The Pensky Podcast: Star Trek: Deep Space 9

With DS9 over, Wes and Clay get together to give some final thoughts about the series as a whole. Is DS9 better than TNG? Does it matter? The guys try to understand the complexities that make DS9 unique and both amazing and awful (but mostly amazing). Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

This is it. The final episode of DS9. "What You Leave Behind" serves to close out both the Dominion War and the series itself. It has action, drama, comedy and retrospection in spades. It's a brilliant ending to a fascinating series. But it's not perfect. In this podcast, Wes and Clay discuss what the finale does right and what it does wrong. They try to determine if "What you Leave Behind" is a fitting end to the series they've been watching for almost two and a half years. Thanks to everyone for listening and supporting the show. Thank you for not leaving us behind! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

The two year journey through DS9 is almost finished! But before they tackle the DS9 finale, Wes and Clay head back to where it all began by revisiting the DS9 pilot, "Emissary". In this podcast, the guys discuss Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

In the penultimate episode of DS9, Damar becomes the leader of a Cardassian revolution. Bashir and Ezri hook up. The Siskos get some big news. And Quark gets some exciting, and then upsetting, news. Clay and Wes get together to discuss the choice to involve the Ferengi so heavily in the second to last episode of the show. Plus! They defend their choice of O'Brien as the weakest character in the series, analyze the plots in the "Final Chapter", and look forward to the finale! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Odo is dying. The disease that has infected the Founders has spread to Odo, and he does not look well. To cure him, Bashir and O'Brien lure Section 31's Sloan to DS9. They plan to enter his mind and steal the cure, and hopefully end Section 31 once and for all. In this podcast, Wes and Clay discuss the last Bashir and O'Brien adventure and the end of Luther Sloan. Plus! They talk about the ease of capturing a secret agent, boring "dream sequences", and unrealistic male friendships! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

In "Tacking Into the Wind", our characters face an uphill battle against themselves. Gowron continues to sabotage the war effort, and Kira and Odo attempt to steal Breen technology. In this podcast, Wes and Clay discuss the collapse of two Trek empires. Plus! The guys talk about the death of Rene Auberjonois, the pointless romance of Odo and Kira, and the evolution of Worf. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

"When it rains, it pours." Things go from bad to worse as Gowron arrives at DS9 and takes command of the Klingon forces. Odo discovers he is infected with the sickness ravaging the Founders. Bashir and O'Brien learn that Section 31 is responsible for the infection. Kira, Odo and Garak are sent to train Damar's soldiers. Dukat goes blind. In this podcast, Wes and Clay discuss an episode with an improved focus and structure and how it reboots the final arc. Plus! The guys talk about why Martok is an interesting Klingon, the intentional stalling of Dukat, and the problem with ordering spicy food! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

The Breen have attacked Earth. Dukat has convinced Kai Winn to review the ancient texts of the Pah-Wraiths. Damar rebels against the Dominion. In this podcast, Wes and Clay discuss "The Changing Face of Evil". Plus! The guys discuss burning the peppers, the abrupt lethargy of the "final chapter", and the failures of the Winn/Dukat story line. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

In "Strange Bedfellows", the Dominion and Breen alliance could prove costly for the Federation. Worf and Ezri discover an unexpected ally on Cardassia. Dukat manages to turn Kai Winn to the Dark Side. Wes and Clay discuss an episode that seems like a superior reboot of "Til Death Do Us Part". Plus! The guys explore the potential redemption of Damar, the narrative need for Dukat, and the close out of Worf and Ezri. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Ignoring the will of The Prophets, Sisko and Kasidy Yates get married. Meanwhile, the captured Worf and Ezri are interrogated by the Breen. On DS9, Dukat works to lure Kai Winn to the Dark Side. Wes and Clay get together to discuss "'Til Death Do Us Part" and how it works as the second hour of the Final Chapter. Plus! The guys talk about the Breen popping up out of nowhere, treading water as a narrative, and Dukat and Winn bumping uglies! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

