What is DS9's Biggest Misfire?
- Thread starter Bad Thoughts
- Start date
I don't mind expo dumps if it's information that's new to the audience. Some shows have expo dumps that insult the audience. Like, they'll have a great scene where they communicate things with actions and body language, then they'll have characters state all the things that scene showed you. Like "Time to explicitly state what already made obvious just in case you're a moron."
DS9's usually not guilty of this, it's generally the worst in sitcoms.
DS9's usually not guilty of this, it's generally the worst in sitcoms.
Most of season six and seven 
Here's a few off the top of my head (in no particular order):
1. Making Sisko part-prophet. Ugh. Completely undoes the interesting story arc begun in "Emissary" and led to a terrible finale where he "rejoins the prophets". Nonsense. I liked Sisko becoming more 'spiritual' as the series went on - it was a believable development for his character, but it was just ruined in the last season.
2. Dr Bashir being revealed as genetically enhanced. Once again, completely undid so much of the good work done on his character's development over the previous seasons and episodes.
3. The Odo and Kira romance. This didn't feel genuine; Odo's unrequited love was always handled so well, but it was very clear Kira did not have those feelings for him. That's a much more interesting, 'real' story than "she didn't have feelings then decided she did - cue kiss".
4. Destroying Alexander Rozhenko's character. I HATED his inclusion in DS9, where he was made nothing but a clown and the TNG episode "Firstborn" might as well never have happened in terms of the Worf/Alexander relationship.
5. Jadzia's death. Though I don't mind Ezri, I wish the producers had put more thought into how they were going to get rid of Jadzia. I never brought their claim that she had to die because there's no realistic reason why she would leave Worf and the station during the war. Really!?! With however many lifetimes behind her at that point, it is very believable that there may have been X reason/secret mission that required Dax's presence elsewhere precisely BECAUSE of the war. It would've been fairly easy to write her out and leave the option open for the odd guest appearance/return for the finale.
6. Gul Dukat and the "cult". Up until "Sacrifice of Angels", I thought Dukat was one of the true successes of the series. A brilliant, complex character... who underwent a personality transplant purely so the producers could have their angel vs demon analogy for Sisko and Dukat. It's silly and once again sacrificed good character development for easy plotting.
7. Becoming all about the War. Sorry, I agree with Berman that the Dominion threat should've been concluded circa season six or at least 'put on ice' until a shocking return late season 7. It was lazy of the producers and writers to use the war as a consistent crux in those last two seasons whenever good storytelling failed them.
Looking at the above, I guess most of my "misfires" could be basically summed up as "ruining good characters they worked so hard to develop".
I know I am in the minority, but I prefer the earlier seasons. I really don't like season six and seven, despite the odd good episode. Seasons 1-4 are almost a different show in my eyes, both in style, writing, acting and so on.
Here's a few off the top of my head (in no particular order):
1. Making Sisko part-prophet. Ugh. Completely undoes the interesting story arc begun in "Emissary" and led to a terrible finale where he "rejoins the prophets". Nonsense. I liked Sisko becoming more 'spiritual' as the series went on - it was a believable development for his character, but it was just ruined in the last season.
2. Dr Bashir being revealed as genetically enhanced. Once again, completely undid so much of the good work done on his character's development over the previous seasons and episodes.
3. The Odo and Kira romance. This didn't feel genuine; Odo's unrequited love was always handled so well, but it was very clear Kira did not have those feelings for him. That's a much more interesting, 'real' story than "she didn't have feelings then decided she did - cue kiss".
4. Destroying Alexander Rozhenko's character. I HATED his inclusion in DS9, where he was made nothing but a clown and the TNG episode "Firstborn" might as well never have happened in terms of the Worf/Alexander relationship.
5. Jadzia's death. Though I don't mind Ezri, I wish the producers had put more thought into how they were going to get rid of Jadzia. I never brought their claim that she had to die because there's no realistic reason why she would leave Worf and the station during the war. Really!?! With however many lifetimes behind her at that point, it is very believable that there may have been X reason/secret mission that required Dax's presence elsewhere precisely BECAUSE of the war. It would've been fairly easy to write her out and leave the option open for the odd guest appearance/return for the finale.
6. Gul Dukat and the "cult". Up until "Sacrifice of Angels", I thought Dukat was one of the true successes of the series. A brilliant, complex character... who underwent a personality transplant purely so the producers could have their angel vs demon analogy for Sisko and Dukat. It's silly and once again sacrificed good character development for easy plotting.
7. Becoming all about the War. Sorry, I agree with Berman that the Dominion threat should've been concluded circa season six or at least 'put on ice' until a shocking return late season 7. It was lazy of the producers and writers to use the war as a consistent crux in those last two seasons whenever good storytelling failed them.
