7-11. Prodigal Daughter.

Ezri's unhappy homecoming.

THE PLOT

Chief O'Brien has disappeared on New Sidney after traveling there to track down the widow of Orion Syndicate operative Liam Bilby. Since New Sidney is not a Federation planet, it's difficult for Sisko to intervene... But Ezri's mother (Leigh Taylor-Young) owns one of the largest mines in that system. She readily agrees to help locate O'Brien - But only if Ezri returns home for a visit.

Ezri agrees, but reluctantly. Her mother is a domineering figure, who has forced her sons, Janel (Mikael Salazar) and Norvo (Kevin Rahm) to devote their lives to the family business at the expense of their own ambitions. After Ezri left to join Starfleet, she never looked back, and her relations with her family are strained at best.

Ezri's mother keeps her word. Not long after Ezri returns, O'Brien is rescued from a pair of Orion Syndicate thugs by the local police. But when he reveals that Bilby's widow was found murdered, and then discovers that Ezri's family is being pressured by the Syndicate as well, it becomes clear that there is a lot more at stake than family drama...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Is undertandably angry when he learns that O'Brien went to a non-Federation world to play detective after indicating that he was simply visiting his father. I wouldn't want to be in either O'Brien or Bashir's shoes for the next little while - As O'Brien observes, Sisko "has a boot with (his) name on it."  Still, he immediately focuses on the problem, demanding all information on the chief's activities, then going to Ezri for help in recovering his wayward crewman.

Ezri: This episode exists to fill in her backstory... Which would be a lot more useful in making us connect to her if her backstory wasn't the stuff of soap operas. The family drama never has the blistering feel of real, decades-long resentments being re-opened. It's just cliched melodrama, dressed up with some sci-fi trappings. Nicole de Boer does her best with the material, and she manages some very good acting when Ezri realizes what actually happened to the dead woman... But I can't help but observe how much more real her disgust at gagh in the teaser feels than any of the family situation in the main story.  It's all very artificial, and the emotion it should carry feels artificial as well.

O'Brien: One indication that is a troubled episode is that it's Ezri-centric, even though O'Brien is the one driving the plot. The main plot only kicks into gear when O'Brien is recovered (about halfway through), and then it's O'Brien who steers the investigation. He is the one who has a brief confrontation with an Orion Syndicate representative, and he is the one who discovers the link between the Syndicate and Ezri's family.  The problem is that while I fully believe O'Brien continuing to feel an obligation to Bilby's family, this story should be an O'Brien episode - and it suffers for being forced to be part of an Ezri plot.

Dr. Bashir: The teaser shows him preoccupied with worry over Chief O'Brien, leaving him barely engaging in any conversation with his friends. When O'Brien doesn't return on the scheduled transport, he immediately goes to Sisko.  He doubtless knows he's going to get chewed out, and he takes thatin stride - He even draws more of the captain's wrath on himself by pointing out that O'Brien did not actually lie to Sisko.


THOUGHTS

Prodigal Daughter has a terrific teaser. The opening neatly introduces the O'Brien plot by showing Bashir's preoccupation, but tips focus to Ezri through her dismay at being informed that some gagh Jadzia had ordered has arrived. Ezri shudders as she recalls not just the taste of the Klingon delicacy, but the way it feels when swallowing it. Once again, she is shown as different from her predecessor - Jadzia jumped into such experiences wholeheartedly, while Ezri reacts... the way most people would, really. The scene scores because it's funny, and because Ezri is absolutely relatable in this moment.

This is followed by a few quick scenes that economically set up all of the conflicts of the episode: The activities of the Orion Syndicate; O'Brien's determination to find his late friend's missing widow; and Ezri's return home to secure her mother's assistance. It all works, and within ten minutes the entire story is set up and ready to take off running.

Then Ezri returns home and the rest of the episode falls completely flat.

A quick glance at Memory Alpha reveals that Prodigal Daughter was written in a hurry, and that its development was further hobbled by a refusal to even imply that Starfleet could be influenced by criminals such as the Orion Syndicate. As was true of Star Trek: Insurrection, the demands of keeping Starfleet clear of any direct wrongdoing cripple the drama, forcing writers Bradley Thompson and David Weddle to make their already small-scale story even smaller.

I've already mentioned that the episode suffers from being forced to be an Ezri plot when the story clearly wants to be an O'Brien one.  This is at least partly responsible for some of the awkward pacing, with the scenes between Ezri and her family feeling too often like filler, while the Syndicate story is rushed.  We're also told over and over again how terrible Ezri's mother is... And while she is domineering, she never comes across as being the monster the script insists she is.

