Take Me Out to the Holosuite

Last updated
"Take Me Out to the Holosuite"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode
Episode no.Season 7
Episode 4
Directed by Chip Chalmers
Written by Ronald D. Moore
Featured music David Bell
Production code554
Original air dateOctober 19, 1998 (1998-10-19)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Afterimage"		Next →
"Chrysalis"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7
List of episodes

"Take Me Out to the Holosuite" is the 154th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the fourth episode of the seventh season. This episode was written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by Chip Chalmers. [1]

Contents

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the crew of the Starfleet-managed Bajoran space station Deep Space Nine. In this episode, the Deep Space Nine crew, led by Captain Benjamin Sisko, are challenged to a game of baseball against an all-Vulcan crew. Sisko's love of baseball was established in "Emissary", the very first episode of the series. [2]

This episode was first broadcast the week of October 19, 1998, during the 1998 World Series. [3]

The title refers to the 1908 song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", the official anthem of baseball.

Plot

The starship T'Kumbra docks at Deep Space Nine for repairs. Its captain, Solok, is a longtime rival of Sisko, who believes that his all-Vulcan crew are superior in every respect; he challenges Sisko to a baseball game in the holosuite. Sisko accepts, recruiting his crew and friends on the station to form a team, even though he has only two weeks to get the team into shape, and only his son Jake and his girlfriend Kasidy Yates have played the game before.

Sisko's team trains hard and suffers injuries. When Sisko dismisses the inept Rom from the team, the squad nearly quits in protest. Sisko admits to Yates why he is taking Solok's challenge so seriously: at Starfleet Academy, Sisko drunkenly challenged Solok to a wrestling match, after Solok provoked Sisko by mocking humans' illogical emotion-driven behavior. Solok won the match easily, and later used the incident as evidence that Vulcans are superior to humans, publishing multiple papers using the wrestling match as an example. Yates quickly tells the truth to the whole team, making them understand just how much this means to Sisko.

When the game begins, the Logicians (Solok's team) immediately build up a considerable lead. Sisko gets into an altercation with the umpire, security chief Odo, and is thrown out of the game for laying a finger on him.

When Rom's son Nog throws out a runner who failed to touch home plate, Sisko is reminded of why he loves baseball in the first place: its unpredictability. Seeing Rom's pride in his son and dejection at being excluded from the game, Sisko decides to allow him to play. Near the end and down 10-0, the Niners (Sisko's team) are desperate to score a run. Nog makes it to third base, and Rom has his first at-bat. Rom accidentally hits a perfect bunt, which brings Nog home, giving the Niners their only run in a 10-1 loss. The team's celebration confuses Solok, who protests to Odo, but also touches him so Odo ejects him too.

After the game, the crew relax at Quark's bar, toasting the triumph of team spirit over Vulcan superiority. Solok protests their celebration as a "manufactured victory", only to be mocked by the Niners. The team presents Sisko with a souvenir of the game: a baseball that his whole team has signed.

Production

The prominence of baseball in Deep Space Nine is due to the influence of Michael Piller, co-creator of the series and a baseball lover himself. [4] [5] The script was written by Ronald D. Moore, based on an idea from Ira Steven Behr, who had previously written a similar baseball-themed episode of the series Fame titled "The Ol' Ball Game". [6] The episode was directed by Chip Chalmers, who previously directed the episode "The Magnificent Ferengi". He knew the episode was going to be fun, and said he "smiled all the way through every read." Chalmers enjoyed filming on location but the weather was a risk, and fog was an issue. He insisted that stand-in doubles be provided so that actors, especially those in prosthetic makeup, would not have to stay in the sun when they were only in the background. [7]

Max Grodénchik, who plays Rom, is actually a baseball player in real life and considered going pro before deciding to become an actor. Because Grodénchik was so good at playing right-handed, he was forced to switch to playing exclusively left-handed on camera in order to give a convincingly "bad" performance. [8] [9] Nana Visitor suggested that Rom be lifted up and carried in celebration. [10]

A baseball field at Loyola Marymount University in California, where the holosuite scenes were filmed Page Stadium.tif
A baseball field at Loyola Marymount University in California, where the holosuite scenes were filmed

The outdoor scenes (in the holosuite) were shot at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. [3] [11]

Reception

In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter ranked "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" as the 16th out of twenty best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes. [8] Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club noted in his 2014 review of the episode that it investigates the emotions of losing, and leadership of an 'underdog' sports team. [12] Keith R. A. DeCandido of Tor.com gave the episode a rating of seven out of ten. [3] Cinefantastique gave the episode 3.5 out of four stars. [9]

