“Where you from?”

“Bajor.”

“That’s in Jersey, right?”

“Riiight.”

“Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang” is about what you’d expect from an episode with such a title: Silly, slightly amusing, lightweight … maybe even entertaining, if you’re in the right mood. This is an episode almost entirely about style (it does attempt to shoehorn in a bit of substance which is more effective than one might expect). So the real problem is in whether or not viewers buy into the style.

There’s also a question of whether or not a story like this ought to have a place in the midst of a grueling war. While I can understand why some might see this as a criticism, I don’t think it works unless there is another “fluff” installment before the series ends (and I’ll come back and revise this review accordingly, if that’s the case). Considering that the series will be confronting some very heavy plot, character and thematic ideas before it ends, it makes sense to cleanse the palate before hand. The episode features a final number called “The Best Is Yet To Come.” So if the cast and crew want a comic romp before the head into the final episodes, that’s fine with me. What that means, though is that the episode’s success boils down to whether or not its execution is strong enough to pull in viewers.

And that’s where legitimate concerns come into play.

The holographic character of Vic Fontaine, created in Season 6, has been something of a flashpoint for fans. Most either love him or hate him. So an episode based almost entirely on his character is going to run afoul of the same kinds of sentiments. I happen to like Vic — he’s an amusing, affable distraction, a nice balance to the dark and gripping war stories — but it’s clear that his character is starting to suffer from diminishing returns. He was used most effectively in “It’s Only A Paper Moon,” but with this episode, his character is wearing a bit thin on the series.

The problem isn’t one of performance, though. He was created as, essentially, a novelty. Trying to deepen his character — which is, afterall, a hologram — would require an episode directly confronting the question of whether or not he is a legitimate life form at this point. Using a comedy just doesn’t legitimize his character, or provide enough justification to focus so much time on him when he isn’t even a fully realized being (the DS9 crew call him a “friend” and that’s important, but it doesn’t go far enough).

The premise is that Vic’s casino is taken over by a rival (it was a “twist” in the original program to keep it fresh, or something). Contrived plot aside, the episode is about how the DS9 crew rush to the aid of their friend — Vic has, afterall, helped Odo and Kira fall in love and Nog to regain his sense of self — no matter the cost. The result is a change from Vic’s Vegas lounge to a Chicago-style mob joint (complete with scantily clad dancers). And if there’s something that the episode does exceptionally well, it’s in creating a wonderfully immersive atmosphere — you can get lost in the setting.

Ultimately, the crew decides they have to rob the casino, in order to have Vic’s rival, Frankie Eyes, get into hot water with his mobster boss. With Frankie Eyes on ice, the program should return to normal. And so we’re treated to a fairly by-the-numbers-but-competently-executed heist sequence. It’s all in good fun and, of course, despite some hiccups in the plan, our heroes succeed and Vic is is finally back where he should be.

But instead of turning to Vic’s character — or, indeed, the whole notion of alternate realities in general — as a source of deeper thought on the episode, we get Sisko’s objection to the Fontaine program on the basis of race. Sisko sees the Fontaine program as inaccurately representing the past and, as a result, he doesn’t want to take part in anything that would be a “lie” about the very real issues of race relations. This is actually a very good concept, unfortunately, it doesn’t quite get the exploration here that it deserves. Either Sisko’s objections weren’t all that strong or his turnaround in opinion is all-too-quick because, by the episode, he’s the guy on stage with Vic, singing “The Best Is Yet To Come” (which is a fantastic moment).

Had the episode stayed closer to the idea of Vic being a “real” person (and had Sisko been convinced to help because he realized Vic was sentient — or at least real to the crew and, therefore, real enough to be worth saving), we’d have had a stronger thematic arc throughout the entire episode. How many people in the internet age have found themselves treating virtual worlds as realities? Whether they be roleplaying games, message boards and so on? It’s not that the issue of race from Sisko is unfounded or unimportant (quite the contrary), it’s just that the episode had a more natural course than the one it went in.

Ultimately, “Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang” is a slightly above-average installment. It’s a lot of fun, with cool settings and costumes. But Vic Fontaine as a character is wearing a little thin (absent any real development) and I think the thematic elements are a bit uneven and unfocused.

Filed under: Deep Space Nine