I'm embarking on a full re-watch of this show. I haven't seen any of it in 9 years (got all 7 seasons for Christmas back in 2010), and I have forgotten a great deal, as up to that point, I had not watched it since its original airing, and had only seen about 1/3 of the total episodes. So, this is going to be a lot of fun. I remember thinking that S1 was a slog. It think it's particularly hard because, like most post-TOS Trek outings, these shows are still looking for an identity in their first seasons, and with DS9 in particular, they hadn't gotten to the primary "arc / theme" yet. Here's my brief comments and rating of each S1 episode: Emissary: 5/5 This is not only one of my favorite DS9 episodes, it is one of my favorite Star Trek stories ever. If this had been a stand-alone movie set in the Trek universe, it still would have been a favorite. The personal journey of Sisko, the tie-back to BOBW, the introduction of the spiritual culture of the Bajorans, and the appropriate sprinkling of classic Trek themes make this one an absolute winner. Past Prologue 3/5 Pretty average episode, but better than I remember. We see developing themes here of the conflict that the Federation will face with Bajor, as well as the conflict Major Kira will face throughout the first season. Good performances from Jeffery Nordling cement this as a solid outing. A Man Alone 2/5 Odo is one of my favorites, but this introductory "character episode" fell a bit flat for me. Murder mysteries involving a main character as a suspect are always a bit blah. Also, Kieko's subplot was really annoying. Babel 3/5 I remember liking this one more the first time I saw it. It was a solid outing...but I wish they had taken advantage of the virus's effects for humor sake a little more. Great stuff with Chief O'Brien running around trying to keep the station running on duct tape and wire. I enjoyed the resolution. Captive Pursuit 4/5 We all knew Chief O'Brien could be a great character if he had more time to shine. Here's the proof. This was one of my favorite S1 episodes when I first watched the series. It reminded me of some of the better TNG episodes. Tosk was a cool character, and the resolution was well done. Q-Less 2/5 Vash and Q are two of my favorite recurring TNG guest characters, but the magic just isn't there. It makes me wonder whether a big part of it is each character's (and actor's) chemistry with Patrick Stewart. There was some minor fun here, but it was largely just a hodgepodge waste. Not offensive by any stretch, just kind of useless. Dax 2/5 I remembered wanting to like this the first time I saw it, but thinking it was pretty lackluster. I can't get over how Dax just sits there with a half-grin on her face for most of the episode. I think it was an attempt at a sensitive character study and classic Trek "ethical dilemma" plot, but it didn't ring enough bells. The Passenger 2/5 This is average, stereotypical late-season TNG stuff. Not ugly, but completely forgettable. I knew as soon as the dying bad guy in the opening act grabbed Julian by the throat what was going to happen. This hasn't been a good string of episodes. Move Along Home 3/5 I didn't hate this one nearly as much as most people seem to (perhaps I should go over to the "Unpopular Opinions" thread next. It was a surreal, interesting episode that was played for fun. TNG did a lot of these, and I always liked them. Also, Quark is such a delightful a$$hole, it makes his groveling worth it. The Negus 1/5 I can't stand the Ferengi episodes. I love Quark, Rom and Nog...but I can't stand the broader "let's explore the Ferengi culture" outings. Oh well...personal taste I guess. Vortex 3/5 Sets the stage for Odo's backstory...but otherwise pretty forgettable. And, the performance of the guest actor who plays Croden just doesn't hit the mark. There are some interesting visuals in the episode, and I like that it sets the table (probably unwittingly) for what is yet to come. Battle Lines 4/5 One of this season's most memorable episodes. It features the return of Kai Opaca and sets the stage for the turmoil on Bajor that is yet to come. Also, the sci-fi premise is an interesting one, and it is played so well as to have you really feel the hell that these prisoners are in. Also, another episode that allows Nana Visitor to do some brilliant work. The Storyteller 4/5 I disliked this a lot when I first saw it, but this time through I really enjoyed it. It was fun to see the very first seeds of the O'Brien / Bashir bromance planted. the stuff on Bajor is a bit hokey, but well played. The B-story with Nog and Jake trying to befriend a young Bajoran leader was also very well executed, and pretty endearing. Overall, a very solid episode. Progress 5/5 Another example of how Kira Nerys is one of the best characters in the franchise. This "forced relocation" episode is much smaller in scale and much BETTER in execution and impact than Star Trek Insurrection or TNG Journey's End. Brian Keith absolutely shines here, and the production values are great...making his home and land feel like the kind of place worth dying for. I also love watching Jake and Nog trying to sell Yamok Sauce and self-sealing stembolts. Excellent all around. If Wishes Were Horses 1/5 Blah. Feels like DS9 trying to have it's "The Naked Time" moment and coming up short. The Forsaken 2/5 Some good Odo stuff here, but Lwaxanna Troi episodes from TNG fall into the same bucket as Ferengi DS9 episodes. Not much to be happy about here. Dramatis Personae 4/5 Lots of fun. I often enjoy the "main characters succumb to alien influence" episodes, as it gives everyone a chance to stretch a little. Watching Nana Visitor vamp around as a scene-chewing baddie was a lot of fun...and Brooks plays the quietly eccentric evil guy very well. I love that Odo and Quark have to save the day here...good leveraging what will become a classic relationship. Duet 5/5 Is there any Kira episode that isn't good? Enough has been said about the brilliance of this episode, that there's not much I can add. A perfect example of how you don't need phasers and time travel to do great Star Trek (and I LOVE phasers and gimmicky time travel). In the Hands of the Prohpets 4.5/5 This was a brilliant way to end the first season. First Louise Fletcher is a teeth-grinding villain...and one of my favorites of the entire franchise...Winn is just so hateful and twisted, it's fantastic. This is also an example of how to BEST handle faith and science in the Trek universe, as opposed to the ham-handed, eye rolling, sophomoric lecturing we got in TNG on the topic. This sets the stage beautifully for what is to come. I also love how the director subtly frames each scene that Chief O'Brien's Bajoran assistant is in so as to visually hint that something is amiss. So, overall my memory was fairly accurate. This was an uneven season. It seemed to nail the more character-driven stuff and the "Bajoran culture" stuff very well. The standard sci-fi TNG style plots it did not hit as well. Where my memory was NOT accurate, however, was in thinking that this would be a slog to get through. It was not. I killed S1 in 5 days, and I am not typically a binge-watcher. Even the weak episodes had great character stuff, and that's what makes Trek great to me...so this was much easier to get through than VOY or TNG re-watches have been (I'm still in neutral on both). Looking forward to blasting through S2.
I'm an apologist for seasons 1-2, but I don't even think I'd rank these this high. If anything, I feel the series starts to show consistency, and some strength, with Battle Lines. Look forward to reading more.
I think the first season is underrated. I think it's the most consistently decent first season not counting TOS's. The only two episodes that I dislike are Move Along Home and The Forsaken.
It will be much fun! The episodes and even more, the reviews! Reminds me of the recent DVD re-release, which had me blue for Blu all too soon... I've got my special brand of popcorn, the one that doesn't oily up the fingers to mucky up the keyboard with... From recollection, I recall the second half needed maybe a few more characters for Sisko's dream sequence but the tie-in to BOBW and, more poignantly, Picard, was utterly brilliant. It took a couple re-views to figure out the loooove subplot, as I've seen it even more since buying the recent DVD set. Maybe I was too young at the time; the character introductions didn't do much for me back in the day (season 4 had me become a bit more avid as a fan) but when doing my series rewatch I was enamored. I'd rate it 4/5 It's a solid universe-building piece, but I otherwise don't remember much of it. Agreed on score. I recall liking this one, and it was bold of them to do a murder mystery so soon, as well as pulling it off just enough. The fact they use a character Odo had dealt with prior to DS9 as backstory is what saved it for me. The Keiko subplot would be used throughout the series as well and the O'Briens were pretty much my favorite characters in amongst a group of characters I thoroughly adore due to their depth. 