Just about to start DS9...where best to begin?

[Crewman6]

Season 2 is amazing, my favorite season of DS9, far superior to seasons 3 and 6 in my view. Start with The Emissary and watch the series from start to finish.

Season 2 is also my favorite. It's excellent and it's easily the show's most diverse and risk-taking season, with so much variety in the kinds of stories in tells. The later seasons, while excellent, constricted the show's universe a bit and so much focus was put on the Dominion War that the funky, more experimental vibe was lost a bit.

That said, Season One definitely has a few stinkers you could totally skip without missing anything and even season 2 has a handful of duds.

I'd watch about 60% of season 1 and 85% of season 2 and then watch everything else (well, you can definitely skip some of the Ferengi episodes and a few other clunkers here and there.)

 

[HaventGotALife]

I suggest starting at the beginning. The stories, despite the first three seasons being tedious, at times, it really does build on itself. Just keep an open mind until season 3 begins. 3-7 is really the show everyone discusses.

Just as a guide, to give you some excitement, as you trudge through the early stuff, check out these episodes from the first two seasons:

Emissary
Duet
In the Hands of the Prophets
Necessary Evil
The Alternate
The Wire
Crossover
The Jem'Hadar

After that, there's more hits, than misses.

 

[Crewman6]

I suggest starting at the beginning. The stories, despite the first three seasons being tedious, at times, it really does build on itself. Just keep an open mind until season 3 begins. 3-7 is really the show everyone discusses.

Just as a guide, to give you some excitement, as you trudge through the early stuff, check out these episodes from the first two seasons:

Emissary
Duet
In the Hands of the Prophets
Necessary Evil
The Alternate
The Wire
Crossover
The Jem'Hadar

After that, there's more hits, than misses.

While those are all good choices, there are MANY more great and essential eps from the first two seasons.

 

[Orac]

Start with the 19th episode of season 7, then watch the 3rd episode of season 2, after that watch all the episodes backwards from the end of season 6, skip season 4 though, it's rubbish!

 

[Burning Hearts of Qo'nos]

I started my first rewatch about a month ago and have sat and paid attention to every episode from the beginning. And I must say, its patchy goings, but it's totally worth seeing the characters fleshed out before the good stuff happens. The episodes might not be great, but there are always good character bits in each episode. Totally worth it.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

To me, the only reason to watch the first couple seasons is for character development. Very little else is of consequence in those episodes, but the early character development makes the rest of the series much better by the time that things come together more.

 

[Qonundrum]

My two cents:

Start with season one's premiere and move forward. Season 1 is hit or miss but even the misses add to character dynamics that are borne out of this season, hints of great things to come. "Emissary" is important, especially for Sisko's setup. Season 2 is when the potential of the series begins to really come together. Season 3 is even better but season 2 is solid! Season 4 hits the home run with the inclusion of Worf and what he brings to the table.

My real embracing of the show started with season 4, but bear with me out as it's important enough: I didn't care much for season 1 at the time and wasn't the biggest fan. I would later revisit the show after season 4 won me over big-time, at the beginning again with season 1, warts and all, and then realizing how much I really missed out on by not watching in season order. So, yeah, definitely watch these in season order.

And the reason is stellar: Had I watched them in order, the greatest episodes would be that much more fantastic than watching them out of order. Seeing the best episodes in proper order would have been that much more gripping and intense compared to my hunt'n'peck approach, though I was still happy. I would rather have been uber-super-wowed then just super-wowed.


BTW: Everyone loves Garak. They could have made a show just about him. Even better, Julian and Garak and me would be quite the triumvirate. It helps even more if you read all the thread's responses in order to really appreciate this best case-in-point ever!

 

[eschaton]

As others have said, Season 1 isn't actually that bad, by the standards of first seasons of non TOS-Trek shows. While I think it's the weakest season overall, I actually think there's more truly awful episodes by a hair in Season 6. The problem with Season 1 is there are so many "meh" episodes, and relatively few great episodes compared to the later seasons.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I suggest starting at the beginning. The stories, despite the first three seasons being tedious, at times, it really does build on itself. Just keep an open mind until season 3 begins. 3-7 is really the show everyone discusses.

