That Time Quark Became a Woman (Profit and Lace) (DS9)

Quark gets a sex change and hilarity ensues?
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[@OneColdMonkey]

*heeheeheeheehee*

[@Tareltonlives]

THE STAR OF MY DINNER WITH ANDRE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

[@LaNoLaCola]

OneColdMonkey whenever Allison did the laugh, it reminded me of her Stephanie impression on Baywatching

[@termateo6700]

Fun fact: That guy is the same man that voiced Rex in Toy Story

[@Lava91point0]

@@termateo6700 Vizzini from Princess Bride lmao

[@user-nf9xc7ww7m]

My reaction to her saying "when it went dark, it went hard" 😏

[@jbwarner8626]

This week on Deep Space Nine: Can Sisko live with the guilt of falsifying information and sending a man to his death in order to save the Alpha Quadrant? Next week on Deep Space Nine: Quark wears a dress.

[@thewewguy8t88]

Ahh the golden age of star trek tone shifts be dammed lol say what you will about modern trek but at the very least discovery felt like it had a pretty consistent tone. To me it did anyways I mean at least it was not as jarring as the golden age of star trek could be. Going from one of the best episodes of ds9 to one of the worst episodes lol

[@arklestudios]

I loved that joke from the SF Debris review about this one. Quark, about the sex change: It's for a zany scheme. Bashir: Oh, why didn't you say so? There's a zany scheme exemption clause in all codes of medical ethics. Quark: Really? Bashir: No, you idiot.

[@dm121984]

Tbf, if its medically alot simpler to transition in the future (as it seems to be), it might well be less of an issue to transition for a zany scheme... though it seems that its not a 5 minute job still, so probably NOT a zany scheme level of ease. Also, high five to my fellow sfdebris fan!

[@dswrabkln4900]

Based Federation, relying on an informed consent model for gender affirming care.

[@waynefiddler3609]

I think the scene would be more like Quark: I need you to surgically turn me into a woman. Bashir: You son of a bitch, I'm in. Quark: You can reverse it right? Bashir: Taking the fun right out of this...

[@morphman86]

Fun Fact: Brunt is played by veteran Star Trek (and general) actor Jeffrey Combs. He has played so many roles in Star Trek, they once forgot and put two of them in the same DS9 episode, Brunt and Weyoun. The episode is The Dogs Of War, season 7. He was one of 5 actors considered for the role of William T. Riker.

[@Spekor]

you could do an entire episode just with his characters.. it would be alot of makeup work but totally worth watching

[@gustavgnoettgen]

@@Spekor and as a gag you could excuse others like the captain for not being there because reasons 🤭

[@GeeVanderplas]

Wouldn't it have been amazing if Brunt and Weyoun met in that episode? I can totally see Weyoun doing a double take and give Brunt a curious look, like don't you look familiar...

[@morphman86]

@@GeeVanderplas I can see Combs doing the spiderman meeting spiderman meme thing in that scene

[@jessicare5331]

Jeffrey Combs is a freaking legend

[@dunes8817]

Female Quark's outfit looks like someone ran a 70s wallpaper pattern though a tie dye filter.

[@JamesOhGoodie]

Dunes8 Jimi Hendrix would think those colors are too loud.

[@juanelorriaga2840]

Looks like a Acid nightmare

[@Uncle-Jay]

And I love it.

[@Apollomasque]

Odo is genderfluid and everything else-fluid

[@relazar]

Apollomasque he isn’t just fluid, changelings can become gaseous too

[@klisterklister2367]

odo is ditto from pokémon

[@lnfreeman]

@@relazar gas is a fluid

[@mercurydude]

@@relazar I wonder if those replicators can produce Beano.

[@DrJReefer]

@@lnfreeman So are cats

[@jamesbeatty9957]

I grew up watching TNG and was a huge fan. One day when I was about 10, I thought "let me check out this other Star Trek show". *THIS* was the first episode of DS9 I saw. It was several years before I gave the show another chance and realized the entire series wasn't some bizarre Ferengi sitcom...

[@Megabean]

Something really similar happened to me with DS9. That and I think that a lot of DS9 story elements just make more sense in an adult context.

[@thewewguy8t88]

I started watching ds9 while I think the first season was airing I know misses out on emsary. Random fun fact though as kid I always wished to see an episode where quark amd Sisco were on shuttle craft together and nog and Jake ended up tagging along. When I was a teenager I was shocked to learn that episode existed lol well it was more like nov and quark were the ones tagging along with sisco and Jake but close enough lol I am sure kid me would have been really impressed with the episode if I had a chance to see it.

[@lmoore3567]

Omg same

[@ElmerCat]

Ishka to Quark: " You may be a lousy son, but you made a wonderful daughter."

