Nobody Does Everything

Well this one was kinda fun!

Once again stating that I love Jake and Nog. Maybe because I have experience being a teenager and not experience being a Starfleet officer, but I find them extremely relatable. Every little teenager thing they do gets a little "Ha ha" out of me.

I love their beef with Hallway Monitor Odo.

Nog is actually extremely based because I also laughed my ass off at Jake's reaction to having "Odo" spilled all over him. He was so concerned. "Odo!!!!" Odo doesn't look like that. I'm also imagining the scenario where Odo actually is spilled all over a person and they just go "Oh no!!!! Are you okay!!!" trying to scoop him up with their hands, and crying. Thank you for this Nog.

And I like how Jake is so genuinely done with and annoyed with Nog but still helps him out. Jake actor you're killing it. The performance just feels so grounded. I am entertained by the teenage-friendship-ism.

Jake who can talk to a girl like she's a normal person vs. Nog the awkward mess. How lovely. I half expected this to turn into a jealousy/entitlement plotline but I'm glad it didn't!

I liked the resolution and Nog's advice coming from Ferengi culture actually helping her with the negotiations and get a good deal for her people! Nog got to be the hero of that situation! W.

And I liked this leader girl. I like how she was both extremely mature but also had a good time with people her age. I like how her ability to lead was never challenged, just pointing out how the view of her as a new leader caused her to overcompensate in her willingness to concede. I also liked her agreeing to hang with Jake for strategic reasons as well (though also enjoying it!)

I liked their balcony scene together! "I ask my dad." "I ask my dad, too!" "It helps, doesn't it?" "Yeah. 😁" "No. 😐" And then Jake and her immediately moving on in the conversation fried me. I genuinely feel for him. Free my boy Nog.

Oh yeah we started this episode with Julian annoying O'Brien again. I like how they're continuing this subtle dynamic where O'Brien is just there and cannot stand him. The Julian haterism of it all was hilarious.

I also love how he was being a prick on Bajor about the whole Sirah thing. Lightheartedly. But no wonder O'Brien doesn't want to call him "Julian" lmfao.

I like how this whole B-plot (A-plot?) ((Bajor-plot?)) was O'Brien being put in an uncomfortable situation. And Julian witnesses.

I also like how we didn't take out the evil thingy as planned, we just left these people to their ritual dangerous yearly hype-up.

FORGOT TO ADD. Jake's crazy green blue yellow whatever outfit is kind of atrocious and it made the Odo oatmeal scene even more hilarious. Future fashion is just crazy. I actually added this because I started the next episode and in the first scene he's still wearing it 😭😭😭

Kira episode with some fun Star Trek eternal-conflict-and-war commentary on the side!

It was a bold choice to bring back this important spiritual leader from episode 1 back into the story to die and be revived to live eternally on a immortally warring torture planet. I mean, it's damn interesting, that's for sure. I hope we get to see where that leads in the future!

Interesting point to leave on, both showing the pointless continuation of conflict and having her stay saying her purpose is to help these people move forward. We get no guarantee she's going to help them, since it's sort of a helpless note to end on. Usually a plot like this ends with some sort of resolution hinting that the character will be able to change things or that there's hope, but here I don't know. That's probably why I think I need to see them again in the future. Does not feel resolved right now! But maybe that's the point?

Highlight of the episode was Kira being reminded of her past! And we start the episode with a reminder of that with the funny Cardassian reports plot point. Creative way to recap and give Kira a funny moment showcasing her personality. Her actor killing it, as usual. I love the barely-constrained rage, but also her consistent semi-positive demeanor. She smiles often and it reads as someone who is self-assured but is also used to having to communicate with people a lot. Politician Kira agenda growing.

But the scene where she breaks down with the Opaka? Wait I forgot there were multiple.

The death scene, man, I really love how much focus we give to the Bajoran culture and religion. I love my alien cast! And she's such a strong command-type that it's interesting to see her religious faithfulness. Don't see much of that in Star Fleet, or maybe that's just my anti-religion bias and that episode of TNG where religion gives Picard the ick so hard that gets himself shot playing in my mind 24/7

And then the scene in the cave, oh I love how the wordless grace the Opaka gives her causes her to break down. She feels so much guilt over her past!

Also in general the Opaka is so based? She's kinda chill? And a real one? Cool vibes on the station, incredible advice to Kira, and genuine care for the struggles of others. Very likable!

Thank you Opaka for telling Kira she doesn't need forgiveness just to forgive herself. You are my favorite religious figure.

I like Julian's moment this episode of ethical disappointment "As a doctor, I have an ethical duty to free these people from this immortal suffering." "We can win the war!" Immediately gives up.

He sold the complete disappointment.

Meeting paternal over that goo man that is twice my age. I have no idea how this happened.

It's an Odo episode where Odo gets to be sad and conflicted and holding back hope! Yay!

He's actually become my little guy and this snuck up on me like a freight train

He smiled at that little girl I am internally crying

Episode starts with another instance of Quark facilitating murder, guess that's confirmation he doesn't really care if he's not the one doing the killing 😭

Odo being able to shatter into multiple pieces as glass and re-goo is fascinating. It's been a while since Odo goo moment.

The way Quark had such a small role in this episode but the scene where Odo sort of frantically interrogates him about what the man said about his homeworld???? Quark actor you're killing it. Both of them are.

Odo barely able to keep back his emotional desperation even as he hides it under his usual tough security demeanor? Quark starting thinking he's going to be grilled normally but as he witnesses Odo's reaction realizing that this is serious and ending up looking concerned for this friend??? The genuine concern on his face by the end of it??

Guys I don't think this is a joke anymore, I think I may love them.

Quark knows him so well! And he cares! We knew this from A Man Alone but still it continues

And the way the episode started with Quark making jabs about Odo's species making this scene a sort of subtle character arc that leads me to think he wouldn't taunt him about it if it actually hurt him? Maybe I'm reading too much into it but I don't think so, the actor really sold it to me.

I like Croden's performance throughout the episode, his demeanor is funny as hell. Squirrelly but in a genuine, awkward way, but still quippy and sharp. For some reason from the beginning I trusted him. Too much, because it turns out he was lying. But I only got good vibes! (He did kill someone though.)

It was hilarious how much he piled on the lies though. In the shuttle when he just started sucking up to Odo and his fake species like crazy. I respect it immensely. Get your daughter, king.

When Odo pushes him against the wall and yells how much was real. And it was none. Ouch. Odo doesn't deserve to have hope snatched away! His emotions!

The pause Odo takes when Croden asks if he'll protect his daughter. I loved that pause. A lot was communicated in that look. Odo's shocked by the turn of events, processing his own grief along with the idea that Croden did have a good reason to trick him, and maybe processing how he's a good guy who cares?

But Odo agrees with me about the good vibes because he killed their pursuers, lied to the station, and let them free. The way he really had no evidence Croden was telling the truth specifically about his innocence in any other matter but him having a daughter who loves him, but he did it anyway. But I do agree with the vibe check!

I love it when these characters do incredibly not-Starfleet shit. Let's lie and keep lying.

I've mentioned it before but it's Odo's gruff exterior covering up his sort of protective defensiveness from being othered and his desire for belonging that makes me feel. Things. It's the walls characters put up that make me feel for them!

I believe the internet will cringe if I call Odo "baby" but that is what I was doing during that entire final scene. Let him find his people!!!

I actually got impatient and watched episode 10&11 back to back because I wanted more haha. But here's my thoughts on this parenthood-Quark-embarrassment episode!

Didn't take too long for me to realize this was the Princess Bride guy. Very recognizable voice!

