DS9 Ranker – Ratings are based on a 5-point scale and include spoilers
Season 3
The Search, Part 1 – 5.0 (This episode seriously had everything. Action, drama, comedy and just pure awe. The introduction of the Defiant and the gang’s search for the founders felt genuinely riveting because they were alone out there. There was no help button, they were truly alone and it felt like a dangerous mission. The defiant battle was awesome, and the Jem’hadar gave serious Borg vibes in a truly awesome way. Also, that ending gave me goosebumps. Odo found his people, and I believe the founders. Just an insane opening.)
The Search, Part 2 – 5.0 (What an insane twist. This episode subverts the badmiral trope in an awesome way. Obviously, collapsing the wormhole is a bit of a giveaway, but it’s still a fun episode as it shows a believable scenario and reinforces that this crew is willing to do anything for DS9 and Bajor. I found some of the Odo and founder scenes a little dry, but the ending conversation was great, with him proclaiming that he already has his own ‘link.’ The only thing I didn’t really care for was the slight Kira-Odo romantic tension at the end. Isn’t she already dating Bariel?)
The House of Quark – 4.0 (This was a fun one. I enjoyed how Quark walked ass backward into his own house and then successfully defended it. The B-plot with Kieko and O’Brien is also effective. This episode is stupid entertaining, and a good break from the existential threat of the Dominion.)
Equilibrium – 1.5 (Dax has a secret host in her past and it’s hurting her. The props in her hallucinations/memories are completely awful, the masks are something straight from Party City or something. The overarching plot also doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Curing Dax apparently just takes reconciling her and the other host in a sort of weird hug ritual thing. That cure has literally nothing to do with the information that about half of Trills are suitable for joining (way more than the institute lets on), and it makes the Trill doctor and the institute as a whole look completely unhinged for essentially wanting to murder Jadzia for…nothing? They could’ve treated her and then sworn her to secrecy or something. Also, the ‘Dax is about to die because of symbiote shenanigans’ was already played out last season.)
Second Skin – 4.5 (A very effective episode that is extremely emotionally resonant. The only thing that holds this episode back is that the scenes with the Obsidian Order officer are very repetitive in nature, and it feels like the plot is a little stuck in the mud at times. On the other hand, Sisko acting as a freighter captain is quite funny, and Garak is extremely effective in this episode. His interactions with Cardassian higher ups are always entertaining and of the highlights of this episode. The ending scene with the Cardassian giving Kira the necklace is powerful, and is the closest that Star Trek has come to making me cry.)
The Abandoned – 3.0 (A solid episode overall. I think it was realistic that despite Odo’s absolute best intentions, the boy couldn’t be saved. It was literally hard coded into his DNA that he was going to be a violent killing machine, and it paints the Jem’hadar as very tragic figures. They have no choice but to just be foot soldiers for the Dominion, and that is quite sad. The B-plot with Jake and Mardah was solid enough, with Sisko having some fun scenes with that. The main issue is that the first half of this episode really dragged, with the episode being unable to pick a lane between the Jem’hadar plot and the Mardah plot. The second half was stronger, and it stuck the landing pretty well. Still, there was some meat left on the bone with the Jem’hadar plot. Also: that age gap between Jake and Mardah is still pretty bad, no matter what the episode may imply lol (16 and 20?!?))
Civil Defense – 4.5 (Imagine you’re a new starfleet officer, freshly assigned to DS9. And then you get fucking vaporized by a Cardassian defense system. This was an extremely fun episode, as each measure to fix the Cardassian lockout kept making things even worse. Things really took off when Gul Dukat arrived, as his own overconfidence led to him having to cooperate with Garak and the rest of the crew. I loved when Garak essentially told Dukat to stop hitting on Kira. The whole thing was actually really funny, especially the automated video messages. Gul Dukat’s arrival was hilarious, and it had some truly tense moments as well. The ending was pretty anticlimactic, but it’s fine since this one was so fun. Also Odo and Quark were absolutely hilarious. This is especially seen at the end when Odo starts listing Ferengi that are more devious than Quark.)
