star trek ds9 doctor julian bashir

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Interview: Alexander Siddig On ‘Skylines’ & Dr. Bashir’s Life 20 Years After ‘Star Trek: DS9’

| December 15, 2020 | By: Anthony Pascale 44 comments so far

Since wrapping up seven seasons as Dr. Julian Bashir on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Alexander Siddig has kept quite busy, appearing on the big screen and the small, including recent recurring roles on high-profile shows like Peaky Blinders and Game of Thrones . His latest project is Skylines , the third film in the sci-fi Skyline franchise. TrekMovie had some time with Siddig to talk about the new movie and his time with the Trek franchise.

Let’s start with your new movie. Skylines is dealing with a pandemic. I guess that is just a coincidence, but do you feel that there’s a resonance there?

It’s a total coincidence. There’s no way we would have foreseen back in March last year that this was going to happen. Oh, Crikey! Yes, I’m sure there’ll be some sort of resonance. Some people will probably think – because most don’t really understand the speed at which movies get made – that we’re reacting to the COVID crisis.

In recent years you’ve done a ton of contemporary dramas, period dramas, but also a lot of sci-fi and fantasy. Is it a function of you being drawn to genre or the genre being drawn to you?

I am drawn to the genre. I’m sort of indebted to Star Trek, and it’s shaped me, although I started by doing historical dramas, but that seven years on Deep Space Nine just turned me into a different person with a taste range that veers towards that stuff. So if I can get projects that really appeal to families – I don’t really like R-rated stuff. I’ll do R-rated art movies, but not R-rated sci-fi. And if it looks good fun, that is the key, isn’t it? If it just looks fun, I’ll do it.

Well, how would you describe Skylines ? For those who aren’t familiar with the franchise, would you describe it as a fun sci-fi movie?

It is definitely fun. It’s a romp. It’s like glam rock. For people who know music, the difference between Radiohead and Muse. This is Muse, definitely not the cerebral Radiohead. And it’s really hard to make this kind of film. In a weird way, it’s harder to make this sort of thing work than it is to do a Hollywood blockbuster with Marvel characters and things. Because it depends entirely on how well you execute it and what the performances are like. So it was a risky move, but I’m really glad I did it.

Your General Radford – I hope you don’t mind me saying – is a bit of the elder statesman of this movie, the guy in charge.

Yeah. He’s what you get when you hit 55. That’s what you start to play. [laughs]

Now, the star of the movie – Lindsey Morgan – said working with you was a “master class,” and would ask you for acting insight on set. You have worked with some other younger casts, like Gotham . Are you finding yourself at 55 in this mentoring role on set?

Yeah, I am, and I love it. Because you get to set a tone. And you can either be a grouchy, old, curmudgeon guy in the corner telling people to “go away!” or you can be you have fun with everybody.  My brother’s 16 years younger than me, and my son is 24. So, I have plenty of frames of reference of people who I am close to and hang out a lot with when I can. I love hanging out with young people. It’s just about being nice, isn’t it? Everybody responds to that stuff. And that’s kind of what I do. A master class? I don’t know. [laughs]

Alexander Siddig in Skylines

The situation was a little reverse back in the early 90s. You were in your 20s when you started out on DS9, and you were also working with some more experienced actors like Rene [Auberjonois], Armin [Shimerman], Avery [Brooks], and Andy [Robinson]. Were any of them doing master classes?

Everyone was, yeah. They did exactly the same thing. Apart from anything else, they were like respectful and decent human beings and fun to be around. And that is, it’s the most relaxing thing. And I’ve worked on sets with huge stars that are not the nicest people. But if the mood on set is frigid, it is unpleasant, and people don’t look forward to coming into work.

[On DS9] they been around the block and done a ton of movies. Rene and Armin and Avery had been on all kinds of stuff. And Nana too was in a bunch of different things. And Andy, of course. So I was among really, really safe hands. I was in safe hands on Star Trek. And anytime I started to lose it, there’d be someone there very carefully, just gently going, “Hey, you’re cool, everything’s fine, everything will work out. This is not an important thing you’re losing your mind over. Let’s get back to work.”

And I try and do that now for the youngsters that I come from lucky enough to come into contact with. I mean Lindsey! For people who are interested in watching the minutiae of performance should check her out. She does something really cool, and it’s something that Angelina Jolie couldn’t pull off when she tried to be an action star with Tomb Raider . It’s the steely bitch and the charming gentle, gorgeous person. And she manages to meld those two together. Her character is so believable.

Recently when I spoke to Andy he revealed something a bit surprising. He said playing those attraction undertones between Garak and Bashir was a choice he made entirely on his own on his first day on set.  And no writer or producer over the years ever talked to him about it. Did you notice it off the bat, and is that something you guys ever discussed or worked with him to develop?

I completely noticed it! [laughs] I was sitting there in the Replimat in the scene and he came hovering around me all predatorial. It was a bit like Kim Cattrall from Sex in the City . I was like, ‘My gaydar isn’t very good, but this is pretty on it.’ [laughs] And that kind of set the tone for relationships, which was fantastic. Oh my goodness. That really had never been explored, it certainly had never been explored by me. We had to careful not to take it too far. Because the moment it was really noticeable, I think they would have stopped it. It was just so subtle, and Andy’s such a master of the subtle.

And no one said a word?

Not a single director, not a producer. No one. It wasn’t until just a couple of months ago, [DS9 showrunner] Ira [Steven Behr] came on my little social Zoom thing [ Sid City Social Club ] and said, “Yeah, implicitly there’s a homoerotic relationship.”

Didn’t he once say he regrets not making it more overt? Is that something you would have liked?

No. I wouldn’t have liked it at all. I like the implicit thing. I wouldn’t have had the stamina to keep a kind of explicit homoerotic relationship alive for seven years. I couldn’t even keep a heterosexual one going, you know?

Garak introduces himself to Dr. Bashir in “Past Prologue”

Well, they did throw so much stuff at your character over the years. What were some of your favorite parts of Bashir’s arc, and maybe least favorite?

My favorite one was definitely the one with Andy, with Garak. And I wished there was more of the Ezri Dax one, that really didn’t get time to get going but I thought it had a lot of interesting potential. Because we never really got a chance to actually fall in love. And we never really sort of enunciated that, said that. And I kind of have a great memory in the sense that I forget everything that I don’t really like.

What about the genetic enhancement thing?

The genetic enhancement thing I hated at the time. I really hated it at the time. I thought – and I was wrong I am sure – but I thought it was a cynical ploy to gin us up in the ratings. Because if they could make Bashir more like Data, then people would like to show more. Even though I loved Worf’s introduction, I felt at the time that was introduced it was a blatant attempt at commerciality, which it was. But we were all a bit offended by that because we didn’t feel we needed it. We felt pretty comfortable with whatever it was, nine or twelve million people watching every week, which now is an astronomical number. But back then was considered low rent.

And because it came on on the heels of that, I thought it was another move in that direction. I thought they were Data-fying Bashir, and I really didn’t like that. I couldn’t be farther from right, because in retrospect that didn’t happen at all. But maybe it would have happened if I hadn’t thrown my toys out of the pram. That’s the only time I ever objected to anything.

One of the more controversial storylines – at least among fans – was the whole Section 31 thing. But it allowed you to play in a grayer area which should be fun for an actor, right?

I loved that. Yeah, that was wonderful. Again, we didn’t have really have time to get up to full steam with that idea. But I understand Enterprise took it and ran with it. At least it had a future that’s now being sort of made real. But at the time, I really, I really enjoyed that. Because I thought Deep Space Nine dealt with some things really well. They dealt with the fragility of the Federation, which now seems ordinary and commonplace. Of course, a big institution, it’s got to be fragile. It’s got to have kinks.

But up until then, the Federation had been inviolable. The Federation could do no wrong. Which was not how the world worked, and not how America was looking at the time because, of course, America was making mistakes internationally on the state on the big stage and terrorism was rearing its ugly head.  And the Federation, which is always America, has problems. It has faulty intelligence, and the CIA doesn’t always work the way it should. And the politicians aren’t always as crisp and clean as they need to be. So Section 31 introduced that in a really bright, iridescent way. And I quite like that.

Have you been keeping up with the franchise? Do you know one of the new shows they are developing is a Michelle Yeoh-led Section 31 show?

That’s a great idea. No, I have no idea what’s going on. I found out Enterprise was going on a bit late. And then I heard – to my staggering disbelief – that Picard was out. Oh my goodness, there’s another one! It’s great.

Bashir introduced to Section 31 in “Inquisition”

With these news shows, including an animated one you might not know about, they have been bringing back some of the actors from your era. Do you feel that you are done with Bashir, or could you see reprising the role?

I absolutely could see reprising the role, if asked. It’s very precious to me in a weird way. It means a lot of unusual things to a lot of different people so I’ve kind of become very protective of the role. Particularly for vulnerable people who really found something in Bashir they really, really liked and could identify with. So I’ve got to be kind of careful about how that works out. But otherwise, yeah. I think I’m just young enough to go back to do something Star Trek again and be credible.

I don’t know how it would be. What is he? Is he a retired professor? Or is he the Section 31 nebulous leader? Who knows what Bashir ends up as. His need to abide by his Hippocratic Oath is a really interesting paradox for him going forward if he is indeed still in Section 31. And also, if he becomes command material and the fact that he’s a doctor at heart. Or maybe he’s just teaching kids at an Academy.

Here’s a complicated question. I know that during the show, you changed your name. Can you talk about the background of that? And did you ever want to explore Bashir’s cultural background more and make it closer to your own?

I quite like the fact that we didn’t talk about it. Because I love the fact that we talk about Avery and we talk about and that stuff historically, and the African-American history because clearly, it’s something you have to explore if your ship’s captain is now African-American for the first time in history. But Bashir was kind of the other side of the same race coin. And that was that society has evolved and indeed it can be shown to have evolved if they don’t need to talk about it anymore.

And so I think Deep Space Nine and the writing crew did a really good job of kind of straddling both sides of that fence by saying how evolved the Federation have become because they don’t need to mention it. And also going back historically and discussing some of the problems that happened back in the day, which Sisko did with his son, etc. So, I like that Bashir didn’t really talk about it. But if in the future if something happened that did discuss it, then I’d probably be open to that too. But I kind of like that Bashir was just a human being and that was good enough. That was pretty much all we needed to know about him.

Well human, and British.

He’s definitely British, I can’t get away from that.

He even sang British drinking songs.

Yeah. Exactly. I mean he really packed it on. And with Miles O’Brien! Hello?… He happened to choose the most colonial British song ever written. For an Irishman to do that was hilarious.

