UNCUT - Bar Association (DS9 S4E16) | Star Trek Journey 401

For what it's worth, this episode also has Star Trek's first reference to masturbation. In this case, Rom getting "oomox" from himself. I did like Leeta's controlled reaction to being told about it.

The episode is clearly pro-union. It is part of the theming. Ferengi are stand-ins for ultra-capitalists. The episode does have a soap box. Just not a particularly tall soap box.

I'll be honest. I found myself siding more with Quark on this one.

The Warf statement on adjusting to him may be a homage to the movie Angus

How an you be board with this episode such a good episode

Is Worf blind?!

Ah yes! This was back when the biggest problem we had with Continuity Consultants in Star Trek was Worf's mattress.

Same I just see the Union topic as a tool, not a political statement. They are always using IRL quotes in hilarious ways. Love the writing here. I would say if you're not into satire, Ferengi episodes may not be your thing. I give this one an A purely for the A plot. Some good parts in the B plot but it's not up to the same level. Yeah, just like Primus, Jeffrey Combs SUCKS!

Inreally haven't thought Quark has been angry at all in these episodes. If anything, including this episode and Crossfire, he's been more supportive and concerned. He just shows it in his own way, and he's always going to double down on being a Ferengi.

This episode was where I began to understand that this was not going to be a typical Trek series. Beyond the almost comedy-toned typical Ferengi episode, was the connections that it is not just a character leaving for starfleet, a trills encounters with some old Klingon friends, a shapeshifters encounter with his people, or a side-story of the tailor yearning for a home he lost. This was an entire STORY! everyone was a moving part of a larger narrative that existed above the episodic format I had become accustomed to with this franchise, and I was there for it! **Editing to add that I believe that Ds9 (And subsequently Voyager) was taking cues from Babylon 5 which was running concurrently with Trek at this time. It had jumped into TV with a hybrid Episodic/Serial quality to it and it attracted a lot of the audience from this at the time, creating a more competitive environment for Sci-Fi television at the time. It was the renaissance for folks like me.

Not a ton to say on this one that hasn't already been covered. I think it's a solid B tier episode. Definitely felt like you guys checked out not seeing the brawl, but as others have said, that was definitely done for comedic effect. As for Brunt, I agree I'm not blown away by the character, but I wouldn't classify him as "just like every other ferengi". He definitely has his own flair, and while his ideals are pretty standard for ferengi, it's his vicious enforcement of those ideals that makes him a villain. I can definitely see the absurdity and dark humor of essentially an IRS agent having enforcers and threatening public executions for violating the tax code. Yeah performance wise it's not Tony Todd or James Sloyan, but Combs makes the character entertaining enough IMHO. And yes the union aspect was clearly not the main focus of the episode. Rom has from the beginning slowly been pulling away from ferengi customs that have never worked for him. He was quite ruthless in S1, even going as far as trying to murder Quark for personal gain. His first little break was letting Nog attend school, and he withdrew that concession at the first sign of pushback(granted, that came from the Nagus). They we saw his dissatisfaction with the pay disparity between him and Quark, when as he said here, ferengi workers don't want to end the exploitation, they want to be on the other side of it. Then there was siding with Moogie and turning a blind eye to her keeping her little business empire, and finally threatening to burn down Quark's bar if he interfered with Nog's starfleet academy application again. Rom has steadily been getting bolder in opposing a ferengi society that hasn't ever given him anything, and the more he does so, the more confident he becomes. Now he's willing to commit what would be a capital crime on Ferenginar. That the crime is forming a union is just a matter of that being what makes sense as the ultimate opposition to ferengi society than anything else. Finally, while I absolutely don't want to live in that prison cell that passes for quarters on the Defiant(ok, it's a pretty nice prison cell), I totally get the desire to live somewhere that isn't the equivalent of having an apartment in a busy downtown core. I relate to Worf's anti social tendencies.

I don’t remember when you guys got your Chronology book by Micheal Okuda? But I have both versions the one you guys got and the spoilery revised version! I’ve poured over the 1000 times so entertaining and educational! Definitely read em front to back!

