The outdoor scenes for this episode were filmed on Mt. Whitney, a 14,500’ mountain in central California. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion) Normally, Armin Shimerman has no problems with the Quark prosthetics, but shooting on this particular location proved different. When they arrived for the first day of shooting, the pressure inside the Quark head became too much for Shimerman and he nearly passed out. At first, there were fears that the entire episode may have to be pulled, but the on-set medic had actually prepared for altitude reactions and was able to ensure that Shimerman could shoot. According to Shimerman, “the medic’s the hero of that episode.” (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/The_Ascent_(episode)

The origin of this episode is to be found in Ira Steven Behr’s love for the 1949 Samuel Beckett play Waiting for Godot; Behr had always wanted to do an episode with Odo in the role of Vladimir and Quark in the role of Estragon. The problem Behr had was with the story. The play has no discernible plot at all; it is simply about two characters sitting around waiting for something undefined and something which never arrives, and they spend most of the play insulting one another. According to Behr, the only plot he could come up with for a Deep Space Nine episode was having Odo and Quark waiting somewhere for Sisko to bring them a runabout, but they’ve no idea why or how long they’ve been there.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/The_Ascent_(episode)

In fact Shimerman is credited as being one of the creative forces behind the series’ finest moment. It’s a multi-layered scene from the Season 4 opener The Way of the Warrior in which the space station’s bar keeper and exiled Cardassian spy Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) have a conversation that starts off about the human drink root beer and ends up to be about galaxy spanning politics.

“While rehearsing it we came to find out that there was more to it than what was written on the page,” Shimerman said.

“We saw that there was more being said than what was on the page. We started to modify it from a comic scene to a very insidious sort of scene with some comic overtones as well and we rehearsed it that way at my house.

"When we took it in on Monday and the director (James L Conway) said let’s read this we presented it the way we had rehearsed it. He said, ‘We can’t shoot that, that’s not what the producers have asked me to shoot. This has to be a much more funny scene. 

"I was rather adamant and happy with the choices I had made and the director, doing what his bosses had asked him to, said, 'I can’t shoot it like that’.

"It’s the only time ever in my carer, ever, where I simply said, 'Well I can’t shoot it the way you want to do it’ and put my foot down. "So the producers were bought down to the set and the director explained what the problem was.

"The producers took about 30 seconds, consulted amongst themselves, and then turned to the director and said, 'Shoot it the way Armin wants to do it’. And it’s of great satisfaction to me that it’s one of the most popular scene from Deep Space Nine because it would have been a totally different scene had we done it the way it was written.”

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/67275090/questioning-quark-star-treks-armin-shimerman

[dragoncharming]

siskoweek: Undercover: Gabriel Bell

[adamjk]

HOW TO BE HAPPIER

an updated version of this post appears in my book THINGS ARE WHAT YOU MAKE OF THEM! 13 full-color chapters of illustrated essays like this for creative people of all kinds. you can get it here for $10.

[positive-inking]

$1 per preorder of THINGS ARE WHAT YOU MAKE OF THEM goes to the Tegan and Sara Foundation, working for economic justice, health, and representation for LGBTQ girls and women.

[historical-nonfiction]

Pyotr Ilchenko, of the Moscow Conservatory, performing for soldiers on the Southern Front. USSR, 1942.

[gplusbfics]

Mirror!Garak with some Mirror!Klingons

From Deep Space Nine magazine Vol. 9, 1994, where the caption says:

“Whatever plan Kira and Bashir had is blown to dust when Garak, Terok Nor’s second in command, arrives with the Klingon cavalry.”

---

Can you imagine a literal Klingon cavalry?

Meanwhile, here’s a second pic of Mirror!Garak that appears, which I may as well post here. The caption is:

“Garak presents Kira with an offer she can’t refuse – help him depose the Intendant and take over Terok Nor and he will help Ira and Bashir escape.”

[unflatteringcatselfies]

This is Ashes. Snapchat filters only make her look angrier. She’s 17-18 yrs old. She loves to cuddle and shout about everything

[tinsnip]

@ladyyatexel

[kayadraws]

I found this poem by @frogyell and laughed at it for two days straight so take this doodle as a symbol of my appreciation. 😂