O’Brien and Bashir sing “Jerusalem” in “Explorers”

See Siddig in Skylines this weekend

Vertical Entertainment will release  Skylines in select theaters, drive-ins, and on-demand on December 18th.

Keep up with all the interviews at Trekovie.com .

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Great interview, thanks! The discussion about Bashir’s life after the series makes me long to see one or some of the DS9 characters appear in Picard or somewhere. We’ve seen references to Quark, Nog, Bajor, the Prophets, O’Brien, but not an actual person. Not mindless fan service but something plot worthy would be amazing.

I’m planning to watch DS9 on Netflix or Hulu soon. Do you have any advice for me? Give me a heads up.

Start at episode one, then keep going until you get to the end! It’s pretty easy. :)

By the way, DS9 is the best of the shows, hands down. The first season is a little weak, but that’s often the case. Stick with it–you’ll be blown away.

TNG first, then DS9.

I have to agree with Rios on this. It’s a bit of a slow burner but once it finds gets going, you’re in for a treat. Enjoy!

(Nice agreeing with Rios for once :-D)

I’m very agreeable once you get to know me. I’m like DS9–a slow burner until I get going.

While DS9 definitely has excellent characterization, I disagree that its the Best Trek Evah. It’s too much of a war story, and all the battles blend together in a blur — here a Chintoka, there a Chintoka, with a smattering of AR-447s and Betazeds thrown in for good measure. Add weak plot points like the lounge lizard Vic Fontaine, going to the well in the mirror universe too many times, and the endless parade of Wacky Ferengi Episodes (TM), and I think you have a strong case that TNG/Picard and ENT are better.

Nah. At 26 episodes a season, its batting average is excellent. Vic might not be everyone’s glass of champagne, but he is a conduit for some charming performances by Darren and important character growth for Odo and Nog, plus much needed levity during the harrows of the Dominion War (only two seasons, and I never had trouble following the story), which some of the Ferengi stories provide as well. Sometimes the latter get out of hand, but they do develop Ferengi society and culture very well. Quark, Nog and Rom make great strides from Emissary to What You Leave Behind.

Yeo. Vic leads to one of the show’s very best episodes–and Nog’s most affecting storyline.

Just about every character on the show has real and deliberate growth and development over 7 seasons. I adore TNG, but the same cannot be said for every character. Crusher and Geordi? The latter got a promotion, that’s it. Voyager took the edge off Chakotay and Paris pretty quickly and never found an arc for Tuvok outside of a begrudging friendship with Neelix. Enterprise came up short for Mayweather and Hoshi. And while I may not like many of the actors or characters or how limited the scope of character focus is, Discovery has developed all its major characters pretty doggedly.

But DS9 did it with the main cast and a huge cast of recurring characters. So impressive to me.

DS9 benefited from the continuing story format, which was not allowed in TNG. I was not as big a fan of DS9 as TNG or TOS, but for character growth and development it won, hands down. And it was absolutely, whole-heartedly better than ENT and Picard.

Enterprise is not good at all. They wanted to explore new things and all they did was retread the same ol’ stuff with a new name. Discovery is what Enterprise wanted to be, but didn’t have the guts at the time. While TNG is my favorite, DS9 is by far the best.

Hey, Ninja!

First, good luck on your exams. Reward yourself afterward by entering the Bajoran system, but watch out for the Denorios Belt!

I saw the premiere episode of DS9 when it first aired, when TNG was at its height. It didn’t immediately grab me. I realized it was because the characters were still largely unformed and they needed to work out their interrelationships, etc. By the end of the first season it started coming together and by the end of the second season the show really began to take off and establish its distinctive character.

Like other Trek series, it has certain “types” of shows: Bajoran politics, Bajoran religion (Sisko as the Emissary of the Prophets – which really explodes), Ferengi shows (often comic relief), “let’s torture O’Brien,” the Dominion arc, the mirror universe episodes, relationship stories, etc. etc. On the last, some of the relationships are often deeply moving: Ben and Jake, Jadzia and Worf, Jake and Nog, Bashir and O’Brien, Quark and Odo, Kira and Zeyal, and others. Some of these will appeal to you more than others, but give them all a chance because series-spanning character development can occur in unexpected places.

The writing on the series is seldom not of a high quality, especially when the writing team settled into place. The casting and acting of the series regulars and recurring characters is outstanding.

Rather than spoil things, I’ll just end by saying that being set on a strategically situated space station instead of a starship unavoidably led not only to serialization but also to the development of an enormous cast of supporting characters, some of whom became almost regulars. This also enabled certain scenes where Federation values are insightfully or pointedly commented upon by alien characters (watch out for the “root beer scene” between Quark and Garrack).

There’s lots more that could be said. So I’ll just say “enjoy”!

I need to watch DS9 on Netflix or Hulu at some point. I am missing out.

At least I got Netflix and Hulu. I only use CBS All Access because of Discovery to watch new episodes of that.

I have seen TOS, TNG, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Lower Decks, and Picard.

DS9 is the only Star Trek show I haven’t seen yet.

I will watch DS9 over winter break after I’m done with college exams.

Doing my finals tomorrow and Thursday for the fall semester. I failed my fourth road test today too. Having bad luck right now.

Wish me luck.

You really are missing out. DS9 is brilliant, even the earlier seasons, which are always weak for Trek, have some great episodes.

I remember reading an interview, I believe shortly after DS9 finished it run, from one of the writers or creators of actors (I seriously can’t remember who!) about how they were probably one of the best shows on the air at the time, but nobody realized it! And it’s completely true. Looking back to that period, DS9 was arguably the best show on the air, and it would still be one of the best shows on the air were it to be released today.

In some ways, I think the DS9 earlier seasons — before they turned it into a war story and amped up the martial aspect of the theme song — were stronger. The first season, perhaps less so, but even that featured “Duet” and “In the Hands of the Prophets,” as well as Kai Opaka.

Good luck! And when you get to DS9, you are in for a treat. It’s like nothing else!

I’ll wish you luck. Apart from the new shows not named “Lower Decks,” DS9 is handily my least favorite Trek series. Don’t get me wrong, it’s got its strong points; but I find it to be very unengaging at times, and it’s also got a lot in it that doesn’t really work for me as Star Trek. But hey, lots of people adore it, so maybe you’ll be one of them!

You need to be patient with DS9 through the first season or two. It kind of didn’t know what it wanted to be yet — you can see the show struggle between being TNG on a station vs. it’s own thing. But then over time it finds it’s way, finds it’s own place in Star Trek, and it gets really good.

Like someone said, the show has a slow burn. Once it introduces the Dominion, that thread carries through the rest of the series.

They had me by Duet and never let go. Alien characters are allowed to be alien, conflict between characters isn’t tamped down, the recurring guest cast is enormous and colorful, the slow burn stories rewarding, the station’s sets and lighting fantastic. Never tire of rewatching this one.

Also one of the best opening themes for music. No Doubt watching that opening you get the idea these people are Deep in space and you get that lonely feeling.

Great interview! But I take exception to his Muse v Radiohead comparison – Muse can definitely be cerebral music! :p. Their latest album – “Simulation Theory” is very much a fun romp, but previous albums such as “Resistance” and “The 2nd Law” tell fascinating and thought provoking stories. But I digress ;)

I was very happy to see most of the DS9 alums pursue healthy careers after 1999, and seeing Siddig do especially well was gratifying.

He’d have made a magnificent Jaffar in Disney’s execrable Aladdin remake.

was the best version of ra’s al ghul i have seen on screen in ‘gotham’.

After “The Passenger” I wasn’t sure I’d ever want him to play a villain again, but what some extra experience (plus way more time to prepare than he had there) will do!

I saw the first “Skyline.” It was kind of fun in a trashy, Syfy-level way. Didn’t know they’d made a sequel; probably won’t be bothering to check that out, much less the sequel to the sequel. Siddig being in it makes me want to, though.

I enjoyed his work in Game of Thrones, it was good to see him again. Peaky Blinders, too.

He was on Game of Thrones… what character was he?

The ruler of Dorne. It’s a much bigger part in the books, unfortunately it doesn’t go anywhere in the series.

I have been watching DS9 over the last couple of years while following along with the Mission Log podcast. I know I have not seen every episode so it has been fun running into episodes that I never watched and getting to enjoy them for the first time. And I think the Mission Log team have done an excellent job discussing the episodes overall (no offense to the TrekMovie podcasts, which I also enjoy). For those who haven’t watched DS9 yet, your in for a treat. It really does hold up well.

Yes DS9 does hold up well, and Siddig really blossomed as an actor during it’s run. But I would say that Terry Ferrel has the biggest improvement from all the actors, she really came into her own in the last few seasons.

Off topic: one thing that always bugged me with all of the old Star Trek shows since cell phones came around was the act of communication in the show. Why does Kira or O’Brien have to tell Sisko he has a call from the admiral or Kai Winn when he has a communicator on him? It’s weird, but then we are used to cell phones now.

I want to watch DS9 so bad!

I actually thought Angelina Jolie was great in the Tomb Raider movies. She made them at a time when women weren’t considered action stars, and she showed that women COULD do action roles. If somebody 20 years later can do a better job, well duh — it’s because she’s standing on Jolie’s shoulders.

Sigourney Weaver and Linda Hamilton proved women could be action stars.

Agreed, Allen. Trailblazers, they were.

Yes indeed.

If I had to pick the moment the modern female action star was born, it would have to be when Ripley takes over command of the Nostromo and tells Parker to shut up. Great scene.

I saw Alien in first run with a group of friends.

None of us had any idea what was coming. I recall someone’s popcorn went flying.

My lasting impression was “Wow, that’s different.”

Haha, yeah. Not something you easily forget.

TG47, I saw Alien when it first came out, too. Scared the shit out of the whole audience. Good times!

You live in Toronto, right?

Wonder Woman and Black Widow are women action movies we have now.

And Michelle Yeoh! She was headlining action films in Hong Kong and doing her own stunts since 1985.

Tomb Raider is not a movie I would watch as often but you have a excellent point.

So he wont do R rated Sci-Fi but he will do R rated fantasy. Game of Thrones. Very strange.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series)

Our man bashir (1995), alexander siddig: doctor julian bashir.

• Photos (12)
• Quotes (16)

Photos 

Quotes 

Dr. Julian Bashir : I work for one of the nation states of this era, Great Britain, which is battling various other nations in what is called the Cold War. This apartment, my clothes, weapons, even my valet were provided to me by my government.

Garak : I think I joined the wrong intelligence service.

[Bashir has shot at Garak, who is lightly bleeding from his neck] 

Dr. Julian Bashir : You'll be fine. It's just a flesh wound.

Garak : That was awfully close. What if you'd killed me?

Dr. Julian Bashir : What makes you think I wasn't trying?

Garak : Doctor, I do believe there's hope for you yet.

Dr. Julian Bashir : Well, I'm so relieved!

Garak : Interesting. You saved the day by destroying the world.

Dr. Julian Bashir : I bet they didn't teach you *that* at the Obsidian Order.

Caprice : Thank you, Mister... Mister...?

Dr. Julian Bashir : Bashir. Julian Bashir.

Dr. Julian Bashir : Mona is very capable. She speaks seven languages, has degrees in biology, chemistry, physics, can fly anything from a jet to a helicopter and makes an excellent Martini. Cheers.

Mona Luvsitt : Is there anything else that I can do for you?

Dr. Julian Bashir : [looking her up and down]  I'll let you know.

Garak : You're such a - forgive me - a talkative man, and it's so unusual for you to have secrets.

Dr. Julian Bashir : Well, I must have picked up that habit from you.

Dr. Julian Bashir : [to Honey Bare]  What a waste... that no one can see what a beautiful woman you are.

Garak : Is that your plan?

Dr. Julian Bashir : Shut up!

Dr. Julian Bashir : [to Honey Bare]  You know, your hair... would look so much better if it were free.

Garak : I must say, Doctor, this is more than I ever wanted to know about your fantasy life.

Dr. Julian Bashir : What's the matter, Garak? Have I bruised your ego by play-acting at something you take so very seriously?

Garak : That's something else you've yet to learn, Doctor. A real intelligence agent *has* no ego, no conscience, no remorse, only a sense of professionalism. And mine is telling me that it's time to go.

Dr. Julian Bashir : Baccarat and geology are my life.

Garak : There comes a time when the odds are against you, and the only reasonable course of action is to quit!

Dr. Julian Bashir : Quit?

Garak : Yes!

Dr. Julian Bashir : Is that what they taught you at the Obsidian Order?

Anastasia Komananov : Because of ze global nature of zis crisis, my government and yours have decided to cooperate. We will be working... very closely...

Dr. Julian Bashir : I'm sure we will.

[last lines] 

Dr. Julian Bashir : Lunch tomorrow?

Garak : Of course. But, why don't we have it at your place, in Hong Kong? Unless, of course, this was your last mission.

Dr. Julian Bashir : Oh, I think it's safe to say that Julian Bashir, secret agent... will return.

[first lines] 

Dr. Julian Bashir : A lot of kick for a '45 Dom.

[after knocking out Falcon with a champagne cork] 

Caprice : [referring to Garak who's broken into Bashir's Holosuite spy program]  Who's that?

Dr. Julian Bashir : An uninvited guest.

Hippocrates Noah : [while lighting a cigar for Komananov]  Mr Merriweather, I understand you're field is geology.

Dr. Julian Bashir : That's right.

Hippocrates Noah : Then I am sure you can appreciate these stones in my most recent acquisition?

Dr. Julian Bashir : [Bashir appraises it]  A most striking display of rubies, tourmaline, sapphire, topaz. And judging by the high chromium content of the rubies, I'd say they come from the hydro-thermal deposits on the Tibetan plateau. Which isn't surprising considering we're on the southeastern slope of Mt Everest at about 22,000ft, I should say.

Hippocrates Noah : [unimpressed]  25, actually.

Dr. Julian Bashir : [just as unimpressed]  You must not get many tourists?

Hippocrates Noah : [lights a cigar for himself]  My guests and I place a premium on our privacy. We don't want any unwelcomed guests such as men sent by governments who disagree with my political philosophy.

Anastasia Komananov : And what is your philosophy? Are you some kind of anarchist?

Hippocrates Noah : Quite the opposite. I believe in an orderly world. A far cry from the chaos we find ourselves in today.

[looks out the window] 

Hippocrates Noah : We are building a new future here. A new beginning for mankind. A new chapter in human history will open right here on my island.

Dr. Julian Bashir : Island?

Hippocrates Noah : Forgive me. Sometimes I do get ahead of myself. Allow me to explain.

Professor Honey Bare : [Noah pushes a button and the back wall slides up into the ceiling revealing a map of the world and Dax in the role of Professor Honey Bare studying it]  We're almost ready. I've programmed the laser sequence and I'm making some last minute adjustments to a South American site.

Hippocrates Noah : [takes her hand and kisses it]  I do have every confidence in you, my dear.

[she smiles shyly] 

Anastasia Komananov : [whispers to Bashir]  She's working with him.

[he nods] 

Hippocrates Noah : You see, Mr Merriweather. Not only do I intend to create a new future, I intend to create a new world.

[indicating different areas on the map] 

Hippocrates Noah : At each one of these points I have hidden a new form of laser, one that can penetrate the Earth's crust down into the mantle itself.

Dr. Julian Bashir : The global earthquakes.

Hippocrates Noah : Those were only tests. Soon, I will activate all of these lasers together, and when I do they will produce worldwide earthquakes the likes of which we have never felt before.

[Bashir and Honey exchange a look during Noah's diatribe and it's obvious she feels something for him she's not ready to admit] 

Garak : Killing everyone on the planet.

Hippocrates Noah : More than that.

[really getting into his stride now] 

Hippocrates Noah : There comes a time when a house has been so damaged by termites, that you must not only kill the termites, but demolish the house, and build again. The quakes are only a minor side effect. The real goal of this project, is to have these lasers of mine produce massive fissures in the Earth's crust, releasing millions of tons of molten lava. Now, Mr Merriweather, you're the geologist. Tell me what happens next?

Dr. Julian Bashir : Once that much lava is released, the tectonic plates would begin to settle.

Hippocrates Noah : And the surface of the planet will shrink, just like letting air out of a balloon.

Anastasia Komananov : But if the surface of the Earth shrinks, the oceans...?

Dr. Julian Bashir : ...will cover the Earth. Diabolical.

Hippocrates Noah : [disagreeing]  Visionary. I am going to let mankind begin anew, here on this island paradise. The only place that will remain above water on my brave new world.

[paces the room, excited at the prospect of genocide] 

Hippocrates Noah : And that is why I have gathered the finest minds... the very best that mankind has to offer. We will repopulate and start a new human race. Pity you won't be able to join us.

Dr. Julian Bashir : Are you revoking my invitation?

Hippocrates Noah : Oh, I intend to do more than that, Mr Bashir. Not only have I brought the greatest minds to my mountain retreat, but I have also hired the greatest protection that money can buy.

[he presses a concealed button under a table] 

Hippocrates Noah : I believe you already know my newest employee.

[Falcon walks in] 

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: When Was Julian Bashir Replaced by a Changeling?

One of the enduring mysteries of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is when exactly Dr. Julian Bashir was replaced with a changeling imposter in Season 5.

• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine introduced the Changelings, characters who could mimic the appearance of other humanoids, including Dr. Julian Bashir.
• At some point in Deep Space Nine Season 4, Dr. Bashir was replaced with a Changeling working against the Federation.
• While it's not explicit, fans can still reasonably surmise when Dr. Bashir was replaced by his Changeling doppelgänger.

Despite running for seven seasons, there are plenty of unanswered questions from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . This is likely just how the storytellers wanted it, since the series was meant to be different from its predecessors. The biggest change was the introduction of serialization, and the larger story about war with the Dominion. Founded by Changelings who could mimic any person, Dr. Julian Bashir was the first central character to be replaced by this new enemy. But when did it happen?

The first Changeling on the show was Odo, a mysterious but heroic character on the station who didn't know his origins. When he finally found his people, he discovered one of Star Trek 's greatest villains. The idea of shapeshifters replacing Starfleet personnel was an excellent dramatic problem. So much so, the species was revived for the third season of Star Trek: Picard . In Season 5, the Federation's cold war with the Dominion was heating up. One of the greatest shocks in the season was when Worf and Garak discovered Dr. Bashir in a prisoner of war camp.

When DS9 Revealed Dr. Julian Bashir Was Replaced by a Changeling

Deep Space Nine Shows How Star Trek Does Religion

The most crucial detail in Deep Space Nine when Dr. Bashir is revealed to be a Changeling is the real Julian is still wearing the "old" Starfleet uniforms. Both Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager featured their respective crews in different uniforms than those worn by the characters on The Next Generation . The new uniforms had their defining color over the shoulders, while the rest of the space suit was black. This was the reverse of The Next Generation's look , though the USS Enterprise-D crew never switched over to the new style. Deep Space Nine changed those uniforms to match the new ones introduced in Star Trek: First Contact midway through Season 5.

The episode, "In Purgatory's Shadow," features Worf and Garak on a mission to Dominion space, looking for the latter character's father, Tain. He was presumed lost in an ill-fated attempt to attack the Changelings. The two are quickly taken prisoner, where they discover Julian Bashir and the high-ranking Klingon General Martok. Meanwhile, on the station, the crew prepares for a Dominion attack, and the phony Bashir sabotages their efforts. Instead of an attack, the Changeling Bashir was going to sacrifice himself with a sci-fi bomb that would destroy Bajor's sun .

The resulting supernova would've decimated the planet and the space station, leaving the wormhole to Dominion space unguarded. The Changeling Bashir is killed in the attempt, while the real Julian returns to station Deep Space Nine with Worf, Garak and the other rescued prisoners. In the episode, Bashir doesn't have much information about how he was replaced by the Changeling. He tells Worf that he went to sleep one night and awoke in the prison. In reality, actor Alexander Siddig didn't know he wasn't playing the real Bashir until "In Purgatory's Shadow" began filming, according to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion by Terry J. Erdmann with Paula M. Block.

When Was Julian Bashir Actually Replaced by the Changeling Infiltrator?

Deep Space Nine's Jake Sisko Can Help Evolve Star Trek Storytelling

In both "In Purgatory's Shadow" and a later Deep Space Nine episode, Dr. Bashir says he was held captive by the Changelings for around five weeks. Since he was wearing the old Starfleet uniform, this is meant to signify he was replaced before the Season 5 episode "Rapture," when the new uniforms made their TV debut. The episode before it, "Ascent," only involves Dr. Bashir near the end when Odo and Quark are rescued from an inhospitable planet. As this is the last time Julian is seen in the old uniform, it's reasonable for fans to think it's still actually Dr. Bashir . But it might not be.

The Changeling Dr. Bashir may already be in place during Season 5, Episode 8, "Things Past." The crew are struck by a sci-fi affliction that traps them in one of Odo's memories. During the episode, Dr. Bashir asks the computer for diagnoses and information more often than he usually does. The problem afflicting the crew was theretofore unknown, which may be why he needed the help. However, it could retroactively be seen as a signifier the Changeling had already replaced Julian and simply didn't have the same skill as a doctor.

