I never got into DS9, what to watch?

[ryouga]

I guess it wasn't that popular in the UK as Next Generation repeats seemed to be on multiple channels even Voyager sometimes.

I watched all of Next Gen as a kid, almost every Voyager(which was hit and miss) some of Enterprise and even liked TOS, the animated one was only shown once as a kid so missed most of it.

All I can remember about DS9 off the top of my head is the pilot, the Gowron eps,one where someone tries to steal Dax symbioite, one where a soli Odo is trapped with Quark, the Riker episode. Tribble one, mirror universe one, and the finale

And even then I only remember bits of each.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

As with many TV shows, DS9 had a weaker first season as the writers, actors and what not were trying to find their feet. You can see it with DS9 where they try to do "alien of the week" episodes, which don't really work for the station.

Its when they realise that because the station is, well, stationary that they find their stride and start to focus on that aspect. This is why the show does get more story arcs and not as episodic as TNG or VOY, which also allows for great character development.

I would say start watching it from the beginning, you'll find episodes love and ones that are dire (but ever show is like that). If you want suggestions though, it really does depend on your preference, if you like action-based stories, or more drama, comedic, and so forth.

I always say, if you want to see the real strength of DS9 watch "Duet" from Season 1. It boils down to just two adversaries sitting in a room talking, but it is a very powerful story, one that gives you the history of Bajor and Kira in a nutshell as well as starting her on her own path.

 

[Relayer1]

I'd accept that the early seadons aren't the best and watch the whole thing - it!s worth it.

It's only my opinion, but once it hits its stride around season three, it's head and shoulders better than TNG and light years better than Voyager.

It's getting a full rerun on Syfy in the UK at the moment.

And yes, 'Duet', but 'Progress' too.

 

[ryouga]

I have always been more about 2 parters since 1 parters seem to be rushed endings, this is true when I rewatch Voyager as bar a few episodes its the 2 parters I go back to, Next Gen I can watch just about anything from it no issue even dont mind Wesley lol.

I also like time travel based stories

 

[MacLeod]

I'd accept that the early seadons aren't the best and watch the whole thing - it!s worth it.

It's only my opinion, but once it hits its stride around season three, it's head and shoulders better than TNG and light years better than Voyager.

It's getting a full rerun on Syfy in the UK at the moment.

And yes, 'Duet', but 'Progress' too.

I think CBS Action might be starting a re-run soon, and to say it wasn't popular in the UK might not exactly be accurate as it has had seveal reruns siunce it went off air. True perhaps not as many as the other Trek shows but it is re-run fairly often.

 

[Relayer1]

I have always been more about 2 parters since 1 parters seem to be rushed endings, this is true when I rewatch Voyager as bar a few episodes its the 2 parters I go back to, Next Gen I can watch just about anything from it no issue even dont mind Wesley lol.

I also like time travel based stories

Lots of stuff in DS9 lasts longer and isn't rushed. Not jyst two parters, but long arcs that play out over seasons or longer.

It was ahead of it's time.

 

[Shark]

I never got into it either and stopped watching about half way through season one. Just recently I realized that it was the only Star Trek series I hadn't seen in it's entirety, so I've been binging on it starting with season one and plan to go all the way through. So if I were you I'd start at the beginning, just be aware the first couple of seasons are reaaaaaly slow.

 

[Terok Nor]

There aren't that many episodes of DS9 that are as bad as the worst episodes of the other shows. The first season wasn't perfect but there wasn't much I'd dread the thought of watching again (Move Along Home and If Wishes Were Horses at a push). I think DS9 was the most consistent of the shows but then I think it improved upon itself season after season and ends on a relative high in comparison to TNG which ended with a great episode at the end of a bad season and Voyager which was always hit and miss not to mention downright lazy and uninspired.

DS9 is not the type of show you can dip in and out of like the others so that's always worked against it. You kind of have to know what's going on with the Dominion, the Bajorans, The Cardassians and so on. It's the odd one out of th franchise but I'm glad it was made. It adds so much to Trek.

 

[Terok Nor]

I'd say watch from the start and if an episode doesn't tickle your fancy then skip it and if you need any blanks filled in later then you can get your answers from the forum members. I'd be glad to help.

 

[apollo1984]

As with many TV shows, DS9 had a weaker first season as the writers, actors and what not were trying to find their feet. You can see it with DS9 where they try to do "alien of the week" episodes, which don't really work for the station.

Its when they realise that because the station is, well, stationary that they find their stride and start to focus on that aspect. This is why the show does get more story arcs and not as episodic as TNG or VOY, which also allows for great character development.

Yeah I thought this too, the writers and producers, were so used to being a "ship going where no man has gone before" show that it took them 1 season to work out how to do something more stationery, after then, the writers realised what was going to work and what would not and at this point started to weave in some longer term plans into scripts such as references to the dominion and eventually gaining a ship that was better to use then runabouts.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I tend to have mixed feelings about season 1: it's better than its reputation, but uncharacteristic when compared to the rest of the series. At the time DS9 was starting up, TNG was doing a lot of high adventure episodes. Along with the story concepts that didn't do enough to think about how a station would be different from a ship, those early episodes seem small. However, those first DS9 episodes were at least as good as the first half of TNG season 3. Moreover, there were several episodes--the pilot, Duet, and The Hands of the Prophets--that were better than what was made in the other Berman era series in their first season.

