Star Trek Deep Space Nine - The Complete Sixth Season Review
As many have noted, Season Six of DS9 is clearly the most controversial. Most of this is centered on the confusion surrounding the departure of Terry Ferrell from the show. My belief is that studio was not willing to provide her with the kind of money she wanted in order to stay on the show rather than pursue the rather mediocre sitconm
The unquestioned highpoints of the season revolve around increasing developments in the war with the Dominion. These ongoing plotlines are what make DS9 so much more involving than the other shows in the STAR TREK series. There were a number of exceptionally good episodes and a number of outstanding Gul Dukat twists, as he continued to be one of the most interesting characters on the show. Several of the standalone episodes were superb, such as the outstanding "Far Beyond the Stars," in which Sisko has a vision of himself as a pulp SF writer in the 1950s, with all of the usual cast members appearing without make up. Just as good is "His Way," in which James Darren made his first appearance as holodeck lounge singer Vic Fontaine and helped Odo to loosen up and, as Sebastian the Crab would put it, to "kiss the girl" (coincidentally, in THE LITTLE MERMAID Rene Auberjonois did the voice of the chef who was intent upon making Sebastian part of the prince's dinner). This season featured as many truly great individual episodes as any.
On the downside, the romances on the show were all appalling. Both Dax and Worf on the one hand and Odo and Kira on the other were completely lacking in chemistry. I never believed any of them as couples. The brute fact is that STAR TREK had no memorable romances. The best of the bunch was probably VOYAGER and even then only Tom and B'Elanna. Most of the romances seem forced, like Worf and Deanna on TNG and the absurd pairing of Neelix and Kes on VOYAGER. Or the almost random pairing of Seven of Nine and Chakotay, who had developed absolutely no history or nothing that would lead one to anticipate their getting together at the end of the series. It is just not one something the show did very well.
I personally didn't mind the demise of Jadzia Dax. I didn't dislike Terry Ferrell, but I wasn't an especial fan either. I loved the concept of Dax, but that didn't go away in Season Seven with the appearance of Ezri Dax. In fact, I loved the whole idea of Ezra, who was completely untrained to become a host to the Dax symbiote. But this is all a matter of preference. I fully understand those who found the departure of Terry Ferrell to be a minor tragedy (even if I don't share their sense of bereavement).
One thing to point out about the show is what a superb creative team they had. Many of the producers and writers went on to bigger and better things. René Echevarria, for instance, went on to be one of the main people tasked with carrying out James Cameron's ideas for DARK ANGEL and later headed up THE 4400 (along with Ira Steven Behr), before moving on to be Executive Producer on MEDIUM and CASTLE. The writing team of Bradley Thompson and David Weddle wrote several very fine scripts for BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. Peter Lauritson stayed with STAR TREK for a while longer, working on ENTERPRISE, before going onto THE STARTER WIFE and now THE MENTALIST. Terri Potts after DS9 went on to work on two groundbreaking comedies, FREAKS AND GEEKS and UNDECLARED. And of course, no one did better than Ronald D. Moore, who became show runner on ROSWELL before moving over to be show runner of CARNIVALE, before going on to reinvent TV SF with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA.
Still, whatever the faults of Season Six, and I will be frank in saying that I found fewer (except in the romantic relationships department) than most, the series remained as satisfying as ever. Episodes: A Time to Stand, Rocks and Shoals, Sons and Daughters, Behind the Lines, Favor the Bold, Sacrifice of Angels, You Are Cordially Invited..., Resurrection, Statistical Probabilities, The Magnificent Ferengi, Waltz, Who Mourns for Morn?, Far Beyond the Stars, One Little Ship, Honor Among Thieves, Change of Heart, Wrongs Darker than Death or Night, Inquisition, In the Pale Moonlight, His Way, The Reckoning, Valiant, Profit and Lace, Time's Orphan, The Sound of Her Voice, Tears of the Prophets.
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Trekking To The War? - Andre S. Grindle - Brewer Maine
Despite a six episode long WWII melodrama-style story arc that in some parts is rather pompous and self important the sixth season of Deep Space Nine was a marked return to form for the series. Even though it all took place under the smoke of the always esculating Dominion war the content of the episodes of this season was more varied and the storylines broader in scope than anything the series had done for about a season and a half. First off,as promised in the finale of the previous season Jadzia Dax and Worf are wed in a tradition Klingon wedding after Jadzia must openly confront the differences between her free spirited nature and what's expected of her as a Klingon wife. Even though it is a dark episode "Waltz" is an absolutely eye catching study of Gul Dukat's intense dimentia,meglomania and evil as he confronts Sisko on his true opinions on the galaxy around him and reminds Sisko that there is an element of both great good and great evil around him. "Far Beyond The Stars" is one of the strongest and most unique DS9 episodes ever as Sisko has a religious experience with the Bajoran Prophets identifying him with a 1950's science fiction writer who is actually dreaming up Siski and the Deep Space Nine world and is driven to insanity by a world that refuses to except the concept of a story about a racially integrated crew of his space station. Given Avery Brooks.......unique approch on theatrical acting this episode gives him a chance to display his quircky sense of intensity. "Wrongs Darker Than Deaht Or Night" explores Kira interacting with her mother's questionable association with Dukat during the Cardassian occupation of Bajor. This season is home to my very least favorite DS9 episode "In The Pale Moonlight". It's a very morally questionable episode wherin Siski lies and cheats to get the Romulans involved in the war against the Dominion and there's no solid emotional resolution in the end. Of course aside from that digression there is a very funny episode in "Profit And Lace" where Quark ingages in a little Ferengi style transvestism in order to finish an important job his ailing mother is unable to complete. "Times Orphan" is a complex family episode for the O'Briens who,on a trip to Bajor lose their daughter Molly back in time,only to have her emmerge as a maladjusted 18 year old who winds up returning her younger self back to her parents. The season ends on an unpleasant note when Jadzia Dax,popular series character whose personality mingling fire and compassion defined the general character of the series is killed in one of the most senseless and meaningless deaths in all of Star Trek. Even though the series had one more season to go things would never quite be the same.
Best Star Trek Series Ever - M. E. Mitchell - California
This is a unique and wonderful side to Star Trek. Do not miss it. The action is great.
Jul 06, 2010 08:06:26
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