169: Defying Gravity

“Melora” 30th-anniversary reflections

Doctor Bashir and Chief O’Brien prepare for the arrival of a new cartographer, Ensign Melora Pazlar. She is the first Elaysian to join Starfleet. Why? Her homeworld has low gravity, which makes it difficult for her people to function in environments common to Starfleet operations. She generally must use a wheelchair to move around, and Bashir has modified a special one for her to use while aboard Deep Space 9. When he and Melora start to fall for one another, Bashir begins searching for a treatment that could allow her to walk. But there’s a catch: she would never be able to return to her homeworld for more than a short visit. Meanwhile, some other stuff is happening with Quark.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “Melora,”what the story says about challenges and limitations, becoming comfortable with yourself, and how the character connects to the original concept for the series.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Part of the Original Series Concept (00:03:50) We All Have Limitations (00:10:56) Firsthand Experience Matters (00:12:50) The Melora Problem (00:19:53) Becoming Comfortable with Yourself (00:25:00) Not Your Doctor Anymore (Still Your Doctor) (00:29:51) Manatee Idea Balls B-Story (00:36:12) Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:43:04) Closing (00:48:26)

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)