Now I'm imagining Ezri's Runabout floating in the Badlands, leaving crushed escape pods in her wake. "Oops, I hope Worf wasn't in that one."

There was an article written around the 1900's by a pastor's wife. Hilarious in the way she is naturally a complete ball buster. Ezri might have used some of her suggestions:
- When he leans in to kiss, turn your head away
- Lie completely stiff, and don't make any sounds that may make him think you like sex
- When he…

That adds a whole new reason why Sloan would want to recruit "lunch buddy" Bashir.

"When It Rains" and "Tacking Into The Wind" definitely works as a two-parter. (Unfortunately, it will be split up when Zack reviews it.)

Odo would arrange for Quark to be living under their quarters.

Conversely, I could see Kirk doing that in a heartbeat.

Bashir would see through facile flattery. Sloan needs people with unwavering convictions. If Bashir were that pliable, he wouldn't be nearly as useful. He doesn't want Bashir to change (other than agreeing to work in S31 at some point in the future).

Mwuh hah ha!

It's surprising how many guys do not want to work for McEvilFace and want to work on Pussy Galore's team.

"Demonlover McEvilFace"
I'm going to steal that for the next "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." sarcasm thread.

That would have been horrible if Bashir went the cliched route.

Even better, Sloan genuinely admires and respects Bashir for those qualities.
S31 is fighting for the decent people like Bashir, but that same trait is what made him a useful tool.

I'm impressed how the writers had this planned when they originally hired Biggs, back in Season 4. (Even if they didn't have the details ironed out 3 years in advance, the director persuaded Biggs that the writers had big things in store for Damar.)

"But I got off several cutting remarks that no doubt did serious damage to their egos."

I do like when the writers can organically fit in historical and linguistics trivia (“never say die”, and the context of "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges").

I was reading The Spy Who Came in From the Cold a few days before this episode originally aired. I was looking forward to this review, to see how this episode worked for others who came in without that novel’s influence.

UPN Teaser Narrator: When fate throws Captain Sisko and Kai Winn together…
Winn: Perhaps you thought I wasn't available
Winn: I’m sure you agree that it would be more appropriate for me to do it.

An episode with Garak, and he never crosses paths with Sloan. A pity.

Oh… Intercourse the penguin!

"Alexander Sarsgaard and Dominic West join as celebrity team leaders but promptly vanish from the story…"