Do you like ds9

[BillJ]

I know that baffles you, but if people feel that way about DS9, how about doing something that Trek is supposed to teach us, and respect how others feel about it?
I respect the fact that you feel this way about DS9, no worries. But let others just like it the way they do.

The original poster asked what episodes might hook them on the show, not for DS9 fans to come tell them it's the gem of Trek. DS9 fans have this overwhelming urge to come rushing to tell people why their series is the best even when the thread has nothing to do with it.

I would get just as annoyed if it was a thread by a poster wanting to know what episodes of TOS might interest them and was then subjected to post after post of "OMG!!! TOS is the best!!!"

 

[Greg Cox]

I'm a lifelong atheist, too, but the Prophets don't bother me because the show also offers a perfectly scientific, secular interpretation as well: The "Prophets" (or "wormhole aliens") are simply advanced, non-corporeal, extra-temporal lifeforms of the sort Starfleet has been dealing with since at least "Errand of Mercy." That the Bajorans have built a religion around them is simply a cultural thing, from one POV.

Prophets or wormhole aliens, take your pick.

And the conflict between the Bajoran perspective and the more secular, Starfleet perspective, with poor Sisko stuck in the middle, is a nice dramatic hook.

 

[MrJ]

In fact I only recently got into DS9 but from what I've heard and seen, there's a lot more space battle scenarios which is a plus I suppose. Is that true?

Yes, but there's so much more to it than that.

DS9 probably had fewer space battles than Voyager or Enterprise. But When DS9 had a space battle it was much more impressive. Most "space battles" in Voyager consisted of a ship shooting at Voyager, they take some hits, some consoles explode, sparks fly from the bulk heads, Aunt Kathy orders "target their weapons array", or some technobabble plan, battle over. Wash, rinse, repeat.

DS9's space battles, though fewer in occurrence, were bigger and better, and there was a point to them. They advanced the plot, and weren't added just to fill time. And not just simply used to show the Aliens of the Week are bad guys 'cause they shootin' at us.

And yeah there is a lot more to DS9 than space battles.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

l share your opinion on religion, and much like you l understand the purpose that it serves, and the desire for many to cling to their faith.

Let me just say that the religious episodes don't actually "bother" me. l'm pretty comfortable in my disbelief. l'm not one of those militant atheists who is offended by the word "God". Hell, l even love to watch biblical epics such as The Ten Commandments and The Greatest Story Ever Told. But one reason that l do love Star Trek so much is because of the atheistic future that it portrays, in which mankind has attained a level of reason, where science has brought us beyond the need for any contrived myth-legends. And going into Star Trek with that frame of mind, l'll admit that the whole Bajoran prophecy thing- while it doesn't kill the show for me- it does sort of bog me down somewhat.

Ah ok, I see what you're saying now.

I do like how humanity is moving beyond religion, something I could see happening after first contact is made and we have a whole perspective in which to view the universe. That tolerance, inclusion and acceptance are actually being practiced rather than just preached.

In the final seasons, as Sisko got more comfortable with his role as Emissary the religious storylines did become more common, and he got his own 'devil' to face off against. Though it did still give some interesting episodes and also helped with an interesting dynamic between Sisko and Kira (the two of them on the Bridge in "Starship Down" is still one of my favourite storylines).

 

[Gary Mitchell]

The original poster asked what episodes might hook them on the show, not for DS9 fans to come tell them it's the gem of Trek. DS9 fans have this overwhelming urge to come rushing to tell people why their series is the best even when the thread has nothing to do with it.

Since you offered your opinion on DS9, you might allow others to offer their opinions.

Good show but not the 'end all, be all' of Trek some around here make it out to be...

 

[Romulus Prime]

I think DS9 is the best Trek series.

At first, it was trying to mimic the planet/alien of the week theme from TOS and TNG, but then they started ignoring the Gene Doctrine of "no war, no religion" and actually DID explore the human condition which consists of both those aspects. The new life and new worlds the crew explored were the main cast and reoccurring characters + the people they encountered, as opposed to wrapping everything up in 1 episode and moving on. That's not to say it was always that way, but more often than not, the events of one show effected the rest, and that's what made it not just good Trek, but great Trek.

