The Most Disliked Episode of DS9, Season 2 - 2025 Edition...

[Frightscape One]

Welcome to our bi-yearly 'Most Disliked Episode' games! Now that the 'Least Disliked Episode' games hosted by BlueStuff (who inspired me to create these games, so thank you very much for paving the way) have concluded, we can begin the opposite side of that coin.

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 most favorite or the one you deem the 'best.' 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 because you feel they would threaten your preferred episode's chance to win. Pretty simple. Enjoy!

Hall of Champions (or Failures?)
2011 - "PROFIT AND LACE"
2018 - "LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN..."
2019 - "THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOAK"
2021 - "THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOAK"
2023 - "PROFIT AND LACE"
2025 -


Season Two -

"THE HOMECOMING"
"THE CIRCLE"
"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"CARDASSIANS"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"NECESSARY EVIL"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"ARMAGEDDON GAME"
"WHISPERS"
"PARADISE"
"SHADOWPLAY"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"BLOOD OATH"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE WIRE"
"CROSSOVER"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"
"THE JEM'HADAR"

 

[Frightscape One]

The second season, I feel, is very underrated. There are some episodes that are rather mundane, but this was definitely a world building season.

(In fact, I truly feel that every Berman era spinoff's second season is very underrated, with the exception of ENTERPRISE, which I still enjoy certain aspects of.)

My first save for DS9 season 2 is probably no surprise... "THE WIRE".

There are several this season that are pure gold, but this one edges out because of Andrew Robinson. Behind only TNG's Data, I might call Garak my favorite character in the franchise. So much of this is the brilliant portrayal of Garak by Robinson. He is one of the few characters that AUTOMATICALLY elevates an episode just for appearing in it. But when you have one centered on him like this one? I do not have enough words to convey how much of a joy it is to see him on screen.

Hell, put everything aside, I would save this episode for only one piece of dialogue.


"Of all the stories you told me, which ones were true and which ones weren't?"
"My dear doctor, they're all true."
"Even the lies?"
"Especially the lies."



"THE HOMECOMING"
"THE CIRCLE"
"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"CARDASSIANS"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"NECESSARY EVIL"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"ARMAGEDDON GAME"
"WHISPERS"
"PARADISE"
"SHADOWPLAY"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"BLOOD OATH"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"CROSSOVER"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"
"THE JEM'HADAR"

 

[Faintly Macabre]

I would have saved The Wire first, too. As it has gone, I shall save "Crossover". I thought this was an excellent follow-up to the TOS episode with the development of conditions in the MU following-on logically, if unexpectedly, from that episode. At this point, Kira's evil twin is a wonderful pantomime villain, and the MU counterparts of our regular characters, interesting and believable.


"THE HOMECOMING"
"THE CIRCLE"
"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"CARDASSIANS"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"NECESSARY EVIL"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"ARMAGEDDON GAME"
"WHISPERS"
"PARADISE"
"SHADOWPLAY"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"BLOOD OATH"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"
"THE JEM'HADAR"

 

[Sakonna]

"Crossover" remains the highpoint of the entire MU for me.

"The Homecoming" I am pretty into this three-parter, and this is a very confident premiere. You really feel them getting a handle on the world-building in their corner of the galaxy.

Also, do I ever fucking love the Boslic freighter captain, and she premieres here. She never got much to do, but I love her three brief appearances.

"THE CIRCLE"
"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"CARDASSIANS"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"NECESSARY EVIL"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"ARMAGEDDON GAME"
"WHISPERS"
"PARADISE"
"SHADOWPLAY"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"BLOOD OATH"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"
"THE JEM'HADAR"

 

[Frightscape One]

"BLOOD OATH" is my next save.

EXCELLENT return of Kang, Koloth, and Kor! Great use of the Trill idea, and superb acting all around. Typical of Peter Allan Fields endings, you are left with just the facial expressions doing all the talking. He truly was a gift to the franchise. (With episodes like this, "NECESSARY EVIL", "DUET", "PROGRESS", "FOR THE UNIFORM", the story for "IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT", and "The Inner Light"... it's hard to argue against him being a gift to us.)


"THE CIRCLE"
"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"CARDASSIANS"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"NECESSARY EVIL"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"ARMAGEDDON GAME"
"WHISPERS"
"PARADISE"
"SHADOWPLAY"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"
"THE JEM'HADAR"

 

[Captrek]

Whispers. Show of hands, who foresaw the twist on a first viewing? I didn’t.

"THE CIRCLE"
"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"CARDASSIANS"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"NECESSARY EVIL"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"ARMAGEDDON GAME"
"PARADISE"
"SHADOWPLAY"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"BLOOD OATH"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"
"THE JEM'HADAR"

 

[Severed Heads]

Necessary Evil is superbly directed q
and still remains as effective on every rewatch.

THE CIRCLE"
"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"CARDASSIANS"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"ARMAGEDDON GAME"
"PARADISE"
"SHADOWPLAY"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"BLOOD OATH"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"
"THE JEM'HADAR"

 

[Pumpkin Bread]

My first save is an episode with cool A, B, and C stories. Sisko shows what an awesome dad he is, Kira wrecks Quark, and that little girl who befriends Odo has no right being so cute.

SHADOWPLAY leaves the list.

