One of the most bizarre and difficult to fairly rate episodes of any fandom we will ever cover here at RightFans. The show will get a middling rating, but that is the result of averaging high production scores and high pathos with an off-the-wall Marxist message that we think DS9 should be above sending.
Plot Synopsis:
A full blow by blow can be found at the DS9 Encyclopedia.
The Skinny:
Over on the main blog page in the link bar on the left, you'll find our episode rating decoder in the Reading List link. We say that a score of 9 or better is a featured presentation, a score of 8 to 9 implies a very strong episode, a score of 7 to 8 implies a good, but flawed episode, a score of 6-7 implies a run of the mill episode without a lot of strong memorable moments or substance, a score of 5 to 6 implies a weak/boring episode, 3 to 5 implies a very poor episode with major issues that need resolving or a bad message and a score of 3 or less implies that the episode insulted us as reviewers.
But what do you do when the episode is both entertaining, excellently written, and filled with pathos...AND...deeply insulting? Well, I suppose you could be satisfied raking the episode over the coals for its' laughably simplistic black and white depiction of the conflict between union workers and business owners. Or...you could be happy lauding the episode for the very fact that in a pro-union dominated industry (and in times when the history of unionization and communism are frequently distorted to suit the left-wing version of the story), they managed to make the business owner at least somewhat sympathetic and loving, despite his hard-nosed business practices. I am, however, deeply torn...for several reasons.
1) I hate straw man arguments. Everyone agrees that unions help to keep workers from being unfairly exploited. EVERYONE. Not most...ALL Americans agree with that today. Everyone agrees, in fact, that workplace health and safety should come before the absolute bottom line on the depth chart of business concerns. The conflict begins when Rom falls ill with an ear infection and Quark won't let him take time off to recover - all of us would agree that this is bad for business, let alone bad for the worker.
2) I hate making false (oversimplified) idols out of anyone. No one denies that early union leaders did many heroic things to better the standards of living for workers around the globe, but O'Brien practically bursts into Klingon opera regarding his union heritage - I don't like the implied message (that the good guys stand behind union leaders as unquestioned heroes) and I don't like gruesome hack-job such a message does to the often ruthless and heartless history of union organization. You think Robber Barons were bad? Try reading about the almost mafia-like jack-boot today's NEA or AFLCIO leaders use to stomp all over their constituents.
3) But at the same time, DS9's spin on this union propaganda is to make us at least respect the difficult position the business leader is in when negotiating with a union. At least the writers don't make the mistake of claiming that what Rom and his fellow workers are asking for are a mere pittance. There is a general recognition that allowing unions an inch leads to a mile of further concessions...that there is indeed a slippery slope to keep in mind. Two weeks of paid sick leave and 10% of the tips may not seem like much, but it's a foot in the metaphorical door that leads to the end of free trade...and everyone knows it. The message is still clear - the Ferengi intolerance for unions is to be abhorred without question (and I think most of us would agree that a unionless world would be a far worse place to live)...but at least there is some recognition that the businessman must have a say as well or the lack of check on the influence of the union will clobber free market gains.
4) And what's more...if you can get past the obnoxious Karl Marx quotes, the script is well written and enjoyable and the episode is not without its' charms on the acting front either, although I think Mark Grodenchik may have hammed it up a bit too much in some of his speeches - which is weird, because unless the word he's saying is MOOOOOOOOOOGGIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...Mr. Grodenchik rarely chews scenery.
5) The conclusion of this episode is also stunningly fair to Quark. Rom's union is dissolved...the episode doesn't force change to come to Ferenginar overnight...and workers at Quark's bar get sick leave and overtime pay and a share in the tips, etc. Quark isn't demonized aside from some rather silly boycotting and a totally bizarre fight amongst Starfleet officers who should know better...hey...the bowing and scraping propaganda could have been far worse. A TNG episode would have concluded with Sisko ordering Quark off the station if he does not allow the union to exist and collectively bargain and Quark asking for amnesty when the Ferengi Commerce Authority started sending Naussicans after him. Sisko doesn't do that...he doesn't even pick a side. *shrug*
After all that...I'm still conflicted. These matters may never be fully resolved for me. It is what it is...a very strange episode with a very average grade.
Writing: 7.5
I would give this script a 9 if the writers didn't make the conflict so simple (and avoided quoting Marx, while we're at it). As is...the script is far better than the average Ferengi episode.
Acting: 7.5
Armin Shimerman, Jeffrey Combs and even minor characters in Quark's workforce had their moments here. Rom's stuff was a bit on the flamboyant side, but not altogether horrid.
Message: 3.5
Too simple a depiction of the inherent conflict between market demands and the demands of the workers...but it most certainly could have been worse.
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