Well I had 40 selected originally and probably would have had more if the entire series had been included!
I found it hard to chop down DS9 to the essentials, as a lot of bits in there were arc driven. However what I voted for were episodes that did a lot for the series, and me as a viewer. I'm not ranking them but here they are:
1. and 2. Emmisary - The introduction to the series was the introduction to a 'darker' tone for Star Trek, and introduction to flawed characters, and an introduction to the father/son dynamic of Ben and Jake that was a highlight in so many episodes. Sisko blames Picard for the death of his wife, and then realises that he has to stop living in the moment of her death in order to continue the linear existence he is so desperately trying to describe to the Prophets.
3. Duet - Excellent acting from Haris Yulin and Nana Visitor; this one had attitudes towards Cardassians redressed somewhat to show they weren't all slimeballs. Kira being convinced was a turning point for her character. And then of course there was *that* ending.
4. Necessary Evil - This look into the history of the station, Kira, Odo, Quark and Dukat is an underrated gem. Kira continues to be unashamedly painted as a terrorist, whilst Odo is left to ponder whether his friendship with the Major can survive the controversy.
5. The Wire - I included this at the expense of a different season two episode because Garak is suck a good character. The history between him and Tain is one of the great recurring threads throughout the show, and the lies that Garak constantly weaves to hide behind the truth are mesmerising.
6. The Jem'Hadar - This is the series' first great cliffhanger. The Dominion had been a carrot throughout season two, and at the end we were given a good introduction to the treacherous, and very dangerous nature of them.
7. and 8. Improbable Cause/The Die Is Cast - At this point in the series, this was one of the biggest attempts at causing a major political stir. We maybe got something a bit like this before in TNG with the Klingons and Romulans, but the secret buildup of Obsidian Order and Tal Shiar military, alluded to in 'Defiant' was brilliant. The Cardassians and, to some extent the Romulans were dealt a crippling blow after the big military defeat. There was more Garak and Tain goodness, and of course, the dialogue between Garak and Odo was also very well done.
9. The Visitor - One of the most Star Trek episodes that DS9 ever did, pure and simple. I've seen this a few times and it still generates a big emotional reaction. Cirroc Lofton was excellent, really doing well with what he was given. Tony Todd, developing Jake into adulthood, really took it to another level.
10. Homefront - I just counted part one of this story, as the follow-up wasn't quite as strong. This episode focussed on the type of threat changelings posed, and showed just how crazy the Dominion was making people act. It was part two revealed that only 4 changelings were on Earth, and that Leyton was behind all of the bad things happening in part one, but Homefront had Joseph Sisko in it for the first time, plus all of the buildup of paranoia that was just as dangerous as the Dominion.
11. Trials and Tribble-ations - I think this is an important episode as it remembers Star Trek's history, enhancing the feeling of one-big-universe. 'Trouble With Tribbles' was a fun episode before this, but watching the DS9 crew sneaking around in the background and getting involved in fistfights is too good to pass up.
12. Rapture - This is a big episode, with Sisko getting visions from the Prophets. It linked him with them in way that hadn't happened before, so it continued to strengthen his ties with them. As well as this, Bajor is preparing to join the Federation. Ultimately it never happened, but the mention of it shows how far things have come since Emmisary. Kai Winn also begins to act a bit more sensibly, what with the impending war. Of course the writers went a different way with her but for a while she became a bit more multidimensional.
13. For The Uniform - I actually thought I was voting for 'Blaze of Glory,' which is what I would have voted for if it was there. I haven't had a Maquis episode in my lineup, and I felt Blaze of Glory was the best episode that wasn't 'The Maquis' two-parter. I could only vote for one episode, so went for the one were The Maquis went out of the series with the relevance and interest that they came into it with.
14. and 15. In Purgatory's Shadow/By Inferno's Light - More top-notch political shenanigans. More Garak and Tain. The Dominion are having a massive buildup of military, then Dukat ups and leaves with them, dropping the biggest and best 'Fuck You' to Kira and to the viewers.
16. In The Cards - I wanted another light-hearted story other then 'Tribbles,' and this one fits the bill. Jake and Nog search for a baseball card for Sisko to make him feel better. A really nice story, with lots of laughs, and a subtle 'doom and gloom' build towards to...
17. Call To Arms - Everybody says bye to each other, then leaves. The Dominion take over DS9. The Defiant and the Rotarran join a massive fleet of ships, heading towards DS9. Bloody good cliffhanger!
18. A Time To Stand - As tempting as it was to just voe for every arc episode going, I just voted for the better ones. This episode was good for watching our heroes struggling with the war, but particularly seeing Kira, Odo and Quark coming to terms with a new occupation, bring the station full circle.
19. Rocks and Shoals - The story with the stranded Defiant crew was compelling enough. Keevan was a creep, selling out his Jem'Hadar force so that he could surrender and be a POW in a comfy Federation prison block. The story on the station where it takes the suicide of a Vedek to wake Kira up to the fact that she's somehow managing to live with the Dominion without feeling too bad takes it up another notch.
20. Far Beyond The Stars - Classic Trek, really. Benny Russell writes Deep Space Nine in 50s America, but his editor won't publish the stories because a black man is the lead character. It's too far-fetched; no-one would buy it or believe it. Really good episode, even if Brooks acts a bit too hysterical at the end. I think everything Russell had been through warrented the outburst though.
21. In The Pale Moonlight - Sisko sells his sould to the devil (Garak) for 50 pieces of silver. DS9's best episode? I can't decide, really, but it is really, really good. Really. Dragging the Romulans into the war is the only way the Federation can hope to win, and by the end, Sisko has decided he can live with it. Do we believe him? Not in the slightest. Eleventy out of Ten.
22. The Siege of AR-588 - DS9's war movie, showing the actual emotional cost, and loss, instead of just constant SFX. The people who had been stuck on the array for so many months were war-hardened, and no longer positive. Well, apart from Bill Mumy, who was pretty affable until he bought it. Really good, visceral episode. Quark's biting commentary and Nog losing his leg give it some quality.
23. The Changing Face of Evil - Again, only voting for the really essential arc episodes. Earth is attacked by the Breen! Damar just couldn't take Weyoun's shit anymore, so Cardassia rebels. The Defiant is destroyed, leading to much confusion and general sobbing. Worf and Ezri are flapping around but I suppose not every episode can be perfect.
24. Tacking Into The Wind - Worf delivers smackdown to Gowron, allowing Martok to assume command of the fleet that Gowron was pissing around with. Sisko's order for Worf to deal with Gowron with whatever means necessary harked back to the decisions he was making in 'In The Pale Moonlight.' Kira is working for the Cardassian resistence (irony of ironies), and Damar has to kill his friend in order to keep 'New Cardassia' alive.
25. What You Leave Behind - Okay, I had to cheat here. I'm voting for the whole thing, but since it aired as one episode anyway, doesn't it count as one? Does that mean Emmisary counts as one episode too? WYLB was by no means perfect (Sisko/Dukat, I'm looking at you), but it provided so much payoff in terms of plot and emotion, that I'm a gibbering wreck by the end of it.
So that's my 25. I've waffled, I've gushed. I think those are the 25 that should be in the 100 essential Star Trek episodes. Personally I'd have more DS9 and less VOY, but it wouldn't really be representational of the whole franchise.
