Deep Space 9 Superior

[Kliggins]

Season II epsiode discussion: IMHO, season II was vastly superior to season I.

I will pick my favorites from the first half of season II, as always feel free to add or comment.

Invasive Procedures:::: DS9 is evacuated and left with a skeleton crew, then two Klingon mercenaries with a Trill enter the station and take Dax hostage with the intention of taking her symbiote and giving it to the Trill host who hired the Klingons. This was a very deep and emotional episode, Dax really shined and showed her potential.

Melora::::Ensign Melora come to DS9 to map out the Gamma Quadrant, she is from a species that lives on a low gravity planet so she cannot walk or use her legs in regular gravity. Bashir falls for her and invents a way she can walk and use her legs normally is regular gravity. There is also a nice side story about how Quark gets mixed up in bad business deal and is taken hostage.

Sanctuary::::A race called the Skrreeans arrive at DS9 in ramshackled ships seeking out Bajora thinking that it is there ancesterial home. They at first can't communicate but end up trusting and clinging to Kira. After the universal translator understands there language they tell Kira that Bajora is where they want to settle. Kira can;t allow it because of the lack of resources and tries to accomadate them to another world which they eventually accept when they are dissapointed to find out that Bajora does'nt want them even though they could help with rebuilding Bajora.

Rivals::::The gambling device episode, Quark gets competition when an alien Martus comes to DS9 and wants to open another bar on the promenade with his gambling device that hooks people in and ruins there lives. Quark goes crazy trying to get rid or Martus unsuccesfully and even Rom joins Martus as a minor partner in his new bar. Meanwhile the DS9 is falling apart because the gambling device is emmitting some kind of sonar waves that are throwing everything off on the station. Eventually they figure out its the device and shut Martus down leaving Quark back on top.

The Alternate::::Odo's mentor Dr. Mora Pol from Bajora arrives at DS9 to tell Odo he might have figured out Odo's origins. After a trip to the Gamma Quadrant a mysterious gas envelope Odo and turns him into a semi-evil being wreaking havoc on the station without realizing he is doing it. When they finall corner and capture Odo they remove the gas from his system and he returns to normal. He tells his mentor he will not subject himself to anymore tests by Dr. Pol but begins to forgive him for his past dealing with Odo.

Nice Choices Fifth Race

Really liked Invasive Procedures. Great performances by Terry Farrel and John Glover. Such a snake John Glover could be.

Melora is not one of my favs and I can't even tell you why.

Loved Rivals. Quark at his best and Chris Sarandon can be sooooo sleazy and coniving. So much fun to watch.

The Alternate is a wonderful episode in telling the background of Odo. Wonderful performances by Rene and James Sloyan.

[Kliggins]

Yeah, your initial impression of him is very very camp. However when you settle into him you just feel he's playing an ambiguous role. I don't mean sexually but just an ambiguous person with a strange and confused past who is hard to figure out. I thought the manner suited him. But that's what he says. Although it's one of those tough questions, if the writers write him and decide him to be straight and A.J. Robinson decides he is bisexual, what is he?

I am not sure I would have said very camp, but I always felt Garak/Andrew Robinson was playing with us, kind of like letting us know enough to whet our appetite, but then slamming the door and all with a twinkle in his eye.

[Kliggins]

The tension between Bashir and Sisko. Yeah, all the way through, Bashir was always pushing him, always challenging. I really liked the episodes with them stuck back in San Francisco during the riots, they developed a lot of respect for each other. Sid (Alexander Siddig - who is in the Oscar nominated Syriana) and Avery were pleased with stories involving the two of them. Where else but SF could a black guy and a middle eastern guy have conversations on screen which had nothing to do with our political situation, or terrorism, or blowing things up!

FF

I really enjoyed seeing the relationship of Bashir and Sisko develop over the series. The San Francisco episodes are some of my favorites too. I just saw that one recently on Spike.

However, that is one of the things I think DS9 did so well is develop the characters over the 7-year span.

[the Fifth Race]

Andrew J. Robinson told Amazon in an interview that he played Garak as bisexual. A book he wrote on Garak's past also insinuated Garak shared intimate relations with men.

