Star Trek 317: Sanctuary

317. Sanctuary

FORMULA: Up the Long Ladder + Ensign Ro + Coming of Age

WHY WE LIKE IT: An intriguing premise.

WHY WE DON'T: Everything about the Skreeans.

REVIEW: On the surface, Sanctuary is a good story. Bajorans, already absorbing a number of returning refugees, is faced with the prospect of now taking in another batch of refugees. It's also interesting to note that the Skreeans are acting on a prophecy about a legendary homeworld beyond the "Eye of the Universe" (the Wormhole). Have they been contacted by the Prophets as well? In a sense, they're a mirror image of the Bajorans with their own Cardassians (called Turogarans, just invaded by the Dominion). Haneek makes a good point at the end that the Skreeans could have saved Bajor, that they might all have been part of the same prophecy.

But would you want these new aliens anywhere near your Star Trek? They have a terribly unappealing look, for starters, but half their population (the males) are brutish morons. If I never see the subplot about some kid stealing a shuttle, it'll be too soon. The Skreeans annoy the audience as much as they do the Bajorans. The episode misses the mark by having us root for the Bajorans' isolationism. The stodgy Bajoran leaders are just as unpalatable as the Skreeans, especially the horribly acted Minister Rozhan.

Our characters are the only ones who aren't being jerks, so we might take refuge there. Skip the so-called comedy however. Kira and Odo trying to prevent shoplifting, the confusion with the ugly dress, and the universal translator mishap aren't funny. There's a fun bit between Quark, Nog and Odo, and Jake reveals he's dating a dabo girl (we'll meet Marta later). And the musician in Quark's plays a variation on the DS9 theme music, which I love. I now see the theme as a Federation orchestra arrangement of a Bajoran melody.

LESSON: The Ferengi could make a killing selling skin cream to the Gamma Quadrant.

REWATCHABILITY - Low: A good idea so badly executed as to be almost criminal. A second mention of the Dominion cannot even come close to saving it.