Only the good ones, season 1

[MyCylon]

Some of us including myself are currently rewatching DS9 (I suppose there's ALWAYS someone rewatching but I digress). While watching, I remembered thinking that the seasons would be that bit stronger had certain episodes simply been omitted, making the seasons shorter but more effective as a whole.
I'll kick this off with season one (I think many can be left out here). I'll set up a poll for the next season in about a week or so, I think. Let me know if you think that's too soon or too late.

For season 1, I propose the following selection of episodes and say you could easily omit the rest:

01. Emissary (IMHO brilliant pilot with essential groundwork all around)
02. Past Prologue (important for Kira's background and Bajor's situation)
03. Dax (one of IMO few good Dax episodes, including important groundwork for the Dax/Sisko friendship)
04. The Nagus (one of the more interesting Ferengi eps IMO, and not a bad one at that)
05. Vortex (not overly important but with what COULD be consider the first real hint that Odo may be from the Gamma Quadrant)
06. Battle Lines (I'm not too fond of this episode but it's important in terms of Opaka's and Bajor's fate as well as Kira's development)
07. Progress (I really like this one, partly because of Keith but also because it's relevant to Kira and Bajor)
08. Duet (the strongest Kira offering and a brilliant piece of drama with essential groundwork for the relationship between Bajor and Cardassia)
09. In the Hands of the Prophets (another very strong Bajor offering with substantial implications for what's to come in terms of the new Kai and Bajor's political future)


I think that makes for a far more taught, focussed season, much of which surrounds Bajor and its development after the occuptation as well as including a small hint at Odo's possible origins (which has more weight in the shorter season).

So, do you agree with this selection? What would your selection be like?
I'm also including a poll to determine which episodes people would like to see INCLUDED in the season.

 

[Kegek]

Having recently rewatched season one on television, I'd say:

Emissary: The pilot, and a damned good one.
Past Prologue: Garak is mandatory viewing, his introduction equally so. Also one of the best episodes in analysing Bajoran politics, plus a rather complicated series of plot machinations. The extremism of the Kohn-Meh - right down to their economic reactionism - reminds me of similar political crises faced in Ireland after our own independence.
A Man Alone: A solid Odo episode, one of the better murder mysteries. Introduces Keiko and Rom, two characters who have their personal hate fan clubs but who I've always liked.
Captive Pursuit: One of season one's best episodes. A genuinely weird-seeming alien, an engaging sci-fi culture plot, and, of course, plenty of O'Brien.
Q-Less: Not that good. A good TNG episode transposed to DS9 for absolutely no justification at all. Mainly notable for Q's pithy observations about the DS9 crew, including his famous altercation with Sisko. Worth it just for that.
Dax: Overrated. Like The Measure of a Man, it uses a court procedural to explore a science fiction idea - in the former case, sentient artificial life, in this, symbiotic sentient life. But rather than make this question the crux of the drama, it throws a convenient last-minute revelation in instead. But still, a good episode.
The Nagus: I love Ferengi. There, I said it. That said, the first of DS9's tradition of Ferengi episodes, isn't terribly amusing, but it has its moments and the table full of scheming, laughing Ferengi is certainly one of them.
Vortex: Another nice Odo episode. Emphasizes how lonely he feels as one of his kind, pretty good - if somewhat cliched - interaction with him and his captive. In retrospect, the hints that this episode gives that the changelings were a race that once lived on his world but were persecuted and fled from it are probably true.
Battle Lines: Given what happens to Opaka, essential viewing. An alright episode, Opaka's scenes with Kira about warfare are probably its highlights.
The Storyteller: A reclusive Bajoran tribe ruled by a teenager debate with another one about where their border should be. Another Bajoran village uses technology to create a giant monster that can only be defeated by the villagers feeling good about their accomplishments. Anyone remember when the Bajorans used to be weird as hell? This episode is the best example of that. Starts the O'Brien/Bashir friendship, in this episode expemlified by, well, O'Brien's distate for the doctor.
Progress: One of the great Bajoran episodes. A powerful discussion of politics and loyalty. A catharsis episode for Kira, when she realises she's not the underdog anymore, and like the Federation - she's got to make some tough choices.
Dramatis Personae: Goofy fun. Bizarre sci-fi problem of the week makes everyone go crazy and paranoid. Sisko becomes a bored incompetent ruler more interested in building a clock, Dax is lazy, self-absorbed and rambling about her past lives, and so on. The clock remains on Sisko's desk for the rest of the show.
Duet: The best episode of the first season. In fact, tied with "In the Pale Moonlight" as the best episode of DS9 ever.
In the Hands of the Prophets: The second best episode of the first season, and one of my favourite season enders of the entire show. Brilliant depiction of Bajoran religious politics - this, and not the Prophet/pah-wraith stuff, should have remained the focus of the Bajoran arcs.

