I actually lost a ton of respect for Ira Steven Behr when he started claiming Garak and Bashir were supposed to be gay but UPN wouldn't let him do it. 1, because that's clearly a bullshit fan theory invented by fujoshits, and 2, it takes away from one of the best friendships in the series.
Side note: it's interesting how Bashir eventually became a bromance vehicle once the writers realized making his sole personality trait simping over Jadzia wasn't really doing much to make the character popular.
I'm going to somewhat disagree with you. I think you see it in a couple of episodes very early on and its kind of funny.
Garak places his hands on Bashir's shoulders and Andrew Robinson's performance has him practically salivating over being able to take his measurements. Garak does things in such a way as if he's trying to sound him out a little, to see if he can have a bit of fun with a rather nice young whelp of a doctor, you have to remember for the charatcer the whole location is utter and complete torture to him and any idle distraction works very well for him. There's
definitely an undercurrent of tension that sure as fuck isn't bromance or establishing a friendship in the earlier episodes with Garak.
The key and beautiful turning point is the Episode The Wire, where the implant begins failing and it starts to outright kill him.
Now the fusjoshits at thos point begin slicking their unwashed, unused pussies and talk breathlessly about how this is where their romance should totally have begun. What we got instead was a far,
far superior storyline and development point. Heck, looking back
now it is a good place to maybe nudge and push that boundary but, but, the network putting the brakes on it instead creates a superior storyline and relationship. Sometimes confines are more liberating than the free-for-alls we've seen.
Garak sees the doctor helping him through possibly the worst experience of his life so far, far worse than banishment, far worse than the lights and temperature which always leaves him uncomfortable. The snide remarks if a fellow Cardassian ever sees him, the lack of the drug of pleasue results in him being a foul creature to deal with and yet, and yet this doctor who was made clearly uncomfortable by his earlier actions that amused him so much, that could easily walk out that door and leave him to his fate... simply doesn't. He stays, he helps him, he's there for him for no reason other than he's actually enjoyed the company during dinner when Garak himself wasnt acting like a hound dogging dick.
And as the need for the pleasure drug steadily fades we don't see love, we see that deeper cameraderie form instead. We see Garak actually
respect Bashir for his act of selflessness something he's probably never seen before in his life as an Obsidian Order member where loyalty is the key, even if you yourself dont beleive it.
And that's where the big difference is, Julian Bashir earns the respect of Elim Garak. Something truly, and whole heartedly far more valuable to both than a simple dalliance might've created.