Also his prosthetics were crazy detailed. Old ass Ferengi I wasn't really familiar with your game

I am very glad the Quark plotline ended with it being a trick and him not actually being promoted like crazy. I don't know just how important or famous Quark is as a scammer yet, but it did feel like one of our cast just got promoted to King of the World with no pretense except for main character status. So cheers to Quark being a loser!

I took me way too long to realize the A-plot of this episode was the parenting and the B-plot was Ferengi treachery fun times

Which is good because I liked the parenting part more! Got me a bit emotional!

I actually loved all the scenes of it. I love how Jake and Sisko's (I know they're both Siskos but one of them is my captain man so he is The Sisko) actors sell their relationship! It feels very grounded and sweet!

And I love how the plotline is basically Sisko getting advice from his officers that he needs to change his parenting style, and even though Sisko doesn't usually he doubts himself because of the new location and new teen behavior. with the outcome being that no! Sisko should trust his parenting and his son just like he wanted to! Jake's a good kid! That upholds the values of his father because he loves him!

It's like Jake realized Sisko's values about intercultural communication better than even he was, sticking with his friendship with Nog! And Sisko saw this and was so proud to be wrong!

These bitches are convincing me parenting is beautiful or something!

And I like how two characters we love and respect, O'Brien and Dax, basically gave shit parenting advice in this situation. I like how they let them have their biases among their good intentions. O'Brien's raising a toddler. Dax is apparently a bad parent (??? DAX I WILL SEE YOUR ANGSTY FUCK-UP PAST LIVES I SWEAR IT) multiple times over. They don't know Jake! Sisko knows Jake! His son is awsome!

And I thought the Nog and Jake scenes were really sweet. Child arguments and child reconciliations. Relatable.

Also there was more Quark being in love with Odo in this episode. Like they bantered and Odo refused to kiss his scepter but instead of Quark clapping back about it he just fondly went, "I guess I can make an exception for you" after he walked away???? That wasn't for anyone??? QUARK STAND UP

People hate this episode??? I thought it was a pretty good time!

It is kind of hilarious that we went an entire morning without realizing all of our command team went missing off the station? It is crazy we don't have auto-reports flagging that, especially with our badges leaving the ship. Star Fleet! Get on that!

Our Star Fleet security guy is still here! I'm glad that established dynamic is carrying over right away.

"I'm prettttttyyyy sure everyone's just hungover, don't worry. Also I did not check." You were very capable last episode 😭

This was a Quark episode! And I thought it was a good Quark story! It's the most we've seen of him on a human level and it was cool to see.

I thought his breakdown was well-acted as well, I was kinda like wow, this is really genuine. This man does not in any way want to kill innocent people. The way he immediately switched over from "get money" mode to "ok ok ok safest path for the people please" did surprise me in positive way! (It is funny that he did a job hiring a bunch of mercenaries for a criminal last episode that shot a bunch of people and kidnapped Bashir. That is funny in retrospect. Bit of a coward, so I do think it's the personal involvement aspect - he's not there, he's not making the calls, so he doesn't feel the weight of anything but his pockets lol)

But actually the highlight of the episode is Quark asking Odo to blow on his dice. Why did he do that. Why was he so very serious about it. Why did it actually happen. Quark was so pleased too? Help?

The way Quark had a whole monologue about how Odo needs to trust him, even getting Odo to blow on his dice (???????) to bless the roll, and immediately met with the roll being shit and someone having to die for it. If I were Odo I'd be so embarrassed I would kill him.

Okay sorry I literally just rewatched the dice blowing scene and I am losing it. Quark was so adamant. He said it twice. Each of the line deliveries gives an entirely different attitude about it and both are insane. Why was he so satisfied about it. I'm fucking wheezing.

But the highlight of the episode is that Quark actually cares and that he's also married to Odo or something idk

And both of those make the episode significantly stronger to me!

