I really like the actress who plays Dax, Terry Farrell, and this is one of her chances to shine. Susannah Thompson is excellent as her ex-spouse in a previous life. DS9 did a great job exploring the culture and world of the Trill and their symbionts. In this episode, we learn of the taboo against having relationships with former spouses, which complicates this reunion. This reunion is further complicated by the abrupt parting they had. The Dax symbiont has always been a bit of a risk-taker, and one of the previous hosts died in an accident. Neither Dax nor the Kahn symbiont had properly mourned the loss of their relationship. Their scenes of rediscovering their love, wanting to be together again, and their final goodbye really gets to me.
This episode is another one that is based on a classic story, i.e., The Seven Samurai (The Magnificent Seven). I love that T’Pol is the one who teaches them self-defense moves, and I love seeing Captain Archer be the good-hearted hero. This is a real feel-good episode.
The holographic doctor is kidnapped and forced to provide health care in an extremely socially divided society. The more useful people receive top-notch health care, and those deemed not useful receive minimal healthcare. The Doctor recognizes the potential in a patient named Tebbis, who has been deemed of little value to society, and tries to cure him and encourage him in his ambitions. The Doctor also tries to inspire the young Dr. Voje to fight for his patients on Red Level. Those relationships and the Doctor’s insistence on helping all the patients are really touching. This is another episode that is poignant and thought-provoking. It is ironic how much more compassion the holographic Doctor shows compared to the flesh-and-blood people in charge.
Once again, Data gives a character a chance to realize that having emotions is a good thing, even with all the baggage it brings. Jenna is tired of all the men she has been dating and their lack of emotions, but she starts to think of leaving the friend zone with Data. He modifies his program and gets advice from his friends on how to do the dating thing. At first, it seems to go well, but eventually she realizes that she was frustrated by dating unemotional men, and then she picked the ultimate unemotional boyfriend: Data. She breaks up with Data and at the end, Spot the cat seems to sense that he needs a friend, which is very sweet.
I loved Greek and Roman myths when I was young, and as I have gone through life I’ve learned more about the early days of theater. This episode where B’Elanna lands on a planet that is in their ancient Greek days of theater really enchanted me. The storyteller needs a story, and B’Elanna has a great one for him. The story, the relationships, and the magical ending make me feel good inside.
This episode is tough to watch, but intensely engaging. Chip Esten was in another one of my favorite shows, Whose Line Is It Anyway? He’s really good in this episode, as is Roxanne Dawson as B’Elanna. I totally believe they are in love, and there’s plenty of tragic betrayal to go around. Plus, Bruce Davison (who played Willard in the movie of the same name) is genuinely despicable as the father. And then the aliens do not want to accept the truth of their dreadful past. This episode is highly recommended, but brace yourself.
I’ve never seen any of the Ocean’s Eleven (or Twelve, etc.) movies. I don't enjoy heist movies or gangster movies. But I love this episode because I love James Darren and how this episode gets everyone to work together. At the same time, Sisko requires us to look at the reality of what this era was like and to question the morality of all of this. It’s a wonderful tour-de-force for everyone, and then to get to hear Sisko sing with Vic—that’s the cherry on top!
Another episode inspired by a classic; this time it’s Beowulf. I read it a long time ago, but of course the story has been retold many times. This episode used that story to build the holographic doctor’s character. I really like the actress who plays Freya, Marjorie Monaghan. She’s in a really good Quantum Leap episode, too. She’s totally a female warrior, and her relationship with the doctor is what draws me into this episode.
Kira is one of my favorite characters on DS9, and this episode is one of her best. The irony in this is that she has been transformed into a Cardassian, and she hates them more than anything. The marvelous Lawrence Pressman is a caring father who thinks Kira is his long-lost daughter, and it is his connection to his daughter that is his undoing. I feel Kira’s pain and his pain and appreciate his sacrifice: even if he thinks she is his daughter, he will not bring her anymore pain and so arranges for her release, revealing his connections to the underground and leading to his disgrace. It is a very touching episode.
Dr. Bashir to the rescue! Maybe? I like the emotional journey that Dr. Bashir goes through as he tries to cure the people on this planet of “The Blight” that has plagued them for years. They have all given up and Bashir gets his comeuppance as he works on the cure and is almost defeated. The sacrifice of one young pregnant woman named Ekoria finally brings a bittersweet success. This episode has a sobering and satisfying journey of scientific and cultural growth.
