and his desire to learn more about his people. We get to see Odo unsettled (very rare); he and Croden have to rely on each other to survive. In the end, we realize that (unlike Federation officers), Odo has his own sense of justice!

Odo: [to the stone changeling] Home… Where is it? Someday we’ll know… cousin.

In the shot in which Rom places the drink bottle onto the tray, we see that there are five glasses instead of four. The camera focuses on the fifth glass in homage to Hitchcock’s Notorious. According to writer Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Odo’s line: “I’m a security chief, not a combat pilot” is a tribute to Dr. McCoy’s running line in TOS: “I’m a doctor, not a….” The exterior visuals of the vortex are re-used shots of from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, w/ color slightly changed and flipped upside-down.

[1]…gives us more insight into him [Odo], especially his efficiency and integrity as a law enforcement officer, while at the same time giving us a peek past his cold exterior to see his inner loneliness and vulnerability.

[2] The resolution to this story is highly satisfactory and tells us something important about Odo. As we’ve come to expect, Auberjonois and Shimerman give stellar performances.

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews

“Star Trek: DS9” – Season 1, Episode 10 (“The Nagus”)

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[Rom has returned a beautiful woman’s lost wallet]

Quark: You worthless tiny-eared fool! Don’t you know the First Rule of Acquisition?

Rom: Yes, brother.

Quark: Then say it!

Rom: “Once you have their money, you never give it back.”

This teleplay was written by Ira Stephen Behr, who wasn’t a “father” of DS9 (like Piller and Berman), but raised it into a strong/unique sci-fi series. The main story of this ep has the leader of the Ferengi, Grand Nagus Zek (veteran actor Wallace Shawn) and his son, Krax (Lou Wagner), arrive at DS9. Quark (Armin Shimerman) and his brother, Rom (Max Grodenchik), are in awe and arrange for everything Zek needs. (The face seen on the Grand Nagus’ golden staff was sculpted to resemble Shimerman’s Quark.) Zek praises Quark’s business instinct; Quark fears that Zek wants to take over his bar. However, Zek tells Quark a conference will be held in the bar, where Ferengi politicians will discuss how to exploit business opportunities in the Gamma Quadrant (the world on the other side of the wormhole). Also, Zek plans to retire and appoint his successor.

Quark: Tell me, is the Grand Nagus here on business or pleasure?

Krax: Is there a difference?

In the B-story (secondary), we see adolescent growing pains, as 14 y.o. Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton) prefers to spend time w/ his friend, Nog (Aron Eisenberg), than his father. Chief O’Brien (Colm Meaney) has to substitute teach (been there- ugh), since wife Keiko is spending time w/ her mom on Earth. (The screen in the school behind O’Brien includes a figure of the aliens- Korob and Sylvia- from the TOS ep “Catspaw,” and also tribbles. In the back of the classroom, there is a poster containing the five USS Enterprise vessels.) Nog’s father decides that he doesn’t need to attend school (w/ humans). We discover Jake was teaching Nog to read (aww)! Sisko (Avery Brooks) earlier told Jake that humans and Ferengi were too different culturally to be friends.

Zek: [6th Rule of Acquisition] Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity.

The Rules of Acquisition are mentioned in this ep. The scene where Quark meets Nava is a tribute to the The Godfather. Quark’s Corvan gilvo (the alien animal he holds), the way he scratches his ear, the blinds on the windows, and the dialogue (“Yet now you call me Nagus”) allude to the film. This is a light-hearted and somewhat funny ep where we get character development of Quark, Rom, and Nog. Sisko, Jake, Odo, and even Dax get their moments.

[1] The Ferengi are essentially the exact opposite of the Federation. The Federation has abandoned all market-based activities, including commerce, acquisition of assets, and even money itself; while Ferengi society is entirely based around those things.

[2] For those that enjoy broad farce and slapstick comedy… you might find a chuckle or two. Shimerman, in the midst of outrageous comedy, manages to inject some thoughtful dramatic moments as he struggles with his new found power and the added responsibilities (and dangers) it brings.

[3] Episodes like this really fulfill the core promise of DS9 as a show… Now we follow a crew that has the unknown come to them, and the consequences of those encounters are real and must be dealt with.

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews

“Star Trek: TNG” – Season 6, Episodes 16 & 17 (“Birthright, Parts I & II”)

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Part I

[Dr. Bashir has commented on Data’s more “human” attributes.]
Data: Most people are interested in my extraordinary abilities – how fast I can compute, my memory capacity, how long I will live. No one has ever asked me if my hair will grow, or noticed that I can breathe.
Bashir: Well, your creator went to a lot of trouble to make you seem human. I find that fascinating.

