Deep Space 9 Superior

[the Fifth Race]

I think that Q would have really been out of place in DS9 aside from the one episode. He and Picard had an interesting rapport that wasn't altogether antagonistic, especially near the end of TNG. But a good Q story on DS9? I don't think that would have worked out otherwise. Perhaps he could have provided an interesting view on the Prophets (especially with Q inside the wormhole) but aside from something like that, he didn't have a bond with any of the DS9 characters the way he had the ties with Picard and Janeway.

I agree he was out of place (as was Vash for that matter). But like brother jelgate stated - it was "epic" when Sisko knocked him on his butt

IMHO DS9 didn't need to play the Q card, especially after season II. The show had taken on it's on personality that Q didn't really fit in to (like you stated brother Fuzz). Although it would have been kind of interesting if it turned out that Q had dealings with the Dominion where he might have stoked the fires that made the Founders fear us "solids" like they did (afterall he thought we were barbaric).

[Cold Fuzz]

I agree he was out of place (as was Vash for that matter). But like brother jelgate stated - it was "epic" when Sisko knocked him on his butt

IMHO DS9 didn't need to play the Q card, especially after season II. The show had taken on it's on personality that Q didn't really fit in to (like you stated brother Fuzz). Although it would have been kind of interesting if it turned out that Q had dealings with the Dominion where he might have stoked the fires that made the Founders fear us "solids" like they did (afterall he thought we were barbaric).

An interesting idea Brother Fifth--that Q would have been singlehandedly responsible for pitting two massive galactic threats against the Alpha Quadrant: The Borg and the Dominion.

[the Fifth Race]

Shattered Mirror -- I'd be lying if I said Shattered Mirror is a standout accomplishment in skilled writing or character development, it's not. But I'd also be lying if I said this show isn't a wonderfully gleeful diversion. It's good comic book - big, dumb, sensationally simplistic, and fun. The premise? Well, like any comic book, it's about good versus evil.

A comic book premise indeed! -- Intendant Kira is as fun as usual with some memorable sound bites like "Violence is a precision instrument, it's a scalpel, not a club," and her amusing double-entendres. And when Nog breaks her out of prison she repays him like any villain would - she kills him. Still, one of my favorite lines in the show is her deadpan, ever-so-slightly annoyed delivery of "That was unfortunate," after she accidentally phasers Jennifer while aiming for Jake. Cold, yes; but still funny.

The final act battle scene supplies an absolutely beautiful special effects display featuring some very impressive motion photography work. The scene uses the station as a battlefield where Birds of Prey and the Defiant weave in and out and around the architecture at breakneck speed, shooting at one another. Dan Curry and his crew have produced some of the most eye-pleasing action movements of probably any of Star Trek production. Then they outdo themselves just minutes later when the Defiant takes on Worf's battle cruiser (which is dozens of times the size of the Defiant) by getting in close to do some damage with moves surely inspired by the Millennium Falcon. In a word: Wow. These effects harbor even more speed and style than both "The Die is Cast" and "The Way of the Warrior" did -- The scene works on two levels. Aside from creating a sheer appreciation for the quality of the effects, the movements are fresh demonstrations of tactics. What should Sisko do when he's outgunned by a big ship? Why, take his little ship within inches of it and toy with their targeting, of course!

The only serious moments in are toward the end, where Jennifer's phaser wound results in her death, forcing Sisko and Jake to relive her death a second time. Her deathbed scene is nicely done, although it seems maybe a tad out of place considering how non-serious the rest of the episode feels. Not too bad in any case.

[Weyoun]

Shattered Mirror

The 3rd and what should of been last Mirror Universe episode. IMHO this mini-arc had worn out its welcome and is just amusing but nothing more. This episode did have its moments, but most of it is undermined by campy sexual innuendo. The Sisko/Jennifer weirdfest is the highlight with Jake thrown into the mix, while things get even more complicated. The battle scenes were pretty fantastic. Shattered Mirror is a very watchable and highly enjoyable episode, but hardly great.

[Fan-e-Gate]

Shame he never appeared on Enterprise. He should have.

I agree. Also I wish they could've worked in Guinan, since she was long-lived it would've been possible.

[Alan Wake]

I agree. Also I wish they could've worked in Guinan, since she was long-lived it would've been possible.

Yes, that's even more plausible

[Starbase]

Shattered Mirror

This was a terrific Avery Brooks episode - he got to show a lot of range, but that's mostly because Sisko was so out of character. I understand that seeing Jennifer, even the double of Jennifer, must be very compelling for Captain Sisko, but to start an episode with Ben and the mirror version of his dead wife having a drink together and chatting, followed by a casual introduction to Jake?

And even assuming he's somehow reconciled the dangers of interference or that the Prime Directive doesn't apply in other universes, the idea that he'd go for a casual flirt with any version of Jennifer is a little hard to believe, just as the idea that Jake would follow this woman who looks like his mother but is not his mother into another reality without telling his father, seems rather out of character for Jake. Add the specious logic for Sisko getting involved with Smiley's Defiant, the gratuitous use of the admittedly attractive alternate Bashir and Dax, and the increasingly annoying behavior of the Intendant.

