Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we watch?

[Taglador]

Hello, just a quick bit of backstory - I watched a few episodes of TNG when I was a kid and recently got Netflix so decided to watch from the beginning. Loved it, after the awful start. Watched the TNG movies with my girlfriend (we loved the first two, the others... meh) and then Voyager, which was mostly good.

As we wanted more Trek we started DS9, we love shows with long story arcs and lots of character development which are both things that were not largely featured in VOY/TNG. Due to this we assumed we'd like DS9 best. However, we found the first season a real drag. Out of all the episodes the only ones we liked were:

Emissary - An excellent pilot that really set everything up and introduced the characters well.
Captive Pursuit - Tosk the chameleon makes friends with O'Brian
The Forsaken - I really like Odo and this episode focused on him. Has the distinction of being the first good use of Lwaxanna Troi.
Duet - First episode where Kira doesn't act like a dickhead. Harris Yulin was excellent as the imprisoned Cardassian.
In the hands of the Prophets - Best episode of the season for me. Everything came together well, good plot, and it was very well acted.

We did really like the last episode a lot. However, I don't think we can watch another entire season like that, it was just too boring and bland in general. Everybody tells me it gets going in season three, but to save our sanity please let us know if there are any particularly shitty episodes to skip. We'd rather not miss out on anything to do with the upcoming Dominion storyline or major events that will cause confusion down the line, if possible!

Cheers

 

[DS9forever]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

"Necessary Evil", "The Wire" and "The Jem'Hadar are the A* episodes of the season.

My A grades would go to "The Maquis" two parter, "Blood Oath", "Whispers" and "Tribunal".

My B grades would be "Invasive Procedures", "Cardassians", "Armageddon Game", "Crossover", "Shadowplay" and "The Collaborator".

 

[BruntFCA]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

I would watch

-The first 3 episodes are all one story and play off of In the Hands of the Prophets so you should like them

-Cardassians-Garak!

-Necessary Evil-Amazing episode.

-Whispers

-Blood Oath-especially if you've seen TOS

-The Maquis 1&2

- The Wire-More Garak!

-Crossover

-The Collaborator-Important

-The Jem'Hadar

 

[Eric Cheung]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

Season 2 is far more consistent than season 1. You got through the toughest stuff to get through already, so I'd say just plow right through. Things do pick up in season 3, but it's something that you realize only in retrospect, as there's definitely a buildup in season 2 already.

That said, if you have to eliminate some season 2 episodes I'd say Melora, Second Sight, and Rivals are pretty inessential. Other than that I'd definitely watch the rest of them.

There are lots of crowning moments of awesome in season 2, especially if they involve Garak or Dukat.

 

[Sindatur]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

"Necessary Evil", "The Wire" and "The Jem'Hadar are the A* episodes of the season.

My A grades would go to "The Maquis" two parter, "Blood Oath", "Whispers" and "Tribunal".

My B grades would be "Invasive Procedures", "Cardassians", "Armageddon Game", "Crossover", "Shadowplay" and "The Collaborator".

Really? None of the Circle Trilogy gets an "A" or "B" rating from you? Homecoming, The Circle and The Siege, IMHO are amongst the best of S2.

 

[DataRules]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

Hi! I agree with Eric, and I would suggest that you check out Jammer's Reviews. Back in the day, he had the best and most popular reviews around. Good luck!

http://www.jammersreviews.com/

 

[Evil Twin]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

Season 2 is far more consistent than season 1. You got through the toughest stuff to get through already, so I'd say just plow right through. Things do pick up in season 3, but it's something that you realize only in retrospect, as there's definitely a buildup in season 2 already.

That said, if you have to eliminate some season 2 episodes I'd say Melora, Second Sight, and Rivals are pretty inessential. Other than that I'd definitely watch the rest of them.

