“Meridian”: The Full-on “Ick” Factor, AKA The Episode that Killed this Blog (Almost)

We don’t often bring our personal lives into these reviews, but it feels important to acknowledge that the last time we posted to Ponderings from the Promenade was in February of 2022, nearly three years ago. I won’t bore you with the details, but I will squarely place blame on “Meridian” for putting the final nail in the coffin. Our contributing reviewers had been dwindling, but then Admiral Jim and I hit “Meridian” in our rewatch and we simply couldn’t bring ourselves to spend time writing the analysis. Unfortunately, it sapped all our energies for the project, until The Delta Flyers started rewatching Deep Space Nine. We’ve been rewatching an episode each week and then listening to “Forever Ensign Harry Kim, Fearless Pilot Tom Paris, and their good friends Quark and Dax,” dissect it. We have sixteen episode write-ups we’ve never posted (that hopefully get posted at some point!), but I’m jumping back in with “Meridian.” Let’s see how it goes!

Who decided Jadzia needed to have a school girl crush? Even crazier, who really thought it was in character for Jadzia to take a sixty year leave of absence from Starfleet to follow a man after a twelve day romance? Ick, and double-ick!

I’m always excited when it’s a Dax-centric episode, and Terry Ferrell does a remarkable job with the material she is given, but never for a moment does the audience feel any chemistry between her and guest actor Brett Cullen, who plays Dax’s ill-fated love interest Deral. In fact, his obsessive attentions toward her are so cringeworthy I felt my insides curl up in disgust.

In the Deep Space Nine Companion article for this episode, all the creatives interviewed admit this episode is a dud. Ira Stephen Behr, who’d championed the idea of a Brigadoon-type story, said he was misguided. Perhaps, had they made it a musical, in which romances are often trite and melodramatic, the audience would have bought into the love story. During The Delta Flyers discussion for this episode, Ferrell said she wished she’d known that Behr had imagined her as Gene Kelly. She would’ve danced, she said, but she wouldn’t have sung!

In my estimation, this is the only true “dud” of the entire run of Deep Space Nine. Some of you might argue that “Move Along Home” qualifies, but I’d argue that Season 1 episode, just nine into the episodes broadcast, was a fun romp, not a dud. It was early in the run. The characters weren’t set yet. The writers were feeling their way through this new beast of a show. Three seasons in? No excuse for flat out getting it wrong! The audience can’t help but wonder if this episode started as one for Bashir, who is always looking for romance, rather than Jadzia, who has always been focused on career and fun, not settling with “the One.”

The planet-side story also feels like The Next Generation with pastel color schemes and pastoral music during the romantic walk scenes between Dax and Deral. The episode is remarkable for being TNG actor Jonathan Frakes’ directorial debut on DS9. It’s possible that his point of view through the camera and the location shoot, which was used in TNG, leant itself to a similar tone to TNG. It is not, however, enough to raise this episode above it’s boring and unbelievable A storyline.

The B storyline, in which Quark attempts to create a Kira holoprogram for a customer, almost redeems the episode, but only because it is responsible for placing the seed of a Kira-Odo romance in the minds of the writers. How? You might ask. Stay tuned for the explanation.

The A Story: Where Dax falls in love? Really?

The A story opens with our team of regulars, Sisko, Dax, O’Brien, and Bashir, along with a handful of unnamed crew, in the Defiant exploring the Gamma Quadrant despite rising tensions between Starfleet and the Dominion. The exposition of this tension and their defiance in the name of science is handily included in the dialogue naturally as the action begins. O’Brien detects some unusual readings that would indicate a planet moments before a planet explodes into existence in front of them. They dispense with the possibility that the planet had been cloaked.

Within moments they receive a hail from the planet, and after a brief greeting between Sisko and the planet’s leader, Seltin, in which they learn little more than that the planet is called Meridian and that it phased into existence, they beam to the planet for First Meal. Our characters are seated in groups with the inhabitants of the planet. Immediately, we see Jadzia and Deral and, immediately, they begin flirting. Deral admires Jadzia’s markings and asks if they are natural or decorative. Jadzia says they are natural and returns the question about the markings around his eyes. He then asks how far they go, to which Jadzia says, “All the way,” while coyly sipping her beverage. O’Brien, who was unlucky enough to be sat across from them, rolls his eyes in appropriate disgust at this intimate conversation between two people who’ve just met.

Through a conversation between Sisko and Seltin, we receive the exposition about how the planet phases between two dimensions–this corporeal one and a noncorporeal one. It’s been sixty years since the last time they were corporeal and they will only be corporeal for twelve days, which explains why the inhabitants seem to relish physical pleasure so much. During this dialogue, Seltin mentions that Deral has been trying to study the phenomenon. It’s about the only hint of why he might be any sort of match for Jadzie, but it is a weak connection that never truly develops.

