Progress (S01E14)
Airdate: 9 May 1993
Written by: Peter Allan Fields
Directed by: Les Landau
Running Time: 46 minutes
As Deep Space Nine entered the final stretch of its debut season, it began to bear a striking resemblance to the early turmoil of The Next Generation—at least in terms of the general quality of the narrative output. The season oscillated between episodes of genuinely profound storytelling and installments that fell below mediocrity, with the average episodes remaining merely functional. Yet, it was becoming increasingly evident that the creators were still grappling with the fundamental question of what the series was truly about and how it would effectively function within the Star Trek universe. While the production values remained high, often masking the show's narrative uncertainties with impressive visual effects and a consistently strong cast, the identity crisis persisted. The episode Progress serves as a prime example of this balancing act; it is a story that possesses potent dramatic potential but is ultimately compromised by structural flaws, specifically the intrusion of a subordinate storyline that fails to resonate.
The central narrative thrust of Progress launches with Major Kira Nerys being summoned by the Bajoran Provisional Government to assist with a crucial energy project. The proposed solution involves tapping into the core of Jeraddo, the fifth moon of Bajor, which is scheduled to provide affordable energy to the planet. However, a significant obstacle arises: Jeraddo is inhabited by a group of Bajorans who escaped Cardassian labour camps years ago. Against all odds, these survivors transformed the barren moon into a thriving farming colony. Their leader, Mullibok, played with a stubborn, weather-beaten gravitas by Brian Keith, refuses to leave the moon. He declares that he prefers death to losing everything he has painstakingly built. The tension between the government's utilitarian goals and Mullibok's deep attachment to his home leads to violence. In an effort to diffuse the situation, Kira decides to temporarily live with Mullibok and assist him with his farming chores, hoping to understand his perspective. Meanwhile, Sisko becomes concerned that Kira is "going native," fearing she might lose her professional objectivity and her job as a result. Ultimately, Kira is forced to make a difficult choice, using her authority to burn Mullibok's kiln and cottage, thereby forcing him to evacuate.
Interspersed with this primary drama is a secondary storyline that tracks Nog and Jake Sisko. While eavesdropping on Quark complaining about being saddled with a shipment of worthless Cardassian yarmok sauce, the young Ferengi and the human boy decide to seize the opportunity to try and turn a profit. They devise a scheme to obtain the sauce and sell it, a venture that ultimately leads them to become the owners of seemingly worthless land on Bajor. It is only later that they realise the land is subject to a specific Bajoran government contract, which inadvertently renders it highly valuable.
From a production standpoint, the episode Progress offers a fascinating insight into the show's origins. According to the producers, the script was developed during the actual production run of the season when they realised that Major Kira, arguably one of the more intriguing regular characters in the ensemble, had not yet been given an episode focused strictly on her. The resulting script by Peter Allan Fields allowed Kira to continue her internal struggle between her past as a fierce resistance fighter and her present role as a government official who should favour diplomacy over violence. The script functions adequately within its own bounds, and a significant amount of credit must be attributed to Brian Keith, whose performance is genuinely moving; he embodies an old man who has lost everything and is clinging to the last vestiges of his dignity with a ferocity that is heartbreaking to watch. However, it is Nana Visitor who delivers the strongest performance in the episode, particularly in the pivotal scene with Avery Brooks as Captain Sisko, where the emotional weight of her dual loyalty is palpable.
Despite these strong character moments, the episode would have worked significantly better had the writers chosen to excise the weak and largely forgettable side storyline involving Nog and Jake. While the premise of young Ferengi learning about entrepreneurship is charming in theory, the execution in Progress feels forced and extraneous. The subplot involving the yarmok sauce and the land purchase only serves to muddle the general storyline, removing much of the dramatic impact that the Kira/Mullibok conflict could have achieved. The comedic elements feel forced and "lame," distracting from the serious undercurrents of displacement and sacrifice that characterize the main plot.
Viewers familiar with Star Trek history will inevitably draw comparisons between Progress and the TNG episode Ensigns of Command, particularly given the thematic similarities. In the TNG episode, Data faces a crisis with a colony on Tau Cygna V that is refusing to evacuate despite the imminent threat of destruction by the Sheliak. Much like Mullibok, the colonists' refusal to leave is rooted in a deep connection to their home and a refusal to abandon the legacy of their ancestors. However, while Data struggles to reconcile his cold logic with the human need for belonging, Kira's struggle is defined by her Bajoran identity. Ensigns of Command utilises its setting to dissect timeless questions of sovereignty and the collision between inflexible historical agreements and the lived reality of displaced communities. Progress attempts to do the same with a Bajoran lens, but due to the insertion of the Nog and Jake subplot, it lacks the cohesive focus that would have made it a truly great episode. It shows the growing pains of DS9, a show that was desperate to find its voice in the Trek universe, often succeeding in the character moments but tripping over its own narrative structure in the process.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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