“Civil Defense” is like a first season episode awkwardly transferred to the third. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with it. It is just the plot of a Cardassian failsafe program to prevent a revolt of Bajoran slave workers being accidentally activated serves mostly to define what the station used to be and the strained relations between theFederation and the Cardassians--all of which we already knew, but could have bee illuminated much more clearly if this one had aired far sooner.There were some serious duds I the first season--”Q-Less” and “Move Along Home,” for instance--”Civil Defense” could have handily replaced.
Two bits I did like that went beyond the stereotypical escape the overly elaborate doomsday plot device; one, the animosity between Garak and Dukat is in full swing. I find both of them to be fascinating characters, so the fact they have an ongoing danse macabre is right up my alley. Two, Dukat expresses a certain sexual desire for kira for the first time. It is played off with a laugh, which is a point I did not think was a good idea since ira does and should hate Dukat with a passion because of the atrocities he has committed to her people, but the plot point will reappear more prominently I later episodes.
Who can blame him, either? Kira might be an emotionally damaged soul, but she has her exciting moments.
So does ”Civil Defense>’ it is a predictable romp. What writer worth is sat would ot come up with the plot of the Cardassians booby trapping DS9? So there are no real surprises. Consider it a fun, but obvious episode--and oe that should have come far sooner in the series.
Rating: *** (out of 5)