While the writers considered some of the difficulties of this, there are many questions left unanswered. For example, Deral explains that their population is dwindling because they only reproduce in corporeal form and the corporeal window grows shorter each time. Ferrell plays this scene with such empathy that the audience gets a sense of her need to “fix” the problem, both from a scientific point of view and her budding interest in Deral.

The next scene shows Dax and Deral on the Defiant with the other Starfleet crew discussing what causes the planet to phase into existence. It’s a scene full of technobabble. While the others are there Deral seems intent on helping contribute to the scientific problem, but as soon as they walk away, he only has eyes for Jadzia. Again, Ferrell plays this scene well as Jadzia continues to work on the problem, she lightly chews on her bottom lip. Deral asks if she always does that. It takes her a moment to process, but then she smiles and admits she probably always does.

While there doesn’t seem like time for it, Dax and Deral beam back to the planet for a romantic stroll through a garden. Deral reveals that he’d been married, but that his wife died and now the community is waiting to see who will be his next companion from among the eligible Meridian women. Jadzia asks why he hasn’t chosen yet and he says, “Guess I was waiting for the right woman to fall out of the sky.” Jadzia says, “It doesn’t happen often,” and Deral finishes, “It only had to happen once.”

They proceed to climb a tree where we discover that Jadzia is scared of heights. While Ferrell plays the scene nervously, the audience doesn’t believe Jadzia is afraid. I’m pretty sure this affectation is never mentioned before or after. It simply provides a convenient reason for Deral to have to catch Jadzia as they climb down.

They walk further along and then sit in the grass where they kiss. The entire sequence feels uncomfortably like a herpes medication commercial. The worst part about this scene, and those that follow on the planet, is that Jadzia wears her Starfleet uniform. You might argue that she hadn’t packed casual clothes for an exploratory mission, but there are replicators on the Defiant and there are women on the planet who might’ve loaned her some clothes.

Next, Deral and Dax are pouring over some pads looking at the evidence collected about the phenomena. Deral nearly snaps at her in frustration. However, when Sisko calls for a report from Dax, Deral seems to lose interest in the science and starts distracting her by kissing her neck. Sisko’s jovial attitude seems to imply this is “the morning after” as he suggests that she could return to the ship anytime and then exchanges a chuckle with O’Brien. Deral then suggests they go to his place and “count each other’s spots.” Jadzia says they need to work for a few hours before having fun. Before they can, Jadzia has an epiphany about how they might solve the shortened corporeal timeframes. She excitedly announces that she needs to get this information to Sisko and O’Brien, but then sees Deral’s disappointed and adds, “And then we can count each other’s spots!”

When we return to the planet, Frakes opens with a lovely shot of Deral’s reflection in the water where Dax joins him. Deral says that he plans to build a house for her here. He recognizes that she has a life with Starfleet, but wants her to have a home with him too. This is such a weird concept: He knows she will have aged, possibly sixty years, by the next time they see each other. Does he expect that she will live those intervening years pining only for him? He also offers to join her in the Alpha Quadrant. Their declarations being that they both want to be together despite the odds separating them.

Back in town, Seltin has called a meeting to discuss Dax and O’Brien’s possibility of stabilizing their sun, shortening the noncorporeal cycle, and extending the corporeal cycle. Seltin says now that they have a future, then need to plan for it. Deral says he has something to talk to her about, but Seltin says that is a conversation for him and one of the other Meridian women. Dax smiles knowingly with a hint of jealousy, and shoos him into the meeting.

On the Defiant, Bashir and Dax are discussing the relationship and her possible choices. Bashir teases Dax that Quark lets her win at Tongo, which she rightfully takes offense at. Deral arrives to tell her that he’s told the settlement that he’ll be leaving with her, but he immediately returns to the planet to finalize things.

That evening, Dax cradles Deral’s head in her lap as she describes how to play (and win) Tongo. Deral isn’t listening; he is worried about leaving the community, which has already lost too many people. Dax informs him that she’d already discussed a plan with Bashir to use the pattern buffer in the transporter to match their transdimensional form.

Next, on the Defiant, Sisko enters Dax’s quarters where she excitedly informs him she’s putting in her sixty year leave of absence. Sisko rightly questions her seemingly rash decision. They discuss were it Curzon, who fell in love weekly with a different woman and without thinking, Sisko would stop it. He concludes, “I’ve never seen Jadzia do anything without thinking things through.” Except, we’ve been watching the entire romance and it hasn’t progressed beyond a puppy love flirtation, so seems rash. There’s some discussion in this scene about Dax considering the noncorporeal experience to be part of the adventure, but it is made so little of that it is clear it isn’t actually part of the decision. The scene ends with the strongest emotional beat of this episode as Avery Brooks keeps Sisko’s tears barely in check. They depart on the lighter note that he will be a great grandfather by the time they meet again, and Jadzia says, “Then, I can call you ‘old man.’”