It does seem fairly clear that Julian is himself in Season 5, Episodes 6, "Trials and Tribble-ations," where the crew is sent back in time. The crew witnesses the events of Star Trek: The Original Series ' famous "The Trouble with Tribbles" episode. Julian knows both Starfleet history, and his own family background in a way the Changeling imposter wouldn't. Season 5, Episode 7, "Let He Who Is Without Sin" has Julian engaged in a Bajoran break-up ritual with his then-girlfriend Leeta. Changelings don't understand humanoid relationships, so it's unlikely the imposter could've faked his way through that.

The Deep Space Nine Timeline Doesn't Always Make Sense

Lower Decks Could Finally Tell the Riker Story Deep Space Nine Left Unfinished

On the second-wave Star Trek series, time passed in indeterminate ways . For shows like The Next Generation or Voyager , this didn't really matter since there was little serialization. Deep Space Nine was a different story. It stretches credulity the events that unfold on the series between "Rapture" and "In Purgatory's Shadow" all take place within the "37 days" Julian says he's been captured. Dialogue in these intervening episodes suggest about six weeks pass for the characters. Since Siddig was unaware of this twist, there aren't even subtle performance differences to give the audience clues.

The pace of writing a show like Deep Space Nine was intense, even more so with the added element of serialization. Since the writers were on different pages, this means there is no exact canonical answer. It's up to the audience to decide for themselves when Dr. Bashir was replaced by the Changeling. They have to accept this imposter did things like save Captain Sisko's life by performing brain surgery or delivered Kirayoshi O'Brien, Miles and Keiko's child carried by Kira (to explain Nana Vistor's real-life pregnancy).

As far as Julian giving his time in captivity as 37 days, that can be explained as a mistake on his part. The uniform is more difficult to explain. Unless Dr. Bashir wore the old uniform for some reason, the likeliest bet is he was replaced by the Changeling imposter around the time of "Ascent," either before the events of the episode or shortly after. Yet, this is one of those Star Trek mysteries fans can answer based on their own preference. Since the writers weren't able to properly foreshadow it, it's up to the viewers to fill in the gaps.

Doctor Bashir, I Presume (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3.2 Story and script
• 3.3 Production
• 3.4 Reception
• 3.6 Continuity
• 3.7 Remastered version
• 3.8 Video and DVD releases
• 4.1 Starring
• 4.2 Also Starring
• 4.3 Guest stars
• 4.4 Special guest appearance by
• 4.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 4.6.1 Starship references
• 4.7 External links

Summary [ ]

One day in the bar, Rom is trying to work up the courage to finally ask Leeta on a date… however this is something Rom has been trying to do for weeks without any success, leaving Quark doubtful his brother will actually go through with it. Indeed, when Leeta (who herself has feelings for Rom and is simply waiting for him to ask her out) comes over from her stint at the dabo wheel, Rom instantly loses the little courage he had summoned and bolts. Leeta worries that there's something wrong with her, and Quark does little to reassure her before sending her back to work.

Meanwhile, over a game of darts, Doctor Bashir and Chief O'Brien discuss the latter's efforts to spend more time with his daughter Molly to ensure she doesn't feel left out due to the attention focused on her new baby brother . However the discussion is suddenly interrupted by Doctor Lewis Zimmerman , Director of Holographic Imaging and Programming at Jupiter Station , who is looking for Bashir. He tells Bashir that he intends to make him "immortal".

Act One [ ]

Later, Bashir and Zimmerman are in Captain Sisko 's office discussing the reason for Zimmerman's visit to Deep Space 9 . The engineer explains that he was the designer and template for the innovative Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH), which was designed to provide short-term medical care in an emergency, with the capability to substitute for an entire medical staff if needed (although Deep Space 9 doesn't have one due to it being incompatible with the station's Cardassian technology). Starfleet has decided it wants to expand the concept and create a program that can operate full-time in isolated outposts (such as subspace relay stations or research outposts or long-range exploratory vessels) where living space is at a premium and the holographic doctor wouldn't be required to leave sickbay. Furthermore, Starfleet Medical has chosen Bashir to be the template for the new Long-term Medical Holographic program (LMH). Zimmerman requests a list of technical modifications to the station, which Captain Sisko approves before telling Bashir how proud he and everyone else on the station is.

Later, Zimmerman has Bashir filling in an extremely long and detailed questionnaire which requests information on seemingly insignificant details of Bashir's life. Zimmerman explains that the LMH will need to interact with people for long periods of time which may require funny stories or anecdotes from its life. Zimmerman also begins mapping Bashir's body for the LMH's physical template.

Later, at Quark's bar, Zimmerman and Bashir are on the second level and watching over the dabo wheel where they see Leeta. Zimmerman is instantly drawn to her, and Bashir explains that she is his ex-girlfriend. Zimmerman decides to add her to his list of people to be interviewed, mentioning that he intends to interview Bashir's family and friends. Odo arrives and calls Bashir away in regards to quarantined cargo that is holding up a Antidean freighter's departure, however before he leaves Julian explicitly requests that Zimmerman not contact or interview his parents as they are currently estranged. Zimmerman tells Bashir he understands, however Julian's desire not to have his parents brought in has just made Zimmerman more eager to talk to them.

Act Two [ ]

In the infirmary, the LMH is activated. Bashir examines his holographic self and mostly compliments the replica (although notes that he doesn't like the eyes). Zimmerman then activates Deep Space 9's new EMH and copies its database to the LMH. Soon, the LMH is just like the EMH… disparaging and not very likeable. The EMH is quickly deactivated before he can complain too much about his replacement, then Zimmerman explains that while the LMH is currently simply the EMH with a new skin, he will write a completely new personality from scratch for it.

Zimmerman then begins his interviews with several of Bashir's colleagues, including Captain Sisko, Kira , Dax , Worf , Jake , and Morn (who just shrugs). During his interview, O'Brien admits that he considers his friend to be an extraordinary person with many great qualities (although he makes sure Bashir won't find out what he said). After the interview with Leeta, Zimmerman asks the Bajoran woman out to dinner. That night, as the two share a meal, Rom is listening in from a distance, then finally interrupts the date to once again to ask Leeta out, but again can't bring himself to do it and instead makes up a lame excuse such as telling her he will fix her replicator , leaving both frustrated.

The next morning, as Bashir and Captain Sisko discuss station business, Dax arrives with a surprise for Bashir… his parents, Richard and Amsha . Bashir is stunned (and can only just contain his horror) to see them, and sheepishly introduces them to Sisko.

Act Three [ ]

Richard begins waxing lyrical to the captain about his newest project as a landscape architect as well as claiming to be the one who convinced his son (who he called "Jules") to study medicine. Amsha tells Richard they can talk to the captain later, while revealing they're here at Zimmerman's invitation. Bashir extricates himself and his parents from the office, promising to find them quarters. Afterwards, Bashir confronts Zimmerman and demands to know why they were summoned despite his request not to have them in any way involved in the LMH project. Zimmerman is completely unapologetic, explaining that they're an important part of Bashir's background.

Dr. Zimmerman asks Leeta to leave Deep Space 9 with him

Zimmerman is also busy on another, more personal, project as he calls on Leeta as she gets out of the shower. He tells her that the manager of Jupiter Station's cafe has decided to quit, and he has put in a good word. As a result, Leeta has been offered the job. Leeta is so blown away she accidentally exposes herself to Zimmerman, as the doctor tells her that as well as coming to Jupiter Station he makes clear he has serious feelings for her. Leeta, unsure of what to do, tells him that she needs time to think.

Bashir shares a very awkward dinner with his parents, as Richard talks about the rudeness of the transport captain that brought them to the station stating his own experience on shuttles. However, from the way Richard talks, its clear that he is remembering himself as being a shuttle captain when Julian points out he was a third-class steward for six months before he was dismissed (although Richard claims he resigned). Amsha tries to diffuse the situation by asking her son about his research, but Richard is dismissive as he feels Julian should have remained on Earth rather than wanting to practice 'frontier medicine'. Julian brings up Richard's new career as a landscape architect, as the elder Bashir has always had a distinct lack of focus and real ambition instead stumbling from one job to the next. The three start to discuss Zimmerman's upcoming interviews, and Julian tries to coach his parents to not give any answers that leave any opening for Zimmerman to explore. It is made clear from their conversation that there is a dark secret at the heart of the family which could destroy Julian's career and land all of them in a lot of trouble. Richard takes offense at what he sees as Julian's lack of respect or trust in them, causing Julian to angrily walk out, remarking this is why he has not visited them in three years .

Act Four [ ]

In the replimat , Leeta tells Rom about Zimmerman's offer, ostensibly asking his advice but she is clearly desperate for him to ask her to stay. Once again, Rom can't express himself clearly and ends up agreeing when Leeta says she should maybe take the job. Angry and upset with Rom, she leaves.

Remorseful for their earlier argument, Richard goes to the holographic lab to apologize. Richard pledges to Julian, standing in befuddled silence, that he will never reveal the big secret that he was genetically enhanced (complete with DNA re-sequencing) and that they are proud of their son and what he has become. Julian appears to accept the apology, and his parents leave… at which point, O'Brien and Zimmerman appear. It is revealed that "Julian" was actually the LMH (who did not recognize Julian's parent) and the two have just overheard the entire conversation.

O'Brien immediately tells Bashir what has happened, leading to the latter being furious with the chief for setting up his parents. O'Brien explains that they were just testing the LMH's ability to deal with an unexpected situation, but that's not important anymore, as now instead Zimmerman is now most likely going to report to Starfleet that Bashir is unsuitable to be the LMH model due to his "suspected" genetically enhanced background. Bashir knows immediately what this means for him: once Starfleet Medical is informed, he will be discharged from the service and his license to practice medicine will be revoked as according to Federation law DNA re-sequencing is illegal for anything other than repairing serious birth defects.

O'Brien is surprised to realize that what Bashir's parents said is true, and the doctor tells him the full story; when he was a small child, Bashir was having trouble keeping up with the other children his age and may even have had a learning or mental disability. He wasn't as physically able as he should have been, and while children around him were starting to learn to read Bashir barely understood the world around him. Just before he turned seven, his parents took him to Adigeon Prime where he was given several illegal treatments over a number of months to enhance his mental and neurological abilities. Eventually, the only part of the original Bashir that was left was his name and when he returned to Earth his parents moved to a different city and enrolled their son in a new school using false records where he no longer struggled but instead was a star pupil. No one has ever suspected anything, however as far as Bashir is concerned, he's a fraud. O'Brien tries to convince his friend that his genetic enhancements aren't what gave him his compassion, ambition or personality. He also points out that there hasn't been a case like this is over a century, so there's no way to know how Starfleet will react. Bashir, however, is convinced he will be quickly drummed out of Starfleet, and intends to resign his commission before Zimmerman files his report. O'Brien isn't ready to give up, but Bashir has already accepted that this could happen and asks to be left alone.

