Season 1... Full Review and discussion

[thegame]

As promised, here is the full look at the first season of DS9. There were twenty episodes in all. Grades are done on the A-F scale.

Episode 1 and 2: Emissary; Director - David Carson
Synopsis: The crew of DS9 comes together at the station while it orbits Bajor, just days after the Cardassian withdrawl from the system. This episode introduces the complex Bajoran faith, and is centered greatly on Sisko and Kai Opaka. We never really get to know Opaka, as she dies later in season 1. Her character and story were a bit weak, and the episode overall wasn't great, although the Kira and Quark storylines are great right from the start, and Sisko is strong, especially when he interacted with Picard. O'Brian has a nice scene with Picard, too.
Grade: B

Episode 3: A Man Alone; Director - Paul Lynch
Synopsis: Odo is the main focus in this powerful episode. A man from his past turns up murdered, and a Bajoran mob on the station wants Odo punished. Odo's stern and unwaivering pursuit of "justice" comes to the fore here, and he gives a strong performance, setting the stage for his character througout the series. Sisko also plays a role, showing that he can be objective and still work with his staff well.
Grade: B+

Episode 4: Past Prologue; Director - Winrich Kolbe
Synopsis: Garak makes his first apperance, and only of season 1, as do the Klingons, in the form of Lursa and B'Tor. This ep is really about the divisions among the Bajorans, as a terrorist extreamest is forced to chose between following a new path, or staying what he is. In the end he tries to destroy the wormhole, but is thwarted by Kira and Sisko. Kira realizes that this is a new day, the old ways don't cut it anymore. Garak and Bashier establish reletions here, truly the start of an interesting friendship. Best ep of season 1.
Grade: A

Episode 5: Babel; Director - Paul Lynch
Synopsis: Something of a wierd episode, a ephasic disease strickens the station, remnants of an old terrorist plot by the Bajorans to hamper the station when it was Terok Nor. The most interesting part of the story is the interaction between Odo and Quark, who must work together in the end to save the station. This ep focused mainly on the story, not the characters, average is the best word to describe this one.
Grade: C+

Episode 6: Captive Pursuit; Director - Corey Allen
Synopsis: The wormhole opens and brings us the first encounter with the Gamma races, in the form of Tosk and the Hunters. Tosk was the main guy here, and played well with O'Brian, who ended up being Tosk's friend. This kind of story was original to DS9, and would be a basis for others like it. The Hunters were a bit cheesy, but they served a purpose. O'Brian really shines here, as his values and morals are tested. Very good episode.
Grade: A-

Episode 7: Q-Less; Director - Paul Lynch
Synopsis: The infamous Q makes his only DS9 appearance, bringing TNG veteran Vash along. Q interacts amazingly with Sisko, who does not react to the omnipitent one as Picard does. Sisko even knocks out Q with a combination at one point. The best line is definately from Q, "Quite a Motley Crue you've assembled here, Benji!" Vash was never very much of a character, and her part of the story really sucked, but Quark was funny again here, as usual. Q always brings home a winner.
Grade: A-

Episode 8: Dax; Director - David Carson
Synopsis: Coming into DS9 we didn't know the Trill, or the inner workings of symbyont hosts. This ep tells us a lot about these issues and brings Jadzeea to the fore, as the story is named for her, sort of. She is accussed of murder, although the murder happened while Dax was still Curzon, so is Jadzeea resonsible? Odo and Sisko investigate, Odo shines in his policeman role, as does Sisko as a lawyer of sorts. In the end Dax is cleared, and her character is firmly established. Basically, it was a good mystery story, and well written.
Grade: B+

Episode 9: The Passenger; Director - Paul Lynch
Synopsis: One of the worst eps of the season. Bashier's body is taken over by a madman looking to prolong his life. It takes all involved forever to find out and the story is very choppy, kind of like something you'd see on VGR. Bashier doesn't do a bad job portraying the second role along with his own, but the story itself collapsed any good that may have come from the performance. Ending was a nail-biter, but it couldn't save this sinking ship.
Grade: D

