1.4 — “A Man Alone”
Plot: A Bajoran visitor to DS9 is murdered in the Holodeck, and Odo is suspected of the crime. Meanwhile, Keiko moves to set up a school for children on the station and Sisko works out his complicated history with Dax, while Bashir tries to date her.
Thoughts: I love it. I’m having a lot of fun with this show. I’m afraid that TNG has me grading on so much of a curve that I’m going to end up giving 4 or 5 stars to all of the DS9 episodes.
Bashir and Dax have great chemistry! I don’t know if anything will come of it, but they’re a joy to see together. Odo is really good with Quark and Kira, too. Which makes me wonder, why must the relationships in TNG be so wooden? Riker/Troi and Picard/Crusher don’t have enough heat to melt ice in the desert. Truthfully, I had forgotten what good screen chemistry looks like.
And again–Sisko and Jake are great together. This looks like a real father/son relationship! Sorry, Worf and Alexander. Sorry, Wesley Crusher and, well, anyone.
Things I love this week:
1. Odo’s gripes about “coupling,” which seem oddly specific.
2. That the center of action for the show doesn’t have to revolve around Sisko and Ops, but can just as easily center on the promenade and Quark and Odo.
3. That O’Brien and Keiko can fight over proper adult stuff, like her ability to have a fulfilling career.
4. The classic knife-wielding black-gloved murderer, and the entrance of a mysterious stranger dressed like a blue Obi-Wan. DS9 dares to be weird. This takes a sense of confidence.
5. That Kira is a total spitfire.
6. New backstory information for Odo and Dax.
7. Odo’s confrontation with Sisko–”You don’t know me.” Indeed!
All I have to complain about is that I thought Odo’s hatred of the unwanted station visitor seemed a bit underdetermined. And the gag with the rubber mask at the end… could have been better.
4 out of 5 stars.
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