“The Circle” 30th-anniversary reflections

The plans of the Bajoran group known as The Circle become clear thanks to an unexpected source—Quark—who has been newly christened Odo’s number-one deputy (Quark’s words). The group is being supplied with weapons by another unexpected source, the Cardassians. Who’s running The Circle? Well, that’s also a bit unexpected. But one thing that is clear from the start is that Vedek Bareil has the hots for Kira. It’s all setup in the middle part of Star Trek’s first three-parter.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “The Circle,” how the Kira/Jaro story mirrors the start of Season 1, the timeless commentary, our fondness for middle stories, and Vedek Bareil's disturbing gaze.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Timeless Commentary (00:02:41)  Blinded by the Light (00:06:20) Mirroring Season 1 Kira (00:09:53) Major Bye Bye? (00:13:46) Counting on Quark (00:16:29) Bareil's Gaze (00:20:50) Winn and Jaro Got It Goin' On (00:28:26) A Fondness for Middle Stories (00:32:39) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:36:58) Closing (00:54:20)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“The Homecoming” 30th-anniversary reflections

Life on the station seems to be back to normal as we head into Season 2. People are enjoying dabo. Quark is up to something. Odo is investigating. Jake has a date. But things quickly go sideways with the arrival of an earring. Recognizing a legendary resistance fighter’s insignia on the jewelry, Kira leads a mission to retrieve him from a Cardassian prison camp, potentially starting a war in the process. Thankfully, Gul Dukat prefers to cover his butt rather than start shooting. Factions on Bajor, however, have less peaceful intentions as they first tag the station walls before moving on to Quark’s head.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we jump into Season 2 as we discuss “The Homecoming” and how this story of Bajoran isolationism transforms storytelling in Star Trek and rings true three decades after it aired.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) A New Style of Storytelling (00:02:55) Remembering the Mission (00:07:49) An Enduring Relevance (00:15:36) The Danger of Isolationism (00:19:37) Originally a TNG Story (00:26:38) Full-Throttle Kira (00:30:36) Character Matters (00:33:39) Dangling Threads (00:43:48) A Telling Twist (00:46:52) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:51:21) Closing (00:54:20)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“In the Hand of the Prophets” 30th-anniversary reflections

When Keiko O'Brien decides to teach the children aboard DS9 about the Bajoran wormhole, she takes a scientific approach. Word soon reaches the planet and Vedek Winn is having none of it. The religious leader sees Federation influence and its secular teachings as a threat to her people’s beliefs. Seeing a chance to exert influence on the station and advance her own standing in the upcoming selection of a new Kai, she hatches a plan to assassinate a fellow Vedek and turn the tide of opinion against the Federation.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we wrap up Season 1 as we discuss “In the Hands of the Prophets” and how the story bookends the pilot while setting the series on course for its destiny of richly intricate serialized storytelling.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Bookending Emissary (00:02:40) Science vs. Religion (00:07:35) Going Where No Star Trek Has Gone Before (00:16:44) Room for ALL Philosophies? (00:20:19) Louise Fletcher Nails Winn (00:26:16) Broadening Star Trek (00:31:36) Would the Real DS9 Please Stand Up? (00:41:36) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:42:49) Closing (00:47:39)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Duet” 30th-anniversary reflections

When a Cardassian named Marritza arrives seeking medical help, Kira claims he is the notorious Gul Darhe’el and wants to punish him for his war crimes. But this case of possible mistaken identity may not be as simple as it seems. At first claiming to have been Darhe’el’s file clerk, Marritza later admits to being the butcher himself. Apparently, he payed his surgeon well to break the spell of aging, leaving Kira to ask, “Is that your chin or was that war you were raging?” A mystery unfolds aboard the station as psychic spies from Gallitep try to steal your mind’s elation. It’s Kalla-Nohracation.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “Duet” and how a story pitched by interns to save budget broke the dam and unleashed the potential of the young series.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) World-Building (00:06:01) Where Was the Federation (00:12:49) Kira's Journey (00:19:23) Write Your Own Ending (00:25:00) The Anti-Dukat (00:30:39)   Pitched by Interns (00:37:15) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:42:37) Closing (00:43:41)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Dramatis Personae” 30th-anniversary reflections

A Klingon survey ship returning from the Gamma Quadrant brings back something unexpected: drama! A telepathic virus has infected the crew and led them to revolt. How do we know? One of the Klingons was a prolific vlogger. When the virus is set loose on the station, the events that did in an alien civilization and a Klingon ship start to play out once again. It’s mutiny on Deep Space 9! Alien forces pit Kira against Sisko in a deadly power struggle! Can Odo prevent it from becoming an all-out war?

