4.19 — “Hard Time”
Plot: While visiting an alien world, O’Brien is inflicted with a sadistic punishment that uses a virtual reality machine to simulate 20 years of incarceration and deprivation in a dungeon in one hour of objective time. Returned to DS9, O’Brien struggles to assimilate the trauma of his ordeal.
Thoughts: Whooooa. Where did this come from? This episode is the dark version of “The Inner Light.” You could take a poll, and find out how many prefer this episode or “The Inner Light,” and why, and maybe learn a lot about them.
I like this episode. It’s the stuff! Not a fairy tale. It’s doing what Star Trek is supposed to do: grappling with the human condition.
The condition this week is a deep dive into the aftereffects of trauma that blows away anything we’ve seen before in the franchise on this topic. They didn’t plumb the aftereffects this deep after “Chain of Command.” There is “Family,” the entire episode devoted to Picard’s adjustment after “The Best of Both Worlds,” but it didn’t go this far.
It’s a tough, tough story. Kudos to Colm Meaney, Alexander Siddig, and Avery Brooks for doing some of their best work. The guest star, Craig Wasson, was also great.
The tight focus on O’Brien’s perspective perhaps shields us from the crew’s reaction to the Agrathi; their conduct is unforgivable.
What do you think?
5 out of 5 sand drawings.
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