DVD REVIEW

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Sixth Season  (1997-98)

Starring: Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Michael Dorn, Terry Farrell, Cirroc Lofton, Colm Meaney, Armin Shimerman, Alexander Siddig, Nana Visitor

Rating: NR

Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment

Release Date: November 4, 2003
Review posted: November 12, 2003

Spoilers: Minor/Major

Reviewed by Dennis Landmann

Orbiting the liberated planet of Bajor, a Federation space station (Deep Space Nine) and its crew guards the opening of a stable wormhole to the far side of the Galaxy. Season 6 continues the story arc of the war against the Dominion and Cardassians, as well as delving deeper into the relationships of the DS9 crew.

Last season ended with this incredible shot: the Defiant joins more than a thousand Starfleet ships on route to a battle against the Dominion and Cardassians. This got me pretty excited for Season Six and once the set arrived at my front door I popped in the first disc. All in all, I watched the entire season in a matter of three days. That's either quite an accomplishment or just fan boy craze. Nevertheless, Season Six performs at the top of the game. It takes the set-ups and main plot threads from Season Five and builds on them even further. Some new discoveries are made and others are explored further. I think what really makes Deep Space Nine better than The Next Generation is the Dominion story arc and the relationships of the characters. Granted, TNG features great characters and relationships also, but DS9 performs much better and is more versatile. Read on for individual episode synopses and my thoughts on them. Spoilers are referenced, but not all are major ones.

Season Six begins with a six-episode story arc. In the season opener, A Time to Stand, many Federation ships retreat from the battle lines suffering countless losses. The Defiant reports to a Federation space station where the crew awaits their new mission. To much dismay, Admiral Ross (Barry Jenner) relieves Sisko (Avery Brooks) of command of the Defiant and instead places him in command of a Jem'Hadar ship, which was recovered during last season's episode The Ship. His mission is to destroy a Ketracel White production facility in the Alpha Quadrant to cripple the engineering of more Jem'Hadar. The mission succeeds, but the facility's explosion damages the ship's warp engines, marooning Sisko and crew 17 years from the nearest Federation starbase. Meanwhile, on Terok Nor (formerly Deep Space Nine), Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) and Damar (Casey Biggs) do everything they can to dismantle the minefield blocking the entrance to the wormhole, yet Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs) grows somewhat impatient as the task takes longer than projected.

Rocks and Shoals picks up on the last episode's dilemma of the damaged Jem'Hadar ship as it now crashes on a planet. Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) tends to Dax's (Terry Farrell) injuries and keeps her alive, but Garak (Andrew J. Robinson) and Nog (Aron Eisenberg) encounter a group of Jem'Hadar on a routine expedition. This could place the crew in danger except critically injured Vorta leader Keevan (Christopher Shea) has something else in mind in a proposal to Sisko. Next is Sons and Daughters, which focuses on Worf's son Alexander (Marc Worden) and Dukat's daughter Ziyal (Melanie Smith). Specifically, Worf (Michael Dorn) helps Alexander learn the ways of a Klingon warrior and Kira (Nana Visitor) welcomes Ziyal to Terok Nor. Meanwhile, Kira, Odo (Rene Auberjonois), Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton) form a resistance cell. In Behind the Lines, Sisko is promoted, Jadzia is placed in command of the Defiant, Kira pits the Cardassians against the Jem'Hadar, the resistance cell plans to foil Damar's plan to disengage the minefield and Odo misses a crucial task as he links with the visiting Founder leader (Salome Jens), which leads to Rom's (Max Grodénchik) arrest.

Continuing the season's opening story arc is Favor the Bold, which focuses on Sisko's plan to reclaim DS9. Despite the implications of a suicide mission, Sisko is determined the Federation needs to be on the offensive for a change in the war against the Dominion. Also, Odo struggles between learning more about the Link or helping his friends save Rom from execution. Moreover, Damar assaults Ziyal and Kira almost kills him over it. The story arc concludes with Sacrifice of Angels, quite the powerful and action-packed episode. Joined by a large Federation fleet, Sisko commands the Defiant in an offensive against thousands of Dominion and Cardassian warships. As the battle ensues and casualties mount, General Martok (J.G. Hertzler) and Worf come to the rescue with a fleet of Klingon bird-of-preys. The Defiant breaks through a throng of warships and heads for DS9.

Meanwhile, Odo and Ziyal free Kira, Jake, Rom and Leeta (Chase Masterson) from the holding cells in a move to prevent Damar from completing the disengaging of the minefield, but they are too late. When Sisko learns the mines are deactivated, he commands the Defiant to enter the wormhole in an attempt to stop the oncoming Dominion fleet, yet they stand no chance. The Prophets (or wormhole aliens) contact Sisko and then destroy the Dominion ships, which forces all Jem'Hadar and Cardassians, as well as Weyoun and the Founder leader, to evacuate DS9 and retreat to Cardassia. During the escape, Ziyal confesses her involvement in the resistance to her father (Dukat). Damar kills her and escapes, yet Dukat stays behind as he mourns her death and becomes insane.

