Season 3 Might be a Very Underrated Season

[tomalak301]

Finished season 3 of DS9 tonight. I used to think Season 2 was better, and while I still liked season 2 a lot, there was a ton to love about season 3, how it started with the introduction of the founders to the end with the Changling saying they were everywhere. I think the only two episodes I didn't like this season was Life Support and Meridian. This indeed was an underrated season and I'd probably rank it third best now. Even with Life Support and Meridian, there wasn't a horrible episode this year. Top episodes were as follows:

Improbable Cause/Die is Cast
Past Tense
Destiny
Through the Looking Glass
Second Skin
Explorers

I'm loving revisiting this series after not seeing it for a long time. I'm gaining a new appreciation for some things (The Search) and loving things all over again.

Also, season 4 and 5 are my two favorite seasons of the show so this is going to be fun revisiting excellent trek.

 

[timtonruben359]

Earlier in the year I did a DS9 re-watch after having not watched the show in about 5 years. I have to say that I actually found the early seasons far better than I remembered.

Season 3 is where the show really finds its footing and starts plotting the direction for the rest of the show's run. There are really strong stories in the third year, and I find the actors are so much more comfortable with their characters by this point it's more enjoyable to watch.

Season 4 is where the show really knocks it out of the park, but I do believe season 3 is overlooked (so is season 2 frankly).

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Finished season 3 of DS9 tonight. I used to think Season 2 was better, and while I still liked season 2 a lot, there was a ton to love about season 3, how it started with the introduction of the founders to the end with the Changling saying they were everywhere.

Season 3 is qualitatively better than 2, but 2 simply has numerous fundamental episodes. Although Garak was introduced early in season 1, most of who he is--personality and motivation--is established in Cardassians and The Wire. Both contribute heavily to IC/TDIC.

 

[tomalak301]

Finished season 3 of DS9 tonight. I used to think Season 2 was better, and while I still liked season 2 a lot, there was a ton to love about season 3, how it started with the introduction of the founders to the end with the Changling saying they were everywhere.

Season 3 is qualitatively better than 2, but 2 simply has numerous fundamental episodes. Although Garak was introduced early in season 1, most of who he is--personality and motivation--is established in Cardassians and The Wire. Both contribute heavily to IC/TDIC.

I've always found the last two episodes of Season 1 and all of Season 2 to be just fundamentally setting up what will come after. From developing the Bajorans a little more, to developing the Cardassians, Maquis, and finally officially introducing the Dominion in The Jem'Hadar, all this stuff is important to the quality that would come later. The thing is though there are a few episodes in Early season 2 where I could say aren't very good episodes (Second Sight, Sanctuary, Rivals) but once you get to Blood Oath and later, it seemed like DS9 kicked it into Gear and Season 3 took it and ran with it and made DS9 just really consistent. Like you said, we wouldn't have episodes like IC/TDIC without The Wire, or all the Maquis episodes without setting them up in The Maquis first.

 

[USS KG5]

You are all doing terribly well not mentioning how terrible Meridian is!

 

[tomalak301]

You are all doing terribly well not mentioning how terrible Meridian is!

I said Meridian was my least favorite episode of the season. It really is terrible, and there was nothing in it that had any redeeming quality.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Finished season 3 of DS9 tonight. I used to think Season 2 was better, and while I still liked season 2 a lot, there was a ton to love about season 3, how it started with the introduction of the founders to the end with the Changling saying they were everywhere.

Season 3 is qualitatively better than 2, but 2 simply has numerous fundamental episodes. Although Garak was introduced early in season 1, most of who he is--personality and motivation--is established in Cardassians and The Wire. Both contribute heavily to IC/TDIC.

I've always found the last two episodes of Season 1 and all of Season 2 to be just fundamentally setting up what will come after. From developing the Bajorans a little more, to developing the Cardassians, Maquis, and finally officially introducing the Dominion in The Jem'Hadar, all this stuff is important to the quality that would come later. The thing is though there are a few episodes in Early season 2 where I could say aren't very good episodes (Second Sight, Sanctuary, Rivals) but once you get to Blood Oath and later, it seemed like DS9 kicked it into Gear and Season 3 took it and ran with it and made DS9 just really consistent. Like you said, we wouldn't have episodes like IC/TDIC without The Wire, or all the Maquis episodes without setting them up in The Maquis first.

