Damn, and I always thought it was me. Now I'll have to change all my stationary.
Have I done myself a huge disservice by starting with season 5?
- Thread starter SomniumRabidum
- Start date
All these years ... a waste ... because it turns out I'm not really a fan after all.
All these years ... a waste ... because it turns out I'm not really a fan after all.
And it appears that Mr Scott agrees with you.
I'm sure there are some that would consider anyone who watched Voyager at all as not a true fan of Star Trek. We're actually all in the same boat, people still harp on that DS9 was not "true Star Trek" as well.
Jaespol
Captain
Exactly this show is about the characters not just about the war.
I agree with those here who say it's best to start from the beginning and watch it all the way through. However, since you couldn't get into it initially, maybe starting with S5 wasn't such a bad thing.
Personally, I would now recommend taking it from the very beginning. Even though S1 has many weaker episodes, it also has some standout episodes and some very important character material IMHO. If nothing else, I think you should check out "Emissary", "Progress", "Duet" and "In the Hands of the Prophets" from that season.
One of the things I find very attractive in hindsight is that S1, in particular, is somewhat slower than the seasons that follow. It works well, I think, because it's almost like the quiet before the storm in some way. When you know what's coming, it's really cool to observe everything AND everyone before events start to get really heated.
So, if you really feel you're hooked, personally, I'd go all the way back to "Emissary" and start right there. You'll get to S4 soon enough
.
Personally, I would now recommend taking it from the very beginning. Even though S1 has many weaker episodes, it also has some standout episodes and some very important character material IMHO. If nothing else, I think you should check out "Emissary", "Progress", "Duet" and "In the Hands of the Prophets" from that season.
One of the things I find very attractive in hindsight is that S1, in particular, is somewhat slower than the seasons that follow. It works well, I think, because it's almost like the quiet before the storm in some way. When you know what's coming, it's really cool to observe everything AND everyone before events start to get really heated.
So, if you really feel you're hooked, personally, I'd go all the way back to "Emissary" and start right there. You'll get to S4 soon enough
.
This is, IMO, the most on-target comment to come out of this entire thread. Because it is absolutely true.
We Niners go on and on about how great the character development is in this show - and how it is that factor that gives DS9 a distinct edge over pretty much anything else out there.
When people ask us what makes DS9 great, I notice that pretty much all of us list 'character development' as the first or second factor on our lists. And virtually NO ONE ever lists 'the Dominion War' as a factor.
So...is character development in important part of the show or not? And can one REALLY get the complete range of character development if one starts at the beginning of season 5?
My response to those questions are: Yes, it is an important part of the show. And no, one cannot really get the complete range of character development if one starts at the beginning of season 5.
For me, that about says it all.
Now that I've posted my one-of-the-gang post, I think I need to put on the mod hat for a minute.
Guys, the OP did NOT ask whether or not we thought him to be a 'true fan' (whatever the hell that is!) of the show since he started at season 5. He asked if he'd done himself a disservice by starting where he did, but that has nothing whatever to do with whether or not he is a 'true fan'.
So how about we all stick to the original topic and not get off into all this 'true fan' silliness? Nuttin' ever good comes out of a discussion about the definition of a 'true fan'.
Thanks,
The Management
Guys, the OP did NOT ask whether or not we thought him to be a 'true fan' (whatever the hell that is!) of the show since he started at season 5. He asked if he'd done himself a disservice by starting where he did, but that has nothing whatever to do with whether or not he is a 'true fan'.
So how about we all stick to the original topic and not get off into all this 'true fan' silliness? Nuttin' ever good comes out of a discussion about the definition of a 'true fan'.
Thanks,
The Management
As someone who is new to DS9 this year, I can say that my favourite thing above all else is the character development. I've watched S1 - 3 right through now and it just keeps getting better. 
(I've also seen season 7 from The Siege of AR-558 because it was on TV over here. That episode completely hooked me, I thought it was brilliant.)
(I've also seen season 7 from The Siege of AR-558 because it was on TV over here. That episode completely hooked me, I thought it was brilliant.)
As someone who is new to DS9 this year, I can say that my favourite thing above all else is the character development. I've watched S1 - 3 right through now and it just keeps getting better.
Woohoo!
Good to see you here, Cali. Wow...I don't think I recall your ever posting in here! Glad you are able to finally see the show!
You'll have to let us know what you think as you progress though the show. We always love to hear from new viewers...and even moreso if they are folks we have known for years!
Good to have you here!
I've been posting in here in the avatar contest threads but once I've seen more of the show hopefully I'll be posting more! (I will admit to cheating and skipping ahead to some season 4 & 5 episodes before sitting down and watching season 3 through though.)