Regarding them not showing the fight scenes, yes this was probably due to budget reasons. However, I also think those scenes might actually work better the way that they we got them. Parts like Chief talking about Bashir getting thrown over a table, and Worf responding with "Now THAT was an accident" is comedy that wouldn't have worked if we had seen the whole scene ourselves. Hearing about it the way Sisko would have, gives their story the opportunity to increasingly reveal just how involved the brawl actually was while they are trying to downplay it. Plus do we really need to see Quark get beat up at all? They got the message across fine without that. It would have just been wasted screentime imo.

As a person with both Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD, With both a husband, and two non-verbal children with ASD, I’d like to share my own observations of neurodivergence in the Trek universe since I’ve seen some people say some things about it that I absolutely don’t agree with. First off, is Worf neurodivergent? In my opinion, absolutely not. Worf is an introvert, a perfectionist, and has a strong PREFERENCE (not need) for order, which stems mostly from him highly valuing both personal and external discipline, as part of how he views what it means to be Klingon. I think he is MUCH more accurately described as a Meyer’s-Briggs Type ISTJ, and/or an Enneagram Type 1. These types are also not typically linked with neurodivergence. ISTJ Definition: “A practical, dependable person who values structure, responsibility, and following through on commitments. They tend to focus on facts, real-world experience, and proven methods rather than abstract theories, making them careful planners and reliable problem-solvers. ISTJs usually make decisions based on logic and consistency rather than emotion, and they often appreciate clear expectations, routines, and organization. At their best, they are trustworthy, disciplined, and steady, though they can sometimes be resistant to change or overlook emotional considerations when solving problems.” Enneagram Type 1 Definition: “Often called "The Reformer" or "The Perfectionist," is motivated by a desire to do what is right, improve the world around them, and live according to strong principles and values. They tend to be conscientious, responsible, and organized, with a natural drive to correct mistakes and uphold high standards for themselves and others. Type 1s often have a strong inner critic that pushes them toward self-discipline and continuous improvement, but it can also make them overly self-critical or frustrated when things fall short of their ideals. At their healthiest, they are wise, fair, and inspiring leaders who combine integrity with compassion and recognize that excellence does not require perfection.” These both sound like Worf to me. Is Rom Neurodivergent? In my opinion, also absolutely not. I don’t have any personality theory to back this up, but I think he is explained a lot more simply. He himself states in the show, “He just lacks self-confidence.” He’s a victim of Ferengi generational trauma, always being told that he is stupid his entire life because Ferengi society equates not having any aptitude for business as being stupid. But that’s all there is to him. He just doesn’t have any aptitude for business. His skills lie instead regarding family matters, and engineering. But just like how in Worf’s case, being introverted and liking discipline and order don’t immediately equate to neurodivergence, neither does engineering skill, talking like you’re “slow,” and people assuming that you are more stupid than you actually are. I actually find it kind of disturbing that people tend to automatically assume that these things mean neurodivergence. It shows an extreme lack of education there. Is Barclay Neurodivergent? In my opinion, absolutely YES! I find it funny though that while people tend to label characters like Worf and Rom as neurodivergent, where I see them as obviously not so, people also tend to dismiss Barclay as neurodivergent when I think he is the most obvious example. People tend to dismiss everything about Barclay as just “Social Anxiety.” However, most of Barclay’s defining characteristics aren’t explained by simple Social Anxiety, or even Social Anxiety Disorder. My theory is that Barclay has both Autism (specifically what used to be called Asperger’s Syndrome) AND Social Anxiety Disorder. Traits that resemble Social Anxiety Disorder: Severe social anxiety; intense fear of being judged or embarrassing himself; difficulty speaking up around senior officers despite knowing the answer; physical nervousness and avoidance of social situations; low self-confidence despite being highly competent; excessive worry about what others think of him. Traits that resemble Autism (formerly Asperger's syndrome): Highly intelligent and technically gifted; difficulty reading social dynamics and fitting into group conversations; deep, highly focused interests (engineering and his holodeck creations); preference for familiar routines and solitary activities; difficulty fitting in with his colleagues; exceptionally imaginative, creative and resourceful, especially when it comes to crises or problem solving; able to connect and find patterns in seemingly non-sequital things; finding solutions in a way that others can’t see; feeling like he never quite understands the unwritten rules of social interaction. Are Odo or Garak Nerodivergent? I put this in the “possible” category. However, I think they are both best described and being Enneagram Type 5s. Enneagram Type 5 Definition: “often called "The Investigator" or "The Observer," are motivated by a desire to understand the world, develop competence, and feel capable of handling life's challenges through knowledge and preparation. They tend to be analytical, curious, independent, and thoughtful, often enjoying deep exploration of subjects that interest them. Type 5s typically value privacy and may withdraw from social or emotional demands to conserve their time and energy, which can make them seem reserved or detached. At their healthiest, they combine intellectual insight with confidence and generosity, using their expertise to solve problems and contribute meaningfully to others.” Garak embodies many classic Type 5 qualities: He is intensely curious and intellectually driven; he gathers information constantly and rarely acts without first understanding a situation; knowledge is his greatest source of security and power; he maintains emotional distance, revealing himself only in carefully controlled ways; he often positions himself as an observer rather than a direct participant. Unlike many stereotypical Type 5s, Garak is socially charming. But that charm functions as one of his tools. He studies people the way another person might study engineering or biology, and he uses that knowledge strategically. Odo could be either a Type 5 or a Type 1. As a type 5, he is naturally observant. As chief of security, he spends much of his time watching others before acting; he is private and reveals very little about himself; he values competence and self-sufficiency, preferring to solve problems on his own; and he often withdraws in order to simply be alone, suggesting a need for solitude to recharge. However, Odo is motivated less by acquiring knowledge than by justice and integrity, and his strong moral code and frustration with disorder are qualities more associated with an Enneagram Type 1. I still think he fits a Type 5 better though. Odo and Garak show Type 5 traits in different ways though. For instance, Odo's energy is directed inward toward understanding himself, maintaining order, and determining where he belongs, while Garak's energy is directed outward toward understanding other people, politics, and the hidden motives that shape events. Also, both are emotionally reserved, but Odo does so because openness feels uncomfortable and vulnerable, while Garak does so because he's calculated that revealing too much could be dangerous, and he uses secrecy as part of his identity. There is more of a case here for neurodivergence though because several Type 5 traits tend to overlap with neurodivergence, such as: a deep desire to understand subjects in great detail; intense, focused interests or areas of expertise; a preference for solitude or quiet environments; feeling drained by excessive social interaction; or a tendency to observe before participating. However, the underlying reasons are often quite different. For example, an autistic person may withdraw because social interaction is genuinely more cognitively demanding; sensory input is overwhelming; or social rules are difficult to interpret, while a Type 5 withdraws, as Odo does, primarily because they want to conserve their time, energy, and emotional resources, or as Garak does, because they feel safest when they are knowledgeable and self-sufficient. And I think any other neurodivergent traits either character has, such as Odo preferring routines, order, and predictability, or struggling to understand humans in general, or Garak having a highly analytical, pattern-seeking mind like Barcaly, are best explained simply by both of them being “outsider” type characters, and by their respective species traits. For instance, Cardassians are highly analytical by nature; the ones who aren’t are probably killed off. And Changelings all have a natural need to bring order to chaos. In other words, those are traits best explained by them simply being either a Changeling or a Cardassian.