[@seiretzym]

'Orbs of the prophets' made me turn and look at a non-existent camera

[@explosivooo]

Please pleasepleasepleasepleeeeeeease do more of these! You bring such a fresh perspective to this franchise that is so hard to find anywhere else. So many Star Trek review series are full of explanations using lore or expanded universe understanding to try to discredit or affirm their opinions of an episode or series. You look at it from the perspective of proper story structure, character motivation and growth, and an ability to laugh with, and at, the events in a series rather than the all too common feeling of rejection, anger, and betrayal that so many trek fans have when they've engrossed themselves so much in the franchise. The contrast between your twitter followers opinions and yours of these episodes confirms this. You bring to your reviews what made people love Star Trek from the beginning, character and heart.

[@AllisonPregler]

Aw what a nice comment! Thank you!

[@Ryversongfan]

I totally agree with explosivooo

[@The_Call_Up]

I agree, as a lifelong trek fan, I find it refreshing to hear the opinions of someone whom is new to the series, but doesn't act like they are too good for Star Trek (as is so often the case with folks whom have deliberately avoided the series).

[@Warmishcookies]

Please do a review about the episodes you personally find worst in DS9. I so curious.

[@LaNoLaCola]

At least no one will interrupt the caber toss.

[@Tareltonlives]

DINNE LIGHT THA CAHNDL!

[@annasloan2349]

Omg yes! Best comment ever

[@CrisisComics]

Y'know, if the Dominion got far enough into Federation space to capture Betazed, it makes me wonder how many of those wacky one-off planets that were in TNG got bulldozed by the Dominion.

[@themodelkitbase9649]

The quality of this comment insures that it was actually Groppler Zorn in disguise who posted it.

[@z.m.stewart1996]

when they all sang the sluggo cola slogan with so much exhaustion and loathing i really really felt it 4:01

[@stephentaylor6726]

'...I've seen much worse episodes of DS9.' ALLAMARAINE!!!!

[@fromthedumpstertothegrave3689]

one! two! this shit script go through!

[@mrdexs]

You beat me to it, yes that episode is horrible!

[@GeneralG1810]

Someone should have told the person who wrote that script to "Move along home!"

[@MeenToss]

@@GeneralG1810 Funny thing is, the writers for Move Along Home are the same writers as for Duet, one of the best DS9 episodes.

[@GeneralG1810]

@@MeenToss wow everyone makes mistakes I suppose.

[@fatimagic1365]

i'm not into star trek but i always laugh when i hear about the ferengi because i'm half-iranian and "ferengi" or "ferengis" is the farsi word for "outsider" or "foreigner." they literally named their alien species "alien."

[@nisselarson3227]

It is pronounced the same way? fe-ren-gee?

[@PosthumanHeresy]

Well they're also based on classic anti-Jewish stereotypes, so that's oddly fitting.

[@bryonsmith4384]

@@nisselarson3227 pronounce it the way it is spelled: ferengi

[@nisselarson3227]

@@PosthumanHeresy all those ferengi actors are of the jewish faith, as well.

[@Jiub_SN]

@@PosthumanHeresy oh yeah? Did you create them? That's how you know that? Or are you applying Jewish stereotypes to something unrelated?

[@laurenjcoates]

6:40 the worst part is that this almost happened- Alexander Siddig (bashir), who directed the episode, initial wanted to play the episode straight and make it a commentary on gender politics, but was told by higher ups that he couldn’t, and as a result of how terrible the episode turned out, Siddig didn’t direct another DS9 episode

[@genderender]

DS9 producers kept interfering on Sidiq's ideas, its kinda absurd

[@laststanding9998]

That higher upside nane probably started with a b and rymes with erman

[@Rocketboy1313]

I love Jeffrey Combs in his role as Brunt. Completely different from Weyoun so much so that I didn't realize they were the same actor until rewatching the series, years later as an adult.

[@TheAbstruseOne]

And the only good thing (at least in my opinion) about Enterprise, Shran. And the creepy customer at Quark's who wanted the holosuite program of Kira...

[@joshuarasmussen5679]

I wonder why she didn't point that out

[@sarahkinsey5434]

He is such a fantastic character actor! My favorite Enterprise episodes are the one with him and Brent Spiner

[@Befuddled_Ostrich]

As a fellow Jeffery Combs fan I'd strongly recommend Re-Animator and From Beyond. Both movies have him chewing scenery in the best way possible.

[@stevedax6947]

Same, in fact it was only in the rewatching of the last episode it struck me, and that was because of the opening credits! Guess I hadn't clicked Star Trek had a habit of re-using some actors back then but dang that's still credit to Combs's versatility.

[@yourimaginaryfriend9075]

Quark was a great character. When his family needed him, he was there.

[@KappaKiller108]

Quark was a good man, but raised in a bad society

[@wstine79]

If you want a good Ferengi led episode, I recommend The Magnificent Ferengi. Complete with Iggy Pop as a Vorada.

[@GuardianAngel871]

Little Green Men is a very good Ferengi episode as well.

