Show: Star Trek; Deep Space Nine
Episode
Particulars: S5EP19, “Ties of Blood and Water”
Standalone
Thoughts: After two mediocre episodes (and an episode that would be
mediocre for me if I was less invested in Bashir), it’s nice to get one that I
would safely say was good. There’s a lot of stuff I enjoy in this episode—moral
grey areas, Sisko asserting his authority, great dialogue, an excellent
performance by Nana Visitor, a small but well-handled role for Bashir, and
further setup for the big multi-episode story. So in pretty much all respects,
this is a must-see episode.
The one weak spot in the episode is that Kira’s
conflating Ghemor with her father feels shoehorned in. Sure, it was telegraphed
with the episode title “Ties of Blood and Water”, which is a reference to the
phrase “Blood is thicker than water”, but the actual execution is somewhat
lacking. First, they introduce flashbacks to Kira’s past without any warning,
then they insert a conflict two-thirds of the way through the episode, then
they resolve that conflict after about five minutes, and then they finally try
to justify it with a long monologue by Kira that feels somewhat heavy-handed
and only works because Visitor really sells the emotion behind it. We already
had conflict in the form of Sisko butting heads with Dukat, and to a lesser
extent Kira’s worrying about both Ghemor and recording all his secrets, so
throwing in a last minute conflict was unnecessary, especially given the way it
played out. I think with a little tweaking, it could have been a good element
to the story, but as it is, it feels somewhat out of place.
Even so, I don’t think that brings down the episode. Like
I said, the acting is good enough to mostly sell it, it’s just a little thing
that doesn’t feel quite right. My advice is to enjoy the acting and try not to
focus so much on the details. It’s definitely more about feelings than facts
this time around.
How it Relates to
the Whole: In the short term, we learn more about Kira’s time during the
Occupation, which allows for some character development. In the long term,
Weyoun is officially established as a supporting character. He had originally
appeared in “To the Death” (you may recall that he was involved in the Best Exchange
for that episode), but was apparently killed off. However, everyone loved
Jeffrey Combs’ performance so much that they tried to figure out a way to get
him back, and thus created the idea that Vortas were a group of clones. And I’m
very glad they did that, because Weyoun is a lot of fun, and I enjoy having him
around. Now that he’s here, I feel pretty much everything is in place to get
the overarching story started. We just need to find the right catalyst.
Other: *After
spending most of the season in a looser uniform (thanks to the pregnancy), Kira
returns to the more streamlined look from past seasons. It’s not a big deal,
but it startled me when I realized it. Not that I mind, though; Visitor wears
it well, so I’m glad it’s come back.
*Speaking of fashion, I couldn’t help but notice that the
Kira we see in flashbacks is wearing the same outfit she wore in “The
Homecoming”. I’m a little surprised she still had it in her closet. The
flashbacks are also noteworthy because Kira’s hair is bright red, as opposed to
the dark brown she’s now sporting. I don’t know if we’re supposed to chalk that
up to aging or pregnancy, but it definitely makes for quite the contrast.
*Ghemor tells Kira that she now has a whole section in
the Cardassian archives. I like that little detail, because way back in Season
One, Kira was outraged when she learned that the Cardassians considered her a
minor figure in the resistance. It’s a subtle indicator of how times have
changed, and that’s always very pleasing to me.
*SPOILER ALERT FOR
THE END OF THE EPISODE. While I do like the last scene of the episode (and
the set looks gorgeous), I do kind of have to wonder how the Bajorans feel
about Kira burying a Cardassian with all the proper observances on Bajoran
soil. Also, while I get the symbolism, burying Ghemor next to her father, who
was killed by Cardassians, might be considered to be slightly in poor taste.
But that one may be more of a matter of opinion than usual.
Best
Line/Exchange: This was another episode where my choice was locked in
almost immediately, because it’s a routine my family quotes quite a bit;
(Sisko and Dukat
are sniping at each other over an attempted poisoning of Ghemor)
Weyoun (chuckling): How delightful! The mysterious plots,
the subtle innuendo, failed threats, it’s all so…entertaining.
(He reaches over
and grabs the poisoned drink, to both Dukat and Sisko’s amazement.)
Dukat: Wha…
(Weyoun drains the
glass and makes a face.)
Weyoun: Oh, my.
That is quite toxic, isn’t it?
Dukat: Are you insane?
Dukat: Are you insane?
Weyoun: Vorta
are immune to most forms of poison. Comes in handy when you’re a diplomat. (laughs).
Sisko: Especially
when you’re working for the Cardassians.
It’s such an amazing exchange. The unexpected move of
Weyoun just casually drinking the poison, to the point where even the characters
are taken aback, the fantastic line deliveries from all three parties, the fact
that Weyoun’s first lines mirror my own thoughts…no wonder it’s stuck in my
memory for years. Come to think of it, it may also explain why Weyoun was one
of my other favorite supporting characters…
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