The Wire

Garak becomes unwell and Dr Bashir investigates.

This is a solid episode with great performances.

There is some strong character development and dark themes written into this story, but it succeeds mainly by giving Andrew Robinson centre stage and effective support from Alexander Siddig.

It works in a similar way to the first season episode 'Duet', but not quite as impactful.

Robinson goes through a range of emotions as his compelling character becomes more unhinged as the episode goes on. The dialogue is pretty well written, but he makes it sound as good as something you would hear in a theatre.

Siddig, in the fairly innocent, caring guise of Bashir, is a perfect foil for Garak's dark, shadowy, Cardassian cynicism. Their exchanges bring out the best of both actors and characters.

This episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space 9" reveals much about Garak--the enigmatic and tricky Cardassian 'tailor' living on the station. When the show begins, Garak is doing what he often does--he's having a meal with his BFF, Dr. Bashir. Without warning, Garak doubles over--in intense pain and in immediate need of hospitalization. What follows is Garak's story--how he was once a dreaded and powerful leader in the Cardassian Obsidian Order as well as his fall from grace.

While this isn't among the more exciting episodes of the series, it's an important one because it makes Garak A BIT pitiable and a bit easier to understand. Worth seeing.

Ok, ok, ok. My running review gag for all of season 1 was that Bashir can't act. How much humble pie do I need to stuff down my throat before I can live with scoring a Bashir episode 9/10?

The Good Bashir Bell 🔔 is simply not adequate to describe how compelling this story was, and given that our main cast are almost entirely absent aside from Bashir and a bit of Odo, I'm afraid I have to give Siddig his flowers.

Were there a couple of scenes where he was a bit over-stretched on the ham-acting front? Absolutely. Did it take me out of the story? Absolutely not.

Also fair play to Garak, his full-withdrawal freakout was excellent. I had no idea The Joker's "wanna know how I got these scars?" was beaten so roundly to the punch by DS9 in 1996.

I really enjoyed the introduction and exploration of the Obsidian Order, too, and Quark's call with his supplier ending with the alarm bells literally ringing was both a great comedy moment and also a fantastic indicator of the level of foe we're beginning to unearth.

Speaking of comedy, a moment of appreciation for Quark moving behind Bashir to subtly hand-off the bottle of booze from Garak. Sweetly directed small moment with a lot of payoff.

The whole episode felt like a breath of fresh air with its direction, in fact. I hope Kim Friedman comes back to direct more further down the series' run.

Not just for fans of the show, this episode showcases a combination of chemistry between actors, brilliant acting, and writing that comes full circle in so many ways. Bringing in Tain, the Obsidian Order, Garak's past, all to tell a story that rings truer than most other shows combined -- ironically.

One of the best Bashir-Garak episodes to really hammer home their connection. In some ways, we learn more about Bashir; his unfailing commitment to helping people, his depth of appreciation for Garak's companionship, his self-sacrificing core beneath all those deflecting attitudes. A man hidden in a trench coat of personality choices, both deliberate and not -- remind you of anyone?

The Wire is an unflinching look into the world of DS9 and Star Trek as a whole. The good, the bad, and the unforgivable; no obstacle insurmountable, ultimately, in the face of a man willing to forgive.

Garak is very hard on Dr. Bashir who is one of the only persons on DS9 that cares about him. He is a fascinating character who speaks in riddles. Bashir realizes that when Garak nearly passes out, the Cardassian has had some sort of implant placed in his brain. The episode pretty much revolves around the search for and the cure of that condition. Of course, Garak wants none of it because this implant is like a narcotic. He has the same sorts of withdrawal symptoms some drug addicts have. It is a tough love episode and the guy maintains his mystery quality.