Star Trek: Distant Voices

Episode: "Distant Voices"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 3, Episode 18

Original Air Date: April 10, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Garak episode!

Doctor Bashir is attacked by Altovar, a visiting Lethean who is desperate for bio-mimetic gel.  While his conscious body slips into a coma, Bashir hallucinates.  In his dream, the station is under attack.  It takes a while for him to find his friends.  He gradually realizes that each one represents an aspect of his personality.

After such a strong opening, Season 3 has definitely fallen into a rut.  This and the previous two episodes have all been weak.  I wonder if Voyager's kickoff was siphoning off creative energy from DS9.  No worries for the long term.  I know that all will come right soon.  It's just been a bit of a drag in the short term.

As ever, even in a weaker episode, Garak is the highlight.  Predictably, the tailor plays the most enigmatic role in Bashir's dreamscape.  The two discuss it in the denouement, after the doctor regains consciousness.  Garak's closing line: "To think, after all this time, all our lunches together... you still don't trust me.  There's hope for you yet, doctor."

Acting Notes

via Criminal Minds Wiki

Victor Rivers (Altovar) was born in Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, October 1, 1955.  Football came before acting: offensive guard.  He played college ball at Florida State where he was a team captain, then for the NFL's Miami Dolphins for two seasons.

Films include Nixon, The Mask of Zorro and Hulk.  He has had guest-starring roles on Cybill, 24 and Miami Vice.  

A child survivor of physical abuse at the hands of his father, Rivers is now the national spokesman for the National Network to End Domestic Violence.