Progress

() ...despite the Kira/Mullibok 'A' story, which -- while well performed by Keith and Visitor -- feels like a drawn out, soapy extrapolation of the classic old man/attractive young nurse fantasy (that has, mercifully, seemed to have disappeared from popular media).

((a more engaging iteration of this story might have Mullibok truly *fear* leaving the familiarity of his home because of PTSD from the Cardassian occupation, with Kira acting as less of a nurse and more as a fellow veteran as they both reencounter the demons of their violent past and find a path forward together))

() It also seems Kira has inherited the Troi syndrome, in that the writers seemed allergic to giving her character a focused, no-nonsense, story-rich POV episode to deliver backstory and give us some points of connection. At this seasonal midpoint, it honestly feels like they still didn't trust her to carry an episode, let alone an 'A' story, on her own.

() The Nog 'B' story here is awesome, and provides much-needed characterization not just for Nog, but for what the average Ferengi coming-of-age process might look like. Jake's emergent skills as friend/mediator/voice of reason are fun to see as well.

Sharp critics will recognize the plot from Wild River the Elia Kazan classic about the Tennnesee Valley Authority and Jo Van Fleet's refusal to move off her family farm. That's the situation that Nana Visitor finds with Brian Keith an elderly farmer who is living on one of Bajor's moons and won't leave.

The second part of this episode has Cirroc Lofton and Aron Eisenberg doing their best Tom and Huck imitations as they try to unload Cardassian Yamok sauce. Things Cardassian are not selling well at Quark's and these two decide to enter the Ferrengi commercial world.

Years ago at a science fiction convention I asked Nana Visitor about this episode and she said Brian Keith was one of the finest men she ever worked with and doing this one was a pleasure.

I think you can see it in her performance.

I really enjoyed the Kira/Mullibok dynamic in this episode. This is a real pickle of a position to put resistence fighter Kira in....

Some stand out moments of dialogue included the 'hung on like fanatic's' exchange between Kira and Mullibok and Sisko telling Kira that he wants to be BFF's and finds her strong willed personality to be bad ass --- well, he didn't say that exactly but it's pretty clear that Sisko respects displays of strength and conviction. The second line of dialogue was the mentioning of the mean/nasty tree that took root in front of Kira's house ---- I just love clever writing like this.

It's a real kick in the gut for Kira to become the 'bad guy' and transplant Mullibok. He acts as a mirror to Kira's tendency to be stubborn. It is a testament to the core of Kira's character that she took the responsibility for doing this to Mullibok --- she could have just gone for coffee and leave it up to Starfleet. Love ya Kira!

Nog grows a big pair of ... lobes? A nice tame low stake B-Plot. Quark buying back his own product is hilarious and we further establish that Nog has skill and tenacity.

Good stuff all around.

It's hard to stay mad at this period of Star Trek because of the nostalgia factor; however, compared to modern television, 90s writing is...bad. Even Babylon 5 had a season 1 full of stinkers.

Season 1 of DS9 continues it's spotty record of showing hints at greatness while serving up half-baked clichés to pad out the looooooong season. (Thank goodness network TV isn't like this anymore.)

This episode is a clunker with a few bright spots. Where to begin? Old, wise man who talks in stories bears with a young, hot-head young'un. The upstart finally comes around to see that the old-fart farmer has principals and it is honorable for this man to be willing to die for his land and way of life. 'merica! I was shocked that this episode didn't end with Kira tearfully waving goodbye to said curmudgeon knowing he had chosen death over relocation. Bonus points for NOT going there.

Nana Visitor acquits herself of overacting (compared to the first half of season 1). Sisko beams in to the story for a hot minute, and per usual, hams it up. Avery Brooks is a prime example of someone with all the credentials who still can't act. Maybe you either have it or you don't. Ooooh! The characters are growing! They are trusting each other! Shoehorn some character arc in, please! There had to be a better way...

The most fun we have in this episode is with Jake and Nog. The two play Bigger. Better. Until they've impressed Quark. Sadly, Nog would never become a main character on the show, but there's great character work being done between the two actors here. It's showing not telling. If only we could have gotten that with the main story-of-the-week! Eisenberg, who was in his 20s when he played the teenaged Nog, is clearly still finding his acting legs, but it's noteworthy he does a better job that some on the show. (I'm looking at you, Siddig!)

All in all, this is an average episode for season 1. There's a lot of unintentional funny bits, but things are starting to come together.

This is an episode with two stories. One of the stories involving a Bajoran character played by actor Brian Keith is about the life and times of a senior citizen toward the end of his life desperately hanging onto his tiny piece of real estate because..... it's his land dang it. He doesn't like the Bajoran use of Eminent Domain (taking private property for the public good) anymore than most Americans like that law in the constitution when it impacts their personal life.

The second story involves the young friends Jake Sisko and (Ferengi) Nog as they, toward the beginning of their lives, try to enter the capitalistic world of wheeling and dealing with the product of self-sealing stembolts (see the trivia section for a humorous event involving Nog, Ferengi mouth prosthetics, a young actor and the words, "self sealing stem bolts").

Some of the reviews of this episode call it "horrible" and a "complete waste of time". Other reviews call it "interesting character development" and "interesting".

No one dies in this episode. Life in the galaxy (or at least on the space station) won't end without a tremendous heroic effort by someone and, disappointedly, O'Brien doesn't don a cape and shout at a space monster. This episode is ok. It is what it is as they say.

Things to Notice: *One of America's most beloved character actors - Brian Keith - has one of his last acting roles before he takes his own life in despair over his daughter's suicide. Keith has been a favorite of my family in the family films and TV he was a part of in the 1960's-1970's. Watching this episode just to watch him is good enough.

*The Bajoran people are a VERY passionate, loyal, religious and temperamental people. These adjectives are just a start in describing this race. They love fighting, flirting, praying, story-telling and eating. Their women are generally gorgeous. I will be on the next space ship to Bajor as soon as Bill Gates builds the ship.