Favorite Episodes of "STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE" Season Six (1997-1998)

 

Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season Six of "STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE". Created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller; the series starred Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko:

FAVORITE EPISODES OF "STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE" SEASON SIX (1997-1998)



1. (6.19) "In the Pale Moonlight" - In an effort to acquire more allies for the Federation's war against the Dominion, Captain Benjamin Sisko recruits former Cardassian spy Garak's help to manipulate the Romulans into joining the war effort. Stephen McHattie guest starred.





2. (6.07) "You Are Cordially Invited" - Lieutenant Commander Worf and Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax endure a week of Klingon trials that include a four-day bachelor party and dealing with a potentially hostile "mother-in-law" in preparation for their rushed wedding.





3. (6.13) "Far Beyond the Stars" - Sisko experiences a full sensory vision from the Prophets in which he is science-fiction writer who struggles with civil rights, inequality and his own demons in 1950s New York City.





4. (6.26) "Tears Of The Prophets" - Sisko ignores a warning from the Prophets and leads a Federation invasion into Cardassian territory with fatal consequences.





5. (6.20) "His Way" - Deep Space Nine's Security Chief Odo seeks advice on how to romance Major Kira Nerys from a holographic lounge singer from the 1960s named Vic Fontaine. James Darren guest-starred.

R.I.P. James Darren (1936-2024)

Favorite Episodes of "STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE" Season Five (1996-1997)

 

Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season Five of "STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE". Created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller; the series starred Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko:



FAVORITE EPISODES OF "STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE" SEASON FIVE (1996-1997)



1. (5.10) "Rapture" - While Bajor prepares to join the Federation, Captain Benjamin Sisko begins having visions that may show him how to best help that planet in the near future, but they are killing him. Penny Johnson and Ernest Perry, Jr. guest-starred.

2. (5.13) "For the Uniform" - When former Starfleet officer-turned-Maquis leader Michael Eddington returns, Sisko will go to any lengths to capture him. Ken Marshall guest-starred.

3. (5.06) "Tribbles and Tribble-ations" - During a visit from two offices of the Temporal Investigations, Sisko reveals how he and the U.S.S. Defiant crew went back in time to when Captain James Kirk of the second U.S.S. Enterprise had exposed a Klingon spy with the help of Tribbles. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy guest-starred.

4. (5.08) "Things Past" - Sisko, Lieutenant Jadzia Dax, security officer Odo and former Cardassian spy Garak find themselves in the past when the Cardassians controlled Deep Space Nine and a younger Odo was knee deep in a curious case. Kurtwood Smith guest-starred.

5. (5.16) "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" - A family secret is exposed when Dr. Julian Bashir is selected to be the model for the next-generation of Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) and his parents are invited to the station to be interviewed by Starfleet's EMH programmer, Dr. Lewis Zimmerman. Brian George, Fadwa El Guindi and Robert Picardo guest-starred.

Honorable Mention: (5.23) "Blaze of Glory" - Driven to desperation by the Dominion, the Maquis launch a massive bio-weapons strike towards Cardassia. Sisko recruits Eddington to stop them. Ken Marshall and J.G. Hertzler guest-starred.

Favorite Episodes of "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE" Season Four (1995-1996)

Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season Four of "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE". Created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller; the series starred Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko:



FAVORITE EPISODES OF "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE" SEASON FOUR (1995-1996)



1. (4.08) "Little Green Men" - Deep Space Nine's bar owner Quark and his brother Rom take the latter's son Nog to Starfleet Academy on Earth. But a malfunction with the ship sends the crew back in time, to 1947 Roswell, New Mexico. Megan Gallagher, Charles Napier and Conor O'Farrell guest starred.





2. (4.10) "Our Man Bashir" - When a transporter emergency turns the station's command crew into holosuite characters in Dr. Julian Bashir's James Bond program, the situation takes on a deadly reality. Ken Marshall guest-starred.





3. (4.03) "The Visitor" - Sometime in the future, an aspiring writer named Melanie, wants to know why an older Jake Sisko stopped writing at age 40. Jake reveals how his father, Captain Benjamin Sisko, had died in an accident and then suddenly reappeared. Tony Todd guest-starred.





4. (4.20) "For the Cause" - Sisko must face betrayal when evidence surfaces that his girlfriend Kasidy Yates is smuggling for the Maquis. Meanwhile, former spy/tailor Garak makes acquaintance with Gul Dukat's daughter, Ziyal. Penny Johnson and Ken Marshall guest starred.





5. (4.20) "Shattered Mirror" - When the Mirror Universe counterpart of Sisko's deceased wife, Jennifer Sisko, lures Jake to the other side; Sisko must follow and help the Terran resistance against the Alliance forces. Felecia M. Bell guest starred.





