“Rivals” 30th-anniversary reflections

War isn’t always fought with phasers. Sometimes the weapons of choice are drinks, dabo tables, and an extra dose of charm. That's how El-Aurian Martus Mazur sees it. Being a listener also helps. As a rival to Quark, Martus gives DS9 residents and visitors an alternative way to be bamboozled. But this isn't the only rivalry brewing on the station; Miles O'Brien and Julian Bashir have their own battle going on the space racquetball court. With strange things happening all around, the outcome of it all may just come down to the laws of probability. Let's just hope no sperm whales or bowls of petunias are harmed in the process.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “Rivals,” how casting impacted the final results, the surprise guest who wasn't, what the story does for the Miles–Julian relationship, and more.

Chapters

Intro (00:00:00)

Highly Improbable Filler (00:02:57)

Guinan's Wayward Son (00:07:24)

Is the Story Rewatchable? (00:11:03)

The Martus Problem (00:17:26)

The Better Listener (00:20:58)

Miles and Julian (00:23:03)

Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:26:52)

Closing (00:28:58)

Hosts

C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production

C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Sanctuary” 30th-anniversary reflections

When a group of refugees from the Gamma Quadrant come through the wormhole, Sisko naturally extends Federation hospitality. These aliens, the Skrreeans, flew through what they call the Eye of the Universe in search of their fabled homeworld, Kentanna. According to their sacred texts, Kentanna was a place where they would plant seeds of joy. There's just one problem; the planet turns out to be Bajor.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “Sanctuary,” the story's Dominion connections and social commentary on cultural concerns and immigration that remains relevant three decades later.

Chapters

Intro (00:00:00)

Cultural Communication (00:02:41)

Story Origins (00:06:29)

Immigration Policy (00:13:21)

Cultural Concerns (00:20:44)

Reassessing Bashir (00:21:16)

Dominion Breadcrumbs (00:29:30)

Creepy Makeup (00:31:29)

Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:33:53)

Closing (00:36:57)

Hosts

C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production

C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

“Second Sight” 30th-anniversary reflections

On the anniversary of the Battle of Wolf 359, Benjamin Sisko finds himself surprised that such an important date could almost slip by. Four years have passed since he lost his wife, and life without her is becoming routine. That may be why he is open to the possibility of a relationship with someone else when he encounters a beautiful woman on the Promenade. But smiles give way to puzzlement when the woman keeps disappearing. And when she turns out to be the wife of a visiting scientist, things get really awkward.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “Second Sight,”how the episode humanizes Sisko, casting saves a forgettable story, and more.

Chapters

Intro (00:00:00)

Time Heals All Wounds (00:02:42)

Story Origins (00:06:29)

Station (and Life) Matters (00:10:14)

Humanizing Sisko (00:14:41)

Reassessing Bashir (00:21:16)

The Lady in Red (00:23:34)

Saving a Forgettable Episode (00:26:47)

The SF Premise (00:32:34)

GENESIS!!! (00:35:00)

Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:41:04)

Closing (00:44:15)

Hosts

C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production

C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)