I've said it so many times, but the writers of a science fiction series often have carte blanche to do as they wish. The James Bond bit here is set up nicely with the malfunction that occurs at the start. Of course, because this is a series, we are more interested in how things are done rather than the result (unfortunately, we know that all will turn out OK). Bashir makes a good spy and Garak is a good sidekick. Watching each of the principle characters assume roles in the program is great fun. There is also a kind of a neat thing going on with Rom, who actually has the responsibility for saving the day with his technological expertise. This was a nice diversion. Purists will hole their noses, but, in the world created, it is quite good.
12 Reviews
The Name's Bashir...Julian Bashir
timdalton0078 December 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Star Trek has proved adept in its nearly fifty year history of managing to make various genres fit into its futuristic framework. It's incorporated time travel and comedy into countless episodes and has even found time to pastiche and parody everything from gangsters movies to westerns with the latter being thanks to the holodeck. A good example of the holodeck being used to pastiche another genre comes from 1995 with Deep Space Nine's fourth season episode Our Man Bashir which took the James Bond films and other 1960s spy series and brought them into the twenty-third century.
The basic Trek premise behind the episode of a holodeck malfunction was old hat even in 1995 when this episode first went out and, indeed, the powers that be behind the series had deliberately avoided such an episode as a result. Bob Gillan (who receives a "story by" credit here) came up with a unique twist on the cliché that impressed the show's production team. Ronald Moore, then a producer on the series, is credited with coming up with the 1960s setting and would write the eventual script.
What Moore created is a wonderful pastiche of not only Bond but the entire 1960s spy craze. The episode's title echoes the 1966 film Our Man Flint while eye-patch wearing hit-man the Falcon calls to mind not just Bond film characters like Red Grant but also Marvel's own comic book spy Nick Fury. Numerous other elements echo Bond films throughout its then thirty year history from a card game at a French club to the villains lair and plot echoing elements of the Roger Moore era Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. Indeed the episode was broadcast just days after the US theatrical release of the 007 outing Goldeneye. The episode proved not only to be timely but has also been well remembered by fans of Deep Space Nine as well. Looking at the episode, it isn't hard to understand why.
For one thing, there's the performances and the chance to see familiar characters in a different setting. Julian Bashir is the most unlikely James Bond style secret agent that you're likely to meet but one of the joys of the holodeck is that things like that get to happen. One of the fun things about the episode is watching Bashir have to keep the holodeck program going while trying to balance both the fun of playing out the 1960s spy fantasy while also trying to keep his crew mates from getting killed. It isn't just Bashir as a character having fun as actor Alexander Siddig clearly is relishing the chance to play the role that one imagines every British actor imagines playing at some point.
He clearly isn't the only one relishing the chance to essentially play a role in a mini-Bond film. Five of his cast mates get the chance to do just that in this episode and all seem to enjoy themselves, especially Avery Brooks playing the villainous Doctor Hippocrates Noah which gives Brooks the chance to play a role very much removed from Benjamin Sisko. It's also highly amusing to watch Worf walking around in a white tuxedo, smoking cigars and playing cards against Bashir or seeing O'Brien walking around wearing an eye-patch and waving a gun about. Of course, what would this scenario be without the Bond Girls which gives Nana Visitor and Terry Farrell the chance to play those very roles with Visitor playing a KGB agent and Farrell a scientist (something that has made the episode one of Nana Visitor's favorites according to DVD extras). Joining in is Deep Space Nine reoccurring character Garak played by Andrew J. Robinson who, as a "real" spy is a great source of comedy as he comments on just how unlikely the events taking place are. While Farrell in particular is underused, everyone does get their moment and everyone is clearly enjoying the chance being given to them.
