Deep Space Nine Season Seven - II

10) The Siege of AR-558 — Sisko's crew joins a small Federation outpost and makes a lonely stand against a Jem'Hadar assault.  A predictable war story - told in many films/TV shows - about a plucky rag-tag band of soldiers holding off the enemy.  We the usual war cliches: the bitter GI who feels  abandoned by the High Command, the tough as nails C/O,  the sneaky enemy picking off the good guys, and the defeat of the final assault. All that's missing is Sgt Saunders and his submachine gun. And having silly little Nog playing soldier and getting wounded didn't help.   Rating **

11) Covenant  - Kira is kidnapped by a Bajoran paghwraith cult led by Dukat. The producers continue their Character asssassination of Gul Dukat.  First, he's a lunatic, then he's a evil genocidal monster.  And now, he's "Master Dukat" a religious cult leader who wants Kira to convert.  This could have been interesting  - but the writers take easy way out, and make Dukat an insincere "Jim Jones wanabee". Of course Kira sees that from the start but its only when conman Dukat tries to poison all his followers that he's exposed.  And once exposed Dukat beams out of the story to parts unknown. Which brings up the question - why didn't he do that in the first place? Good Lord, what trash. I gave this an extra star because Kira/Dukat are always interesting - no matter how dumb the story.  Rating **

12) It's Only a Paper Moon  - A depressed Nog has trouble adjusting to a crippled leg and escapes into the fantasy world of Vic Fontaine.  I went into this Nog/Vic episode with low expectations.  We have two silly supporting characters dominating the episode and a cliched "handicapped vet struggles to deal with his injury" story. We also get a lot of Rom.  However, Nog and Vic are suprisingly effective, and the moment where Vic turns himself off and tells Nog to go live in reality was quite good.  That barely bumped it up to Rating **

13) Treachery, Faith, and the Great River  — Weyoun deserts the Dominion and offers Odo invaluable classified information. This is another great Odo episode which goes into some fascinating details about the Vorta Dominion relationship. The acting is excellent, and the special effects were quite good. The comic subplot was realtively painless.  Rating ****1/2

14) Chimera - A changling tries to convince Odo to leave DS9 and embark on a grander quest. A touching episode that comments on love, changling society, and predudice. General Martok (Hertzer)  plays changling Lass with a mixture of arrogance and sympathy,  But its the Kira Odo relationship that wins my admiration. Very good acting. Rating ***1/2

15) Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges - When Sloan attempts to recruit Bashir for an undercover mission on Romulus, Bashir goes along to learn more about Section 31.  Well done riff off cold war spy stories (Spy who came in from the Cold comes to mind),  The highlight, as ususal, is Sloan as the manipulative Section 31 agent. Bashir also does well as the good man caught in a bad situation.  Well written and full of twists.  Rating ***1/2

16) Penumbra - While Ezri goes searching for a missing-in-action Worf, Sisko proposes marriage to Kasidy and builds a new house. After Vic, Rom/Ferengi comedy, and Bajorian internal politics, my least favorite part of DS9 is Sisko's family. And this episode has a lot of Sisko, Jake and his wife. Thank lord for the FF button. The B plot with Dax and Work isn't bad. This is Chapter 1 in an 8 part series that will end the show.  Rating **