I think there is a reference to a third kid who we don’t see on screen.

It’s an Insurrection reference.

Anything by Una McCormack. Especially DS9, but not exclusively.

A Stitch In Time, by Garak, is also generally considered top of the class.

Yes. They’ve announced it as a direct to Paramount+ TV movie.

If there are only seven people on the ship, why have they turned all those lights on?

She was once. Then she was played by Robin Curtis in her two later appearances. Which at the time was unusual in Star Trek.

Now loads of characters have had two or three different actors play them.

It felt totally natural to me watching it first time round. It’s part of DS9’s thing to be about a group of people who stay in one place and have lives and relationships. And it’s part of DS9’s thing to throw in stuff and let it grow if it works.

It balances against the harsh darkness of the main storyline, and in a 26 episode series you can’t just bash out war after war after war episode - everyone needs a break.

Probably also helps that it’s likely cheaper than other stuff to produce and means they can save some budget for a space battle in another episode.

It’s been a while since I watched it… but weren’t the Augments in season 4 also?

Yeah I thought exactly the same!