Bashir wins us over

Rhonda’s Take on Episode 2.6: “Melora”

There are moments in pop culture (whether television, movies, books, or music) that live inside of the audience long after the initial experience. “Melora” is one of those episodes for me. It’s probably been two decades since I’ve watched this episode, but the moment my husband announced it was on our schedule for this week, I felt flooded by memories. Daphne Ashbrook is divine as our guest star, playing the irascible ensign, the brilliant scientist, and Bashir’s possible love interest. Siddig El Fadil really comes into his own as Doctor Bashir in this episode (I can’t wait to see if Becca stops calling him “Doctor Stupid”). In fact, Bashir has really proven himself as a valuable officer on Deep Space 9 this season. I’ve read that the studio executives had encouraged the writers to remove him from the show so I have to wonder if Bashir’s sudden rise to the forefront was story driven or the writers trying to redeem a character they wanted to keep. Frankly, the behind-the-scenes reason doesn’t matter, the result is that we get a stronger character on the screen.

Most often, when something touches our souls, it is because we resonate with the characters. However, I don’t feel anything in common with Melora or Bashir in this episode, but I do understand her plight in trying to be accepted on her terms and I admire his ability to confront and then help her.

Thematically, this episode should resonate with the audience as it explores the complexity of striving for independence while recognizing the old adage that no man is an island. As Bashir says several times throughout the episode to Melora, they must depend on each other and there is no shame in interdependence. A secondary theme might be that of adaptation: Melora chooses to adapt herself to her environment as much as possible, but the environment must also be adapted for her survival and efficient functioning within it.

The love story is convincing if not fully endearing, which I suspect is why the writers concluded it by episode’s end. For once, we do not get the arrogant, young doctor, but those characteristics allow him to succeed in this episode. Bashir is extremely harsh in his criticism of her attitude, but it is clear that she needs someone to point out that keeping the world out is not benefiting her. His own arrogance allows him to continue pressing her on this issue while someone else (and clearly a lot of people in her life previously) might let her get away with the attacks on others. His arrogance also leads to him revisiting research long-abandoned that might help Melora and other Elaysians leave their home world. But, his arrogance is toned down this episode—he actually credits the original researcher and he doesn’t get upset when Melora chooses not to pursue the treatments to the conclusion he wanted. (As Jadzia says to Melora, he can still publish his findings, but in the moments with Melora, we don’t even get a sense that this was his goal. We feel he genuinely wanted to help her.) 

Once Melora agrees to have dinner with Bashir, he asks if he should order for them both, rather than taking charge and ordering without her permission. Of course, we know she’s going to show him up and she does as she demands better Gagh from the Klingon chef. I found his fascination with Melora drifting around her quarters in low gravity odd because it seems that he would have experienced this scenario during Academy training (see shuttle sequence later in the episode for just one of the reasons they would surely include this). However, his childish celebration of first watching her and then joining her so that they can make out while floating around is sweet.

This is one of the rare episodes when the concurrent A and B storylines intersect on screen, not just thematically. Throughout the episode, we’ve been following the saga of Fallit Kot’s revenge on Quark not suspecting that it would culminate with Kot kidnapping Melora and Dax. The shuttle sequence gives Melora her moment to shine as she is most adapted to act without the gravity generators and, therefore, she is able to surprise and overwhelm Kot. It also seals her decision not to pursue Bashir’s treatments because it allowed her to see what she would be giving up. If she could no longer return to her home planet, she would no longer be who she is.

This episode is simply wonderful from start to finish. No wonder it lives so vividly in my memory. I have to agree with Melora’s final line: “I want to remember all of this.”

Terry Farrell, as usual, is brilliant in her brief moments on screen as Jadzia Dax. She helps Bashir with the final adjustments to Melora’s wheelchair and reminisces about its old-school charm. She is not put off by Melora’s abrasiveness. When she finds Melora writhing on the floor unable to return to her chair, Dax does not belittle her and handles the situation so Melora retains her dignity. Dax isn’t the official Dear Abby of the station, but she does seem to give a lot of advice to those around her. Here we find her counselling Melora about her budding relationship with Bashir and about her conflicting emotions over pursuing the treatments. Dax, of course, is gentle and wise as she shares stories about couples who overcame differences to be together and, later, shares the Earth-fable of The Little Mermaid in which the former mermaid regrets choosing legs.

Quark and Odo are also brilliant throughout the episode. In his first scene, we know something is wrong when Quark offers not just one, but two, patrons drinks on the house. We wonder why Kot threatens to kill him, but waits so long to take action. Perhaps he is enjoying watching Quark squirm. Odo is already aware of Kot’s possible revenge motives on Quark and is keeping an eye on both of them. Having the comms badge ready for Quark shows that Odo cares, but he can’t admit it to the Ferengi, and teases that if Quark is killed he will buy a piece of him during the memorial auction.

This episode is simply wonderful from start to finish. No wonder it lives so vividly in my memory. I have to agree with Melora’s final line: “I want to remember all of this.”