So, I've excluded:
Babel: Not as bad as I remembered it. But not all that great. A rather weird sci-fi virus, some nice scenes, but doesn't quite gel.
The Passenger: I liked Na'Toth's guest appearance. Actually a kind of underrated episode, even if it's obvious from the teaser who Vantica has 'posessed' is Bashir, not Na'Toth. Underrated, but not all that good, either.
Move Along Home: Basically, a holodeck malfunction episode, except instead of the holodeck we have a game machine that doesn't make any sense, and instead of the malfunction we have aliens whose motivations don't really make sense either. Who mainly talk by endlessly repeating the same few lines as Sisko and co. solve uninteresting puzzles. Allamaraine, blecch.
If Wishes Were Horses: Okay, it's got some mildly amusing stuff in it. The interplay between real and fantasy Dax, Sisko and the baseball player. But it's a rather dull, by-the-numbers depiction of imagination come to life which couldn't have a more half-hearted excuse at the end if it tried.
The Forsaken: The first of Lwaxana Troi's mainly pointless appearances on DS9. If this was a game of tongo, I'd recommend evade rather than acquire.

All-in-all, it's an okay first season, with some standouts, but more often merely okay or mediocre. That's why most of the season makes the list - little of it is great, but a lot of it is 'eh, okay'. It's considerably better than ENT or TNG's first seasons, a fair deal better than VOY's as well... but this is damning it with faint praise.

 

[Angel4576]

Emissary (Obvious), A Man Alone (Great Odo episode), Captive Pursuit (First hint that races from the GQ might be quite powerful, and it's a damn good episode to boot!), Dax (Great Dax episode), The Storyteller (Rubbish main story, but it is the start of the Bashir/O'Brien dynamic, which was one of the strongest on the show IMO), Dramatis Personae (A prelude to the Bajoran/Starfleet strife), Duet (Great, great episode) and In the Hands of the Prophets (Introduction of Winn).

In hindsight, I should have chosen The Nagus (Zek is such a fantastic characer), and The Vortex (decent enough episode, and good development for Odo).

 

[MyCylon]

Looking at Kegek's post, I realized I probably should comment briefly on the episodes I left out myself . Here goes:

A Man Alone: This one has some good elements, I think. But I think the whole cloning business comes off like a weak crutch for the whole episodes to hinge on. I also think rage among the populace emerges and resides somewhat too fast.

Babel: It's a pleasant episode to watch but I always come off feeling there's no real point to it. There's also the distinct feeling that maybe they should have checked a little better for possible booby traps

Captive Pursuit: I actually quite like this episode and a lot about it BUT I have some complaints here that I have in general. First contact IMHO isn't handled very well by the writers. It comes across a bit too much like another day at the office, somehow. I also think it's quite obvious in the beginning that nobody really knows what to do with the Gamma Quadrant in the beginning. It's still very much in "alien of the week" territory, and this nice little episode unfortunately just contributes to that notion. So, I'd rather do without it.

Q-Less: I'd gotten a lot of fun out of Q over the years but not much here. It's one of those appearances that's only warrented by the attempt to tide over viewers. Plus I don't like Vash. I DO like the scene where Sisko strikes Q - I just love the look on Q's face. But overall, there's nothing that I'd miss about this episode.

The Passenger: Pointless, clishéd, predictable, and Siddig gives his worst performance EVER! I can't sit through this one.

Move Along Home: I don't dislike this one the way many people do. However, I really dislike the way first contact is portrayed here. As mentioned in my comments on Captive Pursuit, this is firmly routed in "alien of the week" territory as well as being realy pointless. I think that's really one of the major problems of this season - many episode were really about nothing in the end.

The Storyteller: I enjoy the interaction between Bashir and O'Brien here (it's nice to see how that developed over the years). However, the Bajor we see here IMHO just doesn't seem to fit with anything else we've ever seen. I keep having to remind myself that this is supposed to take place on Bajor. And, again, I find there isn't really a point to all of this other than that fear and a common enemy can help unite people. Which isn't really saying much, is it?

If Wishes Were Horses: I actually like this one for some strange reason. I know many people don't and I'm not quite sure if I can really explain why I like it. Yes, it's goofy, yes it's contrived and clishéd, but I found it was fun seeing how the different people on the crew reacted to "their" aliens. I also liked the idea that everything was being created through the crew's thoughts (though I honestly think had that been the case things would have been QUITE different and not suitable for Star Trek...).
HOWEVER, looking at the season as a whole, I find this really adds nothing and I'm happy to leave it out.