DS9 has entered "The Final Chapter"! In 'Penumbra', Sisko and Kasidy announce their plans to marry, and Ezri tries to rescue Worf. The "Final Chapter" is the series ending run of nine episodes that finish out DS9. in this podcast, Wes and Clay discuss the problems with DS9's serialized storytelling, when characters get "too real", and the series treading water to get to this point! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

In "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges", Section 31 recruits Dr. Bashir to aid them in making sure that the Romulan Star Empire remains on the righteous" side of the Dominion War. Special guest Darren joins Wes and Clay to discuss the final "regular" episode of Star Trek: DS9. Plus! The three discuss pushing Star Trek to its moral limits, making a fashion statement with leather, and beaming out in the nick of time! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

In "Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang", holographic mobsters try to run Vic Fontaine out of town. It's up the crew of DS9 to perform the heist of the century. Wes and Clay discuss being attacked while playing in the holosuite, a heist without much difficulty, and the powerful sexuality of Nana Visitor! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

A Changeling, Laas, finds Odo returning from a conference. Laas reveals that he is another of the Hundred Changelings. Laas tries to convince Odo to leave DS9 and join him in the search for the other Changelings, but things are not so easy for a "Chimera" such as Odo. In this podcast, Wes and Clay get together to talk about the redemption of DS9's seventh season and the complexities of the Changelings. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

A series of strange murders rock the station. A killer is on the loose. In response, Ezri consults with Joran, a previous Dax host, in order to enter the mind of a serial killer and find out who is responsible before it's too late. In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss "Field of Fire" and find some brilliance amidst a lot of terrible rubble. Plus! The guys discuss a choir of angels for the Trill, solving crimes with no evidence, and shooting melons! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Grand Nagus Zek has gone missing in the Mirror Universe. Quark and Rom, with the aid of Mirror Universe Ezri, head into the "alternate universe" to rescue him. Many hilarious situations ensue! Wes and Clay discuss the final DS9 episode to deal with the Mirror Universe, "The Emperor's New Cloak". Plus! The guys talk about DS9 wasting everyone's time, the logistics of non-hologram Vic, and Ezri being too strong a focus in the final season of DS9! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

O'Brien has gone missing while looking for the widow of his old friend Bilby, and Ezri heads home to see if her family can help find the chief. Unfortunately, Ezri's family has its fair share of skeletons in the closet. Wes and Clay discuss "Prodigal Daughter" and try to determine if it has the worst script in the entire DS9 series. Plus! The guys talk about Trill not being supportive of being joined, bland descriptions of the murder you've committed, and dialogue centered around a mislabelled gizmo! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

In "The Siege of AR-558", Nog lost his leg. In "It's Only a Paper Moon" he loses his enthusiasm for life and it's up to Vic Fontaine to pull him out of his depression. Clay and Wes get together to discuss an episode that quietly examines PTSD and phantom pain, as well as the distractions that tear us away from reality. Plus! The guys talk about making an episode without your main cast, getting punchy in a 1960s Vegas lounge, and slamming doors for no good reason! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Kira is abducted and taken to Empok Nor by a Bajoran cult that worships the Pah-Wraiths. Once there, she discovers that the groups charismatic leader is none other than Dukat. But is Dukat truly reformed or is this another of his tricks? Wes and Clay form a "Covenant" in this episode of the podcast and they discuss how Dukat is an encapsulation of some of DS9's worst flaws. Plus! The guys talk about aging into Calvinism, eating poisoned apple sauce, and convincing people that the baby isn't yours! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

