My journey in Deep Space

[Robotech Master]

Just watching DS9 for the first time, eh?

The funny thing about this show is that the first time I watched it all the way through it didn't seem to get all that interesting until... I don't know... the 3rd season.

But after watching it through the second time, the first two seasons REALLY came up in my estimation. It's an odd series. Watch it through the first time and you might just think its alright.

Watch it through the 2nd time and you absolutely love the show. At least, that's how it was for me.

One thing that is annoying, is all the filler/ TNGish episodes... which they thankfully get away from... but even in the later seasons, they'll have a very average standalone episode that seems to knock the wind out of the arc they are building.

I almost think DS9 might have been a better show if they had pared down the number of episodes per season to 22. Cut away the fat, so to speak.

I think you'll like season 2 even more than season 1. They have more fun with the characters and they start to do some interesting things with the premise. Of course, you still won't have any sort of clue what type of arc they are building up until the very last episode.

 

[Lateralus]

It's taking a good amount of self restraint on my part to keep from starting another DS9 watch-through. And this thread isn't helping.

I had vowed to wait until at least the beginning of 2009. I finished my last watch through in summer of 2007 and I'd like to forget as much as possible before doing it again.

 

[tomalak301]

Fallen Heroes was an early favorite of mine.

Wasn't that an early season episode for Enterprise or was there a DS9 episode with this as it's original title?

 

[Lindley]

Fallen Heroes was an early favorite of mine.

Wasn't that an early season episode for Enterprise or was there a DS9 episode with this as it's original title?

Book, like the aforementioned Bloodletter.

 

[trentman359]

It's taking a good amount of self restraint on my part to keep from starting another DS9 watch-through. And this thread isn't helping.

I had vowed to wait until at least the beginning of 2009. I finished my last watch through in summer of 2007 and I'd like to forget as much as possible before doing it again.

It's a big commitment doing a complete watch through of a show. You have to make sure your going to stick with it. I tried to watch through Buffy earlier in the year and I only got to season 3.

 

[Jono]

Just watching DS9 for the first time, eh?

The funny thing about this show is that the first time I watched it all the way through it didn't seem to get all that interesting until... I don't know... the 3rd season.

But after watching it through the second time, the first two seasons REALLY came up in my estimation. It's an odd series. Watch it through the first time and you might just think its alright.

Watch it through the 2nd time and you absolutely love the show. At least, that's how it was for me.

One thing that is annoying, is all the filler/ TNGish episodes... which they thankfully get away from... but even in the later seasons, they'll have a very average standalone episode that seems to knock the wind out of the arc they are building.

I almost think DS9 might have been a better show if they had pared down the number of episodes per season to 22. Cut away the fat, so to speak.

I think you'll like season 2 even more than season 1. They have more fun with the characters and they start to do some interesting things with the premise. Of course, you still won't have any sort of clue what type of arc they are building up until the very last episode.

I agree that the the series grows much more on you after the first viewing. Probably because by the end you have the characters complete arc and then when you go back you can understand better why they did this in that episode or their attitudes in another episode. I had a low opinion of the first 2 or 3 seasons until I'd seen the whole series and had an opportunity to watch it again from start to finish.

 

[trentman359]

"The Homecoming"

"A Bajoran war hero, Li Nalas, is rescued by Kira and brought to Deep Space Nine. As a power struggle ensues on Bajor between rival factions in the civilian and religious government, Nalas is assigned to replace Kira as Bajor's representative on the station."


Strong episode. That was my initial reaction. Everything about this episode just seemed stronger than the episodes of the first season. A great way to start off the 2nd season.

 

[tomalak301]

Wait till you see the next two episodes in the trilogy. It was an awesome way to kick off Season 2.

 

[shatastrophic]

"The Homecoming"

"A Bajoran war hero, Li Nalas, is rescued by Kira and brought to Deep Space Nine. As a power struggle ensues on Bajor between rival factions in the civilian and religious government, Nalas is assigned to replace Kira as Bajor's representative on the station."


Strong episode. That was my initial reaction. Everything about this episode just seemed stronger than the episodes of the first season. A great way to start off the 2nd season.

I agree it is a good way to start off season 2.

B5 is DS9's Go-Bots.

