Best And Worst B Stories?

[Sakonna]

Inspired by the "Meridian" thread, I rewatched that ep the other day, and found the B story in that episode to be delightful. It's such a slight wisp of an idea, and they get so much fun out of it. That's one of the things I love about DS9 that I don't see discussed that often -- they really excelled at the slice-of-life B story. It got me thinking about what my other favorite B stories would be...

HEART OF STONE -- Nog decides to join Starfleet. The key turning point in one of DS9's great character arcs.

THE SOUND OF HER VOICE -- It's really the last Jake story of the entire series. His pairing with Quark is an unexpectedly fun combo, and this story also provides such a sweet window into Odo & Kira just being happy together.

FACETS -- Rom's high point -- that bit where he slams Quark into the wall and rips him a new one for sabotaging Nog's entrance exam is one of my favorite scenes in the whole series. Quark's actions are also so well-rooted in his character -- in his mind, he really was helping Nog.

FAMILY BUSINESS -- I love how gossip-y the station community is, and this is a great use of that, everyone else on board knowing all about Jake setting up Sisko and Kassidy before they've even met.

TIME'S ORPHAN -- Jadzia and Worf take care of Yoshi and discuss having children. Like "Meridian", another terrible A story episode that is only redeemed by a charming B plot. And this few minutes of screentime does more work selling the tragedy of Jadzia's impending death than "Tears Of The Prophets" does.

PLAYING GOD -- O'Brien tries to combat an infestation of Cardassian voles. It's silly and barely there. I love it.

HIPPOCRATIC OATH -- Worf's black-and-white TNG viewpoint leads him to totally screw up Odo's undercover operation. Everytime DS9 goes to work deconstructing and complicating the TNG mythos, I love it, and this is no exception.

And then this also got me thinking of B stories I couldn't stand...

LIFE SUPPORT -- Jake & Nog double-date antics. In isolation it plays as noxious sitcom, made even worse by how horribly it intercuts with the Bareil death tragedy. Off-putting in the extreme.

FOR THE CAUSE -- Garak & Ziyal meet. Such a misfire. The fact that it's the only appearance of this actress in the role has it feeling cut off from the Ziyal arc on either side, but even aside from that, Garak just seems like an idiot here, not at all the canny operator we are used to seeing.

What do others think are the best/worst of DS9's B plots?

 

[Bad Thoughts]

HEART OF STONE -- Nog decides to join Starfleet. The key turning point in one of DS9's great character arcs.

I have to give this the best: the scene in which Nog explains his motives to Sisko is paintfully honest. How hard is it to admit that you don't share your parents outlook or ambitions! The scene is deeply personal, making easily one of the best b-stories of the franchise.

My least favorite is Doctor Bashir, I Presume. What a contrived love triangle! The talented Picardo is wasted, and Leeta is dumbed down by a factor of 10.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I loved the NoJay Consortium in Progress.

I would put Hippocratic Oath on the 'Worst' list, as I feel his childishness is out of character.

 

[The Wormhole]

Ones I enjoyed that haven't already been mentioned:
Prophet Motive: Bashir being nominated for a prestigious award which he pretends not to care about.
Blaze of Glory: Nog trying to earn Martok's respect
Treachery, Faith and the Great River: O'Brien gets swept up in Nog's convoluted trading scheme.

Can't really think of any I don't like though. Maybe the thing in Change of Heart of Bashir trying to beat Quark at gambling wasn't particularly enthralling.

 

[Tundra Saint]

Best:Nog wanting to join Starfleet in Heart of Stone.
Worst:Alien brain vampire try's to drain Jake's brain In The Muse.

 

[Tosk]

Another vote for Nog's Starfleet aspirations.

Worst:Alien brain vampire try's to drain Jake's brain In The Muse.

Isn't that the A story? The B story is the equally crummy bit about Lwaxana being pregnant.

but even aside from that, Garak just seems like an idiot here, not at all the canny operator we are used to seeing.

Ah, but maybe he's so canny that he actually knows exactly how to act when around Ziyal! Every person requires a different approach.

 

[Tundra Saint]

I thought Odo and Troi's mom was the A story.

 

[Sakonna]

Can't really think of any I don't like though. Maybe the thing in Change of Heart of Bashir trying to beat Quark at gambling wasn't particularly enthralling.

I don't like the actual scenes, and I don't like how this one sends us back on the road of everyone being desperately in love with Jadzia, but one aspect of this I did enjoy was how they played with structure -- ending the B story early and then the intensity of Worf & Dax in the jungle takes over.

Worst:Alien brain vampire try's to drain Jake's brain In The Muse.

Isn't that the A story? The B story is the equally crummy bit about Lwaxana being pregnant.

I always thought we were supposed to see Space Vampire as the A story because of the title, but it's true that there's more actual substance to the Lwaxana/Odo story. I can't believe how many identical scenes there are of the vampire just sucking out Jake's brain juice. And they feel roughly equal in terms of screentime, IIRC...