During a supply run to AR-558, Sisko meets a group of Starfleet officers who have been pushed to the brink trying to hold a vital Dominion communications array. When a group of Jem'Hadar attack, Sisko and his crew experience, first hand, the horrors of front line combat. Wes and Clay discuss DS9 embracing the wretchedness of the Dominion War in "The Siege of AR-558"! Plus! The guys talk about taking Quark seriously, how to under-write effectively, and they wonder why there aren't more Ferengi in Starfleet! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Kor, the elderly Klingon warrior, arrives at DS9 and informs Worf that he wishes to die with honor. Worf tries to convince Martok to help Kor get his wish, but Martok has hated Kor for 30 years and that isn't about to change any time soon. Meanwhile, Quark and Dax have a strange plot about misunderstandings. Listen as Wes and Clay discuss exciting space visuals, the backstory of Martok, and the Legend of Kor! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Weyoun lures Odo to a remote planet and reveals two things. First, he wants to defect to the Federation. Second, he's not the Weyoun that Odo knows and loves! Or is he? Meanwhile, Nog teaches O'Brien about the Great Material Continuum when they kick off a scheme to repair the Defiant. Clay and Wes sit down and discuss "Treachery, Faith and the Great River" - which involves talking about all three of those things. Plus! The guys discuss being reunited with the Dominion, killing Weyoun 5 off-screen, and if DS9 is a "good" Star Trek series! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

The genetically enhanced group from "Statistical Probabilities" returns to the station to have Doctor Bashir treat Sarina, the quiet one. After Bashir works his magic, he begins to fall in love with his patient and becomes too enamored with a life that he has always wanted but has never been able to have. Wes and Clay discuss "Chrysalis" and wonder if DS9 is on a slow, downward trajectory. Plus! The guys discuss the dated humor of the "deaf voice", the stationary characters of Kira and Odo, and the quantifiable loneliness of Julian Bashir! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Baseball has been in DS9's DNA since the pilot episode, so with the final season underway the producers of the series decided that it was finally time to have a baseball episode! Sisko and the station crew battle a Vulcan superteam on the holosuite while Odo plays umpire. Wes and Clay discuss an episode of the show that screams '90s television and '90s culture. Plus! They discuss the rise and fall of Boston baseball, the difficulty in filming a baseball diamond, and finding it hard to continue supporting Colm Meaney! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

When Ezri Dax returns (?) to Deep Space 9, she is greeted with a mix of enthusiasm (Quark) and hesitancy (Worf). Meanwhile, Garak begins to suffer from panic attacks. Wes and Clay discuss "Afterimage" and try to decide if bringing Dax back to the show was such a good idea. Plus! The guys discuss Garak cracking under pressure, Ezri getting promoted, and why podcasting with a cold is so annoying! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

The seventh and final season of DS9 opens with the reunion of Sisko and Dax, the emotional turmoil of Worf, and the empowerment of the Bajoran people. It ends with a revelation about Sisko that may or may not change everything? Wes and Clay get together to discuss Star Wars and Star Trek going outside their lanes, the lack of excitement amongst Bajoran officers, and a low key start to the final season! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

In this podcast episode, Wes gives his final thoughts about the sixth season of DS9! He reviews his spreadsheets to find the logic behind the numbers, and he also gives out some end-of-year awards. The seventh season will start up in a few days! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

With one stone, a Pah-Wraith possessed Dukat kills two birds: he manages to close the Bajoran Wormhole and he literally kills Jadzia Dax. "Tears of the Prophets" is the sixth season finale and works hard to both send off a major character and set the show up for the next season. It jumps headlong into the Bajoran Religion and foreshadows Dax's demise so heavily it might as well be an episode of The Walking Dead! Wes and Clay discuss the end to a very up and down season of DS9 and give their own personal eulogies to the up and down character of Jadzia Dax. Plus! The guys discuss making the Dominion War feel even smaller, the plot mechanics of murder, and needing time to grieve! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pensky_file/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

The crew of DS9 receives a distress call from a distant planet - a Starfleet captain has been marooned on a deadly planet and her only chance of survival is the Defiant. Guided (literally and figuratively) by "The Sound of Her Voice", Sisko, Bashir and O'Brien take stock of themselves as they try to rescue the voice on the other end of the line. Back on DS9, Quark teaches Jake about the finer points of being a black market smuggler when he realizes that Odo being smitten with Kira is opening some very profitable doors. Wes and Clay discuss the penultimate episode of the sixth season of DS9. Plus! The guys wonder about yet another strange time travel situation, debate the nature of Odo at this point in the series, and wonder why no one checked the computer! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pensky_file/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