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “The Forsaken” and how the writers put a distinctly DS9 twist on a TNG premise to deliver masterful character development.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) This Has All Happened Before … (00:03:54) Too Soon? (00:10:11) Sisko As Rudolph II (00:16:50) You've Changed! (00:19:26) Distinctly DS9? (00:26:41) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:32:04) Closing (00:37:04)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“The Forsaken” 30th-anniversary reflections

When the ambassadors of arrogance visit the station for a fact-finding mission, the crew’s hospitality is put to the test. But no one faces a bigger challenge than Odo, who finds himself being pursued by Lwaxana Troi. The situation becomes more uncomfortable when data downloaded from an unknown probe infects the station’s systems and triggers a series of failures, leaving Odo and Lwaxana trapped together in a turbolift. Forced to open up to one another, both reveal truths about themselves that they keep hidden from others.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “The Forsaken” and how the writers put a distinctly DS9 twist on a TNG premise to deliver masterful character development.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Miles O'Brien's Bad Romance (00:05:29) Becoming a Better Bashir (00:11:28) Uncovering the Real Lwaxana (00:18:46) Odo Lets His Guard Down (00:26:27) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:30:54) Closing (00:35:39)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“If Wishes Were Horses” 30th-anniversary reflections

Bedtime stories are supposed to be fun, but one gets a bit too real for Molly O’Brien when the straw-spinning imp Rumpelstiltskin shows up in her room. Not the kind of visitor you want as a firstborn child. But that’s just the start of a surprising evening for the crew of Deep Space Nine. London Kings baseball legend Buck Bokai pays a visit to Captain Sisko, and Doctor Bashir finds himself in bed with Jadzia Dax just hours after being rejected over dinner. The weirdness continues to grow until the station and the entire Bajoran system become threatened by a spatial rift. As the crew races the clock to find a solution, Sisko realizes that both the problem and the solution lie in their imaginations.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “If Wishes Were Horses,” its fun veneer, the wealth of character and social commentary that lies beneath, and why Miles must be feeling like Lando Calrissian.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00)   We Should Be Awarded Brass Balls (00:02:47) Leprechauns are Scary! (00:10:32) The Danger of Imagination (00:13:07) Facts Matter (00:14:04) Julian and Jadzia (00:19:18) The Fickleness of Fantasy (00:26:41) The Beauty of Affinity (00:28:16) The Star Trek V Connection (00:35:51) First Contact (00:41:32) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:44:29) Closing (00:47:16)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Progress” 30th-anniversary reflections

Plans by the provisional government to convert a Bajoran moon into a massive power plant sets Major Kira on a collision course with a stubborn, sweet-talking farmer who refuses to give up his land. His attachment to his home and land connect with Kira—a reminder of her fight against the Cardassians during the Occupation—but she must balance personal feelings with her duty to the Bajoran government. Meanwhile, Jake and Nog set off on an entrepreneurial adventure after acquiring a mother lode of yamok sauce.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “Progress” and how the story continues Kira’s incredible character development and focuses the DS9 narrative on everyday people.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Finding Kira (00:03:04) Everyday People (00:15:33) Inner and Outer Turmoil (00:21:17) The Right Decision? (00:25:55) The Noh-Jay Consortium (00:29:22) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:36:00) Closing (00:38:27)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“The Storyteller” 30th-anniversary reflections

An uninvited guest menaces a Bajoran village and only one man can save the day: Miles O’Brien. At least that’s what he has been told. There’s just one problem, the solution relies on his storytelling skills, and he’s nowhere near as talkative as his new buddy, Julian Bashir. Can he engineer a yarn to chase away the cloud creature? Meanwhile, Sisko mediates a territorial dispute between two Bajoran villages and Nog flirts with one of the leaders. But the real action is down on the planet. The Sirah has left the building, the Dal’Rok has arrived, and a bucket of oatmeal ain’t gonna chase it away.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “The Storyteller,” how a long-dismissed idea finally found a home on DS9, the search for Bajoran identity, and what the story has to say about the importance of fathers and the power of collective belief.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) TNG Origins (00:04:17) Figuring Out the Bajorans (00:15:12) The Power of Collective Belief (00:19:34) (Dis)Connected Plots? (00:28:47) Fatherly Influence (00:31:06) A Bromance Born (00:40:33) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:40:33) Closing (00:42:50)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Battle Lines” 30th-anniversary reflections

A joy ride to the Gamma Quadrant turns deadly for Kai Opaka. At least until she springs back to life. Along with Sisko, Kira, and Bashir, the spiritual leader of Bajor finds herself marooned on some sort of prison colony where it is impossible to die and warring factions fight in an endless cycle of conflict. Die once on this moon and, well, you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. But for Kai Opaka, that’s okay, because she has found a new calling, a new charge from the Prophets.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “Battle Lines,” how Opaka’s new calling changes not only her life but also Kira’s, why it was necessary to remove Opaka from her role on Bajor, what the story says about conflict, punishment, and redemption, and more.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Opaka’s Influence (00:03:07) A Necessary Transition (00:13:14) The Futility of Conflict (00:16:31) Fear Leads to Suffering (00:20:37) Reasonable Punishment (00:24:41) Ambiguous Redemption (00:28:41) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:32:39) Closing (00:37:38)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)