PATRON TAKES - DS9 S2E1

This episode is the fucking Matrix compared to Decent. DS9 is not firing on all cylinders to be sure but stuff actually happened and it was entertaining.

This is when DS9 becomes serialized. Look, I get that’s just how TV has become over the years…”it allows writers to fully flesh out storylines and characters”, blah blah blah. To many of us in the early 90’s, it was a cop out. “We’re running out of ideas, so let’s stretch this storyline into three episodes!” It just seemed like lazy writing at the time. Say what you will about episodic television, but at least it forced storytellers to come up with new ideas on a weekly basis! A viewer could join a series mid-season, without really needing much backstory. It was what made TOS and TNG the classic series they are! I suppose the space opera format works for this station-based series, and they don’t abandon the episodic storytelling entirely, to be fair. It just seemed at the time like the writers and producers lacked focus for this series and were trying too hard to be like “Babylon 5”.

I find this episode and its conclusion tedious, but they nevertheless start to show what DS9 can do as a series which it will in the long run do much better.

Miles O’Smiles: Space Pimp

IMO a solid season opener for any trek. From its cinematic opening, to the engaging plot that recontextualizes the subtleties of Bajoran Politics, but also not shying away from the strong character performances and development. Put Kira and O'Brien together more!

I know you had voiced concerns about the show taking a heavy focus on the Cardassian Vs Bajor story. But I feel episodes like this begin to fill in subtext and missing pieces that show just how brutal things were. That backstory informs much of Kira's drive and purpose and begins to set in motion things to come down the road.

This is one of those things I feel the fact DS9 is a station makes all of this all that more important, more real and personal. We aren't on a ship, we cant just be off to the new planet next week. Even if/when this short term blows over we wont be going anywhere so the long term politics actually mater here. What do you expect/hope to see in part 2?

The skit for the youtube edit should be obvious: Target Audience payday. The only question is who plays who... "One for you. SEVEN for me."

[Singing] "Major Kiraaaa....Li Nalas just got rescued by a girl named Major Kiraaaaa" [/singing] (I realise you probably have no idea what that was all about - it's a reference to the song "Maria" from West Side Story. Li Nalas' actor Richard Beymer played the male lead, Tony in the 1961 film version. I'll see myself out)

The episode may have started as an unproduced Ensign Ro script from Season 6 but it really feels like DS9. Intrigue, looming threats, complex guest characters and consequences from previous episodes. The show still hasn’t hit its stride (and won’t for a while) but the writers are finally starting to find their voice.

I love the uncompromising investment in the Bajoran storyline, and especially the reappearance of everyone's favorite Gul, as this season opens. In this second season we really get to see Michael Piller's vision for DS9 flil out and take shape, and I think it's a special vision worth savoring while we have it. --- Unlike some, I particularly adore Piller's (early) DS9. Michael Piller co-created DS9 and served as showrunner for the first two and a half seasons, after showrunning TNG in (IMO) its best years (S3-S5). When Piller left DS9 near the end of season 3 to co-create and showrun the first two seasons of Voyager (also that show's best seasons/"vision" IMO) with one of the co-writers of this episode (Jeri Taylor), the other co-writer of this episode, Ira Steven Behr, took over as primary showrunner of DS9. Behr's DS9 is also of course very good and well-loved, but it is a subtly different vision, and I'll always have a special place in my heart for Piller's DS9. Michael Piller, in as much as one person can be, is the person most singularly responsible for the peaks of 90's Star Trek, and the overall feel and warmth of the entire franchise during that time that everyone loves. He was a good and respected leader and collaborator who tamed the writers room after the first few years of dysfunction, and was the driving force behind increasing the focus on character development over monster-of-the-week filler. It's hard to overstate how responsible he is for how timelessly good 90's Trek remains.

It's interesting how this is a Part 1, but isn't labeled as such, and so you're going to be flip-flopping between Part 1, the next TNG episode, and Part 2. Of course, that's how it was originally experienced when it first aired, sure, but I'm curious to see how it'll affect the viewing experience to not only be left hanging like that but have to wait through a different show before you get the continuation.

now we get to the real meat and potatoes of DS9... SPACE POLITICS!!!!!!

The actor playing Jaro starred as my all time favorite version of DRACULA in 1979. Watch it!

Really enjoyed this episode, but I'm a suckered for political drama. It's hard commenting on an episode that is just part one though. And of course O'brien would spend time thinking of how to modify a runabout to sneak across a hostile border.

Cardassian apologists will point to how 'accordingly chastised' the camp prefect was

The actor playing Jaro also played Skeletor in the 1987 Masters of the Universe movie with Dolph Lundgren. (I know!) And, the skull mask he wore in the movie was reused in Worf's calisthenics program on TNG.

A pretty good opener that sets a new major plot arc in motion and does a solid job of establishing the tone for the second season. But it's held back from being first-rate partially by a disappointing guest star performance. Richard Beymer was a big get at the time, having just come off a great turn as a villainous character on Twin Peaks, but he seems a little lost here. Admittedly the way the character is written makes him tricky to play, but Li Nalas needed to be 'weak and interesting,' and instead he's 'weak and boring.' But at least you get good guest turns from Marc Alaimo and Frank Langella.

