3.20 — “Improbable Cause”

3.20 — “Improbable Cause”

Plot: An assassination attempt on Mr. Garak draws Odo into an investigation of intrigue between the Romulans and the Obsidian order that has potential long-lasting impact on the politics of Deep Space Nine.

Thoughts: This episode is terrific. OMG! Good writing for Odo and Garak.

But it’s not just the writing; there is some fine direction going on. That beautiful scene where Odo goes to meet his Cardassian informant, with the multilevel set and the beautiful light in the cave? Very imaginatively shot. I watched it like, “Leveling up.” The director? Avery Brooks.

The casting helps, too. I love Paul Dooley as Enabran Tain! I looked him up, his resume goes on and on. In the makeup, he looks and sounds like a Cardassian Albert Brooks.

It’s not nice to make comparisons, but I was looking at all the beautiful special effects and alien makeups, and could not help but think how much better this week’s Flaxian assassin Retaya looks compared to the Sikarians the week in VOY.

The teleplay is credited to René Echevarria, but I suspect much of the writing was done by Ronald D. Moore, who is credited with the second part of the story. I love the references to Julius Caesar in the opening. The Boy Who Cried Wolf story has two great payoffs, the quip “Well that’s a little graphic for children, wouldn’t you say?” and Garak’s alternative moral “You should never tell the same lie twice.” The chance of episodes like this make the effort of this community worthwhile.

When it finished, I wanted to start the next part immediately, although I knew I couldn’t. The seemingly self-contained mystery had just become vital to Dominion arc! Good work.

5 out of 5 uninvited copilots.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Improbable_Cause?title=Improbable_Cause