“Part 1” was directed by Reza Badiyi with teleplay by Robert Hewitt Wolfe. “Part 2” was directed by Jonathan Frakes with teleplay by Ira Steven Behr and René Echevarria.
In a transporter malfunction on the Defiant Commander Sisko and Dr. Bashir find themselves trapped in 2024 in a Sanctuary District before the “Bell Riots.”
SPOILERS ahead
The Pros:
The Sanctuary District Story – The sanctuary district story is powerful as it is all the voiceless being heard is what leads to the “Bell Riots.” The Districts are where the mentally ill, homeless and jobless are put and forgotten about and it is this simmering oppression that leads to the riots as we learn there are multiples districts around the United States, not just San Francisco where the story takes place.
The Alternate Future – If the “Bell Riots” never happen than humanity and the Federation do not exist and Romulans expand into the territory of Earth. It is a small but powerful glimpse into how close the Romulans were to controlling most of the Alpha Quadrant.
Odo, Major Kira and Miles O’Brien – Seeing Odo, Major Kira and Miles figure out what happened and try to find Jazdia, Bashir and Sisko is good. They make a solid team and I liked how well Miles’s cynical everyman nature plays off Odo’s and Kira’s no-nonsense personalities. I wanted to see more of this team.
Jazdia Dax – Jazdia ends up picked up by a media mogul in 2024 who was a former rebellious kid who Jazdia helps find his purpose again as he gives the Sanctuary District a voice and goes around the government blockade of the district. Jazdia is wonderful as usual as she adapts to being in a different time quick and finds a way to meetup with Bashir and Sisko and makes sure history goes as it should.
Dr. Bashir – Dr. Bashir is great in this episode. He is the one who we see the stories of those in the Sanctuary District through first as he wants to help while Commander Sisko is afraid to change the timeline. It is well done and his empathy and action changes people. This is the idealistic Dr. Bashir that made him so memorable.
Commander Sisko – Commander Sisko is the one afraid to change things first until the real Gabriel Bell dies defending them. We learn he studied this time deeply and this is shown later in the series. Benjamin Sisko is keenly aware of the intersectionality of race and class and this is one of the early times we see that. When Gabriel Bell gives his life to protect them Sisko doesn’t hesitate to take up that role himself to make sure the timeline doesn’t change.
Moments of Humanity – Everyone has a moment of humanity in this. Whether they are horrible people like “B.C.” who originally killed Gabriel Bell but dies to defend the hostages. The organizer Wells and his family and empathy for those in the District. Gabriel Bell saving Bashir and Sisko or he workers in the Sanctuary Districts like the police and office workers all whose empathy for those in the Sanctuary District wins in the end.
A Critique of Class and Exploration of Oppression – You have the homeless, the criminal and jobless all in the Sanctuary District and even though the U.S. doesn’t have as openly walled off cities within cities it still stands as these are the forgotten by the powerful. We see this when Jazdia is among the wealthy and it is only when their stories are heard and the “Bell Riots” occur that change finally happens.
The Cons:
The Running Eras Joke in the B-Plot – Miles and Major Kira jump through different eras and the eras are just stereotypical jokes with flappers and hippies. It was pretty weak and the worst part of “Part 2.”
Telling Over Showing – “Part 1” suffers from this big time. Everyone is telling us plot so there is no room for show. Because of this, even though the story is compelling so much of the tension and action is sapped out of it.
The Invented Slang – “Ghosts” are criminals, “Dims” are mentally ill and “Gimmies” are jobless. The invented slang doesn’t work and is part of telling over showing as the terms need explaining to Dr. Bashir and Commander Sisko. If the had done away with the slang the writing would have been better.
This two-parter is just as relevant today as it was back in 1995 when it first aired. The same voiceless and powerless are still the same voiceless and powerless and there is still so much more work to be done. This is something Bashir an Sisko directly ask the audience ask at the end too. “Why did it get this bad?” The same question still remains and if we want the future of “Star Trek” or any better future for humanity is something still to be overcome.
“Part 1” Score: 8 / 10
“Part 2” Score: 9 / 10
Final Score: 8.6 / 10
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