Episode #28: Necessary Evil
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Episode #28: Necessary Evil
NECESSARY EVIL (prod.#428; 8th episode of 2nd season)
Directed by James L. Conway; written by Peter Allan Fields
This was another episode that rather blatantly resembled a crime noir of the future, with Odo in the role of space-age detective, like a latter-day Columbo or Sam Spade, even narrating part of the episode (he's instructed to begin a log by Starfleet, an organization which he feels is obsessed with record-keeping, lol). What is unusual is that half the episode is a flashback; this episode cuts back and forth between 'the present' and to 5 years earlier - to when the Cardassians, notably Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo), ran DS9. In the present, Quark is shot after he retrieves a hidden box for a lady. As Odo starts to investigate, he realizes a connection to his first case. In the past, we see how Odo is first assigned by Dukat to solve a murder.
This episode, therefore, functions as a kind of origin story for Odo and Kira, who also shows up in the flashback. In the past, Kira was secretly working for the Bajoran underground and was accused by the same lady mentioned above of killing her husband. Kira, of course, professed innocence and Odo, meeting her for the first time back then, believed her. He ended up saving her from Cardassian 'justice' - he could have easily turned her over to Dukat, who would have accepted her as the guilty party. What's interesting is the atmosphere of DS9 in the past during the Cardassian occupation - it's an ore processing facility and everything is always dark and grim. Odo, a shapeshifter, has no place in either Bajoran or Cardassian society but also fears neither; he impresses Dukat by not kissing up to him and Dukat keeps him in the position of local cop. But, Odo never did solve his first case, did he? We never see how Dukat reacted to this negative outcome.
We also witness the first meeting between Odo & Quark, establishing their conman vs. cop relationship. There's a final twist in the end, in the present, when the 5-year old murder case is finally solved. An interesting journey down memory lane. BoG's Score: 7 out of 10
Some great dialog and acting:
Dukat: "I need a name, Odo."
Odo: "You'll get your name when I'm certain it's the right name."
Dukat: "Listen to the way he speaks to me, Quark!" (chuckles)
"You're not afraid of anyone, are you, shape-shifter? Not even me."
Odo: "You'll get your name when I'm certain it's the right name."
Dukat: "Listen to the way he speaks to me, Quark!" (chuckles)
"You're not afraid of anyone, are you, shape-shifter? Not even me."
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