DS9 S01E09 & S01E10

In this installment:
(viewed Saturday, June 21st)

Star Trek:  Deep Space Nine, S01E09 - "Move Along Home"
Star Trek:  Deep Space Nine, S01E10 - "The Nagus"

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"Move Along Home"

• This episode has come to symbolize the sometimes slip-shod writing of DS9's early seasons, but it's been a few years since I watched it.  We'll see how it holds up.
• The episode opens on Cmdr. Sisko, in full dress uniform, preparing to welcome the first formal delegation from the Gamma Quadrant.
• And Jake Sisko has started to notice the local Bajoran girls, but has been taking pointers from Nog.  I think I saw this same B plot on Growing Pains.
• How does a genetically engineered super-doctor "forget" his dress uniform?
• The Wadi show up--not the first aliens from through the wormhole, but the first formal contact--and all they want to do is play games.  This seems like it's going to be a fun episode.  Seems.
• Quark is totally not gambling for freaking sticks, dude.  And your nectar is awful.  Gems?  Gems are okay.
• Do you see what your Ferengi greed gets us, Quark?  You cheat the Wadi, and now we have to sit through this episode.
• I've seen every conceivable thing depicted in Star Trek turned into merchandise for Trekkies to snap up and take home.  There are loads of different 3D chess boards available for sale, for example.  Chula?  I've never seen the take-home version of chula.
  
  I think we all know why.
• And Major Kira?  She ain't having it.
• "How many years have you been a security officer, Lieutenant?"
  
  "Six years.  Why?"
  
  "Lost many commanders?"
  
  "Lost?"
  
  "Because you've lost one now."
  
  Lt. Primmin is...not so good at his job.
• Woops.  There are no numbers on these crazy chula dice, but I think Quark just rolled a critical failure.
  
  
  
• And now we all get to play space hop-scotch!  It's a good thing that Lt. Dax has a sense of child-like wonder.
• Kira?  Still not having it.
• You know what I think the real moral is to this particular fable?  LARPing can be hazardous to your health :P
• Seriously though, the next time one of the players in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game adventure path that I'm currently running fails a saving throw, I'm going to put on my best Falow voice and say "AN...UNFORTUNATE...ROLL."
• Odo blowing on the dice?  Priceless.
• Here's the thing I don't get about this whole thing:  How is the station's next-ranking officer not communicating with Starfleet Command and the Bajoran Provisional Government, and explaining to the Wadi that abducting their officers and putting them in (apparently) mortal danger might be construed as an act of war?
• "Seven lives is more than enough for a Trill.  You haven't even finished one."
  
  She does make a good point.
• The resolution to this episode may be the only time that three people falling off of a cliff wasn't exciting.
• "You mean we were never in any real danger?"
  
  "It's only a game!"

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"The Nagus"

• The Gratitude Festival and the Fire Caves?  Sounds like a pretty awesome Bajoran vacation.  I mean, it's not going to be so fun the next time Sisko has to take a trip to the Fire Caves :P
• The 1st Rule of Acquisition:  "Once you have their money, you never give it back."
• Hey kids, it's Morn!
• This episode is the first appearance of Grand Nagus Zek, the leader of the Ferengi Alliance.
  
  Zek is played by Wallace Shawn, who is probably best known to most of us as the criminal mastermind Vizzini in The Princess Bride.
• Chief O'Brien as substitute teacher is one of the dumber subplots of the this episode.
• "You're saying...Vulcans stole your homework?"
• The 6th Rule of Acquisition:  "Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity."
• Quark is always threatening to toss Rom out the nearest airlock.  What a d*ck.
• Poor Krax.  So many daddy issues.
• This isn't the last time that Quark gets promoted to (or thinks he's getting promoted to) the position of Grand Nagus.  Poor guy.
• The "death" of Zek establishes many of the Ferengi funerary traditions we see later in the franchise, including the selling of commemorative discs containing the deceased's remains.
• Given how loyal he is later on, it's a little strange that Rom is actually one of the plotters against Quark in this episode.  Their relationship is portrayed as much more adversarial earlier on in the series, and undergoes an evolution (like every other relationship with the characters on the show).
• "You go find your kid.  I'm going to eat your eggplant stew."
• Aww, Jake's teaching Nog how to read.  It's like an after-school special.
• Oh, I get it.  The whole airlock thing comes full-circle.