Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
Star Trek has done its best to maintain its place in TV history as being ahead of its time in telling daring storylines that depict taboo, timely subjects. Same sex romance is no exception. The best example of this is in the 'DS9' episode "Rejoined", which aired during season 4.
Cleverly presenting a same sex romance in the guise of an alien taboo - that of 're-association'
among the Trill race - this episode tells the story of Lt. Com.
Jadzia Dax
(Terry Farrell)
reuniting with a former lover,
Dr. Lenara Kahn
(Susanna Thompson).
In a nut shell: these two Trill women host symbiont beings (Dax and Kahn) who were once each joined to two other Trill hosts. The former hosts were married to each other, creating an emotional bond between the Dax and Kahn symbionts. It is taboo for host Trills to allow their symbionts to re-associate with symbionts they once had romantic involvements with through other hosts.
If re-association occurs, the hosts and their symbionts are banished from Trill society,
so that when the host dies, so does the symbiont. Since the idea of symbiosis is to enable the symbiont the opportunity to
experience a multitude of unique lives, the gender of each host is immaterial. The symbiont maintains the memories and emotions
of each life time and shares these experiences with each host. Therefore, when Jadzia and Lenara meet, they automatically
remember Dax and Kahn's history together, as well as their feelings for one another, leading to the two hosts' inevitable attraction
for each other.
Once you get past the social, alien complexities, and simply accept the situation for what it is, this is a highly enjoyable, terribly romantic, and beautifully written, directed (by Avery Brooks) and performed episode. This is quality television as only sci-fi can achieve.
Disclaimer: This is a fan site. All photos acquired from the Internet.
All sources have links posted here.
Wikipedia 'DS9' article
Memory Alpha 'DS9' article
Wikipedia 'Trill' article
Memory Alpha 'Trill' article
Wikipedia "Rejoined" article
Memory Alpha "Rejoined" article
StarTrek.com
Memory-Alpha.org
StarTrek.com/DS9 Ep Guide
Terok Nor - DS9
EpGuide.com/ST:DS9
ST:DS9 Guide
TV.com/ST:DS9