The issue I have with episode this is largely outside the show with the insufferable side of the trek audience that screeches about how Trek was 'always woke' and 'progressive' pointing to episodes like this - while selectively forgetting how just last episode in 'Sons of Mogh' where Sisko tears diversity down. "I don't give a damn about Klingon beliefs, customs, or traditions ... there is a limit to how far I'll go to accommodate cultural diversity among my officers" When Trek chooses to explore both sides of a topic it's awesome. There was an opportunity to explore the competing economic needs here, but that's not what the episode wanted to do. In season two ('Maqui') Quark out logics the Vulcan solving war&peace using Ferengi economics as a metaphor. I really like it when 'the bad person' with the 'bad perspective' is allowed to make a point. This episode just didn't do that. There's nothing to explore if you're just presenting something as is. The only places you're going to find NEW things is where you HAVEN'T already looked.

People talking this episode down or saying it's unimportant, but it kinda is - it gives more details on a race's culture that we've had glimpses of, it tackles an important real life concept (worker's rights and the exploitation of the labour class) with a little bit of 'Worf is still adjusting to being on a station instead of a ship, now has to live on a ship to feel like he fits in'

Also, I agree with you, I have no idea even who Brunt is and other than the ones that star on the show, none of the actors make an impression for me. That said, they were intolerable on TNG so whoever fixed them for this show did a good job salvaging them.

