Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series) Invasive Procedures (1993) User Reviews

The stealing of Dax's symbiont

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 4 March 2010]

With an ion storm raging around the station everybody apart from the command staff, and Quark who refused to leave his gold-pressed latinum, have been evacuated. As they wait for the storm to pass a ship requests help but as soon as it docks the crew over power DS9's skeleton crew and make a shocking demand; they have come for Dax... not Jadzia though, just the symbiont which Verad, an unjoined Trill, believes should be joined with him despite being rejected from the joining programme. He is assisted by two Klingons and an alien woman named Mareel who he is in a relationship with. After the Symbiont is transferred to Verad there will only be a few hours to get it back to Jadzia or she will die. With the symbiont inside him Verad's personality changes dramatically; gone is the unconfident man we saw before, the new Verad Dax is confident and treats Sisko as an old friend while being cold to Mareel. This change of character makes Mareel realise she has lost the man she loves as much as the people of DS9 are losing their friend Jadzia so it is only a matter of time before she does the right thing.

This was a pretty good episode, the highlight of which was seeing Quark attacking a Klingon... even if he was the one responsible for them getting weapons on to the station in the first place. Guest stars John Glover and Megan Gallagher were good as Verad and Mareel. Keen eyed viewers may also have spotted Voyager's Tim "Tuvok" Russ under T'Kar's Klingon make-up.

Good Characters, Bad Tropes

[Nominahorn · 7/10 · 18 March 2019]

2.04 "Invasive Procedures"

The station has been evacuated of everyone except the senior staff and Quark, when a team of hostile bandits board the station and take them all prisoner. It turns out that the bandits were hired by their Trill leader, Verad, because he wants to steal Jadzia's symbiote for himself.

Even though this is a terrarium ep, it still turns out pretty well. All of the main cast are allowed moments to shine, and the tension over Jadzia's fate is palpable.

THE GOOD

-Dax-centric ep for the first time since her eponymous episode, which is a nice change of pace for a character who was seriously neglected for most of the first season. However, just like in the aforementioned ep, she plays a very passive role here, which is less than ideal.

-Each main character gets at least one good moment. Surprisingly, my favorite is when Kira says with a smirk on her face, "If Odo is free, you'll never get off this station," because of how true it is. Odo is such a beast.

-John Glover, who would go on the play Lionel Luthor in Smallville, is good here as Verad--both as the mousy pre-joining Varad and as the confident Verad Dax. The quality of the guest stars on DS9 continues to impress me.

-A fascinating look into Trill joining.

THE BAD

-Fairly low stakes terrarium ep.

-The bandits started out with an impressive execution of their plan. Their intel was very good; they are careful, thorough, and efficient in taking and holding the crew prisoner; and the detail of locking Odo up in the stasis pod was clever. But as the ep proceeds, their vigilance goes downhill into unbelievably sloppy territory that is hard to reconcile with their initial professionalism. I could understand them getting lax if the crew was putting up no resistance, but multiple times the crew tries to physically overpower them and yet the bandits continue to grow more lackadaisical in their attitudes.This is a bad trope, where the villains are introduced as extremely competent in order to put the heroes in real danger, but then become inexplicably incompetent over the course of the story and allow the heroes to beat them.

THE UGLY

-We get Tim Russ in his second of four Trek appearances here as the Klingon T'Kar. Thankfully, this time his face is encased in a latex mask, so it's not painfully obvious that it is him. Russ is a good actor and I'm glad he eventually got his deserved starring role--even if it was on Voyager.

-Odo shapeshift count: 2 -- turns to goo to enter the invader's containment pod, then shifts from a metal cart to his humanoid form. 14 total on-screen shifts for the series.

-Reverse Hulk Kira: she gets beat up by another petite(ish) woman. Apparently her hulk powers only work when she is fighting much larger opponents. And then later on she also almost loses a fight to Tim Russ's Klingon character. Only when Odo steps in and helps does she end up winning. It obviously doesn't count as a hulk-out, since she would have lost without his help. Maybe plasma storms neutralize her hulk powers...

-I guess that Quark gets away with his actions in this ep because he ends up playing a key role in saving Jadzia, so the crew forgives him? Still seems a little shaky. Maybe I should have been doing a running "Quark faces no consequences" count in my reviews. It seems to be a serious issue with the otherwise sound premise that DS9 is a show that deal with the consequences of its characters' actions.

Verad Dax

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 13 November 2019]

During a space storm the occupants and most of the staff of the space station are evacuated and only are cast regulars are on board. Quark stayed behind because he's got some unfinished smuggling business and let's a ship in that has a pair of renegade Klingons and a Kherbaclk woman and Verad an unassigned Trill who is the boss.

