The 12 Worst Star Trek: DS9 Episodes Ever

I must put myself in the "I don't think Move Along Home is so bad" camp; I like what Nerys Ghemor said about the episode not taking itself too seriously. Which is, in some ways, what Sisko et al. do vis à vis first contact with the Wadi. Sisko is openly disparaging (well, openly with certain people at least) of the Wadi's thing for games, and then is unhappy when he is "honored" (presumably in the Wadi's eyes) by getting to participate in one. Yeah, I know I'm oversimplifying, but I think the episode does make a good comment about "what's childish to your culture may be sacred to another's."

I also admit that I don't quite get the dislike for Meridian, other than it just not being a stellar episode. It's not embarrassing, like some things that TNG put out (*cough* Code of Honor *cough*), nor does it make me actively dislike it. It just doesn't really attract me. So I guess that makes it one of my "least favorite" DS9 episodes, but not one of the "worst."

The Muse. Okay, this one I will grant. This may be the DS9 that I have waited the longest to rewatch; I remember being reeeeeeaaaally turned off by Onaya (or whatever her name was).

The Storyteller is an episode that, if you're in the wrong mood, can be kinda offensive in my opinion. The way the Bajoran villagers being made to look pretty ridiculous sticks out to me. But on showing this episode to my girlfriend (who has very little prior Star Trek experience), she rather liked it, noting all the elements of farce therein, and how poor O'Brien is just not cut out for this at all. (And the village is in the middle of nowhere, and there are rather incredible elements at play, so I suppose you can explain away the villagers' depictions.) And I do love the Noh-Jay Consortium storyline.

I've never had a problem with Profit and Lace; I think it has some really nice Quark-Ishka moments, and it does have a few good comments about how we construct gender (Rom showing Quark how to walk, for example). But I've heard some convincing arguments about how the episode is rather inappropriate with regards to transgender issues. And I can definitely see where they're coming from.

Melora... yeah; as someone who is close to people with disabilities, I find this episode problematic in several ways. (Honestly, not the least of which is plausibility: I find it very hard to believe that the Federation cannot come up with a better physical support system for Melora.) But I also dislike Melora as a character. Having a disability does not give you the right to be rude to your colleagues or your commanding officer. This episode does have great zero-G scenes, but that is it for me.

I disagree with the OP's assessment of Fascination. I think it's a lot of fun and is very well executed. So many great moments in that episode (Dax freaking out Sisko, Jake going nuts over Kira [and Ben's reaction to that], Bareil being so out-of-character, O'Brien's tender apology to his wife).

I love If Wishes Were Horses. I think it's an excellent science fiction story that is well executed with lots of great moments. I love the ending: "No shockwaves, Major." And the shockwaves cease. I love Sisko's conversations with Buck Bokai. And, of course, this is the origin of the all-important baseball on Sisko's desk. (I also love "Take Me Out to the Holosuite," though I could understand someone not caring for it.)

Hmm, I didn't mean for this post to be exhaustive, but while I'm at it, "Let He Who Is Without Sin..." always struck me as poorly-executed. I understand that they wanted to show a lot more sex, but couldn't because of what time of day the episode would air in most markets (5 PM); I think that would've helped, though not saved, the episode. On the other hand, we do actually finally get a plausible (if a bit too simple) explanation for why Worf is always so damned restrained.

 

Wow. These are pretty much all the episodes that I skipped when I was showing DS9 to my wife.

 

Haha, I have a soft spot for this episode. Granted, it ran with the trek-notion that our logical/emotionless Vulcans actually are as arrogant, spiteful and petty as Dudley Dursley from the Potter series. But, I enjoyed it ... especially when Sisko gets pissed and kicks Rom off the team hahaha

 

Also, to the 12 spot, Valiant doesn't deserve that spot on the list-- even with it's problems, it is a high-ranking episode on the performance and tension between Nog and Jake alone (great acting/story there). The rest of the list is pretty fair.

 

I so disagree with you. The entire premise of Valiant is wrong.

 

Q-Less is okay for a first season episode. If Wishes Were Horses is, too. In general the first season is so boring that it drove all but the die-hard Trek fans away.

 

I must admit, I can't completely hate Q-Less, because it gave us that great, great outtake between Avery Brooks and John DeLancie:

Brooks: Bring them back Q, now!
DeLancie: Or what, what? You'll ravish me?
*both actors grin as they realize what he just said.*
Delancie: *embarassed* No, no, it's not 'ravish,' I'm sorry...
Brooks: *puts hands on DeLancie's shoulders* I might.
*they start laughing, along with the rest of the cast/crew*

Seriously, look for it on YT! That alone makes this lackluster episode worthwhile.