I find it so strange you guys didn't like this episode a lot, as it is everything you say you want. It's total character work, it is low stakes without a sci fi plot interrupting, and somehow it isn't what the doctor ordered. Regarding showing the fight, the fight wasn't dramatically important to the story, it was just supposed to be a cute, humorous moment for people who enjoy such things. The actual fight was inconsequential. I wouldn't even call it a Ferengi episode really, Rom could have been a human and had the exact same story. The guy who plays Rom does an excellent job playing this childlike character who actually has brains underneath his childishness, and he makes it work when it isn't an easy role to play compared to say the roles of most people who basically just talk and act like themselves. The Worf stuff was pretty much pointless rubbish, with once again Mr Klingon being anti-social and illogically so. I can't even see why Dax even talks to this guy, or Chief, or anyone really. The guy is a no personality schmuck more often than not., and I truly don't see the appeal of this character and never did.

It's possible that people being excited for an actor guest starring is more excitement for the actor that they carry in general rather than specifically their role in the episode, like "Hooray, another Jeffery Coombs performance."

I have always thought that Worf was just removing the top bunk pad so he could put his stuff up there, and he was planning to sleep in the bottom bunk. Remember his crazy black padded chair on the Enterprise? If anything, he probably double padded his bunk.

I never noticed the Nausicans darting each other! And I just accept that Ferengi episodes are comic relief breaks from high drama of the season.

showing thr shoving match would lesson the comedic inpact of seeing the three of them in detention, basic story structure

The scenario no one seems to be considering: Worf intends to use the bottom bunk and wanted -both- mattresses. (I know that's not it, but it should still get a seat at the debate 😉)

One of my favorite low-key episodes of the franchise.

One of my favourite episodes of the season. Very entertaining from front to back.

This episode was a yawn for me. C-

Everyone keeps telling Worf that he needs to accept DS9 the way it is and just make the best of it. Perhaps this is his way of saying that he will not accept things as they are and he will be an active force in shaping the station, much like the union.

Not the best DS9 episode, but probably my favorite. Love it!

He was a Union man... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haywood You're welcome 😉

One of the funniest trek episodes imo

In the episode Our Man Bashir, Rom was the only one capable of fixing the issue not just because the chief wasn’t available , but because he can work on all 4 starfleet, Bajoran, cardassian, and Frengi technologies.

Another solid banger episode! This season doesn't let up!

The defiant is the closest thing in star fleet to a bird of prey. Small war ship "escort ship" with no creature comforts, big guns, small, and cloaks. Its basically a bird of prey. Worf is sick of being a soft star fleet officer and wants to be more of a Klingon Warrior!!! Like others have said...He changed beds because his Brother made fun of him last episode. Kern told him his bed was soft, that worf is soft, and that his quarters werent warrior quarters. So he moved to the defiant to be more of a warrior and honor his brother and his people.

it's so interesting to me. I love DS9 and the world and the characters ir has built that I honestly love every episode. Even the older episodes are still intersting to see how these early people evolved before they knew each other. By contrast, I think Voyager is coming up on probably its strongest run of individual episodes. yet when I try to rewatch them- even though the individual stories are good.. I just find my self bored because I'm not invested in the characters. I think Josh and Alex were super invested in TNG. I was too. And I feel like DS9 is a continuation and expansion of that world whereas voyager feels like... something else. Like it both is tryhing to be TNG and doesnt need to be star trek at all. I think with any media, whether we buy into the characters and the world really matters. And I do get the general sense Josdh and Alex grade Voyager and DS9 on a differnt scale because they are more invested in the world of Voyager. It has more of what they have come to like, wacky anything goes sci fi hijinks, and less of the stuff they dont like, serialization, the spirituality focus, long term galactic ocnsequences. I find it interesting and counterintuitive because we all tend to think in terms of ther minds fallacy. But they probably do represent a minority of the fan base who bought into Voyager and didnt midn the "unreality" but didnt like the direction DS9 was taking things. partiallt because they dont like serialization in general or the types of developments that modern media have gone to, like when they say they dont like character deaths. Trek was for them a refrshing return to episodic television and that was a big part of the appeal. If you dont feel that way youre going to have a very different take in general.

I love how Worf moving to the Defiant is seen as him being a loner and not fitting in, but let's just think about this a second - you can either A) live on a crummy old Cardassian station with tons of people and loads of crime etc or B) have an ENTIRE state of the art starship to yourself, do whatever the fuck you want and crank Klingon opera out at max volume - is this even a choice???

