His Way (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

The Deep Space Nine crew enjoys a new holosuite program featuring a 1960s Las Vegas lounge singer named Vic Fontaine, who has been programmed with awareness that he is a hologram. Vic who displays keen insights into the crew's relationships; he begins to comment on the relationship between Odo and Kira Nerys, but stops himself. While Kira travels to Bajor to meet with her ex-lover Shakaar Edon, Odo visits Vic to inquire further.

Vic observes that Odo clearly is in love with Kira, but is afraid to pursue her, whereas Kira likes him but considers him only a friend. Vic claims that Odo's biggest obstacle is his reserved, aloof personality, and suggests he needs to "have some fun". He has Odo perform on piano during a show, and then arranges a double date with a pair of holographic women. Odo begins to feel more relaxed in his day-to-day life. Later, Vic arranges an encounter with a holographic singer made to look like Kira, but Odo is dissatisfied at her lack of Kira's personality, and knowing that he is only comfortable with her because he knows she's a hologram, becomes frustrated and leaves.

Vic, determined to take matters into his own hands, invites Kira to dinner, supposedly on Odo's behalf. Vic then persuades Odo to come to the holosuite to see a "new and improved" Kira program. Odo and Kira share a romantic date and a dance at Vic's club, but Vic reveals to Odo that his date is with the real Kira, not a hologram, Odo leaves, angered and embarrassed.

The next day, Kira confronts Odo, insisting they need to discuss what happened over dinner, "anywhere but a holosuite". Odo asks whether Shakaar would object to that, believing she is still seeing him, but Kira tells him her trip was strictly business, and that she isn't romantically involved with anyone. Odo sarcastically asks, if they have dinner, whether she would also like a dance afterward, and a kiss; Kira heatedly responds that she might. Odo declares "Well, then, who needs dinner? Why don't I just get it over with and kiss you right now?" Kira replies, "Well, why don't you?" and Odo grabs her and kisses her passionately. Later, Odo stops by the Holodeck to thank Vic for his help.

This episode includes Sisko and Odo singing "They Can't Take That Away from Me".[3] The song originates from the 1937 film Shall We Dance and was composed by George Gershwin.

Vic also sings several songs in the holosuite, including a version of the 1957 song “Come Fly with Me”.[4] The character Lola Chrystal sings a cover of the hit 1956 song "Fever".[4]

In 2014, The A.V. Club noted that this continues the Star Trek's tradition of bizarre romantic pairings of a beautiful woman with a weird alien.[1] They also questioned the morality of Odo using a holographic Kira, although the reviewer could understand why Vic didn't have a problem with this, as he is already a software program.[1] They noted this episode introduced the A.I. character Vic, pointing out Doctor Bashir's line "He’s a program who knows he’s a program."[1]

In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter ranked this as the 93rd best episode of all Star Trek.[5] In 2019, CBR ranked this the 20th best Holodeck-themed episode of all Star Trek franchise episodes up to that time.[6]

In 2018, SyFy recommend this episode for its abbreviated watch guide for the Bajoran character Kira Nerys.[7]

In 2019, Tor.com noted this as an "essential" episode for the character of Odo, saying it is the best episode featuring the Odo and Kira love story arc.[8] In 2019, Io9 suggested that the episode was a Romantic comedy, and noted the romantic pairing of the characters Odo and Kira.[9]

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• "His Way" at IMDb
• "His Way" at TV.com

• His Way at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

• His Way at StarTrek.com