Star Trek: Deep Space 9 James Bond Episode Angered MGM
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine writer Ron Moore discusses making the James Bond episode “Our Man Bashir," as well as MGM's surprising reaction to it.
Though Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's James Bond episode is a fan favorite, MGM didn't enjoy the homage. DS9 is the fourth show in the Star Trek franchise and aired from 1993-1999. It's widely considered one of the best shows in the series and was a solid performer throughout its run. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine set itself apart from previous shows due to its space station setting and commitment to diversity. The series also boasted a fairly consistent cast of characters, with several actors staying on the show for all seven seasons.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 4, episode 10 is titled "Our Man Bashir." It follows Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) as he plays a Bond-like secret agent in a holosuite. After the Deep Space Nine computer stores the patterns of other crew members by using the holosuite, Bashir has to save the team. Throughout the episode, Bashir wears a tuxedo, and the hour is also full of action sequences. The episode serves as a love letter to classic spy movies while also maintaining the spirit of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
In honor of the 25th anniversary of “Our Man Bashir," writer Ron Moore spoke with THR about making the episode. Though Moore says it was "a very fun episode to write," apparently Bond studio MGM was less than impressed. Moore explains:
MGM sent us a letter. I don’t recall [Bond producers] the Broccolis being on it or having signed it, but I remember after the episode aired, the studio sent us a very stern letter. And it even got back to some of the higher-ups at Paramount. It seems [MGM was] not very flattered by our ‘homage,’ but it wasn’t like we got in any serious trouble or anything.
MGM's reaction to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's James Bond episode may seem surprising. However, the studio has long been protective of the character, as he's incredibly valuable to them. The Bond films are reliable performers for MGM thanks to their name recognition and long history. In theory, it makes sense the studio would want control over any references to the beloved spy, even purposely vague ones like those in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
However, “Our Man Bashir" clearly comes from a place of respect for James Bond and spy movies. It doesn't seek to disparage the character in any way and seems like it would only lead to positive publicity for the Bond franchise. Additionally, many TV shows and movies offer up homages to iconic characters. If anything, they're a compliment to the studios and creators responsible for them. For this reason, MGM's reaction to the episode is a bit extreme. Luckily, the studio's response had no effect on the hour itself or its standing as one of the best episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Source: THR