The cast aren't the only ones it seems either. There's some impressive work being done both in front of and behind the camera as well. The sets and costumes do a wonderful job of creating the 1964 setting that the holosuite is supposed to be portraying with period costumes and technology on display throughout. Production Designer Herman Zimmerman's work on Doctor Noah's lair in particular is an impressive piece of work that pastiche the iconic Ken Adams designed sets from the 1960s Bond films on a fraction of the budget. The icing on the cake though might be the Emmy nominated score by composer Jay Chattaway which rides the fine line between pastiche and copyright infringement rather nicely by creating a score that nicely echoes the John Barry style of Bond music (and arguably is a better Bond score that Eric Serra's score for that year's Goldeneye). All of which goes to show how inventive the show's makers could be when they were given the chance.
Perhaps as a result of all that, Our Man Bashir remains a joy to watch. For a series best remembered for darker themes and a larger emphasis on ongoing plot-lines, the episode stands out from the rest of the series due to its tone and its pastiche nature. For fans of both the Bond films and Star Trek it's an essential piece of viewing for a chance to see two of the biggest icons of popular culture of the last fifty years getting the briefest of chances to interact.
The basic Trek premise behind the episode of a holodeck malfunction was old hat even in 1995 when this episode first went out and, indeed, the powers that be behind the series had deliberately avoided such an episode as a result. Bob Gillan (who receives a "story by" credit here) came up with a unique twist on the cliché that impressed the show's production team. Ronald Moore, then a producer on the series, is credited with coming up with the 1960s setting and would write the eventual script.
What Moore created is a wonderful pastiche of not only Bond but the entire 1960s spy craze. The episode's title echoes the 1966 film Our Man Flint while eye-patch wearing hit-man the Falcon calls to mind not just Bond film characters like Red Grant but also Marvel's own comic book spy Nick Fury. Numerous other elements echo Bond films throughout its then thirty year history from a card game at a French club to the villains lair and plot echoing elements of the Roger Moore era Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. Indeed the episode was broadcast just days after the US theatrical release of the 007 outing Goldeneye. The episode proved not only to be timely but has also been well remembered by fans of Deep Space Nine as well. Looking at the episode, it isn't hard to understand why.
For one thing, there's the performances and the chance to see familiar characters in a different setting. Julian Bashir is the most unlikely James Bond style secret agent that you're likely to meet but one of the joys of the holodeck is that things like that get to happen. One of the fun things about the episode is watching Bashir have to keep the holodeck program going while trying to balance both the fun of playing out the 1960s spy fantasy while also trying to keep his crew mates from getting killed. It isn't just Bashir as a character having fun as actor Alexander Siddig clearly is relishing the chance to play the role that one imagines every British actor imagines playing at some point.
He clearly isn't the only one relishing the chance to essentially play a role in a mini-Bond film. Five of his cast mates get the chance to do just that in this episode and all seem to enjoy themselves, especially Avery Brooks playing the villainous Doctor Hippocrates Noah which gives Brooks the chance to play a role very much removed from Benjamin Sisko. It's also highly amusing to watch Worf walking around in a white tuxedo, smoking cigars and playing cards against Bashir or seeing O'Brien walking around wearing an eye-patch and waving a gun about. Of course, what would this scenario be without the Bond Girls which gives Nana Visitor and Terry Farrell the chance to play those very roles with Visitor playing a KGB agent and Farrell a scientist (something that has made the episode one of Nana Visitor's favorites according to DVD extras). Joining in is Deep Space Nine reoccurring character Garak played by Andrew J. Robinson who, as a "real" spy is a great source of comedy as he comments on just how unlikely the events taking place are. While Farrell in particular is underused, everyone does get their moment and everyone is clearly enjoying the chance being given to them.
The cast aren't the only ones it seems either. There's some impressive work being done both in front of and behind the camera as well. The sets and costumes do a wonderful job of creating the 1964 setting that the holosuite is supposed to be portraying with period costumes and technology on display throughout. Production Designer Herman Zimmerman's work on Doctor Noah's lair in particular is an impressive piece of work that pastiche the iconic Ken Adams designed sets from the 1960s Bond films on a fraction of the budget. The icing on the cake though might be the Emmy nominated score by composer Jay Chattaway which rides the fine line between pastiche and copyright infringement rather nicely by creating a score that nicely echoes the John Barry style of Bond music (and arguably is a better Bond score that Eric Serra's score for that year's Goldeneye). All of which goes to show how inventive the show's makers could be when they were given the chance.