In 2016, SyFy ranked this the eighth best holodeck episode of the Star Trek franchise. [13]

The episode is noted for its impact on fan culture, with reproductions of the baseball jersey featured in the television show made available for sale in the late 2010s. [14] The baseball game holosuite program was rated by Gizmodo as the number 1 best holodeck program of Star Trek. [15] The episode is noted for exploring Sisko's interest in baseball and its humour. [15] [16]

In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter ranked "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" as the 61st best episode of all Star Trek episodes, [17] and the 16th best of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. [8]

In 2016, Vox rated this one of the top 25 essential episodes of all Star Trek. [18]

In 2019, CBR ranked this the seventh best holodeck-themed episode of all Star Trek franchise episodes up to that time. [19] In 2019, CBR rated "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" as the 15th funniest Star Trek episode. [16] StarTrek.com included it on a list of 15 of the funniest Star Trek episodes. [20]

Sisko's strategy in assigning his players to positions was analyzed in a 2011 article at Baseball Prospectus. They compare how Sisko assembled and managed his baseball team to how he has dealt with war, politics and religion. [2]

Connections

The starship T'Kumbra is used or referenced in several Star Trek novels. [3]

Related Research Articles

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller. The fourth series in the Star Trek media franchise, it originally aired in syndication from January 3, 1993, to June 2, 1999, spanning 176 episodes over seven seasons. Set in the 24th century, when Earth is part of a United Federation of Planets, its narrative is centered on the eponymous space station Deep Space Nine, located adjacent to a wormhole connecting Federation territory to the Gamma Quadrant on the far side of the Milky Way galaxy.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vic Fontaine</span> Fictional character from TV series Star Trek: DS9

Vic Fontaine is a fictional character who appeared in the sixth and seventh seasons of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Portrayed by James Darren, he is a holographic representation of a 1960s-era Las Vegas Rat Pack–style singer and entertainer, as part of a program run in the holosuites at Quark's bar. The character was developed from an idea by executive producer Ira Steven Behr, who had sought to introduce a character of that type during the fourth season to be played by Frank Sinatra, Jr. After Sinatra turned down the role, it was considered during the following season, to be played by Steve Lawrence, but once again was not used. Darren landed the role after Behr met him at a memorabilia show in North Hollywood and had him invited to audition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Sisko</span> Character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Jake Sisko is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. He appears in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) and is portrayed by actor Cirroc Lofton. He is the son of Deep Space Nine commanding officer, Benjamin Sisko. The character also appears in various other Star Trek books, comics, and video games.

"Facets" is the 71st episode of the American syndicated science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 25th and penultimate episode of the third season, originally airing June 12, 1995.

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

"If Wishes Were Horses" is the 16th episode of the first season of the American syndicated science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The title is derived from the proverb "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What You Leave Behind</span> 25th and 26th episodes of the 7th season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

"What You Leave Behind" is the series finale of the television show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 175th and 176th episodes, the 25th and 26th episodes of the seventh season. The episode was written by showrunner Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler and directed by Allan Kroeker. It originally aired the week of May 31, 1999.

"Treachery, Faith, and the Great River" is the 156th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the sixth episode of the seventh season. It was first aired the week of November 2, 1998. The teleplay was written by David Weddle and Bradley Thompson, based on a story by Philip Kim, and directed by Steve Posey. When it was aired on television in November 1998, the episode received Nielsen ratings of 4.8 points corresponding to over 4.7 million viewers.

"It's Only a Paper Moon" is the 160th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the tenth episode of the seventh season. Directed by Anson Williams, the episode was written by Ronald D. Moore and based on a pitch by David Mack and John J. Ordover, who had previously written "Starship Down" from season 4.

"Sacrifice of Angels" is the sixth episode from the sixth season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 130th episode overall. The episode's plot details the efforts of the United Federation of Planets to retake space station Deep Space Nine from the forces of the Dominion. This is the second half of a two-part episode, continuing the story immediately from the end of the previous episode, "Favor the Bold". The episode features a large guest cast and numerous VFX scenes with spacecraft.

"Badda-Bing Badda-Bang" is the 165th episode of the syndicated American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 15th episode of the seventh season.

"The Dogs of War" is the 174th and penultimate episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 24th of the seventh season. It is the eighth of the nine-episode story arc concluding the series. This episode was written by René Echevarria and Ronald D. Moore, based on a story by Peter Allan Fields, and was directed by Avery Brooks, who also played the role of Captain Benjamin Sisko.

"Paradise Lost" is the 84th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 12th episode of the fourth season. It is the second part of a two-part episode, following on from the preceding episode, "Homefront."