The episode's worst sin is that there's nothing remotely interesting about it. The mystery is thin, the murderer very easy to guess. Meanwhile, Ezri's family dynamics were cliches in 1930s melodramas, which results in an Ezri episode whose main revelation is that there's nothing very interesting to know about her!  Very likely, that's why Ira Steven Behr apologized to Nicole de Boer after the episode wrapped

I will credit some decent performances, particularly from Nicole de Boer and Colm Meaney, and this is acceptable late-night insomnia viewing.  But it's the most expendable DS9 episode since Profit and Lace, and is far below this series' usually very high standards.

Overall Rating: 4/10.

Previous Episode: It's Only a Paper Moon
Next Episode: The Emperor's New Cloak

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6-15. Honor Among Thieves.

O'Brien befriends a member of the Orion Syndicate.

THE PLOT

Starfleet Intelligence has called on Chief O'Brien to go undercover on Farius Prime, a neutral planet with a heavy Orion Syndicate presence. The Syndicate has an informant in Starfleet, which has resulted in the deaths of several intelligence agents. The hope is that O'Brien, who isn't directly affiliated with Intelligence, will be able to make contact with the Syndicate and uncover the identity of the mole.

O'Brien is surprisingly successful. Posing as a "fix-it man down on his luck," O'Brien is able to gain the trust of Liam Bilby (Nick Tate), the leader of a minor group of hoods who is in turn working under Syndicate boss Raimus (Joseph Culp). With his friendly and honest manner, he quickly befriends Bilby, learning enough information to pass along to his contact (Michael Harney) to figure out the identity of the mole.

Then the situation becomes complicated. Raimus makes a personal appearance, introducing his new business partners: Agents of the Dominion!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Deflects questions about where O'Brien has gone. When Dr. Bashir prods him about the need for repairs, Sisko recognizes that what the doctor is really asking is about the welfare of his good friend. He is compassionate toward Bashir's concern, but tells him that he cannot reveal any information.

O'Brien: From the moment he arrives on Farius Prime, his greatest desire is simply to finish the job and get back to his wife and children. When Bilby talks about his own family, O'Brien feels guilt for putting the petty criminal into an impossible situation. His Intelligence contact promises that they will try to arrest Bilby before the Syndicate can get to him, but it's a fragile hope at best - one that becomes impossible once the Dominion presence is revealed, changing the stakes dramatically.

Bilby: Like O'Brien, he places a high value on family. When he believes O'Brien to be single, he urges him to start a family because "it's the most important thing." He responds to O'Brien's basic honesty, which makes him take him into his confidence far more quickly than he otherwise would - Because he's lonely on this world of petty criminals, and wants a friend who's actually worth spending time with. None of which makes Bilby a good man, as we're reminded when he viciously murders a weapons dealer who tried to cheat him. But the weary likability lent by actor Nick Tate sells the unlikely friendship at the core of this episode.


THOUGHTS

Honor Among Thieves has the skeleton of your basic midseason filler episode - Which, at heart, is what it is. Even with the Dominion ties, I tend to doubt that the events of this story will have any real impact on future episodes.

What distinguishes it is how very well-made it is. Director Allan Eastman infuses the piece with a dark, film noir atmosphere that fits the material perfectly. The alley in which O'Brien meets his contact is drenched in shadow, and the bar that is Bilby's base of operations has dim lighting. Even Bilby's apartment, his refuge from the life he has chosen, has a run-down look, with lighting that is brighter than the bar but still not fully bright. Everything here is worn and rumpled, everything a little bit dark - And that boosts the drama's effectiveness significantly.

Rene Echevarria's script is also well-turned. Ever the strong character writer, Echevarria largely focused on the O'Brien/Bilby relationship and leaves the well-worn plot to take care of itself. This is a good choice, as the time devoted to Bilby sharing some of his wife's cake or musing about buying a birthday present for his daughter underline the things these two men have in common. The friendship feels genuine, and that makes the episode work, even when the overall plot runs along predictable lines.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: One Little Ship
Next Episode: Change of Heart 

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5-17. A Simple Investigation.

Odo falls in love.

THE PLOT

Odo is intrigued by a new arrival: Arissa (Dey Young), a woman from Finnea Prime who is on the station to collect a data crystal from Idanian Tauvid Rem (Brant Cotton). She claims that she hired Rem to find her daughter, whom she gave up at birth and now wishes to connect with. Odo lets her go... then follows her as she attempts to hack a station computer.

She finally confesses that she is on the run from Draim, a member of the Orion Syndicate. She worked for Draim, hacking into security systems to get information on various figures for him. Tauvid Rem's data crystal supposedly has information that will buy her freedom from the Syndicate. But Rem is dead, killed by assassins sent by Draim, and Arissa will certainly be next on the hit list.

