Skippable episodes abound...

[david g]

I have been returning to DS9, trying to get a handle on it and to "get" it. I am a fan of all of the other Trek series except for ENT. I recognize the importance and the frequent brilliance of DS9. But I will confess to finding a lot of the episodes to be skippable.

These episodes range from the awful Ferengi episodes to episodes that focus on "character," which I often find surprisingly dull. For example, Dr. Bashir is perfectly acceptable in ensemble uses, but when he gets individual episodes, they are hopelessly uninteresting.

While the Cardassian occupation of Bajor and its aftermath can certainly be deeply fascinating at times, I also think that--with some exceptions like the great Dukat--the series generally failed to make Cardassian culture come alive, seem specific and truly interesting. This is a failure considering how much was spent on the Cardassians, who never get the richer treatment given the Klingons by Ron Moore.

It seems to me that the Dominion War plot was absolutely the best thing to happen to the series. The Changelings, especially as led by the great Salome Jens as the Female Changeling, are truly fascinating, as is the war and its multifaceted races and dimensions.

As a veteran of the VOY vs DS9 wars at the Trek BBS, I hope that my post is not interpreted as bashing, which really isnt my intention. I appreciate the great aspects of DS9 w/o being able to get past certain fairly huge lapses in its execution.

 

[Harvey]

If there is a Trek series that abounds with "skippable" episodes, DS9 wouldn't be my first choice. Sure, there are some misfires, but the other series have more.

What specific episodes are you thinking of?

 

[Melakon]

Ferengi-centric episodes were always presented as comedies. When Armin Shimerman was given the occasional chance for meatier stuff, he always soared with it. Most Ferengi characters were utter buffoons, as loveable as they are. A Ferengi crisis story played straight without all the forced humor could have been an exceptional episode.

 

[JediKnightButler]

I felt like much of the 6th season (immediately following the occupation arc) and some of the first part of the 7th season was "filler" and wish that they had kept up the pace with the Dominion War a little more. I was (re-)watching the entire series episode-by-episode (even some of the awful Ferengi ones) with my wife and I had already seen the finale of S6 and end of S7 and was getting impatient with all of the non-war related standalone eps in the last two seasons. Not to say, however, that there weren't some gems in there but some of the eps felt awfully out-of-place with a full-scale war going on at that point in the series and would've been better had they taken place earlier in the series (i.e. Honor Among Thieves, Time's Orphan). Plus, I still feel like the end was too rushed and disappointed that they never resoved Bajor's status, which was a key story arc for the entire series as established by "Emissary"

 

[Tosk]

A Ferengi crisis story played straight without all the forced humor could have been an exceptional episode.

It's Only a Paper Moon.

 

[_C_]

I think some of the character centric episodes were important because they gave us insights into why certain people might act the way they do later on.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I don't remember the name of the episode, but what about the episode where O'Brien is tried in Cardassian court? That is extremely interesting and specific.

DS9 does have it's share of skippable episodes, but compared to Voyager or seasons 1-2-7 of TNG, not so much. It's true some of the Ferengi episodes are awful, but a few of them work.

The worst thing to happen to the Ferengi was Moogie.

 

[Melakon]

It's Only a Paper Moon

Okay, I forgot about that one. I could empathize with Nog as i had a leg injury in 1990 and still use a cane.

Though at the time of the earlier post, I was thinking of something large scale, like Ferenginar attacked or such nonsense.

 

[Tosk]

I know, I was just messing with you. But it is nice to know that there is at least one Ferengi episode that doesn't play it for laughs.

That's not to say I don't love most DS9 Ferengi eps. One or two key exceptions.

 

[Melakon]

My favorite Ferengi episodes are "Little Green Men", which I have, and "The Magnificent Ferengi", which I don't. All the actors seem to be having a really good time in both those shows.

 

[Michael]

I'm most certainly blinded by my unabashed love for the show, but I can't for the life of me think of any episode I would want to skip. There is none that is completely unwatchable or uninteresting. I love them all to some degree.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

It's simple, really: if you don't like a series, most episodes are skippable. Then it may be better to just forget the whole thing and do other things with your time like reading books, strolling through nature and plotting the downfall of civilization.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

It kills me to skip stuff.

 

[Dream]

I don't understand people that skip episodes. Just watch the whole thing at least once. Better to see everything at least once than let someone tell you which episodes to watch.

Better to see the good along with the bad, so you can appreciate the good stuff later on. You can always decide to never watch an episode again.

 

[Sigokat]

I never skipped episodes on purpose, but I did fall asleep during quite a few of the DS9 episodes. I think it was due more to being tired after working all day and doing about a 3 a night marathon of DS9 (was trying to get through the entire series before I deployed).

I don't think I missed out on much though as most that I fell asleep during started out as either Prophet/Bajor religion episodes and I still got the just of the entire series, which by the way, has become my favorite series of Trek.

 

[Tosk]

I would never skip an episode on a first watching. That's crazy talk.

But going back to a series? That's a different deal. I probably won't watch The Muse or Realm of Fear or Threshold ever again. ...Amongst others.

 

[david g]

I don't remember the name of the episode, but what about the episode where O'Brien is tried in Cardassian court? That is extremely interesting and specific.

I dont recall having seen this episode--which season is it from?

 

[david g]

The tension that I am trying to explicate or to get at is that, for a series as obviously intelligent, probing, and accomplished as DS9 is...a lot of it, a surprisingly large amount of it, is dross.

 

[Melakon]

I don't remember the name of the episode, but what about the episode where O'Brien is tried in Cardassian court? That is extremely interesting and specific.

I dont recall having seen this episode--which season is it from?

Tribunal. The Cardassian legal system is like something out of Lewis Carroll. Season 2.

 

[DS9forever]

"Rivals" is an episode that could be seen as being skippable, although it actually has the great subplot of Rom going to work for Quark's competitor.