This TNG ep (written by Brannon Braga and edited by Rene Echevarria) originally aired between “Q-less” and “Dax” in S1 of DS9. While the Enterprise helps repair damages to DS9, a mysterious alien (James Cromwell) approaches Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn), claiming his father wasn’t killed in the battle of Khitomer 25 yrs ago, but is still alive and held in a Romulan prison camp. At first, Worf rebuffs this, for the dishonor it would bring his family. He changes his mind after talking to Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Lt. Cmdr. Data (Brent Spiner). Lt. La Forge (LeVar Burton) helps Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) conduct an experiment w/ alien technology (found in the Gamma Quadrant). The equipment surges w/ power and a plasma shock knocks out Data. He experiences a vision of his “father” (creator), Dr. Noonien Soong.

Dr. Soong: I wasn’t sure you’d ever develop the cognitive abilities to make it this far, but if you’re here, if you can see me… you’ve crossed over the threshold from being a collection of circuits and subprocessors and have started a wonderful journey.

I enjoyed the youthful enthusiasm Bashir brought to this ep; he and Data (who is one of my favorites on TNG) get some nice moments. The doctor wants to know more re: the android’s “humanity.” We find out Data can grow hair, has a pulse, and can breathe if he wants to. Data and Worf have a fine scene in 10 Forward. I really liked the scene where Picard explains to Data that “he is a culture or one, and no less valid” than any other culture. Data’s paintings connected to his “dream” are pretty good. Spiner gets to stretch himself by also playing Dr. Soong.

Part II

Tokath: We’ve put aside the old hatreds. Here, Romulans and Klingons live in peace. I won’t allow you to destroy what we have.

Lt. Worf: Do not deceive yourself. These people are not happy here. I see the sadness in their eyes.

Tokath: That’s not what I see when I look in my wife’s eyes. I married a Klingon. So you see, when I warn you not to disrupt our lives here, I’m not speaking just as a jailor; but as a man protecting his family.

This ep was written by Echevarria and edited by Braga. These two writers, as well as Ron Moore, were esp. interested in the Klingons. In TOS, the Klingons are one-note bad guys; they are developed more in TNG and also play crucial role in DS9. Many fans complained that here was no further exploration of Data’s visions. We never uncover the mystery of the device Bashir had (and he doesn’t appear even in the ep).

Toq: Today I learned the ritual hunt, but that is not all I learned. I discovered that warriors’ blood runs through my veins. I do not know how, or why, but we have forgotten ourselves. Our stories are not told, our songs are not sung!

After discovering survivors from the Romulan attack on Khitomer (which established peace between the Klingons and the Federation), Worf resists becoming one of them. The elders explain that it’s not a prison, as they’ve chosen to remain, since returning would dishonor their families. Worf begins to teach the younger Klingons about their ancestry and tradition. A young woman becomes interested in Worf. Dorn gets to carry this ep, which he is very capable of doing. Though I’ve heard some women fans say that Worf is “a symbol of toxic masculinity,” he slowly evolves into well-rounded character over his time on TNG, the movies, and (later) on DS9.

[1] Overall a very mixed episode; some good moments but also some uncomfortable themes.

[2] This is the first time we get to hear actual Klingon music...

And in true Worf fashion, he never backs down. …Worf’s obsession with Klingon Duty, Honour and Principles could be at times, tiresome.

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews

“Star Trek: DS9” – Season 1, Episode 4 (“Babel”)

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Those of you fed up w/ quarantine life, coronavirus updates, and related topics may want to skip this one- LOL! This is the first time that Ira Stephen Behr wrote a teleplay for the series. Naren Shankar (who has a science background and started out as an intern on TNG) contributed to the story. The title is based on the biblical story of the The Tower of Babel in Genesis. Man wanted to be closer to God, so built this high tower. God was angered, destroyed the tower, and punished the men by making them speak many different languages (babbling), thus beginning the various nations and cultures.

The ep starts off comedic, then gets serious, building tension from scene to scene. Chief O’Brien is very busy as systems (built by the Cardassians) all over DS9 are failing. He has to free people stuck in an airlock and Dax wants him to repair a malfunction in the science lab. O’Brien must also repair the navigational computer for Kira, but Sisko can’t get good coffee, so wants the Ops replicator fixed ASAP. All of a sudden, he becomes aphasic- the words coming out of his mouth don’t make sense. Bashir has no clue what happened, as nothing is physically wrong w/ O’Brien. The crew works to find a cure before the entire station is effected. Eventually, Dax also turns aphasic during a meeting in Ops. People all over the station start displaying the symptoms- it’s an epidemic!

[1] Pretty unnerving though how relevant this still is in 2020.