Odo offers his personal protection, but his efforts are complicated by emotional involvement: The more time he spends with Arissa, the more certain he is that he has fallen for her...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Gets an amusing moment when he walks in on Dax and Kira, gossiping about Odo having "spent a night with a woman!" He grins and says, very emphatically, "That's nice!" The line itself is a complete throwaway, but Avery Brooks' delivery and emphasis makes it hilarious.

Odo: Is intrigued by Arissa from their first encounter, when she makes a comment about his "bedroom eyes." Though it's official business that brings them together for their second and third meetings, it's very obvious to all that Odo is delighted to spend more time with her. When she finally does tell her story, Odo offers to help her without question - Not because he's smitten (though he is), but because he can relate. He has also done things he was ashamed of, and he admires her having the courage to try to break away from the Orion Syndicate. He recalls the mingling of bodies with another shapeshifter in erotic terms, and once they have become lovers he uses his shapeshifting abilities to share something of the experience with Arissa.

Hot Space Babe of the Week: Arissa (Dey Young) is a reasonable choice to be the object of Odo's affections. She's shown to be quick-witted, but vulnerable enough to give him someone to protect. Young does a capable job of showing the nervousness underneath her character's banter even before Arissa reveals her Syndicate connections to Odo. She and Rene Auberjonois play well opposite each other, which helps the episode over some of its bumps. Even so, I confess to being quite happy that this is her only appearance.


THOUGHTS

Something wonderful happens around the fringes of this episode's main plot. Bashir, O'Brien, and Dax engage in a holo-program that's a follow-up to Our Man Bashir. It's probably the perfect type of sequel to that episode, in that we barely see the new program. We see that Bashir is still enjoying his alter ego, and we catch a few glimpses of the action (O'Brien, as Falcon, pulling a gun on him at an inopportune moment is particularly funny), but there's no more than that. This allows Our Man Bashir to retain its uniqueness, and allows the couple of scenes referencing it to be funny without repeating or undermining the earlier episode.

I only wish the main story was as successful. A Simple Investigation isn't bad, and as with most Odo episodes, it gets a tremendous lift from Rene Auberjonois' performance. The romance between Odo and Arissa is more convincing than most one-shot Trek romances, and I enjoyed both the awkwardness of Odo approaching her and the playfulness we glimpse after she reciprocates.

But while the romance more or less works, the mystery plot surrounding it doesn't. It's slow, thinly-plotted, and in dire need of a twist or two. A little past the midpoint, this plot actually grinds to a halt, requiring Arissa to do something phenomenally stupid in order to restart it. There is also no explanation provided as to how Odo finds the villains in the nick of time. One moment, he's lost track of them; the next, he's right above them preparing to unleash Changeling Hell. In an episode as slow as this, I have difficulty believing there wasn't time for a quick transition.

I will say there are some delightful character touches in the other regulars' brief appearances. Bashir gives Odo some genuinely pretty good advice about approaching women. Dax is delighted to have something to gossip about, while Worf finds her gossiping to be in poor taste. Kira's reaction to Odo's night with Arissa is particularly interesting. Despite having encouraged him early in the episode, she seems bewildered and not entirely pleased when something actually does happen.

In the end, this is a mixed episode. The side stuff is great: at least one good character moment for just about everyone and a very funny not-quite-"B" plot following up on Our Man Bashir. But the "A" plot is slow and predictable, and while Auberjonois and Young make a far more believable screen couple than is seen in most one-shot Trek romances, I couldn't help but find it the tiniest bit... well, dull.


Overall Rating: 5/10.

Previous Episode: Doctor Bashir, I Presume
Next Episode: Business As Usual


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5-9. The Ascent.

Quark and Odo must rely on each other to survive.

THE PLOT

For Jake, the day has finally arrived, a day he has doubtless dreamt of: He is moving out. Nog's return to the station as a cadet means Jake can move in with his best friend, sharing quarters with the young Ferengi while enjoying space away from his father. However, time at the Academy has changed Nog, who has responded all too eagerly to Starfleet discipline. Nog essentially treats Jake like a junior cadet, insisting on a regular exercise schedule and a strict curfew for "lights out." The biggest sticking point, however, is cleanliness: Jake has lapsed into some very slovenly habits, while Nog has become a stickler for perfect order. 

