Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series) The Jem'Hadar (1994) User Reviews

Set the stage for the remaining five seasons' drama

[garrard · 9/10 · 17 April 2006]

Like "The Best of Both Worlds, Part I" was the defining cliffhanging moment for "Star Trek: the Next Generation," this second season ender was the spark that put into motion events that would culminate five years later with the series finale. In this episode, Commander Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Quark (Armin Shimerman), along with a female Vorta (Molly Hagen), are captured by the Jem'Hader, a race of clones that serve a mysterious species known as "The Dominion".

Hovering above the planet in a Runabout are Jake (Cirroc Lofton) and Nog (Aaron Eisenberg), both novices to space flight and rescue missions.

Headed by Maj. Kira (Nana Visitor) and Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig), a rescue mission is sent, including the starship "Odyssey," led by Captain Keogh, played by genre veteran Alan Oppenheimer.

A kamikaze attack by a Jem'Hadar ship provides one of the most spectacular and surprising moments in Trek history and a revelation about the Vorta comes out of nowhere to make for a highly anticipated season three.

Welcome to a great new danger

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 5 April 2010]

As this episode starts it seems like it will be a comic story when Commander Sisko and his son Jake are joined on an educational trip to the Gamma Quadrant by Nog and his uncle Quark. The commander wasn't too pleased to have Nog and Quark along although as Jake invited Nog it was hard to say no and once on a planet in the Gamma Quadrant Quark won't stop moaning about the climate, the insects and the lack of anything interesting to him. The episode had a change of tone when an alien woman emerges from the undergrowth while Jake and Nog are away. She warns Sisko and Quark about the Jem'Hadar but before they can do anything all three of them are captured and the woman has a collar put on to prevent her using her telepathic powers to deactivate the containment field they are held in. When Nog and Jake realise something is the matter they return to the runabout and try to make their way back to the station, which is rather difficult as they don't have the password for the autopilot. Meanwhile back at the station a Jem'Hadar ship approaches and one of them beams into ops and tells them that they will not tolerate any further incursions into the Gamma Quadrant and that they are holding Sisko captive. As the USS Odyssey, a Galaxy Class starship is visiting the station it and the station's runabout mount a rescue mission, a mission that will teach the Federation just how dangerous the Dominion is.

This was a great episode which introduced the Jem'Hadar and the Vorta, two species which will come to be amongst the main antagonists in later series when the Dominion is more than just a Gamma Quadrant rumour. I liked how the episode changed from comedy to drama midway through and let us think for some time that the Vorta were not part of the Dominion. Having Quark expose the Vorta as a fraud was a nice touch too.

Be afraid of the Space Dinosaurs.

[thevacinstaller · 8/10 · 20 March 2020]

Let me comment on the terrific job the DS9 alien makeup department does throughout the entire run of the series. The Jem'Hadar look like pissed off ferocious biped dinosaurs and they make an effective antagonist.

There's a fair bit going on here in this episode. It's fair to say that Ben Sisko does indeed have some prejudices again Ferengi and is having an unspoken battle within himself wrestling with the knowledge that Jake and Nog are good friends and what example does he want to set for his son? It can be a bit subtle but I see this in Avery's performance.

Quark (like a good ferengi) see's opportunity to befriend Ben Sisko if he tags-a-long for the school science field trip. The question I ponder is whether Quark actually believes Sisko is prejudice or if this is simply a ploy to gain sympathy and concessions from Sisko regarding Quarks desire for DS9 advertisement jingles.

Ultimately the plot moves forward and the crew bumps into a fleeing Vorta. Not long after they are captured by the Jem 'Hadar and put on notice that incursions into the gamma quadrant will not be tolerated. Thankfully Quark is a master at breaking locks and he free's the vorta and eventually we end up back at DS9. Quark is no fool and he uncovers that this whole turn of events was a ploy by the Vorta to be a spy on DS9 for the Dominion but nothing can be done to question the Vorta as she magically teleports away ... to Somewhere? Somehow?

This episodes succeeds in establishing the Jem 'Hadar as merciless fighting machines. We also get references to the founders and the general idea that the dominion has advanced technology in comparison to Starfleet.

Season 2 Overall:

Based on my reviews this season gets a 7.5 average score. This is just below season 3 of TNG score and means this is the 2nd best scored season of star trek post TOS era to this point.

The high score for S2 of DS9 and a low score for S7 of TNG can likely be attributed to an exodus of skilled talent from TNG to the creative department of DS9. It is clear to me that DS9 had a vision and plan from the start of the series and it shows when you reflect back on previous episodes and look for little breadcrumbs.

Strongest actors this season: Odo/Quark/Kira.