I'm not surprised, Garak was rather feminine. DS9 had some very ackward sexual moments, from Garak and Bashir to O'Brien and Bashir and let's not forget 'alternate universe' Kira

[the Fifth Race]

Nice Choices Fifth Race

Really liked Invasive Procedures. Great performances by Terry Farrel and John Glover. Such a snake John Glover could be.

Melora is not one of my favs and I can't even tell you why.

Loved Rivals. Quark at his best and Chris Sarandon can be sooooo sleazy and coniving. So much fun to watch.

The Alternate is a wonderful episode in telling the background of Odo. Wonderful performances by Rene and James Sloyan.

Thanx Kliggins!, truth be told there are no bad DS9 episodes IMHO . Those stood out for me though. I will post up my favorites for the second half of season II tomorrow.

[the Fifth Race]

We met quite a wide range of Cardassians, including the father in the episode Cardassians, the Butcher in Duet, Quark's Cardassial lady friend. As the generic 'bad guys', clearly based on Nazis, (with the Bajorans cast as the Jewish) they turned into a remarkably diverse and interesting bunch. All respect to the writers and part of the reason why DS9 is superior.

Great analogy FF!

The tension between Bashir and Sisko. Yeah, all the way through, Bashir was always pushing him, always challenging. I really liked the episodes with them stuck back in San Francisco during the riots, they developed a lot of respect for each other. Sid (Alexander Siddig - who is in the Oscar nominated Syriana) and Avery were pleased with stories involving the two of them. Where else but SF could a black guy and a middle eastern guy have conversations on screen which had nothing to do with our political situation, or terrorism, or blowing things up!

FF

That retro San Francisco episode was fantastic!, You are dead on right, after that experience them seemed to both a re-newed respect for each other. Bashir was confrontational when dealing with authority figures, and no one was a bigger authority figure than Sisko

[Starbase]

I really enjoyed seeing the relationship of Bashir and Sisko develop over the series. The San Francisco episodes are some of my favorites too. I just saw that one recently on Spike.

However, that is one of the things I think DS9 did so well is develop the characters over the 7-year span.

That episode was fantastic!, and I cannot agree more FF, DS9 had the best characters and character development of any TV series, sci or otherwise!.

[Missster.Freeman]

I'm wondering, what are your thoughts and opinions on the Bajoran arc at the end of season 1 into the beginning of season 2? I'm going to watch them again shortly. IIRC, I quite enjoyed those episodes the first time.

[Frostfox]

I'm wondering, what are your thoughts and opinions on the Bajoran arc at the end of season 1 into the beginning of season 2? I'm going to watch them again shortly. IIRC, I quite enjoyed those episodes the first time.

The writers were quite bold, you know.
They didn't leave the Bajorans as a simple victims, (the Cardassians were, as I peviously posted, shown to be a facist model) they didn't shirk from terrorism, the comparison with the Palestinian situation is probably inevitable. These layers of complexity, not necessarily at the forefront of the episode for the casual viewer, had obviously been carefully thought out and added so much enjoyment to those willing to pay attention to the subtext.

FF

[Kliggins]

Good point FF. I also liked the way the Bajorans didn't stagnate or wallow as victims, that the experience was used as a reminder to move forward and be stronger.

Just saw the episode where Sisko finally accepts being the emissary. Fantastic.

[the Fifth Race]

The writers were quite bold, you know.
They didn't leave the Bajorans as a simple victims, (the Cardassians were, as I previously posted, shown to be a fascist model) they didn't shirk from terrorism, the comparison with the Palestinian situation is probably inevitable. These layers of complexity, not necessarily at the forefront of the episode for the casual viewer, had obviously been carefully thought out and added so much enjoyment to those willing to pay attention to the subtext.

FF

The Bajorans before the occupation were portrayed to be a peace loving and very religious people. By them resorting to the type of a guerrilla warfare and terrorist tactics showed just how brutal the Cardassians were. There were a handful of great episodes were Kira was reminded of past deed's she did in the underground and she was not neither proud or eager to remember them. She showed regret without being apologetic about innocents killed as a result of the undergrounds or her attacks.

