Hiding Out In Treetops, Playing Silly Games

"Move Along Home" Plot Summary:

A Gamma Quadrant rrace called the Waddi come aboard the station and announce an interest in learning the games at Quark's. Using powers which the Starfleet officers cannot probe, they lead the crew of Deep Space Nine on a complicated but ultimately harmless trip through a maze which Quark later makes plans to buy.

Analysis:

Allamarain! This very inconsequential episode reminded me a bit of TNG's "The Game," though it was never as dark and the characters looked much more silly (albeit much less stupid since they didn't become addicted to the silliness). In fact, this seemed like it could have been written as a TNG episode and imported for this series, since none of the characters behaved particularly in character as we've seen them thus far. I hope the rest of the Gamma Quadrant species don't share so many of Quark's interests; it's a relief to meet a race with no interest in conquest, just in harmless silliness, but this sort of thing could get exceedingly boring after awhile.