Matter of Time episode is personally haunting you

Combs is practically a cartoon character the way he delivers his lines as Brunt. He's so over the top. overacting? possibly. Bored?? lighten up. You can see the gear change the moment Josh complains about not seeing Chief shove Worf. We have 2 scenes of them describing the "brawl". It's a creative decision to have the audience use their imagination. Watching them figuratively kick their feet in a holding cell as they recount what happened to Sisco (and us) is comedy. "idk why I'm bored, I just am" is not an insight into the episode. It's an insight into you.

"I rewatched The Price." Congratulations, you are now more hardcore Trek fans than most of us.

You guys are typically good at spotting guest actors. I was wondering if you'd clock an uncredited Aaron Eisenburg performance as one of the Ferengi workers. I certainly missed it first time through. He does a great job at changing the tone and cadence of his delivery. They also avoid shooting him head on for too long to better hide his features.

I always despised the Troi/Worf relationship, it made no sense to me and reeked of them running out of ideas. Umm, what do we do now? I dunno, another space sex ghost, Geordi's mom? Fuck it, let's have Troi and Worf get together, who cares if it makes no sense. This is our last season we don't have to actually deal with this dumb shit later. Brunt does NOT act like other Ferenghi, he for sure has his own flair, compare him to other Ferengi like the waiters, Moogie, Rom, and The Grand Nagus. They're individuals, seems a bit racist to say they're all the same, but that's cool, it's still only the 2020s, humanity hasn't outgrown their racism yet. (/s don't think you're actually racist, just me trolling a bit lol).

I snort-laughed at the player-one controller joke. When you went to a friend's house, you knew you were getting the Mad Catz bullshit with the busted D-pad. Oh, and the episode: A lot of fun. For as intense as DS9 can get, it's really good at slowing down.

It was an episode. No, I'm not that hard on it. I love the Ferengi stuff, but for me this was one of the weaker ones. It had its moments. I think what holds it back is I'm not a fan of A-Plot and B-Plot. Just have one plot! Unless the plot is something like Data's Day that ping-pongs around the characters by design of the plot. I'll give it a solid B. If this was Rotten Tomatoes, right there at 85%.

They give Quark a reason for being pissed, the Bajoran cleansing month which maybe doesnt happen every year

At the beginning the "Mr Worf I think your in love" and Worf's look was supposed to be Worf thinking Dax meant in love with her.

Maybe that he can make DS9 more orderly?

Sean O'Brien was a real person involved in a 1902 coal strike and was ancestor to four generations of union men, who who evntually become the leader of the Teamsters in the 80s (and likely why the original Sean O'Brien was remembered.)

Yeah. Ferengi episodes are hit or miss. I liked this one better than some but not as much as others. What bumps it up is definitely the tension between Rom and Quark. I don’t give a frick about the union plot but I am invested in the schism between the brothers that it effectively boils down to. I like that the dynamic changes by the end as well. It’s more interesting than just pure shenanigans among the Ferengi for an hour (which can be fun like Little Green Men but ultimately forgettable).

Hmm. I'm going to be unpopular with this one: but there's something really unpleasant about Rom in this episode. I think increasingly as the series has gone on, Quark has been sh*t on from a great height by pretty much everyone sooner or later. Is he a distinctly unpleasant character himself? Absolutely! But he's a Ferengi and in that regard is the most authentic Ferengi of them all - I LOVE that about him. He is true to himself. A character who reluctantly walks the line between living and working with the Federation and the Bajorans, trying to uphold everything he and his culture holds dear, only to have everyone around him: his nephew, his mother and now his brother throw it back in his face time and time again. Was Rom right in pressing for workers' rights? That's far too complicated a question to great dragged into, and would undoubtedly be coloured by someone's world view of what a union is there for and the lengths it goes to in order to achieve its goals, but I was utterly turned off by the way Rom treats Quark. Lines like "does it hurt?.... too bad" are just horrible and doesn't get him anywhere. He's already more than made his point to Quark, there was nothing to be gained from gloating. Quark might do exactly that if the roles were reversed - but that's because he's a true Ferengi! It's exactly what you'd expect from him. Rom's lovable, empathic, softly-softly approach to everyone and everything has always been very endearing and this was just a side to Rom I hated seeing; even if his motivations are honourable. I get that it would be boring if they never grew as characters, but Quark is rapidly becoming a punch-bag for everything that's wrong with the Ferengi, and the more he tries to fight it, the more unpleasant it is for me to see when others force him to capitulate. I really liked the episode (can't you tell?!) but it's not a side to Rom I connected with at all.

