Deep Space Nine 1x8 "Dax"

*

"Dax" is pretty much the opposite of "A Man Alone."  It's the first time since the pilot that the fact of Jadzia being a Trill is significant, and the first time since Next Generation that there're some real issues about the whole host-symbiont dynamic.  It has the makings of a truly significant episode, and in many ways it is, but there are a number of things that hold it back.

One of the first is that at this point, the creators didn't really know what to do with Jadzia.  This is made painfully more obvious once the second season rolls around.  That season has the character written all over it.  This one doesn't.  "Dax" is meant to be the episode that justifies the character, and in many ways, there are almost too many parallels to "A Man Alone," in that once again, a main character finds themselves in trouble with the law, due to misunderstandings that are eventually sorted out.

It's not a bad episode to watch, but the series, and the season, end up doing this same premise better, and that's not much for praise.  Still, it's a worthwhile episode to watch if you want to see some meat from a season that otherwise seems to try its best to waltz around doing anything meaningful for a few too many episodes, especially as everyone is still trying to figure out the best way to execute on their highest levels.

"Dax" is ultimately an entry that says, "not there yet."

franchise * series * essential * character

Memory Alpha summary.