DS9: “Badda-Bing Badda-Bang” and “Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges”

Date: August 30, 2020

Season 7, Episodes 15 and 16

Musical Accompaniment: No music today but instead, a movie. After watching The Karate Kid this morning, I’m now onto Part II. That will be followed by Part III and then Cobra Kai. Then there’s the Bill & Ted trilogy and the Back to the Future trilogy… right, with all my free time.

Interstellar News: I did some yard work today and also listened to a wonderful rendition of Who’s On First? If only this damn pandemic was over, though, I really need my people.

So what had happened in “Badda-Bing Badda-Bang” was…: O’Brien and Bashir ask Vic to join their Alamo program when suddenly the program changes to a sleazy jazz club and “Frankie Eyes” has bought the hotel. Felix apparently programmed a “jack-in-the-box” to shake up the program and the crew decides to help Vic oust Frankie. Vic gets beat up by Frankie and his goons and the crew decides to do Ocean’s 8 and rob the casino so Zeemo can’t get his cut. Kira gets in good with Frankie, Yates flirts with the guard, Ezri becomes a cocktail waitress, Odo gets in good with Frankie’s goons, Nog goes undercover as a janitor, and O’Brien and Bashir gamble as Vic tries to make amends.

Yates asks Sisko why he hasn’t been at Vic’s before, but she convinces him it’s nothing like the real 1962, so they make it Fontaine’s 9 when Sisko finally joins. They walk through the plan, practice the plan, and then enact the plan… to the bewilderment of Morn and Quark. The plan has some kinks and Zeemo shows up, so Sisko improvises and throws money in the air giving Nog the extra time for him and Odo to steal the money. Frankie is escorted out of the casino while everyone looks on at the bar and it goes back to Vic’s place and he and Sisko duet.

Favorite Quotes:

Cicci: Then I drive him out to the woods. Badda bing badda bang. Three in back of the head, that’s the end of little Paulie. So what do you think Frankie says when I report back in? Little Paulie? Nah, I told you to pop Big Paulie! That’s the problem with our business, too many guys named Paulie.

I use this as one of my favorite quote because my dad’s name is Paul and all of his cousin’s call him “Paulie” hahahaha.

Sisko: You want to know? You really want to know what my problem is? I’ll tell you. Las Vegas 1962, that’s my problem. In 1962, black people weren’t very welcome there. Oh, sure they could be performers or janitors, but customers? Never.

Yates: Maybe that’s the way it was in the real Vegas, but that is not the way it is at Vic’s. I have never felt uncomfortable there and neither has Jake.

Sisko: But don’t you see, that’s the lie. In 1962, the Civil Rights movement was still in its infancy. It wasn’t an easy time for our people and I’m not going to pretend that it was.

Yates: Baby, I know that Vic’s isn’t a totally accurate representation of the way things were, but it isn’t meant to be. It shows us the way things could have been. The way they should’ve been.

Sisko: We cannot ignore the truth about the past.

Yates: Going to Vic’s isn’t going to make us forget who we are or where we came from. What it does is it reminds us that we’re no longer bound by any limitations, except the ones we impose on ourselves.

A wonderful conversation between Sisko and Yates about race, that is unfortunately still needed here in 2020.

“That’s in Jersey, right?”: I absolutely loved this episode. I’ve never watched the original, but the Ocean’s 11 trilogy plus the might Ocean’s 8 addition were all wonderful and I loved them for what they were, double and triple fakes and nothing is ever as it seems. With the war going on for so fucking long it was wonderful to see everyone escape for just a bit. When they all participated with Sisko against the Vulcan team, it was the crew doing something for Sisko. This time it was the whole gang helping out someone they all came to care for, Vic. Vic helped Bashir get a date, O’Brien get over Keiko traveling, Odo and Kira get together, Jake and Yates to blow off some steam, and Nog get past some of his psychological trauma.

Also, being a Jersey girl this episode reminds me a bit of home and the many times I have visited Atlantic City. There are also bits of Casino and other movies in that vein, but with so much humor and fun. I couldn’t help but smile this episode. Yates gives such excellent face, I really love her. I also love how they run through the plan by enacting it for us, and it’s of course perfect, and so many unplanned things happen that had to cause everyone to improvise. Bashir was quick by stealing two drinks, Ezri made great use of her psychological training, and Sisko remembers that holosuite money isn’t real and he can just cause a distraction. I’m sure this will be the last fun episode of the season and I’m glad to see they got the gang all together for this one. I’m rating this one a 9 paired with a King and a 2 to make Blackjack!

So what had happened in “Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges” was…: The Romulans have invited the Federation to a conference and Garak and Sloan both think it’s a wonderful opportunity to get some intel on their new allies. Sloan is there under the name as “Wendell Greer” and Bashir gives a lecture about the virus from “The Quickening” that Koval is interested in. Bashir thinks Sloan is going to kill Koval and make it look like an accident, so he checks in with Ross who thinks there’s a Romulan on the inside. Ross has an aneurysm so Bashir turns to Senator Cretak for help, though Koval takes Bashir in for interrogation. Bashir winds up in front of the Romulan Continuing Committee because Cretak was caught trying to help him and although he and Cretak tell the same story, Koval brings in Sloan and says Section 31 is all bullshit and Sloan isn’t playing with a full deck of cards. Bashir, however, figures out that Ross was in on it (and I figured it out too) and Koval was the Romulan working for Starfleet. Just as the episode began with Bashir waking up with Sloan in his room, the episode closes the same way.

Favorite Quote:

Garak: The eternal optimist.

Bashir: Guilty as charged.

Garak: How sad. I must tell you I’m disappointed hearing you mouthing the usual platitudes of peace and friendship regarding an implacable foe like the Romulans. But, I live in hope that one day you’ll come to see this universe for what it truly is, rather than what you’d wish it to be.

Bashir: Well, I shall endeavor to become more cynical with each passing day, look gift horses squarely in the mouth and find clouds in every silver lining.

Garak: If only you meant it.

Garak and Bashir always have such wonderful conversations.

“That’s the spirit, sir. Never say die.”: I’ll start off with two things. Ross is absolutely adorable when he’s trying Romulan ale for the first time, I mean it was illegal after all… hahahaha. Also, this episode was great up until the double fake and after that it was total bullshit. Right from when Ross and Bashir were talking, I knew something was up and the “aneurysm” just sold it for me that either Sloan was a really bad guy or Ross was in on the jig. Once Koval said Sloan had made Section 31 up and then “killed” Sloan I was ready for the reveal that he wasn’t really dead. I mean it was a twist I didn’t see coming but I knew it wasn’t a real twist and so it didn’t work. I really liked this Cretak and was sad to see she was thrown under the bus. The dialogue was great and it was so much fun until Sloan and Koval’s melodrama, made this not such a great episode for me. 6 shots of Romulan Ale for the most pretentious and super long Latin title of this episode!

Tomorrow, I start the 10 Part Season and Series finale… wish me luck!

TA Out!