It is this time that Verad picked. The real mission is to steal Terry Farrell's symbiont Dax. Verad feels he was passed over and Dax should be part of him.

John Glover playing Verad does some subtle personality changes in his performance to show just why he was passed over for selection. Quite Good.

And Armin Shimmerman who knows he's in deep do do for being made a fool of redeems himself as well. Of course all according to Ferengi code.

The Exchange Program

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 29 September 2018]

A loser Trill engages with Quark and some Klingons to steal Dax and implant him/it in his body. When the symbiont is put there, he takes on all of Dax's previous lives and experiences. The problem is that the woman who assisted this feckless jerk is suddenly seen as a sore thumb. I suppose Quark will again be forgiven for rotten thing he orchestrated. The Dax thing is really a creative science fiction motif and I enjoy it.

A Second LIfe

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 29 September 2018]

Because of Quark's treachery (again and with few consequences) a pair of Klingons and a strange couple appear on board,, draw weapons and make their way into the station's nerve center. The man is a Trill and demands that Dax be removed from his host and place in him. He feels he deserves this because he is mediocre. Through threat to the crew, they agree to let this happen. The Doctor, under duress, must perform the operation, but it alters the new host in such a way that his actions upset the order of things with his colleagues. Of course, there has got to be plan. Dax and Sisko are old friends and their connections precipitates more than a casual interaction. A very interesting episode.

John Glover is the best thing about this episode.

[grizzledgeezer · 6/10 · 5 October 2017]

This isn't a particularly interesting episode. There are no real surprises, and everything ends the way it has to. The best part is getting to see John Glover.

Glover is a superb actor -- and one of the few queer actors who's public about it (his husband is s sculptor) -- we don't see enough of. He made a career out of playing subtle villains ("Smallville"), but you should see him when he has material to sink his teeth into.

He had memorable roles in a Western film (can't remember the title), and a TV movie with Sally Field as a part-time prostitute (ditto). Then there's "Meet the Hollowheads", in which he completely vanishes into the part.

John Glover is the sort of actor who will only be fully appreciated after he's passed on.

Enjoyable Jadzia episode

[snoozejonc · 7/10 · 25 January 2022]

A skeleton crew on DS9 are taken hostage by a Trill and henchmen.

This is a decent episode with some good moments for Jadzia and the Trill species.

The premise contains an excellent idea about stealing a symbiont from its host, but as a hostage drama it is pretty standard. Everything from the skeleton crew, to Quark's behaviour and Odo in the box feels contrived.

All the development of the Trills is very good. Jadzia is made an even more interesting character with this story and Terry Farrell does a great job of portraying her in a pretty vulnerable position. John Glover also delivers a strong performance as the primary antagonist.

To be fair all the cast are on good form with Avery Brooks and Alexander Siddig both having strong material that makes the most of their abilities.

I liked the visual effects used in the symbiont scenes which for me were quite realistic and well designed.

A bit of flavor added into the Dax story.

[thevacinstaller · 7/10 · 16 March 2020]

This one is not a masterpiece but it does have some intriguing moments from a trill culture point of view and further establishes Sisko as being a lovable loyal hard ass.

Through some miracle of timing the motley crue of dax kidnappers somehow manage to arrive with the majority of the station abandoned and the plot begins from this point.

I thought about this quite a bit ---- At first I was really mad at Quark because he could have been potentially responsible for the goddess known as Jadzia being killed but then upon close viewing he did know of the plan to trillnap dax. He also gets points by his act of brave cowardice in letting T'Kar 'injure' him as a means to help bashir.

Bashir needs a brush up course on proper doctor/patient bedside manner. Things got a bit too sensual for me when he was consoling Jadzia after removing the trill. Hormones? Ok, okay Bashir i'll let this go. I too have dreams of sensually running my hand along jadzia's neck of perfection. Moving right along ------

Sisko again is in fine form in this episode. He absolutely destroys T'Kar in hand to hand combat, he brow beats Verad with logic reasoning on how horrible this plan is, he shoots Verad with a phaser because that fool was crazy enough to call Sisko's bluff.

It was interesting to see the fruits of jealously that develop in trill society in this episode. There are 1000 of symbionts but i'm going to assume that Dax (and others like dax) are considered a prize for their pedigree? Ultimately Verad remained mediocre despite gaining Dax ---- what a kick in the pants, right?

Where was Megan Gallagher when the Dominion War began?

