7-15. Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang.

The Ops crew plan a Vegas casino heist...

THE PLOT

Vic Fontaine's nightclub has been taken over.

Back when Vic's holosuite program was created, a "jack-in-the-box" subroutine was buried deep in the code, intended to keep things from becoming stale. Gangster Frankie Eyes (Robert Miano), financed by a mafia godfather, has purchased the hotel and casino. His first act? Firing Vic and replacing him with scantily-clad dancers. Frankie also has Vic roughed up to try to force him to leave town.

The only way to return the club to normal is to defeat Frankie within the program, using means and methods that would have been available in 1962. And so the DS9 command crew decides to use Frankie's mafia connections against him. Mobster Carl Zeemo (Marc Lawrence) will be coming to pick up his monthly payment from Frankie. So all they have to do is steal that money from the safe in the casino's count room. A classic heist.

But planning a robbery is one thing - Actually pulling it off is something else entirely...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Alone of the Ops crew, he has resisted going to Vic's. Kasidy gets him to reveal why: The real 1962 was not a good time for black people, who wouldn't even have been allowed in a place like Vic's unless they were janitors or performers. This idealized version of the past, one that ignores the very real struggles endured, offends him. With a push from Kasidy, he does end up joining in the plan to help Vic, and even enjoys a moment on stage at the end... But his best and most interesting scenes come in the first half, when he resists any contact with the holosuite.

Col. Kira: Gets close to Frankie by pretending to be the stereotypical gangster's moll, flirting constantly while pretending to be impressed by his money. Showing off, Frankie lets her visit the count room - allowing her to report back on the room's layout, its security, and the location of the safe. During the actual robbery, her role is to keep Frankie distracted so that he doesn't notice what the others are doing.

Kasidy Yates: When Sisko talks about the reason Vic's holosuite offends him, she does hear him out and doesn't belittle his reasons. But she does argue against him, framing helping Vic as helping a friend in need. She also insists that the colorblind nature of the holosuite program doesn't insult the harsh realities of history. "Going to Vic's isn't going to make us forget who we are or where we came from. What it does is it reminds us that we're no longer bound by any limitations, except the ones we impose on ourselves."

Vic Fontaine: The most obvious solution to this problem would be to simply reset the program. But doing so would be unthinkable, because it would wipe Vic's memory and all of his experiences. Previous episodes have established Vic as fully self-aware, and It's Only a Paper Moon ended with his program being allowed to run 24 hours a day, giving him the semblance of a "real life." Within the confines of his holosuite, he's as real as any of them; a solution has to be found that maintains his individuality. James Darren remains terrific in the role, retaining Vic's dignity even when the character is thrust into the role of victim.


THOUGHTS

A refreshing holodeck episode, in that it doesn't revolve around any kind of malfunction. The program is doing exactly what it was designed to do; it's the nature of the "jack in the box" that prompts the plot, rather than something external going wrong. This allows the episode to have fun with the period caper plot, rather than getting sidetracked with Technobabble to justify that plot.

This is, effectively, Deep Space 9 meets Ocean's Eleven, and the episode embraces that. Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler's script has great fun with the structure of a caper story, and plays fair with the audience throughout. The always-reliable Mike Vejar is in the director's chair, providing a visual flair that enhances the fun (including a slow-motion walk by the command crew to the holosuite when they prepare to put their plan into effect).

The episode is often funny, but it isn't a parody. This is largely a straight-up casino heist story, with both humor and drama arising naturally from the situation. Only a handful of scenes take place outside the holosuite - The brief but necessary explanation as to where "Frankie" came from, and the genuinely very good character moment when Sisko explains why he's so hostile toward this particular program. Outside of that, the episode sticks to the period setting, and both actors and show seem to have a great time taking a break from space opera to do a heist caper.

A thoroughly enjoyable bit of fluff, this probably represents Deep Space 9's last chance to relax and have fun before the heavy lifting of wrapping up the many ongoing plot threads. A success on that basis - And in my opinion, a good episode by any reasonable measure.

Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Chimera
Next Episode: Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges


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7-10. It's Only a Paper Moon.

Nog takes refuge in Vic's holographic world -
and, like a true Ferengi, fixes his bookkeeping.

THE PLOT

Nog has completed his therapy after losing a leg at AR-558, and has returned to Deep Space 9. He has a new leg, which his medical records show should be working perfectly. He insists the leg hurts constantly, and tells Ezri that after spending two months talking to counselors, he does not want to talk further.

He does spend time listening and re-listening to Vic Fontaine (James Darren)'s rendition of I'll Be Seeing You, the song Bashir played just before the final battle. That leads him to the holosuite of Vic's Las Vegas lounge. After talking with Vic for a while, Nog decides to use Starfleet regulations to perform his therapy at Vic's, moving himself fully into Vic's apartment.

