‘HARD TIME’ (DS9)
Please feel free to comment on my review.
Here’s another Chief O’Brien episode and I can tell you, I had tears in my eyes by the time I saw this episode again on DVD. I had tears in my eyes the first time and I had tears in my eyes for the second.
In the episode, O’Brien was arrested and convicted of espionage when he asked too many questions on the planet Argrathi. He experienced twenty years of imprisonment…in a few hours of actual time.
Yeah, the Argrathi correctional facility implanted O’Brien with memories of years of imprisonment within a few hours. Thankfully, Major Kira is able to extract O’Brien from the situation he gets put in.
But the damage has been done as O’Brien’s memories of being in prison for twenty years were too real for him. He struggles to adjust back to normal life aboard the station as he soon gets belligerent.
Previous O’Brien episodes in ‘DS9’ like ‘Whispers’ and ‘Tribunal’ saw him put in some incriminating positions. This is a ‘DS9’ episode where I actually felt for O’Brien and his world crumbled around him.
As O’Brien tries to adjust back to normal on DS9, his experiences of imprisonment trouble him. He even gets flashbacks to his time in jail and when he used to have a cell with Craig Watson as Ee’char.
Ee’char was a like a good friend to O’Brien who tried to keep his spirits up whenever he felt down or depressed. O’Brien doesn’t mention Ee’char to Bashir or anyone else, saying that he was all alone. 😐
I did wonder why O’Brien would omit to tell anyone about Ee’char, but it’s interesting how it gets revealed later on in the episode. O’Brien even picks up habitual behaviours when he was ‘in prison’.
This includes hoarding food when he was with Ee’char and sleeping on the hard floor instead of his bed with Keiko. Upon reuniting with Keiko in the infirmary, he initially thinks he’s seeing Ee’char instead.
As he plays darts with Worf in Quark’s bar, O’Brien sees Ee’char outside. When he tries to follow him Ee’char is nowhere to be seen. O’Brien is also meant to see somebody for some counselling sessions.
But over time, O’Brien neglects to attend these sessions. Dr. Bashir checks on him when he’s working but O’Brien tells him to stay away from him. Bashir is very put-out by O’Brien’s outburst here.
Even when he’s waiting to be served at Quark’s; O’Brien becomes impatient and assaults Quark to get him his drink. Quark informs Odo what occurred and they both observe O’Brien from a distance.
Whilst he has his drink, O’Brien sees Ee’char again and he actually talks to him, telling him that he needs him. O’Brien tries to ignore Ee’char and what he says. He’s determined to get back to normal.
But Captain Sisko soon relieves O’Brien of duty and places him on medical leave, ordering him to attend his counselling sessions. O’Brien has it out with Dr. Bashir, complaining about being on leave.
Despite Bashir’s genuine concerns for him, O’Brien tells him he just wants to be left alone. In his mind, Ee’char urges O’Brien to get help but he refuses to listen to him and he returns to his quarters.
But it becomes much as Rosalind Chao as Keiko and Hana Hatae as Molly, their daughter become too attentive to him. O’Brien yells and nearly hits Molly before realising what he’s doing and runs away.
In the cargo bay, O’Brien starts tearing the place apart before he finds a weapon locker; opens it and takes out a phaser. He sets it on maximum and prepares to take his life. Thankfully, Bashir stops him.
The episode’s ending is so emotional and even now I have tears thinking about it as I write it. O’Brien recounts his story to Bashir of how he killed Ee’char over a few of pieces of bread when imprisoned.
O’Brien didn’t realise Ee’char was saving the bread for both of them. He killed Ee’char unintentionally. O’Brien’s afraid that he’s become an animal with guilt eating away at his conscience.
Bashir reassures O’Brien that he’s still human deep down inside and that his regret for killing Ee’char proves that. Bashir soon prescribes some new treatment for O’Brien, as O’Brien returns to his family.
‘Hard Time’ is a pretty emotionally-charged episode in the ‘DS9’ series. I recall being pretty moved by this episode and it features a great performance as Colm Meaney as O’Brien, playing him greatly.
‘Hard Time’ (DS9) rating – 9/10
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