Meridian – 0.5 (Just a truly bad episode. The romance presented here is completely unbelievable in all aspects. There is no way that Jadzia would leave her whole life for someone she met in like a week. Just a completely ridiculous assertion. Meanwhile on DS9 we have mr. creepazoid requesting a holosuite program of Kira for…purposes. Quark tries to provide this for his customer and luckily fails in this endeavor, but it’s so weird and somewhat disturbing. The whole episode is very tonally at odds with itself. The vfx in this one is also very bad, with the final scene where Dax is beamed off of the planet looking like an awful green screen. Definitely the worst episode of DS9 thus far. Also: Star Trek cannot do single episode romances. It’s just always so hokey, contrived and bad.)
Defiant – 4.0 (Honestly a really solid thriller. The best parts of this episode were the negotiations between Dukat and Sisko and the interactions between Dukat and the obsidian order lady. The scenes on the Defiant were fine, but the kiss at the end between Thomas Riker and Kira felt very out of place. The beginning of this episode was also funny, with Bashir ordering Kira to take some medical leave. A pretty fun episode that is carried by Dukat and Sisko.)
Fascination – 0 (DS9 does ‘The Naked Now’ and it’s complete and utter garbage. The first 30 min of this are completely unwatchable, as it’s just uncomfortable scene after uncomfortable scene. O’Brien comes off as a complete asshole in this episode for no reason. His reactions were way out of character and he didn’t even have the disease. I actually like Laxwana as a character, but she is awful in this episode. I genuinely wanted to turn this off about halfway through, which is something I haven’t felt about any ds9 episodes so far. A 0 may seem harsh, but this is just completely fucking awful.)
Past Tense, Part 1 – 5.0 (From a production/directing standpoint this is absolutely amazing. I think the only reason I wasn’t really looking forward to this one is because we’re in the year 2024, and the concepts it hits are biiiit to close to reality. I can excuse the plot dump by Sisko because the concept is intriguing, and when Sisko had to be Bell at the end I got goosebumps. The whole first part is tense, gripping and I love the Bashir-Sisko team-up because it’s something that we don’t see often. The conversations between those two are very poignant. Dax is awesome as well. The scenes on the ship are also decent and I look forward to the rest of the main cast making an appearance in the time shenanigans.)
Past Tense, Part 2 – 5.0 (A fitting conclusion to this awesome two parter. I think it’s slightly weaker than the third because of the odd handling of the O’Brien and Kira plot. I think actually showing the ruined Earth that they talked about visiting would have made the stakes slightly more impactful, but the episode is still awesome in spite of this. I absolutely loved the negotiations between the police chief, Sisko and B.C, and the interactions between all of the different sides were handled masterfully. I especially enjoyed the security/police officer realizing the rioters were actually good people. I think the shot of the bodies strewn about and the child looking lost is one of the most moving and powerful shots in Star Trek that I have ever seen. Frakes really emphasized that shot and it left me speechless. It truly felt like a picture from some major historical event, and that is what made this episode 5 stars in my opinion. Bashir’s question of “How did they let it get this bad?” is also a great way to finish this episode as I reflect on the current state and the future of the nation.The best that Star Trek has to offer often lies in deep reflections on human nature, morality and society as a whole, and that is what makes this two parter so special.)
Life Support – 4.0 (A sad one for sure. I think the most heartbreaking thing about this is that Kai Winn just hides behind the prophets whenever it fits her needs. She got her treaty at the cost of Bariel’s life. I found myself agreeing more with Bashir in this episode in general. Quite frankly, Winn shouldn’t have been Kai if she’s unable to do negotiations by herself. The ending was heartbreaking, with Bashir refusing to take Bariel’s last shred of humanity. The way he died is just so tragic and sad. The B-plot was pretty bad, honestly. We’ve already sort of played out the “Nog and Jake are too different for each other” trope already. The jokes mostly fell flat and their reconciliation scene was very basic. The main plot definitely carried this episode.)