3.5/5 It's the old "race against the clock" trick trope - we all know they're gonna make it after all, so does the rest of the plot and its twists hold up? The Bajaorans never thought peace might be possible and, oops, they're wrong. That's a really novel plot idea to use. 4/5 Conceptually, it's pretty good and revitalizes the oft-used trope from the 60s about hunting mankind for sport (even sitcoms like "Get Smart" and "Gilligan's Island" used it!!) and that's the bulk of the score for me, along with the acting (DS9 had the acting down since day one so you know they were onto something and the actors all relished the roles and possibilities.) But one has to roll with a LOT in how DS9's replicators can partially replicate a completely alien piece of technology. I say "partially" because it's analyzing a defective unit and conjuring up a shiny brand new, perfectly working one and a little too quickly. Maybe that's just me. 3/5 I never cared for Vash, but always loved Q. DS9, from the get-go, showed that this is not a romp through the posies. Q is used to excellent effect as he's not the "chaotic good" TNG made him out to be but "chaotic neutral". Vash in agony and all the farers on the station just stare or walk past, are there pray tell no good samaritan laws?! And would Q really leave by being punched back? The episode was onto something, but the show was strong enough to not need constant crossovers. Picard's was the best. Q got some potential fleshed out but Q was just not as good for fit DS9. They had another character be analogous to some of Q's functionality anyway... 2.5/5 I never saw this until the DVD release I purchased. I was addicted. I'm a sucker for this type of plotline, and the Trills open up a slew of storytelling possibilities. Some more convoluted than others, but possibilities nonetheless and the level of creativity involved gets me there every time, even for the nitpick-laden ones, high points will still be delievered but if I were to pick, this one isn't anywhere near the nittiest of them all. 4.5/5 for me. Rejected TNG plot? The production felt plodding, there's a few too many cliches, and Siddig just couldn't do the "My mind is taken over by someone else" acting- though he's otherwise quite good up to that point. 1/5 Surreal? Check. Can not be done in TNG? Check. Sells a sense of mystery and uneasiness? Check. Sets up Odo v Quark with aplomb? You bet. Neat plot twists? Yup! What's unusual or weird for us is normal for others and that, along with the Odo/Quark subplot that really begins to blossom starting with this story, was the name of the game for this episode. That and anyone who's sat through enough "Doctor Who" won't be fazed by the Alamaraine ditty scene. And, as with the big plot twist with that ending "it's only a game" (which is damn good), I liked the nuances thrown into the mini-games - even the song, where they figure out piecemeal they need to copy the actions identically. While I don't like that the Wadi show up and leave with little to explain them (not even the phone number to their tailor, DS9 always excelled with luxurious costuming, which the Ferengi and Wadi are great examples of, though Garak ended up looking like Mork from Ork on occasion but I digress) Is it the best of the season? Not even close. But it's taking risks, doing unusual things, and expanding on conflict between characters and that's essential for good drama. And I posted an article link once, with how Armin Shimmerman himself elevated Quark and the Ferengi and this is one the episodes he was able to use as a springboard. 4/5 (I must really like this story if it's the one that gets the longest response...) Some episodes worked with the Ferengi. This ain't one of them. If this were in a later season, it might have worked better for a Quark plot and after the great Quark subplot in (the immediately preceding story!!!!!) this was an incredible letdown. 1/5 Ditto. And it's not uncommon for big plot points to start out in a mediocre episode. It's not always good, but I would opine the prevailing reason is "We know this episode is not good so we'll chuck in something major and integral to the series and hope it elevates the piece." 3/5 I'm not sure I've seen this one before. I just read the main plot synopsis and the idea of a penal colony on a planet where they don't die... not only have I not seen this one before, that's also half of "Star Trek Insurrection" right there but probably handled loads better and tons more interestingly than Picard getting a "special someone". Will get back with a score later. They seem like close platonic friends, I am uncertain as to why a gender-specific compartmentalization is necessary. I am not also unfamiliar with the always changing* etymology of said colloquialism, "bromance", as I've read numerous connotations, of which most iterations were derived from Wikipedia (meaning the word's definition change a dozen more times again soon enough). Some accord the definition "bromance" with a sexual component, which is fascinating because some people believe emotional and physical love are two mutually exclusive conditions, whereas others can or do not separate both. If Miles and Julian are more than just exemplar of the old "drinking buddies at the bar" trope, then they need to call me because I want some of that action too and only if Dax shows up too. But anyway, I don't recall seeing this one either. I must have skipped a disc or something. :\ That and I need breakfast, I re-read this paragraph and I come across like Commander Data. Assuming that's not a bad thing... except DS9 had no character analogous to Data, and that made