Statistical Probabilities

The most annoying thing about this episode isn't even the annoying characters. It's that we've seen it all before.

In 1990, Dudley Moore and Daryl Hannah starred in "Crazy People." Emory Leeson (Moore) is an advertising executive who experiences a nervous breakdown. He designs a series of "truthful" advertisements, blunt and bawdy and of no use to his boss Drucker's firm. The ads were thought up by the honest but bright patients Leeson is now staying with, and when they're accidentally printed, they prove to be a huge hit with the public. (Their best was, Volvo: they're boxy, but they're good." The basic theme of "crazy" people who use their special abilities to see things others can't is identical to the theme of this episode.

Even worse is Tim Ransom's portrayal of Jack, the hyperactive genetically enhanced man whose constant "Hm? Hm?" makes him über-punchable. His mannerisms were lifted directly from Brad Pitt's insane man-child, "Jeffrey Goines," in "12 Monkeys" only a couple of years before this episode aired.

Of course, with Potsy (Anton Williams) directing, we can't expect "Becket."

Dr Bashir meets a group of genetically enhanced individuals.

This is a fun episode with good humour and dialogue.

It is well written, making light of the megalomania associated with super-intelligence and putting a Star Trek spin on Asimov's sci-fi concept of psychohistory. It also fits nicely into the Dominion conflict arc from a lighter perspective than usual and uses the character of Bashir very well.

For me though, it is how you react to the guest characters that will likely have the biggest influence on how much you enjoy it. They are all quite eccentric, with one exhibiting some highly annoying personality traits. Taken with the right amount of humour, their scenes are for me mostly good fun and are underlined by serious commentary about how certain individuals are denied basic rights within society. I think Tim Ransom, Faith Salie, Michael Keenan and Hilary Shepard do good work in these roles.

Main cast members Alexander Siddig and Colm Meaney both give strong contributions during their interactions with each other and the guest performers.

As this episode progressed, my oldest daughter yelled out "It sure looks like this show jumped the shark!"--and I could understand her thinking this as we watched this pile of crap episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space 9". It is a pretty terrible episode.

This show is about a group of genetically enhanced humans. However, instead of being happy Starfleet members like Dr. Bashir, these folks are all weirdos who live in what looks a bit like an asylum. Regardless, Dr. Bashir agrees to babysit these uber-annoying beings. During this time, he bonds with these folks and together the new 'team' learn to run various statistical formulas--ones that would seem to indicate that the Federation is destined to be destroyed by the Dominion.

The problem with this show are these new characters. They are loud, obnoxious and 100% annoying. You just want them to shut up and die- -they are THAT annoying! Overall, I cannot believe that this could have been a lot better than it was--it couldn't really have been much worse.

After a great start of season 6, with only sons and daughters as a filler episode, it's seriously going down hill now...episode 7,8 and this one as number 9 all rank among the worst Star Trek episodes in my opinion. they left the main plot line to bore us with these uninteresting side steps with horrible new characters. I had to watch this one in 3 steps because I couldn't handle more than 15 minutes at a time without getting too annoyed.

(I only write this review because of the 7,7 rating it has...I was expecting at least a decent episode after the previous 2)

Reminded me of the scene in Community where Abed makes fun of shows for using a social disorder as a procedural device - the stereotypes in this episode were painful to watch.