Looking at the above, I guess most of my "misfires" could be basically summed up as "ruining good characters they worked so hard to develop".
I know I am in the minority, but I prefer the earlier seasons. I really don't like season six and seven, despite the odd good episode. Seasons 1-4 are almost a different show in my eyes, both in style, writing, acting and so on.
Kai Winn existing was bad
Dukat/Kai Winn's seduction, manipulation was downright painful to watch.
Julian not getting Jadzia
Sisko being a half prophet
Sisko apparently not struggling to look his Romulan allies in the eye after ITPM.
Jake Sisko being a skirt chaser that was aweful.
The MU not being integrated into the main storyline. I've already discussed how that would be done it's a shame it wasn't.
Ezri being annoying
Didn't get see the hot female Vorta again.
Vulcans being treated terribly by the writers.
Not a single voyager reference-Voyager had the courtesy to mention DS9 at least four times mentioned the occupation of Bajor, DS9, the dominion war, the Maquis destruction. All they had to do was have Dax tell Sisko "hey by the way they've made contact with captain Janeway in the Delta Quadrant. Sisko could say yeah nice lady spoke to her before she was lost. Or something as simple as that.
Dukat/Kai Winn's seduction, manipulation was downright painful to watch.
Julian not getting Jadzia
Sisko being a half prophet
Sisko apparently not struggling to look his Romulan allies in the eye after ITPM.
Jake Sisko being a skirt chaser that was aweful.
The MU not being integrated into the main storyline. I've already discussed how that would be done it's a shame it wasn't.
Ezri being annoying
Didn't get see the hot female Vorta again.
Vulcans being treated terribly by the writers.
Not a single voyager reference-Voyager had the courtesy to mention DS9 at least four times mentioned the occupation of Bajor, DS9, the dominion war, the Maquis destruction. All they had to do was have Dax tell Sisko "hey by the way they've made contact with captain Janeway in the Delta Quadrant. Sisko could say yeah nice lady spoke to her before she was lost. Or something as simple as that.
Tuvok was in an episode.
If you read my post you know what I meant.
Then I'm not obligated to explain it to you a second time.
I agree with a lot of the above, but I'll add in the Section 31 stuff and not because it goes against Star Trek, but because it was just silly. This utopian future where everyone loves each and there is no conflict has the equivalent of the CIA? It just seems like a round peg in a square hole.
Perhaps the idea of this utopian future might be a bit silly and unrealistic. When Sisko started labeling Earth as "Paradise" in a Season Four episode, I could not help but shake my head with contempt.
By the way, I've always disliked the DS9 occupation story arc of early Season Six. I thought it displayed a good deal of shaky writing.
Ziyal was terrible and existed primarily to triangulate the relationship between Dukat, Kira and Garak.
She made Rain(Sarah Silverman) in Voyager seem less grating.
Her talk with Quark about Vorta sex maniacs was vomit inducingly bad and cringy.
She made Rain(Sarah Silverman) in Voyager seem less grating.
Her talk with Quark about Vorta sex maniacs was vomit inducingly bad and cringy.
I wonder what Kira's biggest misfires were in relationships?
Here's a list of her romantic interests(in loose terms)
-Vedek Bareil
-Intendant Kira
-Minister Shakaar
-Mirror Bareil
-Chief O'Brien
-Constable Odo
I think Odo and Miles had some chemistry with her. Bareil was like a white Barry White. I don't remember Shakaar very well. I just know he asked Odo for the low down on Kira, which made me feel really bad for Odo.
Here's a list of her romantic interests(in loose terms)
-Vedek Bareil
-Intendant Kira
-Minister Shakaar
-Mirror Bareil
-Chief O'Brien
-Constable Odo
I think Odo and Miles had some chemistry with her. Bareil was like a white Barry White. I don't remember Shakaar very well. I just know he asked Odo for the low down on Kira, which made me feel really bad for Odo.
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They were all misfires?
Are you talking to me or yourself?
I thought your last reply was rhetorical, as if you indeed felt that they were all misfires. I was just listing of all of Kira's romantic encounters that I could remember, and posing the question.
I actually like what DS9 did with Alexander. I think it was a great move to have him join the Klingon Defense Force - sure, he got teased a lot, but his crewmates did come to respect him, and they admitted that even if Alexander wasn't the best of warriors, he got the job done. He was just an ordinary, blue-collar-type Klingon crewmember, and I thought that was really cool to do. It shows that not everyone is badass - they can't all save the universe every damn day.
Alexander was best when he was ordinary. Like here.
