The Least Disliked Episode 2023: DS9 Season 7

[BlueStuff]

Our addictive biyearly game of rapid elimination returns - now with more shows than ever. It's generally a lot of fun, providing a chance to mentally revisit those episodes you may not have thought about in a while. With that in mind, why not play again?

So, here's the game. The basic idea is your standard elimination game. I'll provide a list of the episodes for each season and you need to eliminate your least favourite or the one you deem the 'worst.' Please provide an EXPLANATION for why you are eliminating your choice and be sure to copy and paste the list with your choice removed. Finally, leave at least 2 eliminations by other posters before you eliminate another episode.

No tactical voting! You cannot remove an episode just because you feel it would threaten your preferred episode's chance to win. Pretty simple. Enjoy!

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Hall of Champions
2011 - In the Pale Moonlight
2013 - In the Pale Moonlight
2017 - Improbable Cause
2019 - Tacking Into the Wind
2021 - Duet
2023 -

Season 7

Image in the Sand
Shadows and Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Chrysalis
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
Covenant
It's Only a Paper Moon
Prodigal Daughter
The Emperor's New Cloak
Field of Fire
Chimera
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
Penumbra
Til Death Do Us Part
Strange Bedfellows
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
Extreme Measures
The Dogs of War
What You Leave Behind

 

[Sakonna]

"The Emperors New Cloak" is a total dog of an episode. A terrible end to the MU arc. It's homophobic. The plotting is idiotic. Such a huge disapointment, I loved the DS9 MU -- till this.

Image in the Sand
Shadows and Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Chrysalis
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
Covenant
It's Only a Paper Moon
Prodigal Daughter
Field of Fire
Chimera
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
Penumbra
Til Death Do Us Part
Strange Bedfellows
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
Extreme Measures
The Dogs of War
What You Leave Behind

 

[gweeps]

I'll go with Prodigal Daughter as I don't remember that one very well.

________________________________________

Image in the Sand
Shadows and Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Chrysalis
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
Covenant
It's Only a Paper Moon
Field of Fire
Chimera
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
Penumbra
Til Death Do Us Part
Strange Bedfellows
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
Extreme Measures
The Dogs of War
What You Leave Behind

 

[Farscape One]

It's funny... the very first two episodes, in order, that I would have eliminated for this season happened in exactly the same order I would have done.

Taking out "CHRYSALIS".

Julian, you are my favorite doctor in the franchise. But for the love of the gods, please stop dating your patients.


Image in the Sand
Shadows and Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
Covenant
It's Only a Paper Moon
Field of Fire
Chimera
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
Penumbra
Til Death Do Us Part
Strange Bedfellows
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
Extreme Measures
The Dogs of War
What You Leave Behind

 

[Poltargyst]

"The Emperors New Cloak" is a total dog of an episode. A terrible end to the MU arc. It's homophobic.

I barely remember this episode. What's homophobic in it?

 

[Sakonna]

"The Dogs Of War" is an unbelievable let down for DS9's penultimate episode. Aside from the Cardassia plotline, it's a total flop. The Bashir/Ezri bit is embarrassing, and the Ferengi capper is so random and slapdash.

I barely remember this episode. What's homophobic in it?

Each DS9 MU ep got a tad more explicit that gayness was a crucial feature of an inherently evil universe, until this final installment kicks that into overdrive. I was disgusted that the only place Berman Trek could imagine queer characters was in the Universe Of Evil And Perversion (and "Rejoined").

In the earlier MU eps, it's subtle enough that I can just say "90's!" and ignore it (or it's Kirasexuality from the Intendant), but "Emperors" goes to in-your-face with it.

Image in the Sand
Shadows and Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
Covenant
It's Only a Paper Moon
Field of Fire
Chimera
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
Penumbra
Til Death Do Us Part
Strange Bedfellows
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
Extreme Measures
What You Leave Behind

 

[Seven of Five]

I think Extreme Measures was a disappointing end to the Section 31 story. I know they were struggling with the budget on this one, and they wanted to give Bashir and O'Brien one last adventure. It's just a shame that it was tacked onto this episode. Also it's also a bit of a stretch that when the two of them are in Sloane's mind, they are conveniently on DS9.

Image in the Sand
Shadows and Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
Covenant
It's Only a Paper Moon
Field of Fire
Chimera
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
Penumbra
Til Death Do Us Part
Strange Bedfellows
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Farscape One]

Taking out "CHIMERA".

While showing how much Kira loved Odo was wonderful and it was a nice touch to finally meet one of the 100, Laas was a bit of a dick, which brings the episode down a bit.