Act Five [ ]

Meanwhile, Rom is pouring over his own woes with Quark as he laments that he didn't tell Leeta how he felt. Quark has little sympathy, instead reminding his brother of what happened with Prinadora when he entered a five-year marriage contract so he could have a son , and how he instead fell in love with her and requested an extension. As a result of Rom not reading the fine print, Prinadora's father swindled him out of all his money and Prinadora abandoned her husband and son for a richer man . Rom insists that Leeta is not Prinadora, but as far as Quark is concerned all females are exactly the same. Instead, he offers Rom use of one of his racier holosuite programs Vulcan Love Slave, Part II: The Revenge to take his mind off Leeta.

Richard is determined to fight to save Julian's career, but Julian has already resigned himself to his fate. This leads into another argument between the two, as Julian thinks of himself like one of Richard's jobs; he didn't like the one he had, so he substituted for something he wanted more. He especially snaps at being called 'Jules', telling Richard that he stopped using that name when he turned fifteen and found out what had been done to him and as far as he's concerned 'Jules' died in the hospital after his parents were too ashamed when he couldn't keep up. Amsha argues back against the accusation that they did what they did because of shame, speaking of the heartbreak she felt when she saw her young son trying his best but falling a little further behind each day while wondering if they'd done anything wrong. She convinces Julian that they did it out of love, not shame. Julian, accepting this, hugs his mother then tells both his parents that in the morning he is going to talk with Captain Sisko, resign his commission and then leave the station quietly.

Rear Admiral Bennett appears via holoprojection to sentence Bashir and his parents.

The next morning, Bashir enters Captain Sisko's office to find his parents already there having told him everything. Also present is Rear Admiral Bennett , Judge Advocate General of Starfleet , presiding over the matter via holoprojector. At this point, Bashir's parents both call their son "Julian" out of respect for who he is now, not who he was as a child. They explain that a deal has been reached; Richard has taken full responsibility for everything, pleading guilty to genetic engineering and will be serving two years in a minimum-security prison in New Zealand (no mention of Julian's mother facing any criminal charges). In exchange, Julian can keep his commission and medical license. Julian starts to protest, but Bennett explains exactly why genetic engineering is outlawed within the Federation; because "for every Julian Bashir that can be created, there's a Khan Singh waiting in the wings". Julian accepts his father's sacrifice, and Bennett tells Richard to report immediately to him upon his return to Earth. Sisko decides to leave the family alone.

At the airlock, Bashir says goodbye to his parents and promises to visit more often. It is also time for Zimmerman and Leeta to leave, when they suddenly hear a strange noise in the distance which is growing closer. They soon find it is Rom, screaming for Leeta to stay. The Ferengi declares his love for Leeta and asks her to stay, and this is all Leeta needs as she returns his feelings and the two share their first kiss. Leeta then apologizes to Zimmerman, but he accepts that he cannot stand in the way of true love and decides to accept his life is one of solitude… until another attractive alien walks by. Zimmerman bids Leeta and Rom goodbye quickly, before leaving to discuss the Kama Sutra with the new object of his affections.

Back at Quark's, Bashir and O'Brien engage in yet another darts match. Bashir tries to thank O'Brien for what he said earlier, but O'Brien shrugs off the kind words before suddenly realizing that as Bashir's hand-eye coordination was also enhanced then he should be easily winning. Bashir admits to lowering his game a little to make it fair, and O'Brien demands that he instead play to his full ability. Bashir obliges and quickly throws three consecutive bulls-eyes. O'Brien responds by doubling the distance from which Bashir must throw the darts in the future, promising a blindfold if that doesn't work.

Memorable quotes [ ]

" He needs a woman with body and brains ". " I have brains. " " Sure you do, honey. That's why I hired you. Now eat up and then take those brains back to the dabo wheel where the customers can get a good long look at them. "

" She's a female, Rom, and the one constant in the universe is: females are trouble."

" Why is everyone so worried about holograms taking over the universe? "

" Note, contact subject's parents immediately. "

" Wow, think of it, Julian. If this thing works you will be able to irritate hundreds of people you never even met. "

" What do you want me to do? " " Just stand there and look like a doctor… if you can. "

" Beginning data transferral. " " Data transferral?! Am I being replaced? " " You're being supplemented by a new long term program. " " By him!? " " There, transfer complete. " " Please state the nature of the medical emergency. " " Oh, that's original! He doesn't even look old enough to be a doctor! " " If you want my advice, you should delete this program. Now that I'm here, why would you want an archaic piece of software like him? " " Archaic?! " " We can discuss this at another time. "

" Waaaiiit… "

" I'm still your father, Jules, and I will not have you talk to me like that. " " No. You used to be my father. Now you're my architect, a man who designed a better son, to replace the defective one he was given. Well, your design has a built-in flaw. It's illegal. "

" You decided I was a failure in the first grade. " " Jules, you don't understand. You never did… " " No, you don't understand! I stopped calling myself Jules when I was fifteen and I'd found out what you'd done to me! I'm Julian! " " What difference does that make? " " It makes every difference! Because I'm different, can't you see? Jules Bashir died in that hospital, because you couldn't live with the shame of having a son who didn't measure up! "

" You've never had a child. You don't know what it's like to watch your son… to watch him fall a little further behind every day. You know he's trying, but something's holding him back. You don't know what it's like to stay up every night worrying that maybe it's your fault; maybe you did something wrong during the pregnancy, and maybe you weren't careful enough. Or maybe there's something wrong with you; maybe you passed on a genetic defect without even knowing it. " " Amsha… " " No, this is important. You can condemn us for what we did; you can say it's illegal or immoral or whatever you want to say. But you have to understand that we didn't do it because we were ashamed. But because you were our son. And we loved you. "

" Two hundred years ago, we tried to improve the species through DNA resequencing. And what did we get for our troubles? The Eugenics Wars. For every Julian Bashir that can be created, there's a Khan Singh waiting in the wings – a superhuman whose ambition and thirst for power have been enhanced along with his intellect. The law against genetic engineering provides a firewall against such men. And it's my job to keep that firewall intact. "

Background information [ ]

• The title of this episode is in reference to the famous quote " Doctor Livingstone, I presume ?" spoken by Henry Morton Stanley in 1871. Stanley was a reporter sent by the New York Herald to find Dr. David Livingstone in Africa. Livingstone was a missionary and explorer who had lost contact with the outside world for six years. When Stanley found Livingstone, he greeted him with those now famous words. Coincidentally, this episode was directed by David Livingston .

Story and script [ ]

• In Jimmy Diggs ' original version of this story, the Bashir / Zimmerman plot was the B-story. The producers were uninterested in the A-story, but they loved the idea of Zimmerman using Bashir as the model for the LMH and decided that it was worthy of being an A-story in and of itself. However, they were aware that a comedy show dealing with holographic doctors would not be enough to sustain an entire episode, and they decided that to make things more interesting, Zimmerman would have to discover some dark secret from Bashir's past. As René Echevarria says of Ronald D. Moore , " his instinct was that there needed to be some big secret that Zimmerman uncovers, but we couldn't, for the life of us, think what it would be ." According to Moore, " I kept saying 'What's the secret of Bashir's past? What's the thing that this guy Zimmerman is going to find that's so interesting?' I remember that René and I started talking about genetics, and René pointed out that genetic engineering is one of the things that is oddly missing in the Star Trek universe. It's a concept that's very much out there in science fiction, and even in the real world of science, but in Star Trek , it's virtually never discussed, aside from the fact that there was this thing called the Eugenics Wars at some point, and Khan came out of it ." That conversation ultimately led Moore to come up with the idea that Bashir was genetically altered. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))
• The "Shatnerverse" novel, The Return , hints at Bashir's genetic enhancement when Bashir is operating on Kirk. A proximity alarm goes off and Data (who is observing the operation) instinctively holds his arm up to block the expected spray of blood from Bashir being caught off guard. However, Bashir manages to keep his surgical hand perfectly still. The novel was published 10 months before this episode first aired.
• In explaining any potential continuity problems between the revelation that Bashir is genetically enhanced and the previously established behavior and personality of the character, Ronald D. Moore explained, " It really explained a lot about the character to me. He'd had some strange jigs and jags in his profile over the course of the first four seasons. We have this guy with a lot of arrogance, who almost became a tennis player, who has all these different tales of why and when he went to medical school, and why he didn't become valedictorian of his class, and who has something about his past on Earth that he doesn't want to talk about. When Odo was going to Earth in " Homefront ", he asked Bashir 'Is there anybody you want me to look up?' and Bashir says 'I have nobody there I want to talk to.' There was something in this guy's back-story that was interesting, And it suddenly all made sense if this was a guy who'd been genetically engineered to be very, very smart but who'd had to hide it all his life ." ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))
• Originally, this episode ended very differently to its finished form. In the original story, O'Brien finds out that there are problems with the LMH which have been caused deliberately by Zimmerman because he doesn't want it to replace the EMH . Bashir then informs O'Brien that Zimmerman is planning to reveal his genetic engineering secret, so O'Brien goes to see Zimmerman and tells him that if he exposes Bashir, his deliberate errors with the LMH will also be exposed. As such, there is a trade-off, and neither secret is revealed. The reason this story was altered was actually Alexander Siddig . He didn't want to play the character as having a secret that only he, O'Brien and the audience knew about. He thought the long-term implications of this on his performance could be detrimental, having to portray the character every week as being in possession of this secret, and allowing it to inform everything he does, but in such a way that none of the other characters notice anything unusual. As such, Siddig managed to convince the writers to alter the end of the story so that the truth is revealed to all. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))
• Although it may not seem apparent to viewers initially, this episode is another example of Ira Steven Behr 's re-examination of Gene Roddenberry 's twenty-fourth century utopia. Comments in episodes like " The Maquis, Part II ", " The Jem'Hadar ", " Paradise Lost ", " For the Cause " and " Nor the Battle to the Strong " had served to darken Roddenberry's vision of the perfect harmonious Federation and an Earth where no problems exist. This episode's example of a darkened ideology is to be found in the character of Richard Bashir . According to Ronald D. Moore , " The Federation is a very nice place to live. But that doesn't mean you can't be a loser and you can't screw up. In the twenty-fourth century, everybody seems to have a job, and everybody's taken care of and everybody has food. But there are people who are just not going to make it. And Bashir's dad is like that, the kind of guy who's always posturing himself as a success, but never has succeeded at anything ." ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))
• When Admiral Bennett reminds Bashir of the risks of genetic engineering by referencing the Eugenics Wars , he referred to it as having occurred "two hundred years ago." However, established continuity suggests that he is about 200 years off. Ronald D. Moore comments: " This is my personal screw-up. When I was writing that speech, I was thinking about Khan and somehow his dialog from "Wrath" started floating through my brain: "On Earth… 200 years ago… I was a Prince…" The number 200 just stuck in my head and I put it in the script without making the necessary adjustment for the fact that "Wrath" took place almost a hundred years prior to "Dr. Bashir." I wrote it, I get the blame. " ( AOL chat , 1997 ) Of course, one explanation is that Admiral Bennett himself got the date wrong. According to Joe Menosky , rumor originally suggested that the discrepancy would be less excusable. Menosky remembered, " I heard they were going to point blank, have a statement that said the Eugenics Wars occurred in the 21st century. That was the rumor that was floating through the building. I think that people would have hit the roof if they would have done that, so maybe they just decided to leave it up in nebulous hyperspace. The point is, if they would have gone that route, then you would have had to come up with some theory about how history got screwed up. The records got destroyed, or something messed up the original dates. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 29, No. 6/7, p. 110) (See "Trivia" for an explanation.)

