Business as Usual

In this deep-dive episode of The Delta Flyers, hosts Garrett Wong, Robert Duncan McNeil, and Armin Shimmerman revisit the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode 'Business as Usual,' dissecting its narrative, performances, and behind-the-scenes chaos. The discussion centers on Quark's moral crisis after losing everything and being forced into arms dealing, a role that challenges his Ferengi identity. The hosts reflect on the episode's strengths—particularly Armin Shimmerman's acclaimed performance and the thematic depth of moral compromise—but also critique its structural flaws: underdeveloped emotional arcs, rushed character motivations, and a lack of meaningful exploration into the ethics of weapon sales. They highlight the intense, volatile production environment, detailing the challenges of directing with two notoriously difficult actors—Stephen Berkoff and Lawrence Tierney—while also discussing the episode's cinematic influences, such as Orson Welles' 'The Third Man,' and its subtle nods to real-world economics in a 'post-scarcity' universe. The episode concludes with a reflective conversation on how personal growth and life stages shape our perception of storytelling, echoing the idea that Star Trek episodes resonate differently over time.