Data sad. Well, maybe Bashir was, albeit not directly and it would retroactively explain why he had the one-time-only intrigue into Data's circuit designs in TNG/"Birthright"... * "omnichanging"? /wordcoin Insurrection was definitely copping from more Trek episodes than ST-TMP, ST2009, STID, et al, could ever dream to pinch from. Which makes sense, if the original stories were so strong, reusing those plot points can only be stronger - right? (Eh, not always...) I don't recall seeing this one either and as Kira is a strong point of season 1... time to go disc binging. I don't recall this one and may have missed it as well. I did look up the plot and it feels like they're innovating on "The Naked Time" but replacing "alien booze thing" with something else. Kudos for innovating and not doing what TNG had (and squandered inanely thanks to Gene's abominably atrocious rewrite...) But DS9 had another episode where the crew would act out in anger due to something (a mix of Naked Time and Sarek as I recall, but that's season 2 or 3...) Will watch in a few days after forgetting what I had read. Ah yes, yet another example of the "Chuck in anyone from TNG to boost up the ratings!" trick. Unfortunately, I never cared for Lwaxana in TNG. She was used as comedy relief than an actual character. I avoided this one deliberately because of that. Maybe I should actually watch it, but there seem to be good reasons why TNG crossovers end up being one-offs. And along with that reason being their own universe building, the other reason is that - Picard and one or 2 Q bits aside - the crossovers just fail to work. Unless this was the other one where Naked Time and Sarek were clear influences of. This one put me off the show until mid-season 2 when I saw Odo being tortured by Garak and that got me back into the show for a while...(DS9 definitely was more mature, adult sci-fi whereas TNG was more all-ages and that might be why it's aged so well. Kid faff generally does not age as well if there's nothing for adults to get to enjoy. That and plenty of shows in other genres exist for adults; sci-fi was never solely for kids. Not with some of the books I'd read in the past!! ) 1/5 for now. I'm wondering if I should give this episode another chance and pay more attention to its plot points and not just find parallels and influences. The synopsis I'd read looks interesting but now I can't get over the name Valerian. If it's still stuck on me by bedtime I'll just take some Valerian and that would put me to sleep... don't tell me that name's an in-joke to the story, I'd hope not?? The first time I'd seen this (DVD release) just had just about everything beyond mere perfection and that ending's cause was hidden in plain sight yet I didn't see it because the script is that damn good in what it's approaching. And this is only season one!!! I wrote a sleep-inducing essay (it worked better than Valerian root as a sleep aid, hehe) on it in this forum as well over how bloody blasted awesome it is. I might argue that one needs to see "Emissary" first, if not another Kira/Cardassia-themed story prior to, to fully bask and appreciate the level of depth and nuance this episode belts out, but it's more than worth the time to do so and the payoff is worth it. But the question can be asked; does "Duet" provide enough backstory to hold up on its own for those who have not seen a millisecond of DS9 prior to this episode and not even know enough of the premise? I teeter toward answering "Yes". Enough dialogue informs the viewer as the story goes along, and Kira does talk of her childhood at the start. Indeed, if I were to watch this and "Emissary" again, I would try to reason a way to show "Duet" to newcomers to the show before "Emissary" if it were feasible, but pilot episodes exist for good reasons too... 6 out of 5 is my vote, puerile as that reads. I don't do the "better than 100%" shtick unless an episode is that much a standout masterstroke of a masterpiece -- and "Duet" most definitely is. Season one ends on a very high note. The casting of Fletcher was a coup de force, with her tour de force performance. Nobody was cuckoo when devising this series and where they were going to take every little nuance they wrote down on paper and DS9 truly is steeped in subplots and ensemble. They even made religion and myth work in Star Trek, something Roddenberry seemed to want to try to avoid, but DS9's makers gave enough backdrop and backstory to show that it's not just makebelieve. In a show that's also makebelieve and myth. That's quite an achievement. 4.5/5 as well Nice. Yeah, the DS9-centric stuff generally work so much better than the discount-TNG episodes. Agreed on how even the weaker episodes had great character material; even the "1/5" episodes - are worth viewing even if not only once. Seconded! Great show and great review synopses you put out, making me pause for thought in multiple ways.