Production [ ]

• After Jimmy Diggs pitched the story for this episode, he didn't hear back from the producers for over a year. When he eventually did get a call from Ronald D. Moore , he thought it was a friend playing a practical joke on him, and he made Moore prove he was who he said he was. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))
• According to Chase Masterson , in an outtake of the scene where Dr. Zimmerman boards his transport and propositions an alien woman, Robert Picardo changed his lines to " Have you heard about my work on Star Trek: Voyager ? " ( DS9 Season 5 DVD Special Features: Hidden File 07, Live Q&A )

Reception [ ]

• Ira Steven Behr commented: " "Doctor Bashir I Presume" was a terrific episode, but I was never totally comfortable with Julian's genetic engineering. It was one of those revelations that did not seem quite authentic to me. We'd had to work backward to get it. So I felt we needed to do something to help the idea along" . Behr's thoughts would lead to the development of " Statistical Probabilities ". ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))
• Alexander Siddig commented: " I think 'Doctor Bashir, I Presume' was probably the best one I got to do. It was a really good idea for an episode, and it had some interesting elements in it. Bob Picardo was great. The guy is a blast, a lot of fun. I'd known him before doing the show, but only on an acquaintance level. We'd met at a convention in Australia and in a couple of other places. He's really good. He can come back again if he wants to – I'd hire him! I also liked in that episode they finally gave Bashir parents, because we hardly knew anything about his family before then. And on top of that they have me parents who'd given me a tricky life. The whole genetic engineering issue, I thought, was an interesting double whammy. I went from getting Bashir ready to become this wonderful holographic doctor to realizing that he was actually a fraud. That's really good stuff ". ("A Truly Model Doctor", Star Trek Monthly  issue 30 )
• Siddig was not pleased the way he was informed of the revelation about Bashir in the episode. " I didn't know about it on Tuesday, and on Thursday the script arrived – we started shooting on Friday. I was so shocked. You know you get the impression that maybe the producers sit down and talk about strategies and character arcs with actors but this thing came out of the blue and pissed me off so royally. " ( [1] )
• Ronald D. Moore commented: " I had a lot of fun with 'Doctor Bashir I Presume'. I thought that was an interesting show in that it suddenly takes a left turn. Just when you think it's a farce and is going to be all about the EMH program and his parents and people running about being silly, it's like 'Whoa! What's this? There's character revelations here'. So I like that ". ("Writing Across the Universe", Star Trek Monthly  issue 29 )
• Robert Picardo commented: " The little appearance on Deep Space Nine was great fun. You know, we're all acquainted with each other from working on the same lot, and from making public appearances together, but we don't often have the opportunity to work together, so that was nice. I had a good time with Sid and Colm Meaney ". Picardo commented that he would have liked to have appeared in the series again. ("Doctor at Large", Star Trek Monthly  issue 30 )
• Brian George commented " I'm a journeyman. I go from job to job. Most times, you're just a fifth wheel and the producers are only concerned about the stars. It was wonderful to get a role that required some acting, that actually required some thought and preparation, and then to get a director who considered me as important as the regulars ". ("Parenthood", Star Trek Monthly  issue 36 )
• This is the first appearance of Dr. Lewis Zimmerman ( Robert Picardo ), the creator of the Emergency Medical Hologram as a "real" person on any Star Trek series, having previously appeared as a hologram on the Star Trek: Voyager episodes " Projections " and " The Swarm ". He appeared again in VOY : " Life Line ".
• Leeta and Rom finally get together in this episode. They first became friends in " Bar Association " and Leeta confessed her feelings for Rom in " Let He Who Is Without Sin... ".
• This episode is the first to provide any details whatsoever about Nog 's mother, Prinadora . Indeed, it is the only episode to do so. She would be mentioned again in " Ferengi Love Songs ", but no new information would be presented.
• Dr. Lewis Zimmerman was named for Herman Zimmerman , a production designer for TNG, DS9, and the four TNG movies.
• This episode is the last time that we see the holo-communicator being used until either Shinzon or the USS Enterprise -E 's versions of it in Star Trek Nemesis .
• The footage of starships docked at Deep Space 9 in the final shot of this episode is recycled from " The Way of the Warrior ". The footage is reused again in " Sacrifice of Angels ".
• Despite Bashir's claim that O'Brien scored a triple 20 in the darts game at the beginning, the darts are grouped near to the board's center, below the triple 20.

Continuity [ ]

• O'Brien remarks that Starfleet has not dealt with a genetically-engineered officer "in a hundred years". A possible explanation for O'Brien's statement would arrive in SNW : " A Quality of Mercy " and SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ", when in 2259 Commander Una Chin-Riley is exposed for her Illyrian genetic modifications, arrested, and nearly expelled from Starfleet.

Remastered version [ ]

• Remastered footage from the episode is featured in the documentary What We Left Behind .

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 5.8, 23 June 1997
• As part of the DS9 Season 5 DVD collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Avery Brooks as Captain Sisko

Also Starring [ ]

• Rene Auberjonois as Odo
• Michael Dorn as Lt. Commander Worf
• Terry Farrell as Lt. Commander Dax
• Cirroc Lofton as Jake Sisko
• Colm Meaney as Chief O'Brien
• Armin Shimerman as Quark
• Alexander Siddig as Doctor Bashir
• Nana Visitor as Major Kira

Guest stars [ ]

• Brian George as Richard Bashir
• Max Grodénchik as Rom
• Chase Masterson as Leeta
• Fadwa El Guindi as Amsha Bashir
• J. Patrick McCormack as Bennett

Special guest appearance by [ ]

• Lewis Zimmerman
• Emergency Medical Holographic program

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Patti Begley as Bajoran officer
• Bill Blair as Klingon officer
• Mark Allen Shepherd as Morn
• James Lee Stanley as Bajoran security deputy
• Michael Wajacs as Bajoran civilian
• Bolian male
• Talura's species' visitor

References [ ]

20th century ; 23rd century ; 2341 ; 2347 ; 2348 ; 2356 ; 2368 ; 2370 ; 2375 ; accelerated critical neural pathway formation ; Adigeon Prime ; Adigeon Prime aliens ; amusement ; anecdote ; argonite ; banter ; bartender ; Bashir's first grade classmates ( classmate ); Bashir's transport captain ; Bashir family move location ; birth defect ; Bolians ; break ; bug ; cafe ; Cardassian ; career ; cargo management unit ; cat ; cerebral cortex ; dabo ; dabo girl ; darts ; day ; design flaw ; Director of Holographic Imaging and Programming ; dismissal ; DNA resequencing ; dog ; dom-jot ; drafting studio ; Earth ; Emergency Medical Hologram (aka EMH , holographic doctor ); Eugenics Wars ; experience ; Federation ; Federation Supreme Court ; field of study ; firewall ; first grade ; frontier medicine ; ganglionic cell cluster ; generation ; genetic structure ; hand-eye coordination ; health certificate ; height ; holo-communicator ; holo-doctor ; holosuite ; immortality ; IQ ; Judge Advocate General ; Julian Bashir's cognitive condition ; Jupiter Station ; Jupiter Station bartender ; Jupiter Station cafe manager ; Jupiter Station commanding officer ; intelligence quotient ; Kama Sutra ; landscape architecture ; legal counsel ; level 3 diagnostic ; LMH test program 1 ; Long-term Medical Holographic program ; manager ; marriage contract ; mental ability ; month ; new plan ; O'Brien, Kirayoshi ; O'Brien, Molly ; Nagus ; name ; neuronal network ; New Zealand ; New Zealand Penal Settlement ; Nog ; opinion ; optical parameter scan ; parts per million ; patient ; penal colony ; prayko ; Prinadora ; Prinadora's father ; Prinadora's richer man ; prion ; Promenade ; psychological profile ; public space ; pupil ; Quark's ; questionnaire ; rear admiral ; reflex ; remedial education ; replicator ; research outpost ; sense of humor ; Noonien Singh, Khan ; stamina ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Headquarters ; Starfleet Medical ; stigma ; subspace communication station ; superhuman ; sympathy ; test run ; third-class steward ; tree ; vision ; visiting hours ; Vulcan Love Slave, Part II: The Revenge ; week ; weight ; Zimmerman's Jupiter Station colleagues ;

Starship references [ ]

Antidean transport ; Bajoran interceptor ( Bajoran interceptors ); Danube -class ( runabout ); Excelsior -class ( starships ); exploratory vessel ; Galaxy -class ; Miranda -class ; Nebula -class ( transport ); Trial , USS ; Venture , USS ; Yeager , USS ; Yeager -type ; workbee ( unnamed )

External links [ ]

• "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" at StarTrek.com
• " Doctor Bashir, I Presume " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Doctor Bashir, I Presume? " at Wikipedia
• " "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast

• Lieutenant Commanders
• Deep Space 9
• Victory is Life

Julian Bashir

• VisualEditor
• View history

Doctor Julian Bashir is a Human Starfleet officer, and former Chief Medical Officer of Deep Space 9 . He is married to the captain of the U.S.S. Aventine , Ezri Dax , with whom he has children.

