The Storyteller (2 May 1993)

While Sisko tries to negotiate an agreement between two Bajoran factions, he orders O'Brien to escort Bashir to an emergency that endangers a village.

Director:

David Livingston

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry, Rick Berman (creator),

Stars:

Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Alexander Siddig

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
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
Lawrence Monoson	...	Hovath
Kay E. Kuter	...	Sirah
Gina Philips	...	Varis
Jim Jansen	...	Faren
Aron Eisenberg	...	Nog
Jordan Lund	...	Woban
Amy Benedict	...	Woman

Storyline

Much to his dismay chief O'Brien is ordered by Sisko to escort Bashir to a Bajoran village. He is to help out with a medical emergency that endangers the entire community. After arriving there's only one person sick, the Sirah. He seems very pleased with the arrival of O'Brien and designates him as 'the one'. It soon becomes clear the Sirah is the only person capable of defeating the Dal'Rok, a terrible monster that attacks every year after the harvest and doesn't show up on tricorder. Meanwhile on DS9, Sisko tries to negotiate between the Paqu and the Navot, two rivaling Bajoran factions. Ninety years ago they agreed to a river being the border between their lands, but after the Cardassians diverted the river, Paqu territory became bigger. The leader of the Paqu, Tetrarch Varis Sul, is a young girl and Nog and Jake try to impress her.

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Plot Keywords:

village | 24th century | attempted murder | prank | oatmeal | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 May 1993 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Syrah is also the name of a dark-skinned grape that is used throughout the world primarily to make red wine.

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Goofs

The amount of oatmeal on Jake's clothing has increased by the time he steps out of Odo's office, compared to when Nog spilled it over him.

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Quotes

Sirah: [after Dr. Bashir has advised him to stay in bed] Your concern touches me, Doctor. But I am now in the hands of the Prophets.

User Reviews

"Little House on the Prairie" and "The Waltons" in outer space...

The Star Trek creators are infatuated with stories about villagers; we've seen episodes focused on them time and time again- "The Apple" , "Friday's Child", "A Private Little War", and 'The Paradise Syndrome" from TOS, "Code of Honor", and "Who Watches the Watchers" from ST:NG, and even a villager themed movie(!), "Star Trek:Insurrection"(1998). The list goes on and on and on.

The ST creators love episodes about villagers because villagers are economical- wardrobe is kept to a bare minimum (robes and simple tunics and such), make-up is limited, and no fancy gadgets or sets are required (villagers are, after all, primitive and "one-with-nature"- which means you don't have to spend a lot on set construction).

Star Trek villagers as a plot device, however, have 2 main drawbacks:

1. They can quickly become dull and boring if we spend too much time on them, unless the actors and story are so powerful that they can overcome this (as in ST:NG's excellent episode, "The Inner Light", for example);

2. Group scenes with villagers tend to look cheesy, cliché', and staged if not planned creatively. Rather than evoking the image of a mysterious new alien species, they more often end up looking like a group of overacting Southern Californian bit part TV actors who would be more at home in a cereal commercial than on the exotic confines of a Star Trek Planet.

This is the formidable slippery slope that dominates "The Storyteller", a feel good, "group hug", first season installment that plays more like a group therapy session than an exciting Star Trek adventure. Some laughingly poor special effects for the hostile energy cloud ("Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" anyone?) and a rather funny near-encounter between Miles O'Brian and three seriously hot & sexy village women can't salvage this one from being what it is...an excellent cure for insomnia.

As if the show's primary focus on the somnolent villagers wasn't enough to hasten you to your slumbers, the creators add a "coup de grace" subplot back on the station featuring a precocious teenage ambassador and her two smitten suiters (the notorious "plot slowing" Jake and Nog). A couple minutes enduring their stilted dialog, poor acting, and hilarious hijinks (Hey-did you see that? Nog threw oatmeal on Jake!- har, har, har!) and you'll be BEGGING for the return of Wesley Crusher- and wondering if you're watching the right show (is this "Star Trek" or "Saved by the Bell"?)

Well, you've been warned...watch at your own risk (and be sure to bring something to pass the time while you're watching).