Remember to try not to make any comments that you couldn’t make at the time this episode aired. There’s definitely a couple comments hinting at future stuff here.

I just realised

Ditched work so I didn’t start telling people how annoying they are out loud and what do you know? Excellent timing for this episode!

"Brunt. F.C.A." Always a pleasure to have Jeffery Coombs guest starring. Barring my enthusiasm for the Union storyline in the Patron takes, I really enjoy this episode and the character development of Rom and his relationship with Quark, especially. Great stuff.

Ferengi episodes always were polarizing. It's perfect how you two mirror the views in the fandom. Personally I am here with Alex.

This is definitely a story written in the 1990's lol

Someone should educate Rom and Quark on the union leader Jimmy Hoffa (although he didn't end up all that well, either).

I agree, this episode wasn't really about unionism or the union movement, it was just a plot device to facilitate Brunt shenanigans and get Rom's character out of the bar and into the Bajoran engineering team.

Your talk about transporter room chief being the most boring job caused me to envision a crewman just standing there, looking bored, arms folded, with elevator music going in the background. Need a meme (if 1 doesn't already exist).

The ferengi episode was in fact Rascals. "you're my number 1 dad!"

Imagine a betazoid klingon kid for a moment. Worf raising them to be a warrior but they're also empathic.

I am noticing this is the only Star Trek series that I can recall in which the captain/commander is seen so rarely. No complaints, just an observation.

Question for Josh: Why do you not like Leeta? Not that you SHOULD like her necessarily, but I haven't seen any reason to this point to DISlike her. Just curious? And you guys overthink some things SO much. The Worf line at the end was just a line meant to get a smile from Dax. This was just a fun little side thing for Worf on the show to make him more relatable and likable. And yes, Sisko WAS just there to dress them down! He wasn't there for an explanation, he was there to rip them up and down and make sure they realize it was not acceptable behavior and better not happen again!

So, we learn that Rom is not master of his domain. How ... interesting.

It's better that we didn't see the fight. To me it's a silly story beat that makes more sense the way they did it. To see a goofy bar fight would have been a bit too far in my opinion.

I think they needed this episode about the exploitation of workers just like they needed the episodes which challenged the role of women in Ferengi culture. If the assumption was that Nog, Rom, and Quark were just typical raging sexist misogynist Ferengi, they just would not be enjoyable for the audience to watch AT ALL, so this part of their culture and identity needed to be explored and made more complex. And the exploitation of Rom always made Quark look like an asshole in a way that hindered development of both characters. Rom is a likeable guy and his continued abuse by Quark would really grate over the course of the whole show. As to saying that it was unrealistic for Rom to take a stand here, I actually think it would have been unrealistic for Rom, being exposed to the Federation and other non-Ferengi cultures where workers are treated significantly better - to NEVER push back on Quark's exploitation. His son joined Starfleet so as not to be exploited like his father, and Rom is a character who picks up on A LOT more than he says. He likely knew why Rom left and it had to be on his mind here. Of course his arc here is maybe a bit on the nose and over dramatic. But that's 90s TV for you, lol. I think one of the enjoyable aspects of watching the earlier Ferengi episodes, knowing this and other episodes are coming, is seeing how the writers did in fact lay the seeds for Rom's breaking away from Quark. It was often played for laughs so unless you knew what was coming you probably didn't notice. This is what struck me on my last rewatch of these episodes with your channel, how Rom is increasingly pushing back more and more.

Josh’s face when the episode cuts to the prison cell needs to be on the YouTube thumbnail.

what I really liked here is the stuff that is going around besides the main story. Each conversation of Dax and Worf; Odo having a list of security incidents prepared because he knew that Worf would complain at some point and compare with the Enterprise, Sisko having no time and no interest on dealing with his brawling senior officer and the strike, and even the fact that Kira has other things to do and is just not at the station. It feels like they all have their life going on... and not like NPCs of computer games ;)

If you knew Big Bill Haywood, you'd be screaming his name while climaxing too 🤣

Regarding the quote Rom was saying, it is by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels from their Communist Manifesto of 1848. I know you don't care much about history, but that was the reason that line was used.