 

[Lindley]

At this early stage, the differences between B5 and DS9 are already starting to become apparent. Although it told nominally independent stories for its first year, B5 was always building its central arc in the background. Meanwhile DS9 was still focusing on Bajoran plots for the most part, which although important to the series, would later take a back seat. And yet, those stories individually tended to be stronger than B5's standalone episodes in many cases.

B5: More arc-focused, DS9: Better standalone stories. At least that's how I see it. And yes, I'm aware of the irony of celebrating DS9 for its non-arc-ness.

 

[Lateralus]

I think the advantage that DS9 had over B5 when it come to standalone stories was the ability of a franchise as large as Star Trek to attract excellent 'guest' writers.

 

[trentman359]

"The Circle"

"While Sisko negotiates with Vedek Bareil about opposing Vedek Winn, Kira discovers the deadly conspiracy behind the rising powers in Bajor's government."

Strong episode again. Great ending as well. Love Sisko standing firm.

 

[Sisko4Life]

Dropping by to say hello. I really like your thread... so much that I think I may start my own. I JUST bought seasons 6 and 7 today of Deep Space Nine and I havent seen any of the episodes yet, so I was thinking of also starting a journal as my "Journey through the Dominion War." I don't want to spoil it for you though since you still have a few seasons to go! Would you stop by and say hello Trentman (basically, can I steal your idea)?

 

[trentman359]

Ya go ahead. I'm having a blast going through the series and this thread has been a lot of fun and a great companion piece for me. I'll stop by your thread and say hello.

 

[trentman359]

I figured I'd stick this review here. I wanted to start some kind of "Journey through Star Trek fiction" thread but I don't think I read fast enough to warrant my own thread.

DS9 #3 Bloodletter by KW Jeter.

"The Cardassians are constructing a base on the other side of the wormhole, so Major Kira and Doctor Bashir take a shuttle to set up a Starfleet base before the Cardassians succeed. But someone wants to dispose of Kira blaming her for many deaths during the Occupation."

I have a couple of boxes filled with Star Trek novels, so I picked the first DS9 one that I saw (my DS9 collection is very lacking.) I liked the idea of the Cardassians trying to clame sovereignty to the other end of the wormhole, but the whole execution was rather dull. Bashir's interactions with the entities in the wormhole simply made no sense. The book was very average and not one that I would recommend.

 

[Lindley]

I find that description applies of most of KW Jeter's efforts that I've read.

 

[Lateralus]

I read A Stitch in Time a month or so ago. And it was the first fiction book I have read in probably 10 years.

I had already read The Lotus Flower from Worlds of DS9 beforehand, which is what sparked my desire to start at the beginning of the relaunch with Stitch.

Last night, I made it through the introduction and the timeline at the beginning of the first DS9 omnibus - Twist of Faith.. I would have made it further, but I didn't make the decision to start reading it until around 2am.

So hopefully I'm in for a blast.

 

[Jack Bauer]

DS9 #3 Bloodletter by KW Jeter.

"The Cardassians are constructing a base on the other side of the wormhole, so Major Kira and Doctor Bashir take a shuttle to set up a Starfleet base before the Cardassians succeed. But someone wants to dispose of Kira blaming her for many deaths during the Occupation."

I have a couple of boxes filled with Star Trek novels, so I picked the first DS9 one that I saw (my DS9 collection is very lacking.) I liked the idea of the Cardassians trying to clame sovereignty to the other end of the wormhole, but the whole execution was rather dull. Bashir's interactions with the entities in the wormhole simply made no sense. The book was very average and not one that I would recommend.

The book's problems (maybe not all of them) are probably due to the fact that the novel was written before the series even premiered. A lot of the early novels for each of the tv series have problems because of that reason.

 

[trentman359]

"The Siege"

"With Sisko leading the covert forces against a Bajoran force taking over the station, Kira and Dax attempt to reveal the secret behind the coup."

A great conclusion to the first two episodes of the season. Li Nalas was a great character that went through quite a bit of change in three episodes. I enjoyed the defense of the station, it reminded my of Star Trek III (in a good way.)

 

[trentman359]

"Invasive Procedures"

"A Trill rejected as a candidate for joining takes the crew hostage and has the Dax symbiont implanted in himself, leaving Jadzia to die."

Verard was an interesting character. He was well played and very believable. Verard and Sisko reminiscing felt real, I really believed that these two knew each other and that they would have been friends under any other circumstance. An average episode but it was well done and better than most of the episodes from season 1, I'm looking at you "Move Along Home."