Past Tense, Part I

DVD, DS9 S3 (Past Tense, Part I)

It's amazing to think while watching this that we're now halfway towards the 2024 date depicted in this story from the episode's broadcast date of 1995! A future that is so close is easy to get wrong, as The Original Series found when it predicted the Genetics Wars of the 1990s in 'Space Seed'. Back then, 25 years seemed such a long way away, and Star Trek as a phenomenon didn't exist, it was merely a TV show that could be axed at any time and forgotten in a few years. They were wrong, of course, but the makers of 'DS9' had the benefit of hindsight when thinking ahead 30 years in the midst of Star Trek's steady rise in popularity through the mid-90s, so their vision wasn't that different from the current time - people still wear suits and ties, use office computer terminals (albeit touchscreens which was a good guess as such technology has indeed become common), and there are still homeless people. This was the focus and what saves the two-parter from seeming completely outdated now: most of what we see is the ramshackle streets and buildings of a so-called Sanctuary District for those without jobs, places to live or any hope of getting them. It's quite surprising how close the story comes to our current time with its warnings of global economic troubles and mass unemployment, while observing that the top end still live in luxury. I had to raise eyebrows when even French students protesting is mentioned in a week when that very thing is happening in the real world. Perhaps they should have set the story in 2010?

The sights and sounds are realistically distressing, both to the 24th Century visitors and viewers. Dr. Bashir gets some truthful and heartfelt speeches, and while Sisko is less outspoken he lets his body language do the talking (especially fists when the situation warrants it). The characters we meet among the background masses are played for real, whether it's Webb's passionate dignity or BC's hooliganism and verbal harassment. I always forget that the black guy who agrees to trade clothes with the Starfleet officers is not Gabriel Bell! That moment makes me chuckle when I think of those two District residents wandering around in Command Red and Medical Blue uniforms, especially as others have called the clothing pyjamas or clown outfits. They must have had odd taste (or they were after some night wear - you just can't get good pyjamas in these places). My one problem with the whole episode comes with the arrival of Bell, not through any fault of his, but because he looks too much like the 'dim' in the 'Job Centre' (as I like to call it) who dazedly scrawls his pen on people. They're wearing the same brown jacket, both are black men with short, black hair, and there's so much resemblance in the brief time we see each of them that I assumed it was the same man (even having seen the episode several times in the past). I actually thought the 'dim' was getting agitated at seeing the violence on the street and was going to produce a weapon and attack someone!

The scale of the episode works so well, and to see the crazed crowd manically screaming and attacking the guards, with helicopter beams sweeping through the action and braziers violently knocked over it feels like a film. No doubt a bigger budget was available as the story was split over two episodes, but it still impresses. The time travel is well explained, being a new variation relying on a passing singularity, chronitons trapped in the Defiant's ablative armour and such-like, making it clear this is a one-off sequence of events and people couldn't usually use the transporter to hop through time. Much like TOS' 'The City On The Edge of Forever' the time travel has altered the future, though in that scenario the ship vanished along with every other evidence of the Federation, but in this the chronitons create a bubble which saves the Defiant.

The lighting and direction is very well done, and there is so much contrast between the drab greys and browns of the Sanctuary District and the vibrant, glowing colours of the Defiant and her crew's uniforms that it's like turning a light on when the scene switches to the starship. This is the series' first visit to Earth and it's all worth it for the amazing visual of the USS Defiant orbiting the home planet. Gorgeous! We get to see a rare scene in the ship's transporter room, or transporter cupboard to be more accurate - in keeping with the compact nature of the ship it has a very small, functional pad, much like the Enterprise NX-01.

The other side of the story is Jadzia's life in the upper class of society, separated on arrival from Ben and Julian by only a few centimetres, but experiencing such a different view of society. She impresses with her quick reaction to any situation, immediately realising she must try to blend in. It's a good job the original Trill makeup didn't become standard as an ugly bump on the forehead would have been much harder to explain away than the 'tattoos' circling her face! I wonder if Jadzia checked ebay while she was using Chris Brynner's computer - her action figure is sure to be worth more by then! I love Chris' mention of how he used to have a tattoo which he got in high school in the 90s - the age group of many of the viewers (including my own) would have been the same, so we're seeing ourselves in 30 years time. The fun element such as that isn't forgotten even with the dire circumstances - the guard, Vin, and his world-weary ways is another example. We get little snippets of information on the world of the 2020s with the conversation at the office party - New Zealanders would be pleased by a mention of Christchurch, Europe and the French are also discussed, as well as a Pan-Caribbean government and fun little hints of the world's condition.

Quark isn't a part of the journey to Earth, but he gets a scene passing on a message from the Grand Nagus who wants to remind Sisko of his role in introducing Starfleet to the Dominion and is ready to call in the favour. Chris' office looks like it was the same set that would be later used as Harry Kim's apartment in 'Voyager'. They were both set in San Francisco so it could be the same building - it survived World War III! You can tell how fast and enjoyable the episode is by the way you feel surprised when it ends and you want it to go on a bit longer. At least there's still Part 2.

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