PATRON TAKES - DS9 S2E3

I don't when you guys are planning on watching the TNG movies, but you definitely need to watch Generations before you get to season 4 of DS9

DS9 has confidently emerged in its second season with a sense of energy and verve! What do you feel is still missing from the formula to a successful DS9?

Finally, Rom gets a Win!

This is a fun episode. Very action movie in how it feels.

A trope that always annoys me is one character not understanding a key aspect of the story. This is to set up the main character summarising for the audience that same aspect. Here O'Brien needs to be told by Sisko what the show had made very clear already about Li Nalas (man vs myth). This need to turn an ordinary man into a figurehead is not a new idea and O'Brien would not be unaware of its history.

It is strange that O’Brien likes the field rations that Starfleet provides is this a form of: O’Brien must suffer?

Apparently there was a big fight behind the scenes about Li’s fate. Michael Piller thought they should keep him around while Ira Stephen Behr wanted him dead. What do you guys think? Was Li interesting enough to keep around as a recurring character?

I really enjoy how by staying in one place DS9 is able to really develop Bajor as a believable planet thats fleshed out and has believable political issues and isn't just a one dimensional planet of hats. I think fleshing out one dimensional concepts is something DS9 is going to be known for.

The moment when Winn finds out about the Cardassians and instantly turns on Jaro is one of the reasons I like her. She’s not just a one-note villain, you never know which way she’ll jump. Today, she’s on our side.

At this point in the show, these episodes are great. But I always end up forgetting what happened in them, and have trouble telling the three episodes apart. I think it's because they feel rushed. For instance, last episode, it felt like The Circle took over Bajor in a day. A plot that major could have been better developed if they did it over more episodes, and this episode was episode 6 instead of 3. But i get at the time, they weren't able to do that. 3 parts was groundbreaking then.

Interesting character moment for Winn: she's all-in on Jaro's coup right up until she's presented with evidence that the Cardassians are supplying it. For whatever her faults, collaborating with Cardassians (even unknowingly) is apparently a bridge too far for her.

I have always liked these three episodes. I enjoy these kind of stories, and it helps that they did do it as a three parter. This really is a glimmer of what kind of story telling is to come. And did Bashir really do a "Your mother" joke to Quark?

I love the interaction between Dax and Kira in this. For the record I wouldn't want anything to do with the spider the size of a small dog either.

The main issue I have with this episode is that the resolution happens so quickly in contrast to the massive set up the past two episodes gave us. That being said i still liked the conclusion. The Character focus of this plot is what really drives this episode. More Kira and Dax please!

Anyone who wants to evacuate this DS9 series is dismissed.... __No-one leaves__

Well, did you like the deep dive in politics and even more important: the shows approach to have multiple episodes as some kind of mini series?

I love these Bajoran politics episodes, I think this is a great arc. But I also like how it gives our cast (and guest stars) opportunities for great scenes to display their character (and acting!). It's not perfect, and a bit anti-climatic at the end, but its still good! Prob B+ Banger for me. - It shows the complexity of the situation with multiple interstellar actors but also internal actors. - Helps show the messiness and challenges of the end of an occupation like this and how hard it is to figure out a new "state" after gaining independence. - But it also has some great character moments (Sisko's Leadership, Miles and Keiko, Nog and Jake, Kira and Dax, the guest general) I know you like it short, so I'll stop there, but I hope you guys can enjoy the politics and if not, that's okay there's plenty of other things in the show!!

Much of the main actors are starting to get a better feel or idea for their character in these last three episodes, with both Dax and Bashir feeling they are working better as characters.

Glad this trilogy of episodes is over. Not a fan of the Bajoran political / religious drama.

The Circle is now complete

Strong finish to a strong trilogy. Feels like the show is picking up momentum and the characters are finding their place. This run from Duet to now is the show becoming DS9. You ain't seen nothing yet. B

I used to watch Wings. I was surprised to see that Stephen Webber played Col Day. First time I saw him playing a heavy.

I feel bad for Li Nalas. The guy spent years fighting Bajor, then years more in a labor camp, and all he wanted was to settle down and live a quiet life, and his own people ended up killing him. All for petty political, religious, and military ambitions. It's sadly relatable to today's world.

DS9 Hard With A Vengeance" Confident start to the season with glimpses of acting, and the show starting to take risks. Early days.

Li Nalas’s sacrifice was the perfect solution to his predicament. He didn’t want his title of Hero, and he didn’t want his post on DS9. So he died to discredit an insurrectionist faction, turning the people against them, and being remembered as a martyr rather than a killer.

Gotta love a good baddie! Haven't we all worked with or know that person?

Fuuuuuck Vedek Winn!

and with this the evil religion is beaten back and issues between federation and Bajor can heal for now, so any pridictions on where the show could go now ?

What do you think of how the show is managing to juggle more characters and in more locations, all at the same time? I love how these episodes show the conversations being had between the antagonists. Reminds me of Redemption in that way, but otherwise I don’t think we’ve seen it as much.

I would have liked to see Li Nalis' character back in his prime before he spent ten years as a Cardassian slave. As The Chief alludes to he doesn't seem all that amazing now but he clearly is intelligent, a good solider, and a good public speaker. If this episode had been done years later in the prestige tv era, instead of 1993, a flashback scene of Li in his prime would have been delightful to see (and helped the pacing in episode 2).

Since pacing has been a mess for Star Trek, wondering how this 3 episode telling, hits you. I feel like there’s no wasted meat on these, but I don’t have a YouTube reaction channel lol

A slightly abrupt conclusion at the end maybe, but DS9 really set itself apart for me with these episodes. Perhaps DS9 was just 20 years too soon to be the serialized show Bajor had the material for but was just not an option in 1994. I'd give the entire three parter and A for effort and excellent guest stars.

Dax has arrived, finally we see Dax's character!

The REAL Season 1 finale in my opinion. "In the Hands of the Prophets Part 4". Not the strongest episode of this three-parter though. The action felt a bit by-the-numbers.

A nice conclusion to this three parter. I enjoy the Kira and Dax stuff the most out of this episode. Great insights into seeing Dax use prior host knowledge (thank you Tobin!). The station action gets a little stale, but it still works to conclude the story. I love Winn turning on Jarro at the end. Of course she did! B for “blasphemy wins”.

A fun wrap up of the first 3 parter, maybe wrapped up in too neat a bow. But overall I love how confident DS9 opens its second season. Some fun scenes for all the cast too, Kira and Dax especially and Winn continues to be wonderfully duplicitous.

Wonderful seeing the entire DS9 crew firing on all cylinders as a team, just like Sisko talked about at the end of last Season. How did it feel seeing "teams" clearly mixing all the cultural factions on the station?

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the choice to open this season with a three-episode arc. Personally, while I wouldn't necessarily call it the strongest series of episodes, I think it was an ambitious decision and I've got to give the writers credit for doing something a bit different and risky.

The action-packed finale to this story. I must say, Colonel Day is the Star Trek character I'd rate the one who's face I'd like to punch the most. He's got a smug, smarmy swagger to him that highlights what a total idiot he is. Then he loses, gets all pissy, and has to fire a shot just to prove he's not the biggest loser in the room. Dumb git. My only regret is that none of our heroes at least called him out for being a dumbass.

Sometimes you have to go great lengths to protect people from themselves

So Sisko defies Starfleet orders and remains on the station, bold move.