Deep Space Nine 5.19, 5.20
I like that we get to spend more time with Kira’s Cardassian dad in “Ties of Blood and Water”. The joy on her face when he arrives on the station is just a wonder to behold. I love that she takes the time to introduce him to Kirayoshi, too. But all that’s what makes it so painful when she turns away from him completely after learning about his actions during the Occupation. It’s interesting that Nerys allowed herself to be naïve enough to honestly believe that Tekeny had always been a Dissident, that he had been working towards the same agenda as the rest of the Resistance all along. She’s come so far in her opinions of individual Cardassians but she still tends to see things in black and white. Which is why she can’t handle the truth. The scenes of her caring for Tekeny are extremely well done. I’ve never been the sole caregiver for another in hospice but I know what stress that can be. And then to put “personal betrayal” on top of that? It’s a miracle she went back to him at all before he died! This story, with the help of the flashbacks of course, brought her through her entire character arc throughout one episode, which is masterful writing.
I’m not a hater of Ferengi episodes. I like the Nagus. I like Quark and Rom and Nog and Ishka. I also don’t have anything to say about “Ferengi Love Songs”. I guess it’s kind of a cute take on senior romance. The Maurader Mo action figure is a cute little world building detail as well as a clever meta nod to the first appearance of Ferengi in TNG. But I don’t think the two stories mesh all that well. Quark and Brunt scheming to break up the Nagus and Ishka isn’t actually a very good match to the B plot of Rom and Leeta having pre-nup culture clash issues. And honestly, all I could think about was the horror yet to come that is “Profit and Lace”.
I’m not a hater of Ferengi episodes. I like the Nagus. I like Quark and Rom and Nog and Ishka. I also don’t have anything to say about “Ferengi Love Songs”. I guess it’s kind of a cute take on senior romance. The Maurader Mo action figure is a cute little world building detail as well as a clever meta nod to the first appearance of Ferengi in TNG. But I don’t think the two stories mesh all that well. Quark and Brunt scheming to break up the Nagus and Ishka isn’t actually a very good match to the B plot of Rom and Leeta having pre-nup culture clash issues. And honestly, all I could think about was the horror yet to come that is “Profit and Lace”.