In which, Andrew and Dude (who has finally learned his name) nerd out hardcore discussing all the Star Trek series finales. They discuss the Next Generation team of the future, agreeing that “old Picard” is the best part of the DS9 finale; Andrew delves into his own distant past for relevant stories. They take a brief detour into a conversation about Gene Roddenberry’s vision for Star Trek. The ultimate takeaway from this episode is that Romulans always suck.
Tag Archives: Deep Space Nine
My Top 10 Favorite Ferengi Episodes
Being the huge Star Trek nerd that I am, I’ve watched nearly every episode ever made. Over time I’ve come to realize that the Ferengi, little troll-like profiteers, are one of the more underrated species that populate one of my favorite universes. With that in mind, I’ve decided to list my top ten favorite Ferengi-centric episodes. Of course there are side plots involved with all of these episodes, but each of them has the main focus of the episode squarely on the Ferengi. Whether the Ferengi are portrayed as heroes or villains, all of these episodes are worth a watch.
10. “The Ascent” – I’ve always loved the Quark/Odo relationship and I honestly think this is one of the better depictions of it. After crashing on a planet, Quark and Odo must climb a mountain in order to call for help. The catch, of course, is that it is freezing cold and they only have one survival suit. As the episode progresses, the two must rely on one another at the same time that they don’t trust each other at all. Eventually, the two get rescued—though it is in large part thanks to Quark, who despite is outward dislike of Odo, feels a strong kinship with, and respect for his longtime nemesis.
9. “Rules of Acquisition” – One of the earliest DS9 episodes to deal with the Ferengi, it’s also one of the first times we see them moving away from the sniveling creatures that were usually featured in The Next Generation. This episode also has the distinction of introducing the Dominion for the first time, though there is almost no hint at what they would later become. I also enjoyed the more fleshed out characterization of Grand Nagus Zek, as his first appearance in “The Nagus” was pretty unimpressive. Additionally, there is a touching side plot involving Jake and Nog that really warms the heart.
Filed under Andrew Hales, Television
Sisko Vs. Dukat: An Exploration of Dramatic Foils in Star Trek
At its simplest, a dramatic foil is someone or something in a piece of literature that serves as a contrast to another. As with many literary techniques, while the idea behind a foil is simple, the execution can be anything but. Writers from Shakespeare to Mary Shelley have used the concept to help define their protagonists by comparing them to other characters that surround them. Harry Potter is filled with them, for crying out loud.
What about Star Trek? The entire franchise consists of 726 episodes, spread across thirty seasons and six series. That’s a lot of writing, so surely there must be the use of a dramatic foil in there somewhere. Of course there is. Given that the dramatic foil is a commonly used device by franchise writers, watching just a few episodes of any of the Star Trek series reveals several of them. There is one pair that stands out in my mind: Captain Sisko and Gul Dukat. Continue reading
Filed under Andrew Hales, Television
Therefore I Geek 