No 10/10's this season but it did have three 9/10's and a ton of 8/10's.

DS9 did a far better job establishing characters early in the series when compared to TNG. I noticed that DS9 tends to have less A and B plots and concentrates on telling one story and that form of storytelling works better for my personal tastes. This is star trek firing on all cylinders.

The spark............

[gritfrombray-1 · 10/10 · 26 June 2007]

This episode started on a peaceful note of a camping trip on a planet in the Gamma Quadrant when the Commander and his son with Quark and Nog in tow are apprehended by the Jem'Hadar and taken captive. There is a prisoner already in the holding area and she helps the escape. The USS Odyssey, a Galaxy class ship arrives at the planet and the Jem'Hadar attack mercilessly and the Odyssey turns to retreat and one of the Jem'Hadar ships rams the ship and destroys it. When the escapees from the planet arrive at DS9 the prisoner is found out to be a fraud and she departs to parts unknown, leaving a chilling message of what has just begun. This was a fantastic episode which set up a long running story to the series close.

Solid finish to the season

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 4 April 2022]

Sisko takes Jake on a field trip through the wormhole.

This is a solid episode that lays a good foundation for what is to come.

The plot is intriguing and entertaining with decent pacing and a reasonably clever ending.

There is an introduction to a new enemy which at this point in the franchise is much needed. It's way too early to pass judgement, but this episode makes the Dominion feel like a credible threat.

We spend some good character time with Sisko, Quark, Jake, and Nog. Sisko and Quark in particular have some strong exchanges and the chemistry between Avery Brooks and Armin Shimerman works well.

Visually it is excellent and showcases some of the best space battle action sequences of the franchise to the date of its original broadcast.

For me it's a 7.5/10 but I round upwards.

It Took a While

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 9 October 2018]

HSo what we needed was a new enemy. So, along come the Jem'Hadar to fill the bill. First of all, they are formidable, both in technology and knowledge of the Federation. The episode starts out with a camping trip to fulfill a school assignment. Both Nog and Quark weasel their ways unto the shuttle and are basically in the way all along. But the men are nabbed by the title characters and put in a force field, along with a female alien who can throw fireballs at will. This is the storied Dominion that will provide endless challenges for Star Fleet. Of course, there is more than meets the eye.

The Jem'Hadar.....aliens who are seriously kindness impaired and the action seriously heats up!

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 19 December 2014]

This episode introduces the Jem'Hadar--the army working as enforcers for the Dominion. Who or what the Dominion are still remains to be seen.

When the episode begins, Sisko is planning a trip through the wormhole for a father-son outing. Jake asks if Nog can come along-- which isn't as the Commander had planned--but he agrees. However, Nog unexpectedly brings along Uncle Quark and Quark makes himself about as welcome as a case of hemorrhoids! He clearly HATES camping out and getting back to nature--and it's comical for a while. However, an alien who is being chased by super-scary soldiers (members of the Jem'Hadar). Quark, the Commander and runaway alien are taken prisoner. What's next? How about some good old fashioned carnage and mayhem!

This is an excellent episode because these new alien baddies are incredibly scary--arrogant, powerful and contemptuous of the Federation. Stay tuned to subsequent episodes for much, much more action concerning the Dominion, Jem'Hadar and their allies.

Movie remake idea?

[Abbena · 9/10 · 25 January 2023]

This episode is where I believe Avery brooks' acting chops and ability to command the screen comes into play.. It does make me sad though that we haven't gotten any movies about the federation vs Jem jadar and the Dominion. Or even around key characters like Li Nalas, Major kira, Gul dukat etc. Compared to other ST franchises, like Voyager, TNG, TOS and based on my knowledge, DS9 is the only series that hasn't had any standalone movies, or reboots. I know it hasn't had the same impact on pop culture as the other franchises. Maybe the slow start, the themes of religion and politics come into play.

Either way, this felt like something that could easily be released on the big screen even today.. This and episodes like "The Homecoming", "Bar Association", "Sons of Mogh" and "Equilibrium" are a MUST SEE episodes for newbies and even for the DS9 skeptics! I'm sure they will enjoy them. 👍🏽 🍿

Mixed bag

[bbraat · 5/10 · 25 March 2022]

Once again, Sisko shows himself to be incompetent as a commander - how did he get a promotion after this?

I was actually shocked when an entire starship is destroyed at the end of the episode and he brushes it off as if it was nothing. Perhaps that is the incompetence of the actor but the producers/directors should have directed him to a proper line reading.

At least the rest of the cast gets better after this season. It's still the worst ST series but it does improve. Unfortunately there was no way they could jettison Avery Brooks or they would have gotten cancelled even in the 1990s.