"Our Man Bashir" is the 82nd episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the tenth of the fourth season. It originally aired on November 27, 1995, in broadcast syndication. Directed by Winrich Kolbe, the story originated from a pitch by Assistant Script Coordinator Robert Gillan and was turned into a script by producer Ronald D. Moore. Both hairdressing in the episode and the score by Jay Chattaway were later nominated for Emmy Awards. The episode's plot involves the combination of two much-used Star Trek plot devices: a transporter accident and a holodeck malfunction.

"His Way" is the 144th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 20th episode of the sixth season. It originally aired on April 20, 1998, on syndicated television, and received Nielsen ratings of 4.3 points, corresponding to about 4.2 million viewers.

"The Jem'Hadar" is the 26th and final episode in the second season of the syndicated American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 46th episode overall. It introduces the Jem'Hadar and the Vorta, two species of the Dominion. It is the last episode to regularly feature the 2360s communicator badge from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep Space Nine (fictional space station)</span> Fictional space station in Star Trek

Deep Space Nine is a fictional space station, the eponymous primary setting of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine which aired from 1993 to 1999. It serves as a base for the exploration of the Gamma Quadrant via the Bajoran wormhole and is a hub of trade and travel for the sector's denizens. It is run by a joint crew of Starfleet and Bajoran officers and it is the home port of a number of Starfleet runabouts, as well as the starship USS Defiant.

References

  1. ↑ Okuda, Michael; Okuda, Denise; Mirek, Debbie (May 17, 2011). The Star Trek Encyclopedia. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   9781451646887 – via Google Books.
  2. 1 2 Larry Granillo, Take Me Out to the Holosuite: A Star Trek DS9 Breakdown, Baseball Prospectus , November 3, 2011
  3. 1 2 3 4 DeCandido, Keith R. A. (2014-12-05). "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Rewatch: "Take Me Out to the Holosuite"". Tor.com. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  4. ↑ Mark. A Altman (1993). "Michael Piller Trek's Secret Weapon". Cinefantastique . No. October. p. 28.
  5. ↑ Cinefantastique. F.S. Clarke. 2006.
  6. ↑ "'Deep Space Nine' Celebrates Baseball's Big Day". StarTrek.com. March 28, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Chip Chalmers Talks Directing TNG & DS9, Part 2". StarTrek.com. December 18, 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 AARON COUCH; GRAEME MCMILLAN (September 22, 2016). "Take Me Out To The Holosuite - 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' — The 20 Greatest Episodes". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  9. 1 2 Anna L Kaplan (2000). "Deep Space Nine Season Seven Episode Guide". Cinefantastique Magazine. p. 40. Ironically, Max is probably one of the best players. To make it look it bad, he's a rightie, and he batted left, and threw with his left, to make it look awkward
  10. ↑ STARTREK.COM STAFF (October 3, 2014). "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: DS9'S Rom, Max Grodenchik, Part 2". Star Trek.com.
  11. ↑ Jessica P. Ogilvie (November 4, 2015). "10 Star Trek Filming Locations You Need to Visit Before the New Series Premieres in 2017". Los Angeles Magazine . Retrieved 2022-01-10. Loyola Marymount's George C. Page field served as a holographic baseball diamond.
  12. ↑ Handlen, Zack (2014). "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: "Take Me Out To The Holosuite"/"Chrysalis"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  13. ↑ Granshaw, Lisa (2016-10-05). "From baseball to Sherlock Holmes: The top 10 Star Trek holodeck episodes". SYFY WIRE. Archived from the original on 2017-11-13. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  14. ↑ Butler, Mary Anne (September 12, 2018). "Anovos Announces Star Trek: DS9 Baseball Jersey Pre-Orders". Bleeding Cool.
  15. 1 2 Whitbrook, James (6 September 2016). "Recurring Star Trek Holodeck Programs, Ranked". io9. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  16. 1 2 Michael Weyer (2019-01-18). "The 20 Funniest Star Trek Episodes". CBR.
  17. ↑ AARON COUCH; GRAEME MCMILLAN (September 8, 2016). "'Star Trek': 100 Greatest Episodes". The Hollywood Reporter .
  18. ↑ Siede, Caroline (2016-09-06). "Star Trek, explained for non-Trekkies". Vox. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  19. ↑ "Star Trek: Ranking the 20 Best Holodeck Episodes". CBR. 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
  20. ↑ RYAN BRITT (August 3, 2020). "15 Times Star Trek Proved That it's Here For the Lolz". StarTrek.com. Archived from the original on 2021-04-17.
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.