The episode begins with an uncharacteristically depressed Quark moping about the string of misfortunes he has encountered. Nothing can cheer him up - even his brother, Rom's engagement to Bajoran dabo girl Leeta fails to perk him up. Fortunately, Rom knows someone that might help Quark get out of his funk - their fiesty, eccentric but loving mother, Ishka!
Moogie welcomes Quark with open (albeit worried) arms. Quark soon realizes the source of Ishka's anxiety - Grand Nagus Zek is secretly staying in their house too (and hiding in Quark's closet, no less) and she are Zek are secret lovers. At first shocked by this development, Quark is happy for his moogie - as she is now the lady love of the Ferengi he aspires to be. Quark sees this as an opportunity to butter up the Nagus to renew his business license. Unfortunately, Zek doesn't take the bait and tells Quark that it is up to the FCA, the ones responsible for revoking his license. Once again depressed, Quark gets an unexpected visit for his old enemy - Liquidator Brunt (the very ferengi who revoked his business license). Brunt finds Zek's secret love affair with Ishka disgraceful and offers to restore Quark's license if he breaks up his mother and the Nagus. Quark takes the bait and goes out of his devious Ferengi way by manipulating the Nagus with trumped-up rumors about his mother and pretends to be suicidal in front of Ishka so she take pity on him and try to convince the Nagus to vouch on his behalf - only for her to be cruelly rejected by the Nagus. Ishka is brokenhearted, and Brunt renews Quark's business license. Quark is secretly pleased with himself - up until he realizes that the Nagus is losing his memory, a fact he discovers after the latter promotes him as the Nagus's First Clerk. Quark is abashed to discover that his Moogie was more than Zek's lover - she was his secret fianancial advisor and that his actions in ruining their relationship has caused a bigger problem - by inadvertently exposing the Nagus's failing memory and destroying the Ferengi economy. What's worse is that Brunt knew of the Nagus's weakness and had used Quark as a pawn to expose the Nagus and have him crowned the new Nagus! Meanwhile, A ferengi tradition causes friction in Rom and Leeta's engagement. Rom eventually discovers that his love for Leeta is more important to him than tradition.
This episode is funny, heartfelt and peppered with witty gags and great romantic comedy elements. The two love stories involving the two couples; Ishka and Grand Nagus Zek, and Rom and Leeta were very interesting and full of depth. Quark's character development has come a long way from resenting his mother in "Family Business" ( He even calls her "Moogie" a lot) and we actually get to see him work with his mother by passing on advice to the Nagus during an inquiry. Even though Andrea Martin's performance as Moogie was great, The late great Cicely Adams was incredibly fun as Quark's fiesty but well-meaning mother and her scenes with Quark were cute and hilarious at the same time.
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