Hard Time (DS9 episode)
Encyclopedia
"Hard Time" is an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
, the nineteenth episode of the fourth season. The episode has an average rating of 4.8/5 on the official Star Trek
website (as of August 31, 2009).
asks too many questions and is convicted of espionage. Instead of incarcerating convicts, the Argrathi 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.
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".
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
, the nineteenth episode of the fourth season. The episode has an average rating of 4.8/5 on the official Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
website (as of August 31, 2009).
Plot
While visiting Argrathi, Chief O'BrienMiles O'Brien (Star Trek)
Miles Edward O'Brien, played by Colm Meaney, is Chief of Operations in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Before DS9, he appeared as a recurring transporter chief in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
asks too many questions and is convicted of espionage. Instead of incarcerating convicts, the Argrathi 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
Deep Space Nine (space station)
Deep Space Nine is a fictitious space station, and is the eponymous primary setting of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It serves as a base for the exploration of the Gamma Quadrant via the Bajoran wormhole, and is a hub of trade and travel for the sector's denizens...
, 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
Julian Bashir
Lieutenant Julian Subatoi Bashir, M.D., played by Alexander Siddig, is a main character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Bashir is the chief medical officer of space station Deep Space Nine and the USS Defiant.-Overview:...
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.
Other characters
For this episode, the writers considered bringing back the Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
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".
See also
- Simulated realitySimulated realitySimulated reality is the proposition that reality could be simulated—perhaps by computer simulation—to a degree indistinguishable from "true" reality. It could contain conscious minds which may or may not be fully aware that they are living inside a simulation....
- The idea of a simulated prison sentence is also topic of the The Outer LimitsThe Outer Limits (1995 TV series)The Outer Limits is an American television series that originally aired on Showtime,the Sci Fi Channel and in syndication between 1995 and 2002...
episode The Sentence