OK, I just rewatched #StarTrek #DS9 "Statistical Probabilities" for the first time since my #autistic revelation, and wow it's about the closest you could get to canonical autism without actually saying "these people are autistic". I think this episode stands with a few others as a sincere effort at representation that did the best they could given the times, but can feel a little cringe by current standards. TNG "The Outcast" and DS9 "Rejoined" are the two I always think of that way, but there are surely some others.

The four augments, Jack, Lauren, Patrick, and Sarina, are written so each maximally represents a different autistic stereotype. Jack lacks empathy and won't shut up. Lauren is overly familiar and has no feel for personal boundaries. Patrick is infantile and awkward to the extreme. Sarina is non-speaking and withdrawn, and refuses to interact. They all are "idiot savants", saddled with disabling impairments but possessing multiple genius-level mental abilities. Somewhat perversely, they can read affect (facial expression, tone of voice, etc) well enough to infer secrets and hidden motives that others miss, which is kind of the opposite of most autists, who struggle to understand allistic affect and subtext.

I'd like to say more about this episode, but I have to think about it some more first, and I probably should watch the follow-up episode "Chrysalis" too. It's a lot to unpack.

Random #StarTrek nitpicking: The airlocks on #DS9 have always bugged me because they aren't actually airlocks at all. If both doors to an airlock can be open at the same time, it's not a lock. It's just a docking port with two doors. Watching people breeze onto the station without even breaking stride just screams danger at me.

The most basic design requirement of an airlock is that the doors are held closed by air pressure within the lock. Neither door can open if there is pressure inside and vacuum (or just lower pressure) outside it. DS9's sliding doors may look cool, but they indicate that Cardassians just don't care about safety. (That attitude is confirmed by their disdain of backup systems as mentioned in S3E15 "Destiny".)

In #StarTrek #DS9 episode "The Assignment" (S5E5), Rom uses the phrase "culpable deniability". Is this a Ferengi legal concept, or did the universal translator mess up "plausible deniability"? 🤔

#StarTrek #DS9 #ToTheDeath #spoilers

This episode is so good. Oh look, directed by LeVar Burton, so of course it's amazing. First off, it's just one story about one thing. So many Trek shows follow the A-plot/B-plot division where the A-plot is the action story and the B-plot is some unrelated character development to balance the tone. But "To The Death" doesn't screw around and just goes for one story that stands on its own.

This is also one of the best appearances of Jeffrey Combs, the greatest non-regular-cast actor in all of Trekdom. I want to hate Weyoun but he's just so damn earnest I can't help but love him a little. And it's not just me - Weyoun was so lovable in this ep that even though he was killed off they brought him back as a clone. Bonus: Brian Thompson as a Jem'Hadar! Thompson has appeared as nearly as many Trek characters as Combs. He totally nails his role as the heavy in this episode, and was the perfect foil to make Worf lose his cool.

All the acting is great, and I largely credit Burton's direction. Every character gets to shine. Even Quark comes off as a bit heroic. Sisko is fucking epic. But my favorite moment is when Worf sits down to drink his prune juice just as everyone is called to the bridge, and he pauses for just one second in frustration before getting up. It was only one second, but said so much about Worf. I don't know whether it was Burton or Dorn who worked that pause into that moment, but it was gold.

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Sisko's smile at the end was the icing on the cake for this episode.

This ending is classic! Sisko with that twinkle in his eye. 😂

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Go Tosk Go!

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Miles makes a new friend
At times you can see right through him
Some others want Tosk only to hunt
Then the Chief pulls a stunt
And the hunt he did extend

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"Constable - there's no hurry"

The most memorable lines from this episode for me.

This is a win-win outcome. Tosk escapes and the hunters get to resume their hunt.

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Quark does not give up - I really like that about him. Thanks Barkeep!

What did the Dominion do with the hunters and Tosk?

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if Tosk had a sense of humor in like bloodwine he would really get along with the Klingons

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that pesky prime directive...

It’s the poor man’s version of the Hirogen!

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I wonder if Julian is getting jealous of this budding bromance.

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good evening friends!

boy if I need an army I think I would genetically modify that Tosk guy.

Tosk: "I have no use for fantasy adventure. I live the greatest adventure one could ever desire"

Quark: "Then I envy you, Mr. Tosk:

This was a nice exchange between Tosk and Quark.

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Tosk is thinking these people are a bunch of slackers.

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How many Vulcans go around saying, “we’re here to serve”? 🧐

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