The Maquis Parts I and II

• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller
• Based on Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry

Series Cast

• Commander Benjamin ‘Ben’ Sisko-Avery Brooks
• Constable Odo-Rene Auberjonois
• Jake Sisko-Cirroc Lofton
• Doctor Julian Bashir-Alexander Siddig
• Chief Miles O’Brien-Colm Meaney
• Major Kira Nerys-Nana Visitor
• Quark-Armin Shimerman
• Lt. Cmdr. Jadzia Dax-Terry Farrell

Episode(s) Guest Cast

• Lieutenant Commander Calvin Hudson-Bernie Casey
• Gul Evek-Richard Poe
• Gul Dukat-Marc Alaimo
• Amaros-Tony Plana
• Sakonna-Bertila Damas
• Legate Parn-John Schuck
• Admiral Nechayev-Natalija Nogulich
• Xepolite Trader-Michael Bell
• William Samuels-Michael A. Krawic
• Kobb-Amanda Carlin
• Niles-Michael Rose

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine much like the rest of Star Trek often looked at weighty issues. Unlike other Trek shows it often did so much more directly. Often at the center of an episode or the series was the question of whether Starfleet ideals could withstand, well, reality. Earth is paradise but the rest of the galaxy is not. This episode is about the average person getting affected by the decisions of distant politicians who give little thought to them.

DS9 was truly an ensemble show. Almost rhythmically each episode focused on one or least two characters while also giving as many supporting characters as was logical something to do. It examined tough issues of the real world in a science fiction setting. In this case what to do when the wishes of the people are ignored by political agreements.

The situation here was first introduced in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Journey’s End. It served to enhance continuity with some characters from that episode appearing here. They never shoved your face in it to remind you that you were indeed watching something in the Star Trek Universe. That is a storytelling tactic that’s been forgotten.

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine S2 Ep. 20: The Maquis Pt. 1

• Directed by David Livingston
• Story by Rick Berman (Parts I and II), Michael Piller (Parts I and II), Jeri Taylor (Parts I and II), and James Cocker (Part I)

Federation colonists reject a treaty with Cardassia by forming a terrorist group called ‘The Maquis’.

The issues this is about are exemplified by the relationship of Commander Sisko (Avery Brooks) and the Federation attaché to the new demilitarized zone along the Cardassian border Lt. Com. Calvin Hudson (Bernie Casey) who is an old friend Sisko. This is a dialogue heavy episode with these two discussing in the context of their fictional world the situation. By adding understandable real world elements the message becomes clear. We get a sense of the perspectives.

Ben’s friend Cal is certainly empathetic to the plight of the colonists. Perhaps even still has hatred for the Federation’s conflict with the Cardassians. This bigotry is something that popped up regularly in the show. As the episode moves along you can tell Cal sides with the settlers and thinks they are getting screwed over by the Federation. It’s more than being empathetic. It’s a clear indication of switching sides but Ben is either blinded to it or doesn’t think it’s possible.

Gul Dukat (played by the brilliant Marc Alaimo) makes an appearance though I do believe the episode would have moved along similar lines without him. Alaimo consistently killed it in the part no matter what POV the character was holding at the time. Sometimes a friend. Sometimes a nemesis. Sometimes like here is exact set stance being a little uncertain. We also learn he’s the father of seven.

Brooks, Casey, and Alaimo give the gravitas to each part that’s needed. Sisko is a stern yet compassionate commander feeling the pressure of preventing a larger conflict. Dukat under the skilled hand of Alaimo is the devious person of uncertain standing. And Hudson is a very commanding officer with his shift to the other side not out of step with anything else. 

There’s a subplot involving the always shady Quark (Armin Shimerman) and a Vulcan named Sakonna (Bertila Damas) whom I thought until writing this was played by Sean Young. It is the usual sexual harassment by Quark of any attractive female with a pulse while they seek something from him. Shimerman once again made this man that never took ‘No’ for an answer charming or at the minimum likeable. Their part is mostly unimportant here but matters in the next episode.

