The MOST Disliked Episode of DS9 - Season Five...

[Farscape One]

This is a twist on a game that is played here, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I am very curious to see the results.

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, wait six hours and 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..."

Season Five -

APOCALYPSE RISING
THE SHIP
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
THE ASSIGNMENT
TRIALS AND TRIBBLE-ATIONS
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
RAPTURE
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
FOR THE UNIFORM
IN PURGATORY"S SHADOW
BY INFERNO'S LIGHT
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
BUSINESS AS USUAL
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
BLAZE OF GLORY
EMPOK NOR
IN THE CARDS
CALL TO ARMS

 

[Farscape One]

I will get the ball rolling by saving "CALL TO ARMS". This was part of the trinity of perfect STAR TREK season finales for me... "The Best of Both Worlds", "CALL TO ARMS", and "SCORPION". This was another excellent use of the entire cast and supporting characters. It was a REALLY packed episode, and it felt like a feature. The battle sequence was phenomenal, which I believe was the last one using stop motion before going to mostly CGI... and what a way to end it!

And that final shot of the fleet... my jaw dropped when it first aired. I howled and cheered and was like, "Yeah! Let's kick some Dominion ass!" That summer was gut wrenching as I was waiting for the new season.

One of the most perfect episodes of the series. I cannot say enough great things about it!


APOCALYPSE RISING
THE SHIP
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
THE ASSIGNMENT
TRIALS AND TRIBBLE-ATIONS
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
RAPTURE
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
FOR THE UNIFORM
IN PURGATORY"S SHADOW
BY INFERNO'S LIGHT
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
BUSINESS AS USUAL
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
BLAZE OF GLORY
EMPOK NOR
IN THE CARDS

 

[BlueStuff]

IN THE CARDS is one of my favorite "light" episodes of any Trek. I just think it's perfect, completely uplifting, and a wholly necessary calm before the high drama of the finale.

APOCALYPSE RISING
THE SHIP
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
THE ASSIGNMENT
TRIALS AND TRIBBLE-ATIONS
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
RAPTURE
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
FOR THE UNIFORM
IN PURGATORY"S SHADOW
BY INFERNO'S LIGHT
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
BUSINESS AS USUAL
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
BLAZE OF GLORY
EMPOK NOR

 

[tomswift2002]

”Trials and Tribble-actions”. It’s to bad it wasn’t longer, but it was nice to see the DS9 and TOS crews interacting.

APOCALYPSE RISING
THE SHIP
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
THE ASSIGNMENT
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
RAPTURE
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
FOR THE UNIFORM
IN PURGATORY"S SHADOW
BY INFERNO'S LIGHT
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
BUSINESS AS USUAL
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
BLAZE OF GLORY
EMPOK NOR

 

[Sakonna]

Another season packed with winners. Every two seconds I change my mind on what I should be saving, there's so many good candidates, but I think I'll go with the more obvious choice: "In Purgatory's Shadow." Another key turning point of the series, perfectly handled. The Garak/Worf pairing was inspired. A fantastic cliffhanger. Great all around.

APOCALYPSE RISING
THE SHIP
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
THE ASSIGNMENT
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
RAPTURE
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
FOR THE UNIFORM
BY INFERNO'S LIGHT
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
BUSINESS AS USUAL
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
BLAZE OF GLORY
EMPOK NOR

 

[BigDaveX]

Business as Usual. Some wonderful guest characters, and it demonstrates nicely that while Quark may be greedy, he's far from being an unprincipled scumbag.

APOCALYPSE RISING
THE SHIP
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
THE ASSIGNMENT
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
RAPTURE
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
FOR THE UNIFORM
BY INFERNO'S LIGHT
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
BLAZE OF GLORY
EMPOK NOR

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Trek's best season!

Saving Rapture. It's a towering Sisko episode, with Brooks playing religious nutcase, but also interlaced with political intrigue and family drama. I love the ending with Kasidy bringing Sisko and Jake back together.

APOCALYPSE RISING
THE SHIP
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
THE ASSIGNMENT
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
FOR THE UNIFORM
BY INFERNO'S LIGHT
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
BLAZE OF GLORY
EMPOK NOR

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Removing By Inferno's Light. One of the most important episodes of the series with good Garak and Worf development.

APOCALYPSE RISING
THE SHIP
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
THE ASSIGNMENT
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
FOR THE UNIFORM
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
BLAZE OF GLORY
EMPOK NOR

 

[Farscape One]

I am saving "THE SHIP". This was their 100th episode, and it was excellent. The performances were great all around, with us seeing just how things can get with our crew when subjected to such stress and constant attacking. And the final scenes... Sisko's reflection at what the ship cost him and the loss of people under his command was one of the few times seen STAR TREK. Very well acted and delivered. Same with O'Brien and Worf, when they sort of bury the hatchet with Worf performing his Klingon ritual with O'Brien. I always wondered if that was a real tradition, or if Worf made it up as his way of apologizing for his behavior over Muniz. Either way, great scene.

