Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
The Orb 46: The Confused Counselor
Ezri Dax. Normally when an actor decides to leave a show early, it doesn't turn out well. But when Terry Farrell left DS9, the writers seized the moment and used the twist to tell Dax stories that weren't possible with Jadzia. We take a close look at Ezri and why the change was good for the show.
The Orb 45: Big City, Small Town Feel
Raising Children on the Station. The children we saw on TNG were raised in a very controlled environment. DS9 was different, much more like the real world. We discuss the pros and cons of raising children on the station and compare and contrast life on the Enterprise with life on the station.
The Orb 44: I'm More of an Eelwasser Man
Ferengi Values vs. Federation Values. As Robert Hewitt Wolfe said, "The Ferengi are us. That's the gag, the Ferengis are humans.” We set out to determine if the Ferengi are in fact the closest analogy to twentieth and twenty-first center humans by examining Ferengi and Federation views.
The Orb 43: She’s Really Good with d20s
Move Along Home as a TOS Episode. It’s the episode almost universally hated by Niners. Nothing could be less DS9 than “Allamaraine!” right? But what if this were not a DS9 episode, but rather a TOS one? Would it be considered a classic?
Literary Treks 45: Out of Your Comfort Zone
The Poisoned Chalice: James Swallow. James joins us to discuss his entry in The Fall series, The Poisoned Chalice, the challenges of writing the penultimate chapter, how real-world politics influenced the story, and why Riker is the right man for the job.
The Orb 42: Unpredictable Variables
Implications of Genetic Enhancement. Ever since “Space Seed” genetic enhancement has been viewed almost universally as a negative within Star Trek. We delve into the pros and cons using “Statistical Probabilities” as a starting point.
The Orb 41: Leeta’s Assets, I Presume
Doctor Bashir, I Presume Commentary. Deep Space Nine picked up the concept of the EMH and extended it to the logical next step—the LMH or Long-term Medical Hologram. We bring you a commentary for the episode and discuss the major course change for Bashir’s characters.
The Orb 40: Commanders Have All the Fun
Captain vs. Commander. We examine the decision to start Sisko off as a commander, how that decision impacted the reception and direction of the series, and how the character himself changed along with the number of pips on his collar.
Literary Treks 42: Beset by Serpents
A Ceremony of Losses: David Mack. We’re joined by David to talk about his entry in The Fall series, A Ceremony of Losses, which falls right in the middle of the saga and centers around the Andorian reproductive crisis.
The Orb 39: The Puppet Masters
Dominion Invasion Tactics. We discuss how the Founders use others to do their bidding, the parallels to the Roman Empire, and what they sought to achieve through their abduction of Sisko and the Defiant crew in the “The Search.”
The Orb 38: A Nanook of the North Thing
His Way Commentary. We discuss how Odo went from square to cool cat, how easy holograms make practice perfect, and how Vic Fontaine’s premiere on the show was not only the perfect fit for DS9 but also helped the Constable break our of his shell.
Literary Treks 39: Never Misplace Your TARDIS
Horn and Ivory. We discuss the Deep Space Nine entry in the final Gateways book, What Lay Beyond, which tells the story of what happened to Kira after Taran’atar returned to the station.