Ray’s Take on Episode 1: “Emissary”
At the Mountains of Misgivings
Let me Preface my Preface with a little bit about me. While many people want to be right all of the time, I often want to be wrong. I think this might be infected. I think that could be cancer. I suspect that she is cheating on me. I hope I’m wrong. As such, I went into DS9 with Misgivings, hoping to be wrong.
TNG was wrapping up, they had hit their stride with fully developed characters and amazing episodes. DS9 had big shoes to fill. Things didn’t look great. Starring Hawk from Spencer for Hire? Clayton from Benson? The transporter guy from TNG, who had limited screen time and less character development? Not looking good at all.
And it’s set on a space station. Station as in stationary. Trek had been about the new planet and/or alien of the week. Formulaic, perhaps, but one that had done well throughout TOS and TNG.
DS9 starts with the darkest moment of TNG, Locutus and Wolf 359. WTF? Jennifer has no lines nor character development and yet you can see and feel Sisko’s pain. Apparently, Hawk CAN act.
I like the esthetics of the station. It’s elegant and pretty, vaguely resembles Cardassian heads and necks. Beautiful, if you ignore the fact that it was a hard labor internment camp.
Fun fact: They used a real model for every single shot of the station until the last episode, which was CGI.
Cardassians are jerks and Bajorans are weird mystics. The Nazi and Jew parallels are obvious and yet compelling.
Jake acts like a real teenager, having one of my own. I relate on multiple levels.
Kira is mad at the universe and seems pretty certain that Bajor has just gotten out from under one fascist regime to have it replaced by another, albeit one that SEEMS more benevolent, if indifferent.
Odo is a tough sheriff with little patience for those that don’t follow the rules, HIS rules. Quark and Nog are shifty and underhanded, as stereotypical Ferengi should be.
Picard probably isn’t used to being kept waiting and Sisko oozes seething hatred throughout the interview. Hawk can act. And the renowned diplomatic captain fails miserably.
Sisko uses extortion and a willingness to bend Starfleet regulations to his advantage. Well done for a man that doesn’t want to be there, or anywhere for that matter, if not for his love for his son.
So, we have a frontier town with a sheriff and unscrupulous tavern keeper. I like the Old West vibe. No one likes or trusts anyone else. Am I really watching Star Trek?
Dax is lovely and intelligent, I guess having a centuries old slug in your gut might do that. Old Man, indeed.
Bashir is shy but optimistic and really gets off on the wrong foot with Kira. Ah, the Columbus attitude, anyone?
Dukat is a snake (or a turtle). If he told me the sky was blue, I would have to look outside just to make certain.
Odo, Quark, O’Brien, and Kira work together surprisingly well against a mutual enemy. Putting aside differences to get the job done? This is looking more like Trek.
I love that the runabouts are named after rivers. It just fits.
O’Brien shows some resourcefulness and some fire. Meaney is great in most of his other work, BTW.
Time had been foreshadowed a few times (see what I did there) before the Wormhole. And using baseball to explain linear time? Awesome.
Truly, the writing and acting at this point have me hooked. Conflict, drama, emotionally compelling scenes and generation of interest in what is to come…
So, despite the Mountains of Misgivings and coupled with the desire to be proven wrong, I find myself having hope for the future of DS9, which, really is our past so this is all really nonlinear temporal stuff. Kind of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey if I can plagiarize another franchise…
Return to Episode 1 Guide
Return to Jim’s or Rhonda’s Take
Continue to Matt’s Take
Ponderings from the Promenade: A Journey through Star Trek Deep Space Nine 
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