APOCALYPSE RISING
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
THE ASSIGNMENT
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
FOR THE UNIFORM
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
BLAZE OF GLORY
EMPOK NOR

 

[Sakonna]

"The Assignment" I love a Trek possession episode, and this is an exceptional example of one. Rosalind Chao gets to really show her range, this is her best Trek performance. I enjoy that Miles and Keiko got to experience this story from both sides... in TNG "Power Play", it was Miles terrorizing Keiko while possessed by an evil alien entity.

APOCALYPSE RISING
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
FOR THE UNIFORM
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
BLAZE OF GLORY
EMPOK NOR

 

[Garth Rockett]

I saved For the Cause during the last round, and now I have the pleasure of saving For the Uniform, the best of the Maquis episodes. Sisko shows how far he's willing to go (uncomfortably far!). You don't mess with the Sisko.

APOCALYPSE RISING
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
BLAZE OF GLORY
EMPOK NOR

 

[Brennyren]

This round will NOT end in a "Blaze of Glory." The episode was a great end to the "Eddington trilogy," sending him out on his own terms, and with all his virtues and all his flaws on display. He started in a prison cell with bupkis to work with, and still effected the rescue of his wife and friends, though at the cost of his own life. It's the strategic equivalent of Tony Stark building the Iron Man suit "In a cave! With a box of scraps!"

APOCALYPSE RISING
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
DOCTOR BASHIR, I PRESUME
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
EMPOK NOR

 

[BigDaveX]

Doctor Bashir, I Presume you will have no problem with me saving you? While the Rom/Leeta subplot can drag, it's one of the most understated "wham episodes" of the entire franchise, turning everything we knew about Bashir on its head, and making him a far more interesting character.

APOCALYPSE RISING
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
EMPOK NOR

 

[Bad Thoughts]

It's my honor to save Nor the Battle to the Strong. I think it is a good story about maturity, but Lofton gave a powerful performance on the difficult subject of ordinary people facing war. It's nice to get out of the perspective where everyone is a hero.

APOCALYPSE RISING
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME
EMPOK NOR

 

[Farscape One]

I am saving "EMPOK NOR". This was a great episode for O'Brien, and Nog for that matter. Garak was well used here, despite him being the unwitting villain. This episode really shows O'Brien's leadership abilities and how he cares for his crew... one of the reasons why I pick him as a superior Chief Engineer in another thread. And Nog gets some great field experience here.

The eerie atmosphere of the whole episode was a nice departure from the usual. Definitely had a feel of not knowing what was coming around the corner the whole time. Creepy as hell, and I loved it. Michael Vejar directed this one, and every single DS9 episode he directed was a great win, except for "VALIANT", though the idea was sound and I appreciated what that one was going for. And we get to visit this station two more times in "THE MAGNIFICENT FERENGI" and "COVENANT", so I kind of refer to these episodes as the 'Empok Nor Trilogy"... and all were great episodes.

APOCALYPSE RISING
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
TIES OF BLOOD AND WATER
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME

 

[Sakonna]

"Ties Of Blood And Water" Bringing Ghemor back was a clever idea. This episode is packed with great world-building with the new Cardassian/Dominion alliance. It resurrects Weyoun as ongoing character. Nana Visitor's performance is tremendous.

And the last two scenes are one of DS9's most perfect episode endings.

APOCALYPSE RISING
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE ASCENT
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME

 

[Garth Rockett]

The Ascent. The Odo / Quark relationship is one of my favorites on the show, and this episode does a masterful job of exploring that relationship.

APOCALYPSE RISING
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE
CHILDREN OF TIME

 

[JirinPanthosa]

For me this is between Apocalypse Rising, A Simple Investigation, and Children of Time. A Simple Investigation is a good episode that just suffers from "Noooo that's not your girl THAT'S your girl!" syndrome. I will go with Children of Time because I like ambitious stories that actually deliver what they tried to.

APOCALYPSE RISING
LOOKING FOR PAR'MACH IN ALL THE
WRONG PLACES
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE

 

[Succubint]

Looking for Par'Mach in All the Wrong Places. Because I am a sucker for the Worf/Jadzia romance. But also because it was so light-hearted and fun when things were getting serious and grim with the Dominion War arc. It's placed between The Ship and Nor the Battle to the Strong. Both having heavy war messages. I enjoyed Quark having to deal with Klingon warrior culture, which is so against his own sensibilities. There are callbacks to Cyrano de Bergerac in this as well. Guest star Mary Kay Adams is once again utterly delightful as the spirited Grilka.

APOCALYPSE RISING
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
THE BEGOTTEN
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I'm saving The Begotten. You like Odo and Quark? You like Odo and Garak? You'll love the banter between Odo and bowl of goo. Auberjonois is actually magnetic. The B-story is a throw away.

APOCALYPSE RISING
LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN...
THINGS PAST
THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT
A SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
FERENGI LOVE SONGS
SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE