Television Review: The Alternate (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, S2x12, 1994)
The Alternate (S02E12)
Airdate: 9 January 1994
Written by: Bill Dial
Directed by: David Carson
Running Time: 46 minutes
When the series is as epic as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, delivering serialized narratives that rival the grandeur of The Next Generation or the political intrigue of Babylon 5, it is easy to overlook the smaller, episodic entries that populate its run. However, within these unassuming episodes often dismissed as mere filler, some of the most significant building blocks for character development and major story arcs are frequently found. In the case of Odo, the station's stoic constable, an example of this phenomenon can be found in the rather unremarkable Season 2 episode "The Alternate." While it may lack the polished production values or revolutionary storytelling of its contemporaries, this episode is essential for understanding the emotional landscape of Odo’s character and the formative events that shaped his identity.
The narrative commences with a quirky yet unsettling interaction that serves as the perfect palate cleanser before diving into serious drama. Odo notices that Quark is attempting to peddle the vacuum-desiccated remains of the Ferengi Plegg, a character who happens to be alive and kicking. The absurdity of this situation is immediately undercut when Odo is interrupted by the arrival of arguably the most important person from his past: Dr. Mora Pol (David Sloyan). He is the Bajoran scientist who discovered Odo preserved in a jar and essentially "raised" him within the sterile confines of his laboratory. The reunion is fraught with palpable tension. Despite Mora’s courteous remarks and apparent pride in Odo’s distinguished career as the station’s head of security, Odo finds his "father" patronising. He harbours deep-seated resentment and does not look back fondly on his time spent as a scientific curiosity in the lab.
This interpersonal conflict drives the plot into the Gamma Quadrant, where Mora admits that he has returned on business; a Bajoran science probe has located DNA fragments in the sector that match Odo’s. An expedition is launched to solve the mystery of his origins. A runabout is dispatched carrying Odo, Mora, Dax, and Mora’s colleague, Dr. Aris Weld Ram (Matt McKenzie). Upon arriving at planet L-S VI, they beam onto the surface and locate the ancient artefact. There, they discover a strange silicate-based lifeform whose DNA is strikingly similar to Odo’s. The creature is captured and placed in a containment container. However, the relief is short-lived; an earthquake strikes, releasing poisonous gases from the ground. These gases incapacitate the crew, leaving Odo as the only conscious being. He orders an emergency beam up, ensuring everyone—including the captured creature—is safely transported back to the wormhole and subsequently to Deep Space Nine.
Back on the station, Dr. Mora, Dax, and Weld slowly recover from the gas exposure. The captured creature is placed in a confinement field. Later, O’Brien discovers the lab has been trashed, and the creature is gone. He finds what appears to be gooey remains, leading the crew to believe the creature is dead. However, the creature is far from finished. Dr. Bashir is later attacked in his office, fending off the assailant with a scalpel. Bashir discovers that the creature’s DNA differs from the DNA found on the planet.
With Mora having recovered, he joins the investigation and examines the evidence. He realizes with a shock that the new creature and Odo are one and the same. The toxic gas from L-S VI affected Odo and disrupted his unique regeneration process. Mora confronts Odo, offering to bring him back to his lab for treatment. Odo refuses, and as he begins to transform into a monster, Mora bravely offers himself as bait. Sisko and his crew set up a containment field trap. The plan works, and Odo successfully returns to his humanoid form. In a poignant moment of reconciliation, Odo apologises to Mora for his earlier aggression, while Mora apologises for his previous disregard for Odo’s feelings. They begin to mend their fractured relationship.
Directed by Star Trek veteran David Carson and written by Bill Dial, The Alternate was a rather ambitious episode that tried to put elements of the monster film genre into the DS9 universe, as well as explore Frankenstein-like dynamics in the relation between Odo and his creator. This parallel is not accidental; it mirrors the classic science fiction trope of the creator and the created, elevating Odo’s struggle beyond a simple identity crisis to a profound existential dilemma about nature versus nurture. However, the episode occasionally struggles to fully integrate these high-concept themes into its episodic format.
There is an interesting anecdote regarding the casting choices. Rene Auberjonois had originally intended to play both Odo and his creator, utilising the precedent set by Brent Spinner playing both Data and Noonien Soong in The Next Generation, a pattern later repeated with David Picardo playing Doctor and Lewis Zimmerman in Voyager. However, scheduling pressures and the impracticality of the extensive make-up required for the creator role meant that this plan was abandoned. David Sloyan, an actor who had worked well in the TNG episode The Defector, was cast instead. He does a solid job here, but he lacks the dynamic chemistry with Auberjonois that might have elevated the scenes between the two Odos.
Director Carson, who would soon afterwards work on Star Trek: Generations and end his work on the franchise, does solid work with scenes in which he uses transformed Odo to turn into some sort of monster. He uses the visual effects to create a genuine sense of dread. Yet, the ending, although logical and allowing for Mora to reappear again, is strangely anticlimactic. The resolution to the creature's threat feels rushed, and the emotional payoff of the reunion is somewhat undercut by the brevity of the final confrontation.
The episode’s overall impression is somewhat lowered by some uninspired storylines that seem to exist solely to fill the runtime. For instance, Jake Sisko is burdened with adolescent issues, specifically his father insisting he listen to Klingon opera, which Jake finds tedious. Additionally, the continuing saga of Dr. Bashir romantically pursuing Jadzia Dax takes up valuable screen time without advancing their relationship significantly. Furthermore, there is a small detail that caused some continuity issues later in the series, with Benjamin Sisko implying that he had lost his father, who appears later in the series alive. This inconsistency is a minor blemish on an otherwise coherent narrative.
Ultimately, "The Alternate" is a solid, if unremarkable, episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It may not stand the test of time as a classic, but it serves a critical purpose by establishing part of Odo’s character lore. It humanises him, showing his vulnerability and his complex history with his creator. For viewers interested in the deep lore of the show, this episode provides essential context, even if the execution is occasionally clunky. It bridges the gap between Odo’s mysterious past and his role as a member of the crew, making it a necessary, if imperfect, piece of the DS9 puzzle.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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