[Starbase]

Good point FF. I also liked the way the Bajorans didn't stagnate or wallow as victims, that the experience was used as a reminder to move forward and be stronger.

Just saw the episode where Sisko finally accepts being the emissary. Fantastic.

The Bajorans were a people to be looked up to. It's funny how Kira in the beginning thought the only reason the Federation wanted Bajora to join them was because of the worm hole. Which might have been partly accurate, it became obvious after a few seasons that the Bajorans were a special race of humanoids who deserved alot better than they had got.

Sisko went back and forth with his wanting to be emmisary, he did accept that he was the emmisary, it's just that he did'nt always agree with the Prophets or the "path" that he was given by them. The Prophets sure were pig-headed about what they wanted, they were not interested in what Sisko wanted or even his opinion considering his mother was a Prophet.

[the Fifth Race]

Sisko went back and forth with his wanting to be emissary, he did accept that he was the emissary, it's just that he didnt always agree with the Prophets or the "path" that he was given by them. The Prophets sure were pig-headed about what they wanted, they were not interested in what Sisko wanted or even his opinion considering his mother was a Prophet.

I agree Starbase, Sisko did not want to be emissary at the beginning and seemed to clash with the Prophets every time they met. I got the feeling Sisko did not like anyone telling him what to do weather or not it was from a higher being or not.

[the Fifth Race]

My choices for best episodes of the second half of season II....

Armageddon Game::::Really the first Bashir/O'Brien dedicated episode, and what a great episode it is!. They are both taken hostage after helping to get rid of the Harvesters (a biological weapon). They are then supposedly killed because the Kellurans want no one left alive with knowledge of the Harvesters. Kira and Sisko discover something is a foul when they find 5 minutes missing from the computer logs. O'Brien is infected with radiation poison and is dying but manages to help Bashir stay alive long enough to be rescued.

Whispers::::Another great dedicated O'Brien episode!. He returns from an assignment in the Paradas system to realize that everyone on DS9 including Keiko is against him. He escapes when Bashir tries to hypospray him and has a wild firefight before escaping back to Paradas to find out what happened. He then learns that he is a copy of the real O'Brien sent to DS9 to execute an official.

Blood Oath::::Three old Klingon warriors show up at DS9 to recruit Jadzia Dax to to fulfill a blood oath sworn by Curzon Dax. At first she is hesitant by finally agrees. Kang delivers the death blow to Albino when Jadzia hesitates. Only Kor and Jadzia come back alive. Jadzia did a lot of growing up in this episode. I love this episode!.

The Maquis parts I & II:::: Sisko is finally made aware by Gul DuKat, that there is a faction of ex Starfleet officers that have turned terrorists against the Cardassians because of they are being forced out of there home worlds and space.

The Wire::::Garak starts suffering from bad headaches and extreme seizures. When Bashir finds out that Garak has an implant in his head to stimulate endorphins in his brain so if he is ever tortured he will not feel anything. Eventually Garak decides to have the implant shut off permanently and suffers for it!. Great Garak dedicated episode!.

Crossover::::The first among a number of mirror/alternate universe episodes. Wild, interesting, kinky, alternate universe describes these episodes quite well!.

The Jemhadar::::And so it begins, the introduction of the Jem hadar and the Dominion. They find out through Third Galaktlan that the Dominion is coming and they will no longer tolerate anyone coming into the Gamma Quadrant.

Again, feel free to comment or add your favorites not mentioned. Season II made me realize that there was something special building in DS9!.

[Starbase]

Great choices brother Fifth /\/\/\/\

Blood Oath..... was such a great Dax episode!.

The Wire..... is in my top 10 best ever episodes for DS9, Garak was amazing as usual and showed that he could be a great physical actor as well as his vocal brilliance.

Armageddon Game..... was a rush from beginning to end, you are right on about this episode being the start of Bashir and O'Brien dedicated episode.

The Maquis..... there sure were a thorn is Starfleet's side! and nothing pissed of Sisko more than a Starfleet officer being disobedient and treasoness.

The Jem'Hadar...., it was the beginning of greatness.