 

[stj]

Terry Farrell grates on my nerves; Klingons bore me; Ferengi are silly; Bajoran religion was foolish on very many levels; the fans insist that DS9 preached the gospel of how you have to be ready to do nasty things because that's just life. You'd think I didn't like anything about it. But Duet; The Visitor; Far Beyond the Stars; Past Tense; Trials and Tribbleations are all classic episodes in modern Trek.

 

[Greg Cox]

But Duet; The Visitor; Far Beyond the Stars; Past Tense; Trials and Tribbleations are all classic episodes in modern Trek.

Agreed. Those are all great eps, and I'd throw in "Our Man Bashir" which is one of my favorite "holodeck" episodes.

And, in general, Garak really makes the show sometimes.

 

[PPatters]

I'm a lifelong atheist, too, but the Prophets don't bother me because the show also offers a perfectly scientific, secular interpretation as well: The "Prophets" (or "wormhole aliens") are simply advanced, non-corporeal, extra-temporal lifeforms of the sort Starfleet has been dealing with since at least "Errand of Mercy." That the Bajorans have built a religion around them is simply a cultural thing, from one POV.

As not to get into too much of a religious discussion, but I think that's a fair way to consider any religion -- perhaps all religion comes from non-corporeal beings enacting their will. I mean, having the ability to do almost anything, to create where it did not exist, etc... is that not a basic concept of a god in general anyway?

 

[T'Girl]

Didn't the folks who write the Star Trek books recently destroy/blow up the DS9 station?

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Didn't the folks who write the Star Trek books recently destroy/blow up the DS9 station?

So I've heard, but I doubt I'll ever read it so to me it was always be out there at the mouth of the wormhole, watching over the Alpha Quadrant.

Going back through my boxsets (now up to Season 3), I've been reminded of just how good the series is. Seeing how the main characters evolve, the development of recurring characters, and the important series storylines and arcs weaving their way through from the beginning.

I wish they'd gotten a movie or at least a couple of TV specials.

 

[Garrovick]

Like many others here, I really enjoyed DS9, but there was some uneven stuff in the early episodes. It took me a while to warm up to Sisko but I grew to like him more as the series progressed. I also really enjoyed most of the Ferengi episodes and I loved watching the evolution and growth of Rom, Nog, and Garak as the series progressed.

I don't know if I'd say that DS9 was better or worse than TNG - they were very different shows, there were things I liked and disliked about both of them.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I love TNG as well, but in a different way. It was carrying on Gene Roddenberry's original vision of a perfect Earth, where people grow up safe and secure and content. It focused more on the great adventures of the Federation Flagship, the best and the brightest that Starfleet has to offer.

DS9 looked at things from a totally different perspective, where things aren't as cleancut and shiny. It also showed the normal everyday lives of the crew, mixing in the mundane with the fantastic, which made the characters well-rounded and more real.

 

[MacLeod]

DSN had a far more even first couple of seasons than say TNG.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Didn't the folks who write the Star Trek books recently ...[highlight]SPOILER[/highlight]

I usually stay out of the literature forum so that I don't read spoilers for upcoming books or books that I haven't had a chance to read yet.

 

[-Brett-]

Didn't the folks who write the Star Trek books recently destroy/blow up the DS9 station?

The books do a lot of weird stuff.

Captain Ezri Dax, anyone? The girl isn't competent to drive a golf cart, but apparently the fan fic writers think she's heroic leader material.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Didn't the folks who write the Star Trek books recently destroy/blow up the DS9 station?

The books do a lot of weird stuff.

Captain Ezri Dax, anyone? The girl isn't competent to drive a golf cart, but apparently the fan fic writers think she's heroic leader material.

I would say she is competent, but inexperienced. Yes she has eight lifetimes to draw upon but the Ezri host is only 27 by 2381 (Memory Beta gives her year of birth as 2354). I find it highly dubious she would be promoted from Lieutenant Commander to Captain of such a large ship. Something smaller (Defiant- or Sabre-Class) I could live with but nothing bigger.

Why'd she leave DS9 anyways?

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

It's believable and fitting with what we saw on DS9 that once joined a Trill exceeds the unjoined hosts life choices. So I believe Ezri grew rapidly beyond her flakey counselor role.