I am watching DS9 for the first time (some observations)

[Dar70]

I have been rewatching DS9. Haven't seen most of the series since its end. I am enjoying it immensely. Best Trek series in my opinion. Just finished The Visitor. It is achingly good. Probably my very favorite trek episode. Avery Brooks, Ciroc Lofton and Tony Todd do outstanding jobs in this episode. I envy those of you who will view it for the first time. It was even better than I remember. So damn good.

 

[DonIago]

I still remember the first time I saw the episode with its unconventional teaser I had grave concerns as to what I was setting myself up for. Thankfully entirely unfounded!

 

[Herbert]

I'm also going through DS9 for the first time, except for a few early episodes that I watched at the time. I'm really enjoying it. Much more enjoyable than Voyager, imo. I went through that entire series a couple years ago. At times, Voyager felt like a slog to get through. DS9 for the most part doesn't.

I'm not entirely happy with the series though. Too many alternate universe episodes and too much Lwaxana
The Bashir "James Bond" episode left me cold. Why even make an episode like that? Sometimes the filler episodes, as I call them, seem like such blatant filler. Of course, all Trek series are guilty of that.

 

[DonIago]

Too much Lwaxana? IIRC she's in literally three episodes.

I found the James Bond episode quite amusing, and somewhat insightful in the way it compares Bashir's spy fantasies with Garak's spy realities.

 

[kkt]

Don't think of her as Lwaxana. Think of her as the First Lady of Star Trek, in Star Trek all the way back to the first pilot of the original series.

 

[Farscape One]

"OUR MAN BASHIR" is a personal favorite of mine. It's the best and most original 'holodeck gone wrong' episodes in the franchise. And the genius of it is that it technically isn't even malfunctioning!

Lwaxana was in only 3 episodes. She had a lot of depth in her appearances as time went on. If you look at specific scenes and not the episodes as a whole, she's a lot more tragic than you think, and uses her zest for life and 'Auntie Mame' mentality as a cover to hide her true feelings. (I've always felt Neelix on VOYAGER is a spuritual brother to her... both have had a lot of tragedy in their life and journey through it by adopting such overly cheerful zest. I wouldn't be surprised if he was patterned after Lwaxana as an homage, even if only subconsciously when creating the character.)

 

[Herbert]

Too much Lwaxana? IIRC she's in literally three episodes.

I was sick of her in TNG and THEY KEPT BRINGING HER BACK!

Lwaxana was in only 3 episodes.

Only three? Thank god. I thought there was going to be more

 

[CRM-114]

Just stepping back in for a quick update.

I've just started watched "Tribunal", so I'm nearing the end of Season 2. I briefly considered skipping over "Crossover" as I've never been a fan of the Mirror Universe, but I decided I would give it a try after reading the synopsis on Memory Alpha. I'll have to get back to it.

When I finish watching, I'll be back to write quick reviews for the remaining episodes, starting with "The Maquis, Part I".

 

[Court_Vince]

Popping in because I'm also watching DS9 first time
Just finished "For the Uniform", and I'm still just mulling over my thoughts about it
Like I know that the whole episode plays on and gives us the extra shade/dimension to Eddington's character about how he probably doesn't really believe in the Maquis cause and just wants to live out his rebel hero fantasy and that he all for using biogenic weapons against innocent cardassians but when those weapons are used against him(or more accurately a Maquis planet) then suddenly its a terrible act and Sisko's a awful person. But I still can't really get behind Sisko's action or that Dax all like jokey with him at the end. But still a pretty good episode

 

[DonIago]

^I think the thing that annoys me the most about that episode is the number of times I've seen people (not including you here) say things along the lines of "Sisko poisoned a planet!!!" when the episode explicitly states at the end that the Cardassians and Maquis are going to exchange poisoned planets and even at the time it's said that the attack will only make the planet poisonous to some species.

I never know how many people really just didn't pay attention, and how many are being intentionally inaccurate in service of their own agendas.