So far, I have learnt that a) the show is AWESOME and b) I am a big Bashir fan.
So far, I have learnt that a) the show is AWESOME and b) I am a big Bashir fan.
^ I like Bashir too. It's tough for me to pick a favorite character because I love so many of them (In addition to Bashir, I particularly love Sisko, Kira, Garak and Damar). But Bashir is certainly as good a love as any!
My favorite Bashir episode is a season 5 episode - Doctor Bashir, I Presume. But you have alot of fun ahead of you. I won't spoil it for you, but the events of Doctor Bashir, I Presume spin off a new direction for the character that is quite interesting and leads to his association with a group which comes to the station a couple of times that are pretty fun to watch. And another association with another group which is much more intense.
I really like what they do with Bashir in later seasons! I'll be curious to see if you feel the same way!
My favorite Bashir episode is a season 5 episode - Doctor Bashir, I Presume. But you have alot of fun ahead of you. I won't spoil it for you, but the events of Doctor Bashir, I Presume spin off a new direction for the character that is quite interesting and leads to his association with a group which comes to the station a couple of times that are pretty fun to watch. And another association with another group which is much more intense.
I really like what they do with Bashir in later seasons! I'll be curious to see if you feel the same way!
I couldn't resist. And I already caught 'Inter Arma' on TV. I have to say, though, that even though I know what happens in the series with regards the War etc. it's not spoiling my enjoyment of it at all.One of the reasons DS9, and Trek in general, is so great is because there is such a sheer variety of different stories. Trek, and DS9 in particular, has done everything from war stories, to romance, to comedies, to courtroom dramas, to Donnie Brasco crime stories, to mysteries, etc.
So I think someone is indeed doing themselves a disservice by only watching seasons 5-7 of the show. In my opinion, DS9 didn't really become AWESOME until about season 3, but seasons 1 and 2, although slow in parts, have some outstanding episodes in their own right.
So I think someone is indeed doing themselves a disservice by only watching seasons 5-7 of the show. In my opinion, DS9 didn't really become AWESOME until about season 3, but seasons 1 and 2, although slow in parts, have some outstanding episodes in their own right.
I agree, I don't think skipping season 1 and 2 is so bad (although season 2 has some very fine episodes), but excluding 3 and 4 from your viewing is missing out big time and I think I may like 4 even more than 5 overall.
This is one of the few shows I caught from the first episode and caught every episode when it was first on the air, and I can say I enjoyed watching it from the beginning. I think it's a little silly to skip episodes or even entire seasons of shows you enjoy, but maybe that's just me, because I always have to draw complete pictures in my head. If you liked the later episodes, why would you not like the earlier episodes? The writing on DS9 tended to be fairly consistent.
^
I also watched it from the very start. And I have to say that I simply feel that the moment they REALLY started hitting their stride was S4, and it only got better from there IMHO. Reasons in my mind are:
- Episodes in general felt more taut, more sharply written.
- The actors seemed to be more at ease with their parts (this feeling might have a lot to do with the changes we seen in Sisko and Brooks, I'm not sure).
- As a combination of those two: Episodes, to me, felt somewhat less 'constructed' (can't think of a better word right now) and seemed to flow better. It was as though the creative team had spent the first three seasons setting up their playground, and now it was time to play.
- The show quite literally started looking better because they changed the lighting. They added more contrast and more shadows.
- Although it was far from what could have been done, the music was finally allowed to shine through a bit - in some places quite a bit. A good example of this IMHO is "The Visitor".
The difference was tangible for me back in the day, and I still feel it's tangible today. I like seasons 1 - 3 a lot. But seasons 4 - 7 are the ones I think are excellent.
I also watched it from the very start. And I have to say that I simply feel that the moment they REALLY started hitting their stride was S4, and it only got better from there IMHO. Reasons in my mind are:
- Episodes in general felt more taut, more sharply written.
- The actors seemed to be more at ease with their parts (this feeling might have a lot to do with the changes we seen in Sisko and Brooks, I'm not sure).
- As a combination of those two: Episodes, to me, felt somewhat less 'constructed' (can't think of a better word right now) and seemed to flow better. It was as though the creative team had spent the first three seasons setting up their playground, and now it was time to play.
- The show quite literally started looking better because they changed the lighting. They added more contrast and more shadows.
- Although it was far from what could have been done, the music was finally allowed to shine through a bit - in some places quite a bit. A good example of this IMHO is "The Visitor".
The difference was tangible for me back in the day, and I still feel it's tangible today. I like seasons 1 - 3 a lot. But seasons 4 - 7 are the ones I think are excellent.
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