DS9 - Our Man Bashir

This episode of DS9 is really fun to watch. It’s one of my personal favorite “malfunctioning holodeck” episodes. Dr. Bashir’s holodeck program is an obvious, campy takeoff on the James Bond movies. The addition of Garak, who takes the whole spy business very seriously, and the insertion of DS9 regulars into the roles of spy movie characters makes for an absolutely hilarious episode. Garak, a long time spy for the obsidian order, spends the whole time balking at Dr. Bashir’s melodramatic take on his profession. But after the situation turns serious, Garak’s ceaseless bitching takes on a more serious tone about how the spy business really works. This is both ironic and funny, and somewhat annoying at the same time. Another interesting element of the episode is the manifestation of the DS9 main characters in the holosuite program. Each of the characters plays a holodeck character whose personality is the exact opposite of that of the actual character. “Kira” for instance plays a rather less defensive, outspoken, KGB agent, and Sisko plays an evil doctor planning to destroy mankind. It is quite interesting to watch the actors play very different characters that look so much alike. The story of the episode outside the holodeck merely serves as a vehicle to tell a very interesting malfunctioning holodeck story, which is great fun to watch. Even Bashir’s final solution to the problem is serious, hilarious and unique at the same time. I always have enjoyed watching this epode of DS9. It is my favorite malfunctioning holodeck episode ever made.