“If Wishes Were Horses” is meant to be an exploration, celebration, and exaltation of our imaginations. Ironic, then, that the episode seems to be overwhelmed – indeed overrun – by hyperactive imaginations from everyone from the characters to the writers. It’s the kind of idea that sounds nifty as an idea, but whose execution is necessarily too esoteric and obscure to be really compelling or meaningful. To underscore the point, the episode really only gets to the heart of its message in its last scene – when the message is explicitly stated. Stories are best when they demonstrate their message, rather than having to resort to characters waxing quasi-philosophically in their final moments. Alas, such is the fate of this particular installment.

Things begin with a conversation between Quark and Odo about Quark’s holosuites and the need for people to indulge in their (oftentimes salacious) imaginations. It’s an amusing moment, featuring an enjoyable exchange when Odo proclaims, “You’re disgusting,” to which Quark quips, “It’s a living.”

But the real plot begins oddly – and threateningly – following a bedtime reading of Rumpelstiltskin by O’Brien to his young daughter. When she suddenly appears and says that “He’s in my room,” there’s a palpable sense of spookiness at the line. But, as it turns out Rumpelstiltskin (who really is there, portrayed by Michael John Anderson) is played more for laughs than horror and any tension generated by his sudden, inexplicable appearance evaporates.

Other “figments of the imagination” include a 21st century baseball player who appears to Jake and an amorous version of Jadzia Dax who appears to Bashir – much to his embarrassment and chagrin. Along the way, the promenade sees a snowstorm, Quark gets a pair of “trollops” and general chaos ensues. It turns out, the figments are all part of an alien experiment designed to learn more about “imaginations.” It’s not a terribly interesting concept because it relies on the aliens’ stated jealousy and admiration for our imaginations for the entire episode to work.

One might also say that you have to have an overactive active imagination for the episode to work.

The drama for the episode comes from a subspace anomaly which suddenly threatens Deep Space Nine and the entire Bajoran system. But it, too, is part of the imaginations of the people on DS9 and so the whole thing ends abruptly once Sisko finally figures it all out – but not until we’re subjected to an onslaught of technobabble explanations and conversations and debates.

“If Wishes Were Horses” just doesn’t work exceptionally well. It gets credit for a focused message. But the imaginations run like wild horses and the execution isn’t suited to contain them into a well-harnessed episode.

Filed under: Deep Space Nine