[XweAponX · 10/10 · 18 August 2012]

Because, if Kira could beat Legate Damar's arse, and Gallagher's "Mareel" could easily kick Kira's arse, then she was one tough broad-She could have beat the crap out of two Jem Ha'Dar's easily. But by that time, she was married to "Frank Black" in MillenniuM.

"Tuvok" (Tim Russ) is a Klingon "T'Kar," and John Glover (Who played "The Devil" in the short-lived series "Brimstone") is Verad, a sniveling Trill Initiate Washout and former bean-counter, who wants DAX, I mean, just the DAX Symbiote/Symbiont. Who are these people, and why are they on DS9? How'd this all happen?

Welp, after the season 1 finale where Vedek Racthet/Winn tried to assassinate Vedek Bariel and the season 2 intro Three-Parter, which was actually a four part Arc, they had to cut some cost. So they gave Morn and The Other Ds9 Extras a week off, due to an uncharacteristic ION STORM in the "area" of The Denorios Belt. (Whenever Trek needs to clear out all extras from the Sets to cut costs, there is always an ION STORM.) During THIS Ion Storm, only the Ops crew is left on board: Picar… Er, I mean Sisko, O'Brien, Kira, Bashir, Dax, Odo... and QUARK.

Now Quark, in his incessant search for Gold-Pressed Latinum, sniveled his way onto being allowed to stay on The Station, but in reality was going to use it as an opportunity to get PROFIT. But Verad used Quark to get Mareel onto the station so she could beat up the entire Ops crew, which she was able to do after T'Kar forced Odo in a locking bucket.

Verad was lucky, that Bashir was on board. He must have had this gig planned out, since the exact people he needed, Jadzia and Bashir, are left on-board at just the time he needs them.

And so Verad forces Bashir to cut DAX out of Jadzia. Jadzia now has 96 hours to live, and the Ops crew has that much time to get Odo out of his locking bucket, cos he's the only one who can kick Mareel's arse, and she can beat up everyone else. So, it's your basic power-play, and Countdown-Timer on a drama.

Verad/Dax tries to "befriend" The Sisko, but The Sisko will not have it. The Sisko uses the opportunity to reveal to Mareel, that this is not the Verad she was in love with: As Verad changes their plans after he is Joined to Dax.

Verad/Dax intends to go to the Gamma quadrant, basically cos he knows that The Trill government AND Starfleet will never stop hunting him in the Alpha Quadrant.

The highlight of this show was Megan, who did a great job of being Veronica Lake on Steroids. In the end, The Sisko talks her into doing the right thing and helping them stop Verad: as she KNOWS if she allows Verad to leave, she'll lose him forever, and Jadzia will die, and this will be the Last Dax Ever.

It was all Quark's fault, Ya Know? He was the one who opened the locked Docking Port, allowing Verad's ship to dock with no Security Measures in place. But Quark Acquits himself pretty well, when he breaks open Odo's "Prison" - 'It's a gift," - This is the first chink in The Ferengi Armor, the first appearance of his being affected by Hoo-Mans. From here on, Quark tries his best, but he now has a conscience.

As DS9 used up their budget especially on "The Siege" which has a lot of Odo shape-shifting effects, and some beautiful special effects when Dax and Kira are flying in the Pre-Impulse ship to Bajor, that broke the budget and they had to do this one show with limited Station personnel. But if you can get past the unlikeliness of an Ion Storm in The Denorios belt, then this episode is an enjoyable drama, and has some Quark-Humour as well.

Verad was forgotten, when Jadzia had her Zhian'tara.

Grand theft symbiote

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 17 December 2014]

I found "Grand Theft Symbiote" (also known as "Invasive Procedures") to both an interesting concept for an episode AND inconsistent and poorly written! It begins with a crack team entering the space station and kidnapping Jadzia Dax while the shocked crew watches helplessly. The plan is to STEAL Dax and implant it into a loser from the Trill planet who is bummed since he wasn't chosen for implantation! This is the interesting part. However, I was surprised when they showed the transfer occur--it was described as painful and the guy playing the thief acts like it's really painful. This is a surprise because in the first show about the Trill, Commander Riker is briefly implanted and he described it as being painless and seemed to enjoy the joining. Even more perplexing is the new Dax--he SHOULD have been the old one bonded with a jerk. Yet, oddly, there's very little of Dax's morality and decency in this guy and he seems quite willing to run off with his new host. Huh?! Did much of this make sense? Not really...and that's why I'm giving this episode a well deserved 4. A word to the writers-- next time research your characters better.

