All reviews for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 5 have been completed:
“Apocalypse Rising” is meant to kick off season 5 of Deep Space Nine in grand fashion. It certainly has the feel of an episode trying to be epic and dramatic in nature. But it never quite lives up to its own expectations. This is, primarily, a plot-based vehicle with one overriding purpose: To put an end to the war which was about to erupt as season 4 drew to a close. There are some nice character moments, and surprising plot twists, thrown into the mix. But it’s not enough to make the overcome the sense that this is an episode that is just going through the motions.
Despite a few missteps, “The Ship” is a riveting, intense, and meaningful episode. It’s been awhile since Deep Space Nine has had an outing that was as explicit in its overall message. What’s interesting is that it occurs alongside genuine action and suspense. The result is a surprisingly well-balanced installment. If you could set aside a handful of melodramatic moments, this would have been a truly exceptional episode.
With a name like “Looking For par’Mach In All The Wrong Places” you kind of have to expect an episode like this. Truly, this is as whimsically overblown as an episode can possibly be, while still teetering on the edge of entertainment. I suppose this evokes, more or less, a “hate it or tolerate it” response. I cannot fathom any fans absolutely loving it. But to be fair, a series often needs a silly, whimsical episode just to prove that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. And for that reason alone, this installment is acceptable. Beyond that, though, there’s very little legitimacy to be found — even if you do manage a few chuckles at the events.
On a purely visceral level, “Nor the Battle to the Strong” is a triumph of television. It’s not often that an episode captures tension and suspense alongside deep character exploration and a poignant look into human nature. But that’s precisely what we get here. On the surface, the story is about the loss of innocence. But its many layers incorporate war and courage, cowardice and introspection. Perhaps the episode is a bit too explicit in its messages, but that’s a subjective point. More importantly, this episode means something. It’s a story worth telling. And it manages to convey a complex array of human reactions, responses and characteristics. Easily one of the best outings that Deep Space Nine has to offer.
I literally rolled my eyes and groaned out loud when the premise of “The Assignment” was revealed. As far as hokey, preposterous concepts go, this is right up there with the worst. Still, the episode managed to make the most out of its setup, right up until its final paces. Despite the silly story, there was enough tension and emotion to give the narrative a measure of (almost) legitimate drama. But, of course, when the foundation is shaky to begin with, it doesn’t take much for the whole construct to come crashing down into ruin. And that’s basically what happens before it’s all over.
“Trials And Tribble-ations” is a perfect Star Trek episode. That’s not to say that the story itself is transcendent, or that the humor is inherently funny. But for a Star Trek fan, there is no better conceived or executed homage. Indeed, this episode succeeds masterfully where many a TNG episode (“Relics,” “Unification”) fell short. From start to finish, not only is it a nostalgia trip, it’s a story worthy of enjoyment on its own merits. Really, the only possible criticism to this episode is that it requires a kind of admiration for and knowledge of the original series episode, “Trouble With Tribbles” (without which many of *this* episode’s conceits fall considerably short). But for a fan-based tribute episode, I cannot imagine something executed better than this.
Oh, where to begin? “Let He Who Is Without Sin” isn’t just a bad episode. It’s an embarrassment. It’s a silly, soapy mess which makes the mistake of also trying to be an important commentary. But the whole misguided nature of the characters, story, script, acting, and so forth make the installment both nonsensical and pretentious — a rather baffling feat, if you think about it. But really, it’s best not to think too much about this episode. There’s little point in doing so.
“Things Past” is an awkward, inelegant attempt at some serious and profound character development and thematic exploration. The episode has its heart in the right place, it has the best of intentions. But the basic premise, the one required to get into the depths of the story, is just too obscure and bizarre to be an effective portal. The problem is, the audience is required to accept the premise throughout the entire episode — not just at its beginning. The result is that, despite the rather stunning revelations, the episode just doesn’t register as anything particularly special or noteworthy.
