Bar Association (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

Last updated

"Bar Association"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode
Episode no.Season 4
Episode 16
Directed by LeVar Burton
Story by Barbara J. Lee
Jenifer A. Lee
Teleplay by Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Ira Steven Behr
Featured music Jay Chattaway
Production code488
Original air dateFebruary 19, 1996 (1996-02-19)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Sons of Mogh"		Next →
"Accession"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 4
List of episodes

"Bar Association" is the 88th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the sixteenth episode of the fourth season. It was directed by LeVar Burton (who portrayed Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation ).

Contents

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures on the space station Deep Space Nine near the planet Bajor. This is one of several episodes focused on the Ferengi, an alien race whose culture is centered around the acquisition of profit, represented in the main cast by the character Quark, a bartender on Deep Space Nine. In this episode, the employees of Quark's bar go on strike in protest of unfair treatment by management (Quark). Leeta, one of the "dabo girls" who operate Quark's gambling machines, makes her third appearance, played by actress Chase Masterson.

Plot

Quark's brother Rom collapses from an ear infection while working at Quark's. At the infirmary, Dr. Bashir is outraged that Quark refuses to give his employees sick leave and casually suggests that Rom form a union, which is illegal under Ferengi law. When Rom returns to work, Quark announces that he is cutting his employees' salary. Angered at this mistreatment, Rom calls a secret meeting of Quark's employees and persuades them to start a union. Inspired by Chief O'Brien's tales of his union-leader ancestor Sean O'Brien, Rom makes up a list of demands—increased pay, shorter hours, paid sick leave—and when Quark laughs them off, Rom declares that the new union is now on strike.

Rom pays customers to stay out of Quark's, and the bar is practically deserted. After Lt. Cdr. Worf, O'Brien, and Bashir wind up in a brawl over a difference of opinion on the issue, station commander Captain Sisko threatens to collect Quark's back rent if the strike doesn't end soon. Quark offers Rom a bribe to stop the strike, but Rom, quoting Marx's Communist Manifesto ("Workers of the world, unite!"), refuses.

Liquidator Brunt, an agent of the Ferengi Commerce Authority, arrives and promises Quark he will put a stop to the strike. Brunt crashes a union meeting and threatens the Ferengi workers with monetary ruin and legal problems if they don't return to Quark's. However, Rom inspires his troops once again, and they rededicate themselves to the strike. Later Quark tries to talk Rom into giving up, worried about what the FCA will do to his brother, but Rom holds firm, questioning Quark's concern for his safety.

Back in the bar, Brunt has his thugs beat up Quark as an example. In the infirmary, Quark offers to secretly honor the demands of the strikers as long as Rom disbands the union and pretends that Quark has won, to which Rom agrees. Once everyone returns to work at their new, higher salaries, Rom makes amends with Quark, but quits his job at the bar to work for the station as a junior repair technician, having realized that he does better outside Quark's authority. He promises to return to the bar frequently—but as a paying customer.

In a subplot, Worf is uncomfortable with the chaos of living on Deep Space Nine, and he moves his quarters to the starship Defiant.

Reception

Michelle Erica Green, reviewing the episode in 2004 for TrekNation , noted some good scenes for Rom, Worf, and O'Brien, but overall did not find either of the main plots interesting, lamenting "I've never been completely sure of the point of having Ferengi on DS9." [1] Tor.com rated it 9 out of 10. [2] Zack Handlen, reviewing the episode in 2013 for The A.V. Club, described it as "fun to watch" despite a lack of tension in the plot. [3]

In 2020, io9 listed this as one of the "must-watch" episodes of the series. [4]

Related Research Articles

Quark (<i>Star Trek</i>) Fictional character from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Quark is a fictional character in the American television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He was played by Armin Shimerman and is a member of the extraterrestrial race known as the Ferengi, who are stereotypically capitalist and motivated only by profit.

Nog (<i>Star Trek</i>) Fictional character from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Nog, played by Aron Eisenberg, is a recurring character on the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9). A member of the profit-driven alien species known as the Ferengi, he becomes the first Ferengi to join Starfleet, where he excels as first a cadet, and then an officer. He is the nephew of the Ferengi bartender Quark, a major character on the series; the son of Quark's brother Rom; and a close friend of Jake Sisko, the son of Deep Space Nine's protagonist Benjamin Sisko. Episodes of the series often paired Nog with Jake.

Rom (<i>Star Trek</i>) Fictional character from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, played by Max Grodénchik

Rom is a recurring character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is played by Max Grodénchik.

"Melora" is the 26th episode of the American syndicated science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the sixth episode of the second season.

"A Man Alone" is the fourth episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

"Hippocratic Oath" is the 76th episode of the syndicated American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It is the third episode of the fourth season and is directed by castmember René Auberjonois.

"The Wire" is the 42nd episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 22nd episode of the second season.

"Body Parts" is the 97th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the 24th episode of the fourth season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starship Down</span> 7th episode of the 4th season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

"Starship Down" is the 79th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the sixth episode of the fourth season.

"The Emperor's New Cloak" is the 162nd episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The 12th episode of the seventh season. It premiered the week of February 1, 1999 to Nielsen ratings of 4.6.

"Profit and Lace" is the 147th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 23rd episode of the sixth season. It was first broadcast on May 11, 1998.

"The House of Quark" is the 49th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the third episode of the third season.

Family Business (<i>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine</i>) 23rd episode of the 3rd season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

"Family Business" is the 69th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 23rd episode of the third season. It was written by Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe, and directed by Rene Auberjonois. The episode had Nielsen ratings of 6.9 points when it was first broadcast.

"Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places" is the third episode of the fifth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, originally airing on October 14, 1996 in broadcast syndication. The story was written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by actor Andrew J. Robinson, who played the recurring character Garak. The episode received a Nielsen rating of 5.7 percent, a slight decrease from the previous week.

"Change of Heart" is the 16th episode of the sixth season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 140th episode overall. The episode was written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by David Livingston; it aired in broadcast syndication the week of February 28, 1998.

"Business as Usual" is the 116th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 18th episode of the fifth season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Magnificent Ferengi</span> 10th episode of the 6th season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

"The Magnificent Ferengi" is the tenth episode of the sixth season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 134th episode overall, originally aired in syndication on December 29, 1997. It was written by Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler, and directed by Chip Chalmers. The title is a reference to the film The Magnificent Seven, and the episode makes several minor homages to the film.

"Prophet Motive" is the 62nd episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and is the sixteenth episode of the third season. In the episode, Grand Nagus Zek comes to the station to present Quark with a revised copy of the Rules of Acquisition, which is now a guide for generosity and benevolence.

References

  1. ↑ Michelle Erica Green (2004). "Bar Association". The Trek Nation . Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  2. ↑ DeCandido, Keith R. A. (March 18, 2014). "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Rewatch: "Bar Association"". Tor.com .
  3. ↑ Zack Handlen (2013). "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: "Bar Association"/"Accession"". The A.V. Club .
  4. ↑ "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Must-Watch Episodes". Gizmodo. April 22, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.