Do people hate this episode because they made the crew Be Cringe in hopscotch. Because I did get hysterical at that, that was great. My response to cringe is Hahaha what the hell sure. That clip should haunt all of those 3 forever though, I hope it's remembered.

To be for realsies I would guess people rate this episode lower because the sci fi plot of it all is eh. The puzzles were all kind of obvious, and the end of the episode reveals that the stakes were nothing. But I liked the nothing reveal because I thought it was funny. Traumatized just for fun. Aliens this would be so much cooler with informed consent.

"How is Quark going to get them out of this?" He's not, he's going to lose because he's a loser 😭

HELP I just realized that Quark's genuine insistence that Odo trust his gambler strats and his ability to save them is even more embarrassing now. They all died. He didn't do shit. Odo just had the most disappointing Quark interaction of his life, and that's saying something.

I forgot this episode started with Sisko and his son having a plotline!

That kid actor is actually continuing to kill it, he's really funny and he sells the dynamic really well.

From the moment he sat down and chilled out with his orange juice with his dad I could sense the vibes of how good their relationship is. Cheers to good fathers!

Whole plotline of him getting badly influenced by the Ferengi boy (Keiko school mention!), his dad having to deal with him obviously now experiencing pubescent attraction, and simply not getting to give him The Talk. Incredible.

I like them a lot! I also liked his conversation with Odo. Again, the kid's killing it.

Also I forgot to mention the craziest bit of Julian acting I've seen so far. In awe of that scene. Limited screentime but managed to squeeze out as much patheticness as possible.

And Kira basically hating the idea of Star Fleet exploration. Never put her on a Starship. If she can't deal with First Contact Extra-Dimensional Saw-Type Mind Games, she's not cut out for a regular Tuesday!

Also that's a good ass Dax as Sisko scene, as usual. We just glimpse more into their prior relationship the more we see of them together in Situations! I just love it when I feel like she's channeling that Old Man part of herself when talking to him, I can feel it in the performance and it's cool. Good shit.

But yeah, not my favorite or anything, but I liked it and the character moments! Another episode giving dedicated focus to one of our main cast members.

To Odo and Quark:

Starting this episode post prematurely because this mystery plot-twisted me so completely about something so obvious I feel like I need a dunce cap

Episode starts with Julian getting cryptically choked by a supervillain man who immediately dies. Ship mystery continues until Julian and Dax determine the supervillain man has transferred his mind into someone unwillingly. Julian suggests it's the woman who was there on the ship with him and supervillain man. I'm still sitting here thinking, "Huh, who could it be." 😭😭😭

Julian had one character moment at the beginning of the episode where he was egotistical and annoying and I explicitly thought in the middle of the episode, "Hm, it's nice that Julian's not a big character in this episode, but he still had a memorable character moment at the beginning. I like when shows do that for characters!" Someone needs to lock me up.

Also I held back from assuming about his character after his "Ahhh roughing it with the post-colonized natives!" introduction, but now I feel comfortable to comment that this guy gives incredible Egotistical Rich Boy energy but if the Rich Boy part was science-based. I'm excited to see where this goes. Don't worry Julian fans, I love annoying characters.

They let him fade into problem-solving technobabble background man so normally that I genuinely forgot that happened at the beginning. "Okay, villain established, now Julian and Dax are going to spent the rest of the episode being checked in on once in a while as they do science research that'll help up solve things in the end. Bye, Julian!" And then I got shot.

Julian's facial expressions are doing some crazy work right now playing this villain man. For this man, being evil means talking slow and enunciating with the eyes and lips fully engaged, it seems.

Okay well Dax is still the relegated science-technobabble-solver! So I'm not crazy that this is usually how this works!

That guy tried to lie that he was Julian one last time in the most suspicious way possible, that was hilarious.

This'll be a fun one to rewatch through reactions and see all the Evil-Julian gaslighting gatekeeping and girlbossing

Yay murder 😭

I guess it's good that Julian doesn't remember anything (the events of this episode weren't crazy impactful anyway) but I do love it more when they remember all the cray possession shit

Oh yeah, everything Odo!