“The Ascent” offers some enjoyable moments tucked into an otherwise unremarkable episode. It’s not like this is a terrible installment, or that it’s fraught with mistakes or missteps. But it never really comes together into something noteworthy or praiseworthy. It’s enjoyable, as far as its runtime goes, but I doubt that it will have a whole lot of impact beyond the confines of its story. Indeed, this is the epitome of average Trek, finding some worthy character moments in a tale that never really manages to capitalize on its foundations.
For the first time, Sisko orders Kira as The Emissary, not as a Captain.
“Rapture” is just a bit too melodramatic for its own good. The story is solid. The implications are profound and emotionally affecting. But it’s an episode that take itself just a tad bit too seriously. And, too, the production doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights to which it aspires. There’s nothing wrong, of course, in producing an episode which which is meant to transform the series both in terms of character and narrative. But for what it’s worth, this episode misses the mark of being exceptional. Instead, it has to settle for merely “very good.”
“The Darkness and the Light” is a thoroughly ambitious episode. The high-risk, high-reward approach certainly yields an installment which is compelling and thought-provoking. But it’s by no means perfect. In fact, much of the episode is style over substance — going for mood and tone, rather than a well-structured story. But in the end, the point is more about the emotions and ideas that the tale evokes, rather than the means by which it evokes them. And on that level, the episode succeeds quite well. The result is a classic, especially considering the powerhouse performances. But the episode certainly shouldn’t be mistaken as the best Deep Space Nine has to offer.
“The Begotten” is an episode high on emotions, actions and drama, but relatively light on implications for the series as a whole, from a plot standpoint. If this sounds a tad contradictory it’s because, well, the episode itself is a contradiction of what the series had established since the end of season four. And for all its bluster, the episode may have positively overstepped its bounds. There are some really good character dynamics at work here, and there’s no question this is a memorable episode, but if anything, it’s not quite a classic.
From start to finish, “For The Uniform” has an almost cinematic quality to it. It’s got a kinetic narrative, driven by strong, plausible characters. It touches on a wide range of themes and conflicts. The dialogue, pacing and acting are exceptional. There are two potential points of criticism, toward the end of the episode, but they aren’t enough to derail the momentum the story manages to build. Put simply, this episode is a triumph of thoughtful action and entertainment. Outside of its final moments, this is one of the best installments of Deep Space Nine.
After a long, slow, almost inexorable buildup, “In Purgatory’s Shadow” ends with one most memorable and thrilling cliff hangers in the entire Trek franchise. And when you factor in the avalanche of character revelations and plot twists, it’s little wonder why this episode is so highly praised among Deep Space Nine fans. But it’s not perfection. The pacing is suspect and considering the sheer volume of twists there’s some diminishing returns at stake. Still, this is one of those transformative episodes after which nothing will be the same again. And for that alone, it is exceptional.
“By Inferno’s Light” carries the momentum built by its predecessor a considerable distance. But there are enough complications, issues, and questions to keep it from being a truly exceptional episode on its own merits — even if it does contain a genuinely solid plot twist in its opening paces. Make no mistake, this is a worthy, entertaining and thrilling installment of Deep Space Nine. It almost effortlessly expands on the lore of the series. It’s very, very good … just not exceptional.
Of all the harebrained schemes and plot contrivances in Star Trek lore, this has to be one of the silliest, most ridiculous ones I can imagine. “Doctor Bashir, I Presume” is a perfect example of what can go wrong when a series takes itself too seriously and tries too hard to be edgy, or innovative or provocative. Deep Space Nine has been a fantastic series thus far, building on strong character developments and interactions to fuel some really enjoyable and thoughtful stories. But this episode can only be categorized as a mistake. In fact, even one does manage to suspend disbelief long enough to accept the premise (a tenuous proposition at best), the rest of the episode still manages to be utterly pedestrian at best and downright ludicrous at worst. It says something that the *only* noteworthy element of the episode comes from a guest star who happens to provide a bit of continuity to Star Trek: Voyager.