[@murasakiahiru]

Vorta

[@bcfowler82]

2 of my favs!

[@ehrldawg]

No kidding !!

[@stephentaylor6726]

Agreed...

[@sethsassy]

That zoom in on Rom's mouth really got me. Well done.

[@lizardlegend42]

The Ferangi episodes are always such a tone shift from the rest of DS9. While the rest of the show can be light hearted it usually retains its seriousness, especially compared to other trek shows, it can actually get really dark sometimes. But the Feeangi episodes are like their own seperate thing, feeling more like a Saturday morning cartoon. Like there's one where they get a crew of a Ferangi and outsmart the Dominion in the most cartoonish way possible to rescue Quark's mum.

[@Eckendenker]

I swear that episode almost broke me. What hot garbage.

[@medexamtoolsdotcom]

Yes! That's a great way of putting it! And that's also why it is possible for it to be the case that the episodes centering on the Ferengi were singularly the best ones. It was like a completely different show. My favorite one was the one where he gets the team of ferengi mercenaries together to rescue his mother from the dominion. And the dominion guy dies saying "I hate ferengi", that was just so perfect. That was the day star trek suddenly turned into a weekend at bernies.

[@michaeldriggers7681]

I love how we all thought we were so progressive and forward thinking in the 90s. When you look back from 2020 you realize we still had and probably still have a long way to go. We used to say "it's the nineties" to prove how accepting and tolerant we were. Now we say "it was the nineties" as proof of the opposite.

[@alaron5698]

What I wouldn't give to go back to the 90s over being in this overly sensistive, emotionally incontinent decade where "progressive" thinking has lead us to biological men competing in women's sports on account of it being unacceptable to point out that men and women aren't identical. You can keep your "acceptance and tolerance."

[@rowenmorland2167]

The episode established that one of the first victories of Ferengi feminism was to get pockets.

[@wolfbane7497]

You know it's been 3 years since I've watched this video and it's still funny every time I watch it

[@CaladonianQueen]

Your use of sound clips is masterful. I lost it at 'ridin' dirty' and 'uh-oh spagettios.'

[@tacotoosday42]

Love that Bashir directed this!!! U know he got the short straw.

[@90lancaster]

They always give new directors a ferengi Episode and if they do a good job they get invited back - if they don't they it's written off as just a Ferengi episode. We will all forget that some of the Ferengi Episodes are darn good though seemingly. (Such as Nog's recovery on the Holosuite)

[@sarahkinsey5434]

The Ferengi episodes feel like filler episodes to me. A few are fairly good, but some are just weird, like this one. Siddig definitely had his work cut out for this episode

[@nancyomalley9959]

@@90lancaster He directed an earlier Ferengi episode-"Business As Usual

[@jazzygeofferz]

Wallace Shawn & Jeffrey Combs hamming it up as Ferengi is a delight.

[@MrVoid666]

Weirdly enough I think there's enough in this episode to balance it out: quarks character progression, social change only being supported when it can be used for profit and rom the one true best boy proving himself as usual by pulling another random talent out of his bag (movent coach)

[@drewgehringer7813]

6:24 Bashir: "Eh, sure; I'm bored and have half an hour open in my schedule anyway."

[@90lancaster]

What did they do with Quark er.. "equipment" cut it off and store it in a jar for a few days, turn it inside out ? clone a new parts ? So if they can do that why couldn't Nog have a real leg as his replacement leg ? Surely a show that showed cloning is possible and that they can grow babies in a vat if they need to - can also grow a leg or even just replicate one instantly. Heck it might even be feasible to repair one instantly using transporter tech - I guess that is why The Orville made a point of mentioning that. I guess they didn't want torture to be meaningless if they knew any damage could be undone.

[@JamesOhGoodie]

90 Lancaster I have a thousand questions but I don’t think I’ll like the answer to any of them.

[@paulcarson7860]

Bashir directed this

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@90lancaster I think Nog does have a cloned leg? They called it a "biosynthetic limb". Sounds pretty biological to me. He has completely full use of it, sensation throughout it, etc. The episode made clear that his trauma was manifesting as pain when using the limb, the leg represented the traumatic experience of losing his old one, not that it was actually faulty or a shitty replacement. He doesn't have to take the leg off at night to charge it like a modern robotic limb or anything.

[@90lancaster]

@@kaitlyn__L DS9 is rather contradictory about Cloning, but then the technology is purposefully nerfed to make certain things that the technology allows impossible as they are awkward for the plot or the politics they want to push at the time the episode was written. It might not even be needed to grow a leg it might be possible to replicate one. (but again on the degree with which living matter can be regenerated is a bit vague too). Synthetic is a funny word, it could just imply the leg was made, or it could imply it's an exact copy of the original, I think if it was an exact copy - so long as the attachment was well done the recovery would be pretty short. One reason I think it's hard to be sure about what is possible is the removal of borg implants, how much can be reversed seems to change a lot.