Honorable Mention: (4.26) "Broken Link" - Station security chief Odo is suddenly struck by illness and he is barely able to hold shape. Bashir and Odo see no other alternative than going to the Founders. Salome Jens guest starred.

Favorite Episodes of "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE" Season Three (1994-1995)

Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season Three of "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE". Created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller; the series starred Avery Brooks as Commander Benjamin Siesko:

FAVORITE EPISODES OF "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE" SEASON THREE (1994-1995)

1. (3.26) "The Adversary" - The Federation's Ambassador Krajensky informs newly promoted Captain Benjamin Sisko that there has been a coup on Tzenketh. During the journey to Tzenketh, Sisko and the crew discover that a Changeling from the Dominion may be hiding aboard and sabotaging Deep Space Nine's only ship, the U.S.S. Defiant. Lawrence Pressman guest starred.

2. (3.09) "The Defiant" - Commander William Riker of the U.S.S. Enterprise shows up unannounced and the station's second-in-command, Major Kira Nerys shows him the Defiant, where he reveals his true motives for coming to Deep Space Nine. Jonathan Frakes and Tricia O'Neil guest starred.

3. (3.21) "The Die is Cast" - Former Cardassian spy-turned-tailor Elim Garak reluctantly tortures Odo for information to prove his loyalty to his former mentor, Enabran Tain, as a joint Tal Shiar/Obsidian Order attack on the Founders in the Omarian Nebula is underway, without Starfleet's involvement. Paul Dooley and Leland Orser guest starred.

4. (3.11-3.12) "Past Tense" - A transporter accident sends Sisko, Dr. Julian Bashir, and Lieutenant Jadzia Dax back to Earth's dark past in the 21st century, a time just before the Bell riots, a violent civil disturbance in opposition to Sanctuaries which are controlled ghettos for the dispossessed. Bill Smitrovitch, Jim Metzler and Clint Howard guest starred.

5. (3.19) "Through the Looking Glass" - Sisko is kidnapped and forced to impersonate his deceased mirror universe counterpart in order to convince Jennifer Sisko to defect to the Terran Rebellion. Felecia M. Bell and Tim Russ guest starred.

Honorable Mention: (3.24) "Shakaar" - Vedek Kai Winn, who has become a political leader on Bajor, needs Kira to convince the former resistance leader Shakaar, now a farmer, to return soil reclamators needed elsewhere in Rakantha, which used to be Bajor's most productive agricultural region. Duncan Regehr and William Lucking guest starred.

R.I.P. René Auberjonois (1940-2019)

"THE CONSPIRATOR" (2010/11) Review

"THE CONSPIRATOR" (2010/11) Review

Throughout Hollywood history, the topic of the American Civil War has proven to be a volatile mix in terms of box office and television ratings. Robert Redford's new drama about President Abraham Lincoln's assassination called "THE CONSPIRATOR" proved to be the case.

Directed by Redford and written by James D. Solomon, "THE CONSPIRATOR" told the story about Civil War veteran Frederick Aiken's efforts to prevent Mary Surratt, the only woman charged in the Lincoln assassination during the spring and summer of 1865. Following the 16th President's death and near fatal attack upon Secretary of State William H. Seward, a Maryland-born boarding house owner and Confederate sympathizer named Mary Surratt becomes among those arrested in connection to the crime. The Federal government, under the authority of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, is convinced of Mrs. Surratt's guilt because of her son John's connections to assassin John Wilkes Booth and the other conspirators. Mrs. Surratt's case was not helped by the fact that they had used her Washington D.C. boardinghouse as a meeting place; or that John managed to evade capture by the Federal authorities following the assassination.

Mrs. Surratt summoned a fellow native of Maryland, U.S. Senator Reverdy Johnson, to defend her before a military tribunal. But political pressure from Stanton and others forced Johnson to recruit Aiken to represent Mrs. Surratt at the tribunal. Unfortunately, the 27-year-old Aiken lacked any previous experience inside a courtroom. The young attorney's initial belief in Mrs. Surratt's guilt and reluctance to defend her disappeared, as he became aware of possible evidence that might exonerate his client and that she was being used as a hostage and bait to lure her son John to the authorities through foul means.

"THE CONSPIRATOR" proved to be one of those Civil War movies that failed to generate any interest at the box office. Most moviegoers ignored it. Many critics bashed it, claiming it was another of Robert Redford's thinly veiled metaphors on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I must be honest. I found this particular criticism worthy of some head scratching. Perhaps those critics had been right. But I must admit that I failed to see the metaphor. The manner in which the Army tribunal railroaded Mary Surratt to a date with a hangman's noose sadly struck me as a very common occurrence throughout history. The wealthy and the powerful have never been reluctant to destroy someone they deemed as a threat or a convenient scapegoat.