Heart of Stone – 4.5 (A truly great mystery.The B-plot with Nog wanting to join Starfleet is genuinely heartwarming, and the most compelling thing I’ve seen out of Nog as a character. I genuinely got duped, I thought that it was really Kira. I thought she was acting weird at the beginning of the cave thing, but the rest of the interactions seemed quite convincing. I honestly hated the way this episode was going by pushing the Kira-Odo romance, but the twist really saved it. Without that this would’ve been a sappy melodrama.)
Destiny – 4.0 (I think that this episode is pretty great overall, especially since it’s the first episode to really explore what being the Emissary means since, well, “Emissary.” The Cardassian scientists were interesting guest characters, providing another intriguing look at the Cardassians as a whole. The prophecies are an interesting idea as a whole for Sisko, and I was genuinely interested in hearing what the prophecy at the end of the episode was as they faded off. I enjoyed how the prophecy was fulfilled in a more optimistic and pleasant way, while still abiding by the actual text itself. Also, the plot point of the wormhole now being opened up for communications is no small plot point in terms of its impact on DS9. I think that’s what makes DS9 so great: even seemingly benign plot points end up having huge impacts on the setting as a whole.)
Prophet Motive – 3.0 (A decently funny Ferengi episode. I thought that Rom and Quark trying to figure out what the new Rules of Acquisitions meant was a particular highlight. I also enjoyed Quark’s conversations with the prophets since it was such a contrast to Sisko’s encounter in the pilot and ended up being quite funny as a result. The B-plot was alright, with Bashir having to hide how badly he wanted the Carrington award. His darts game with O’Brien was a particular highlight of this. Even though I really like Bashir as a character it was good to see him humbled at the end. Overall, a light, comedic episode and definitely one I would return to if I wanted some more laid back Trek. Also: I hate hate hate that the Ferengi’s ears are their sexual organs. It makes every scene where someone touches them uncomfortable, and this is especially seen at the very start of the episode when Quark is being…pleasured by a client of his. Also also: Self Sealing Stem Bolts!!!! Love those things.)
Visionary – 4.0 (Uhhh…did this episode accidentally kill O’Brien? When our O’Brien went into the future to find out what happened, did he stay there? Was his consciousness transported back in the past? I think there’s a compelling argument to be made that the O’Brien in the rest of the show isn’t the same. He even says that he doesn’t really feel like it’s his life at the end of the episode. Since none of the time travel makes any real sense anyway I’ll just assume it’s the same O’Brien consciousness because nothing really has to make sense with fictional time travel.)
Distant Voices – 3.0 (This was a decent little episode. Bashir is in a coma due to a telepathic attack and he is forced to battle elements of his mind. The episode starts as a genuinely good thriller and turns into a decent character study. The whole concept is pretty on the nose; Bashir fights back against his own doubts to win and save the day. I think it works as a whole but it’s all pretty basic.)
Through The Looking Glass – 4.0 (This was a solid mirror universe episode. Mirror Bashir was kinda basic and mirror Tuvok did nothing for me since I haven’t watched Voyager yet. The action scenes were cool and the interactions between Sisko and mirror Jennifer were interesting. I also enjoy mirror O’Brien quite a bit. Overall a nice action oriented mirror universe episode with a pretty heartwarming episode. The implied sex between Sisko and mirror Dax was kind of icky as a note.)
Improbable Cause – 3.5 (Garak episodes are always pretty good, and this one doesn’t disappoint. The investigation by Odo is intriguing and fun and the whole background of mystery that shrouds Garak adds to it. Odo and Garak make an interesting duo in this one with some cool dialogue. The ending is obviously crazy; is Garak going to seriously join the man that got him exiled? We will see.)