The Forsaken: As far as Lwaxana is concerned, this is one of her better appearances, I think. Unfortunately, that's not saying too much. I think there is some nice interaction between her and Odo but I'd gladly 'forsake' this rather tiring look at Federation Ambassadors (God, they're annoying!).

Dramatis Personae: I find this episode enjoyable. What really bothers me is that what's going on doesn't seem to have much to do with the crew. Yes, you've got Kira and Sisko on opposite sides and e.g. O'Brien on Sisko's side but I've always felt as though that was per chance more than anything else. It would have been nice to have them, for example, infected by a virus or whatever that actually enhances the negative feelings that are already there in each of the characters (a way NOT to do something like that unfortunately crops up in Fascination so I'm not a really big proponent of this idea...).
In my view, what happens AGAIN is that everything here becomes really, really pointless. It has no bearing on the characters or the setting.
I DO like the clock though, mind you

 

[CorporalClegg]

Emissary
Past Prologue
A Man Alone
Captive Pursuit
Dax
The Nagus
Vortex
Battle Lines
Progress
Dramatis Personae
Duet
In The Hands Of The Prophets

I chose not only on quality, but importance to story. "Past Prologue," "A Man Alone," "The Nagus," etc. might not be the best episodes, but they don't have story elements that will be important later.

 

[Mike Have-Not]

I just watch them all.

For one thing, I'm currently watching them to kill time, fill the void, as it were, of being all alone.

For another, it doesn't HURT to watch the bad eps.

And, lastly, I always notice new things in the eps every time I watch them. In fact, I found myself enjoying the least popular eps. more this time around, simply because I am less familiar with them, and they seemed "fresher" to me...

does that make sense?...

 

[Kegek]

^
Actually, it does. I intend to watch every episode on the current Virgin run, even the most infamous like 'Let He Who Is Without Sin...' and 'Profit & Lace'.

Partly, because I've never seen the series through, from first to last. I've seen every episode, yes, and whole cycles of the series in order, but not straight bee-line from beginning to end.

But the poll asked us to edit, and so edit I did, based on what I'd seen.

 

[MyCylon]

Mike Have-Not said:
I just watch them all.

For one thing, I'm currently watching them to kill time, fill the void, as it were, of being all alone.

For another, it doesn't HURT to watch the bad eps.

And, lastly, I always notice new things in the eps every time I watch them. In fact, I found myself enjoying the least popular eps. more this time around, simply because I am less familiar with them, and they seemed "fresher" to me...

does that make sense?...

Well, you're obviously free to watch any episode you like at a time and in an order of your choosing
HOWEVER, I was just curious to see how people might edit the season (in this case season 1) if given the choice. I just think it's interesting to consider what the seasons could have been like merely by leaving certain episodes out.

The idea came to me during S6 which is a strong season but is weakend somewhat by rather lacklustre episodes between some amazing stuff. Leave those out, and you've got a noticeably more taught and powerful season moving at IMHO a better pace.

Don't get me wrong: I love DS9, warts 'n' all. It's just that I'm also the type of person who likes what ifs

 

[MyCylon]

Just taking a quick look at the results so far, it would seem that most people agree they'd drop at least four episodes. The following ones are really trailing the others:

- The Passenger
- Move Along Home
- If Wishes Were Horses
- The Forsaken

So far, that would mean season 1 would be down from 19 to 15 episodes.

 

[PKTrekGirl]

Emissary
Past Prologue
A Man Alone
Captive Pursuit
Dax
The Nagus
Vortex
Battle Lines
Progress
Dramatis Personae
Duet
In the Hands of the Prophets

 

[Mike Have-Not]

I LIKE "Move Along Home"...

It's campy... I watch it for the laughs...

"Alamarain!"

 

[EMHMark613]

Emissary
Past Prologue
Babel
Q-Less
The Nagus
Duet
In the Hands of the Prophets

 

[MyCylon]

I'm curious: It seems as though some people didn't vote for Emissary in their custom season list. I'd be interested in hearing the reasons for that since I find that episode quite essential.

 

[Garth Rockett]

My list is the same as Justtoyourleft's, although I omitted "Vortex" (good but not essential) and added "Captive Pursuit" (one of my favorites from season one) and "The Storyteller" (for the O'Brien/ Bashir development). I almost threw in "Move Along Home" (a guilty pleasure of mine) but I couldn't quite bring myself to do it.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

1. Emissary - This is kind of a no-brainer. It's one of the best Sisko episodes around, and a near-perfect introduction for the series.