The good points came from the bad guys. Jennifer was a lot more interesting as a kidnapper than a self-sacrificing mother. Mirror Worf was a lot of fun, letting Dorn use his growl to maximum effect, yet turning out to be the same sort of bellowing bully as most of the Klingons in familiar universe. And Garak was terrific; it was impossible to tell whom he was kidding when, but that's always the case with Garak. Of any of the DS9 characters, he's the one who's least different on the other side, which is how it should be since he's such a slippery creature at home; I'd love to see the two Garaks confronting each other, to see if even Garak can tell when he's lying!

[Starbase]

I agree. Also I wish they could've worked in Guinan, since she was long-lived it would've been possible.

Hmm, interesting idea fan-e-gate. Heck, they could have worked both Guinan and Q into the same storyline where it could have shown where the personal rift between the two was originally born.

[Krisz]

Hmm, interesting idea fan-e-gate. Heck, they could have worked both Guinan and Q into the same storyline where it could have shown where the personal rift between the two was originally born.

Now I like that idea. It would work with the deeper darker character elements of DS9. It would have been good to see the less frivolous side of Q and what he could have possibly done to upset the ever serene Guinan! For me he was more interesting as a character with that touch of menace and mystery that he had in 'Encounter at Farpoint'. The 'trial of humanity' court scene is one of my favourite moments of TNG. On the opposite end of the scale, I try desperately to forget the awful Robin Hood scenario he put Picard and co into!

[the Fifth Race]

It would have been good to see the less frivolous side of Q and what he could have possibly done to upset the ever serene Guinan!

Well we do know that Guinan seemed to think that Q was either partially or completely to blame for the Borg visiting her home-world - kind of like he did to us (the Federation and Alpha Quadrant). We also know that Q was far more of a wild card before he took an interest in humanity, so you could imagine the bad doings he could have been the impetus for.

The 'trial of humanity' court scene is one of my favourite moments of TNG. On the opposite end of the scale, I try desperately to forget the awful Robin Hood scenario he put Picard and co into!

I agree Lady Kris - The "trial of Humanity" court scenes were not only quite distubing, they were done with a realism that was down-right scary. Brilliantly done all the way around!

[the Fifth Race]

The Muse

This is easily the worst episode on season IV, and it easily falls into DS9's all-time bottom five list. It's a rambling, pointless mess of an episode - a complete waste of time. It's one of those shows where you wait all hour for something to happen, and as it appears nothing is going to happen, you hope that you are wrong-(Thinking that maybe something interesting is just around the corner)-but then you realize the show is not going to prove you wrong.

The episode features two separate stories, both of which receive about equal screen time, and both of which are bad. It's impossible to determine which one was intended as the A-story and which one the B-story because they're crammed right up against each other with alternating scenes of irrelevancy. It doesn't much matter--neither deserves to be a main plot. Hell, neither deserves to be a subplot. Both would be more accurately called F-stories.

[Spimman]

OK, I'm still finishing up a Farscape watch/rewatch and I've decided to go ahead and start a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine rewatch. I watched the entire thing through once about 6 years ago and had watched some scattered before and have watched some scattered since, but I'm ready to go through again from start to finish!

Today I watched Emissary Part I & II. I had forgotten how much I love Benjamin Sisko!

------------------------------------

Rewatch continues and I'm really enjoying it and looking forward to what lies ahead, so many of my memories are a little fuzzy so I get a little bit of that surprise upon watching the episodes but overall I remember whats going to happen.

S1 E03 "Past Prologue" was a fun introduction into Kira's past and present, seeing the decision she had to make about what is truly best for Bajor and getting a small introduction into always puzzling Garak.

S1 E04 "A Man Alone" was the first episode, I suppose, where we see Odo's isolation on the ship as the only changeling aboard. A good foundational episode into our understanding of his character. Also funny to see Quark sort of missing him when he is temporarily relieved of duty, the irony!

[Spimman]

S1 E05 - "Babel"

This episode was OK for me, fun to watch but nothing to write home about. Interesting concept on the virus, too bad it didn't work when created!

S1 E06 - "Captive Pursuit"

Personally, I like this episode. The moment I saw Tosk I remembered what happened, although this episode strikes me as something that would have been in Voyager. This episode did make me appreciate DS9 keeping O'Brien, as a character from TNG that was always there but at the same time wasn't a main cast member it adds some familiarity but something different at the same time. I thought this one was fun, I liked Sisko's sly smile at the end when it was pointed out that someone helped (Odo at his suggestion)!

[Rac80]

I agree he was out of place (as was Vash for that matter). But like brother jelgate stated - it was "epic" when Sisko knocked him on his butt

IMHO DS9 didn't need to play the Q card, especially after season II. The show had taken on it's on personality that Q didn't really fit in to (like you stated brother Fuzz). Although it would have been kind of interesting if it turned out that Q had dealings with the Dominion where he might have stoked the fires that made the Founders fear us "solids" like they did (afterall he thought we were barbaric).

Picard really played Q's game too often...Sisko had the cojones to stand up to him though and I loved it! but then HUGE sisko fan here as you all know.

An interesting idea Brother Fifth--that Q would have been singlehandedly responsible for pitting two massive galactic threats against the Alpha Quadrant: The Borg and the Dominion.

yep I wonder what guinan would have had to tell sisko about Q's meddling.

[nx01a]

Well we do know that Guinan seemed to think that Q was either partially or completely to blame for the Borg visiting her home-world - kind of like he did to us (the Federation and Alpha Quadrant).

Really? I don't remember Guinan saying anything like that at all.
In humanity's case, the Borg were already coming. Q just gave us advance warning.