I was gonna include the Ferengi stuff in "The Dogs Of War" on my worst list, but I was on the fence if that's the A or B story. Ugh, that episode. I can't believe that's the penultimate show of the entire series.

 

[UnknownSample]

DS9 of course never designates anything an A or B story. Many episodes have two half-stories of roughly equal importance or non-importance.

 

[Nakita Akita]

Best:Nog wanting to join Starfleet in Heart of Stone.
Worst:Alien brain vampire try's to drain Jake's brain In The Muse.

The Muse was the main story!!!!
I thought

I think the Muse is funny because Jake writes with a pen in cursive!!
Younger people TODAY can't write in cursive!

 

[unimatrix7]

I liked the Nog/Sisko stuff. Very much so. Wonderfully acted, and so, so honest. Unfortuantely I could barely tolerate Nog (or Leeta, or Rom) in nearly any other scene. His attempt to sound like a grizzled hardcore soldier veteran in The Siege of AR-558 just made him sound constipated. And made me giggle.

My favourite was barely a B-story, because it only featured in the opening scene, but in The Quickening Quark hijacked the station monitors to display an advertisement for the bar. Kira tells him that if they're not gone by the time she gets back, "I will come to Quarks. And believe me, I will have fun."

Worst B story would have to be Leeta and Rom's idiotic marriage in A Call to Arms. A major turning point in the history of the Trek universe is reached, and the two most unwatchable characters in the history of the franchise take up valuable screentime.

 

[Burning Hearts of Qo'nos]

The Muse was the main story!!!!
I thought

I think the Muse is funny because Jake writes with a pen in cursive!!
Younger people TODAY can't write in cursive!

Could it be reasoned that 'the muse' can be taken in the literal sense that the alien was Jake's muse, and also be used for Troi and Odo where they are both each others' muses at the end? Then they can both be two separate but equal parts, since they pretty much are already? Honestly though, it's been a long time since I've seen this episode, that read might not even be accurate. Just tossing that out there.

Also, I can't even write in cursive anymore . That detail just gets more anachronistic with every passing year.

 

[Sakonna]

My favourite was barely a B-story, because it only featured in the opening scene, but in The Quickening Quark hijacked the station monitors to display an advertisement for the bar. Kira tells him that if they're not gone by the time she gets back, "I will come to Quarks. And believe me, I will have fun."

Worst B story would have to be Leeta and Rom's idiotic marriage in A Call to Arms. A major turning point in the history of the Trek universe is reached, and the two most unwatchable characters in the history of the franchise take up valuable screentime.

I was going to mention that Quickening scene in my OP! It's a great scene. That's another little detail I love in some DS9 episodes, where the whole story is going to only one or two of the regulars, and then everyone else just pops up in one scene for the week. That's a structure you don't see much on TV anymore, now that it's much more common to not sign your regulars for every episode produced.

You're right, that Call To Arms wedding is a disaster. I even like the idea of them getting married in the midst of all that, but the execution... eeeesh.

Could it be reasoned that 'the muse' can be taken in the literal sense that the alien was Jake's muse, and also be used for Troi and Odo where they are both each others' muses at the end? Then they can both be two separate but equal parts, since they pretty much are already? Honestly though, it's been a long time since I've seen this episode, that read might not even be accurate. Just tossing that out there.

I just rewatched "The Muse" the other day, and that's a great interpretation that totally works -- at the end Odo is inspired by Lwaxana to make the big wedding speech about how meaningful she is to him. I'll buy that as connecting to the title.

I'm gonna say it: I like the Odo/Lwaxana story in "The Muse." Those two act the hell out of it, their friendship feels so authentically lived in. She demonstrates such understanding and self-awareness when telling Odo why she can't stay, and then gets to leave and have her new baby -- it's a touching end to her story. Lwaxana could be annoying, but I do have an emotional connection to Majel Barrett, she wound through so much Trek in so many different capacities.

Jake/Space Vampire, I got nothing. I guess the Space Vampire actress is giving it her all in the performance, though it's a hopeless battle against the script.

 

[Burning Hearts of Qo'nos]

I do remember really liking the Troi/Odo story. I actually didn't remember that these were the same episode until this thread! I think I was most taken by how much they expanded Lwaxana's character from her TNG caricature into something deeper and complicated through the DS9 introspective lens. TNG touched upon this ever so slightly, but DS9 made her so real, a quality that DS9 delivered to so many of its characters.

EDIT: I think I may be confusing this episode with her other appearances on DS9 ^^; either way, I stand by my opinion on her overall character as portrayed on this series as opposed to TNG. It looks like I need to rewatch the series.

 

[Farscape One]

Some of my favorites...

"THE NAGUS" - Jake teaches Nog how to read. And Sisko following him into the cargo bay, and just being a proud father and at the end of the episode, simply saying he is a good kid, and to go be with his friend. I loved that.