Love the views on each episode, Vger23. I look forward to the rest of the series. Side note regarding "MOVE ALONG HOME": I will always be a defender of this episode, and for many of the reasons Qonundrum stated. This episode does not deserve the hate I've seen.
My biggest issue with the episode is the "We were just kidding!" ending. I think it would have been better if the Wadi were more menacing. And since they were one of the first GQ species we got to see they should have been more alien and bizarre to reinforce just how little we know about the GQ.
I think the first season of DS9 is criminally underrated. The Passenger, Move Along Home, and The Storyteller are the only episodes I genuinely think are below average - and there's enjoyable parts even of these episodes. One reason why none of these three episodes work is they're all transparently reworked TNG scripts. There is nothing involving the plots which requires the DS9 setting, or is based upon the DS9 characters (though of course they react differently than TNG characters would to the situations). There are other warmed-over TNG episodes (Babel, Battle Lines, Dramatis Personae, etc) but these were at least effectively done. Add in TNG cameos which didn't need to happen (Duras Sisters, Q, and Lwuxana) and you can see why some people found the first season tiresome - even if it had amazing character work straight out the gate. One thing which is pretty clear if you compare DS9's first two seasons to the show later on is the sense of levity and joy in the show came from Ira being the showrunner. For all that people decried "War Trek" as being dour, the show was much darker when it was still Michael Piller's baby. Ira was the one who let them loosen up a bit and do some amazing Trek comedy work.
200% agreed! It always saddens me whenever I see someone say DS9 was the darkest STAR TREK series. Quite the opposite, in fact. Yes, they hit some dark matters, but DS9 had far more comedic episodes and moments than the other shows. I would say, most accurately, that DS9 balanced dark material and comedy almost exactly even. The closest any other STAR TREK series got that balance right was the original, which is yet another reason why I have always maintained that DS9 kept the spirit of the franchise the best.
At the time, I thought DS9 season 1 was better than the fan consensus gave it credit for, though upon rewatch in recent years, I swung around to thinking it really was a weak start. It's pretty rare that I'll ever call up a season 1 DS9 on Netflix. I probably had the biggest swing on "Babel"... I loved that one back in the day, but almost nothing about it works for me now. I am pleased to see "In The Hands Of The Prophets" getting a lot of love here! THAT episode I always thought was criminally under-rated, I loved it then and I love it now. A perfect season-one ender, and a story that (sadly) still feels as timely today as it did the day it first aired. One interesting thing I discovered is that both "Past Prologue" and ESPECIALLY "A Man Alone" become MUCH better when they are swapped and put in their original production sequence, as Netflix now has them ordered. Most of what "A Man Alone" is doing just resonates more when placed immediately post-"Emissary."
Interesting point about the production/airdate order. DS9 and ENTERPRISE were the two STAR TREK series that aired pretty much exactly as produced, with very few exceptions. With DS9: "A MAN ALONE"/"PAST PROLOGUE", "IMPROBABLE CAUSE"/"THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS", "HIPPOCRATIC OATH"/"THE VISITOR" (which I think was a far better choice, starting off season 4 with the 1-2 punch like that), "TRIALS AND TRIBBLE-ATIONS"/"THE ASSIGNMENT", "SONS AND DAUGHTERS"/"ROCKS AND SHOALS". ENTERPRISE: "CARBON CREEK"/"SHOCKWAVE, PART II" and "A NIGHT IN SICKBAY"/"DEAD STOP" are the only ones I can think of at this moment. VOYAGER was all over the place in season 5 and 6, middle of season 3, the 4 holdovers of 1 and 2, and a couple swapped in the final season. TNG season 1 was everywhere. Season 2-5 only had some sporadic swaps, and season 6 and 7 were pretty much exact. And we all know the mess of production vs. airdate order for the entire run of TOS. I guess my point being is the two most serialized series were the ones that kept the production/airdate order the same.
