Q-LESS


"Captive Pursuit" was only disappointing; "Q-Less" was wretched, and, if it
wasn't for the fact that it had Q and Vash in it, I'd be tempted to say that
DS9 is on a definite downswing.

"Q-Less" was, simply, the epitome of bad storytelling.  To begin with, we have
an idiot plot (i.e., a plot which requires that the characters act like idiots
for it to work).  That the command crew couldn't have put two and two together
is imbecilic.  Vash brought back artifacts from the Gamma Quadrant, their
shuttle inexplicably lost power on the way back, and the station started
losing power in the exact same manner when she arrived.  And it not like these
artifacts were hidden from Sisko and company; the auction was well-publicized.

Q's appearance here hearkens back to TNG's "Encounter At Farpoint", where Q
was entirely superfluous to the main plot, and in fact the story probably
would have been a better one without his presence.  Same here; Q added nothing
to the episode (except, perhaps, for the pleasant scene where Sisko punches
his lights out), and all around it would have been nice if he hadn't been
here.

Q's character is a fundamentally dull one; all he has ever had to offer has
been his bickering with Picard, which was dealt with in all the depth it
needed to be in "Q Who" (the one good Q episode).  John De Lancie is a
wonderful actor, but he's not a good comic, and playing Q for comedy is pretty
much the worst thing that could be done with the character.  I wish they'd
just find De Lancie a character he can really sink his teeth into and jettison
Q all together.  I bet he would have made a great Captain Jellico.

Like Q, Vash is an intrinsically limited character, created solely to be a
foil of lust for Picard.  Her bona fides as an archaeologist and a profiteer
are the makings of only the worst comic-opera.  Even her telling off Q in this
episode wasn't entertaining, and her scenes with Quark only gave us reason to
laugh AT the show and its troglodyte humor, not WITH it.

Finally, we have the old Trek cliche of the genesis of some new life form
enshrouded in light, giving the cameras a chance to focus on the characters'
jaws hanging open.  THIS idea was milked for all it was worth a decade and a
half ago in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and was reduced to self-parody in
"Encounter at Farpoint".  "Transfigurations" and now "Q-Less" have shown that
such a conclusion to an episode is at best an anti-climax, and at worst simply
feeble.

While the first five episodes of Deep Space Nine are to be lauded for their
focus on the characters (even if "Emissary" and "Captive Pursuit" were only
partially successful), "Q-Less" didn't have anything worth saying about them
aside from Sisko's brief outburst (hardly enough to justify an entire
episode).  The Odo/Quark exchange was easily the weakest yet (it could have
been much better served if they hadn't played it for humor, as the basic
element of materialism was a good one), and the Bashir scenes were pure
embarrassments.  (The teaser was easily the worst of the series so far.)

Weak plotting, weak characterization, weak humor, weak conclusion.  This
episode was just weak.  I keep telling myself that this isn't an omen; it's
just a Q episode.  Please, I hope that's all it is.


Grade: F

DS9 SEASON ONE AT A GLANCE:
Emissary: C-
Past Prologue: A
A Man Alone: B
Babel: A
Captive Pursuit: C
Q-Less: F
---
Total Points: 14 2/3
Season Average: 2.444 (C)
(Fall of 0.489 - and TWO LETTER GRADES - from previous episode)