The Die Is Cast- 5.0 (An absolutely extraordinary episode. The opening of this episode was insane with a massive fleet going into the Gamma quadrant. The interrogation scene with Garak and Odo was tragic and complex, and the shot of Odo being disfigured after he was unable to turn back into a liquid state was genuinely horrifying. The Romulan commander being a founder was something that I did not expect at all, and only further adds to the absolute aura of power that the Dominion carries. I especially liked the line that the only two threats left in the Alpha quadrant are the Klingons and Starfleet, and that they won’t be a problem for very long. The Founders just have so much threatening casual confidence. I also enjoyed Sisko’s handling of the situation where the security officer sabotaged the cloaking device. The actual fight between the Jem’Hadar and the Defiant was great. Garak’s line of “You know what the sad part is, Odo? I’m a very good tailor” is the perfect ending to this episode. He’s stuck in a life he doesn’t want and he can’t even have the satisfaction of being bad at it. A truly great episode all around.)
Explorers – 4.0 A really awesome, light and wholesome outing. Sisko builds an ancient Bajoran ship and goes on a voyage with Jake to prove that the ancient Bajorans could have made it all the way to Cardassia with just rudimentary capabilities. On the station, Bashir tries to rekindle an old relationship from the medical academy. The A-plot was genuinely very heartwarming, as it featured very believable dialogue about Jake and his acceptance into a prestigious writing academy, Sisko’s potential love life and just the father-son bond in general. The dialogue here is so sharp, and both Brooks and Lofton are great. The B-plot with Bashir was pretty good: I especially enjoyed the scene with Bashir and O’Brien singing together like they were in an Irish bar or something. The rest of the B-plot was pretty good but was also left on a loose end, and it’s something that I would love to see come back. The ending was especially sweet as Sisko and Jake make it all the way to Cardassia by being propelled by some technobabble thing. They get congratulations from Dukat and fireworks to greet their arrival. This is just a great low-stakes episode that I really enjoyed. Also: Sisko has a goatee!)
Family Business – 2.0 (Quark’s mom makes profit and basically gets the Ferengi IRS chasing her. The concept is below average, but some of the minor details like Quark having to pay to even sit down in the government building are funny. The scenes with Quark and Ishka are okay, but there’s one particularly awful scene where Rom asks Ishka to take her clothes off (Ferengi women aren’t allowed to wear clothes) and then puts his head on her legs. Gross. He also asks her to basically brush her teeth. The B-plot with Sisko going on a date with a freighter captain named Kassidy Yates continues a thread started in “Explorers.” Their actual date is cute as Kassidy tells Sisko that her brother got injured “sliding into second.” Sisko is shocked to learn people are playing baseball, and even more shocked to find out that they have a small league. Kassidy tells Sisko that an incoming subspace transmission from her brother is a game between his team and the Comets, and so they go off to watch it together. This one small scene outshined the A-plot and will no doubt have more importance than Quark’s mom.)
Shakaar – 4.0. (The premise of this episode is that a group of Bajoran farmers refuse to give up essential farming equipment that the government wants to use in another province because that province has way more farming potential, and could potentially catapult the Bajoran economy. The twist on this concept is that Kai Winn is the overwhelming favorite to become the new prime minister/president after the current one passed away. This crisis is essentially her first test as acting president. She starts off by asking Kira if she could convince Shakaar and his fellow farmers to give the farming equipment up, which is not a totally terrible move. She also tries to justify completely taking credit for the Cardassian-Bajoran treaty when in actuality Bareil did all of the work (this is a major reason she’s a favorite in the upcoming election). This was truly infuriating but also so in character for Kai Winn; It’s what makes her such a good character.
