The strength/serious problem with this episode is how it points out all the issues with the Dax/Worf relationship. Yes, they have a breakthrough were Dax realizes what Worf's issue with relaxing is, but they still have massive differences in terms of what they consider relaxing. Fortunately Worf is clearly very into Dax and she is super into Klingons in general and Worf in particular. The Bashir/Leeta relationship plays itself out pretty much as you would expect, only Bashir is a bit disappointed she is the one ready to move on, not him. The plot by the puritans to save the Federation from having fun plays out pretty much as you would expect with Worf first joining in the hi-jinks and then saving the day when they go too far.
The episode opens with Odo and Sisko hanging out at the Replimat discussing the upcoming O'Brien baby and how they want to name him Sean, which means swamp in Bajoran. And mostly proves that you should never tell people the name until the child has it... But then Dax arrives with a sore neck which leads to discussion of her relationship with Worf and their upcoming trip to Risa comes up. Worf arrives to be outraged she is talking about their relationship. And then it gets worse, Leeta and Bashir show up and talk their way onto the trip as well, which seems to be as bad as it gets, but then as they get ready to board the runabout Quark shows up and demands to go if Leeta is going. Worf doesn't kill Quark on the trip there, but he comes close.
They arrive and Worf is still determined to not enjoy himself and Dax seems to only enjoy hassling him about it. The only thing Worf seems to enjoy is the flyer he gets from a group of puritans who are holding a rally to try and get people to stop having so much fun so they can fight the Dominion or something. Worf just keeps getting more upset as he watches Leeta and Bashir constantly move between other sexual partners and Dax keeps flirting with a girls she knows who was Kurzon's lover. That night he and Dax fight about the nature of their relationship so he storms off and helps the puritans disrupt the climate controls on the planet causing instant rain pretty much everywhere. Which leads to a great bit by Quark about all the different Ferengi names for rain. Things seem to be getting better rain wise but the puritans show up again, this time with guns, but they aren't loaded, it is all just a stunt.
Things finally come to a head with Dax and Worf and he finally tells her the reason he is so restrained all the time was that as a child he accidentally killed a human classmate in a sporting competition at school. Dax finally has at least a bit of an understanding of what he is going through and tells him she will never do anything to hurt him. And then the earthquakes start. Worf correctly guesses it is the space puritans and manages to stop them before they destroy all the buildings on the planet. Leeta and Bashir finish off their relationship in a Bajoran ritual and she immediately admits she has feelings about Rom which shocks both Quark and Julian.
Review: A fun episode with most of its issues coming from obvious problems with the Dax/Worf relationship. But then it isn't exactly unrealistic to think that people might stay in a relationship that has serious problems. Some genuinely funny bits help as well.
7 out of 10
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