While picnicking on an alien world, Molly O'Brien falls into a time portal. She is rescued but has spent the past decade of her life alone on an alien planet and has become feral and unfortunately stabby! Meanwhile, Worf tries to prove to Dax that he can be a successful father and that Alexander was just a one-off mistake. Wes and Clay discuss "Time's Orphan" and try to determine if it's worse than "Profit and Lace"! Plus! The guys discuss the fine line between a good and bad setup, the hatred that festers within the O'Brien family, and Odo abandoning his principles! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pensky_file/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

After he promotes equal rights for female Ferengi, Grand Nagus Zek is deposed and replaced by (acting) Grand Nagus Brunt (of the F.C.A.). To restore order, Quark undergoes a sex change operation to convince a Ferengi cola merchant that Zek's radical plan has merit. Yes, this really happens. "Profit and Lace" is frequently derided as not only one of the worst DS9 episodes of all time but of the entire Star Trek franchise! Wes and Clay discuss the attempt at a "golden age" homage and why it doesn't work in the Star Trek universe. Plus! The guys discuss sexual harassment in the workplace, the inability for the series to take the Ferengi seriously, and making a "truly" Ferengi episode! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pensky_file/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

While on a trip to Ferenginar, Jake and Nog are attacked by the Jem'Hadar. They are saved by the USS Valiant, which is apparently commanded by a crew of Red Squad cadets - an elite group from Starfleet Academy that we last saw in Paradise Lost. The Valiant is on a dangerous mission to locate a Dominion warship behind enemy lines, but the biggest danger might be the cadets themselves. DS9 pays homage to "Lord of the Flies" with a story about the collapse of values in the face of authoritarianism. Or at least... that's what it seems like they were doing. But hey, the destruction of the Valiant is pretty great, huh? Wes and Clay also discuss the unique uniforms of Red Squad, the training protocols of Starfleet, and the growing schism between themselves and the listeners! Support Clay's Kickstarter at www.blodyhel.com! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pensky_file/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

After an ancient Bajoran tablet is discovered, Sisko finds himself embroiled in a battle between good and evil. The battle is known as "the Reckoning", and the result will determine the fate of Bajor. Unfortunately, the ultimate battle is between Jake and Kira. The Reckoning is the annual "Bajor" episode, so we get another Kai Winn appearance, some vague statements from the Prophets, and a lot of questions about the need to continue this storyline. In this podcast, Wes and Clay discuss their frustrations with the Prophets and the confounding actions of Kai Winn! Plus! They discuss the problem with important stories happening once every 26 episodes, Sisko as Abraham, and accepting the Prophets as the "good guys"! Support Clay's Kickstarter at www.bloodyhel.com! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pensky_file/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

When Bashir shows off his new holosuite creation, a swinging lounge singer with top-notch relationship advice named Vic Fontaine, Odo has his interest piqued. He's been pining after Kira for years now, but he's unsure of how to proceed with her. Will this insightful, lightbulb powered hologram be able to provide him with any meaningful advice? DS9 feeds the 'shippers with an episode that finally gets Odo and Kira together! It's also a holodeck adventure, which is fairly unusual for DS9, and it has a light-hearted, charming tone has has Clay absolutely smitten. Put on your finest lounge act record, stir up a martini, and have things "Your Way"! Plus! Clay and Wes discuss the nonsense of judging a romantic relationship, the schism between backstory and series, and who O'Brien is looking at, but not touching! Support Clay's Kickstarter at bloodyhel.com! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pensky_file/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

