This episode has always held great meaning to me and has always had a special place in my heart. My mother's aunt Helen and her family were held at the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp. Helen was the only one out of the thirteen of them who made it out of that place.
Don't worry about talking too much early on... you're keeping it relevant, and those of us who already know the information can listen, nodding along in refreshed remembrance of the facts of the episodes.
It's crazy how episodes like this or Drumhead couldn't be made today because nu trek execs play to the normies who want nothing but explosions. Granted I like explosions too, but this is a fantastic episode I learned to appreciate as I got older.
Excellent episode, and fantastic observations, Ed! Indeed, today's "Trek" is nothing to write home about. Old Trek was the thinking-man's science fiction; nowadays it's just spectacle without substance. No matter how you slice it, even the worst episodes of TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, & ENT will always be far superior to the "best" of NuTrek...
Great review, and great comments. I agree with everything you say - I watch old Star Trek on repeats now and don't even bother with finishing Discovery, starting Picard or any of the new shows. Star Trek (original, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT) was more than a show to me - it was a way for me to realise good and bad parts of myself and others, a way to know the benefits of stoicism, a way to appreciate everyone's point of view. It was a bunch of philosophies tied up into a wonderful easily accessible bundle. Thank you for your in-depth review.
I frequently have ST playing as background noise as I go about my day, and this is one of a handful of episodes that draws me in and gets me to stop whatever I'm doing just so I can rewatch it for the umpteenth time. The story and acting of this episode is top-tier in my book; definitely one of the best ST episodes of all time.
Duet is the episode I show people when they say they've never watched DS9. This isn't your father's Star Trek. Or more accurately... grandfather's Star Trek 😬
8:40 - oh, Gul Dukat, as the Prefect of the Cardassian Orbital Ore Processing Facility Terok Nor, is undoubtedly "too high" in the chain, "too important" for the Federation or Bajor to do anything about. The repercussions would be... severe. This is the only reason he is allowed to walk freely about the station where he was formerly in command.
Eddie, my man, I always wonder how your channel isn't bigger? Your commentaries are excellent, well thought out, points clearly delivered, and uploads consistent. I know the audience may not be huge, but I always love getting the new video notifications (especially with an episode as exceptional as this)! Also, "Duet" is such an excellent episode to choose to hit off DS9; one that is very much NOT TNG! Personally, the continuity of DS9 worked great for me and it's my favorite Star Trek series. I look forward to more DS9, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, I agree with every word in this video; couldn't agree more; especially loved your ending when you compared Old Trek and new. Personally I have not watched one nano-second of new trek, any of the shows you mentioned. I was warned off by too many people, such as yourself, not to waste my time. And I haven't. DS9 has some episodes I do not care for, some unnecessary and stupid 'romances', but overall it was a helluva show. Hope you do more episodes.
Glad to see you covering this show. DS9 has always been my favorite Trek series. I also agree with how underwhelming modern Trek has become. I would however recommend Lower Decks. As an animated comedy it wont reach the same dramatic heights of DS9 or NG or even VOY but it is a fun and entertaining show that is more respectful of Trek then many of the modern live action shows. I would give it a try.
you say the writers of modern trek think the audience isnt smart enough to get something that isnt surface level, but i think they just dont have the capacity to write something meaningful and deep
Great review, Eddie. It's a good episode that reminds me a lot of Conscience of the King from TOS although with a little more convoluted plot. I haven't watched it in a while because it's heavy like you said and after work I just wanna relax. As far as Nu Trek goes there's some ok episodes. I liked Strange New Worlds ep Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow which had great ideas, but is ultimately sidetracked by, member berries and side references.... And that's what I think is wrong with modern TV writing. It's less about telling a good story and more about setting up a framework to hang up member berries for the fandom to eat up. This is why I prefer TOS - it was mostly written by real writers like Richard Matheson, Harlan Ellison, Theodore sturgeon who are experts at the craft of storytelling. Modern tv seems to be written by graduates of TV Writing 101 courses at USC. It's no surprise that my favorite SF TV shows Andor and The Expanse are written by published authors and award winning playwrights who are concerned with characters and dialogue instead of being a reference machine. Anyway sorry to rant and keep up the good work 😊
Lower Decks is meant to be a comedy/parody, though. I agree with your criticism of Discovery, Picard, and Strange New Worlds, but you shouldn’t expect heavy, serious episodes from a cartoon parody.
Fair enough. I just don't think star trek should be doing a parody of itself. And considering there's a crossover episode with SNW, I'd say it's a bit more than just a parody. It's very much considered part of the star trek canon. And I have no interest in that.
I would like to add... the nazi allegories are particularly ironic considering this show involves humans in space. Were it not for both the US and the USSR poaching Nazi talent, it is unlikely NASA or the Soviet Space Program would have ever got as far as they did. Today NASA and Roscosmos are still the two biggest players in terms of space programs. If not for the Nazis, would it be so? I doubt it.
While this is true, I don't think we need to be thanking nazi scientists for Star Trek. That seems like quite a stretch to me, considering human space travel in science fiction was around long before the nazi party even existed. The original Star Trek series itself ended its run even before the moon landing even happened. And to suggest it never would have happened without the nazis working for nasa is a little shortsighted, in my opinion. Perhaps it would have been delayed a few years, but it still would have happened. I think your point is somewhat moot.
Okay Eddie if you want episodes of the latest trek that do this kind of story telling then look at strange new worlds season 1 episodes 2, 6, 8, and 10. Season 2 episodes 2, and 8.
SNW does not take itself seriously at all. Captain Pike is continually cooking for the women crew members. Spock is insulted and laughed at by the female crew members. Every plot point is joke, joke, har, har… “hijinks and stuff.” Plus the trial episode of SNW (episode 2 of season 2) was all about the “rights” parents have to “modify” their children. (Wink, wink). Gee I wonder what modern day woke political point SNW was trying to make about how kids should be allowed to be “modified” by their parents. Good grief!!! I would not put any modern Trek on the level of classic Trek, IMHO, but each to their own I suppose.
It is just like the death camps of world war z some people don't think they done nothing wrong you should step back and take a Good Long look at yourself and if you say it was not I was just doing what they told me to do then you are so wrong wrong
