391. Let He Who Is Without Sin...FORMULA: Captain's Holiday + Paradise
WHY WE LIKE IT: Insight into Worf's character. Sexy costumes.
WHY WE DON'T: Everything else.
REVIEW: We have much to discuss. This episode sees yet another group of conservative Federation citizens express displeasure with Federation policy. Isn't anyone happy with paradise anymore? The Essentialists are way less interesting than the Maquis (or even Alexis' survivalists) too. There's just no way they're going to convince anyone with insulting rhetoric and acts tantamount to terrorism. Indeed, it damages Worf's character that he side with them for any length of time. Ridiculously, when he finally turns on them, Fullerton backhands him one. Like that would ever happen.
Theoretically though, we're supposed to be on Risa to advance Worf and Dax's romance. It's already rocky because while opposites do attract, they don't necessarily make for harmonious co-existence. Unfortunately, Worf is about as exasperating to us as he is to Dax. Uncharacteristically, Michael Dorn seems to be sleepwalking through most scenes, with his romantic compliments and the way he throws his horga'hn particularly ineffective. He does get one good moment when he explains why he's so contained compared to the lustier Klingons populating the Empire. That's a great character piece.
But it's in the middle of a dull plot and some stupid subplots. After all, how are we supposed to care about Bashir and Leeta's relationship when this is the first time we've really seen them together? Sure, there's some sexy open shirt scenes, but otherwise, it's fluff leading to the revelation that she's attracted to Rom. That must be hard on the ego, eh Bashir? And why is Quark along? He's good at both complaining and lusting after beautiful women, I guess.
Other embarrassing bits include Worf's golden bathing suit and Curzon's silly "death by Jamaharon". Vanessa Williams at least makes a good guest-star. Pretty and dignified as called for by the role, though there's not much meat to it. One has to wonder sometimes if Fullerton doesn't have a point about the Risians if by the end, she's still at the "I'm starting to think there's no hope for that man" stage. You think?!
LESSON: Risa will be first to fall when the Jem'Hadar knock its satellites out of the sky. No vacation for you!
REWATCHABILITY - Medium-Low: A serious misstep and aside from one crucial speech, totally unnecessary. Watch mostly for the eye candy and Bashir frankly asking why Dax wants Worf.
Comments
I mean, yeah, he is, but he also has SOME sense of humor, and it seems to get forgotten a lot in the effort to show how much the Dax/Worf opposites attract.
It does get better with time, but this episode is the worst example of it.
SHE's the "funny one".
This is actually pretty realistic from what I've observed (and I operate in a comedy-intense world). There is a pecking order when it comes to clowning, and funny people will shut down in the presence of funnier people.
And that's about the only interesting thing about this episode.
For one, Risa was a bit on an oddball concept in ST:TNG and became a bit overused over time.
Here it works even less as something to create a sense of foreboding for the viewer. I don't care enough about Risa and the concept is too disconnected for me to suspend belief.
It's an extremely awkward Worf story and a rocky start for the Worf/Dax relationship.
Of course, Worf/Dax is infinitely better and better developed than the whole Worf/Troi.
On the other hand, having it all pinned on Worf, who is 'just in need of loosening up,' is the worst kind of resolution, hypocritically suggesting that his unyeildingness is wrong, while Dax's is entirely reasonable... and it is a further step in the major character assassination of Worf. Once again, someone with a code of honor and a morality not in step with popular culture just 'loosen up' and let go of their lifelong code of morality. Because that's how that works.
(This is not particularly a DS9 issue; Hollywood does this with faith and honor codes all over the place. As someone who does live with a code of morals different from the cultures, this portrayal is about as insulting as... well, as the villains of this episode, apparently a commentary for anyone who believes that our culture is overly hedonistic and losing all sense of morality. Apparently, that means we are... patronizing nitwits and actual TERRORISTS? I'm guessing that's how the writers see us, but...) All in all, this episode seems like the personification of a 'straw man' portrayal for conservative beliefs, faiths, and/or honor codes that embodies everything I fear the new series could become (if not handled properly); cheap partisan political sniping instead of anything with a lasting or universal message, or actual value to impart. Star Trek at it's best isn't the left telling the right how terrible it is, or vice versa- but suggesting areas in the culture where we ALL can learn. This felt like anything but; divisive and petty instead of forward-thinking or enlightening.
As a last observation... yikes! That conversation at the start- do none of these people have any boundaries at all?
An utterly terrible episode in every dimension; 'he who is without sin' is definitely not the writer of the episode.