[@literosexual6541]

I actually cackled during this, I may just call in sick to work and watch this channel all day.

[@sensibleGamer]

It has it's moments, but it STARTS with Quark going WAAAAAY overboard with pressuring an employee into sex. Like, he was often an asshole before, but he suddenly goes from bossy to HARVEY WEINSTEIN in this episode just to set up a "Quark learns to respect women" moral It sours the mood is what I'm saying

[@BronzeBoy520]

sensibleGamer yeah, Quark is no feminist but he doesn’t hate women, look at how he treats Dax and Kira. Course Quark thinks if he treats Kira like shit she would tear his arms off... which she may do.

[@Tareltonlives]

Exactly. This episode is so broad on issues that are pretty sensitive IRL, so you stop laughing and just cringe

[@bcfowler82]

I agree, I always hated they started it out like they did. It's just not what he was about at this time of the series. The first season ya maybe but at this point his character changed plus Sisco wouldn't put up with that type of behavior. It's been talked about before in an earlier episode.

[@90lancaster]

If Quark was so Horrible then why would Dax spend her leisure time with them ? So Yeah I would have to agree that is a character acting out of character because Plot. They could of at least had the girl go to him looking for a raise and then her saying something like "I'd do anything for a raise".. that would prick Quark's ears up and still be a bit sleezy - but at least understandable and not well Horrible. But They'd have had to reframe that ending perhaps saying he'd give her the raise for her good work anyway and then see if she was still interested in making a pass at him. (which is actually better from Quark's point of view - than her only wanting to sexually excite him for money). But considering how Bajor is still barely recovering from a horrific occupation - And people need the work there is always that lingering concern about coercion. But then I'd say the same about Bajor being woed by the Federation too. Especially when they have shown they are quite willing to throw a world a way if it's inconvenient to try to save it - when dealing with the Demilitarised zone. But in conclusion - no I would not see Quark using sexual blackmail - this is the same guy who said no to a Vulcan Terrorist who was prepared to sleep with him in exchange for weapons. (and she was seen by some as one the Hottest female Vulcanoids there has even been on Star Trek). There are many things Quark wouldn't do - that was part of the Joke about him and Odo - Odo keeps trying to capture him for ill-deeds but the joke is that Odo doens't realise that the reason Quark isn't a wealthy man is because he does have boundaries and morals & is Friends with Aliens not just using them as is tradition. Heck it's Quark who gives moral lessons to Sisko more than once.

[@gwenc1371]

Yeah, there's a fine line that Quark and most of the Ferengi Oomox jokes rode and which usually depended upon the humor of seeing Quark or Rom practically climaxing from an ear rub to defuse the more rape-y vibes of it. How they got that was either funny and absurd(the woman in Little Green Men giving him Oomox before the translator was back), a joke at their expense(Quark giving a better deal because a woman decides to touch his lobes), or blessedly left under-explained. It can still be somewhat uncomfortable today, and hasn't really aged terribly well, but still funny and overall harmless because of the stupidness of the visual. Robbing it of the visual, and focusing solely on Quark threatening to fire her unless she does it(a much more realistic portrayal of how sexual harassment can occur), robs it of the humor and teeters it over the edge from "haha this is so silly" to "wait...aren't there laws against this? Where's Odo?!" territory.

[@TroutBoneless]

im loving these videos, idk how i never found this channel before btw, quark is considered to be unfashionably progressive by ferengi standards. hes no radical like rom or nog, but he's like a factory owner who still employed women after wwii ended, because he could pay them less than vets

[@BlazingOwnager]

You stated Deep Space 9 was the best? You have chosen.. wisely.

[@anthonylesley982]

True

[@medexamtoolsdotcom]

It goes beyond choosing wisely. It's just fact. Anyone whose opinion is different is just wrong. DS9 was drastically and fundamentally different and better than all the other star trek series. It was the only one that wasn't preachy, with characters that I respected and cared about, where it really showed the ambiguity of morality in situations.

[@Uncle-Jay]

For a series from the 90's, I am impressed with what they tried to do here. Maybe it wasn't done the most tactfully, but I can appreciate what they were trying to do. Most shows during this era are unlikely to address these topics for fear of backlash. I also want to add, I was never a big Star Trek fan, little to dry for me, Deep Space 9 made it watchable.

[@omgkatstephens]

This episode did get super absurd, but I'll eyeroll my way through any DS9 episode with a guest appearance from Jeffrey Combs. Like you mentioned, DS9 did some strong and more serious plots dealing with gender identity. One of my favorite DS9 episodes is "Rejoined" in season 4. It was a rather bold step for a show to take at the time and it's a very touching episode.

[@jessicare5331]

Grand Nagus Zek is played by Wallace Shawn, who is a freaking legend

[@wolfmanhcc]

That is... ...inconceivable!

[@graverobbingcleric2745]

You did the pheobe harpy laugh and I now cannot get the image of Quark in drag replacing her in every scene in Charmed...