Nog actually makes progress within this holographic world, his Ferengi upbringing allowing him to feel useful by sorting out Vic's books and helping Vic run his business. But as Nog becomes more and more a part of this holographic world, Ezri and his family become concerned about his willingness to return to reality.


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Is eager to welcome Nog back to the station, and is concerned when Nog shuts himself away in his quarters. He complains to Ezri that watching and waiting is "not (his) first choice," but defers to her judgment.

Ezri: When Nog tells her that he's sick of talking to counselors, she doesn't push him - She even admits to Sisko that after all the psychiatric care he's been subjected to, she doesn't blame him for being done with it. She tells Sisko that they should step back and let Nog guide the course of his own treatment, and initially supports the Ferengi's choice of Vic's holo-program. When she sees that Vic has come to rely on Nog as much as the reverse, she uses reverse psychology to make Vic recognize that the Ferengi needs to return to the real world in order to live a full life.

Nog: Aron Eisenberg received praise from veterans for his convincing portrayal, and he is superb in this episode. The early scenes show Nog completely withdrawn, barely showing emotion, but with a haunted expression in his eyes and voice. When he lashes out at Jake in one scene, we first see his discomfort, then emotional pain when Jake's girlfriend refers to him as a hero. He becomes happy in Vic's holographic world, but when he's forced to return to reality he's in tears as the fear comes flooding back to him. Eisenberg plays every note perfectly, with the early withdrawal and anger fully earning the tears at the episode's end.

Vic Fontaine: His ability to read people, a consistent trait from his very first scene last season, is enough for him to see that Nog needs a break from reality. One of his first acts is to give Nog a new cane - one that's more stylish, but also lighter weight, forcing him to put less weight on the cane to enjoy his gift. Vic almost certainly starts fussing about his bookkeeping as a way to draw Nog into feeling useful... But with the program running 24 hours a day, Vic finds himself enjoying getting to live a complete life. Between that and his genuine fondness for Nog, he needs a nudge from Ezri to let Nog go - Though once he gets that nudge, he barely hesitates before shutting down his program to force Nog out into the real world.


THOUGHTS

"The kid's had too much reality lately, if you ask me. He's lost a leg, he's watched good friends die... We shouldn't push it, he needs time to heal."

DS9 deals with PTSD, and does a pretty good job of it. Compare It's Only a Paper Moon with Voyager's Extreme Risk, in which B'Elanna went through emotional turmoil. B'Elanna's issues hadn't even been hinted at in any previous episodes, and were cured by little more than a single conversation with Chakotay. By contrast, Nog's emotional turmoil rises naturally out of the events of The Siege of AR-558, and are examined over the course of the full episode.

Writer Ronald D. Moore lends layers to Nog's pain. He obsessively listens and re-listens to I'll Be Seeing You. He tells Vic, the song "helped me once when I was unhappy." His guilt over Larkin's death is never explicitly stated, but we see Nog flashing back to it. This, and his reaction when Jake's new girlfriend calls him a "hero" show that he still feels responsibility. Finally, there's his fear, which he frankly confesses to Vic:

"I saw a lot of combat. I saw a lot of people get hurt. I saw a lot of people die - But I didn't think anything was going to happen to me! And then suddenly, Doctor Bashir is telling me he has to cut my leg off. I couldn't believe it, I still can't believe it. If I can get shot, if I can lose my leg, anything could happen to me!"

All these different emotions, and the moments in which Nog lashes out with anger at those around him, make his pain tangible. Mix in superb performances by Aron Eisenberg and James Darren, whose Vic has in a very short time become a part of this show's fabric. If you had told me that a Star Trek show would introduce a singing hologram as a recurring character, I'd have branded it a worse idea than Wesley Crusher on the face of it.  It's a mark of just how good DS9 has consistently been at making its recurring characters live and breathe that Vic not only works and not only belongs, it's become an active pleasure to see him.

It should be noted this episode revolves around Nog and Vic, and I never once thought while watching about this being a show about two guest stars. That in itself is a triumph - Not only that my second-favorite episode so far this season (just a hair behind The Siege of AR-558) is about two guest stars, but that those guest stars feel as fully a part of the show as the main cast does.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Covenant
Next Episode: Prodigal Daughter

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6-20. His Way.

Odo seeks romantic advice from hologram Vic Fontaine (James Darren)

THE PLOT

Dr. Bashir has created a new hologram: Vic Fontaine (James Darren), modeled as a 1960's Las Vegas crooner. Vic is an unusual hologram, who actually knows he is a computer program on a 24th century space station. He has keen insight into human nature, recognizing without being told that Worf and Dax are married, that Chief O'Brien misses his wife, and that Odo has feelings for Kira.

