Customer Reviews

Star Trek - Deep Space Nine, Episode 6: Captive Pursuit [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a good episode! DS:9 first encounter with an alien from the wormhole. Obrien befriends the creature but he is a prey in a hunt, when the hunters storms on the station alerting security, Cmdr. Sisko demands an explanation when he gets one, he orders the creature to be released to their custody, Obrien disagrees with Sisko and breaks him out, and the hunt resumes. "Die with honor"

This is an episode that centres around O'Brien and his relationship with an alien who is part of a slave-race that serves as hunt in a deadly game where their masters pursue them to their death. When O'Brien tries to protect his new found friend, a direct violation of Federation policy, he becomse the prey also - except this is Deep Space Nine his battleground and no one knows the station better than Chief O'Brien!

CAPTIVE PURSUIT is a nicely understated episode featuring some solid performances from the regular cast and crew. The first season is still young, so it's good to see them focusing on individual characters rather than trying to cram everyone into the mix, regardless of how well they fit a particular episode.

The first alien from the Gamma Quadrant accidentally finds himself journeying through the wormhole and arriving at the Deep Space Nine station. Although he comes from the other side of the galaxy, he looks pretty much the same as most other types of aliens that we see in Star Trek; it's up to Scott McDonald's performance to put some feeling of otherness into the creature, and he succeeds admirably. O'Brien attempts to gain the alien's confidence to learn what he is up to as well as opening ties to life-forms from the other side. The alien, who describes both his species and himself simply as "Tosk", is reluctant to talk, sparking discussion among the station crew that he may be an escaped prisoner or a wanted fugitive.

I liked how relaxed the first contact with an alien from the Gamma quadrant was. I'd imagine this same story taking place on the Next Generation ship would have involved a lot of pomp and circumstance, and it would have stretched over two commercial breaks, punctuated with long speeches delivered by Patrick Stewart. Here, O'Brien just wanders up to the guy and asks if he needs any help fixing the ship. The two characters work well together, and the episode's most successful scenes are those of the pair trying to learn about each other's culture. It really is standard science-fiction stuff, but the two actors make even the more hackneyed dialog sound fresh.

This could very easily been a rather bland episode, but it's rescued by good performances and some clever dialog. For me, Star Trek is often at its best when focusing on the smaller-scale stuff, when it remembers to allow the characters to have some depth. And that's just what we have here.

I think that ever part of this is great. Tosk is the first alien to come through the other side of the wormhole, and ten he causes a lot of trouble. The characters have excellent roles, this has a six-star plot, and the action was filmed and thought of wonderfully. I recommend you see this.

I think that ever part of this is great. Tosk is the first alien to come through the other side of the wormhole, and ten he causes a lot of trouble. The characters have excellent roles, this has a six-star plot, and the action was filmed and thought of wonderfully. I recommend you see this.

Even though this was so early in the first season of DS9, when characters were still being developed and Odo still looked kinda weird before they got his makeup right, this is one of my favorite episodes of the series. In later episodes, traffic through the wormhole was watched (especially for Dominion activity), but traffic was quite routine. The only known true stable wormhole, also known as the Celestial Temple of the Prophets of Bajor, is a key asset and risk to both Bajor and the Federation. At any time, Borg or perhaps even worse enemies unknown could come flying in from the gamma quadrant to pillage and destroy, so they make a big hubaloo when an unscheduled arrival pops in from the gamma quadrant.

The ship has one humanoid aboard, an unknown alien species aboard a never-before-seen spaceship. The ship is badly damaged and in danger of exploding, but Chief O'Brien is able to stablize the ship's integrity with a graviton beam and tractor the ship into a docking port. The space station is a-buzz - this is the first visitor from the other side to come through and they are anxious to meet him, but he's a little odd.

O'Brien goes to the docking ring to greet the newcomer, enters his small craft and finds that no one is aboard. Station scans reveal that he is there, but O'Brien cannot see the alien. O'Brien goes about repairing the vessel when the alien makes himself visible. Startled, O'Brien introduces himself as a human, named O'Brien. The alien responds, "I am Tosk." When O'Brien asks him if that's his name or his species, the response is the same - "I am Tosk." So much for conversation.

O'Brien admits that he ends up emotionally adopting Tosk - while he is a sentient being, he has a naivity that is endearing and he is almost like a lost puppy. When Tosk is caught trying to disable security to the weapons locker, however, his intents are questioned and he is moved to the Brig.

When questioned about his motives, Tosk only says that he must be set free and that he cannot say what is going on. Frustrated, Sisko keeps Tosk locked up, assuming he's committed a crime and that authorities will be coming for him soon. The next day, a ship with a similar configuration as Tosk's comes through the wormhole. They do not respond to hails and they are quite a formidable force against the station's defenses. They have come to kill Tosk with honor, but instead, he is captured alive - the greatest shame a Tosk can endure --- Tosk was bred to be prey.

Disgusted with the notion of hunting a sentient being, Sisko mulls his options. Tosk refuses to ask for asylum and thanks to the Prime Directive, Sisko must allow the truly innocent Tosk to be humiliated by his captors.

O'Brien is crestfallen - he feels responsible and really likes Tosk and doesn't want him to live out his days in shame. Tosk is proud to be Tosk - "the hunted" and referred to his life as "the greatest adventure there is." The aliens have their rules and their culture and the Federation has the Prime Directive - and poor Tosk is caught in the middle - until O'Brien changes the rules of the game.

I was really hoping they'd bring Tosk back to DS9 in a future episode - an honorable, interesting creature... much like Klingons with their sense of honor and willingness to die - but far more lovable. The acting was incredible and believable and this was just a great story overall. The bonding between O'Brien and his alien buddy was touching and the ending is not easily forgotten.

Chief O'Brien must decide which is more important, his duty or a life of a friend. Like Kirk helping Spock in ST III, Chief O'Brien helps Tosk escape the Hunters of Tosk. Although Commander Sisko disapproves of hunting a sentient being for sport, he has no choice but to return Tosk to the Hunters. Chief O'Brien understands Tosk's need to die an honorable death and helps Tosk restart the hunt. This is a classic episode illustrating that friendship and loyalty must somtimes come before one's duty.