From: wombat@eng.umd.edu (Jose Gonzalez)
Subject: *** Spoiler Comments *** on "Emissary"
Date: Thu, 07 Jan 93 20:33:40 GMT
Organization: Project GLUE, University of Maryland, College Park
Originator: wombat@coke.eng.umd.edu

What, *another* review?  Ack! (-:

(This is my second attempt at this, by the way.  Sorry if this is deja vu
for you.)


*** Spoilers ***


Well, that was pretty darn fantastic.  Although "Emissary" wasn't perfect,
DS9 is ripe with potential.



Considering I've seen the premiere in its entirety four times, for various
reasons, and I'm *still* enjoying it, says something to me.  Wow. 

This review may be a little long, but hey, this *is* the premiere. (-:

Some Random Comments:

- The story was very solid, although the second half was faster-paced and
better than the first.  The best part by far were the bits inside the
wormhole with Sisko.  Both the acting and directing were extraordinary here.
The battle with the Cardassians was by the numbers but it was really 
entertaining.  

- There aren't a whole lot of words to describe just how amazing the 
opening with the Borg was.  "Emissary" had, without a doubt, the *best*
speical effects that I've ever seen on television.  The wormhole was
amazing, and I know it cost them some bucks to use the same "morphing"
technique we saw in T2.  The gold metallic look makes the effect even
*more* gorgeous than it was there.  I hope they can maintain this quality
in future episodes. 

- Believe it or not, the opening music is growing on me. (-:  Yeah, some
elevator music is more exciting, but the theme is easy on the ears and
it's got a kind of "heroic" quality to it.  I can live with it.  I definately
wouldn't mind if if they added a voiceover to it, though.  I'm sure they
could think of something appropiate as the piece of popcorn floats by. (-:

- I did notice a few mistakes though.  The Enterprise arrived two days 
before Sisko, yet it's not docked when Sisko and his son view the station
from their ship.  The second one could be explained away.  When Sisko
is revisiting all those points in his life in his mind, when he gets to
where his son is born, he's wearing the uniform with the collar instead of
the one from the first two seasons of TNG.  No big deal, since this is all
happening in his mind.  He could have just mismembered it. 

Overall, the story was excellent with no big holes.  But, what's really
going to make the show work are the:


Characters:


- Commander Sisko: I forget who said this, forgive me, a prior reviewer put
Avery Brooks' performance best:  He was very good overall, with some lapses
and some flashes of brilliance.  Brooks had an incredibly difficult task here.
Patrick Stewart didn't exactly have to stretch his range on "Encounter at 
Farpoint," not so with Brooks here.  Brooks probably had little time to
rehearse and find his character before he had to perform a script that called
for a very *dynamic* character.  It did show a little.  I'd be interested
to know what order the pilot was shot in, because the first beach scene where
Sisko meets his wife seemed very forced and unnatural, and it was a little
difficult to watch, frankly.  But that's the bad news.  The good news is that
many of his other scenes were fantastic:  the Sisko-Ducot (sp?) scene, the
opening Borg scene, 95% of the scenes inside the wormhole.  And what really
convinced me that Brooks has some real talent was his final scene in the
wormhole where Sisko realizes that he's been dead the past three years, 
choosing to remain on the Saratoga.  No performance on Star Trek has had
such an emotional impact on me since Patrick Stewart's in "The Inner Light."
The emotion he portrayed felt real.  It was really remarkable.  Here's hoping
Brooks can make Sisko as interesting to watch as Stewart has made Picard.

- Major Kira:  This was probably my least favorite character, simply because
the character isn't anything new; the resentful character fighting for her
people all her life, resentful of the Federation.  Ro, anyone?  For the most
part I did enjoy Nana Visitor's performance, however, even if she did tend to
go over the top a little.  The character isn't a bad one, (in fact the women
I know who watch the show thought she was the best character), she's just
not as interesting as the rest.  We'll see what "Past Prologue" does with her.

- Odo:  Rene Auberjonois (Rene from now on (-:) did a very nice job as Odo.
I can tell I'm going to like this character.  He's the counterpart of Spock
and Data for DS9, but he's not a clone of either.  He's not naive or 
childlike.  Odo has a lot of potential, and it'll be fascinating to see where
they take this character.  

- Lt. Jadzia Dax:  Dax, I think along with Odo will be the most interesting
characters to watch develop.  Michael Piller has already said that Dax
has changed the most in the first ten episodes from what she is now: serene
and calm.  From what I gather, all these personalities of the bodies she's
been co-habiting with are going to catch up with her.  There are some
fascinating possibilities here.  Terry Farrel's performance didn't have any
weaknesses, although there was nothing too challenging here for her.  Could she
look a bit *more* like Brooke Shields, though?  At least she can act. (-:  

- Dr. Bashir:  Not to much to go on in the pilot.  Siddig El Fadil (Anyone
know if his last name is "Fadil" or "El Fadil"?)  presents a likable,
naive character who need a lot a guidance.  I really enjoyed Kira's "you
can bring your federation medicine to the natives.  You'll find them a nice,
simple folk."  He *was* being an idiot.  (-:  

- Chief O'Brien:  O'Brien probably suprised me the most in terms of the
characters.  He's was an enjoyable character on TNG, but on DS9 he really
comes *alive*.  Yeah, it was campy when he kicked the transporter to make
it work, but boy, it's fun.  Colm Meaney can really strut his acting talents
here.  He's very likable.  (It looks like his first big episode will be
"Babel," coming up in 3 episodes, I believe.  In it, O'Brien is infected
with a virus which causes O'Brien to believe he's speaking perfect English,
when in fact everyone is hearing gibberish.  According to Starlog, Meaney had
to memorize lines and lines of gibberish (the sentences are in English, they
just don't make any sense (-:)

- Quark:  Finally, an intelligent Ferengi who's *not* and idiot.  Nuff Said.
Shimmeran did a great job.  

Overall, this was a great start, with parts of the first hour dragging just
a bit, but not enough to substantially hurt the premiere.  Great job. 

Grade: 9 (This show just *oozes* potential.)

Next Week:


We'll find out what Piller and company have in store for Major Kira.  
Hopefully, she'll get a bit more depth.  We'll see.....
 
-- 
Jose Gonzalez                

                          
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