Image in the Sand
Shadows and Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
Covenant
It's Only a Paper Moon
Field of Fire
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
Penumbra
Til Death Do Us Part
Strange Bedfellows
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Sakonna]

I can just never get into "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges." Seems like it should work -- I love Bashir! -- but in practice I'm always bored to tears. I can never remember how it ends... because I always drift off during it.

Image in the Sand
Shadows and Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
Covenant
It's Only a Paper Moon
Field of Fire
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Penumbra
Til Death Do Us Part
Strange Bedfellows
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Seven of Five]

Covenant always bores me whenever I watch it. Dukat being involved in a Pah'wraith cult doesn't have any near as much gravitas as any of his other appearances with Kira.

Image in the Sand
Shadows and Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
It's Only a Paper Moon
Field of Fire
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Penumbra
Til Death Do Us Part
Strange Bedfellows
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Farscape One]

Plus, "COVENANT" made Bajorans look like complete morons.

Taking out "PENUMBRA".

It's not a bad episode, but it is almost entirely just setting up the final arc, so it isn't quite as strong as the rest.



Image in the Sand
Shadows and Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
It's Only a Paper Moon
Field of Fire
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Til Death Do Us Part
Strange Bedfellows
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Sakonna]

"Strange Bedfellows" is the weakest bit of the final arc left for me. Most of it's power comes from Winn's big turn -- which then is not satisfactorily paid of.

Image in the Sand
Shadows and Symbols
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
It's Only a Paper Moon
Field of Fire
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Til Death Do Us Part
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Takeru]

Shadows and Symbols, I did not like the change to sisko's backstory and the woman who gave birth to him being used as a meat puppet by a prophet to produce a baby and how awful that is is never properly addressed. Imagine the trauma she must have suffered and it was all stupid because this wasn't necessary at all.


Image in the Sand
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
It's Only a Paper Moon
Field of Fire
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Til Death Do Us Part
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Farscape One]

Taking out "FIELD OF FIRE".

While I liked the episode and seeing the interaction with Joran, the investigation really should have been done by Odo or Worf. (Ideally both, since we rarely got those two together, and when we did, we saw how much they had in common.)


Image in the Sand
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
The Siege of AR-558
It's Only a Paper Moon
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Til Death Do Us Part
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Sakonna]

"The Siege Of AR-558" is good, if a tad overrated, and it's essential to the whole DS9 war arc. If this ep didn't exist, there would be a hole in the narrative. But we're at the point where I have some specific fondness for everything else still on the table, except this one. It's too purely dark to love, and the rest all have something to love.

I just put "Take Me Out To The Holosuite" on. I used to haaaaaaaate this one! Not anymore.

Image in the Sand
Afterimage
Take Me Out to the Holosuite
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
It's Only a Paper Moon
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Til Death Do Us Part
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Qonundrum]

Worst. Episode. Ever.

Take Me Out to the Holosuite​

Dumbest episode revolving around baseball, ever. Right down to clearly emotional Vulcans yet Suder isn't around to mind-diddle any of them. Blech.

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"What's the contest?", asked Kira? The first thing that popped into my labyrinth of a mind was that scene from "Queeg"...

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(Wut, you thinking I was thinking of that old movie from a thousand years ago?! Nope... )


Not to mention:

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...facepalm... at least Red Dwarf would have made that entertaining... great show, Red Dwarf. Especially if you're into sci-fi and British comedy... British sci-fi too...


What's left:
Image in the Sand
Afterimage
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
It's Only a Paper Moon
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Til Death Do Us Part
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Farscape One]

Removing "IMAGE IN THE SAND" from the list.

It's a solid episode, and is an important one for the season, but it is more like the middle part of a trilogy and is only slightly weaker than 1 or 2 left on this list.



Afterimage
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
It's Only a Paper Moon
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Til Death Do Us Part
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Oddish]

Goodbye to "Afterimage", because having a counselor who's more neurotic than her patients is just dumb.

Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
It's Only a Paper Moon
Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
Til Death Do Us Part
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Seven of Five]

Sorry guys I'm taking out Badda-Bing Badda-Bang. I love it to death, but it's just not as strong as the other awesome episodes.

Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
It's Only a Paper Moon
Til Death Do Us Part
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind

 

[Farscape One]

Taking out "'TIL DEATH DO US PART".

All the remainders are great. This one is just a touch weaker than the rest.


Treachery, Faith, and the Great River
Once More Unto the Breach
It's Only a Paper Moon
The Changing Face of Evil
When It Rains...
Tacking Into the Wind
What You Leave Behind