Anyway, Kira fails to convince the farmers to give up the equipment since they just received it after three years of requests and were promised they would have it for at least a year. Kira goes back to Winn, who has an extreme overreaction and tries to have Shakaar arrested. She doesn’t even sit down with him first. A true masterclass in leadership by her. After Shakaar and Kira take out the police they start a little rebellion and Bajoran troops are sent in to stop them. This is a massive mistake as Shakaar gains popularity all around Bajor and only inflames tension between the government and the rebels. Shakaar eventually sort of surrenders and explains that he simply wants to take his people home. The solution that they find is for Shakaar to run for president. The final scene on Bajor is Kai Winn being extremely angry that she is about to lose the upcoming election since Shakaar has gotten so popular overnight. Kira basically says to get the hell out of the president’s office. There’s also a scene where Winn asks Sisko for Federation security officers to deal with it, and he says no and basically tells Winn that she sucks at her job.
On DS9 there’s a nice but ineffectual B-plot where O’Brien is ‘in the zone’ and has a major dart streak. It all ends when he tears his shoulder reaching for a cup and is forced to disqualify since he can no longer throw. I think the implication is that he faked it so he could get back to his kayaking program in the holosuite but I suppose that’s up for interpretation. This is a good episode overall with a nice A-plot that fleshed out Bajoran politics more and a decent B-plot that gave us more O’Brien, which is always welcome. I truly do hate Kai Winn and this was a nice episode for her to be put in her place.)
Facets – 3.5 (Dax performs a ceremony where she meets her former hosts through the bodies of her fellow crew mates (and some random Bajoran girl.) This episode started out pretty awful as Kira inherited Dax’s first host: for some reason they decided for her to put on this weird affectation like a grandma. Most of the interpretations of Dax’s host outside of Curzon were just okay, though it is worth mentioning that Quark played a very caring motherly figure and that was quite funny. Sisko having to take on the murderer (Joran) was interesting and that whole scene was pretty cool overall. I think his characterization was pretty off though, as in “Equilibrium” it didn’t appear like he was a serial maniac like he was presented as here. The security was also way too lax. Odo should have been watching like a hawk and intervened as soon as the murderer host started attacking Dax. Also Sisko and Dax both definitely need therapy after that.
The main thrust of the episode came when Curzon joined with Odo, creating almost a new person entirely as their personalities joined. Curzon decides he doesn’t want to go back and Odo agrees, so Dax is forced to face her demons and confront Curzon. Turns out Curzon loved her and that’s the reason he was so hard on her. The most compelling part to me is at the end when Dax and Odo speak to each other and both find a new appreciation for what it means to be a changeling and a humanoid, respectively. The best scene in the whole episode is weirdly from Rom, who stands up to Quark after he learns Quark altered Nog’s test so that he wouldn’t get into the Starfleet pre-college which would be detrimental. It was an awesome scene filled with emotion, and it was satisfying to see Quark put in his place. Nog aces the test after a fair shot and Rom is proud, showing him off to all of Quark’s bar. A particular great moment is near the end when Nog orders a root beer and Quark remarks “A root beer. The end of civilized Ferengi society,” or something along those lines. I loooove root beer so I found this scene particularly pleasing. Overall this was a solid entry with interesting moments, but it started slow and most of the characterizations of the hosts were just okay.)
The Adversary – 4.0 (Sisko is a captain! Yay! In this episode a changeling single handedly takes control of the Defiant and misleads the crew into believing there’s a coup within the Tzenkethi. The changeling takes the Defiant on a course so that it would fire on some home world or outpost or whatever so that the Federation goes to war. There’s a lot of fun and tense shenanigans with paranoia running rampant throughout the crew as the changeling could be anybody. One particularly interesting moment is when Bashir is doing blood tests to confirm that everyone is human, and then Eddington ‘turns out’ to be a changeling; in reality it was fake Bashir. Sisko starts an auto destruct sequence as they get close to civilized territory. A fight occurs just as O’Brien is almost finished saving the day between Odo and the changeling. Odo kills the changeling, and in the process breaks the “no changeling has ever harmed another ” streak which is quite impactful. O’Brien saves the day with technobabble and the crew has a debrief on DS9. Odo reveals that the changeling whispered “You’re too late. We are everywhere.” Which is just absolutely horrifying and exciting. A nice soft cliffhanger and I’m excited for more.)