THE CIRCLE"
"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"CARDASSIANS"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"ARMAGEDDON GAME"
"PARADISE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"BLOOD OATH"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"
"THE JEM'HADAR"

 

[Cyfa]

Whispers. Show of hands, who foresaw the twist on a first viewing? I didn’t.

~ "Whispers" is one of my most watched DS9 episodes - even now I still find myself rooting for Faux'Brien. And, no, the twist was quite a surprise on first viewing. I remember thinking "we're nearly at the end of the ep - how is it going to end? What's going on?". Just brilliant.

I love the three-part beginning to Season 2, so as @Sakonna has saved "The Homecoming", I'm going to save "The Circle". Such scheming from Minister Jaro and arch passive-aggressiveness from Vedek Winn. Her "Stay as long as you like. Even a week, if necessary" to Kira at the monastery was just perfect Winn.
(And I liked seeing and learning a little about the Kressari)

"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"CARDASSIANS"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"ARMAGEDDON GAME"
"PARADISE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"BLOOD OATH"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"
"THE JEM'HADAR"

 

[Frightscape One]

I forgot to remove "BLOOD OATH" from the list when I eliminated it. (That's what I get for writing down in a hurry.)

"WHISPERS", "SHADOWPLAY", "NECESSARY EVIL"... all were next on my save list.

Saving "THE JEM'HADAR".

Game changer season finale. And the episode started off with a great time camping with the Siskos... plus Quark and Nog.


"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"CARDASSIANS"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"ARMAGEDDON GAME"
"PARADISE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"

 

[Faintly Macabre]

"Armageddon Game" has nice interactions between Bashir and O'Brien, Sisko and Dax working together in a very Star Trek to uncover the mystery, and a rare opportunity for Keiko to do something other than whine at Miles. The little twist - the thing that convinces Sisko to investigate turns out to be a mistake on keiko's part- is quite fun.



"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"CARDASSIANS"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"PARADISE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"

 

[Sakonna]

Hmmm. "Cardassians" I guess.

Few episodes make a better case for Bashir & Garak having been early season on-and-off fuckbuddies. The way they dance in each other's space when they're on Bajor.

And that scene where Bashir wakes up to find Garak in his bedroom in the middle of the night - his reaction tells me it's not the first time that's happened!

That being said, I do hate the ending of this one.

"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"PARADISE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"
"TRIBUNAL"

 

[Frightscape One]

My next save is "TRIBUNAL".

First off, it was made because of the line Dukat said in "THE MAQUIS, PART II" about all trials end with a guilty verdict. Great callback from such a short time ago and great idea to follow up on.

Second, this was Avery Brooks' first episode directing, and he is an outstanding director. Excellent eye with his shots... he makes fantastic and creative use out of every set.

Third, Fritz Weaver plays O'Brien's 'lawyer'. For those who know THE TWILIGHT ZONE (1959), he also played a character in a totalitarian world in an episode called "THE OBSOLETE MAN". It's one of my absolute favorites from that show... it also starred Burgess Meredith. It was so much fun watching him play as a Cardassian, particularly when comparing the two roles with an almost 35 year gap in between.

Fourth, you never went wrong having O'Brien as your main focus. (Season 2 was REALLY about torturing O'Brien: almost dying from the Harvesters in "ARMAGEDDON GAME", kidnapped and replicated in "WHISPERS", and his trial here.)


"THE SIEGE"
"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"PARADISE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"

 

[Sakonna]

I love the three-part beginning to Season 2, so as @Sakonna has saved "The Homecoming", I'm going to save "The Circle". Such scheming from Minister Jaro and arch passive-aggressiveness from Vedek Winn. Her "Stay as long as you like. Even a week, if necessary" to Kira at the monastery was just perfect Winn.
(And I liked seeing and learning a little about the Kressari)

There's a few times in my life when I've deliberately channeled Winn.

When I wanted to make it clear I held someone in just utter contempt, but it was a professional situation that required me to remain smiling the whole time.

Winn is a great role model for that!

 

[Detached Nacelle]

The Seige is my save to round off the three-part debut. So many fantastic classics have already been saved. God I love DS9.

"INVASIVE PROCEDURES"
"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"PARADISE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"

 

[Pumpkin Bread]

Saving "INVASIVE PROCEDURES", for its interesting premise, sympathetic (at first) villain, and Tim Russ.

"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"PARADISE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"
"THE COLLABORATOR"

 

[Captrek]

Saving The Collaborator, at least until Julian refuses the neural implants.

"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"PARADISE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Saving Paradise. It is the beginning of the more sophisticated, more heroic Sisko with the (perhaps) the most badass moment in the Franchise.

"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"
"THE MAQUIS, PART II"

 

[Frightscape One]

Saving "THE MAQUIS, PART II".

"It's easy to be a saint in paradise."

I need no other reason to save this. (Because he is 100% correct.)


"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"
"THE MAQUIS, PART I"

 

[Captrek]

Saving the other part of the two-parter.

"MELORA"
"RULES OF ACQUISITION"
"SECOND SIGHT"
"SANCTUARY"
"RIVALS"
"THE ALTERNATE"
"PLAYING GOD"
"PROFIT AND LOSS"

Rooting for Melora to be the choice, I do not like spending 45 minutes with that character.