Life Support
- FIRST SHOWN (US)
- 30 January 1995
- ON
- First-run syndication
- STARDATE
- 48498.4
- DIRECTED BY
- Reza Badiyi
- PRODUCTION NO.
- 459
WRITTEN BYTeleplay by Ronald D. Moore; story by Christian Ford & Roger Soffer
When Vedek Bareil is gravely injured on the eve of historic peace talks with Cardassia, Dr Bashir is pushed to the limits of medicine to keep him alive.
Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSIS
A ship carrying Kai Winn and Vedek Bareil to secret peace negotiations with Cardassia suffers an accident, and Bareil is brought to the station gravely injured and apparently dead. Bashir detects lingering brain activity and revives him, but his organs begin to fail. Bareil refuses to be placed in stasis because Winn needs him to finish the talks, so Bashir turns to an experimental drug that keeps him going but damages his brain. Bashir replaces the damaged tissue with positronic implants, leaving Bareil alive but diminished, with little time left. Bareil helps secure the treaty between Bajor and Cardassia. When the rest of his brain begins to fail, Kira begs Bashir to replace it too, but Bashir refuses, believing nothing of Bareil would remain. Kira stays at his side as he dies. Meanwhile, Jake grows frustrated with Nog's attitude towards women during a disastrous double date.
- 01The first episode to air after the premiere of “Star Trek: Voyager”.
- 02Christian Ford and Roger Soffer's original pitch was inspired by Mary Shelley's “Frankenstein”, with the focus on Bashir.
- 03Louise Fletcher was ill with flu during filming and had to lie down between takes.