Perhaps as a result of all that, Our Man Bashir remains a joy to watch. For a series best remembered for darker themes and a larger emphasis on ongoing plot-lines, the episode stands out from the rest of the series due to its tone and its pastiche nature. For fans of both the Bond films and Star Trek it's an essential piece of viewing for a chance to see two of the biggest icons of popular culture of the last fifty years getting the briefest of chances to interact.
Doctor Bashir... secret agent
Tweekums25 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
When Dr. Bashir takes the lead part in a James Bond style holosuite program it doesn't work out quite as he had hoped; firstly just he is about to get intimate with a beautiful lady he is interrupted by Garak who wants to know what he is doing thinking it might provide an insight into his friend's psyche. That is the least the doctor's problems though; as a runabout returns to the station with Sisko, Kira, Dax, Worf and O'Brien it falls victim of a sabotage and they are beamed out at the last moment. They don't rematerialise and before they are lost their patterns are stored in the ships computers. Their physical patterns are put in to the holosuite and characters in the story take on their appearance but not their characters. To make matters worse the safeties have been deactivated and any attempt to exit the program may delete those crew members. Bashir and Garak must play the program to its conclusion without letting and of the five get killed even though some of them are in the roll of dangerous enemies. While things are going on in the holosuite Nog races against time to retrieve the crew members before anybody gets hurt.
Although I'm not usually a fan of holosuite set episodes this one was a lot of fun as it was always fairly tongue in cheek as it spoofed '60s spy thrillers. It was fun to watch Avery Brooks hamming it up as evil super villain Hippocrates Noah who plans to flood the planet. Andrew Robinson was as always great as Garak and it was fun to see his interactions with Alexander Siddig's Dr. Bashir (super-spy).
Although I'm not usually a fan of holosuite set episodes this one was a lot of fun as it was always fairly tongue in cheek as it spoofed '60s spy thrillers. It was fun to watch Avery Brooks hamming it up as evil super villain Hippocrates Noah who plans to flood the planet. Andrew Robinson was as always great as Garak and it was fun to see his interactions with Alexander Siddig's Dr. Bashir (super-spy).
Bashir, Julian Bashir.
thevacinstaller27 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A nice little love letter to james bond and an opportunity for the actors to try on other roles for an episode.
I suppose you could call it a mixing together of parody/homage to the james bond franchise but it also ties in wonderfully with Bashir's fascinating with Garak and secret agencies as a whole.
Nana Visitor shines for me with her wonderful Russian spy performance.
I will also give points for going with a creative plot.
I suppose you could call it a mixing together of parody/homage to the james bond franchise but it also ties in wonderfully with Bashir's fascinating with Garak and secret agencies as a whole.
Nana Visitor shines for me with her wonderful Russian spy performance.
I will also give points for going with a creative plot.
Great fun
robert375031 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The episode is an enjoyable romp, as the DS9 characters get to indulge in a Bondian spy fantasy, set up by typical technobabble involving the holosuite. The writers managed to inject an element of real danger while having the cast play out the fantasy. It's full of nice touches: The 60s style sets and costumes, the musical cues reminiscent of John Barry Bond themes, Bashir as Bond brandishing what sure looks like a Walther PPK, etc. And the names! Moan-Uhhh (Mona) Lovesitt, Sisko as Dr. No-Uhh (Noah), Dax as Honey Bare, etc. Avery Brooks and Nana Visitor get a chance to really ham it up as Dr. Noah and a Russian spy named Anastasia Komananov, with Worf and O'Brien playing Noah's henchmen. I usually don't like hologram episodes, but this was fun.
Quite simply brilliant
ulca0122 September 2021
I have seen almost all Star Trek series, except Enterprise, Discovery and Picard, and loved most them; though such a series as ST: Voy had a lot of potential which was never realised. DS9 was almost as good, if not as good, as TNG.