All that said, a lot of season 1 is not essential and not typical for DS9. You hit those three important episodes, and your good to go. You can always swing back to watch the better episodes once you have figured out where the series is going: Captive Pursuits, Q-less, Dax, Nagus, Battle Lines, and Progress.

 

[Terok Nor]

Emissary - the pilot is always essential viewing
Past Prologue - first Garak episode, also has the Duras sisters from TNG
A Man Alone - beginning of Jake/Nog frienship and Keiko's school
Captive Pursuit - This is pure Star Trek
Q-Less - Q and Vash from TNG
Dax - Gives a bit of insight into the Trill but is not that great
The Nagus - Zek is great if you like the Ferengi
Vortex - A bit of foreshadowing of Odo's eventual origins
Battle Lines - This feels like a pure Trek episode too and the stuff with Opaka is important later on in the season
The Forsaken - First DS9 appearance of Lwaxana and the start of her friendship with Odo
Dramatis Personae - This is just fun
Duet - Acting masterclass and a good indicator of what the series would become
In The Hands Of The Prophets - Bookends the first season somewhat and the first appearance of Vedek Winn

The only ones I'd skip on first viewing are Babel, The Passenger, Move Along Home, The Storyteller and If Wishes Were Horses. Progress is a good episode but it might be better appreciated after you've gotten to know the series style a bit better.

 

[MacLeod]

T

DS9 is not the type of show you can dip in and out of like the others so that's always worked against it. You kind of have to know what's going on with the Dominion, the Bajorans, The Cardassians and so on. It's the odd one out of th franchise but I'm glad it was made. It adds so much to Trek.

You could argue the counterpoint to that was also its strength it build upon itself and the ST universe in general, as got to learn more about races such as the Bajoran's, Cardassians etc... more than we would if they only appeared in the odd episode.

 

[Admiral Bear]

Watch the first few episodes of season 1, plus, as said above Duet is a corker of an episode, then skip to The Jem'Hadar at the end of season 2 and carry on straight through to the end of season 7.

Season 4 and The Way of the Warrior is when DS9 became stunning television. It's light years ahead of what came before, and is like watching an entirely different show.

 

[MacLeod]

Well if I had to pare down S1-2 episode into muh watch

Emissary
Duet
In The Hands of The Prophets
The Jem'Hadar


Recommended

These are either strong episodes and/or introduce characters/elements on which the series will build.

Captive Pursuit
Battle Lines
The Nagus

The Circle Trilogy (The Homecoming, The Cirlce, The Seige)
Rules of Aqusition
Necessary Evil
Blood Oath
The Maquis, Parts I and II
The Wire
Crossover
The Collaborator
The Wire


Sure there are a few more from S1-2 that could be added to that as others will no doubt mention.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Well if I had to pare down S1-2 episode into muh watch

Emissary
Duet
In The Hands of The Prophets
The Jem'Hadar


Recommended

These are either strong episodes and/or introduce characters/elements on which the series will build.

Captive Pursuit
Battle Lines
The Nagus

The Circle Trilogy (The Homecoming, The Cirlce, The Seige)
Rules of Aqusition
Necessary Evil
Blood Oath
The Maquis, Parts I and II
The Wire
Crossover
The Collaborator
The Wire


Sure there are a few more from S1-2 that could be added to that as others will no doubt mention.

I think you could add Cardassians (Garaks's reintroduction as a long term character) and Paradise (a TNG-type episode, but better development for Sisko) to the list)

 

[somebuddyX]

I think if you aren't into it, don't try to force yourself. Most of my favourite shows I stumbled into halfway through some random episode and if I liked what I saw I'd come back. I think something like trials and tribble-ations is a good way to start, with it's connection to the first star trek series. Personally I am rather fond of season 1 and 2. Things are a little rough here but I like how everything feels new and unexplored off in some random unimportant part of the galaxy. I think my favourite of season 1 is probably if wishes were horses, it has a lot of fun moments with everyone's fantasies/daydreams going wild.

 

[MacLeod]

Well I would rate S1-2 of DSN better than S1-2 of TNG.

 

[arch101]

Start with the pilot. For all the people who say "DS9 isn't Roddenberry's Trek" I say, Emmisary is EXACTLY Roddenberry's Trek, at least in overall tone and meaning. It's the best pilot of all the Trek series.
The great thing about DS9 is that it rewards you for getting involved in it. It gets better as it goes and by the time you get to the end, you really don't want it to.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Start with the pilot. For all the people who say "DS9 isn't Roddenberry's Trek" I say, Emmisary is EXACTLY Roddenberry's Trek, at least in overall tone and meaning. It's the best pilot of all the Trek series.
The great thing about DS9 is that it rewards you for getting involved in it. It gets better as it goes and by the time you get to the end, you really don't want it to.

It's definitely a show that could've easily have carried on with loads more great stories to tell, with the crew on the frontlines of rebuilding after the war, not to mention possibly more work on the Breen, the question mark hanging over the GQ, Bajor's future with the UFP, and loads of other things to do after "What You Leave Behind".