Writers room: "Hey, how about a strange probe arrives through the wormhole and infects..." - "Nope!" - "Ok, a TNG season 1 Ferengie visits..." - "NOO" - "Hm, so what happens around the station anyway...?" It's entertaining, the guest stars are very good, everyone gets something to do. Nothing to complain. Liked it!

Solid opener for season 2. Will the momentum hold for the next part, I wonder...? 🧐

This season starts off with a good story, an old adversary, and a glorious turn by guest stars

Until rewatching this, I had totally forgotten that this was the first season premiere that ends with a To Be Continued, and also the first time the premiere involved a multiple part story where one of those parts WASN'T a season-ending cliff-hanger. I kindof like this format, they're really setting you up for an upcoming season story and setting a tone, rather than just ending the story that the previous season finale had started. Though technically, this does follow up on themes that were introduced in Season 1's ending, just without a direct cliffhanger.

They definitely cranked it up a few notches with this episode to kick off season 2.

You can see in this one the show was trying to take baby steps to become a more modern show. Of course in the mid 90s it was unclear what a modern show would look like, but this was less than 10 years away from The Sopranos, The Wire, BSG and others.

Frank Langella did this uncredited just because his kids really liked Star Trek. Really nice guy and a great actor.

This is the kind of grand Bajoran politics episode that was sorely missing in most of season 1. It feels like DS9's Redemption (TNG) in a way. Excellent start of the season.

Really like this opening. Kira and O’Brien make a good team. Good to see Dukat again! The casting of Frank Langella is so good to see. He went uncredited and did the role because his kids were Trek fans. A season opener thats To Be Continued…? Well that’s new! A for “always wondered what Cardassian underwear looks like”

No no no it gets better NEXT season we swear lol

Pour one out for Skeletor himself, Frank Langella. Things are starring to warm up... Having had a taste of DS9 with Season 1, what do you want to see more/less of in S2 and beyond?

I do understand Josh & Alex's reaction to the middle of DS9 S1. Remember that (regardless of quality) a lot happened in S1 of TNG. DS9....not much of real significance between the pilot and the season finale. TNG introduced a new adversary, the Ferengi, who then re-appeared. Q returned after Farpoint. There was a new major threat in 'Conspiracy'. The Romulans announced their return. A main cast member left the show. DS9 is a character based show, but S1 didn't give the characters any large scale problems to address.

O’Brien never turns down a chance to shoot some “Bloody Cardies”!

So they said they can only beam people up 2 at a time with the roundabout transporter, but we just saw one beam 3 people at once in Timescape. Also start beaming up the guys who stayed behind as soon as you get to the ship. Seems stupid to stand there waiting for them to huff it.

Kira and O'Brien make a badass duo. Politics, Action, Dukat, good Sisko moments, and an earned cliffhanger. An easy B for Banger.

Season one left us wondering if being on a space station was a hindrance. But the fact it’s not limited to a starship means we can follow political intrigue on the planet (and we do have runabouts for travel when needed). DS9 begins to lean into its difference. As far as the politics- remember this was written in the 1990s, yet people of every era seem to find it timely. Funny, that.

"Dad! Quark gave me an earring, can I go do violence?" "Okay, but Miles has to come with you."

The Circle? Even the Bajorans haven’t escaped becoming Fascists!

It’s interesting how DS9 has normalised hand jobs, or should I say “ear jobs”.

Looks like this is the start of DS9 serialized episodes.

An episode moving pieces around the board, but actually letting the characters have good moments. Dukat continues to be a slimy dink, "Oh, you found prisoners we kept. We are so sorry that they were somehow overlooked for a whole year. What a shame."

This is the start of the REAL Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, imo. Right off the bat we get something we hadn't seen in Star Trek before when it comes to episode format.

Did you ever think you would see a character in Trek use prostitution as a ruse? DS9 truly uses all its “assets”.

Quark helping Odo in the beginning is funny. Odo is like what are you up to and Quark is being sincere, or is he? Nice way to start season 2, enjoy the ride fellows.

Again, DS9 is getting it's feet under it, doing what it does better than other Trek shows: Politics, and what happens when you have to stick around and see the consequences of your choices, instead of warping off to the next system. I think you even asked for this in what you wanted out of DS9, so enjoy.

Oh love the uncredited Frank Langella too.

How about that ending? How would you feel about Trek swapping out characters every few seasons to freshen things up?

Compare this to The Child and still tell me you're worried about DS9 not being as good as TNG.

Don't know if this is a controversial take, but I didn't find Li Nalas's portrayal here very convincing. He's so obviously not interested in being any kind of leader in every scene he's in that it's difficult to believe anyone would still believe in his legend after interacting with him for five minutes.

DS9 S2 gets off to such a strong start, it’s hard to imagine that this started off as a proposal for a TNG episode. It seems so well suited to DS9 Pairing Kira and O’Brien, 2 of the 3 best DS9 characters is definitely a winning move too.

Tremors start slowly

I wonder how Sisko risk taking at this level sits with you guys? I can’t see Picard making this decision unless he was commanded to, or Kirk unless one of his personal friends were in peril. WDYT?

Obviously terrorist acts like bombing a school are to be frowned upon, but do you feel sympathetic to the Bajorans who want to expel all outworlders after being under an alien occupation for 50 years?