I kind of have grown very attached to Odo for no reason. He's like my closed-off antisocial grandpa. Which is weird because I don't know if he's particularly old, he just has a gruff voice and a soft nose. I'm like protective of him now for some reason.

Odo in this and A Man Alone has reacted badly to threats to his position, but the way it comes across is that he's always on the defensive. He doesn't trust people and doesn't think people should act like they trust him. It makes me feel like he's used to being disrespected or not given his due. Which makes sense due to his "outsider" status, had to have impenetrable defenses to fight for his respect. And that makes me feel! Things!

And I also love this because it was also somewhat common in TNG: a new person coming in that butts heads with a cast member and their position, but they're not a shitty person! They're just a different person with a different approach and experiences still trying their best! And I like that. Very cool and realistic.

But when he came in and questioned how Odo does his job I did go grrrrrrrr

Maybe he reminds me of Carl from Up in demeanor. Maybe that's the grandpa of it all. This is his house and he's run this house alone for years and no one's taking it away from him. Don't threaten to take his house away or I'll get offended.

I love Sisko. He's so different from Picard. Taking Odo's side without pause and telling the other guy to shut up (Picard would have taken his officer's side while not telling the guy to shut up). Understanding and respecting the outside-the-law structures of DS9. Telling Odo he likes him! I also like him! Based Sisko!

Episode so good I forgot the episode started with me saying "Doctor Julian Bashir please report to HR"

Farthest ick Julian has ever provided. You try to assume the best in a guy but they turn out not to be Riker enough. Fictional character, I must report to you something about "No." I'm starting to see the loser of it all.

It’s like if that one Geordi episode were an ongoing character trait and if the parasocial relation assumptions were just social relation assumptions 😭

I like how he immediately hopped in fighting for Dax and immediately slammed into a wall on his first swing. That's passion.

In general Dax's performance and demeanor is so interesting. Upon her first appearance I thought it was the "wise old man" of her making her appear level-headed and understated, but now learning more about Wise Old Dax, I'm seeing he was kind of a mess, and all of the calm level-headedness of the Old Man of it all seems to be brought out by the overachieving 20-something with 5 degrees

The trill thing is so cool though. It feels like Old Man Dax kind of gets a chance to start over and choose to be someone else sort of worthy of her new self. So the wiseness gets brought out more than the recklessness. Also I love the messiness. Cheating with the wife of your best friend? Love that. That would sure get Dax not to talk!

Brainrotting about the Old Man Dax of it all. If he was an outlier among Trills, how did he end up the way he was after 200 years? A quirk of his host? How did he get chosen then? Was it after the combination? Experiences? Trauma?

I've thought this in all her appearances but Dax really gives off that otherwordly, detached, above-it-all vibe in her performance, and the way it carried here was interesting. She spent 90% of the episode simply reacting and speaking minimally, in an episode about her. We don't get much of the internals. But the facial acting is really good, showing the real emotions break through that demeanor.

When the Worm first got explained I got caught up in the Trans of it all, but I do like how Star Trek alien species commit to not just being the Human thing. There are always part of it that are a complete speculative difference from any human experience, that also contains relatable social aspects.

Also yes I have been thinking about Data this whole time and I won't stop because The Measure of a Man is one of my favorite TV episodes of all time, and we love a good ass trial episode (covering the unique nature and rights of an unfamiliar lifeform)

The scene where she talks about the ring slipping off her finger?? It's the biggest show of emotion she gave throughout it all and it did in fact hit because me and Sisko were kinning all episode going WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU FEELING OLD MAN

Ahh the damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't misogyny of not hitting a woman because she's a woman. It follows us even into the future 😭

Big infodump about Trill lore and I wouldn't have it any other way

I genuinely love Sisko gathering his officers in a meeting and going, "Everyone, we must LIE at this trial. Gather your fake evidence STAT." Love that for us. Unapologetically emotionally-driven commander!