[@morphman86]

I don't see much trans hate in this episode, to be honest. Quark isn't transgender here, not in that sense. He did not ask to have the sex change because of a desire to have a sex change. He did it because of a desire to seal a business deal. He didn't want to be a woman. That means everything he did as a woman was against his own nature, not something a transgender would do. He was a sexist man who played the role of what he thought a "free" woman would be. He just happened to have a very reversible operation to seal the deal.

[@daisychains6866]

The old "sex change operation" trope is a pretty awkward oversimplification of transitioning.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

Daisy Chains but he wasn’t transitioning

[@kenetickups6146]

Daisy Chains but it isn't people being changed against their will, or as a disguise or something it's nothing like being trans

[@turian1moose]

It's hard to find this episode offensive with context but for some people context doesn't seem to matter very much

[@michellemarty7510]

Hey are you trans? If not shut up about what is or isn't transphobic. K thanks bye.

[@DanielleWhite]

My thought the first time I saw this episode was "I envy them the medical tech!" Of course, DS9 had been my binge watch show while recovering from vaginoplasty and being up and around like that within hours was a topical pipe dream for me at that moment. I watched DS9 for the third time with my fiancée recently and my take on the episode was pretty much like yours. It stood out to me in couple ways that made it feel like a filler episode. There's no second plot line in this one and it doesn't really do anything to develop any of the characters. The closest would seem to be Quark moving away from traditional Ferengi views but I don't feel it appreciably did so if Odo's remark about how Quark gets stabbed in "In the Pale Moonlight" is any indication. It's not horrible, but it could be skipped and have no impact on the overall story (and I had that experience with someone - when watching it through for the second time, with my first wife, some quirk of Netflix skipped "Valiant" and it had an impact on her take on the show.)

[@kaitlyn__L]

It does your hormones for free in the future too! So convenient!

[@DanielleWhite]

@@kaitlyn__L That would rock since I'm always forgetting to change my patches!

[@archive9796]

So when’s the Male Prue and Female Quark crossover coming

[@nancyomalley9959]

Do you mean male Prue from "She's a Man, Baby" (Charmed episode)

[@nancyomalley9959]

BTW, 'Quark' WAS on Charmed once

[@julianm3912]

Wait Prue was a dude in episode of charmed... gotta check that out.

[@agirlnamedbrett.]

omg i laughed waaaay tooo hard at the ridin dirty part.

[@DarthAzabrush]

The actor who played Odo actually directed most of the Ferengi episodes which explains his reduced role in them.

[@b4nes]

Daaaaang! All DS9 (all other in general) jokes are on point, well done gurl! Spoken like a true Star Trek Addict.

[@bonsha8784]

This entire episode is a giant pile of what.

[@JamesOhGoodie]

Bonsha Land of Ten Thousand Whats

[@DarthAzabrush]

Awww man, someone totally needs to do Zek's hehehehehe to the DS9 theme tune.

[@wstine79]

Wait. No DS9 hopscotch of doom?

[@Nergalsama01]

Oh, there's more than enough material for a LOT more Manic Trek Episodes. ;)

[@murphy7801]

Yeah that is the worst episode

[@montyr2083]

That's a teething episode, though; first seasons are often shaky. "Profit and Lace" came out a few episodes after "In The Pale Moonlight," FPS. It's like there was a gas leak in the writer's room or something.

[@pferreira1983]

Move Along Home is cool.

[@Nimmo1492]

Allamaraine, count to four...

[@viralshadow]

I didn't find it offensive. I found it stupid.

[@robertlewis2774]

viralshadow :More entertaining than Spock's brain.

[@STho205]

Robert Lewis Brain and Brain!!! What is brain?

[@mb2000]

S Tho Put a Brillo pad on it, it’ll be fine.

[@colinp2238]

Some people have no sense of humour.

[@thatcrazytransgirl2100]

@@colinp2238 as a trans woman myself, I found the episode to be hilarious, non-offensive, and the female role played very well under the circumstances by Armin Shimmermin

[@zachanikwano]

Can I just say I love your Star Trek videos? Thanks for this! Great content!!

[@marcherwitch9811]

Editing comic timing is on point! As ever but also even better!

[@aurorauplinks]

I like your reviews, i have only seen a few, but they are all fun, you are very good at talking about fun subjects and giving them alot of personality

[@captainamerica6525]

"Don't lumber around, Quark" So they name him " Lumba" !! Lol!! That always makes me laugh!!

[@Kairi091]

Hey you should do more DS9 stuff! This was awesome :) Jeffrey Combs as Brunt was great. You know, in a late Season 7 ep, he plays both Brunt and Weyoun in the same episode. Pretty cool.

