Whispers

Season 2, Episode 14 of DS9 entitled "Whispers" may be a short, simplistic seeming episode from the outset, but it's actually perhaps one of the most profound up to this point as well.

This episode informs our personal, subjective importance in our own lives, the naivete of that importance, but no less the beauty and importance of the drive to survive and to perhaps reap some modicum of value from our short experience within the vastness of all things.

1- VIEWERS CHECK THIS OUT!.......................

*CHIEF O'BRIEN AND HIS IRISH TEMPER.............. One of Chief O'Brien's most endearing qualities is when he gets testy or annoyed and begins losing that Irish temper of his. At 12:25 he is in Bashir's office for a "mandatory and routine" physical. He mentions getting poked into every "orifice" of his body. The doc asks several physical-type questions of the chief. "Have you been eating right? Do you get enough sleep at night? Have you been feeling depressed? Have you been having feelings of euphoria?" With the last....the chief goes off, "EUPHORIA! That's what I've been feeling - lots and lots of euphoria! (sarcasm dripping off his tongue)". When the chief goes over the top with sarcasm it always makes me laugh out loud!

*TIME MARCHES ON....... As the series progressed through its' 7 seasons it was fascinating to watch the youngsters mature physically and in general. When Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko) calls out to the chief and walks next to him (14:17) through the promenade, it is startling how much Lofton has grown from a little boy viewers were introduced to 2-years earlier to the young man now on the screen.

*I LOVE THESE TYPE OF STORIES IN TREK LORE.... As this episode unfurls I realize the plot and story are similar to other Trek episodes in different settings and shows. I also realize this story line is one I REALLY enjoy as a Trek fan. I'm not sure why but these type of stories always have my full and undivided attention and I'm especially intrigued how the protagonist finds out what is going on by the end. These are excellent story-telling scenarios and it allows for character development like few other stories can offer. As a viewer you realize the issue must be resolved but how the writing and actors get you there is what make these particular stories favorites of mine. Do you notice how many times I used the word "story" in my analysis? We love "stories" don't we? As children we beg our parents to read us bed-time stories. We beg our grandparents to tell us stories both real and made up. In school we enjoy the story time part of the day and often Lit class is the most interesting and favorite class of the day for high schoolers. As adults we beg or insist on creative institutions (Disney, Paramount, Fox, etc) to create and develop good stories. We are willing to pay to go watch stories in movie cinema and stage productions. I believe our love of stories follows us from the time we are barely able to understand the language we speak to the last days of our existence on earth. Fascinating isn't it??? Tell me a story!

*CREEPY ALERT!

At 16:30 of this episode is when we find out something creepy is going on. Check it out! What was a tingling up our spine, until this point, becomes a full on alert in our mind and body! Something just isn't right on DS9 baby!

*IF WE HAD NO VOCAL CHORDS...... When Colm Meaney (Chief O'Brien) does his acting schtick, he is VERY expressive with his facial expressions. Some actors are distinct with their vocal inflections (Avery Brooks as Sisko and Rene Auberjonois as Odo), some with their physical presence and movement on screen (Nana Visitor as Major Kira and Armin Shimerman as Quark). With Meaney it is all about his facial expressions. Take a look at 17:30 when O'Brien responds to a Kira question. Watch the interaction with just the voices saying the dialogue and then re-watch the moment without sound and just watching Meaney's face and expressions. COOL, isn't it?

*GRABBING AND JERKING QUARK AROUND BY THE NECK SEEMS LIKE SPACE STATION RECREATION......... I wonder if Quark ever gets tired of people grabbing him around the neck area? He should start charging for the opportunity! It seems like he is always being grabbed or thrown from around the neck. Kira, Odo, Sisko and O'Brien have all been the perpetrators of doing this to him - not to mention the plethora of guest stars who have done this as well. At 29:38 O'Brien becomes the most recent person to assault the lovable pirate.

2- Final Reflective Analysis and Final Grade: *As I stated before, I love these types of stories. I had seen enough of this genre to realize what was going on with about 15 minutes left in the episode. The only negative I can expound on for "Whispers" is the rushed ending. With only 2-3 minutes left in the episode Kira and Sisko rush through a few lines of dialogue in the script to brief the audience (through the characters in the scene) on what has happened. Other than this minor complaint, "Whispers" is one of my favorites for the first two seasons. The closing concern displayed by the "replicant" is touching and fairly unexpected and surprising. As with the previous episode, there is certainly food for thought and discussion with those who care about this science fiction principle (replicants and their use) which, in our modern era of science and medicine, may not be entirely science fiction any longer.

Final Grade: A-

I wonder who are these that gave high ratings ! BORING episode !

I've watched way too much TV in my time. So I knew with four minute left and no resolution, something dramatic was going to happen. I thought, "Here comes the 'To Be Continued' notice. Nope. It was something else that ended the episode. Our friend O'Brien is in a shuttle, being pursued by members of the Federation. He feels that some alien form had taken over the bodies of the people on the Space Station and he was on to them. This has good suspense and O'Brien's character is quite good. Nevertheless, the ending was too abrupt and a little short on veracity. Still, I guess with sci fi, anything goes. This is no exception.

This episode of DS9 is told in flashback by Chief O'Brien as he is fleeing a posse from his fellow space station staffers. He narrates into the log of the runabout he is fleeing on how these events have come about.

Basically after he has come back from the planet Parada checking their security systems for a planned Federation sponsored peace conference, Colm Meaney is treated like a pariah by the staff and even his wife and daughter are acting strange toward him. He suspects some kind of plot to sabotage the conference.

I confess this one had me baffled. I reached a wrong conclusion here. The explanation for it all was both logical and simple. This episode belongs to Colm Meaney.