The war against the Dominion is going poorly. The Federation is suffering defeat after defeat, and the death toll is rising. One last hope remains: to bring the Romulan Star Empire into the war effort against the Dominion. But the Romulans are hesitant to commit to the war, as they've cozied up to the Dominion in the hopes that the war eliminates all of their enemies. In "In the Pale Moonlight", Captain Sisko must decide how far he is willing to go to save the Alpha Quadrant. Are the values of the Federation sacrosanct, or must he prove Section 31 correct? The war has taken many lives, and it just might take Sisko's soul. In this podcast, Wes and Clay discuss the critically acclaimed episode and try to measure the RPM of Gene Roddenberry in his coffin! Plus! The guys talk about the ethics of "the needs of the many", the joy of seeing a Romulan, and the problems with the final scene! Support Clay's Kickstarter at bloodyhel.com! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pensky_file/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Internal Affairs visits the station and begins to interrogate Doctor Bashir, who they believe to be a Dominion double-agent. "Inquisition" is most famous for being the introduction of Section 31, a shadowy covert ops group that operates without the supervision of Starfleet or the Federation. It's also a solid episode that manages to create a creepy, paranoid atmosphere that dovetails into a look at what values the Federation might need to compromise in order to survive. We also get some adorable shots of Bashir's teddy bear! Clay and Wes also discuss Section 31's penchant for leather, the nuances of Sloan's argument, and how they could have made Section 31 even more intimidating! Support Clay's Kickstarter at bloodyhel.com! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pensky_file/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Dukat contacts Kira and informs her that he and her mother were once lovers. Kira is disgusted enough to request that Sisko allow her to use the Orb of Time to travel into the past to verify the claim. While in the past, Kira meets her mother, Kira Meru, and discovers a dark family secret that threatens to change everything. While the time travel aspect is a bit questionable, Wrongs Darker than Death or Night is an extremely fascinating character piece for Kira and for the Bajoran Occupation as a whole. It delves into some moral questions that might not have answers, and it works to both flesh out the pre-DS9 universe and the choices that Bajorans had to make during the Occupation. Plus! Wes and Clay discuss the impact of faulty plot mechanics, the importance of "Waltz", and the devastation of the Kira family! Support Clay's Kickstarter at bloodyhel.com! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pensky_file/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

While on a mission to rendezvous with a Cardassian spy, Dax is seriously wounded and Worf is forced to make a choice between saving his wife and completing the mission. It's our first episode since the wedding to focus on the marriage of Worf and Dax, and "Change of Heart" gives you plenty to chew on. We get some insight into the banter of newlyweds, learn about Worf's definition of "duty", and learn all about the sleeping arrangements of our favorite Trill and Klingon! In the B-plot, Bashir and O'Brien try to defeat Quark in a game of Tongo, and Clay reveals how little knowledge about early DS9 he has retained. The guys also discuss literal figures of speech, expecting explanations from Star Trek, and how to make a nonsense game work for television! You can support Clay's Kickstarter at www.bloodyhel.com! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pensky_file/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

O'Brien is recruited for an undercover Starfleet operation where he must infiltrate the Orion Syndicate and bring it down from the inside. During his mission, he befriends a man named Bilby. As their friendship flourishes, O'Brien becomes more and more conflicted about his mission: will he be able to betray Bilby? Back on DS9, the station is falling apart without its chief engineer. And that's pretty all that you need to know about that plotline because... that's all that happens. Wes and Clay discuss "Honor Among Thieves" and find themselves thinking about The Departed, wondering how an episode that features the theme of "family" can so completely ignore Keiko and the kids, and debate the plotlines that feature Miles O'Brien! Be sure to check out the Kickstarter for Clay's new book, "BLOODY HEL": www.bloodyhel.com Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

