Deep Space Nine 513 "For The Uniform"

Spooner's great DS9 extravaganza is back. Episode 513 "For The Uniform" is on. I'm writing as I go. The first thing you notice about this one is the radical difference in narrative and directorial style. They are using new technology (Hey everyone! Get a load of our holo-communicator! We will mention it and how well it works many times!). They've found cause to adopt new ways of behavior inside the Defiant (the computers are all futzed up, so Nog has to repeat everything Sisko says... It's a device to emulate the classical naval style. It's a good way to tell the story, but it's a little jarring against the tone of every other episode of this show. Kind of like in comics when a guest artist drops in and does a single issue in an otherwise uniform run by the regular artist.

So yeah, the show. This one is the next chapter in The Ballad of David Eddington, and I must say I really enjoy Eddington as an antagonist. The "betrayer" archetype always has high stakes and a lot of meat on it. Sisko is REALLY chewing on the scenery in this one, his rant when working on the Everlast bag with Dax, and his "YOU BETRAYED YOUR UNIFORM!!!" meltdown, for two. The latter rivals even the great "KHAAAAAAAAAAANNNNN!!!" Outburst from Star Trek II.

Other things to keep an eye out for:

• They really beat you over the head with the literary symbolism in this one. I mean, Trek is usually pretty referential to classical literature, but this one was over the top.
  
• Dax's uniform is noticeably tighter in this one.
  
• Kira is dying her hair black all of a sudden?
  
• And the Fed is OK with Sisko just getting his hands dirty with biological warfare on his own recognizance? Ummm, ok, sure! They are totally cool with that!
  
• I guess they didn't like the holo-communicator after all, as everyone stopped using them after one episode.
  
• Off to Federation Space Jail, Eddington! Enjoy the yoga and arts and crafts classes!