‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ Once Did An Episode Of ‘House MD’
by Frank Martin
It speaks a lot to the versatility of Star Trek that the premises and formats of other shows can be seen in certain episodes. A lot of Star Trek doesn’t have a straightforward plot or mission. It’s simply a matter of depicting drama in a science fiction setting. Because of this, episodes can range from comedy, to action, to horror, to a million other plot devices. So even fans of the series might be surprised to learn that an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine felt similar to what would eventually become the Hugh Laurie show House MD.
One of the more interesting relationships on Deep Space Nine is that between Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) and Elim Garak (Andrew J. Robinson). For much of the earlier seasons, Garak’s past is a mystery. He is viewed as a possible Cardassian spy who is exiled from his homeworld for unknown reasons. This situation interests Dr. Bashir, who forms a friendship with Garak. In one episode, Garak becomes mysteriously ill and Bashir takes it upon himself to figure out what is wrong. But the Cardassian is a pathological liar, which makes the doctor’s attempts to diagnose him extremely difficult.
House was all about a brilliant yet disgruntled doctor who solved medical mysteries from episode to episode. But the show is much more than just diagnostic medicine. It had a repeated theme that the patients often get in the way of their own treatments; the people are the hardest parts of science. That idea resonates in this DS9 episode. Garak is a very difficult patient. He lies and his condition affects his brain, resulting in actions out of his control. It mirrors the process Dr. House (Laurie) faces with a lot of his patients. So it’s strange to see Star Trek have seeds in a single episode for what will become a critically acclaimed show a decade later.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is now streaming on Paramount+.
