1summermission | On a mission to go no bloody place... (Reply)

I know, I know, it was all terribly wicked I'm sure, but I've begun watching Deep Space Nine before reaching season seven of The Next Generation, but in my defense the DVDs are on temporarily loan from my 13-year-old sister's best friend and also I've already had reason to regret it (you mean Picard became a BORG? I AM SHOCKED). But I've been on an important sistersitting mission this week and she was getting tired of being dragged into watching TNG on my laptop, and we were both due for a change of pace after "The Measure of a Man", you know, destroyed me, and so we strayed from the set course.

Despite the fact that the first two seasons are rather hit or miss, I do enjoy TNG, and Data and Picard rank high amongst my favorite Trek characters. But, I must come out and say that I have a sneaking suspicion that DS9 will be my favorite of the spin-offs, for reasons I cannot really pin down -- I like the importance of the civilian presence, I like the novelty of a captain who is a family man and a Starfleet officer, I like most of the characters. Until now I had mostly seen Mirrorverse episodes and, while I found them enjoyable, the patina of homophobia that came from all queer content in ST being shunted into an amoral alternate universe rather put me off them; starting from the beginning, I have thoroughly enjoyed the first four episodes and am eager to do write-ups on them.

But for now I'm only going to talk a bit about my impressions of the characters so that I can look back in later days and laugh and laugh:

Benjamin Sisko: Avery Brooks, surprisingly clean-shaven and unbald, has always delighted me, but, man, his line delivery does verge on the Shatnerian sometimes (ILU SHATNER). At its best, however, it's stentorian and commanding and, sometimes, sort of terrifying. Listen to him simmer with barely concealed rage as he talks to Picard in the pilot! His words are impolite enough, but his tone is saying, "You son of a bitch, I can't believe you let yourself be turned into a Borg and I hold you personally responsible for the death of my wife, my years of heartbreak, the disrepair of this space station, and the Braves losing the playoffs. Die in a fire, sir. Die in a fire." But what I like best is his softer side, the ways in which he is the anti-Picard -- it's rare indeed to see a Starfleet officer make time for a wife and children, and sort of refreshing after Picard's issues (hi, you're an introvert!) and Kirk's before him (hi, you and Spock are already married!). Of course, he's not really giving either of those men a run for their money in my book as yet, but I think I like him.

Jake Sisko: Has done nothing whatever of interest so far, but is a cute kid.

Julian Bashir: Hellllllo, Doctor. My heart pretty much adopted Bashir without consulting my head the moment he arrived on screen; he reminds me a bit of Blair from The Sentinel or any number of over-enthusiastic, intelligent, self-styled "ladies man" characters that continuously win me over. Gotta say, though, boy may be cute, but, man, is he dumber than sticks. (Baby, that wasn't spy intrigue. Garak was hitting on you.)

Jadzia Dax: Oh, I like her. I like that she's been friends with Sisko for ages and that he's awkward around her new gender and that she amusedly enjoys it with all the pragmatism that comes with the Trill lifestyle. I like that she seems good-natured and somewhat earnest, but still a bit sly. I like her pretty, pretty haaaaaaaair and, oh gosh, I'm going to write all about it in my Lisa Frank TrapperKeeper. But, seriously: Dax is good people. (And am I the only one who notes a certain resemblance to my girl, Michelle Monaghan?)

Kira Nerys: Um, hi there, hottie. I would be your Mirrorverse love slave any day. (Also, I think I could replicate the stylin' Bajoran ear-wear she's modeling with my existent piercings, but that might be an experiment for a different day.) Kira's all the brashness and physical prowess and difficult upbringing and lack of diplomacy of Yar, with an added layer of crazy and of sense of purpose that makes her so much more appealing. And, besides, her concerns are valid -- if I were a freedom fighter who had recently won a hard-earned and tenuous independence, I would be exceptionally skeptical of a paternalistic agency in the lines of the Federation stepping in and taking over.

The O'Briens: Hey, here Miles is, stepping up to the plate! And with his peppy wife who gets all excited about educational theory and his omgsofreakingadorable daughter! Nice!

Odo: Reeeeeeneeeeeee Auberjonooooooooois, here you aaaaaare, and you aren't being pompous ass Paul Lewiston like the last time you were on my TV, and I think I am very fond of you and your ongoing rivalry with Quark.

Quark: Boy, are you one helluva step up from the Ferengi who have so far featured on TNG. You are amusing indeed. Plus, I love Armin Shimmerman! Now if only I could get over my vague discomfort with the feeling of anti-Semitism I get from your species...

Garak: Please keep being as pointlessly inscrutable and intrigue-loving and as wonderfully gay as you are and I will continue to grin at you in a truly frightening manner. ♥

So, yes, as you can see, my feelings are much more universally positive here than they are in TNG, though there is yet plenty of time for these characters to get on my bad side.