I do wish there had been a last moment of Rom and Chief talking without knowing what they are saying before that last moment. Or Odo even, he ended the strike really by suggesting Rom get a different job, some sort of headcanon like that

Always an episode I really liked. Has many scenes that stand out in my head. The O'Brien and Bashir bromance scenes, also Rom's growth especially make this episode one of my personal favorites.

The MAFIA and 1980s politicians destroyed Unions in the US...my wife is Irish and Unions were and ARE still strong there and its natural for O'Brian to be proud of his relatives and their support for the "working man". This goes back to the discussion a few weeks back about Chief and NCOs and Star Fleet being Officers

The issue with the takes is 98% of us have seen this show more than twice, 27% like me multiple times and so it can be forgotten what you don’t know yet and this is a sensitive time everyone, lets be extra careful and just say, it was good

I think 🤔 it’s funnier if we don’t see the fight. We hear it happened.. between Worf and O’Brien. It’s like two brothers fighting like idiots. Jason Marsden’s performance is like discount Nog! It’s funny I knew him from Step By Step when I was a teen I thought he also played Nog! I was only 15 then I didn’t really know Aron yet.

This isn’t a comedy episode, the idea of Ferengi episodes being comedy is the biggest joke in Trek

My god. I’ve been coach all night. Then had beers with my staff going over every player for tomorrow. Now I’m home and ready for bed.. and you drop a uncut Star Trek reaction!? Fine. I’ll have one more and watch. Ps my boss hate you two.

Compared to the rest of the developed world, American workers don't seem to be treated much better than the Ferengi.

"If your accounts back home were worth anything, you wouldn't be working as a waiter." - absolutely savage coming from Rom. Great reaction! Also, I know DS9 has a lot of Ferengi humor episodes, but I don't think this episode really technically qualifies. Most of the plot is Rom airing some serious grievances that he has held against Quark since probably the beginning of the show; showcasing great emotional acting from Max Grodénchik.

The upside of having a roster of 20 characters is you won't hit the wall like TNG did where they ran out of stories the last season or so. My preference is for the show leaving me wanting more rather than seeing Geordi's mom's ghost coming aboard or the ship becoming self aware. They learned from their mistakes.

Actually showing the fight would have been fun but I get why they did it, as a comedic transition, from entering the bar to an immediate cut straight to them in a holding cell. I think alternatively they could have had them entering the bar and cut straight to a fight to get the same effect while also getting the scene shown. But they also did it to give Sisko the impetus to try and get it resolved asap and maybe there would not have been time in the story to do that

In my opinion, I agree there's nothing special about Brunt.

RE: Your take about the episode and it's union "message" - You are 100% correct on this one: this episode is widely praised as being staunchly pro-union, and held up as an example of the messages of Star Trek . . . when in reality, this episode isn't actually ABOUT unions as a concept, it's just about A union existing. There's no debate, there's no controversy, the pro-union side of things is clearly portrayed as "this is good and right and correct," the anti-union characters are cartoonishly evil villains, and that's just the plot. There is no nuance or discussion or conversation to be had. And while personally, I 100% agree with that ideal IRL, the episode isn't really ABOUT that, it just CONTAINS that. The message is ABOUT Rom coming into his own and standing up to his brother and developing as a character. THAT is worth discussion. The pro-union thing is just . . . present.

Ira said that Trek fans didn't like the Ferengi episodes much, but non-Trek fans loved them. That's why we get a couple per season.

One of my absolute all time favorite trek episodes. Amazing character work on literally all sides. I love how much time is spent looking at O'Brian and Bashir just chilling.

55:40 - Do you think that Worf was affected by his brother? I feel like he is trying to get "back to his roots" almost here. The bed thing was kind of a major point his brother made. maybe im reading too much into it :D Great reaction my dudes :)

I think Josh is not going to be satisfied until DS9 starts doing 100-episode seasons, giving every character at least a half-dozen featured episodes. You know what? Fair.

The Norsicans really have a novel way of playing with Obrian's darts.

My takeaway for Worf wanting to sleep on the slab was that Kern had insulted him for living in comfort pretty harshly in the previous episode.

My favourite episode so far, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm extremely pro-Rom!

finishing off a joint while i watch a pro union episode of star trek with the boys, hell yeah