This focuses on dialogue more than special effects or action sequences. What action we get is more the actors reacting/describing events than the viewer seeing anything on the screen. Something I call The Dark Planet Move which references a 1997 Michael York film where in a particular scene the characters look out a window and talk about things with the viewer never seeing much if anything at all. Anywho this would have benefitted from some visuals to drive home the significance of the situation or simply show rather than tell what was happening.

This is important and serious for the show and the world of the characters but with more tell than show that reality is blunted. It makes the ending of Part I feel anticlimactic even though we have a significant character kidnapped and another having turned on the Federation. Still this episode demonstrates you can get a lot of mileage out of a good story with good acting because that is what makes this good.

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine S2 Ep. 21: The Maquis Pt. 2

• Directed by Corey Allen
• Story by Rick Berman (Parts I and II), Michael Piller (Parts I and II), Jeri Taylor (Parts I and II), and Ira Steven Behr (Part II)

Sisko must thwart a plan by The Maquis to attack a Cardassian colony and begin an open war.

Sisko’s (Avery Brooks) speech post meeting with Admiral Nechayev (Natalija Nogulich) highlights what often drove Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It’s easy to be a saint in paradise but the setting of DS9 was not paradise. Earth is peaceful and often at least in the two preceding (three if you count the animated series) shows the characters were largely in a suburb of paradise which is a Federation starship. Deep Space Nine threw that all out the window and put the characters in a more unstable existence. A great bit of acting delivered thunderously by Brooks.

In the previous episode, Gul Dukat (once again played by the brilliant Marc Alaimo) was kidnapped by the Maquis. Obviously in Part 2 he gets rescued and does then one of the most Gul Dukat up to this point he could do. While Sisko is attempting to get him released peacefully Dukat is getting ever increasingly annoyed and just telling Sisko to shoot them. Finally, he gets frustrated and starts fighting. Though a little silly this is exactly something Dukat would do in the situation. He’s arrogant and impatient and simply becoming frustrated with how long it’s taking for things to happen and takes matters into his own hands is perfectly in line with the character.

The featured character dynamic here is between Dukat and Sisko with Calvin Hudson (Bernie Casey) reduced to two brief moments or so. Both Dukat and Sisko understand Dukat is at a low point in his relationship with the Cardassian Central Command. For them the bonus of the current situation serves as a way to remove Dukat whom they view as an issue. And that’s what the show excelled at-complexity in dialogue and acting. This episode showcases it so much better than the first part did.

Sisko is put to the test here as he must face off against a friend turn the enemy. It is a demonstration of the character as well as the theme of learning and growing in Star Trek. Sisko has kept Calvin Hudson’s (Bernie Casey) joining of the Maquis a secret from Starfleet with the realization that his friend was not seeking redemption being a particular hard hit.

Another highlight of this episode is when Quark (Armin Shimerman) and the Vulcan Sakonna (Bertila Damas) are sitting in the prison cell and he uses Ferengi logic-which is solid logic in this situation-on why a conflict is a bad idea. It highlights the character of Quark and is just an all-around interesting moment.

The episode solves the immediate problem with enough of a conclusion that if nothing further was addressed about whatever it was, you were still satisfied, but the writers could easily pull more stories. There is no neat bow and gift wrapping. It’s more about intelligence which I’m sure was as much a cost saving measure as an effort to tell an intelligent story.

If I had any complaints it would be that the climax didn’t quite live up to what it should have. Sisko and the crew of DS9 are attempting to stop the attack. Maybe they didn’t have the budget or maybe they were trying to avoid making the episode about a space battle but it’s just a couple of external shots of ships. Most of the time it’s actors who react to the hits you never see or events you never see. Very Dark Planet. 

The Maquis Pt 2 wants the viewer to feel as if it ends on a note of dangerous uncertainty for the future. It just does not despite fine performances.

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The Maquis Parts I and II was a two-part episode hampered by a climax in the second half that didn’t feel equivalent to the stakes of the scenario. It was a treat to watch Dukat and Sisko reluctantly work together.

While any DS9 episode is better than most any episode from any of the spin offs this one is probably one of the weaker two part episodes. It just never gets to where it should be. There’s just some special bit of magic missing. Maybe it’s the special effects. Maybe it is because Dukat was an extraneous character. Maybe the finale just didn’t match the stakes of the story. I don’t know.