We are then in the final moments of Meridian. Bashir, Sisko, and O’Brien are framed around O’Brien’s station where he is monitoring Dax’s transition with the planet. However, things are not right. The planet seems to be tethered to this plane and is tearing itself apart with Dax as an anchor. On the planet, we see the Meridian residents fading into light while Dax stays solid. O’Brien is forced to beam her back, and she screams in agony of the loss. Usually, the special effects in Star Trek hold up fairly well; however, this obvious use of green screen and Ferrell’s upper body movement without moving her legs looks ridiculous. 

This storyline, and the episode, closes with Sisko coming to check on her. She tells him she needs time alone: “I just need some time.” He leaves. She drops to the floor between the bed and the door. “Just sixty years or so.”

The B Story: Where Kira trumps Quark at his own game

Despite the episode being called, “Meridian,” the opening establishing shot of the episode is an external view of the station rotating and then we cut to Kira ordering coffee too hot to drink. She and Odo converse about why she doesn’t just order it at the drinkable temperature and then whether he’s ever tried to eat or drink, since there are reasons to do so beyond the need for sustenance. He explains that he tried once, but he doesn’t have taste buds so couldn’t have that experience anyway. He refuses to explain more, but concludes that without a digestive system, the rest of the experience “didn’t go well.”

As Kira is smiling and laughing at his discomfort, Jeffrey Combs approaches their table in his first Star Trek Deep Space Nine role, the rather skivvy businessman, Tiron. He is delighted to find Kira and asks where she disappeared to when they were having such a lovely time talking the previous night. Kira says from her perspective, he was doing all of the talking. When it is clear Tiron is not going to leave her alone, Kira introduces Odo as her lover. Tiron says, “You’re a lucky man,” and Kira says, “I’m a lucky woman.” Meanwhile, Odo is struck speechless, but recovers enough to play along. Tiron asks what Odo does for a living and then surmises that, as head of security, he must make a lot of money. Kira says, “Money doesn’t matter. All we need is each other.” She then exchanges, “Sweethearts,” with Odo and leaves. The expression René Auberjonois imbues Odo with speaks volumes. Odo’s affection for Kira has been skirted around during previous episodes, but in this moment, as he stares at his hand where hers was only a moment before, shows such longing for something more. According to The Deep Space Nine Companion, this unscripted look led the writers to further explore Odo’s feelings for Kira.

Tiron must respect societal rules about relationships, because he seems to give up on pursuing the real Kira. Instead, he coerces Quark into developing a new holosuite program for him. Quark asks, “What are you going to do with Maj. Kira in a holosuite?…Nevermind, I don’t want to know.” Yet, he agrees. This, of course, leads to capers as he needs to trick Kira into a holosuite so that he can scan her image. Kira notoriously dislikes holosuites, so this seems an unlikely thing to happen on its own. He devises a plan for her to be his millionth customer. In fact, as Kira enters, another waiter comes over to Quark with a pad to tell him (I love how Quark enlisted others in this ruse!). At first, she says she doesn’t have time for this, but once she learns she’s won something, she relents, having never won anything before. Kira wins a drink, three rounds at the Dabo tables, and an hour in the holosuite, “Good for today only!” She excitedly announces that it is another officer’s birthday and that they will love it. Quark masks his frustration as she heads off to the Dabo tables, free drink in hand.

Later, Quark tries to holofilm Kira on the Promenade, but Odo notices. They confront him. He tries to say he’s only filming the Promenade to send home to his mother, but then admits he does have reason to film Kira. He says his customers are curious about what happens in Ops and that they want to work alongside the impressive Major. Odo grunts his disbelief throughout the scene, and dismisses the program, “Naked, I assume!” Kira takes the holocamera and tosses it over a railing.

Next, Tiron demands the program from Quark by insulting him as “not the business man I thought you were.”

Then, Odo discovers that Kira’s personnel files have been accessed and he’s traced the access back to Quark. He offers to arrest Quark, or to let her do it. Instead, Kira smiles, says she has an idea, and asks if he has a few hours to spare.

When Tiron arrives to claim the program, he tells Quark if he likes it, he’ll purchase it for his home holosuite. Quark is impressed by Tiron’s money. Tiron enters a low-lit room with gauzy curtains separating him from his quarry, he carefully parts the curtains to reveal sexy feet, then legs, but the woman’s head is sunk into the pillows. As the head rises, we see, not Kira’s locks, but Quark’s ridges. This may be the single most disturbing image in Star Trek! In his voice, the character teases Tiron about not liking what he sees. Tiron runs out shouting, “Quark!…I will ruin you!…I don’t know how. I don’t know when, but I will ruin you.” The audience may join him in this cry, but we’re delighted that Kira has her little revenge.

Quark starts to chase after him, unsure of what has happened, but Odo and Kira are at the bar entrance. Kira asks, innocently, “Another satisfied customer?” This is such a great end to this story.

Conclusion

Thematically, both storylines are about obsessive love, not deep and lasting love. They are also cautionary tales about keeping dreams in check.