Poor timing of a storyline just after the last 3 part storyline

[davidhiggins-89756 · 3/10 · 24 February 2021]

**Does contain Spoilers**. So after a 3 part mini series prior to this one. The writers decided to YET AGAIN abandon the space station due to in this case some sort of "Storm". Yea the writers sat around and said we've just had a long story about abandoning the DS9 lets do another one DIRECTLY afterwards. Off & back on the place like a yo-yo.

Odo was thoroughly useless in letting them take over the ship. Just stood to the side as the Doctor was captured. There being just him as security and 5 main cast members. No extra security team, in case a ship turned up, like a Cardassion ship and took over the whole DS9. Or just a ship that decided to blow it all up. 5 staff & Quark would suffice would it?.

Surprised to see Tim Russ in the credits as one of the baddies, didn't even notice him. It was preposterous. As if the guy in charge of the DS9 didn't have a voice command to block & lock down parts of the DS9. Turning off lights & life support etc. With phasers discreetly hidden in the control room.

And WHY at ALL times was he not in possession of a small type 1 phaser pistol he could conceal in his wasteband, as should all his top staff. At all times have one.

Yea cause it wouldn't fit in with all the storyline of the episodes. What these people would logically & realistically do would just not fit these UNLIKELY storylines.

So for the insults to our intelligence in this episode worth barely a 3 star.

Strained, Very Strained

[frankelee · 4/10 · 10 September 2020]

This episode has an interesting premise, but poor execution. They quickly retconned the whole Trill symbiote idea since it was started on TNG, it started as the symbiote being the conscious one and the body just being the body, but it would seem this episode retcons it again. Instead of being a partnership, the body now is the conscious one, and the symbiote worm thing just gives you memories, enhances your IQ. I think it's a little early in DS9 to be totally rewriting your fictional rules.

The new Dax is happy to be a villain, although it's not clear he's even conscious. He's maybe just a dumb space slug along for the ride. The new Dax also immediately betrays and turns on his hot girlfriend, even a sociopath might take more than five minutes to dispose of the only person who cares about him. It's so, SO, terribly convenient for the plot.

It would be better for this episode to have been deleted from the show's episode list.

Everything you wanted to know about Trill-ing.....

[dand1010 · 5/10 · 30 August 2021]

2-Sentence Quick Plot Point: Invaders get on a mostly deserted space station with an insider's assistance. Their mission is to pull off a switch which will leave someone dead if they are successful.

Viewers Take Notice:

*A LOT of information about Trills and a lot of operating room Trill goobers. The most fascinating part, to me, was the emotional experiences Jadzia and the imposter-invader-person felt when joined and separated from the old worm Dax.

*Commander Sisko continues his ass-kicking ways by completely decimating a healthy, arrogant, cocky Klingon! As he does all of his hand-to-hand shock and awe, observe how gleeful Sisko is (or is it that the actor Avery Brooks is just completely enjoying himself in real life?) in taking apart this member of the warrior race.

Skip it. Utterly bland.

[thepkhunter · 5/10 · 24 May 2024]

This was, without a doubt, one of the episodes of all time.

Bottle episodes can be really effective - in fact we've seen several good examples in the show's run so far... This is not one of those examples.

Pretty poor execution of what could have been quite a good concept if the script had dared to take a few more twists and turns, and bang-average acting from everyone involved. Rene definitely only had a 2 day week on this one and he's sorely missed.

There's nothing overtly terrible here, it just feels slow, cheap and predictable. You have the entire plot mapped out from around minute five, and it's then just a matter of watching it play out. Shot almost entirely in mids, with very limited coverage, so you're just trapped at the pace of the sleepy performances.

Interestingly it's Les Landau's third episode of DS9 as director, and i rated his previous episodes a 4 and 5 respectively. I just don't think he really understood the language of Trek yet, and his episodes feel very old-school and uninspired.

He figures it out eventually - Counterpoint is one of the best episodes of Voyager's run, but that's four years after this utterly skippable episode.

The most exciting moment of the episode was when I realised one of the Klingons was Tim Russ - had no idea he'd played on DS9.

Super disappointing run of Quark's character development lately - I've mentioned on previous episodes it's ridiculous he never faces serious comeuppance for his crimes, and this one seems irredeemable. He'd get booted off the station (Kira threatens to do so, but they play it for comedy?!) You can't have him cross lines to this extent and not suffer any consequences - my suspension of disbelief is not strong enough to cover such a huge security risk being allowed to go about his way.

Just as a final matter of note, it must be said Terry Farrell is outrageously attractive in this episode.