Superficially, Mary Surratt did not seem like the type of person toward whom I would harbor any sympathy. The Maryland-born woman had been a Confederate sympathizer. I personally found her political and social beliefs abhorrent. Yet, by revealing the lies and manipulations that she had endured at the hands of the Army tribunal and Federal government, both Redford and screenwriter Solomon did an excellent job in igniting my sympathy. Mary Surratt's experiences also reminded me that they could happen to anyone - even today. The idea of so much power against one individual or a particular group is frightening to behold, regardless of if that individual is a slave, a Confederate sympathizer under arrest or an early 21st century citizen.

Aside from displaying the dangers of absolute powers, "THE CONSPIRATOR" succeeded on two other points - at least for me. I found the movie's basic narrative well written and paced to a certain degree. Both Redford and Solomon had been wise to focus the movie's plot on Mrs. Surratt's case. They could have included the testimonies regarding the other conspirators, but that could have resulted in a great deal of chaos. However, the other defendants' participation in the conspiracy against the Lincoln Administration was utilized in an excellent sequence that conveyed the events surrounding President Lincoln's assassination, the attempt on William Seward's life, John Wilkes Booth's death and the subsequent arrests. With this excellent introduction, the movie smoothly segued into Frederick Aiken's efforts to defend Mrs. Surratt.

However, no movie is perfect. And "THE CONSPIRATOR" had its own imperfections. My main problem centered on three characters - a close friend of Aiken's named Nicholas Baker, who was portrayed by Justin Long; actress Alexis Bledel's portrayal of Aiken's fiancée, Sarah Weston; and the presence of Oscar winner Kevin Kline as Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. My only problem with Bledel was that her performance struck me as mediocre. No number of romantic scenes or beautiful 19th century costumes could alleviate her performance. Justin Long's presence proved to be a waste of time - at least for me. One, Redford and Solomon included a meaningless scene featuring the aftermath of a nameless Civil War battle with both James McAvoy's Aiken and Long lying on the ground, wounded. What was the point of this scene? To establish Aiken's devotion to the Union cause in the form of his friend, Baker? If so, I feel it failed to achieve this. Long was further wasted as one of the two friends who tried to convince Aiken not to defend Mrs. Surratt. Actually, James Badge Dale, who portrayed the young attorney's other friend, William Hamilton, was used more effectively for this task. Long merely hung around slightly drunk or sober, as he grunted his disapproval toward Aiken. And I cannot understand why Redford even bothered to include his character in the plot. Also wasted was Kevin Kline's portrayal of Edwin H. Stanton. Aside from convincing Reverdy Johnson not to personally defend Mrs. Surratt, barking instructions to government lackeys following the incidents at Ford's Theater and Seward's home, and ignoring Aiken's attempts to contact him; Kline's Stanton did nothing. I had expected some kind of confrontation between Aiken and Stanton . . . again, nothing happened.

Fortunately for "THE CONSPIRATOR", the good outweighed the bad. This was certainly apparent in the rest of the cast. I would never consider Frederick Aiken to be one of James McAvoy's best roles. But I cannot deny that he did an admirable job in transforming Aiken's character from a reluctant legal defender to his client's most ardent supporter. He also infused the right mixture of passion, anger and growing cynicism into his character. I have seen Robin Wright only in a small number of roles. But I do believe that Mary Surratt might prove to be one of her best in a career that has already spanned over twenty years. What truly impressed me about Wright's performance was her ability to avoid portraying Surratt as some ladylike martyr that barely did or said anything to avoid conviction. Although Wright's Surratt did suffer, she also conveyed grit and determination to alleviate her situation.

The majority of the cast for "THE CONSPIRATOR" gave solid performances. There were a few I considered standouts among the supporting cast. One of them turned out to be Danny Huston's intense portrayal of the prosecuting attorney, Joseph Holt. Evan Rachel Wood superbly guided Anna Surratt's character from a defiantly supportive daughter to a young woman on the edge of despair. Despite a slightly unconvincing Maryland accent, Tom Wilkinson gave an intelligent performance as U.S. Senator Reverdy Johnson. I could also say the same about James Badge Dale's portrayal of William Hamilton, one of Aiken's friends, who proved to be a wise adviser. As for actor Toby Kebbell, I have to admit that he made a convincing John Wilkes Booth.

I cannot deny that Robert Redford and screenwriter James Solomon made a few missteps with the plot and at least two characters for "THE CONSPIRATOR". But as I had stated earlier, the virtues outweighed the flaws. Both director and screenwriter provided moviegoers with a fascinating and frightening look into the abuse of power during a famous historic event. And they were backed by excellent performances from the likes of James McAvoy and Robin Wright. I only hope that one day, audiences might overlook Redford's current reputation as a filmmaker and give "THE CONSPIRATOR" a second chance.

