Does anyone find Odo and Kira's relationship pathetic? Neither one of them shows any affection for the other. I think it might be that Nana Visitor just doesn't like to get close to Rene Auberjonois. What do you think?

No offense, but I don't think that's true. What about that episode where Odo "vaporized" himself? In "B-B, B-B", they looked pretty close at the end. They've also hugged numerous times. I think to see them slobbering all over each other would be out of character for both of them, although I will grant that anything is possible.

Kimi, I think Aaron is right. While they are both (very) outspoken characters, they are both extremely reserved regarding their private lives. It would be very out of character for them to do the "Melrose Place" thing. Consider how hard it was for Odo to tell (faux) Kira how he felt in "Heart of Stone".

Think back to when Vedek Bareil was alive. When Kira they were together, she would always showed affection towards him.

Take a look at "Fascination." Kira was very willing to show her affection any chance she could get, so is this really out of her character?

Or, take a look at the last scene of "Life Support." She couldn't stand the fact that her lover was about to die. Now it's like Odo's illness is no big deal.

Another note: I don't particularly care for the "Melrose Place thing" either and I'm not expecting them to do that.

How often did we see Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty act real affectionately toward each other? Essentially, Odo and Kira are Marshal Dillon and Kitty respectively.

OK, so maybe Kira's a bit more demonstrative, but Odo is still a very VERY private person. Bareil was more outgoing (to get into politics you'd have to be...). I suspect that Kira is showing some respect for Odo's wants and needs by exercising restraint.

To further establish my point, take a look at "Crossfire" and observe Kira's attitude after Shakaar reveals his feelings for her.

I have conceded your point, at least as regards Kira's demonstrativeness. Now look at my last post, and consider Odo.

I agree with you. My whole argument was supposed to be centered around Kira.

But Kimi, Kira is being less demonstrative out of respect for Odo.

As Scott has, I agree that she was like that with Bareil and Shakaar, but with Odo she has, as Scott put it, been less demonstrative. Even then though I don't think that aside from less kissing, she isn't much different. Who a person is in love with can affect how they act towards them.

But her body language is much different though.

Maybe what I see is based on Nana Visitor not liking Rene Auberjonois. I'm not sure if she does or not. But, what do you think?

I'm with ScottN. Kira will consider how she reacts toward one who she is interested or in love with. I see her as a chameleon towards her partner.
Bariel, she acted reserved, but yet loving, like he is.
Shakarr, who is more outgoing, she is as well.
Fascination has her more passionately with Bashir, because that is how he is.
She cares for how Odo feels. She knows how he is, and she respects for how he reacts in a love relationship.
She seems to follow the cue of others, for being mostly aggressive all her life, she is not sure how to react to her own feelings, when in love.

I just remembered one more example. With Tom Riker, I wouldn't think she just kiss just like that, but he wanted it, and she just followed.

Kimi, I for one agree with you. I don't think it's a matter of the actress not liking the actor, but of the writers not really knowing what to do with the relationship once they finally started it. They can't spend too much time (for which I'm grateful) on the relationship and make "Star Trek: Mad About You," so they just give little reminders here and there. Every now and then, they'll do something like Odo's vaporing, but these things are so few and far apart that the overall relationship seems unreal.

This is what happens when you start pairing off
everybody in the cast in the middle of a war (not
to mention a power struggle in the Klingon Empire,
heretical intrigue on Bajor, a resistance movement
on Cardassia, Sec 31....) There's little time for
character. Hopefully the finale'll deal with this
respectfully, though it might well be more
concerned with things blowing up (which would be
ok too.)

I agree with you too, Kim. Odo seems very adoring of Kira, but she seems more platonic towards him.

I've been at two fan club weekends which included Rene, and Nana came to the Saturday dinner of one. Besides her two year old calling him Uncle Rene, he also told a very amusing story about his makeup and the rehearsal of their first kiss.

That, in fact, might be a *practical* reason that they don't ssuck face onscreen. The story Rene told involved him grabbing Nana and just planting one on her. He stepped away, and the latex Odo mask had torn around the *very* fragile mouth area and stuck to her, along with a bunch of cornstarch.

His makeup artist: "Oh, dear..."

Sid, kibbizting just offstage: "Way to go, Rene!" (hysterical laughter)

The creative reason, IMHO, being that it's simply a mature, realistic relationship that doesn't require constant touchy-feely sucky-facey. Plus, as someone else pointed out, it *is* the middle of a war. They can't be making out under his desk every fifteen minutes.