Yet, despite how silly Zek seemed, and how insane it seemed that he’d be respected by other Ferengi back when DS9 was airing, it now seems strangely prophetic. Some political leaders and billionaires today have similarly pathetic personalities to Zek, but they’re also not even good at business. The main reason they get more money is that people respect them, despite their silly personalities and also despite their lack of business acumen.
Let me be clear: I don’t think Zek was particularly badly written. I think his plotlines and motivation and mental state were written in ways that made sense for that series. I think that Wallace straight up did a bad job in bringing him to life and the character and episodes suffered as a result.
Armin as Quark really elevated the Ferengi, as did Jeffrey Combs.
Wallace Shawn brought them back down to their silly origins. It was not good. He was basically a silly goblin.
Yet, despite how silly Zek seemed, and how insane it seemed that he’d be respected by other Ferengi back when DS9 was airing, it now seems strangely prophetic. Some political leaders and billionaires today have similarly pathetic personalities to Zek, but they’re also not even good at business. The main reason they get more money is that people respect them, despite their silly personalities and also despite their lack of business acumen.
Zek wasn’t good at business either, at least not by the time we saw him.
Let me be clear: I don’t think Zek was particularly badly written. I think his plotlines and motivation and mental state were written in ways that made sense for that series. I think that Wallace straight up did a bad job in bringing him to life and the character and episodes suffered as a result.
And it was glorious. Not as glorious as Brunt, obviously. But still.