I just started a DS9 rewatch myself (amazing that Netflix has so much content yet so litttle of it appeals to me that I keep coming back to Star Trek and Ken Burns documentaries). Just finished The Storyteller last night and agree that S1 is pretty solid (and far better than TNG's first season). But the more I watch, and I've been a Trek fan since I was a little kid watching TOS re-runs, the less I like Kira.
I watched the whole series from beginning to end for the first time in 2016-18. Before that I've only watched season 1 due to a stupid decison to cancel the series from a lousy channel I had in the 90:s. After that I had problems with the DVD:s I bought. But after all troubles, I managed to watch the whole series in 2016-18 and then once again in 2018-19. I can agree that the first season was not as good as the coming ones but still very enjoyable. After that it got better and better. My ratings for season 1 are: as follows. The ratings are: 5= Excellent 4= Very good 3= Good 2= Average 1= Bad 0= Terrible, should never have been done Emissary: 3 out of 5 Not the best Star Trek pilot episode, TNG:s and especially Voyager's were better. But still good enough to make me interested and wanting to see more of this series. Past Prologue: 4 out of 5 Good and exciting episode with Kira's old buddy turning out to be not as nice as expected and Kira having to decide which side she's on. It also introduces one of my favorite characters which is Garak. A Man Alone: 3 out of 5 Good Odo episode with an interesting criminal puzzle. Babel: 2 out of 5 I've never been too fond of those stories when a ship or station is infected by a virus which some doc manages to defeat in the last possible minute. But still watchable. Captive Pursuit: 4 out of 5 A good and exciting one.The chemistry between O'Brien ad Tosk is endearing and the episode has a nice ending. Q-Less: 4 out of 5 Q is one of my favorites and I really wish that he had shwed up more times in DS9. This episode is not the best Q episod but still good and excitig. Dax: 2 out of 5 A bit slow in places. I had expected something better. The Passenger: 4 out of 5 Good and exciting. OK, I'wasn't that surprised when it was reevealed that Vantika was a live and who he had taken over but still a good and exciting episode. Extra plus for Ty Kajada and her actions at the end! Move Along Home: 4 out of 5 Many people dislike this one but I love it. Entertaining and a bit spooky with a twist in the tale at the end which I like. My all time DS9 favorite Quark is great and I like Falow because he looks like a neighbor I had some years ago who also was a Star Trek fan which created a lot of jokes for us. The Negus: 2 out of 5 I like Ferengis but this episode isn't that exciting even if Zek is a funny character and Quark as usual is great. Vortex: 3 out of 5 Good Odo episode but not that exciting in the long run. Battle Lines: 3 out of5 Good one but a bit dark. The factions at war with another and a certain twist in the tale as well makes it interesting. The Storyteller: 3 out of 5 For some reasons I like this episode. The "Storyteller" events on Bajor are a bit funny here and there and the subplot with Jake, Nog and Varis Sul are actually enjoyable Progress: 3 out of 5 Interesting episode where I really feel sorry for the old man who had to leave his home. Good interaction between him and Kira If Wishes Were Horses: 3 out o 5 Good, somewhat spooky episode with some great scenes. The Rumpelstiltskin figure is actually funny. But the demise of baseball described in the episode was a bit gloomy. Will the future really be that bad? (Note that I don't know that much about baseball but it seems interesting and I can also imagine how I would feel if my beloved ice hockey disappeared). The Forsaken: 1 out of 5 Some of the worst episodes in TNG were those were Lwaxana Troi was involved and this one follows that pattern Dramatis Personae: 3 out of 5 Interesting episode with a creepy feeling over it when the characters are changing. Not a top episode but still good and exciting. Duet: 5 out of 5 This one is downright brilliant! One of my favorite DS9 episodes. Great interaction between Kira and Marritza and excellent acting from Nana Visitor and Harris Yulin. In the Hands of the Prohpets: 4 out of 5 So enters one of my favorite villains, vedek Winn! Good and exciting story with the attempt to assasinate vedek Bareil and also a good start of further events in season 2
Glad to see DS9 season 1 getting some love! Even the bad episodes had some charm because the producers tried to create a believable world and they took the premise of the show very seriously. And it's fun to see how much the characters changed over the seasons. I really enjoyed Emissary, Captive Pursuit, Vortex, Duet, and In The Hands of The Prophets.