I love how they wrote Julian's attempt at using science in their favor and how poised it was to explode in our face because we did in fact Make It Up

And I loveeeee how Sisko's stance he's arguing is at odds with his actual feelings! Because we've established multiple times now that he doesn't want to see Dax as a different person now! So part of this plot is him coming to terms with the idea that their relationship will be different and she's different! While the important parts of their relationship still remain!

Idk I'm loving the balance of it. She is both the same and different. And neither. They show doesn't even fully take Sisko's "side" (not really his side) because the next moment they're talking privately about their memories and laughing about a brawl they got into.

Okay now I'm still stuck on Dax's performance transitioning from that fond memory to the ring and in real time mourning her old self? Good fucking scene? And then he grabbed her hand? Your honor they love each other?

Sisko and Kira also on the complete same page all episode. Kira shit-eating grin spotlight. I like how Sisko semi-implies she doesn't have to go too hard because she's not a lawyer and implores her to help, but really it feels like she will go all in because she cares. I like their dynamic! Their common interest is that they care about people and the right thing.

Now making these as separate posts for ease of viewing! (My thread was too long even for me.)

So, if you don't know, I'm watching Deep Space Nine for the first time, and putting down my stupid little blurb thoughts that ticked me during each episode.

Episode featuring the character that literally made me watch Star Trek in the first place. What's not to love?

Spent the entire time giggling about toxic queerplatonic ex Q

Spent the entire time giggling about the Picard-Vash-Q evil polycule of one made made of morals and two people trying to suck his morals into a bendy straw

Loved Vash having two men fall all over her and Q watching in the background going Ewww human sex yucky while also platonically falling all over Vash all episode. That's my clingy asexual representation for today.

Sorry that last one was about TNG, anyway I love Qcard

It feels like Odo showed up halfway through the episode just to have one cute scene with Quark about how much they know each other's eccentricities

I thought Bashir was just a monsterfucker living in the perfect world to be a monsterfucker but it seems he's just a flirt.

I can't believe I just witnessed Q slut-shaming Julian Bashir on my real Star Trek TV episode. Incredible. I am astonished that is real and am infinitely entertained.

"I'm gonna go lay down." "Hopefully by yourself for once 🙄🙄🙄"

It was so shocking because it was JUST introduced to me that Julian Bashir is often trying to seduce many women and immediately after Q says "Is your bed never empty you WHORE 🫵🫵🫵"

I think my reality collapsed at that, thanks whoever made that happen

But Bashir seducing women as his primary hobby was not expected. I thought that Jax flirting was as I said a Jax thing or a science-sexual thing. I don't usually see scientist characters also be the womanizing characters! Spreading out and diversifying the character roles for DS9 even more I see.

Nerdy science man + posh British + overly-cautious semi-oblivious naive genius + shameless flirt womanizer = this man contains multitudes I possibly have never seen together before

Haha I just don't expect Tumblr sexymen to be womanizer-types. They can be, but mostly I expect them to be losers. Because that's my preference. But everyone loves a good classy gentleman flirt every once in a while.

His flirting does come across as loserish to me, but apparently not to others, because it seems he's making successful moves 😭

"The academy science assessment story always works!" These writers know they're doing something new and they're funnyyyy. She was enthralled.

Move aside Riker, it's time for GENIUS rizz. Good to see a new subset of women who will go for a man that's more my type, I guess.

I like Q continuing his streak of acting like the Bad Guy when he's actually just giving hints to help everyone. Yeah yeah I get it you're so evillll

When he said "She's more a danger to your station than I ever was" I really was like "I know you guys are beefing right now but I do doubt that" and then it turns out No, she really did bring something on board on her own that was taking the entire place down. Fine, Q, I guess you're always right.