O'Brien, Dax, and Bashir are shrunk down to "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" size while exploring an anomaly. Meanwhile, the Defiant is attacked and captured by Jem'Hadar, leaving the tiny runabout and tiny O'Brien, Dax, and Bashir no choice but to take their miniature ship and selves into the Defiant to retake it. Fortunately, it's a tiny ship that can still shoot tiny photon torpedoes! DS9 returns to a sci-fi concept episode while still keeping the focus on the Dominion threat, and the result is an episode with a whole bunch of plots and information and tones. Clay and Wes discuss an episode that refuses to take things too seriously and ends up feeling like the whole is less than the sum of its parts. Plus, the guys discuss the physics of being small, the whole being less than the sums of its parts, and revising the Jem'Hadar! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Ben Sisko suddenly finds himself as a science-fiction writer in the mid-1950s and creates a character named "Benjamin Sisko", a black commander of a space station in the distant future. The rest of the DS9 cast is also here - they're writers, ballplayers, con men and corrupt cops. Far Beyond the Stars deals with racism and the insidious ways that it finds its way into various aspects of life, and it's generally regarded as one of the strongest stand alone episodes that the series ever produced. Listen as Wes and Clay discuss DS9's attempt to re-calibrate the series with an episode that has a lot to say and does so in a very sophisticated way. Plus! The guys discuss the extreme pipe-work of Colm Meaney, what would have gone wrong with the TNG cast, and the unfortunate misery of enduring 3+ hours of make-up for a single shot! Website: https://thepenskypodcast.com Subscribe: https://wavve.link/pensky Patreon: https://Patreon.com/thepenskyfile Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-pensky-file Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenskyFile Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepenskyfilepod/ Discord: https://discord.gg/DU4hthX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUQ6GnjEtxm1vcvVw0t7HA E-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

When Morn, Quark's best customer, dies in an accident, his barkeep is shocked to learn that Morn was rich! And not only was Morn rich, but that his will stated that, upon his death, everything should be left to Quark. With his newfound wealth, Quark also gains some new enemies: a group of colorful con artists have arrived on DS9 in search of Morn's wealth. It's up to Quark to get a handle on the situation, find Morn's money and get out with his life (and a cool 20%). Wes and Clay also discuss building an episode around a gag, finding out that latinum is a liquid, and wondering about the impact of having the end of DS9 in sight! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

While en route to war crimes hearing, Sisko and Gul Dukat are attacked by Cardassians and end up marooned on a deserted planet. Sisko is badly injured and must rely on an increasingly unstable Dukat if he has any hope of making it out alive. Unfortunately, the Federation's psychiatric care seems to be lacking, as Dukat is now hearing voices in his head and appears to be losing his grip on sanity. Patron Isaac marks the end of a guest-hosting era as he joins Wes to discuss a very important episode in the arc of Dukat, a character who has been there from the very start of the series and is inarguably one of the great villains of Star Trek. Wes and Isaac also discuss the motivations of Thanos, being annoyed that you saved the wrong people, and villains mischaracterizing Benjamin Sisko! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

When Quark's mother is kidnapped by the Dominion, a group of rag-tag Ferengi assemble to save her... and collect on the reward. In yet another Ferengi episode of DS9, this one loosely based on the Magnificent Seven, we return to what both works and does not work for this Star Trek species. Clay and Wes discuss the mindset of Ira Steven Behr, the upside of Iggy Pop, and bad reasons for visiting Empok Nor. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

A group of genetically enhanced augments visit Deep Space 9, seeking mentorship from Julian Bashir (who was similarly enhanced as a young child). The group quickly demonstrates impressive forecasting abilities and Dr. Bashir is drawn towards working with people on his own intellectual level, even if they are quirky and potentially violent.. When Weyoun and Damar visit the station for peace talks, Dr Bashir and his new friends discover that their calculations imply that the war against the Dominion cannot be won. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

The Mirror Universe and Vedek Bariel are brought back to life when the Mirror Universe version of Kira's long lost love appears on the station. Is he another Mirror Universe character unhappy with his own lot in life, or is he a thief scheming to steal one of Bajor's most treasured possessions? Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

The marriage of Worf and Dax is put to the test when the matriarch of the House of Martok visits the station. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

With Federation defeats piling up, Sisko hatches a plan to retake Deep Space 9 and prevent additional Jem'Hadar troops from entering the Alpha Quadrant. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Sisko is removed from commanding the Defiant, and Odo becomes unable to resist the allure of the Great Link. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

While aboard a Klingon vessel commanded by General Martok, Worf is reunited with his estranged son Alexander. It's been many years since father and son have seen each other, and in that time Alexander seems to have changed. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

While attempting to escape Dominion territory, Sisko and the crew on the Defiant crash land on a planet devoid of anything but rocks and shoals. Unfortunately, a crew of Jem'Hadar and their Vorta, Keevan, have also survived a crash landing on the same planet. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com