• 2.1 Missions formerly involved
• 3 Other involvement
• 5 External links

History [ | ]

• 2341 : Bashir is born to Richard and Amsha Bashir.
• 2347 : Bashir's parents, concerned about his delayed intellectual development, take him to Adigeon Prime where, over the course of two months, he underwent extensive and illegal genetic therapy . These treatments led to vast improvements in his mental abilities, hand-eye coordination, reflexes, vision, stamina, height, and weight.
• 2368 : Bashir graduates from Starfleet Academy as salutatorian.
• 2369 : Lieutenant Bashir is assigned to Deep Space 9 as Chief Medical Officer under the command of Benjamin Sisko .
• 2373 : Bashir's genetic modifications are revealed, causing his father to face a one-year prison term.
• 2374 - 2375 : Bashir fights in the Dominion War and eventually becomes romantically involved with Ezri Dax .
• Date Unknown: Doctor Bashir treats Quark for radiation poisoning aboard Deep Space 9 following an encounter with an Undine infiltrator.
• Date Unknown: Bashir leaves Starfleet to start a private practice on Trill .
• Date Unknown: The Federation Science Council gives Dr. Bashir permission to test various forms of genetic modification at Korvat Medical Lab to find treatments for degenerative diseases such as the Irumodic Syndrome .

Missions involved [ | ]

In a Starfleet EV suit

Missions formerly involved [ | ]

Other involvement [ | ]

Bashir in DS9's Infirmary

• "A Warrior Reborn" : In 2410 , Doctor Oskar Mazur of Starfleet Medical reveals that he had consulted with Doctor Bashir prior to restoring the memories of Kurn , as Bashir had been the original surgeon who had erased them.
• "Spores" : Bashir finds himself trapped in a cavern, hanging upside-down from a bundle of alien mycelium. He calls the Aventine for assistance, and Captain Dax, coordinating with Captain Kuumaarke of the Reskava, works to rescue him. Once aboard the Aventine, Bashir speaks with his wife and Kuumaarke about unusual fungi that have been encountered recently, including the Elachi , the Imaga megafungi, and the ketracel precursor. Ezri mentions a scientist named Paul Stamets , who had theorized about a multidimensional mycelial network, and Bashir suggests the idea has merits, and that much of the fungi discovered throughout the galaxy may have a common progenitor.

Notes [ | ]

• For players who have completed “Storm Clouds Gather” , Bashir can be found in DS9's Infirmary.
• Promotional material for Victory is Life showed Bashir in a Starfleet Captain's uniform, though he is only a Lt. Commander in the game.
• With the release of Victory is Life , Bashir replaced Ghee P'Trell in the older mission “The Ultimate Klingon” .
• Bashir is also available as a limited distribution holographic bridge officer .

External links [ | ]

• Julian Bashir at Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki.
• Julian Bashir at Memory Beta , the non-canon Star Trek Wiki.
• 1 Playable starship
• 3 Infinity Prize Pack - T6 Ship

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Doctor Julian Bashir by EXO-6

By Joe Moore on March 13, 2024 at 8:10 am under Star Trek Toy News

EXO-6 has updated with pre-orders for their latest Star Trek figure. They have revealed the upcoming Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Doctor Julian Bashir 1/6 Scale Figure . The Doctor Bashir figure will stand at 11.8″ tall, with 30 points of articulation, and a detailed fabric Starfleet uniform. The figure includes multipel interchangeable hands, a Type II hand phaser, Hypospray, a Medical Tricorder, a PADD, and a display stand.

Doctor Bashir is priced at $195.99 plush shipping. It’s scheduled to ship to customers in the Third Quarter of 2024. You can see pre-order links, images, and full product details below.

Pre-Order Links: Entertainment Earth • Big Bad Toy Store

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Doctor Julian Bashir 1:6 Scale Articulated Figure “I prefer to confront mortality, rather than hide from it” Introducing the EXO-6 Dr. Julian Bashir 1/6 Scale Museum Quality Figure – a meticulously crafted tribute to one of Star Trek’s most beloved characters. As the chief medical officer aboard Deep Space 9, Dr. Julian Bashir’s charm, intelligence, and unwavering commitment to the well-being of his fellow crew members have made him an iconic figure in the Star Trek universe. Now, you can bring the essence of this remarkable character into your collection with our exquisite 1/6 scale figure, capturing every detail of Bashir’s distinctive features and Starfleet uniform. This 1:6-scale figure re-creates this iconic character in exquisite 1:6 detail. Standing approximately 12 inches tall, no detail was spared in reproducing his outfit and accessories as authentically as possible. Crafted with a keen eye for detail, this figure stands at 12 inches tall and features over 30 points of articulation, allowing you to pose Dr. Bashir in a multitude of lifelike positions. The included accessories, such as his medical tricorder and hypo spray, further enhance the figure’s authenticity, bringing to life those memorable moments from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The EXO-6 Doctor Bashir 1:6 Scale Articulated Figure includes: Fully Articulated Body: More than 30 points of articulation allow the figure to be displayed in multiple dynamic poses, approximately 30 cm tall. Realistic Portrait: The portrait sculpt of Alexander Siddig as Julian Bashir is beautifully sculpted with an authentic likeness. It is specially hand-painted. Starfleet Duty Uniform: Meticulously researched, this duty uniform matches the pattern and color of the original costume as seen from season 5 on, recreated in sixth scale. Lieutenant pips are permanently attached to the collar and a non-removeable DS9 com badge is affixed to the chest.  Magnets are sewn into the jumpsuit so the holsters for the tricorder and phaser can be attached. Boots: Soft plastic boots sculpted to match the cut and style of the original footwear. Hands: A total of seven interchangeable hands are included so he can be displayed holding his accessories. Display Base: A hexagonal display base featuring the transporter pad will provide additional support for the figure. Two different inserts for the floor of the base can represent the transporter pad or the center of the transporter array. Autograph card: An informational card that can be used to get an autograph from the performer and displayed with your figure. Equipment Lt. Bashir is outfitted with everything needed for a Star Fleet medical officer. He comes equipped with: Type II hand phaser. The phaser can be worn in a black holster that magnetically attaches to his jumpsuit. Hypospray: Includes 3 differently colored vials. Medical Tricorder: This tricorder includes a removeable scanner that fits in the back of the tricorder. It can be folded up and worn in a holster. PADD (Personal Access Display Device): the data display device used onboard Deep Space 9. EXO-6’s commitment to the variety and number of characters in Star Trek is unparalleled. Never before and never again will fans be able to own such high-end collectible figures covering such a wide expanse of the Star Trek universe. Act now to ensure you have the ultimate Star Trek collectibles before they disappear, never to return.

EXO 6 Star Trek DS9 Dr. Bashir 001

EXO 6 Star Trek DS9 Dr. Bashir 002

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Companies EXO-6 Characters Doctor Julian Bashir Scale 1/6

Constable Odo's 10 Best Star Trek: DS9 Episodes

• Odo's best DS9 episodes focus on criminal investigations, his origins, and ideological clashes with Changeling Founders.
• Odo's relationships with Quark and Kira define many episodes, showcasing his softer side and developing romantic connections.
• Odo's characterization shines in episodes like "The Begotten" and "Treachery, Faith and the Great River" with emotional depth.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's best episodes about Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) focus on his criminal investigations, the search for his origins, and his ideological clash with the Changeling Founders. Played by acclaimed actor Rene Auberjonois, Odo's best episodes of DS9 are characterized by some incredible acting, delivered from underneath heavy layers of prosthetics . Across seven seasons, the beloved Star Trek: DS9 character had to grapple with prejudice, unrequited love, and the sins of his past in episodes that showcased the thematic heft of the Star Trek: The Next Generation spinoff.

Odo's relationships with Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) also define many of the Constable's best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes . As DS9's Chief of Security, Odo was the perfect foil for the Ferengi bartender, but Quark and Odo's rivalry had an undercurrent of mutual respect that bordered on affection . Odo also had a close friendship with Kira, formed by a fateful moment from years earlier. Odo and Kira's friendship eventually developed into a romantic relationship, and that progression can be seen in some of the Constable's best DS9 episodes.

Every Star Trek: DS9 Episode Directed By Rene Auberjonois

Star trek: ds9 season 1, episode 17, "the forsaken", teleplay by don carlos dunaway & michael piller, story by jim trombetta.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1, episode 17, "The Forsaken" is one of the more successful DS9 and Star Trek: The Next Generation crossover episodes . The episode paired up the unlikely duo of Constable Odo and Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett) for a two-hander that revealed the insecurities of both characters. Odo's relationship with Lwaxana allowed DS9 's gruff Chief of Security to show his softer and more vulnerable side , improving the character as a result.

In the episode, the incorrigible Lwaxana Troi falls in love with Odo, and tries to woo the irascible Constable. Lwaxana's attempts are hindered by an alien intelligence that saps Deep Space Nine's power, stranding her in a lift with Odo. "The Forsaken" was one of Rene Auberjonois' favorite episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Discussing the episode in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , Auberjonois stated that:

" It helped to establish Odo and give him more dimension than he'd had up to that point "

Star Trek: DS9, Season 7, Episode 22, "Tacking into the Wind"

Written by ronald d. moore.

"Tacking into the Wind" is one of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's best Worf episodes , as it primarily focuses on his attempts to bring Chancellor Gowron (Robert O'Reilly) into line. However, there's also some very strong and emotional material for Odo and Kira as the morphogenic virus continues to ravage the Changeling's system . Kira, Odo, and Garak (Andrew Robinson) are sent on a dangerous mission to retrieve information about a devastating Breen weapon.

By infecting Odo, Section 31 effectively prove the Founders' belief that the "Solids" are barbaric and cruel.

Odo's determination to continue the mission despite his worsening health is heartbreaking. However, it speaks to the strength of Odo's character that he never lets Section 31's betrayal cloud his feelings about the "Solids". By infecting Odo, Section 31 effectively prove the Founders' belief that the "Solids" are barbaric and cruel , but despite the cruelty meted out to him by Section 31, Odo knows that it's wrong to reduce all of Starfleet to the actions of some rogue operatives.

Section 31s 5 Worst Crimes During Star Trek DS9s Dominion War

Star trek: ds9, season 7, episode 6, "treachery, faith and the great river", teleplay by david weddle & bradley thompson, story by philip kim.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , season 7, episode 6, "Treachery, Faith and the Great River" explores Odo's status as a god . Odo is shocked to discover that Weyoun ( Jeffrey Combs ) wishes to defect from the Dominion to the Federation. However, the Dominion and the Cardassians are determined that Odo and Weyoun 6 never return to DS9.

What follows is an exciting prisoner transport thriller that also tackles some big themes around religious belief. "Treachery, Faith and the Great River" showcases Odo's courage under fire , as he tries every trick in the book to avoid the combined forces of the Cardassians and the Jem'Hadar. Weyoun 6 eventually sacrifices his life to save Odo in the episode's heartbreaking climax, forcing the Changeling to confront how his people have turned themselves into deities.

Star Trek: DS9, Season 3, Episode 14, "Heart of Stone"

Written by ira steven behr & robert hewitt wolfe.

