Hard Time (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
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| Star Trek: DS9 episode | |
| "Hard Time" | |
Ee'char, O'Brien's cellmate |
|
| Episode no. | 90 |
|---|---|
| Prod. code | 491 |
| Airdate | April 15, 1996 |
| Writer(s) | Robert Hewitt Wolfe Daniel Keys Moran Lynn Barker |
| Director | Alexander Singer |
| Guest star(s) | Rosalind Chao as Keiko Margot Rose as Rinn Hana Hatae as Molly F. J. Rio as Muñiz Craig Wasson as Ee'char |
| Year | 2372 |
| Episode chronology | |
| Previous | "Rules of Engagement" |
| Next | "Shattered Mirror" |
"Hard Time" is an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the eighteenth episode of the fourth season. The episode has an average rating of 4.5/5 on the official Star Trek website (as of September 16th, 2007). It is considered by many fans to be the best of the "O'Brien Must Suffer" episodes.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
While visiting Argrathl, Chief O'Brien asks too many questions and is convicted of espionage. Instead of incarcerating convicts, the Argrathl correctional facility gives them memories of years of imprisonment in a few hours of actual time. O'Brien experiences twenty years in jail before his fellow officers can extract him from the situation.
For all but the final week or two of his subjective incarceration, his cellmate is the fictional Ee'char, whom O'Brien eventually kills over a few pieces of bread.
Back on Deep Space Nine, it quickly becomes obvious that O'Brien is not well. He is short-tempered with everyone, almost hits his own child, experiences flashbacks to jail and has full blown psychotic hallucinations. He imagines conversations with Ee'char, who urges him to get help. Despite this, he prepares to commit suicide with a phaser. Doctor Bashir catches him just in time and talks him out of it. A new course of heavy treatment soon has O'Brien on the way to recovery.
[edit] Other characters
For this episode, the writers considered bringing back the Next Generation character Sito Jaxa, who was missing in action and believed dead at the end of her second episode, "Lower Decks". However, they changed their minds, not wanting to rob "Lower Decks" of its "great ending".[1]
[edit] External links
- Hard Time article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki
- Hard Time article at STARTREK.COM, the official Star Trek website
