Star Trek Retro Review: 'Paradise' (DS9) | Grab Bag

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#startrek #review #startrekds9 #startrekdeepspacenine

[DirkLasermaster]

My favorite joke of yours regarding this episode was in your Trek Acutally - "You, know i thought Alixis was some kind of cult leader, but its actually far worse. Shes a self-published author."

[DarthCalculus]

Sisko going back into the box is one of his most badass moments in the whole series.

[johncattley]

I really feel for Sisko and O’Brien in this episode. I am also stuck on a planet with shitty politics and no way to beam up and warp back to a post-scarcity utopia.

[erf]

Sisko: I can't join your cult. The Bajoran wormhole alien cult asked first, so they've got dibs.

[andrewklang]

Alixis is the type of leader who would loudly proclaim her society "the greatest village in the world" even as her son is dragging another corpse out of the hotbox.

Meg: Help me! I'm dying of a routine disease!
Alixis: Shut up, Meg.

[FishareFriendsNotFood]

Star Trek's 'peasant clothing' is my post-pandemic concept of my 'fancy going outside' clothes 🤣

[jimmysmith]

I agree, she did perform spectacularly; I fucking detested the character SO much, and she did the whole job of lawful evil right to the very end. Strong performance start to finish.

[imcarlabee]

Calling them, "...her Unabomber manifestos" is a stroke of eloquence! Well done as always ❤

[TheHopperUK]

Heartily agree about the 'good theatre' aspect of Sisko confronted by an opposite villain. Reminds me strongly of the scene with Weyoun where they discuss the minefield outside the wormhole, and very quickly both become aware that their only mutual goal is 'let's both try to leave this room alive'. Sisko has learned a lot by then about when to stay restrained; he barely moves while Weyoun executes a complicated political dance around him and finally leaves, both of them alive, both of them knowing the war is inevitable.

[steveng.clinard]

I figured Alixsis became bitter about technology because she felt that people were treating her like some kind of personal assistant. "Alixsia, set an alarm for 2:30 tomorrow., "Alixsoa, what's the weather forecast for tomorrow", "Alixsis, play a classic episode of 'Matlock' on the main biew screen ".

[nutherefurlong]

I like that I can see a single frame of a DS9 episode and instantly go "Oh yeah, that one! I liked that one!" most of the time

[JessieGender]

On that last "doesn't get good until season 3" note - the older I get, the more I appreciate the first 2 seasons of DS9. They're far from perfect and the show is still finding its footing outside of The Next Generation - but I also really appreciate Michael Pillar's perspective as showrunner. Episodes like Duet, Paradise, Cardassians, Necessary Evil, and Sanctuary. You could really tell he was really freeing himself from the Gene Roddenbery storytelling box as he used to call it - and also being very pointed about the indigenous aspect of the Bajorans relating to Palestinians during the formation of Israel and after, Indigenous American tribes, and also diaspora Jews throughout history - and I would have been curious to see where he would have gone with DS9 had Ira Steven Behr not taken over and Pillar went off to help shepherd the start of the more TNG-like Voyager in at the start of DS9's season 3. Certainly, I love Behr's more cynical yet ultimately hopeful view of the Federation that we get in DS9 season 3 onwards - its my favorite Star Trek show for a reason - but I am also curious how Pillar would have molded the show too.

[jamboarder]

Good stuff Steve! One of my favorite DS9 episodes. So many DS9 episodes hold up well over the years because of their strong foundations as solid stories.

[chiefburbs]

in my head cannon, when they cut to O'Brian, it was to cover Sysko from giving her the finger lol

[gildedbear]

It always bothered me that the colonists stayed after all that happened. Thank you for the perspective that they were ON a colony ship. They had set out TO FOUND A COLONY, with each other. Even though it wasn't on the planet that was planned, and even though there was a crazy cult leader that betrayed them all, it does make sense that they would say, "hey, this is the colony that we founded, let's keep building it. But less crazy going forward."

[dereksherwood]

11:12 O'Brien says to the colonists: "THIS. IS. MY. BOOMSTICK!"

[XMagneto]

I always loved this episode, but I feel the ending doesn't quite do it. I think the realization that this was all a lie would have inspired a more visceral reaction from at least some of the community. The question of the needless dead would have persisted and I think there would have been at least few that would have gone with Sisko. However, you make a convincing argument at the end of the video. I don't know that I'm convinced, but I see it all a little clearer now.

[AzaleaJane]

Alixus is a great villain. So utterly convinced of her rightness an utterly entitled to use other people -- to fully change and reroute their lives, sometimes allowing them to die -- in order to prove herself right. Always a smile, barely raising her voice... horrifying.

[TheodoreWeiser]

Every time you say Sisco and O'Brien you said it a lot, my brain kept anticipating Sisco and Ebert

[WalrusD]

Great episode, and another gripping, classic moment is when Sisko falls to his knees on his way back to the box. O’Brien starts to run over to help him, but the camera quickly cuts back to Sisko who slowly shakes his head displaying an expression of anguish combined with reassurance. So powerful!