 

Put me in the "Valiant sucks" category. Bad, bad writing and characterization. Nog was beyond stupid there, and so were the other "Dead Squad" members. I agree--I wanted to punch them all in the face. And I would've liked a smart military member in there rather than Jake, because the message really came off as "civilian smart, military dumb."

God, I would've loved to see Kira kick their asses into shape.

 

^ Agreed on all points.

Here's my bottom 12 from "best" to worst....

12.) If Wishes Were Horses
11.) The Storyteller
10.) The Muse
9.) Second Sight
8.) Paradise
7.) Family Business
6.) Valiant
5.) Move Along Home
4.) Meridian
3.) Bar Association
2.) Profit and Lace
1.) Let He Who Is Without Sin...

 

I rather like both "paradise" and "bar association."

 

The Finale, especially the second part.

1. "Oh yes I understand now. You are all good guys. I will order the Jem'Hadar to disarm immediately and surrender to be judged for my war crimes."

2. "Dukat, you are a meanie! Stop playing with fire or I'll confiscate the book!" Big fight then "AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

3. "Kasidy, I have responsibilities in the Wormhole. The Prophets need me. Don't tell the baby in your oven that I'm a deadbeat dad and be nice with Jake. I'll be back one of these days."

4. "Kira, I have responsibilities in the Link. The Founders need me. I know you need me too but frankly, after all those years stuck in that monstrosity of a station, I want to take a long break. Ta ta!"

5. "Well now I know how far those spots go, and I promise not to tell Miles, even if I'm pretty sure Worf told Martok already."

And so many other irritating ways to tell us that DS9 ended once and for all. Thank heaven for fanfic!

 

While I don't agree that the finale is among the worst of the series, I do have issues with it:

1. Sisko has an epiphany/vision (off screen) telling him that he must go to the fire caves. Next scene, Sisko confronts Dukat in the fire caves. Despite demonstration of immense power, Dukat is defeated by .. being tackled. All in a matter of minutes. It seemed so rushed and shoehorned in. Not to mention anticlimactic after being built up all season.

2. Sisko the prophet visits Kasidy in a vision, but not Jake?

Other than that though, I had no qualms with the finale.

 

The finale wasn't bad plot-wise. Production-wise, however, I believe it could've been done better, which would've lessened or eliminated most of the problems.

 

I loved The Muse! But forget the plot, that crazy lady and pretty much everything else--I just love Jake Sisko and it's great when he has his own episode.

I don't really have a problem with the rest of the list, except I don't remember Melora being that bad.

 

"Bar Association" is one of my favorite episodes!

 

Mine too! I liked the ending with Rom making the smart choice and breaking away from Quark.

Also, it gave a glimpse into Ferengi culture. Despite Quark's mini-speeches to the contrary, Ferengis were not above using violence to preserve their way of life. They sent goons to rough him up just to preserve their accepted way to do business and convince him to do things the "Ferengi Way"

 

Here are 12 episodes that come to mind as ones I don't particularly like not necessarily in order:

1. Profit and Lace
2. Valient
3. The Muse
4. Who Mourns for Morn (I just didn't think this episode was necessary)
5. Fascination
6. Meridian
7. Melora
8. Let He Who Is Without Sin (Even though it's kind of a guilty pleasure)
9. A Man Alone (Odo had a weird voice in this episode)
10. The Passenger
11. Prodigal Daughter
12. Profit and Loss

 

To me, the worst episodes seem to focus on Ferengi or Bajoran spirituality.

 

Even the worst DS episodes had some saving graces (usually acting, or A or B story), and never as bad as worst TNG ones. I'm pretty meh on Valiant as well, Covenant to Emperors Cloak 4-ep arc in S7. And don't think The Ascent is all that great. Rarely rewatch S1 & 2 so hard to judge. But like Melora for some reason. And The Muse, Bar Assocation, even Profit & Lace! What does send me to sleep is anything with Bareil in, and the whole ludicrous Dukat-Winn subplot in S7. What a waste...

 

People get so bent out of shape over this one. Sure, it's not the greatest episode ever, but I think people dog-pile on it too much myself.

Trials & Tribble-ations wasn't necessary either, but that didn't make it a bad episode. I thought "Who Mourns for Morn" was a great romp.

Again - I don't get why people don't like this. It was a (sort of) clumsy attempt at "Star Trek does Midsummer Night's Dream"... which I thought was fun.

I just watched this one the other day for the first time in years. It boggles my mind that Worf basically joins these terrorists and then just walks away as if nothing happened. And the rest of the characters let him! Ugh, the logic just wasn't there in that one. Quark had some good lines though.

Forgive me, but don't you think that's kind of a dumb reason to list it as one of the "worst" episodes ever? Bearing in mind, too, that it was the second episode shot (but the third that aired)?