Customer Reviews

Star Trek - Deep Space Nine, Episode 105: Let He Who Is Without Sin.. [VHS]

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Where do the advanced humanoids of the 24th century go for their R&R? Well, Voyager's crew enjoys interplanetary "Smackdown" matches; Deep Space Nine features a holographic Rat-Packer's sleazy night-club, and Next Gen's officers visit Raiza the Red Light Planet. So much for our enlightened Trektopian future... This DS9 episode, unanimously rated among the fans' least favorite, was apparently conceived for the sole purpose of displaying the crew in bathing suits. Bashir and his Dabbo-bimbo girlfriend go to Raiza to "ceremonially" end their relationship. This entails partaking in meaningless encounters with a succession of for-hire hookers and gigolos. (Obviously STDs have been erradicated in the future.) Fun-loving Jadzia Dax hauls her dour Klingon mate along "to loosen him up" a little. But Worf is scandalized by the excesses of libertine behavior, particularly when he misinterprets Jadzia's same-sex flirtation with a gorgeous former lover. In a pique of jealousy, he joins a band of fundamentalist guerillas heaven-bent on sabotaging the planet's eco-system and ruining its hedonistic tourist appeal. Actually, this side of Worf's personality is consistant with the established moral character of Klingon males who are described in definitive novel "The Final Reflection" as being much more prudish than the females. One might logically expect Worf to feel threatened and repulsed by Raiza. But most viewers cringe during the scene wherein Worf mawkishly confesses the reason for his aversion to fun and games. It seems little klincub Worf had accidentally killed a Human boy during an exhuberant childhood soccer match, and has never forgiven himself. But, not to worry, once he unloads this traumatic incident onto Jadzia's shapely shoulders, he is miraculously freed of its lifelong burden, and can finally join in some public skinny-dipping.

I don't think that this was the worst episode of Star Trek ever, as some people maintain, however, it certainly is a DS9 lowpoint. There's nothing wrong with a lightweight episode, it's just that LHWIWS tries to be dramatic and foolish at the same time - Worf's story of a childhood incident seems so forced that it robs the character of credibility. The only plus side is that you get nice location scenery and the cast in swinsuites - only enough to impress Baywatch fans.

Worf (Michael Dorn) and Dax (Terry Farrell) head for a vacation on the pleasure planet, Risa, so they can figure out their relationship, which means things are pretty much doomed from the start. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," Episode 105, "Let He Who Is Without Sin" (Written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe & Ira Steven Behr, Aired November 11, 1996), has the new couple arriving on Risa with Bashir, Quark, and Leeta, so things are already off on the wrong foot. Then Worf learns that Arandis (Vanessa Williams), the social director at Memtibi Lagoon is the former lover of Curzon Dax. Dating a Trill is clearly going to be lots of fun for the big guy. Then, to make things even more interesting, Worf is approached by Pascal Fullerton (Monte Markham in one of his patented swarmy roles), Chairman of the New Essentialists Movement, who wants to shut down the pleasure planet for good.

Worf becomes interested in the beliefs and goals of the Essentialists, especially when he sees Dax and Arandis together (and the way they are dressed helps the viewers to jump to the fantasy if not the conclusion). However, the point at which Worf tells Dax she is not taking the relationship seriously enough is where this one loses me. I am all for making fun of Worf at each and every opportunity when it comes to his relationships with women, but it really has to be out of his stubborn sense of honor and propriety rather than his being stupid. Then Worf reveals something to Dax that only serves to prove to me that this episode is even worse than I thought. Worf has been in more episodes of "Star Trek" than any other character in history (okay, except for the ship's computer as voiced by Majel Barrett), and he even dated a ship's counselor, and yet he has managed to save this particular little tidbit for this point in time?

"Let He Who Is Without Sin..." wastes a guest appearance by Vanessa Williams. For that matter it wastes the entire visit to the pleasure planet of Risa. They have been talking about this place for years on "Star Trek," and the whole visit is wasted on Worf in one of his moods. Suddenly the idea of a blatantly exploitative episode offering a look at "The Women of Deep Space 9" would actually be an improvement, as deeply wrong as that would be in the real world. Final note: This episode was directed by Rene Auberjonois, which is actually a shame because I think Odo would have been less uptight visiting Risa than our favorite Klingon. Meanwhile, is there anybody on this show that remembers there is a massive threat aimed at the Alpha Quadrant through the wormhole?

Avoid this supposed sinful voyage at all costs as this easily one of DS9's top 5 worst episodes. Bad acting even from some of the better cast members, a forced not to mention bad story about shutting down pleasure planet Risa fills throughout most of the show. Forgive me if I sound a bit perverted but seeing Dax, Leeta and Vennessa Williams in skimpy clothes is the only reason to tune in. Like I said in the title leave the volume off or something else below mute should you decide to watch.

The story takes place on Risa, the famous (or infamous) "pleasure planet" mentioned in other Trek episodes. Worf and Dax arrive on Risa to take their relationship to the "next step". Dax meets an old lover (from one of her previous hosts) who wants to shut down Risa because it is not a moral place.

Okay, that's fine. But why portray people with strong morals and beliefs as nuts and radicals? I know Trek has always leaned a bit to the left, but this episode is ridiculous. This episode takes cheap shots at every man or woman who does believe that casual sex is wrong. I guess the creators and writers of DS9 think that half of DS9's fans are just plain nuts. This episode is insulting and an attack on those of us who have differing points of view. Plus, it is was too preachy.

Bad episode, worse than "Rejoined", which took plenty of cheap shots, too.