It took a while to burn off the second-hand TNG scripts.

 

[JaxsBrokenHeart]

Season 3 is interesting to me because its the season that's hardest to define in the show's periods.

Seasons 1-2 is the Gamma Quadrant Exploration and Bajoran recovery period, with the characters getting fleshed out and establishment of what exactly DS9 is and some insights into Bajoran culture during and post Occupation. There's some clunkers from the show trying to figure out its footing and some meh episodes that feel like rejected TNG scripts, but you can see the show gradually finding its identity from Duet and on.

Seasons 4-5 is the Cold War era with the battle with the Dominion clearly on its way, evolution of character relationships, and shake ups to the status quo. Kira pregnant, Sisko a Captain, Worf joining the cast, Odo losing his abilities, Quark becoming an exile, the fall and rise of Cardassia, Bashir revealed as an augment, and Nog/Rom developing away from Ferengi stereotypes. Kira/Odo, Dax/Worf, Ben/Kassidy all start to bloom. Cardassian culture gradually becoming more prominent in exploration and interest as well.

6-7 is obviously the Dominion War period where the costs of war push the characters to the brink and result in casualties of body and soul, with a lot of people paying physical and psychological costs for the conflict. Jadzia's death, Sisko's breakdowns, Bashir's conflict with section 31, Worf's drama with Ezri, the loss of Nog's leg, Odo's betrayal and reconciliation with Kira, the insanity of Dukat, the rise of Damar; all results of the most destructive war for the Federation in centuries.

3 on the other hand is more or less the writing estuary where the characterization and roles of the prominent finally move past their initial shape and start becoming most memorable. After Sisko initially finding his voice in the Maquis, its solidified in Past Tense as he also settles in as the Emmisary. Bashir transitions from the insufferable fool in Distant Voices to the stronger and more likable figure later. Odo's distance from his people and feelings for Kira begin to define his character. Nog goes from bad influence on Jake to sympathetic Starfleet cadet. And of course the show about a station finally gets a badass ship to call its own with the Defiant.

 

[USS KG5]

You are all doing terribly well not mentioning how terrible Meridian is!

I said Meridian was my least favorite episode of the season. It really is terrible, and there was nothing in it that had any redeeming quality.

It is definitely one of DS9s worst, up there with "Profit and Lace", and "Let He Who Is Without Sin"

 

[Bad Thoughts]

You are all doing terribly well not mentioning how terrible Meridian is!

I said Meridian was my least favorite episode of the season. It really is terrible, and there was nothing in it that had any redeeming quality.

It is definitely one of DS9s worst, up there with "Profit and Lace", and "Let He Who Is Without Sin"

Meridian, I would say, is forgettable on paper, but is made worse by the featured actors' performances and some curious directing choices. What I think is interesting is that many of the elements of Meridian made their way into Children of Time, but to greater success.

 

[tomalak301]

Season 3 is interesting to me because its the season that's hardest to define in the show's periods.

Seasons 1-2 is the Gamma Quadrant Exploration and Bajoran recovery period, with the characters getting fleshed out and establishment of what exactly DS9 is and some insights into Bajoran culture during and post Occupation. There's some clunkers from the show trying to figure out its footing and some meh episodes that feel like rejected TNG scripts, but you can see the show gradually finding its identity from Duet and on.

Seasons 4-5 is the Cold War era with the battle with the Dominion clearly on its way, evolution of character relationships, and shake ups to the status quo. Kira pregnant, Sisko a Captain, Worf joining the cast, Odo losing his abilities, Quark becoming an exile, the fall and rise of Cardassia, Bashir revealed as an augment, and Nog/Rom developing away from Ferengi stereotypes. Kira/Odo, Dax/Worf, Ben/Kassidy all start to bloom. Cardassian culture gradually becoming more prominent in exploration and interest as well.