Pretty much my thoughts. Those three are absolutely skippable (although I'd argue "Rivals" at least adds another piece to the groundwork of the burgeoning O'Brien/Bashir bromance. ) I'd also be tempted to add the lame Casablanca homage "Profit and Loss" as it's always put me to sleep, felt completely out of character, and had zero follow-up. Everything other episode of the season, mediocre or not, at least adds something to the overall tapestry of of the show in one way or another. But really, with so few skippables there, you might as well just watch it all.

 

[Eric Cheung]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

I don't know, I think Garak is a pretty good Claude Rains in Profit and Loss. Re-watching Casablanca recently really made me think of Garak.

Personally, I'd just watch the whole season, but if season 1 was painful then the ones I mentioned are probably the only ones I might cut.

The AV Club is also about to finish Season 2 before going on a hiatus. Zack Handlen writes a good piece of media criticism.

Check those out here: http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/tvshow/star-trek-deep-space-9,323/

 

[MacLeod]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

To be fair to DSN it's first two seasons are superior to the first two season of TNG. Yes it does have it's weaker moments but what show doesn't. S2 is when they start to lay the early foundations for the Dominion arc, from memory the Dominion first gets it's mention in a Ferengi episode.

 

[Taglador]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

Hi! I agree with Eric, and I would suggest that you check out Jammer's Reviews. Back in the day, he had the best and most popular reviews around. Good luck!

http://www.jammersreviews.com/

Haha, I have this bookmarked! While I thought he was a little harsh on Voyager, he really over-ranked DS9 during season one. Still, his reviews are the best I have found online in general.

Thanks to everybody that replied, based upon what you have said so far I have created this list:

Homecoming
The circle
The siege
Cardassians
Rules of Acquisition
Necessary Evil
Sanctuary
The Alternate
Armageddon Game
Whispers
Blood Oath
The Marquis pt1
The Marquis pt2
The Wire
Crossover
The Collaborator
Tribunal
The Jem H'Dar

 

[Eric Cheung]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

That's not a bad list, but once you've finished Whispers, see how you feel about putting Paradise, Shadowplay, and Playing God back in there. Technically they're fairly inessential, but Sisko is pretty awesome in Paradise, and there are some nice character threads for Jake and Odo in Shadowplay, as well as some more of the buildup toward the season finale. Playing God is kind of where Dax starts to work. Some criticize this side of the character, but I think it's a bit of a preview of how Dax will challenge Worf once he comes along (since you've already seen First Contact that shouldn't really be much of a spoiler).

 

[Satyrquaze]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

Taglador, Welcome to the boards!

If that list doesn't work I also direct you to check out TheGodBen's DS9 watching thread.

It's quite good, and he didn't even pay me to say that.

 

[RoJoHen]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

I actually think Season 2 is where the show starts to get really good. Seasons 2 and 3 are probably my favorite of the show.

 

[Taglador]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

That's not a bad list, but once you've finished Whispers, see how you feel about putting Paradise, Shadowplay, and Playing God back in there. Technically they're fairly inessential, but Sisko is pretty awesome in Paradise, and there are some nice character threads for Jake and Odo in Shadowplay, as well as some more of the buildup toward the season finale. Playing God is kind of where Dax starts to work. Some criticize this side of the character, but I think it's a bit of a preview of how Dax will challenge Worf once he comes along (since you've already seen First Contact that shouldn't really be much of a spoiler).

I was aware of the Worf thing and know about the Dominon war - that's all so nothing spoiled! I will add them back in and maybe 'Profit and Loss' as Garak was excellent in the one episode I've seen him in. Thanks everybody, really appreciate the advice and links!

I posted my brief opinions during my S1 watch, if anybody wants me to put them here too let me know

 

[R. Star]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

Rules of Aquisition is fairly important as it introduces an important organization that will play a big part of the rest of DS9. But it's another Grand Nagus/Ferengi episode. So if you didn't like The Nagus, you probably won't like it.

Season two is better than season one across the board, without a doubt. Season 1 was pretty hit and miss with the good/bad episodes. Season two was more consistant with average/good episodes. Vedek Winn and Gul Dukat provide several episodes worth of villainy though.