Five Favorite Episodes of "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE" Season Two (1993-1994)

Below is a list of my five favorite episodes from Season Two of "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE". Created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller; the series starred Avery Brooks as Commander Benjamin Siesko: 




FIVE FAVORITE EPISODES OF "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE" SEASON TWO (1993-1994)



1. (2.23) "Crossover" - First Officer Major Kira Nerys and Dr. Julian Bashir accidentally cross into an alternate world known as the Mirror Universe, where a Klingon-Cardassian alliance rules over the quadrant's former rulers, Terrans (Humans), who are now the enslaved.





2. (2.24) "The Collaborator" - When a Bajoran collaborator named Kubus Oak announces his intentions to return home from exile and is denied passage by Kira Nerys; he contacts Vedek Winn, who is engaged in a power play to become Kai against Vedek Bareil, with evidence that the latter may have been partially responsible for a Cardassian massacre during the latter's occupation of Bajor. 





3. (2.10) "Sanctuary" - The Skrreea, displaced humanoid farmers and political refugees from the Gamma Quadrant, seek to make Bajor their new home, despite opposition from the Bajoran government.





4. (2.22) "The Wire" - Dr. Bashir fights to save the life of former Cardassian spy-turned-tailor when a device implanted in the latter's brain, designed to alleviate pain in the event of torture, begins to malfunction and slowly kill him.





5. (2.08) "Necessary Evil" - When Deep Space Nine's local bar owner Quark is shot, the station's constable Odo relives memories of a five year-old investigation when he served under the Cardassians.

Five Favorite Episodes of "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE" Season One (1993)

Below is a list of my five favorite episodes from Season One of "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE". Created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller; the series starred Avery Brooks as Commander Benjamin Siesko: 




FIVE FAVORITE EPISODES OF "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE" SEASON ONE (1993)



1. (1.19) "Duet" - Deep Space Nine's executive officer and former Bajoran freedom fighter, Major Kira Nerys, suspects a visiting Cardassian to be the notorious war criminal Gul Darhe'el, butcher of Gallitep Labor camp.





2. (1.01-1.02) "Emissary" - Starfleet officer, Commander Benjamin Sisko arrives at the newly freed Deep Space Nine station to command a joint Federation/Bajoran force. His life is changed when a wormhole is discovered near the station and he is declared the Emissary to the Prophets by a Bajoran priest.





3. (1.20) "In the Hands of the Prophets" - In this charged season finale, friction escalates on the station when the Federation and Bajoran inhabitants clash over Federation schoolteacher Keiko O'Brien's lessons that the aliens in the newly discovered wormhole are aliens - a topic that the Bajorans find blasphemous.





4. (1.08) "Dax" - The station's science officer Lieutenant Jadzia Dax finds herself accused of a murder committed by her symbiont in another lifetime.





5. (1.05) "Babel" - A mysterious virus plagues Deep Space Nine, causing speech distortions and death.

Top Five Favorite "HELL ON WHEELS" Season Two (2012) Episodes

Below is a list of my top five favorite Season Two episodes from the AMC series "HELL ON WHEELS". Created by Joe and Tony Gayton, the series stars Anson Mount, Colm Meany, Common and Dominique McElligott: 


TOP FIVE FAVORITE "HELL ON WHEELS" Season Two (2012) Episodes



1. (2.06) "Purged Away With Blood" - Thor Gundersen (aka "The Swede") and the Reverend Nathaniel Cole aid the Lakota in their war against the railroad with the hijacking of a Chicago-bound train.





2. (2.02) "Durant, Nebraska" - Businessman and investor Thomas "Doc" Durant discover that the Lakota had ransacked a town named after him and declared war on his railroad construction. Meanwhile, Cullen Bohannon is freed from an U.S. Army prison by an unlikely ally, following his brief stint as a robber.





3. (2.09) "Blood Moon" - While being interrogated by an Army officer, Cullen reveals the string of incidents that led to an attack on the Hell on Wheels by the Lakota. Matters come to a head between Elam Ferguson, former prostitute Eva and her new husband, Gregory Toole.





4. "Scabs" (2.04) - Following the torture of a railroad worker by the Lakota, the rail crews go on strike. Meanwhile, Eva announces her pregnancy to both Elam and Toole.





5. "The White Spirit" (2.07) - Gundersen returns to Hell on Wheels to help the widowed Lily Bell with the railroad's accounts - against Cullen's wishes, who wants to arrest him for the attack led by Reverend Cole.