Any Niners actually prefer the early seasons as a whole?

[JM1776]

I'm not sure I do myself, but am curious as to what others think.

I'll say this: Insofar as individual eps are concerned, DS9 never surpassed "Duet."

 

[26138]

Sometimes I miss some of the Bajoran politics vs. Starfleet stuff. The later seasons re good, but in a different way.

 

[Pegaritaville]

I wouldn't say I preferred them, but I do think the early seasons are underrated. As much as I loved that DS9 did long story arcs, I also appreciated the stand-alone episodes that dominated the early seasons. And even though I find all of DS9 "rewatchable", I kind of prefer the early episodes when it comes to repeat viewings.

 

[Navaros]

I strongly disagree that DS9 never surpassed Duet. In my view DS9 surpassed Duet many times over.

Definitely don't prefer the early seasons as whole. They have no Weyoun, which is a tragedy.

They are also missing many of the other elements that elevated DS9 to the next level, once the Dominion concepts were out in force. Not to mention the main characters were not fully rounded-out til then too.

 

[sbk1234]

Although it took a while for DS9 to get its space legs, I think there's something to be said for the lighter tone of the early seasons, and the stand-alone episodes. I can't say I prefer it, but there is definately a seldom-mentioned quality that is largely over-looked.

 

[Computer Voice]

I can appreciate both aspects of the series - it's very hard to say which I prefer. The series does change tone a lot over the 7 seasons.

In some ways, I think the earlier seasons are better after you've watched the later seasons, and to appreciate the later seasons, you have to see the early ones. So they kind of feed off each other. Or maybe I'm just rambling.

 

[DanTheGrey]

You know, I actually hold up both "parts" of the series (pre-Dominion War and the Dominion War) and they both have some great storytelling. Yes there's more action and cool starship battles in the last half, but at the same time I like that as much as the tensions and political murkiness of the first part of the season as they just try to make things work.

My favourite episodes are scattered throughout most of the seasons and really it's about what you're after. If you want the morality of one person's resistance fighter is another's terrorist and how to heal from being a repressed people then the early seasons are for you. If you want battles and heroic people doing heroic deeds while walking the line of becoming like the enemy, then that's the latter half.

All in all I enjoy all 7 seasons.

 

[toughlittleship]

I watched season one and two for the first time in ages on Sky in 2005 and was incredibly impressed by them. I started my TNG DVD collection with the later series, but I collected DS9 on DVD from the very start.

 

[MyCylon]

I think DS9 was great in its first seasons but only once reached the heights it would later attain with "Emissary". There's a lot of terrific episodes in the first three seasons beyond that, of course - "Duet", "Improbable Cause" / "The Die is Cast" probably being the best examples.
But, honestly, besides the above mentioned "Emissary" nothing in those seasons really came close to episodes such as "The Visitor", "In Purgatory's Shadow" / "By Inferno's Light", "In the Cards", "Call to Arms", the opening arc in S6, "Far beyond the Stars", "In the Pale Moonlight", and the closing arc in S7.
Just my two cents. I DO enjoy the first three seasons, however, and think they're needed for the last four - it just all belongs together, I think.

 

[PKTrekGirl]

I like the first seasons...but I disagree that Duet was the high point of the series.

It is in my top 12 episodes, for sure...but Improbable Cause/The Die is Cast, The Visitor, For the Uniform, Favor the Bold/Sacrifice of Angels, In the Pale Moonlight, The Siege of AR-558, It's Only a Paper Moon, The Changing Face of Evil, and What You Leave Behind are all better, or at least as good, IMO.

 

[Good Will Riker]

Out of the early seasons, I prefer Season 2 the most for the level of development to the original premise of DS9. Season 3 is also notable for some noteworthy episodes, and expanding the DS9 universe across the Alpha Quadrant.

 

[Jack Bauer]

The early seasons had too many TNG type stories. DS9 really established itself as a sci-fi legend when it became more of it's own show.

 

[Anna Yolei]

Season two was pretty strong (Easily the biggest improvement from a first season out of any Trek series).

The first (snore-inducing) season...not so much :?

 

[Crewman6]

The first seasons were much more diverse than the later ones, which is why I prefer them.

There is much more going on, more variety, more arcs, etc.

The Dominion War arc dominated the show and eventually became a bit repetitive. Sure, there are some amazing episodes in that long arc and it was a bold and exciting move for Trek to do a long war like that.

But Seasons 2 and 3 are easily my favorites with some amazing, imaginative episodes which are often very different from each other in tone and encompass many different corners of the Trek/DS9 universe.

The show became a little too homogenous and the war pushed aside many other great aspects of the show.

The show had a very fresh and original feel in the early seasons and I remember their episodes very distinctly, whereas, once the war takes over, I have trouble in my mind separating Season 4 from Season 5 and Season 6 from Season 7.

Season 1 is also vastly underrated. Here are some standouts from that season:

"Emissary". The second best Trek pilot ever after "The Cage".

"Duet" - easily in the top 3 DS9 eps and top 10 of all Trek.

"Vortex" - a vastly underrated, Odo-centric gem with some cool backstory about changelings.

"Captive Pursuit" - featuring one of the best one-off Trek guest stars ever.

"The Nagus" - First and easily the best Ferengi comedy episode (which, granted, isn't saying much, but it's a hoot.)

I also like many other episodes, even if they're not outstanding, because of how new and exciting and original the characters and setting of DS9 are. It's great to get to know them for the first time through solid (if not exceptional) episodes like "A Man Alone", "Babel", "Past Prologue" and "Dramatis Personae."

Granted, some episodes do suck out loud, like "If Wishes Were Horses", "The Storyteller" and the weirdly hokey "Move Along Home."

 

[Smiley]

I will always have affection for all of the early episodes, even those that are much maligned on this board. I saw them many times during the daily reruns, and I consider them just as much the real DS9 as the later seasons.

 

[Harvey]

In the Pale Moonlight, Trials and Tribble-ations, Waltz, Far Beyond The Stars, The Way of the Warrior... nope, the later seasons were better. I like the early seasons, though. Make no mistake, Duet is one great hour of television.

 

[Kira Nerys]

I much prefer the confrontation style of the show with the characters.The bajoran vs federation storylines.

 

[DanCPA]

There are many GREAT early episodes, but I prefer the later seasons also

 

[Faldor]

The earlier seasons are what make the later seasons work so well.

 

[JM1776]

One thing I find interesting is that people have claimed such episodes as "The Visitor" and "The Way of the Warrior" for 'later DS9.' That's not justified by the numbers: Since those three eps open season four, and are still before the halfway point of the seven-year run, well ... I think it's more legitimate to call them early or perhaps mid-season eps than late. At the very least, the early season proponents have a slightly better claim to them than those who tout the later seasons---unless, of course, you've decided that the inclusion of Worf constitutes the "halfway" point, which is not an entirely unreasonable take.

I think "Homefront" and "Paradise Lost" serve very well as the dividing point, considering the events depicted therein.