"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" If Wishes Were Horses (1993)

Director:

Robert Legato

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator: "Star Trek")
Rick Berman (creator) ...

TV Series:

"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993)

Original Air Date:

16 May 1993 (Season 1, Episode 15)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Dax investigates if an unusual energy reading is dangerous for the station when all of the sudden people's imaginations really come alive, causing chaos.

Plot Keywords:

Rumpelstiltskin | Snow | Baseball | Fire | Fantasy Episode

Cast

Avery Brooks	...	Commander Sisko
Rene Auberjonois	...	Odo
Alexander Siddig	...	Doctor Bashir (as Siddig El Fadil)
Terry Farrell	...	Lieutenant Jadzia Dax
Cirroc Lofton	...	Jake Sisko
Colm Meaney	...	Chief O'Brien
Armin Shimerman	...	Quark
Nana Visitor	...	Major Kira
Rosalind Chao	...	Keiko O'Brien
Keone Young	...	Buck Bokai
Michael J. Anderson	...	Rumpelstiltskin (as Michael John Anderson)
Hana Hatae	...	Molly O'Brien

Company:

Paramount Television

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Dr. Bashir says that he might have an allergic reaction to the "replimated" antipasto. He probably meant to say either the "replicated" antipasto or the antipasto from the replimat.

Quotes:

[on a view screen, Odo sees Quark trapped in a holding cell]
Odo: How did you get in there?
Quark: How did I get in here? You put me in here!
Odo: Ah, hm - I guess I did, didn't I?
[chuckles]
Quark: Yeah!
[vanishes from screen]
Odo: No imagination indeed. Ha!

Creatures, Sex, & Baseball...Star Trek doesn't get ant better than this!

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

"Be careful what you wish for...it might come true". This not a dramatically original concept for TV & movie stories; Hollywood has been churning out productions featuring this storyline ever since the days of silent pictures.

In this installment, however it's presented with such fun, playfulness and energy that you can't help but sit back and enjoy the ride, thanks to a very clever script, excellent direction, wonderful supporting actors, and as much skin & sexual innuendo as we've seen in DS9 up to this point. It's obvious that the actors had a great time filming this episode, and their enthusiasm is contagious.

The key to this episodes success, as with most great theater, is immediate & consistent connection with the characters- identifying through personal experience what they are going through makes the viewer feel like "a part of the action". This "opportunity for empathy" is presented in abundance here- all the viewer needs to do is pick his or her particular flavor. Who hasn't had steamy fantasies about a co-worker? Or wondered what it would be like to meet a favorite hero face-to-face? Or sat at a desk in school or at work and daydreamed about being out on the baseball field?

Everyone- regulars and guest stars- turns in an solid performance here, but Michael J. Anderson as Rumpelstiltskin particularly shines; his portrayal is so warm, interesting and appealing that one starts to wish he was a regular character on DS9. Anderson is a veteran of many TV and film appearances, but is perhaps best known to TV audiences as "Samson", the surreal & avuncular carnival boss in HBO's excellent miniseries, "Carnivale" (2003-2005).

"If Wishes Were Horses" is tremendously entertaining, fun to watch, and one of the best installments of the first season. Don't miss this one!