[2] The O’Brien scenes at the start are great. I love his sarcastic comments, and Colm Meaney is such a great actor (with an awesome accent)…

[3] Some unusual partnerships are forged. Never question the strength of the Ferengi immune system.

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews

The frenemy relationship between Odo and Quark is explored further; we get moments of humor. When Odo discovers Quark accessing crew quarters illegally to make use of a replicator, Quark says: “Never ask when you can take.” This is the first example of a collection of Ferengi sayings which will later be called The Rules of Acquisition. Quark takes on responsibility when the command officers have been affected by the virus. To add to the excitement, a ship tries to break quarantine which threatens to cause an explosion (since it’s clamped to the station when the engines power up).

Odo: I need to get to Docking Port V now. That ship’s gonna explode in five minutes!

Quark: I’ll beam you over.

Odo: You?

Quark: Relax. I served on a Ferengi freighter for eight years.

Odo: All right.

[He rushes onto the transporter pad.]

Quark: I must have witnessed the procedure hundreds of times!

Odo: Witnessed? You mean to say you never handled the controls yourself?

Quark: Energizing!

[Waves Odo goodbye as he beams him away.]

“Star Trek: DS9” – Season 1, Episode 3 (“A Man Alone”)

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Jake (Cirroc Lofton) makes friends w/ a teenage Ferengi, Nog (Aron Eisenberg), Quark’s nephew and prone to act mischievous. Chief O’Brien (Colm Meaney) argues w/ his wife Keiko (Rosalind Chao- who co-starred in The Joy Luck Club also in 1993), who hasn’t adjusted to life on DS9. On the Enterprise (TNG), Keiko was a botanist, but now she has no work. Odo (Rene Auberjonois) doesn’t see what’s so great about being a couple, as he comments to Quark (Armin Shimerman). This is a fun scene w/ actors who can do both comedy and drama. You also see their chemistry w/ each other as frenemies. Lt. Dax (Terry Farrell) explains to Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) that her species don’t go seeking romantic relationships. I like the charm and confidence Farrell shows, even in early eps. Siddig also brings the charm, yet his character has much more naivete.

Sisko: [to Odo] If you can’t work within the rules I’ll find someone who can.

The A-story focuses on Odo, the shape-shifting constable w/ a strong sense of justice who is caught up in a mystery. Odo sees a familiar face on the Promenade, the Bajoran smuggler Ibudan, and gives him a day (26 hours in this world) to get off the station. Sisko (Avery Brooks) says that the man hasn’t done anything wrong, so Odo can’t just kick him out. Odo tells of how Ibudan once let a child die b/c the parents couldn’t afford medicine. Ibudan also killed a Cardassian w/o provocation during the Occupation, so Odo turned him in. When Ibudan is murdered on one of the holodecks, Odo becomes the prime suspect. However, things are not as they seem!

Quark: [about Odo] He’s an ill-tempered, overbearing, cross-patch. But he was no Cardassian collaborator, and he’s no killer.

Zayra: I can’t believe you’re defending him, Quark. You’re his worst enemy.

Quark: Guess that’s the closest thing he has in this world to a friend.

There are a lines and scenes which wouldn’t be out of place on a cop show. Kira (Nana Visitor) says that Odo is “the most honorable man on the station.” The actress really seemed comfortable w/ her character from the start of the series. Dax and Bashir sift through evidence gathered at the murder scene and on the ship which Ibudan came on, trying to solve the crime. Some Bajorans on the station, incl. Zayra (Edward Laurence Albert- son of actor Eddie Albert) grow very suspicious of Odo. He is unlike anyone else in this community and worked under the Cardassians for some years. After Odo is relieved of duty by Sisko (for his own safety), he goes to his office. We see that it has been trashed; along one wall, the word “SHIFTER” can be seen. A mob gathers outside and Sisko calls in security to prevent damage and violence.

Keiko’s plan to start a school for the few kids on the station was a practical idea. Sisko liked the idea very much and Jake had grown bored of studying alone w/ a computer (which is what many kids are doing in quarantine). I liked the scene where Keiko convinced Nog’s father, Rom (Max Grodenchik), to allow him to attend. Rom is portrayed as confident and decisive, which changes drastically later in the show. There is an ep focused on Keiko’s teaching at the end of the season which fans esp. comment about.

[1] I enjoy how DS9 gets to work on establishing it’s characters right away– the payoff doesn’t come for quite a while but damn is it delicious when it does.

[2] …the conflict between Odo’s sense of justice and Starfleet rules will be done much better in later episodes…

[3] Odo – who really is a man alone – must learn to trust others to help him figure this one out and clear him of suspicion.

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews