DS9 Stories/News: Boss Chicks: Jadzia Dax

Source: http://www.amaya-radjani.com/2011/10/boss-chicks-jadzia-dax.html

I’m continuing my appreciation for the DS9 Divas.

Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax, played by Terry Farrell, was a joined Trill.  Before I continue my homage to Dax, I need to explain the significance of being joined.  To be joined means that the humanoid Trill is a host to a wise old symbiont.  The symbionts are special and must be protected at all times, to the detriment of the host.  Trills that are joined must undergo rigorous training because they absorb the memories of all of the symbiont’s previous hosts.  Trills that are eligible for joining look upon the event as an honor, and view the protection of the symbiont as their highest priority.  Jadzia was host to the Dax symbiont, a 300-year old creature.  She was Dax’s eighth host.  Her predecessor was a male Trill named Curzon.  Curzon had strong ties to the Klingon Empire.

Now, with that context, I can continue my analysis. Jadzia arrived on Deep Space Nine, and she was an enigmatic, beautiful woman who had a previous relationship with Captain Benjamin Sisko.  The prior relationship was actually with Curzon Dax, who was Sisko’s mentor.  Sisko always referred to Curzon as “old man,” and when Jadzia joined the crew and Sisko realized that she carried the Dax symbiont, and thus had Curzon’s memories, he started calling her “old man.” Because of her experience, she was typically the voice of reason for Sisko and his crew.  She was his confidant and he was hers; they regularly sought advice from one another.  Their bond was strong.

Jadzia was strong enough to handle seven lifetimes’ worth of memories, which is no easy feat.  Because of her experiences, she was able to have an appreciation for various activities.  She played tongo better than most Ferengi, loved to fight, fuck and party.  Jadzia was comfortable with herself and confident, had a zest for life and no shortage of suitors, including the young and inexperienced Dr. Julian Bashir.  Bashir was waaaay out of his league in his pursuit of Dax.  He was no match for her; she was far too much woman for him.  But when Lieutenant Commander Worf reported for duty on DS9, Dax took a liking to him.  She had an appreciation for Klingons & their culture, due to Curzon’s affiliation.  She pursued Worf in a relatively light-hearted way, pointing out that he couldn’t see what was before him.  Worf, lovesick over an unattainable female, Grilka, didn’t realize that Jadzia liked him until she challenged him in a Klingon courtship ritual.  Klingons are a tempestuous lot, and she and Worf became lovers, or par’mach-kai, after she initiated the ritual.  They were known for having rough sex, replete with broken bones, scratches, pulled muscles and dislocated joints.

Klingon mating rituals don’t scare me. I’d do Worf.

They got married in Season Six.

Micheal Dorn (Worf) & Terry Farrell (Jadzia Dax)

Dax’s bachelorette party was awesome!  She had a fine-ass Polynesian fire dancer perform.  She punched out her future mother-in-law when she pulled a knife.  Everyone was dancing and drinking (and likely doing other things the camera couldn’t show), and Dax woke up with a massive hangover to the chagrin of her stoic and stalwart fiancé.  One could infer that she slept with the fire dancer, as she certainly intimated that she wanted to.  The wedding got called off, but eventually takes place when Sisko talked some sense into Dax.  Dax and Worf were a good match, and when she abruptly died at the end of Season Six, he was inconsolable.  The Dax symbiont ended up with an unworthy successor.

Ezri Dax: FAIL!

The writers would have done better either recasting Terry Farrell (the actress) or letting the character of Dax die altogether.  Ezri could not fill Jadzia’s shoes.

Chatty Cathy

I liked Dax.  I thought she was a fantastic character.  But there was a shift in her personality somewhere between Season Three & Season Four.  She was this quiet, wise, mysterious female, and then she became gossipy, silly and prone to throwing people under the bus.  She knew everyone’s business and told everybody everyone else’s business, and she did not have a problem discussing hers and Worf’s private life with everyone on the senior staff.  It was clearly a series of “WTF?” moments.

But in spite of these flaws, Jadzia Dax is still a boss chick; if for no other reason than loving a Klingon, wanting his children, and fucking his brains out.  That, my friends, is not something to be taken lightly.

DS9 Stories/News: TV Weddings – Star Trek DS9: Worf and Dax

Source: http://telephonoscope.com/2010/07/07/tv-weddings-star-trek-ds9-worf-and-dax/

by kvanaren

The couple: Worf, half-Klingon Strategic Operations Officer on DS9, marries Jadzia Dax, a Trill whose combined lives include five previous marriages.

The premise: Worf wants to get married on the Klingon home world after the Dominion War ends, but Dax convinces him to do it in Quark’s bar on DS9. Worf and Dax gear up for a traditional Klingon wedding, but the matriarch of the House of Martok opposes the marriage.

The inevitable sequence of mishaps: While Worf goes on his four day long bachelor party with Sisko, Martok, Bashir, and O’Brien, House of Martok matriarch Sirella judges Dax’s worthiness as a potential wife for Worf. As Dax isn’t a Klingon, Sirella finds her completely unsuitable. The bachelor party turns out to be incredibly uncomfortable, involving six trials on the path to Kal’Hyah – deprivation, blood, pain, sacrifice, anguish and death. During Dax’s bachelorette party, Sirella shows up and demands that Dax perform a ritual. Dax refuses, she and Sirella come to blows, and then Worf insists that Dax beg Sirella’s forgiveness. Of course Dax won’t do that, and she tells a depressed Worf that she won’t participate in his traditional Klingon wedding, whereupon he calls the whole thing off. Finally, Martok convinces Worf to apologize to Dax, and Sisko convinces Dax to apologize to Sirella, so the wedding goes ahead.

The clichés: Judgmental and demanding mother-in-law, obsession with details, unexpected cultural rituals, crazy bachelor party, briefly cancelled wedding, blood rituals (okay, for a Klingon it’s cliché).

The bridesmaid dresses: Klingon weddings don’t have bridesmaids, but they do have men who symbolically attack the newly married couple with clubs immediately after the ceremony. So, you know, basically the same thing.

Klingon bridesmaids

And in the end…: Happily, Sirella accepts Dax into the House of Martok and Worf is able to have the Klingon wedding of his dreams.

Awwww

The verdict: The strange thing about this episode is that while the entire wedding rests on several crucial apologies (Worf must apologize to Dax for being intolerant, Dax must apologize to Sirella for being insufficiently humble), neither of those apologies happen on screen. The big emotional payoff for each character is when someone else convinces them that apologies are in order, and then completely skips over whatever Dax actually says to Sirella to gain acceptance. Much as I enjoy the subsequent Klingon ceremony, (bride and groom ceremonially attack each other, two Klingon hearts beat as one, gods tremble, etc. etc.), I feel like the episode misses something important in skipping those apologies. Realizing you should say you’re sorry is the easy part – actually saying it is usually much harder. In any event, Worf and Jadzia Dax’s marriage goes very well until Jadzia is killed by Gul Dukat and another Trill joins the Dax symbiont. Then things get understandably awkward for a while.

DS9 Stories/News: So You Want To Watch Star Trek: DS9? – Season 2

Source: http://directgeek.com/2011/11/so-you-want-to-watch-star-trek-ds9-season-2/

Previously: A primer on the series, and a guide to season 1.

At first glance, the second season seems like a bit of a mixed bag.  For good reason, though! The first season introduces you to the cast, the governments, and the societies of the show. The second season asks you to question your assumptions about them.  Cowardly Bajorans, socially progressive Cardassians, brave Ferengi, and at one point Jake wears a good-looking jumpsuit.

LOL, j/k.

It’s gonna blow your mind.

2×01-03: The Homecoming, The Circle, and The Siege

Internet, I tried. I watched them again with an eye to “can I let the Internet skip these? Can I really?” And I couldn’t decide. I leave you to make your own choice, but I want it to be an informed decision.

The cons:

• Garak isn’t in these episodes.
• You have to watch Vedek Bareil, and he’s really boring. Plus he wears a lot of orange. He shouldn’t do that.
• Bajoran politics and Bajoran religion are deeply intertwined, and Bajoran religion is insufferable.
• The events in these episodes do not permanently affect the status quo on the station. Things end up pretty much where they began.

The pros:

• There are some Cardassians.
• Hollow folk heroes are the best folk heroes! I’m a big fan of the way these episodes deal with the willful misinterpretation of history.
• 
• The Siege is an actual siege, and a siege episode is always fun.

Choose wisely. If you only watch one of them, I’d say watch 1×03. It’s got the least yadda yadda and the most action.

2×04: Invasive Procedures

Also known as The One Where Lionel Luthor is a Trill. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, then consider me duly embarrassed for admitting to you that I watched Smallville.

If you don’t have the benefit of years of Smallville knowledge and experience, then you may not realize that this episode establishes many of its themes and life lessons. Namely:

1. Don’t date a Luthor.
2. Don’t allow a Luthor to undergo any sort of medical procedure whatsoever.
3. Your friends will one day shoot you.

2×05: Cardassians

I swear I’m gonna skip some episodes soon, but come on. Come on. It’s called Cardassians. I’m constitutionally incapable of skipping it, and furthermore it’s rather worthwhile.

I want to point out two important things about this episode. First, the people who are milling around in the background during the opening scene.

This is why I love you, Star Trek.

The second is the fact that you should never, ever bite Elim Garak. There is an entire book written about why you should never do this.

In any case, this is the first of many episodes about why Garak is the best. He survives a biting, conducts political shenanigans, changes out of his watermelon outfit, does volunteer computer maintenance for an orphanage (what a guy!), surreptitiously trains Dr. Bashir to be a vicious political operative, and then he changes back into his watermelon outfit. It’s a busy day for him.

2×08: Necessary Evil

This is about how Odo got his job during the Cardassian occupation. I don’t consider it a particularly strong episode, but if you’re super into Odo (he has his puddingy appeal), then this is an episode for you. But, to be frank, you should really just skip to 2×12.

2×10: Sanctuary

The “Dominion”, you say? Why, that does sound menacing!

2×12: The Alternate

In case you didn’t guess this within one minute of meeting Odo, I’ll spoil it for you: Odo’s pseudo-dad is a creepy asshole.  In this episode we meet creepy dad, and Odo’s distant cousin, Plant-Mold-Thing! Plant-Mold-Thing is reportedly silicon-based, canonically proving that Odo is related to the Horta.

Captain Kirk meets Mrs. Odo.

2×17: Playing God

You don’t absolutely have to watch this one, I just want you to know how cute Cardassian voles are.

?

Okay but for real, this is an episode about how Jadzia Dax would be the best, were it not for Garak. As it stands, she is a very, very close second best.

Oh, also the station adopts a baby. A baby universe. As you do.

2×18: Profit and Loss

You need to believe me when I tell you that Quark is the romantic lead of this series. The main event of this episode, however, is Cardassians.

Cardassians.

Because, while Bajoran politics are as much fun as single barrel of dead monkeys, Cardassian politics are twenty barrels of AMAZEBALLS.

Whatever, Garak, you know what I mean.

Romance! Dissidents! The threat of imminent interstellar war! Subterfuge! Garak hitting on Sisko! Betrayal! The longest, most stretched-thin fashion-as-politics metaphor you will ever witness! Garak doing things! Garak saying things! Garak standing around silently! Speaking of which…

2×22: The Wire

This episode is better than the entire television series of the same name. [Ed. note: Gabby has never seen the HBO series "The Wire".]  

When beginning this post, I was aware of the danger of writing a thousand-word love letter to this episode. So I’m just going to tell you to focus on the way Andy Robinson (Garak) enunciates “stimulate”.

Stiiiiiiimulate.

Watch this or else, Internet.

2×23: Crossover

If you’re new to Star Trek, then you may not be familiar with something we locals call The Mirrorverse.  It’s a lot like the universe you’re already familiar with, only with more dramatic lighting and orgies. Ever seen the episode(s) of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer in which they visit an alternate universe where everyone is really slutty? It’s like that. Everyone is really slutty in Mirrorverse.

Everyone.

2×25: Tribunal

I care about Miles O’Brien once a season. This episode is that once.

2×26: The Jem’Hadar

Second time I’m gonna say this: a strange choice for a season finale. I promise the third season finale makes more sense in tone. Except for Jake’s outfit.

Spoilers: nobody knows wtf is wrong with Jake.

Technically speaking, you should watch this episode. It explains some basic Gamma Quadrant stuff, and Sisko and Quark are forced to hang out together for an entire episode. There is some space battle, and you get to see ships shaped like beetles.  It’s okay. It’s the gateway to the third season.

In the next post: Planet: Pudding! Quark’s wife! Species-swap! Sex pollen! Time travel! Dreamscape! Moar Mirrorverse! Garak’s daddy issues! Quark’s mommy issues! Jadzia’s Curzon issues!

DS9 Stories/News: That’s What He Said, Ira Steven Behr (2)

During his time as DS9 writer and executive producer, Ira Steven Behr had been in contact with fans via AOL postings. An archive of these postings has been hosted on a Geocities page, which is about to be closed before the end of the year.

Because of this, Memory Alpha is hosting these postings, which were originally provided as .txt files, as-is. Below is the introductory paragraph of the archive page, followed by links to the individual postings. Please note that the posting pages are protected, and should not be edited.

Star Trek: Continuum Chat With Ira Steven Behr – Sept. 30, 1997

…………..

STC: Ted Nichols asks, What is your most embarrassing moment, since you’ve been involved with DS9?

Ira Behr: I guess the most embarrassing moment which has now lasted about six years would have to be the ever-shrinking ratings. At least this used to bother me quite a bit. Actually, now I’ve become perversely attuned to it. I find that DS9 is a cult within a cult… or perhaps “cult” is a bad word in today’s environment… oh well, you know what I mean. Everyone wants to be loved by as many people as possible and it took me a long time to realize that DS9 was not going to be everyone’s taste.

I think TNG proved confusing to all of us. Star Trek suddenly became a mainstream entity where the original series was a fringe show, TNG was much more viewer friendly. It was a very safe, very clean show.

There was no real threat that its characters could not handle. It was, indeed, an easy show to embrace. DS9 has always been quirkier. It doesn’t necessarily make you feel that all is right with the world… it is not Connecticut

STC: Trey asks, I would like to say that I respect and appreciate how you have made DS9 a unique part of the Star Trek Universe. In fact, DS9 was what rekindled my interested in Star Trek. There are many out there, a few of whom I know personally that don’t like the direction that you, the producers have taken this show? Do these kind of opinions discourage you in any way, or do you take it in stride like I do? Thanks for the enjoyable past 5 years!

Ira Behr: I know in the past I’ve said things that have made it sound like I have a contentious relationship with the fans…

I don’t think that’s accurate but I do believe that trying to please the many diverse types of fans that make up the DS9 audience would be a futile task. There are fans that only like the action shows… there are fans that like the Bajoran shows… Fans that like the Klingons shows… Fans that only like the Lesbian Shows

Fans that only like the Lesbian Shows... & apparently Ira is one of them!

Fans that only like the shows that feature SPAM… There is no way we can please them all. Again this is not like TNG which basically did the same kind of show (i.e.. exploration, exploring strange, new whatevers) each week. So basically, we have to make the decision that we (meaning the writers/producers) are going to guide the show. It doesn’t mean that we don’t want to please the fans, or we don’t hear the fans…

But it does mean that we can’t let the fans unduly influence us because if we did, we run the risk of only doing Lesbian shows and then stations might cancel us

Oh, Ira and His Sense of Humor!!!

STC: WSHart asks, Do you ever get a chance or even care to watch the “competition” like B5 or X-Files or even Voyager — or Herc & Xena?