 

[Court_Vince]

I tend to usually give people the benefit of the doubt and say they forgot and I cant really blame them since Sisko posioning the planet is probably the most well known part
And its a little ironic too since that part is makes the episode work so well, seeing Eddington and the DS9 crew realize that Sisko isn't bluffing, his beef with Eddington reaching its final heights. It all ends up making Sisko's character even more complex

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I am so jealous of how many people get to watch DS9 for the first time. Of course, everyone here whose watching it for the first time are definitely falling in love with it (it is the pinnacle of the franchise after all), so you'll all be able to proudly call yourselves "Niners"

 

[Herbert]

I am so jealous of how many people get to watch DS9 for the first time. Of course, everyone here whose watching it for the first time are definitely falling in love with it (it is the pinnacle of the franchise after all), so you'll all be able to proudly call yourselves "Niners"

I'm definitely enjoying it. I'm kind of kicking myself for not watching it back when it started. Hell, I may even re-watch it some day. That's something I'll likely never do with Voyager. However, I can't see DS9 ever taking it's place above the original series or TNG in my top two. Those two are just too ingrained in my psyche. DS9 is solidly and clearly #3 though.

 

[STEPhon IT]

I tend to usually give people the benefit of the doubt and say they forgot and I cant really blame them since Sisko posioning the planet is probably the most well known part
And its a little ironic too since that part is makes the episode work so well, seeing Eddington and the DS9 crew realize that Sisko isn't bluffing, his beef with Eddington reaching its final heights. It all ends up making Sisko's character even more complex

Sisko is better than that, especially he's better than that piece of turd Eddington, there was no need for the writers to destroy the character's integrity by attempting to murder Federation citizens. This act is beneath him or any hero in the Star Trek mold, it was unacceptable then and it is definitely unacceptable now. I could imagine Sisko losing his wits against a guy like Gul Dukat in the 1st three seasons, who was unpredictable, highly intelligent and very dangerous adversary where he would be forced to make such a horrible decision and regret it, but THAT GUY??? EDDINGTON??? OMG. Michael Eddington was the visualized form of "Because the JV TEAM wear Lakers' uniforms, doesn't make them Kobe Bryant!"

 

[DonIago]

"attempting to murder Federation citizens" is exactly what I was talking about.

 

[Court_Vince]

Sisko is better than that, especially he's better than that piece of turd Eddington, there was no need for the writers to destroy the character's integrity by attempting to murder Federation citizens. This act is beneath him or any hero in the Star Trek mold, it was unacceptable then and it is definitely unacceptable now. I could imagine Sisko losing his wits against a guy like Gul Dukat in the 1st three seasons, who was unpredictable, highly intelligent and very dangerous adversary where he would be forced to make such a horrible decision and regret it, but THAT GUY??? EDDINGTON??? OMG. Michael Eddington was the visualized form of "Because the JV TEAM wear Lakers' uniforms, doesn't make them Kobe Bryant!"

I guess the fact Eddington betrayed him under command got to him even worse then we thought and it still is insane to me that no one tried to take Sisko out of command or least tried to convince him of other options

 

[STEPhon IT]

I guess the fact Eddington betrayed him under command got to him even worse then we thought and it still is insane to me that no one tried to take Sisko of command or least tried to convince him of other options

It falls under the bad writing.

 

[Court_Vince]

It falls under the bad writing.

I don't know fully agree that with but I understand the viewpoint it's stuff like that where I feel like sometimes DS9 differences in tone, and storytelling style can make it too different at times, such as Sisko poisoning of planet the entire I watched Sisko do that I just felt dread and now some disappointment as i'm writing this like I'm feeling that same pit in my stomach I'm probably rewatch this episode again(maybe even take some notes)

Oh! and I almost forgot did as far i've seen and read, Starfleet didn't even punish Sisko for it right? unless somehow when he "forgot" to notify them they didn't find out?

 

[STEPhon IT]

I don't know fully agree that with but I understand the viewpoint it's stuff like that where I feel like sometimes DS9 differences in tone, and storytelling style can make it too different at times, such as Sisko poisoning of planet the entire I watched Sisko do that I just felt dread and now some disappointment as i'm writing this like I'm feeling that same pit in my stomach I'm probably rewatch this episode again(maybe even take some notes)

Oh! and I almost forgot did as far i've seen and read, Starfleet didn't even punish Sisko for it right? unless somehow when he "forgot" to notify them they didn't find out?

That's correct. The man loses his sense of character and beneath himself of the uniform and it's forgotten not documented and he still have his commission. This was an awful story, there should have been some consequences but nada.
Les Misérables was the so called source and Sisko's reasons are justified, on with the continuing war!

 

[Court_Vince]

That's correct. The man loses his sense of character and beneath himself of the uniform and it's forgotten not documented and he still have his commission. This was an awful story, there should have been some consequences but nada.
Les Misérables was the so called source and Sisko's reasons are justified, on with the continuing war!

well its nice to know that some things still slip through the cracks