DS9 is back in Federation control and declared headquarters for one of its fleets. Granted, the war is not yet over, but at least for the time being both sides need to regroup, count their losses and plan for future battles. For the next ten episodes or so the war takes a step back and lets other stories share the spotlight. It's just not possible for every episode to deal with the war and I think my explanation in one of the previous sentences makes sense. So for the next episode (You Are Cordially Invited) the writers have planned something nice, something that has been long overdue: the marriage of Worf and Dax. However, complications occur when Martok's wife (Shannon Cochran) disapproves of Dax joining the house of Martok. Though there are some lighthearted and amusing moments with O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and Bashir during Worf's so-called bachelor party. Following this episode is Resurrection in which Kira falls in love with the alternate universe's Bareil (Philip Angim). However, she doesn't know the real reason why he's on DS9, which is to steal the orb of Prophecy and Change.

Disc 3 begins with a very good episode called Statistical Probabilities, which foreshadows how the Federation can win the war against the Dominion. Bashir helps a group of genetically enhanced individuals find their place in normal society. Unlike himself, these people can't hold jobs and contribute to society, that is, until Bashir gets them involved in analyzing and predicting a treaty with the Dominion. Another very good episode, The Magnificent Ferengi, is next. Quark learns the Dominion have captured his mother (Cecily Adams) and to save her he enlists the help of Rom, Nog, and a few other associates (including Brunt, played by Jeffrey Combs), some who are unwilling at first but later agree to help when Quark offers them profit. This episode presents a fun spin on The Magnificent Seven and again shows how very good Armin Shimerman is playing Quark. In Waltz, Gul Dukat and Sisko are stranded on a remote planet. Dukat tries to rectify all his flaws and crimes in front of an injured Sisko, but his hallucinations of Weyoun, Damar and Kira drive him even more insane. The only way Sisko can survive Dukat is to make a distress call. Finally paying tribute to Morn is Who Mourns for Morn?, where he dies and leaves all his wealth to Quark, but everything is not as it seems.

Next, Avery Brooks directs Far Beyond the Stars where Sisko exhibits visions (which he got in last season's episode Rapture) of himself and his crew as writers of a science fiction magazine on Earth during the 1950s. Sisko is the magazine's only black writer and at the time blacks still faced much discrimination. This episode is done very well and it's cool to see the actors play normal characters, like Armin Shimerman, Rene Auberjonois and Michael Dorn. It's also one of those "out there" ideas, much like last season's Trials and Tribble-ations or Little Green Men a few years ago. It should be interesting to note that the original script featured Jake as the main character, which makes sense since Jake's ambition is to write. But I think the episode plays better with Avery Brooks playing the character, yet Cirroc Lofton shows up nevertheless as some other character.

One Little Ship is both an amusing and tense episode. Dax, Bashir and O'Brien take the Rubicon runabout into a nebula where they shrink to the size of a combadge. When the Defiant is attacked and taken over by the Jem'Hadar, it is up to "one little ship" to help Sisko and the remaining crew on board the Defiant to regain control. Special effects and humor are put to good use in this episode. Colm Meaney appears in yet another episode devoted entirely to his character, following The Assignment and Hard Time from past seasons. In Honor Among Thieves, O'Brien poses as the everyday man down on his luck in order to infiltrate the Orion Syndicate and expose a Federation informant. Similar storytelling occurs in Change of Heart. Worf and Dax go on a mission to rendezvous with a Cardassian defector, but when Dax is injured and her risk of dying is too great, Worf aborts the mission. His action causes the death of the defector and the loss of invaluable information on the Dominion.

In Wrongs Darker than Death or Night, Kira uses the orb of Time to go back in time and find out the truth whether her mother (Leslie Hope) was Gul Dukat's mistress during the occupation on Bajor. Next is a pretty good and intense episode called Inquisition, in which a certain Director Sloan (William Sadler) arrives on DS9 and suspects Bashir of being a Dominion spy. Sloan goes to great lengths to prove his accusations to be true, even accusing Bashir of deliberately suppressing his memories. Yet things are not as they seem as Bashir soon finds out. This episode introduces the secret Section 31 agency even the Federation doesn't know exists. I hope Season Seven explores this secret agency in more detail, because it could make for a pretty interesting story arc or plot thread.