As for the episodes in which some malfunction occur, be it the transporters, holo decks (or holo suits in DS9) or accidental time travel; this is by far the best of those, both in terms of spoofing more than one franchise (like TNG: Elementary dear Data, spoofs Sherlock Holmes), the episodes spoofs most if not all spy films and franchises of the 1960 in one way or another, but also the story.
If there is one thing I'm missing in this episode, it's some character (perhaps Bashir himself) pointing a major flaw in Dr. Noah's plan: Unless there are at the very least 50 people left to create a new population and each of the women has at least 2 children with different men, within a few generations inbreeding would most likely occur and the new population would eventually be unable to breed and therefore the population would cease to exist. But this is pretty much the only "flaw", if it should even be defined as such, in the episode; there are a few other "flaws" but those are so minor that I won't even bother mentioning them.
As for the episodes in which some malfunction occur, be it the transporters, holo decks (or holo suits in DS9) or accidental time travel; this is by far the best of those, both in terms of spoofing more than one franchise (like TNG: Elementary dear Data, spoofs Sherlock Holmes), the episodes spoofs most if not all spy films and franchises of the 1960 in one way or another, but also the story.
If there is one thing I'm missing in this episode, it's some character (perhaps Bashir himself) pointing a major flaw in Dr. Noah's plan: Unless there are at the very least 50 people left to create a new population and each of the women has at least 2 children with different men, within a few generations inbreeding would most likely occur and the new population would eventually be unable to breed and therefore the population would cease to exist. But this is pretty much the only "flaw", if it should even be defined as such, in the episode; there are a few other "flaws" but those are so minor that I won't even bother mentioning them.
OO SO GOOD
francespen29 January 2021
I really enjoyed it, you'd never believe it was all set in the holosuite. Loved the sneaky and not so sneaky Bond references. The now what would be seen as sexist request by Bashir that Honey Bare take off her glasses and loosen her hair I didn't mind at all, that was then. I would have liked to know if Julian told Ben and co about 'their' adventures. If, as was suspected, Sisko and the others were floating about in the ether somewhere could it be part of them were acting out what they would do give the chance. Kira as a Russian spy, Dex as a top scientist etc? Rom came to the rescue again.
MGM Approved
snoozejonc17 August 2022
Bashir and Garak get trapped in a holodeck James Bond fantasy.
This is a reasonably entertaining episode.
These type of stories employee the clichè that something goes wrong in the holodeck to raises the stakes, but for me the writers would be better off just immersing the characters in the fantasy and just following it for laughs.
The script is okay, but for me it relies on the actors to elevate the material. It is fun seeing them playing these roles, but I think it feels a bit of a stretch for an entire episode.
I like the set design, costumes and the bond-style fight sequences. My favourite moment is when a certain character appears quite theatrically on a bed.
All performances are great but the standouts for me include Andrew Robinson, Nana Visitor, and Avery Brooks.
This is a reasonably entertaining episode.
These type of stories employee the clichè that something goes wrong in the holodeck to raises the stakes, but for me the writers would be better off just immersing the characters in the fantasy and just following it for laughs.
The script is okay, but for me it relies on the actors to elevate the material. It is fun seeing them playing these roles, but I think it feels a bit of a stretch for an entire episode.
I like the set design, costumes and the bond-style fight sequences. My favourite moment is when a certain character appears quite theatrically on a bed.
All performances are great but the standouts for me include Andrew Robinson, Nana Visitor, and Avery Brooks.
Might be the best holodeck episode in Star Trek
dirvingman-6213616 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Holodeck episodes get a bit of a bad rep. The main issue being: there are no stakes unless the holodeck breaks, and why would such a technology break so often and yet still be used? A secondary issue: the events in the holodeck feel disconnected from the world of Star Trek.
Now, I'm pretty forgiving with holodeck episodes. Still, this is a cut above the others - mostly because it avoids the usual issues of the archetype. Here, the stakes are heightened not by the holodeck breaking, per se, but by the storing of transporter patterns. Which gives an interesting dynamic of the protagonists still dealing with danger, but they must be pacifists to save the day.
