So here it is three decades after the fact and I've begun watching 'Deep Space Nine'. I was a fan of the original series, and only recently completed 'Next Generation', which now leads me to take up this one. Quite honestly, if I had not seen 'Next Generation' to completion, I might not have made it through this first episode. It was Captain Picard's (Patrick Stewart) appearance and the inclusion of Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) that kept me engaged long enough to see this lengthy introduction to the series through. That's mainly because the entire second chapter of this two-part story got very surreal with the wormhole business, as Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) encountered aliens within its boundaries that took on the guises of events and people from his past, most notably his wife (Felecia M. Bell), who was killed during a Borg attack led by Locutus of Borg on his vessel three years prior. Seeing as how Picard's alter-ego was responsible for Jennifer Sisko's death, one can understand the Commander's reluctance to take on his new assignment as the commanding officer of Space Station Deep Space Nine. Some might characterize the wormhole experience as a cerebral one and exemplary science fiction storytelling, but I found it to be a bit confusing for an introductory episode to hook in new viewers. I also cared less for the supporting officers on Deep Space Nine, though that might change with the viewing of additional episodes. I'll keep an open mind on that, with some expectation of additional crossovers from Next Generation as this series progresses.
Review of Emissary
