[Nate the Great]

DAX: I admit they place too much emphasis on profit, and their behaviour toward women is somewhat primitive.
KIRA: They're greedy, misogynistic, untrustworthy little trolls and I wouldn't turn my back on one of them for a second.
DAX: Neither would I. But once you accept that, you'll find they can be a lot of fun.

And as Sisko will tell Worf in a couple years, once you understand the rules that Ferengi operate by, you'll understand why they act the way that they do.

ZEK: Well I've been thinking, too, and ten thousand vats of tulaberry wine aren't enough. Tell them we want a hundred thousand.
QUARK: A hundred thousand? But I'm not sure they'll even agree to sell us ten thousand.
ZEK: A hundred thousand vats would mean more profit for them and for us. Now do as I say, or I'm going to take over the negotiations myself.

It's too early to start in on Zek's Ferengi Alzheimer's. He's supposed to be the best businessman in the Alliance, so he should be written as such.

DAX: I don't care what anybody says, I love him.
PEL: So do I.
DAX: You really do, don't you?
PEL: What?
DAX: Love Quark. Don't bother trying to deny it. I've seen the way you look at him.
PEL: Please, keep your voice down.
DAX: Does he know?
PEL: He doesn't even know I'm a female.
DAX: You're a woman?

And here's a big problem. "Can Quark learn to respect the business skills of a woman" and "Can Quark love a nontraditional Ferengi woman" are two different plots, and both are done a disservice by cramming them into a single episode. Throw in Zek's nonsense and there just isn't room to do anything properly.

ZEK: This is a catastrophe. A complete catastrophe. This was your big chance, Quark, and you blew it. You may have seriously harmed future Ferengi opportunities in the Gamma Quadrant.

And now Zek has ruined any chance for likability. Like Pel said, he's willing to throw anyone under the bus to benefit himself. I will refrain from comparing him to any current politician, you know who I mean.

PEL: We're going to travel to the Gamma Quadrant, find the Dosi and get them to sign the contract.

How is this supposed to work? The Dosi didn't respect you when you were official representatives of the Nagus, they're not going to respect you when you're just desperate little weasels.

ODO: Well, I suppose if I did have a brother, even one as worthless as Quark, I wouldn't let anyone come between us.

Boy is there a screed to be had here, but I'll skip it.

PEL: But you know what the hundred and third Rule of Acquisition says.
QUARK: Not offhand.
PEL: Sleep can interfere with
QUARK: And I don't care either.

The expanded universe establishes the 103rd Rule as "Sleep can interfere with opportunity". And Quark should have all 285 memorized at all times.

Incidentally while canon states 285 Rules, the novels have gone up to 294, plus Neelix's fake 299th Rule, plus a 431st from Star Trek Online.

PEL: Who's the Karemma?
ZYREE: An important power in the Dominion.
QUARK: The Dominion? What's that?
ZYREE: Let's just say if you want to do business in the Gamma Quadrant, you have to do business with the Dominion.

And here we are. I do wish that they had established that exploration had reached a new region of the Gamma Quadrant or something to justify this meeting in the second season.

QUARK: Nobody's going to tell Zek anything. Is that clear?
ROM: But she's a female.
QUARK: Not so loud.
ROM: Who wears clothes and is trying to earn profit. Why, she even quotes from the sacred Rules of Acquisition. Such a female must be severely punished.
QUARK: I know that.

It would be interesting to chart how much Rom's character changed in seven years, but I won't be doing it. They should've at least had an episode explaining that Rom has officially given up on being a good Ferengi businessman, possibly tied with his dreams for Nog.

PEL: What is it?
QUARK: Ten bars of latinum. To help you start a new life.

Ten bars! Quark is being uncharacteristically generous. If this this his idea of love, I wish they'd explained it better.

PEL: I love you, Quark, and I know you care about me, too. Admit it.
QUARK: What difference does it make if I do? You'd never be happy being a Ferengi wife.

Exactly. Pel is supposed to be as smart as any man, yet this obvious fact escaped her.

And once again the episode ends without actually resolving the central conflict. Quark's opinion on women hasn't changed, and Pel is now in virtual exile. She really should've returned in the final seasons as a friend of Ishka's.

Memory Alpha

* First episode where homosexuality is treated as acceptable, but since it's Dax the writers can avoid giving the current human opinion.

Nitpicker's Guide

* Why didn't Pel take her fake lobe case with her to the Gamma Quadrant? That way Rom wouldn't have found it.
* Zek's servant rides a turbolift to Ops to give Kira a gift from Zek. Isn't the turbolift programmed to only allow authorized personnel to reach Ops?
* The transporter on Zek's ship doesn't use the established Ferengi transporter effect, instead using the Cardassian effect used with the station's transporters.