In the Pale Moonlight concerns Sisko's risky plan to bring the Romulans into the war and join the Federation/Klingon Alliance. Since the Romulans have a non-aggression pact with the Dominion, Sisko requires the help of Garak to forge a holographic document that would implicate Weyoun and Damar planning an attack on the Romulans. However, complications occur at every turn and Sisko begins to realize the sacrifices he makes. The storytelling technique is quite effective and involves Sisko speaking to the camera as he recounts the events in his personal log. It's a very good episode. Also very good is the next one called His Way where the relationship between Odo and Kira really flourishes. Odo makes regular visits to Bashir's holosuite program that features Vic Fontaine (James Darren), a Sinatra-like character who knows all about love. Odo seeks advice on how to approach Kira and bring them closer together. The result is one big kiss on the Promenade. A nice touch, I think.

Disc 6 begins with the mysterious The Reckoning. Sisko brings a mysterious stone form a Bajoran excavation site to DS9 for analysis. He is also contacted once again by the Prophets, although he doesn't quite know what to make of the meeting. Kai Winn (Louise Fletcher) arrives on the station to protest Sisko's taking of the stone. A  Prophet soon appears and takes possession of Kira. In order to bring about Bajor's Golden Age it must defeat the "Evil One", which possesses Jake. A supernatural-like battle occurs on the Promenade and Sisko can only look on as his son nears death. However, in a surprise reveal it is Kai Winn who intervenes and alters the future of Bajor.

In Valiant, a Federation vessel known as Valiant rescues Jake and Nog from an attack by Jem'Hadar on their shuttle. The Valiant crew consists of teenage cadets who are part of the Academy's "Red Squad". Jake boycotts the crew's decision to complete their mission, which is to gather intelligence on Dominion warships, because it would be suicide. Next is Profit and Lace where Quark must dress and act as a female Ferengi in order to get an important law passed; equal rights for females on Ferenginar. In Time's Orphan, Molly O'Brien disappears into a vortex while on vacation with her family. She is sent 300 years back in time. The crew attempts to bring her back, but a miscalculation brings back an 18-year-old Molly (Michelle Krusiec), which shocks Miles and Keiko (Rosalind Chao).

The final two episodes are quite poignant. The Sound of Her Voice is about Starship Captain Lisa Cusack (Debra Wilson) who is stranded on a planet with high amounts of Carbon dioxide. She is able to communicate with the Defiant crew as long as her supply of triox doesn't run out. However, the Defiant will not get to her in time before the supply runs out. Some of the conversations relate nicely to each of the characters Lisa speaks with, like Bashir, O'Brien and Sisko.

The season finale, Tears of the Prophets, is scripted by Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler. Directed by series regular Allan Kroeker, the finale puts the Federation on the front lines. Sisko has found a weak spot in the Dominion defense lines, mainly in the Chin'toka system, but a mission to exploit that weakness will only work with the help of the Romulans. While Weyoun and Damar plot, Gul Dukat pays them a surprise visit. He claims to have the "key to victory." A Pah'wraith possesses Dukat in an attempt to destroy the wormhole and the Prophets. Meanwhile, Sisko and crew board the Defiant, leaving Dax in command of the station. Using some incredible special effects, the ensuing battle against the new, unmanned orbital weapon platforms protecting Chin'toka system turns into a pretty exciting action sequence.

Dukat arrives on DS9 to destroy one of the Orbs and fatally wounds a certain crew member who confronts him. I don't think to spoil the identity is a good idea, so you'll have to find out for yourself if you don't already know. The pah-wraith in Dukat turns the Orb black and the wormhole collapses. Sisko senses something is wrong, so after penetrating the platform defense line the Defiant returns to DS9 to learn of the shocking news that one of their friends is going to die. An emotional scene follows. To clear his mind and soul, and also "to make things right again" as he promised his dying friend, Sisko takes a leave of absence and leaves Major Kira in charge of the station. The last shot is of Sisko cleaning some sort of sea shells outside of his father's restaurant on Earth. While it is not a cliffhanger ending, it is still quite powerful and makes me await the final season with great anticipation.

Taking into consideration all 26 episodes of the season, it is save to say I enjoyed almost all of them, except for a few that moved a little too slow. The overall writing of the episodes is very good. Ronald D. Moore and Rene Echevarria divide their work evenly amongst themselves. Scripting the bigger episodes are Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler. Story editors David Weddle and Bradley Thompson also write very well. This team makes for a good combination. Returning as directors are Allan Kroeker, David Livingston, Victor Lobl, Mike Vejar and Winrich Kolbe. They all do a really good job. Also taking on directing duties are Alexander Siddig (Profit and Lace), Michael Dorn (Inquisition), Rene Auberjonois (Waltz), and Avery Brooks (Far Beyond the Stars). LeVar Burton returns to direct Behind the Lines and Resurrection. The rest of the crew also has to be complemented for making this show look and sound so very good. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Season 6 performs at the top of the game. It's my favorite season up to this point, but Season 5 is equally terrific.

>>Continued on Page 2 (Video, Audio, Extras, Overall).

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