Fairly new to DS9 and I need a little help

[Duane]

I a huge TOS fan, and have seen all TNG, VOY and ENT episodes, but I missed about 50% of DS9 episodes. I have the DVD's now.

My question: if I want to really enjoy DS9, should I start with Season 1 or somewhere else. As I recall I did not enjoy early DS9 and am afraid that if I start there I might stop watching before I get through the first season.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

 

[Mysterion]

roger1999 said:
I a huge TOS fan, and have seen all TNG, VOY and ENT episodes, but I missed about 50% of DS9 episodes. I have the DVD's now.

My question: if I want to really enjoy DS9, should I start with Season 1 or somewhere else. As I recall I did not enjoy early DS9 and am afraid that if I start there I might stop watching before I get through the first season.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Go ahead and start with the first season. If you make it to "Duet" (one of the best ST episodes of ANY series), you'll be fine for the rest fo the series. Despite a couple of less-than-wonderful episodes, the first season isn't really that bad (better than TNG's first). The second year kicks off with a pretty-decent three-parter, and it's on the up-swing from there.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Yeah, I agree--DS9 works best if you start at the beginning. Each season really does build on and improve over the last, and the first season isn't bad, just a little uneven.

 

[intrinsical]

I would say some episodes in season 1 can be skipped if it truly gets too tedious.

For example, episodes like Babel, The Passenger, Move Along Home, The Nagus, Vortex and If Wishes Were Horses can be skipped.

Episodes that should not be skipped include The Emissary, Past Prologue, Q-Less, Dax, Battle Lines, The Storyteller, Progress, Duet and In the Hands of the Prophets.

 

[shatastrophic]

Emissary to the end, no omissions, the episodes that aren't that good still in some way convery minor arcs, even if it is in the B plotline. They also make you really appreciate the episodes that are fantastic. The series as a whole is one giant build up, it starts out as a station on the edge of space that is pretty much worthless and a commander who doesn't want to be there, a crew and characters from different walks of life. Combinations of different technologies that don't always work together. Through all of the differences and hurdles it becomes the most important place in the quadrant with a captain who finds himself and his purpose. I love stories where normal characters are thrust into an important situation and are given the chance to shine. DS9, all seasons, encompass that so watch it straight thru and you won't be diappointed.

 

[DS9forever]

Liking The Nagus and If Wishes Were Horses depends on your attitude to the Ferengi and a imaginations coming real. I really like both of them.

 

[Navaros]

I'd advise you to start with Season 2, as Season 1 is by far the worst and all the other seasons are, on the whole, far better than Season 1.

On average every season beyond Season 1 has about 5-6 total crap episodes, and the rest besides those dud ones usually range from good to great.

 

[Photon]

Always my advice:
Skip to S2: Jem Hadar. Then watch all of S3 thru the Dominion War. Season 1 and most of 2 sucks hard and long.

 

[PKTrekGirl]

The first season of DS9 is the weakest, for sure (although if you can sit through TNG's first season, DS9 will be a breeze by comparison! ). But because DS9 is an intensely arc-based show, I would not recommend starting in the middle. I think that to appreciate what happens later, one must be invested in the characters. Otherwise, the impact is not as great.

If I watched The Visitor, for example, as a person completely new to DS9, I'm not so sure I would like it nearly as much as I did. The layers of meaning only come to life if you know the context and are invested in the characters.

I agree with the poster above who said to watch from the beginning...and know that from Duet onward, it only gets better.

 

[Duane]

Thanks for the comments. Since your opinions vary widely I guess I'll try to watch them from the start.

 

[DS9Continuing]

Watch every episode, for the following reasons:

a) You won't get the full effect of what Deep Space Nine really is without watching the whole thing. Would you read a book and miss out half the pages?

b) Nobody but nobody has the right to tell you what constitutes a good or bad episode without giving you the chance to watch it for yourself. Only you can make that judgement, not some total stranger whose opinion you have no reason to trust.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

roger1999, like everyone else said, start with season 1. When I was younger, I didn't like DS9 quite as well as I liked TNG. But now, I really love DS9.

 

[Saxman1]

shatastrophic said:
Emissary to the end, no omissions, the episodes that aren't that good still in some way convery minor arcs, even if it is in the B plotline. They also make you really appreciate the episodes that are fantastic. The series as a whole is one giant build up, it starts out as a station on the edge of space that is pretty much worthless and a commander who doesn't want to be there, a crew and characters from different walks of life. Combinations of different technologies that don't always work together. Through all of the differences and hurdles it becomes the most important place in the quadrant with a captain who finds himself and his purpose. I love stories where normal characters are thrust into an important situation and are given the chance to shine. DS9, all seasons, encompass that so watch it straight thru and you won't be diappointed.

Could not agree more! Enjoy! Finally saw all of DS9 in order this year myself - you are in for one heck of a fantastic ride! Enjoy! :thumbsup:

 

[ladyheather69]

I would say start at the beginning. You get the whole picture even though some of the episodes were tedious and hard to watch.

I watched DS9 from start to finish just this summer, and I think if I had started in the middle or something it wouldn't have meant as much to me!

Enjoy!

 

[AOQ]

Yeah, largely agreed that the whole show has some worthwhile moments. The one thing I'd add is that *if* you feel close to giving up on the series, *then* try jumping ahead a little, since some fans who didn't enjoy the early years loved from the S2 finale onward. Others were blah on S1-3 and loved from S4 onward. But you're doing the right thing in at least making the attempt to start form the beginning and deciding for yourself what's worth watching.

 

[Duane]

I've made it through Season 1 without hanging myself, so I guess I will make it through Season 2 as well. Actually, I really enjoyed a lot of Season 1. Again, thanks for the tips.

 

[Braxton]

Watching all of DS9 from start to finish really shows just how the show grew and changed during its run. If you miss the first two seasons you don't necessarily miss out on story elements but you miss out on character development. The Sisko of season 7 is nothing like the Sisko of season 1. Same goes for the other characters.

 

[DS9Continuing]

roger1999 said:
I've made it through Season 1 without hanging myself, so I guess I will make it through Season 2 as well. Actually, I really enjoyed a lot of Season 1. Again, thanks for the tips.

Specifics! We love living vicariously through DS9 newbies.

Let us know what you thought, which was your favourite episode, your least favourite, overall impression of the show so far, etc.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

In S1, watch:

Emissary
Battle Lines
Duet
In the Hands of the Prophets

...after that it gets easier because most of the episodes are watchable. Consult Jammer's Reviews and watch anything three stars or above.

Exceptions: I'd watch "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" anyway - he marked it down because of a bad B plot but you must see the A plot. Also watch "Civil Defense" - that two-star rating was far too harsh, it's a fun episode. Oh, and "Indiscretion," "For the Cause" and "To the Death" are important to the plotline, so watch those too. "Empok Nor" is a hoot, worth watching as well. So's "You Are Cordially Invited" and "Magnificent Ferengi." "Covenant" is only half good, but again: important to the plotline. I guess you have to watch "Extreme Measures" for the same reason.

 

[Smiley]

Just watch it all. It makes the journey much more rewarding. The "Greatest Hits" approach is best for a second viewing or if someone is really not liking it at first. Since you've made it through Season 1, I'm assuming that the latter will not be a problem.