Ira Behr: The fact is I’d rather read a book or watch a laser disc than watch television. This sounds pretentious, I know but it’s the truth. But if I did watch a TV show, it definitely would not be any of those mentioned above. I spend my life thinking about DS9, science fiction, space opera, whatever you want to call it and watching Herc or Xena is not my idea of relaxing.

STC: Alan Cooper says, I’ve noticed, as you said, that all of the characters on DS9 have gone through massive changes character-wise. Bashir went from somewhat annoying glory hound to a great character and Rom went from being a nobody to being a major character. Were these transitions at all planned or did you feel your way along as you go?

Ira Behr: I don’t know if you can say they were planned… but I do think that from the very beginning of the series, the writers have been very interested in exploring the characters. So, I guess you could say that we do feel our way as we go along but at least we know we’re on a road we want to travel.

STC: Keinbert asks, Do you like Villains more than heroes?

Ira Behr: That’s a little simple. I think I like characters who surprise me and I think DS9 is full of those. The one thing I will say about the Villains of DS9, they’re much more verbal than the heroes which makes them a lot of  fun to write. They can spew words with great elan and I sure as hell don’t look like Paul Schaffer… get your eyes checked!

STC: Keinbert asks, How many episodes do you write a year?

Ira Behr: Usually I’ll co-write about eight a year and rewrite a bunch of others without taking credit. This year has been especially busy and I think I’ve written or rewritten six out of the first ten episodes. Of course, I would’ve written more if I didn’t have that Letterman gig.

STC: Chris Fisher asks, You have written many episodes, which are you’re favorite and will you be doing more?

Ira Behr: It’s a tough question… Among those that I have a special fondness for “The Nagus”, “Past Tense”, “Call to Arms” and “Duet”. “Duet” was a rewrite that I did with Peter Allan Fields… it still ranks up there as one of my favorite Star Trek moments.

STC: Alan Cooper asks, Are there any episodes in particular that you wish you could go back and refine further?

Ira Behr: Obviously my first response is: ALL OF THEM

On a TV schedule there’s always room for improvement but if I had to choose one, it would have to be “Let He Who Is Without Sin”, it was supposed to be a show that looked at 24th Century morals and sexuality. We pretty much failed on both counts.

STC: Trey asks, With the Dominion war going on and the crew being separated, does it make it difficult at times to give all the characters enough “Screen Time”?

Ira Behr: Doing the sex episode arc was VERY difficult. Keeping all the characters serviced was a tap dance that seemed to go on forever. But I think the end result is worthwhile. Ultimately it will be the fans that will let us know if it is or not.

STC: Tedd Nichols asks, What is your favorite Motto or Quote?

Ira Behr: It’s from the Beckett novel “The Unnameable”, I can’t go on. You must go on. I’ll go on.

STC: Scott S asks, What are the chances of Rom and Leeta having a child?

Ira Behr: As of two weeks ago, Max Grodenchick and Chase Masterson are still arguing. Whether or not Rom and Leeta have had sex yet. So I think a child is a bit premature. Personally, I’m leaning toward Max’s point of view. Rom may be an idiot but he’s not that big of an idiot

STC: Dax asks, All I have to say is the season premiere was amazing and I hope you have a big wedding planned for Worf and Dax

Ira Behr: Thank you. And indeed we do

STC: Kes asks, Have you ever, or would you ever consider doing a cameo appearance on the show?

Ira Behr: Actually, I play Morn.

Marc Shephard is just an actor I’ve hired to confuse the fans at conventions… but don’t tell anyone… it’s a secret…

STC: LarryN asks, Have you ever dallied with the idea of having Q or even Vash, back on the station? Or any other “old” guest roles?

Ira Behr: I don’t foresee Q being back on the show. To me, his relationship with Picard was gold and I don’t think we can top it. As for Vash, I’d like to see her back but so far inspiration has not struck.

STC: Starfleet7 asks, What is your new book about?

Ira Behr: “Legends of the Ferengi” is a compendium of stories, folklore, songs, articles, obituaries and outright lies that explain and define various Rules of Acquisitions.

Read this book and you may not increase your profit margin (or mine for that matter) but you will smile. And after all, what could be better than a smile!

TRUE, SO TRUE IRA

:-)

If you don’t believe me, ask Red Skelton… Oh, you can’t… He’s dead

So I guess you’ll just have to take my word for it

STC: Loctus asks, I just wanted to say that I started watching DS9 in its fourth season and I have been in love ever since. I think you guys are doing a wonderful job and especially you Ira. I personally think that DS9 is better than TNG. Let the insults fly but really you guys do a superb job and I wish you good luck on many more seasons of wonderful shows

Ira Behr: Your insight, wit and superior intellect are beacons that light the darkness that surround so much of our lives here at the end of 20th Century. I know I speak for all of us, not only on Star Trek but at Paramount, Melrose Avenue, Greater Los Angles, Southern California, the Western United States and the United States Postal Service when I say to you…

Good night and God Bless…

Oh no.. That was Red Skelton, not me. I though he was dead.

I must’ve been thinking about Burgess Meredith

STC: Alan Copper asks, Being completely honest, what re the chances of a fan’s script/story idea being used in DS9?

Ira Behr: At this point, DS9 is closed to outside submissions. At best, the show’s only going to go for another year and a half and the backlog is already huge. I know that’s not what you want to hear but I’m afraid that’s where we’re at.

STC: Berserker asks, Is there really an episode about Morn? And will he speak, or will it be some sort of dream thing where he doesn’t talk at all?

Ira Behr: There will be an episode about Morn in which much will be learned about our favorite barfly but you won’t be hearing it from him.

STC: 1hp aks, I love Moogie. Is he coming back this year?

Ira Behr: Moogie will be back this year. Andrea Martin was going to reprise the role but had to drop out at the last minute.

STC: Kinloks V asks, Ira, Thank you so much for spending your valuable time with us here on CONTINUUM! I look forward to this new season of DS9 (It kicks Voyager Butt, BTW!) and want to know if you find it a challenge to make your episodes accessible to a casual viewer who may not know the rich detail and background on the world you’ve created?

Ira Behr: You’ve touched on a problem that has given me pause for the last two years. DS9 can seem daunting to a new viewer. Unlike most TV shows, we do tend to build on what’s come before but I do believe, or at least want to believe, that the individual episodes are entertaining enough to pull a viewer in. Once we get them interested, there are many ways (Videos, Reruns… etc) for them to catch up.

STC: Gleknar asks, How tall are you?

Ira Behr:

I am a giant who doth bestride the world like a Colossus

REALLY? IRA???

STC: Bones1701 asks, Is it just me, or have you purposefully been getting old TOS guest starts on DS9? Like space hippie Adam for the general in Little Green Men?

Ira Behr: We tried to get Robert Walker Jr. This year but he’s not interested in renewing his acting career. I am trying to get Iggy Pop on the show. I know he wasn’t on the original series but I just want to give a plug to Iggy.

Ira & Iggy Pop

After all, Iggy truly does bestride the world like a Colossus. If he does do the show, He’ll be playing a Vorta.

And I, for one, would be very happy

STC: ItsAMystique asks, Ira, Do you intend to beat Jeri Ryan’s three hour plus CONTINUUM chat record? If so let me know so I can order in dinner. Thanks.

Ira Behr: Thank you and drive home safely. I guess this is as good a time to call it quits.

My kids are waiting for me to put them to bed. My wife is waiting to hear me complain about my day.

This has been a real pleasure.

The guys here at Star Trek CONTINUUM have been great. The questions have exceeded my expectations. We hope to give you the best season of DS9 yet. If we fail, it won’t be through lack of trying. So, keep watching… and read a goddam book once in a while (Even if it’s not one of mine)

And finally, yes this is really is me!

Goodbye Ira

STC: We’d like to thank Ira Steven Behr for joining us here tonight. We’re looking forward to the upcoming exciting season of Deep Space Nine!

Thank you all very much for participating in tonight’s special event!

Remember to watch the season premiere of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine this week. Check your local listings for day and time.