For the majority of "Heart of Stone", Odo believes that Kira has become trapped in an expanding silicon rock formation. The more the formation increases in size, the more it consumes Kira, slowly crushing her to death. Tragically, Odo realizes that he's not trying to save the real Kira when the Major professes her love for him , revealing that it's an elaborate ruse by the Female Changeling (Salome Jens).

"Heart of Stone" is a great Odo episode because the impossible situation forces him to confront, and finally vocalize, his feelings for Kira . That journey is fascinating to watch, and Rene Auberjonois' performance of Odo, recognizing that he's been duped, is incredible. Veering from pragmatism about how Kira sees him as a friend to fury at the Female Changeling's plan, it's exactly the sort of multi-faceted performance that audiences have come to expect from Rene Auberjonois at this point in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Nana Visitor wasn't a fan of the rock prop in "Heart of Stone", telling the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion that it made her look " like a big old hot fudge sundae ".

DS9's 7 Best Love Stories & Romances Ranked

Star trek: ds9, season 2, episode 12, "the alternate", teleplay by bill dial, story by jim trombetti and bill dial.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 12, "The Alternate" is an early episode that sheds more light on Odo's origins. It introduces the character of Dr. Mora Pol (James Sloyan), the Bajoran scientist who first discovered Odo in his liquid form . Dr. Mora believes that he's found clues as to where Odo originated from, but their research mission is cut short when the away team are stricken by some noxious gas, triggered by the removal of an ancient monument. The gas also has an adverse effect on Odo, turning him into a terrifying monster.

[Odo] comes to realize that this problematic scientist is actually the closest thing he's ever had to a father figure.

"The Alternate" is a brilliant take on Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde , that gives Odo actor Rene Auberjonois some challenging material to perform. The scenes between Odo and Mora are incredibly powerful, as the Changeling comes to realize that this problematic scientist is actually the closest thing he's ever had to a father figure. The scene in which Odo implies that he doesn't trust Mora while becoming the monster is an incredible moment .

Star Trek: DS9, Season 6, Episode 20, "His Way"

Written by ira steven behr & hans beimler.

When Odo hears that holographic lounge singer Vic Fontaine (James Darren) gave Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) some helpful pointers on love, he decides to seek the singer's advice about Kira. Fontaine helps to bring Odo out of his shell, turning him into a suave pianist, while also making him more at ease socially. Eventually, Vic orchestrates a first date for Kira and Odo, albeit under false pretenses .

"His Way" was the first appearance of Vic Fontaine in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

By showing a completely new side of Odo in "His Way", Star Trek: Deep Space Nine showrunner Ira Steven Behr and writer Hans Beimler make this one of the character's best episodes. The transition from the drab brown Bajoran security uniform into a sharp tuxedo is a hugely positive one for Odo , not least because it finally allows Kira to see just how charismatic and charming he can actually be.

Nana Visitor and Rene Auberjonois never wanted Kira and Odo to become a couple in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , preferring their bond to be purely platonic.

Star Trek: DS9, Season 5, Episode 12, "The Begotten"

Written by rené echevarria.

For the first half of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Odo is turned into a "Solid" . It's fascinating to see how Odo contends with the frailty of a humanoid body, but it's equally fascinating to see how this plot thread is resolved. After he buys an ailing Changeling infant from Quark, Odo teams up with Doctors Bashir and Maura to cure the sick child and teach it to shapeshift. Odo becomes a doting father, and it's a strong sequel to "The Alternate", as he seeks to avoid the mistakes made by his own surrogate father.

Tragically, the infant Changeling in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is too sick to live, but it does give Odo a parting gift. By bonding with the infant, Odo regains his shapeshifting abilities, giving him a renewed sense of purpose. It's a touching metaphor for parenthood that finally allows Odo and Mora Pol to reconcile their differences. "The Begotten" is a standout episode for Rene Auberjonois in a strong season for the character of Odo .

Star Trek: DS9, Season 5, Episode 9, "The Ascent"

"The Ascent" is the best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode about Quark and Odo's antagonistic relationship. Transporting Quark to testify against the Orion Syndicate, Odo's runabout explodes and strands the two old enemies on a barren planet. Watching Odo and Quark work together to survive is an absolute joy , and Rene Auberjonois gets some fine opportunities to deploy his dry wit. The scene in which Odo requests his ashes be tossed into his bucket and launched into the Gamma Quadrant is darkly funny.

The final scene of "The Ascent" is one of the best moments, as it sees Odo and Quark come closer than ever to telling each other how they feel. While they both say they hate each other, it's very clear from their laughter that the two Star Trek: Deep Space Nine characters love each other. "The Ascent" is also a great Odo episode because it shows a new side to him, as he has to deal with the fragility of his humanoid body , succumbing to the cold and breaking his leg.

Star Trek: DS9, Season 5, Episode 8 "Things Past"

Written by michael taylor.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 5 has two classic Odo episodes in a row, as "The Ascent" is preceded by "Things Past". The episode sends Odo, Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) and Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) back in time to when DS9 was Terok Nor . They're forced to live through a brutal tragedy from Odo's past, when he accidentally condemned three Bajoran men to death .

Rene Auberjonois is excellent as a repentant Odo, who is realizing with gut-churning inevitability what's about to happen. The final scene, in which Odo and Kira discuss his culpability in the execution is a quietly devastating exchange between the two friends. "Things Past" is, therefore, a spiritual sequel to the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Necessary Evil" , which revealed how Odo and Kira first met.

Star Trek: DS9, Season 2, Episode 8, "Necessary Evil"

Written by peter allan fields.

"Necessary Evil" is the best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode about Odo , because it firmly establishes the Constable's moral code. While investigating the attempted murder of Quark, Odo discovers that the crime is linked to his first case. Through flashbacks, "Necessary Evil" reveals how Odo came to Terok Nor, employed by Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) as a security officer. Tasked with investigating the murder of a Bajoran collaborator, Odo was unable to close the case, letting the killer walk free.

The killer is revealed to be Major Kira Nerys, and in one of the most complicated scenes in all of Star Trek , Odo and Kira contend with this new information. It's a crucial episode in Odo's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine story. Not only does it establish his origins as Chief of Security, it also reveals the depth of Odo's relationship with Kira, and how it's strong enough to weather the storm of her past crimes.

All episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are available to stream on Paramount

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Cast Cirroc Lofton, Rene Auberjonois, Nicole de Boer, Michael Dorn, Nana Visitor, Avery Brooks, Colm Meaney, Armin Shimerman, Alexander Siddig

Release Date January 3, 1993

Network CBS

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Showrunner Ira Steven Behr, Michael Piller

Screen Rant

Star trek: voyager & ds9 crossed over in the mirror universe.

Despite being stuck in the Delta Quadrant, a Star Trek: Voyager crew member briefly crossed over into the Mirror Universe to join the DS9 cast.

• Star Trek: Voyager and Deep Space Nine crossed over within the Mirror Universe, bringing the shows together across vast cosmic distances.
• The crossovers featuring characters like Tuvok and Doctor Zimmerman added depth to the interconnected Star Trek universe.
• Despite differing tones, Voyager and DS9 remain beloved shows, delighting audiences through streaming platforms today.

Despite being separated by thousands of light years, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine crossed over inside the Mirror Universe. Voyager and Deep Space Nine were very different in tone, due to the differing approaches of the shows' respective producers, Brannon Braga and Ira Steven Behr. Where DS9 was a serialized drama that tackled huge themes, Voyager embraced a traditional episodic approach that could sometimes feel disposable and regressive . Despite their differences in tone, DS9 and Voyager are two beloved Star Trek TV shows that still delight audiences to this day via streaming, which is a testament to the versatility and timelessness of the franchise.

As the USS Voyager was stranded in the Delta Quadrant, it was hard, but not impossible, for Star Trek: Voyager to cross over into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Alpha and Gamma Quadrant settings. In fact, there was a surprising number of Star Trek characters who guested on Voyager from Captain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) to Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes). Creative approaches such as intervention by Q (John de Lancie), glimpses of Starfleet's attempts to locate the missing USS Voyager, and even the Mirror Universe allowed Star Trek: Voyager to crossover with its 1990s contemporaries, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Every 1990s Era Star Trek Crossover

Star trek: voyager’s tuvok crossed over with ds9’s mirror universe, star trek: deep space nine, season 3, episode 19, "through the looking glass".

In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3, episode 19, "Through the Looking Glass", Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) is captured and taken to the Mirror Universe by "Smiley" O'Brien (Colm Meaney). The Rebellion in the Mirror Universe wanted Prime Sisko to convince the ex-wife of his Terran counterpart to join the resistance against the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance . As Sisko is taken to the Terran Rebellion's enclave, he meets the Mirror Universe variants of his DS9 crew mates. In the same scene Sisko also meets the Mirror Universe version of Star Trek: Voyager 's Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ), leading a more logic-driven faction of the Rebellion.

Mirror Tuvok is the only Mirror Universe variant of a Star Trek: Voyager character that has appeared on TV.

Tuvok was included in "Through the Looking Glass" at the request of Rick Berman , who presumably wanted to strengthen the links between Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager . DS9 season 3 and Voyager season 1 aired concurrently with each other, and "Through the Looking Glass" aired on April 17, 1995, a week when there was no new episode of Voyager . In this gap between "State of Flux" and "Heroes and Demons", therefore, a brief crossover between Voyager and DS9 was a good way to keep the fledgling Star Trek show in the minds of the audience.

Every Voyager & DS9 Star Trek Crossover

"Through the Looking Glass" isn't the only crossover between Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . The Voyager pilot "Caretaker" features the USS Voyager depart from Deep Space Nine to search for the missing Tuvok and the Maquis ship, the Valjean in the Badlands. As with McCoy and Picard in the previous Star Trek pilots, DS9 's Quark (Armin Shimerman) appeared in "Caretaker" to pass the baton to Voyager . In a scene that demonstrated how green the young Ensign Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) was, he almost falls for one of Quark's latest scams, until he's rescued by Lt. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill).

Gul Evek (Richard Poe) and Morn (Mark Allen Shepherd) are the two other Star Trek: Deep Space Nine characters that appear in the Star Trek: Voyager pilot.

A version of Star Trek: Voyager 's Doctor (Robert Picardo) appeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 5, episode 16, "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" alongside his creator Dr. Lewis Zimmerman (also Picardo). Technically, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine marks the first real appearance by the EMH's creator, who had previously appeared in Voyager as a holographic replica. The real Zimmerman would later appear in Star Trek: Voyager season 6, episode 24, "Life Line", which also featured Lt. Reginald Barclay (Dwight Schultz) and Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) further strengthening the bonds between different corners of the Star Trek universe.

All episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Star Trek: Voyager

The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they've never faced before.