Hard Time
- Episode aired Apr 15, 1996
- TV-PG
- 45m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
O'Brien tries to re-integrate to life on the station after serving 20 years in a virtual prison.O'Brien tries to re-integrate to life on the station after serving 20 years in a virtual prison.O'Brien tries to re-integrate to life on the station after serving 20 years in a virtual prison.
Patrick Barnitt
- Argrathi Guard
- (uncredited)
Tory Christopher
- Argrathi
- (uncredited)
Peggy Donaldson
- SF Cmd Lieutenant jg
- (uncredited)
Judi M. Durand
- Cardassian Computer
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBashir makes reference to TNG: "The Wounded", as well as DS9: "Whispers" and "Tribunal". Obviously, this is another 'O'Brien Must Suffer' episode. Ira Steven Behr sums up the rationale for these episodes: "Every year, we like to drive O'Brien totally mad."
- GoofsDr. Bashir says it's impossible to erase only select incidents from O'Brien's memory without erasing his entire memory. There are previous Star Trek episodes where a person's recent memories or selective memories were erased with a device by a doctor, such as done for Tom Paris in VOY: "Ex Post Facto", and done by Dr. Crusher on TNG more than once. Also a Vulcan could have been brought in to erase that portion of O'Brien's memory with a mind-meld technique, as that had been done by Vulcans in the past, such as Spock did for Captain Kirk in TOS: "The Paradise Syndrome", intoning "Forget".
- Quotes
Chief Miles Edward O'Brien: When we were growing up, they used to tell us, humanity had evolved. That mankind had outgrown hate and rage. But when it came down to it, when I had the chance to show that no matter what anyone did to me, I was still an evolved human being... I failed. I repaid kindness with blood. I was no better than an animal.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Inglorious Treksperts: Wolfe in the Fold: Remembering DS9 (2019)
- SoundtracksStar Trek: Deep Space Nine - Main Title
(uncredited)
Written by Dennis McCarthy
Performed by Dennis McCarthy
Featured review
The Worst Kind of Mistreatment!
As the episode opens, we see Miles O'Brien, obviously older and sort of Edmund Dantes in appearance, making symbols in the sand in a prison cell. It turns out that he has been convicted of espionage and before his people can defend him, sentenced to a horrible punishment. In his mind, he spends 20 years in this cell. When he recovers, he is back in his original state, but, in his mind, 20 years older. He hasn't seen his colleagues in all those years, even though they have only aged a few hours. We now have a hardened prisoner, trying to put the pieces together. I know this is a fiction, but one of those people who did this to him should have had the opportunity to experience it. Some have criticized the crew for their responses, but obviously they haven't a clue where he is at. This was incredibly poignant and so depressing.
helpful•141
- Hitchcoc
- Oct 24, 2018
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