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"Meridian" is based on Brigadoon, a musical about a magical Scottish village that appears only once every one hundred years. Co-Executive Producer Ira Steven Behr, an admirer of Brigadoon, confessed to originating the idea about making an episode based on the musical. Of his idea to do a Star Trek show based on Brigadoon, Behr says "I am a moron." |
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This episode features the first appearance of Jeffrey Combs on the series, as well as on Star Trek. He would later play the recurring characters of Weyoun and Liquidator Brunt on the series and Commander Shran in Star Trek: Enterprise, as well as many more single character appearances like Tiron. Combs, who had originally auditioned for the role of William T. Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation, was cast as Tiron by this episode's director, Jonathan Frakes (who actually got the part of Riker). |
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This episode marks the return of composer Dennis McCarthy to DS9. He had left temporarily to compose the score for Star Trek Generations. |
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This is the first episode in which Sisko goes back into the Gamma Quadrant since the season opener, in which they located the Founders and effectively initiated a cold war with the Dominion. |
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The hologram consisting of Kira Nerys' body and Quark's head was supposed to be Nana Visitor's body with Armin Shimerman's head (in make-up) inserted in post-production. Although Visitor was scheduled to appear in the shot, it would have required her to wear a foam rubber head, which would be replaced by Quark's head. However, Visitor was still reeling from claustrophobia as a result of the Cardassian make-up she wore for "Second Skin". When her make-up artist, Camille Calvet, attempted to place the rubber head on her, Visitor panicked. Thus, body double Leah Burrough filled in for her. |
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The garden set of Meridian, where Jadzia and Deral engage in a relationship, is a reuse of the set used for Betazed in TNG: "Ménage à Troi". The house of Deral is a reuse of the set used for the temple in TNG: "Masks", and was built on Paramount Stage 18. The backdrop seen outside the house was actually a 270-degree backdrop borrowed from Walt Disney Studios, where it had been originally created to be used on Mary Poppins. |
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Many members of the DS9 staff consider this episode to be the worst of the season. For example, writer Hilary J. Bader says "Of all the stories I've done for Star Trek, "Meridian" is my least favorite"
Writer/producer Ronald D. Moore claims "I don't think anyone likes the show. I don't think we liked the show. This one just went wrong. It never jelled"
Visual effects supervisor Glenn Neufeld says "A classic case of making it up as we go. I don't want to talk about it." |
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A script for this episode was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. |
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Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko) does not appear in this episode. |