Meanwhile, for Odo the day has definitely arrived, a day he has spent ten years waiting for: He has been ordered to place Quark in custody! Odo bundles the Ferengi into a runabout to take him before a Federation grand jury on Inferna Prime, a flight of about eight days. They are about halfway there when Quark notices a buzzing sound inside a maintenance hatch. He opens up the hatch and discovers a bomb - planted by the Orion Syndicate to kill Quark before he can testify!

Odo beams the explosive into space, but not fast enough to avoid triggering the device and crippling the runabout. Odo is able to get it to a nearby planet, but hopes of rescue are dimmed when they discover their communications equipment was damaged in the crash. Then Quark has an idea: Take the undamaged tranceiver array up a mountain on foot. If they get it high enough, atmospheric interference will be diminished to allow them to send a distress signal. But with Odo a mere man without his shapeshifting abilities, and with Quark being... well, Quark, the climb itself may prove too much for either man to endure!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: He recalls that when they first came to the station, he didn't want Jake having anything to do with Nog, and now he's actually happy at the thought of Nog being his son's roommate. When Jake and Nog argue and Nog moves out, Sisko could be the protective parent and use the opportunity to make his son move back home - Which is probably tempting, as he visibly struggles with the idea of Jake leaving in the opening scene. Instead, he agrees with Rom that the two young men could learn a lot from each other and orders them back together. "I'm your captain, and I'm your father. And what I say goes!"

Odo: Quark observes that the Founders gave Odo exactly what he wanted when they made him a solid. "I used to see you coming into the bar, watching Morn eat, eyeing my customers as they gambled and flirted with the dabo girls, wishing you were one of them." Odo protests, but not very convincingly. Odo's unspoken concern for Quark remains consistent. When Quark falls during the climb, Odo calls out in worry. It's only when he sees that Quark is uninjured that he shifts tone to snap about avoiding damage to the tranceiver.

Quark: Just as Quark sizes up Odo, so does Odo with Quark. Odo observes that Quark isn't a member of the Orion Syndicate only because he couldn't afford the entry fee after the Ferengi Commerce Authority stripped him of all possessions. Then he recognizes the full extent of the truth: That even before that, Quark couldn't afford it. "All those years of scheming and lying and cheating and you're still too small-time for the Orions." It hits home, but Quark is phased for only a second before getting his own back: "Which means you've spent the last ten years of your life trying to catch a nobody. With little success." Any doubts as to the strength of Quark's will should be put to rest by the ending, in which he pushes all the way to the top of the mountain alone, unwilling to die and leave his bar to his guileless brother and his nephew to full "corruption" by Starfleet.

Jake/Nog: These two dominate the episode's "B" plot. While the Odd Couple of Odo and Quark must work together to survive, Jake and Nog move in together and discover that their time apart has made them very different people. Jake has become slovenly, refusing to tear himself away from his writing (or his time waiting for the muse to strike) to so much as put a dirty plate back in the replicator. Nog has become a martinet, so attached to the military discipline of Starfleet Academy that he applies that to every facet of his existence. Unfortunately, though attempts are made to thematically link Jake and Nog learning to live together with Quark and Odo having to work together, this entire strand mostly comes across to me like a distraction, and I think the episode as a whole would be stronger without it.


THOUGHTS

The rivalry and unstated friendship between Quark and Odo has been a highlight of the series from the beginning. In The Ascent, writers Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe shove them together in a survival situation, allowing opportunities to mine that rich vein of character ore. The trading of insults and cutting observations is wonderfully scripted, and Rene Auberjonois and Armin Shimerman are terrific throughout.

What keeps this episode from being the outright success it should be is the Jake/Nog subplot. There's nothing terribly original about it, and there's little sense of organic development of the two characters. Jake has never previously been portrayed as a slob. It might have been worthwhile to have indicated that this is a recent change following the traumatic events of Nor the Battle to the Strong, but that isn't what the script tells us. Instead, we're meant to believe this is simply who Jake is, despite never having seen this before. 

Nog's drill sergeant routine seems even less in-character. We have seen Cadet Nog before, in last season's Homefront/Paradise Lost two-parter - and though he seemed significantly more confident in himself, there was no indication of him becoming the character we see here. 

In short, the two characters are forced into a comedy situation that does not arise naturally from who they have previously been shown to be. Jake's a slob and Nog's a militaristic neat freak because the writers hope that will "be funny." If I thought it was funny, I'd let it pass - but I'm afraid I didn't laugh once during these scenes, and simply suffered through them waiting to get back to the good stuff with Quark and Odo.

The success of the "A" plot easily overshadows the failure of the "B" plot, leaving this still a pretty solid episode. But there's no question in my mind that this would be a stronger piece had the strained comedy antics of Jake and Nog been jettisoned.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Things Past
Next Episode: Rapture


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