"PLAYING GOD" - O'Brien vs. Cardassian voles. And Quark getting an earful of that device. Hilarious!

"THE HOUSE OF QUARK" - O'Brien doing his best to cheer up his wife, realizing he must let her leave the station for a while so she can be happy again. The portrayal of this marriage was one of the most believable and honest ones I've seen on tv ever.

"THE ABANDONED" - Sisko learning more about his son than his girlfriend. I thought it was hilarious, touching, and believable.

"HEART OF STONE" - Nog telling Sisko his reason for wanting to go to the Academy. His entire arc that episode was excellent, from trying to get an apprenticeship to proving he is an honest and hard worker with that cargo bay manifest.

"EXPLORERS" - Bashir and O'Brien's drunk scene... one of my favorites of the entire series.

"THE QUICKENING" - The beginning scene with the Quark jingle. I laugh heartily every single time I see it... especially as soon as Worf enters the room.

"BLAZE OF GLORY" - Nog trying to earn Martok's respect. Loved every bit of it.

"TREACHERY, FAITH AND THE GREAT RIVER" - Nog doing all those deals and showing O'Brien his belief in the Great River. I thought it was a brilliant touch to make his Ferengi values and beliefs actually be very useful.


And let's not forget about episodes that make full use of the cast and have all the stories tie up with each other almost seamlessly...

"CIVIL DEFENSE" - A brilliant episode, one of my favorites of season 3. The danger gets ramped up after every act, and always gradually. The execution of this episode was virtually flawless.

"STARSHIP DOWN" - A great character piece for the whole cast, while still maintaining a high level of tension. Loved the entire episode.

"IN THE CARDS" - One of my favorites of the entire series, it starts off innocently enough. A nice way of showing how a few little things can have such an affect on so many larger things in life. The Captain's log at the end of the episode sums it all up perfectly... as well as the Sisko/Jake hug.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I rather enjoyed Rom and Leeta's wedding in Call to Arms. The annoying quirks of the characters had already been established, so anything radically different would not have stood true. They were, however, restrained in this episode.

More importantly, the wedding underlined themes present in the episode and in the development of the Ferengi in general. Amidst crisis and separation, bonds were being recognized and affirmed: Sisko to Bajor, Dax to Worf, Odo to Kira, Garak to Ziyal. Being home at the station and among the Bajorans was also being affirmed. The wedding not only fit in with both themes, it also continued Rom's development, a more mundane journey into Bajoranness than Sisko's, but one in which his commitment to family was more based on his emotions and affections than on the concepts of his culture. I find that the development of the Ferengi family in the series--from Quark being a patriarch to Rom coming into his own as a father and husband--makes an interesting counterpoint to what we see of Sisko's family life.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

Honestly I thought The House of Quark B-story of O'Brien getting Keiko a research position on Bajor because she's bored after the closing of her school was so boring I wish O'Brien had gotten me a research position on Bajor.

 

[Farscape One]

I still maintain that relationship is one of the most real portrayals of marriage I have seen on tv.

And speaking of this, I forgot to add another B story.

"ACCESSION" - O'Brien realising he will have a baby again, and will miss hanging with his best friend as much as he did. Every scene with O'Brien, it is so genuine and real. And Keiko's solution at the end... just perfect. Her way of giving back what Miles gave her with that post on Bajor, because just like Miles will do whatever it takes to make Keiko happy, she will do what she can to make him happy. I thought it was beautiful.

 

[Sakonna]

"THE HOUSE OF QUARK" - O'Brien doing his best to cheer up his wife, realizing he must let her leave the station for a while so she can be happy again. The portrayal of this marriage was one of the most believable and honest ones I've seen on tv ever.

Honestly I thought The House of Quark B-story of O'Brien getting Keiko a research position on Bajor because she's bored after the closing of her school was so boring I wish O'Brien had gotten me a research position on Bajor.

Originally, I can remember being so annoyed by "The House Of Quark" after "The Search" -- I wanted more big space action and high-stakes drama! What the hell is this comic/relationship story? On rewatch, I love this episode and thinks it's a perfect example of what's so wonderful about DS9's point of view. What follows the big reveal that there's an evil empire out there that's very possibly coming to kill us all? The nearby bars have to figure out how they're going to stay in business. The school closes and the teacher needs to find new direction in life. DS9 was so great at achieving the epic by focusing on the small & the personal.

I'm glad there are other fans of the Keiko & O'Brien marriage! I loved them (on DS9, they didn't work as well on TNG). I know it's widely hated, but I have always had a fondness for "Fascination" and I like their subplot in that as well. It's such a serious fight, it feels so uncomfortably real.

 

[Armus]

Which episode has the subplot, if one can call it that, where O'Brien's son only wants to sleep at Ops? I remember O'brien takes his son everywhere on the station and he finally gets him to fall asleep at the end. Then O'brien dozes off as Worf tells him how lucky he is to witness his son's early years.