6-7 is obviously the Dominion War period where the costs of war push the characters to the brink and result in casualties of body and soul, with a lot of people paying physical and psychological costs for the conflict. Jadzia's death, Sisko's breakdowns, Bashir's conflict with section 31, Worf's drama with Ezri, the loss of Nog's leg, Odo's betrayal and reconciliation with Kira, the insanity of Dukat, the rise of Damar; all results of the most destructive war for the Federation in centuries.

3 on the other hand is more or less the writing estuary where the characterization and roles of the prominent finally move past their initial shape and start becoming most memorable. After Sisko initially finding his voice in the Maquis, its solidified in Past Tense as he also settles in as the Emmisary. Bashir transitions from the insufferable fool in Distant Voices to the stronger and more likable figure later. Odo's distance from his people and feelings for Kira begin to define his character. Nog goes from bad influence on Jake to sympathetic Starfleet cadet. And of course the show about a station finally gets a badass ship to call its own with the Defiant.

I think Season 3 was a period of transition for the show. We've met the Dominion, but what do the Federation do with them, and vice versa. There were still Season 2 type Bajor stories like Destiny and Shakaar but the series was transitioning towards a more action, more political slant than what came before.

 

[Jedman67]

Just watched Civil Defense last night. Fun episode; would have worked better in the first season. Loved Garak and Dukat sniping each other!

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Just watched Civil Defense last night. Fun episode; would have worked better in the first season. Loved Garak and Dukat sniping each other!

Brilliant dialogue all around; not much real plot. "Attention Bajoran Workers!" is a catchphrase in my house.

 

[tomalak301]

Just watched Civil Defense last night. Fun episode; would have worked better in the first season. Loved Garak and Dukat sniping each other!

Not really because of the Garak and Dukat sniping.

 

[Jedman67]

Just watched Civil Defense last night. Fun episode; would have worked better in the first season. Loved Garak and Dukat sniping each other!

Not really because of the Garak and Dukat sniping.

More along the lines of not having removed all the cardassian security features and such.
It was a fun episode, despite some glaring flaws.
And the redshirt being vaporized in Ops was completely gratuitous.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

They had to have somebody vaporized to make the size of the threat more clear. In Star Trek energy weapons are assumed to be survivable by default unless you see something get vaporized.

 

[InklingStar]

Is Improbable Cause DS9's most perfect script? I'm not asking story, but just script. Some would argue that In the Pale Moonlight is DS9's best episode, but I just watched Improbable Cause and Die is Cast and marveled at just how well written, in terms of dialog, IC was. I mean line after line was full of zingers and just some of Trek's most quotable moments. You've got Garak criticizing Shakespeare, learning about the Boy who Cried Wolf, the Truth is just a lazy excuse for lack of imagination line, and of course Andrew Robinson's absolutely brilliant look when Odo says "You Blew Up Your Own Shop, Garak". It was really one of the most well written episodes in the series.

I agree with every word here. Improbable Cause may be the best episode of all Trek.

Regarding the comments about Destiny, it is good to see it as the first part of the Emissary trilogy. Destiny takes a skeptical Sisko and brings him to the point where he sees the Prophets and prophecies as being at least plausible. Accession in season 4 gives him the chance to reject his status as Emissary and then a reason to seize it. Finally, Rapture in season 5 has him let go of all remaining skepticism and truly become the Emissary he was born to be. It's not something you necessarily notice until you look back after seeing all three episodes.

 

[somebuddyX]

I'd always thought Season 3 was held in pretty high regard by viewers and was maybe considered second best season. I like it quite a bit.

 

[Jedman67]

I just watched Visionary the other day, very disappointing episode (but good acting).

 

[Seven of Five]

I think season 3 started to be more consistent, even though season 2 had more of my favourite episodes in (Necessary Evil, Crossover, Blood Oath.) Nothing in season 2 trumps Improbable Cause/The Die Is Cast though.