Being Cardassian IS'NT Enough!!!!!, April 18 2004

By	Andre' S Grindle "Funk Meister" (Bangor,ME.) - See all my reviews

existing in tandem with real-like documentary films such as
"Schilnders List" this show's theme transendes all science
fiction and is CLASSIC storytelling.I recommend this to all
Trek fans who dissmissed DS9 early on-it more then makes up for
some of the drek later accociated with Star Trek's big black
sheep.

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"We're guilty, all of us.", Aug 27 2003

By	Andrew McCaffrey "The Grumpy Young Man" (Satellite of Love, Maryland) - See all my reviews

The plot of this episode takes a number of tricky twists, so I won't go into a summary of them here. It's enough to say that a possible Cardassian war criminal appears on the station, and Kira must determine who he is, and what crimes he committed in the past. The plot, as it unravels, is diabolical, and had me completely fooled and eager to get to the next revelation.

This is an episode hinging on strong performances and steady direction. Harris Yulin as the Cardassian is particularly notable. Two scenes in particular stand out, and I'll try to describe them without giving away any plot points. In the first scene, we see Yulin's character from Major Kira's point of view, and what she sees is genuinely frightening and unsettling. In the second scene, the scripted lines are very similar, but Yulin alters his performance, and the direction is just different enough to throw a completely different spin on what is unfolding on the screen. We see the action through Kira's eyes, and the difference is startling. Kudos to everyone involved for managing to completely change the tone using only the most subtle of means.

This episode proves that Deep Space Nine can do a terrific episode without leaving its main sets. In fact, the narrative rarely moves away from three rooms, and this gives the episode an intense and effective claustrophobic feel. The strong script, excellent performances, and confident direction combine to make this episode one of the best Star Treks that I've seen. This one is definitely recommended, especially to those people who know that science fiction (and indeed good drama) is far more than mere visuals and special effects.

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