[@charleshetrick3152]

The real irony here is that the fellow playing Quark gave an interview where he expressed that in his original appearance as a ferengi in TNG he felt he did the roll a disservice. Glad you enjoyed it, I’m with the majority in hating on the Ferengi centric episodes. The Magnificent Ferengi is a decent episode, we get to see Iggy Pop as a Vorta.

[@himbovoorhees]

There's so much wrong with this episode that annoys the feck out of me as a trans person, but like... it's biggest crime is, I think, the fact that it's poorly done mostly because of executive meddling. Armin Shimerman is what makes this not completely terrible - it's not even an exaggeration. He made them tone down some of the misogynist crap (originally he was supposed to be crying all the time) and wanted Quark to actually learn something about how shitty his culture is. Siddig tried to make the episode more serious and explore the loving-but-sometimes-abusive relationship Quark has with his mother but the producers wouldn't let him. All that said you did a really good job with this, and I appreciate it, and I appreciate how you're always quick to point out how you aren't entirely equipped to talk about the topic. A+ from me!

[@Tareltonlives]

Fascinating. I did not know that

[@gwenc1371]

Huh, that's really interesting. Doesn't surprise me though, to be honest. Profit and Lace is an episode that screams "executive meddling" solely because of how ridiculously overused these sorts of plots were in the 90s. It feels like someone decided that they needed to have the wacky Mrs. Doubfire-style plot shoved in somewhere, and they just strung a bunch of cliches together. (and yeah, honestly as a trans woman also I just can't be bothered to get all that worked up over it. "Annoyance" is probably the best description, but honestly my biggest gripe with the episode is that it crashes Ishka's storyline into the ground because they needed to shove in some stupid WACKY HIJINKS that was hot at the time)

[@literosexual6541]

Poor DS9 It's my favourite Star Trek series but even with all it's glory it would have been even better without all the meddling that happened.

[@brokenhaloking]

I forgot that it was a full transition, obviously the ears would need alteration, but I thought it was just a costume and minor ear surgery.

[@SheldonAdama17]

This makes “Threshold” look like “City on the Edge of Forever” by comparison

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Thanks for doing this. Probably already pointed out, but this episode was directed by Dr Bashir!

[@medexamtoolsdotcom]

Let's not delude ourselves, EVERY episode of DS9 focusing on the ferengi was one of the best of the entire star trek franchise. DS9 was the best star trek series, and the ones focusing on either the ferengi or on garak were the best episodes of DS9.

[@Kairi091]

You should totally do more of these. I'd love to hear your take on Move Along Home!!

[@battlesheep2552]

You know, the character arcs of Quark’s entire family parallels the struggles of transgender people. Quark, Rom, Nog, and Ishka all chafe at the roles Ferengi society has forced them into, and they find happiness when they start living their lives the way they want to instead of what society expects them to.

[@No0o0o0o0o0]

Lmao. No one cares what "trans" people do. It's when they want legal recognition as the opposite sex because they "feel" like they are is when people get upset.

[@seraphilight]

I fully believe they didthis episode merely to get rid of his creepy sexual harassment trait.

[@skyline1544]

I really enjoyed this review! It was a very unique, fun episode for me. Bright, different, bold, campy, with an interesting method for social commentary... Allison's voice is delightful to listen to! Loved the "Odo serious voice", too! ^_^

[@emizerri]

This episode is one of the most memorable episodes in the show for me Great video! Like!

[@PaceBreaker]

Well ain't that a coincidence. This episode was on the other day on Heroes and Icons. (They show all of the live action series in order at night Monday through Friday and Sunday.)

[@jcawthon99]

As a long time (TOS) Trekkie i have to say something, this was the funniest fucking thing i’ve ever seen!!! I laughed till i thought i was gonna throw up when pretty woman played!

[@KceeKit]

~ DS9 is awesome and so is Quarks family ~

[@pmadood6970]

I've fell asleep to DS9 for about half a year. Watched it 5 times now. But of course falling asleep watching, I missed some episodes. This is one of them lol

[@bfoot869007]

Great review! You should check out the episode move along home....Alamarain! 😂

[@LokiDuck]

FInally watched this vid after seeing the episode for myself... and man was that a weird ride... Also glad to hear that DS9 was your favorite series as it's mine too. Hell I loved it from basically the first episode while it took me seasons to get into the Next Generation.

[@mariocasalla]

Nice one, A. Cheers from Argentina!

[@MarvinLowe1983]

That friggin laugh lol very Charmed shrill laugh :) keep up the good work, Lady Pregler

[@staceybert1975]

You are funny AF You gotta do more of these.

[@Ireallywouldrathernot]

So I am a trans man and I do find this episode quite enjoyable. Yes, it has problems with the whole gender change thing but it's nowhere near as bad as the Futurama episodes that go into this territory and I love that show too. I guess I felt this was slightly less terrible than most examples of sex-change plots on TV? And the rest of it was pretty entertaining. My love for the Ferengi may also make me a little more forgiving. That said, I am only one transperson and cannot speak for anyone else, nor would I hold it against them if they couldn't forgive the portrayal. Point is, I also don't think it's the worst episode of DS9. Especially when the last one that dealt with a similar matter was the TNG episode with Riker and the "non-binary" species that mixed transsexuality with homosexuality...

