Is DS9 worth binging?

[Qonundrum]

I gotta admit, I'd put a lot of them at the bottom of my season 4 rankings too. Our Man Bashir, Sword of Kahless, Body Parts...

Little Green Men's premise is so absurd they wouldn't have even touched it on Lower Decks or The Orville. The comedy characters accidentally time travel back to 1940s Roswell when they're just flying to Earth? That's a Futurama premise. And the series had only just done Past Tense!

LGM admittedly starts out bad, with the latest casual means of introducing time travel. Make it through that, then there's a genuinely fun episode involved... even if there's one really lame in-joke that they metaphorically whack across your face with exploring new civilizations and aping the TOS verbiage Kirk spoke... the assumption that the begins from outer space were grooming each other was a little hokey, but that's the worst of it all.

"Futurama" also parodied DS9's "you are your own grampa" moment too, to much better effect than DS9's take on that idea where Bashir et al played it straight....

"The Orville" definitely tried to limbo under the absurdity bar when seemingly being influenced by two TNG episodes to make "Lasting Impressions" with: "Hollow Pursuits" was a springboard in terms of holodeck addiction, then mixing in an updated twist of "Booby Trap" by extrapolating a smartphone's content as opposed to personal log files (and unconvincingly so in both the technical and linguistic elements (especially the latter) but many "The Orville" fans think it's one of the best. I think there's much stronger from the show's first two year's but it's all subjective anyway...)

 

[Jellico]

I saw a Paul Giamatti interview. He plays a character in Starfleet Academy. Apparently, he’s a big DS9 fan. As of the interview, he was doing a DS9 rewatch. I’d have that show on three times a week if it didn’t drive my wife crazy. It’s be years before she want to do another rewatch.

 

[Tosk]

I saw a Paul Giamatti interview. He plays a character in Starfleet Academy. Apparently, he’s a big DS9 fan. As of the interview, he was doing a DS9 rewatch. I’d have that show on three times a week if it didn’t drive my wife crazy. It’s be years before she want to do another rewatch.

Yep, Giamatti and Tatiana Maslany are both DS9 fans.

 

[Farscape One]

Well, DS9 is the best series, after all.

 

[Poltargyst]

Well, DS9 is the best series, after all.

Right up there with TOS.

 

[Sim]

The episodes you listed:

"BAR ASSOCIATION" - Major step in Rom's development, with him ending up going on his own and becoming an engineer. Also the first time Leeta sees Rom in a different light, which leads to them getting married. Worf moving off the station to live on the Defiant.

"BODY PARTS" - Used Nana Visitor's real life pregnancy in the most imaginative way I've ever seen, which led to her living with the O'Briens for half a season. Illustrates just how nasty Brunt is. Great character episode for Quark. And ends with a scene that best illustrates one of the core philosophies of the franchise. (And why DS9 is the spinoff that best illustrates said core philosophy.)

"LITTLE GREEN MEN" - I'll agree it doesn't really add to the overall stories of DS9, but it was a fun episode.

"OUR MAN BASHIR" - We get a deeper look at Bashir's psychology through Garak. (Plus, Garak himself ALWAYS is worth a watch.) We get another subtle clue of Bashir's genetic enhancements regarding his hand/eye coordination. Plus... an extremely fun episode.

"THE QUICKENING" - Best character episode for Bashir. His arrogance got knocked down a few pegs. Plus, illustrates just how evil the Dominion can get.

"THE SWORD OF KAHLESS" - More Klingon lore is shown here. Also important for Kor, as we see this is his 'last chance for glory', which leads up to his final appearance in season 7. Also illustrates how easily religious iconography can get twisted, even among the best people and intentions.

"INDISCRETION" - Definitely important because it set a number of things in motion: Kasidy and Ben taking the next major step in their relationship, Dukat's fall from grace and his return by ending up joining the Dominion, introduction of Ziyal, first Breen appearance on DS9. Whether it's boring or not is very subjective.

"SHATTERED MIRROR" - I can understand people not liking it simply because of it being in the Mirror Universe. DS9 did have diminishing returns with each trip there. But it did continue the arc of that storyline, whether it is liked or not. Plus it gives full closure for the Siskos regarding Jennifer. (And damn awesome battle sequence with the Defiant.)


I can keep going with the rest of the season, but I don't think I need to. Season 4 DEFINITELY moved a lot of things and stories and arcs along.

As Donlago pointed out, DS9 might not be the series for you.

Agreed on all points ...

Plus, in "Shattered Mirror", there were hilarious scenes with mirror Worf and Garak... seriously, I couldn't stop laughing when I watched it the first time ... and even sometimes during rewatches.

 

[Sim]

I think the only episodes I consider skipping when rewatching are a couple of season 1 and fewer from season 2 ... but by the last third of season 2, it's all or nothing for me.

 

[Vger23]

Yes.