2. A Man Alone - A good Odo story that gives the Constable the character development he was sorely lacking in the pilot episode. I particularly enjoyed the inventive blending of the sci-fi, detective, and wild west frontier elements of the story.

3. Babel - It's not a major episode but I've always liked it. I think several characters shined in it, particularly Kira, Quark, and Sisko.

4. Captive Pursuit - The first regular hour-long episode of DS9 to became a classic. A very good story that uses the resident TNG character to show how this show truly differs from its parent series. Picard never would have allowed the hunt to continue, no matter how much even Tosk wanted it. It's a real shame that it was never followed up on television.

5. The Nagus - Probably the most important story for the Ferengi. It turns them from being embarrassing failures as villains into an entertaining and well-developed race.

6. Progress - A solid two-character Kira story that forces the good Major to confront her own beliefs and standing in the new, independant Bajor. It's only real drawback is that it's overshadowed a few episodes later by a story that follows a very similar idea, but in a very different manner.

7. The Forsaken - Easily the best Lwaxana story on either TNG or DS9. I love the bonding between Troi and Odo in this episode. I'd say it's a fairly good story that's frequently overlooked because many people lump all of Lwaxana's episodes together without a second thought.

8. Dramatis Personae - A cunning use of a standard sci-fi cliche to explore the underlying tensions amongst the crew. It's not the best story by far, but it's worth keeping for the character elements.

9. Duet - duh. My favorite of the season. Harris Yulin turns out my favorite guest performance in all of DS9, and Nana Visitor likewise gives her finest performance as Kira. It must have been somewhere around "Progress" or "Duet" that Kira quickly shifted from being my least favorite DS9 character and into one my top three.

10. In the Hands of the Prohpets - Star Trek's most underrated season finale. Though it doesn't have an exciting space battle or a "Mr. Worf, fire!"-style cliffhanger, it really ratchets up the tension to levels rarely seen on Star Trek to this point. Everything about ItHotP sets the bar for DS9 finales, which I believe are the finest of any television series.

 

[Harvey]

I'm pretty confident in all of the episodes, really, except for Move Along Home, which is just embarrassing to the last.

 

[toughlittleship]

The only ones I didn't go for are The Passenger, Move Along Home and Dramatis Personae.

 

[Garrett]

Only the best episodes, so:
Q-Less
Move Along Home
If Wishes Were Horses
Babel
The Forsaken

Or perhaps, these:
Emissary
Past Prologue
Captive Pursuit
Dax
The Passenger - not too bad, but possessed Bashir can be painful.
The Nagus - the more I watch it, the more it's becoming a favorite. Not every Ferengi episode is great, but I generally like them.
Vortex
Battle Lines
Progress
Dramatis Personae
Duet
In The Hands Of The Prophets

The last two belong in their own category almost. On the whole, I enjoyed season one. It was like TNG with many of the issues I had with that show being addressed (namely, characters have to stay around and deal with the mess). The last two were where the show began to really find its footing.

 

[MyCylon]

Thanks to everyone who voted here! I've set up a new poll for season 2 if you care to make a selection for that season as well.

I just want to go through the results here very briefly. I think it's pretty clear there's three episodes that voters consider essential to the season and they're not really surprising:

- Emissary
- Duet
- In the Hands of the Prophets

They all scored almost 40 votes each. I'm still amazed, however, that Emissary got two votes less than the other two. I'd really like to know who thinks the last two episodes should be in that season whereas Emissary should not and why.

Looking at the bottom of the list, Move along Homes is the easy "winner", taking a mere three votes or just under one thirteenth of what Duet and In the Hands of the Prophets scored. The following three aren't very popular either, mind you:

- The Passenger
- If Wishes were Horses
- The Forsaken

They each scored less than 10 votes.


If each episodes was required to have at least have the number of votes the top scorers did (admittedly, this is just a pretty random choice), here's what season 1 would look like:

Emissary
Past Prologue
Captive Pursuit
Dax
The Nagus
Vortex
Battle Lines
Progress
Duet
In the Hands of the Prophets

That'd be 10 episodes, making it a pretty taught and more focused season, I think. The Bajor storyline is certainly very strong here. I like it, actually.

What do you think of this particular pick?

 

[MyCylon]

^
Found a typo but can't correct the above post:

"If each episodes was required to have at least half the number of votes the top scorers did (admittedly, this is just a pretty random choice), here's what season 1 would look like"

Note: Looking at the current votes, by this definition "Vortex" is out.