“A Simple Investigation” is a romance. It’s a slow, deliberate and often tender affair, despite the film noir and mystery elements. As such, it’s a nice change of pace from the recent Deep Space Nine fare. It’s a nice story. And it allows for some important character work to be done. But there are plenty of potential barriers between this episode and viewers. The pacing is glacial. The plot is cliché and silly. Some of the character decisions don’t make a whole lot of sense. Plus, the story is, well, slow. Very. Slow.
“Business As Usual” is one of those “typical” Star Trek episodes which puts its characters into tight spots to prove a point about one thing or another. It’s a fairly straightforward and usually successful formula. And in this installment, the story works. The problem, though, is that it doesn’t really do anything spectacular, interesting or particularly noteworthy. The result is an episode which is, simply, average.
“Ties Of Blood And Water” gets high marks for its emotional impact and its attention to detail, particularly in the realm of emotions, consequences and regrets. A few questionable decisions and a relative slow pace hold it back a little, but the continuity between this story and others is enough to make it a true classic.
“Ferengi Love Songs” is a train wreck of of misplaced ideas, humor and stories. Almost nothing works here, from the premise to the script to the performances. Instead of humor, we get horrid. The installment increasingly grates on the nerves and the only way to endure this drivel is try to ignore it as it unfolds. I’m not sure why Deep Space Nine had such a fetish for bad Ferengi stories — there’s no reason why they all have to be nonsensical farces — but the love affair with the Ferengi is destructive and demeaning.
“Soldiers of the Empire” is a good Klingon episode that tilts slightly toward the melodramatic. Still, despite the heavy-handed approach to its central conflict, it nonetheless tells the tale of how far two men would go to save the honor of the other. In that sense, it’s a fine tale, worthy of being told. In many ways, this is Deep Space Nine’s version of TNG’s “A Matter of Honor.” And while the TNG installment fares better, DS9 has, shall we say, an honorable followup.
With “Children of Time,” Deep Space Nine does a TNG-style episode … and does it very, very well. This is a solid sci-fi story, designed in such a way as to explore some deep, meaningful questions. There are some issues in terms of story decisions and character motivations. And there are those ever-persistent paradoxes that tend to crop up with “time travel” stories. But on the whole, this is an episode with the potential to be affecting on both thoughtful and emotional levels.
“Blaze of Glory” is an episode about closure. It’s ironic (and a fantastic idea) that the answers ere wrapped in shades of grey, showing the multifaceted nature of the issues surrounding the central plot of the episode. Once again, there’s some great writing and great acting — with enough action thrown in to keep viewers on their toes. The result is an episode that is very, very good.
“Empok Nor” is an exercise in mood and suspense. On those levels, it works quite well. It also features some strong character interaction, though this is perpetuated into a bit of hyperbole by the episode’s main conceit. As such, it isn’t quite as evocative or valuable as it might otherwise have been. In the end, the episode goes for broke in the hopes that the audience will hang on for the ride. The results? That all depends on how far down the rabbit hole you’re willing to go …
“In The Cards” is an enjoyable distraction, ending with an important, and profound thought. In many ways, it shows how infectious optimism can be, and how important it is to do things for other people. There’s a nice level of humor to the story. And the characters are fun to watch. But it’s a slow, meandering tale which takes some time to get moving and never really finds a great deal of traction. I do like the “calm before the storm” approach to this, the penultimate episode of Deep Space Nine’s fifth season (the finale will surely be a riveting affair). Still, as pleasant as this outing might be, it just isn’t a particularly exceptional episode.
“A Call To Arms” features a long (almost too long) buildup to one of the best closing sequences we’ll see for a season finale in a Star Trek series. In many ways, the episode is a bit like watching a summer thunderstorm build and creep closer and closer before the torrent of wind, rain and lightning is unleashed. The one drawback to the episode, though, is that its opening paces stumble ever-so-slightly and, as such, the buildup isn’t quite as suspenseful as it might otherwise have been. No matter. The episode will be remembered much more for its final moments than the forgettable scenes which led to them.
VN:F [1.8.2_1042]
Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)
VN:F [1.8.2_1042]
Topics: Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
Filed under: Star Trek | 2 Comments »
Loading ...