[@FaeQueenCory]

To be fair, that TNG episode was only accidentally/incidentally trans. The original plot was to have the alien be a guy and the actor for Riker pushed for that... But the network said "no homo" so they did their best to explore the implied homosexuality...... While maintaining heteronormativity.... Which resulted in trans overtones by accident. This though was 100% trans.

[@Ireallywouldrathernot]

I see your point, but I don't think this episode intended to be trans either. It just ignored the existence of transsexuality, much as the TNG episode did. Even if the character in TNG had been played by a man, did they actually change the script at all? Because the implication would have been problematic regardless of who played the role.

[@Ashen.Elixer]

@@Ireallywouldrathernot If I'm not mistaken, they were actually forced to change the script as well as the actor on TNG. Not that there wouldn't have been problems, given that we don't know the full extent of the original plan, but it was supposed to be a wildly different story.

[@kaitlyn__L]

I'm trans too and I 100% agree with what you said basically. There absolutely are much worse ones, like that Bender Olympics one. Plus like all the weird "now we have to teach you how to be a woman" thing is a thing I lived through right at the start of hormones, which is like. Uncomfortable but not strictly wrong or offensive of that scene. The girls in my college who wanted to really show their acceptance hard all came up to me and were like by the way if you want tips for clothes shopping or makeup and stuff like that. Of course I'd secretly obsessed over that stuff for years online so I knew a lot already lol. I'd done voice training of my own accord from other tutorials people posted but certainly the "let us teach you how to walk in heels" thing, I dunno man! Like I usually skip this one because it's a bit too close to home but. Hey at least it suggests that any surgeries like this are simple outpatient procedures with total informed consent and reversibility in this future lol. And it does your hormones for free too apparently? Though bit weird Quark felt things in a day, like if I forget my HRT it takes me a few days to feel anything ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ And I mean given how easy cosmetic surgery is in TNG and everywhere else where they make them look like aliens and stuff for one mission and undo it the same day, with all those gadgets that heal you instantly, it only makes sense for any cosmetic surgery done for other reasons and citizens to be treated the same by Federation doctors, eh? That Voyager episode with the girl who died kinda implied you can get your hair changed colour so it'll grow that colour? Which seems awesome. One time in TNG we saw a beam dye someone's hair in seconds at the barbers office. And in Sub Rosa of all places when Beverly's eyes turn green she writes it off as "I had them changed", like that's what people do instead of coloured contacts. Can you imagine cosplayers in that future, getting their eyes and hair and ears or forehead changed every week and stuff?

[@TheSmokingSkull]

Hi Lupa! You are awesome :-]

[@AlmostAnimixers]

It's amazing how we went from the brilliance that is The Magnificent Ferengi to this abomination.

[@LeahBouley]

As a trans person i love You making fun of this, its absolutely hilarious and like funny not really too insulting to me like quark is a sleezball and would so be that person to get a sex change just to get something, hopefully most people know 99.9% of trans folks don’t transition to get something except self acceptance and self love really lol but love your videos girl! Also this is like 6th rewatch lol

[@NightridewithNikki]

Wallace Shaw as the Grand Nagus is brilliant.

[@pearl_kill]

DS 9 was great. A woven Tapestry of a story lines. ups downs and all arounds. so good. and you get Obrien AND worf from TNG. such a forward-thinking show.

[@davidcolby167]

Yesssssss, one of my favorite youtubers' favorite Star Trek is my favorite one!

[@thewraithwriter22]

'Orbs of the Prophets' is the best thing

[@zachwilliams88]

It's clearly spelled "Orbs of the Profits" she's a ferengi after all

[@TheAdorkableRJ]

That slimy Ferengi laugh reminds me of the Charmed Ones.

[@statykelektricity9591]

I'm probably not the best source for this, but I'll try to put my thoughts of this episode from the view of someone who is trans. I don't think this whole idea is necessarily inherently transphobic, mostly considering it misses a pretty big mark, where being trans is more of a "how you see yourself" thing, and isn't always tied to surgery or transitioning, just your gender identity, and sort of a self rediscovery of sorts, which makes me think that they didn't even consider this could have been related to trans people, which, despite all that, it's hard to amputate it from that. I think it's biggest issue was that if they were even going to attempt something like this, it probably shouldn't have been a ferengi episode, quark is probably a good character to use for it, just not ferengi exclusive, and take the whole stance of looking at things from another point of view a little more respectfully/seriously. In the end, I don't think the episode is about trans people or transphobia or transitioning at all, more getting a sexist character and getting them to see things from the view of a woman. It's more misogynistic than it is transphobic, in my opinion. It was poorly executed and could have been done much, much, much, much, much better. But that's just my take on it, and I think the way allison and most of the comment section are handling it is far more mature than the actual episode, while still not taking it too seriously (Something I probably failed to do, haha). If anyone disagrees or has a different take on it, I'd honestly love to hear it, I think talking about this stuff is super interesting.