When Kira visits Bajor to meet with First Minister Shakaar, her former lover, Odo fears she will rekindle that relationship. He accesses Vic's program, to solicit the entertainer's advice. Vic encourages him to pursue Kira, saying that since she already likes him and that he's "halfway there!" He tells Odo he needs to become more relaxed, and of his own accord creates a simulation of a Vegas act with Odo as the piano player, following that up with simulated dates to use as practice.

When Kira returns from Bajor, Vic takes one final liberty. He sets up a date between Odo and a "Kira hologram," holding back one small bit of information: That the Kira Odo is meeting is no hologram, but the real thing!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: After beginning his "lessons" with Vic, Odo catches himself singing while Sisko reviews a security report. odo stops as soon as Sisko brings it to his attention, but Sisko tells him not to, instead clicking his fingers and singing along with him. It's a perfect little moment that's just right for Sisko, but which wouldn't work at all with any of the other Trek captains.

Kira: When she returns from Bajor only to find Odo nervously avoiding her, she's clearly disappointed and confused - Which reminds me of her reaction to Odo's romance in A Simple Investigation, where she clearly wasn't happy about Odo being in a relationship. These cues make it more plausible when she is persuaded to go on a date with Odo. When both of them realize at the same time that Vic has lied to them about the nature of the date, Kira is angry - but refreshingly, her anger is directed only at Vic and not at all at Odo.

Odo: Another terrific performance by Rene Auberjonois, who perfectly captures the anxiety of a socially awkward man pushed into pursuing a woman. I particularly enjoyed the scene in which Vic pushes Odo into acting as the piano player during a performance of "Come Fly with Me." Odo starts out absolutely awkward, sitting at the piano and concentrating a little too hard on pretending to play it, clearly self-conscious even though there's nobody who isn't a hologram watching. As the song progresses, he starts to enjoy the music and the act and, by the end, he's showing off with the glee of a child make-believing himself to be a sports hero or rock star. Most of this is nonverbal, seen through his shifts in body language and facial expression as he sits at the piano, and it's marvelously well-done.

Quark: It's notable that, for all their constant bickering, Quark is the first one Odo turns to about his problems with Kira. For his part, while Quark enjoys needling the constable about his failure to pursue Kira, he does so with an undertone of sympathy. When Odo asks for a favor - to access the Vic program - Quark not only goes along, he thinks fast to stop Bashir from interrupting.

Vic Fontaine: The debut of Vic, the holographic crooner from Las Vegas' golden age. I'm not sure how I feel about him becoming a recurring character, but he works well in this episode. James Darren is just right for this sort of Frank Sinatra/Dean Martin hybrid, slick enough for us to believe him as a representation of a 1960's nightclub singer, sincere enough for us to believe that he genuinely wants to help Odo. Darren also has good comic timing and shows strong screen rapport with Rene Auberjonois, which goes a long way toward selling the episode. I wouldn't say I'm looking forward to more of Vic in future episodes - But I'm not dreading his reappearance, either, and that in itself is a pleasant surprise.


THOUGHTS

His Way is a likable little story, a bit of whimsy to light up the darkness that has dominated much of the season. A breezy romantic comedy punctuated by several well-performed musical interludes, it has much to recommend it: Rene Auberjonois and Nana Visitor are terrific, as always, as James Darren does a fine job of making Vic work as a character in his own right. The musical numbers add to the atmosphere, and even the regulars who are only peripherally featured feel "right." Objectively, this is a good episode.

It just isn't the kind of episode that particularly hooks me, which makes it a very difficult one to review. I wasn't bored while watching it. The story followed a very predictable pattern, but writers Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler know the characters so well that Kira and Odo never feel less than completely themselves, and director Allan Kroeker - who labeled this episode a personal favorite of his - does sterling work in every scene. It's enjoyable... It just isn't my particular cup of tea.

I do wonder whether putting Odo and Kira into a relationship is a good thing for the series. Yes, there have been indications that Kira enjoys at least knowing that Odo has feelings for her, and the two actors and their characters always play well opposite each other. I'm just uncertain that I will find this relationship a convincing one as the show moves forward. This episode also appears to be the final nail in any hopes I may have had that Odo's betrayal earlier this season will ever receive any followup, and that irritates me considerably.

But that's more a fault with the season's failure to address that plot turn than with this episode specifically. And as I said, by any objective measurement His Way is a good piece of television. Since my scores are representing my personal reactions, and not going for some objective measurement of merit, I refuse to give this a high score - But since it was well made and I didn't dislike it, I won't be giving a low one either.

If romantic/comedy/musical is the type of episode you enjoy, then you should add two full points to this score. But for me, this gets an unenthused but respectable:


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Previous Episode: In the Pale Moonlight
Next Episode: The Reckoning

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