Even within this fantasy, there's still some great genuine character moments between Bashir and Garak - about what it means to be a hero, and how each makes tough choices.
Outside of those two, the rest of the actors are having a ball, hamming up this loving pastiche of spy films and their tropes. It's a fun episode, entertaining from beginning to end, with a clever story going on underneath the surface. Kira as a Russian bombshell and Sisko as a crazy monologuing Bond villain are both highlights.
Now, I'm pretty forgiving with holodeck episodes. Still, this is a cut above the others - mostly because it avoids the usual issues of the archetype. Here, the stakes are heightened not by the holodeck breaking, per se, but by the storing of transporter patterns. Which gives an interesting dynamic of the protagonists still dealing with danger, but they must be pacifists to save the day.
Even within this fantasy, there's still some great genuine character moments between Bashir and Garak - about what it means to be a hero, and how each makes tough choices.
Outside of those two, the rest of the actors are having a ball, hamming up this loving pastiche of spy films and their tropes. It's a fun episode, entertaining from beginning to end, with a clever story going on underneath the surface. Kira as a Russian bombshell and Sisko as a crazy monologuing Bond villain are both highlights.
The joy and playfulness of TOS
jhochstny11 June 2022
DS9 is the one Trek spin-off that wholly captures the spirit of the parent series. TNG would occasionally get it right, but only DS9 gets the mix of opposition and friendship between the characters was perfect, and was never more delightful in this ep that gives us Nana Visitor as a sexpot KGB colonel, a Garak envious of the Bondian excesses of MI-6 agent Bashir ("It appears I joined the wrong intelligence service"), eye-patched O'Brien, and a Sisko/Dr. Noah who fits nicely n the mold of Dr. No, Blofeld, and Goldfinger, and white-jacketed cigar aficionado Worf/ Duchamps...Only DS9 ever got away with the alternating great tragedies ("Duet"), an elegiac original tale of the time-lost in "The Visitor", the pure silliness of "Take Me Out to the Holosuite", and brilliant tribute episodes.like "Trials and Tribble-ations..." , all with the spiritedness of the original,. And "Our Man Bashir" by using the 1964 super spy template, we also get the '60s naughtiness without which TOS would have been a long-forgotten dud.
This one goes to eleven.
This one goes to eleven.
Not to be taken seriously
beanslegit11 April 2022
This one is reasonably entertaining I must say, although it loses points for Nana Visitors terrible russian accent and acting. Though in fairness I'm just not a fan of her acting in general, so that might just be it. I understand some people are big fans, so opinions etc...
Worth watching for the laughs, but doesn't advance the plot atall.
Worth watching for the laughs, but doesn't advance the plot atall.
Funny AND stupid!
planktonrules28 December 2014
This episode begins with Dr. Bashir in the holosuite--playing a James Bond-like character. However, his fun is interrupted by Garak--who was apparently jealous of Bashir's many lady friends...and adventures. So, they stay and enjoy the program together. However, at the same time, there is a transporter malfunction and five crew members are somehow sent into the memory of the holosuite and they begin appearing in Bashir's little fantasy. There is a problem, though, as he cannot close the program or perhaps the crew members will be forever lost. So, he's forced to play out the program and avoid letting any of these five die.
"Our Man Bashir" is both funny (like watching him in an Austin Powers movie. But, on the other hand, it's very embarrassing and stupid because it's like watching Dr. Bashir in an Austin Powers movie--especially with the names of the female characters!! Like so many of the holo episodes, this one is one you'll probably love or hate. It does nothing to advance the show and seems like fluffy filler.
"Our Man Bashir" is both funny (like watching him in an Austin Powers movie. But, on the other hand, it's very embarrassing and stupid because it's like watching Dr. Bashir in an Austin Powers movie--especially with the names of the female characters!! Like so many of the holo episodes, this one is one you'll probably love or hate. It does nothing to advance the show and seems like fluffy filler.
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