 

[DS9forever]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

"Necessary Evil", "The Wire" and "The Jem'Hadar are the A* episodes of the season.

My A grades would go to "The Maquis" two parter, "Blood Oath", "Whispers" and "Tribunal".

My B grades would be "Invasive Procedures", "Cardassians", "Armageddon Game", "Crossover", "Shadowplay" and "The Collaborator".

Really? None of the Circle Trilogy gets an "A" or "B" rating from you? Homecoming, The Circle and The Siege, IMHO are amongst the best of S2.

My bad! I wasn't sure how to describe them, so I forgot about them. I would rate them all as A grades, although "The Siege" is the weakest for the way it fizzles out at the end, with no followup in the series except for a reference in "Cardassians" with Dukat revealed to be part of the Cardassian plotters.

 

[Xhiandra]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

Profit and Loss, The Wire, Blood Oath, Shadowplay, The Alternate and Armaggedon Game would be my selection.

Garak is always excellent, by the way. Garak and Quark are probably the best characters in the whole show.

 

[Eric Cheung]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

Zack Handlen of the AV Club makes a very strong case for not skipping episodes of DS9, and season two in particular.

It was posted in today's review:

So, here were at that the real conclusion of season two, with an episode that starts paying off some impressively subtle hints scattered through the previous 25 entries. On its own “The Jem’Hadar” is pretty good—but as mentioned above, I’d like to at least pay a nod to the second season as a whole before getting into the particulars of the finale. To sum up, then: It’s good. Like, “exceeding expectations” good, and in a way that completely caught me off-guard. In my time reviewing various Trek shows, I’ve grown used to expecting a specific kind of excellence; namely, the episodic kind. In reviewing a season of the original series, or TNG, I judged its success largely based on how many good-to-great hours that season held. That’s not to say I didn’t love both shows for their ensembles and respective worlds, but their main value to me was as a sort of anthology with recurring characters. While TNG flirted with serialization, its focus was still primarily on individual stories, and while I got a good sense of Picard’s Enterprise, and how the principals functioned aboard it, the episodes themselves remained by and large standalone entities.
That’s not how Deep Space Nine works. Those earlier shows followed the more traditional television model; DS9 was part of a gradual move to more long-term narrative persistence that came to define the modern television landscape, for good and bad. Here, luckily, it’s entirely to the good. There are a few standout episodes in season two (“The Wire,” “Tribunal,” “Crossover”—add your own in the comments), but what one really comes away with from watching it all is a sense of an ongoing story that’s just starting to get up to speed. Individual hours don’t matter as much as the way scenes of Sisko and others interacting and dealing with life on the station come together; the season is more than the sum of its parts. Which may be one of the reasons that DS9 never seemed as appealing to me as a kid as the original show or TNG. To get the full effect, you really do have to watch nearly everything, because even the weakest hours inform and build on that sense of continuity. Which isn’t to say you couldn’t just wander into some random episode and have fun with it, but one of the great gifts of this medium is investment over time, and DS9 is making good use of it. I look forward to watching each week in part because I just want to spend time with these people in this place, and that’s a tremendous advantage for any series. The flaws are still visible, but as long as the show maintains a consistency in character and detail, they’re not as damaging as they might be. In summary, I’m a fan, and while I’m excited for my next project, I’m also already looking forward to returning to this particular space station soon.

 

[Gul Bones]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

I say stick with it. I didn't fall in love with DS9 till halfway through season 3. Season 1 can be a bore at times and season two is massively overrated saved by the opening Bajoran coup trilogy and maybe another 5 episodes that can be classed as 'Excellent' to 'Very good', the rest go from 'Average' to 'Plain boring'.

But stick with it though and you will come to appreciate the later more rewarding seasons.

 

[Taglador]

Re: Disappointed by season one... which season 2 episodes should we wa

Six episodes in and I think we're going to stick with it and watch all the episodes. This is so much better then the mostly shit season one!