Show: Star Trek; Deep Space Nine
Episode
Particulars: S6EP13, “Far Beyond the Stars”
Note: We’ve got another case of episode swap today. We’ll
see if the DS9 Companion gives a
reason for it today or tomorrow.
Standalone
Thoughts: I’ll give the episode this; even though you just know it’s
eventually going to turn into a message story, it manages to avoid getting
really preachy until very late in the game. I think part of that is due to the
novelty of seeing a lot of the characters out of makeup, and wondering who’s
going to pop up where. Or maybe that’s just the writer in me; I love the idea
of experimenting with your creations and putting them in very different
settings just to see what happens, so seeing someone else do it might be more
appealing to me than it is to others. Even without that aspect, though, I think
a large chunk of the material is well handled. The sets, costumes, and music
set the atmosphere perfectly, the banter between the characters is fun, and the
preachier elements aren’t in-your-face. So for the most part, the episode can
mostly be treated like the forays into the Mirror Universe; canon and yet not
quite connected.
As I said, though, the episode gives up or gives in near
the end, depending on your point of view. The scenarios get more blatantly
racist, and Avery Brooks is given an impassioned speech that may be sincerely
delivered, but winds up feeling like overacting to me. Plus, we know from the
teaser that this episode is of the “it’s all a dream/hallucination” variety, so
people who don’t like that trope are probably going to be doubly annoyed. Then,
of course, you throw in some philosophical “what is reality” talk, and the
whole thing just becomes even more messy. In the end, I’d say this is mostly a
good episode, but the ending downgrades it to being in the middle of the pack.
I know a lot of people love this episode, but like the equally well-regarded “The
Visitor”, I can understand the reason for it, but don’t entirely share the
opinion myself. So I guess that makes me a semi-contrarian this time.
How it Relates to
the Whole: Not only is this episode a surprise callback to “Rapture”, but
despite all appearances, it’s going to wind up being relevant later. But we’ll
get into that discussion when the time comes.
Other: *That
model rocket in the center of this shot;
…looks uncannily like the rocket Hergé drew for his series
featuring Tintin on the moon;
(original source here)
I’m not sure if that was a common design/color scheme
from the 50’s or if the writers were doing a deliberate homage. It did cause me
to double take, at any rate.
*Shortly before watching this episode, I stumbled across
this, and therefore
spent a little time thinking about it myself. Looking at the names for the 50’s
characters on Memory Alpha, I saw that they’d named Bashir’s character Julius
Eaton, which is about as British a name as you can get. I’m guessing that,
because they wanted the focus to be on Sisko/Benny, they decided to just have
Julius be an Englishman with a deep tan. Sure, it might have been interesting
to have Julius as an Arabic character, or have the concept of white passing be addressed,
but maybe they didn’t want to go too far into message territory, or thought
there wasn’t enough time to include that plot thread. In the end, I think it’s
up to each individual person to decide if the writers made the right call. Me,
I think it could have gone either way.
*Speaking of Memory Alpha, I’d had my suspicions while
watching the episode, but it was only while checking the character names on
Memory Alpha that I got confirmation that Kay/Kira and Julius are supposed to
be married. Given the offscreen relationship between Alexander Siddig and Nana
Visitor, that’s a nice little touch.
*Douglas/Odo and Herbert/Quark’s constant arguing makes
sense, since it’s mirroring the relationship between Odo and Quark, but the enmity
between Herbert and Julius kind of comes out of nowhere. Maybe it was supposed
to show how things were different instead of similar (Albert is absolutely
nothing like O’Brien save for the interest in mechanical things), but some fans
may be left wondering if there’s something they’ve been missing.
*I’m kind of astounded that the episode managed to use the
n-word at one point. Sure, it’s period accurate, but that just seems like one
of those words you aren’t allowed to air on TV. It’s entirely possible I’m
wrong on that one, though. This could just be a social taboo rather than a
mandated one.
*One of the shots used as we come back from commercial is
blatant stock footage. Cost-cutting measure or nod to the period? You decide!
*And on the subject of commercial breaks, they’re pretty subdued
this time around, often fading out on scenes where nothing’s really happening.
There isn’t even a dramatic music sting on several of them. I guess the
weirdness of the situation’s supposed to be enough, but it’s still noticeable.
Best
Line/Exchange: Since the third act gets too preachy/philosophical, I knew
I’d be choosing something from earlier in the episode. And as is common for me,
I gravitated to the humor;
(The “Incredible
Tales” artist, Roy [J.G. Hertzler, aka Martok] is offering up art for the
writers to base their stories on)
Roy: And this
is Mr. Pabst’s favorite.
(He holds up a
drawing of a giant praying mantis ogling a woman in a bikini)
Douglas: “Honeymoon
on Andoras”
Kay: Oh, you’ve
got to be kidding.
Roy: What? So I
had too much sauerkraut on my franks that night. What can I say?
Herbert: Be
that as it may, that is the worst piece of garbage I have ever seen.
Roy: Thank you.
Herbert: I’ll
take it.
This one’s all about the banter and the delivery, and
there’s not much more to say than that. I’m just a sucker for snappy dialogue.
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