[@thehumanoddity]

There was nothing transgender about it anyway, excluding for the transition that Quark only did because he made his mother get a heart attack. So, out of guilt, he agreed to be her in the meeting with the Commissioner.

[@MforMovesets]

Writers be like "No sorry this subject matter is only fine if an alien does it."

[@hawkstringfellow]

This episode was great I laughed so hard at the negas

[@C0365086]

I require a super mashup of all your Grand Negas-style cackling

[@justsomeguywithsunglasses8418]

Why is this suddenly in my recommendations? I don't mind, I love it.

[@bcpantea]

Nice review! I had forgotten about this episode; back when I watched DS9, episodes who weren't "actiony" weren't memorable to me. But hopefully, by now, my tastes have "matured". :D

[@diosoth]

Quark was constantly fighting between his desire to be a "good Ferengi" & his inner morality. He wanted to be a profitable Ferengi that earned the respect of his people while following Ferengi law(which could very well leave you broke if you don't uphold some strict laws that all but say you can't be a decent person- which did happen at one point). But deep down he knew a lot of it was wrong, he just didn't have the courage to break from his people's tradition. He sold Bajorans food at cost during the occupation & often helped them with alibis & such. He openly opposed Nog joining Starfleet but was secretly proud of it. He went into weapons sales until he realized billions of people would die because of him & sabotaged the last sale. Despite his supposed opposition of Odo they would often work together(in the first Worf episode he was setting up a deal just so Odo could arrest some criminals) & saved Odo's life when they crashed on the l-class planet. Even at the end, in his "I'm upholding Ferengi traditions at my bar" moment he's still proud that Rom is the new nagus & will bring positive change. Armin Shimerman proposed an episode that was rejected, but he wrote a novelization- the Bajorans would go full militant, locking non-Bajorans into camps, including Quark.

[@Koncur]

The slide whistle at 5:04 had me laughing so hard I had to pause the video.

[@meris8486]

It's just funny that this episode is in the same season as Pale Moonlight and soon from now Nog gets his leg shot off. What contrast!

[@mitchellhedden1978]

Wow, what a great presentation.

[@Xondar11223344]

This episode is embarrassing, but I like to think that gender affirmation surgery is quick, painless, and easy in the future.

[@archive9796]

Even as a fan of Voyager and not much of a Trekkie I knew where gonna love it as many fans love it

[@GeneralG1810]

I concur DS9 is the greatest ST series ever, I still like others but this is my favourite. Best characters and politics all round

[@AnArchyRulzz]

Yeah I like how we finally get to see the federation in a more non-idealized way. We see that the federation sometimes has to do things they don't agree with simply for self-preservation. It made sense though since our view of federation was by looking at their military arm, would be like learning about United States based on the ideals of their military rather than the reality.

[@GeneralG1810]

@@AnArchyRulzz I know right although Sisko had a place in his heart for Bajor he understood that Cardassia was also part of the federation and played the diplomat well. I have to say though the best characters were all the Cadi's. Dukat, Damar and especially Garak were some of the best ST characters made. Also it shone a light on the Ferengi and explained that they're not just mindless thieves. Again more great characters especially one of my favorites ever Quark!

[@SirOddnerd]

This reminds me of the Onion article entitled "Woman takes 20 minute break from being a feminist to enjoy a TV show"

[@anthonyboatner7286]

Deep space nine is my favorite. Quark is one of the best charcters

[@arvurebantra7639]

The weird thing about Deep Space Nine compared to other Star Trek shows is the fact that the "throw away" episodes aren't actually throw away, because they present very major changes to sub plots of the entire show. The episode where Kira and Odo finally admit they're in love? Throw away holosuite episode. Almost every Ferengi heavy episode is a "throw away" yet does something for the small sub plots and character developments.

[@EmpLaun]

This episode is playing right now on the Heroes & Icons channel lol Im dying

[@archive9796]

I’m surprised you didn’t go with Move Along Home actually

[@lisazander1720]

I usually give a pass to shows that do something stupid in their first season. Just look at TNG. There is just something so wonderfully ridiculous about a show that otherwise has their shit together producing an episode like this in season 7.

[@SciFiFan2012]

Alamaraine...

[@pferreira1983]

I like that episode. It's actually a good one.

[@Ireallywouldrathernot]

Re-watching this because why not! Still would like to see you do The Omega Glory for TOS. Or any other episode. Point being, I'd love to see more Star Trek content if you feel like doing it. (If you don't, hey, I'll still watch your vids.)

[@richardgadberry8398]

I don't know if Quark's sex change is Herbert West's least horrific, or most horrific, experiment.