Just as a guide, to give you some excitement, as you trudge through the early stuff, check out these episodes from the first two seasons:

Emissary
Duet
In the Hands of the Prophets
Necessary Evil
The Alternate
The Wire
Crossover
The Jem'Hadar

After that, there's more hits, than misses.

Agreed. When I did a rewatch on Hulu a few years ago, I knew some early episodes were going to be "meh", but not as many as I thought/remembered.

There's quite a bit I forgot since DS9 wasn't being rerun to death on BBCA like TNG was. I hadn't seen any DS9 since SpikeTV was running the show, and even then it was pretty fragmented.

 

[Kate Nichols]

I only started watching last year. I've seen all episodes now and have seen my favorite episodes several times. Although I did start with Emissary, I heard that Odo and Kira got together in the series and there was a passionate kiss, so I skipped to "My Way" in Season 6 when I was still watching Season 1. I then had to see all of Season 6 and Season 7 and then I went back and watched all. I'd say to watch in order, as I didn't initially understand who "Weyoun" was and all of the history with "Dukat."

 

[GlennSTL]

I started on Season 1 for the first time about 2 months ago. I’m now on Season 5.

While I’ve enjoyed the majority of the series episodes so far, I would have to say that I definitely think it’s better as it goes along. By Season 5 especially I think it’s firing on all cylinders.

Great characters and for 5e most part very entertaining writing. Looking forward to hopefully watching the rest of Season 5 and then eventually finishing the show.

 

[CRM-114]

I started on Season 1 for the first time about 2 months ago. I’m now on Season 5.

While I’ve enjoyed the majority of the series episodes so far, I would have to say that I definitely think it’s better as it goes along. By Season 5 especially I think it’s firing on all cylinders.

Great characters and for 5e most part very entertaining writing. Looking forward to hopefully watching the rest of Season 5 and then eventually finishing the show.

You have completely leapfrogged me, as I am still making my way through Season 2.

 

[Lynx]

Well, I've just finished my third cycle of watching this amazing series. Fortunately the problems I had with the DVD.s seem to be ober (fingers crossed). I haven't encountered any problems with the recent DVD box so far and this was the third time I watched it from start to end.

All this has turned me into a Niner. The whole series is so incredibly good. All the twists and turns of events, the development of the characters and what characters then! Amazing all of them!

I could bring up so many things I like with the series but I'm not doing it here and now because I don't want to ruin anything for those who haven't watched it yet.

Watching "What You Leave Behind" always gives me mixed emotions. The happiness of seeing the war being brought to an end but also the sadness of knowing that there are no more episodes to watch.

But there actualy are episodes to watch. I guess it will only take me a couple of weeks or so until I sitdown in front of my TV to watch "Emissary", thus starting a new cycle of DS9 watching.

I guess that the Prophets would tell me: "You exist here"!

 

[Jetboogieman]

Don’t begin at all.

It’s a terrible show filled with great characters who have incredible depth and complexity.

Stories, themes and situations handled with masterful writing and incredible performances to ask tough questions.

Not worth anyone’s time...

 

[dupersuper]

Episode 1...?

I see you say you've already watched TNG, so you should be all set. If you've also seen all the TOS & TAS stuff all the better.

 

[kkt]

TNG would only be a minor help for DS9, but watching TOS would help recognize some of the characters.

 

[dupersuper]

TNG would only be a minor help for DS9, but watching TOS would help recognize some of the characters.

Well, TNG introduced the Borg, the Bajorans, the Cardassians, Q, Worf, Alexander, Gowron, the O'Briens, and features the battle of Wolf 359, birth of Molly, the treaty with the Cardassians, the inciting incidents for the formation of the Maquis...

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Just start from the start. There might be early episodes you can skip, but not entire seasons.

 

[STEPhon IT]

Emissary is such a touching, and great pilot for this series and a must watch because it's the story of Commander Benjamin Sisko, a tortured character who has a heavy heart in this piece. His reflection represented the station and its re-imagining; we see him at a point of his life where things are in a stand still and it is a wonderful representation of the rebirth of a man. I love this episode.