Episode 10: Move Along Home; Director - David Carson
Synopsis: The worst episode in DS9 history is the best compliment this debacle deserves. The Wadi come to the station from the Gamma Quad, bringing interesting games with them. Sisko and company get stuck inside the game, and Quark must play and win it in order for them to survive. There is nothing good about this episode, I can't ever watch it again. Yuck.
Grade: F

Episode 11: The Nagus; Director - David Livingston
Synopsis: Ferengi politics is center stage as the Grand Nagus visits Quark and annoints him the new Nagus, then Zek dies unexpectedly. Quark is quickly the target of assasination plots, and his own brother and Zek's son collaborate to kill Quark. In the end the Zek reappears, saying he only faked his death to see how his son would react to the change. Zek was unhappy with how his son acted and took back his position. Quark and Rom are great here, and the Ferengi finally start to get a personality beyond the foolish style they had on TNG. Zek is hilarious.
Grade: A-

Episode 12: Vortex; Director - Winrich Kolbe
Synopsis: The mystery that is Odo is explored in this complex ep. A fugitive from justice is brought to the station and is held by Odo. The fugitive has a shape-shifting necklace that he says came from Odo's people. In his haste to believe the fugitive, Odo agrees to transport him back to his homeworld. Odo learns that the necklace is not from the Founders, but its a key to unlock a stasis chamber that the fugitive had placed his daughter in when his government killed the fugitive's family. Odo shows pity on the fugitive, named Crodin, who finds his daughter and starts a new life, as Odo doesn't return him to his homeworld, where his true crime was being only a political prisiner. Odo is great here, we see his desire to return to his people, something of foreshadowing to later events. We also see Odo's compassionate side, something he shows rarely. Good stuff.
Grade: B+

Episode 13: Battle Lines; Director - Paul Lynch
Synopsis: Kai Opaka is killed after the Yangtzee Kiang crashes on a remote penal colony in the Gamma Quad. Miracurously she comes back to life, but that is the nature of this prisin the crew crashed on, as two waring factions are doomed to kill each other again and again. None who are killed can ever leave, though, but Opaka didn't want to leave anyway. Her path had come to these warring factions, and she was destined to help them heal. Kira is strong in this ep, her anger and agression are powerful, but Opaka counsuls here. Opaka is not seen again after this episode.
Grade: B

Episode 14: The Storyteller; Director - David Livingston
Synopsis: O'Brian and Bashier are together at a village on Bajor, where O'Brain is thrust into a position of religious importance, having to tell a story to save the city from anihilation. The two friends were not such as of yet, and thier interaction was comical. Back on the station, Jake and Nog are involved with a young girl who leads a group of Bajorans in talks with another Bajoran faction, and they get into mischief. Bajor's deep divisions are shown during this ep, but Sisko is able to play arbiter well, and the issue is resolved. Good two story episode, and funny.
Grade: B

Episode 15: Progress; Director - Les Landau
Synopsis: The old and new Bajor are the issue here. Kira is sent to evacuate the last settler on a Bajoran moon, as the moon is set to be mined. This settler, Mulibok, is a stubborn old man who is unwilling to accept any change. Kira at first decides he is right, but, as in "Past Prologue", she realizes that change must come. The story is a bit dull, but the Sisko-Kira tension is intersting. Sisko still doesn't fully trust Kira yet, but in the end she forced Mulibok to leave and finally accepts that the old Bajor is gone.
Grade: B-

Episode 16: If Wishes Were Horses; Director - Robert Legato
Synopsis: Rumplstilskin, baseball legend Buck Bokai, and porno Dax show up on the station as manifestations of crew member's imagination's. This story was way over the top and wholly uninteresting, except for the character of porno Dax, as I name her. Her interaction with Bashier and regular Dax saved this episode from complete failure. In the end, it was discovered that a Gamma race had endused these acts in order to study the station population. An all too familiar Trek story. This was one to forget.
Grade: D+

Episode 17: The Forsaken; Director - Les Landau
Synolsis: The excentric Luxuanna Troi is smitten with Odo in this episode. Along with 3 other ambassadors, Troi is here to see the station. As the other 3 are at war with their host, Bashier, Troi tries again and again to court Odo. Odo is completely unsure what to do, and end up stuck in an turbolift with Troi. The two bond at some level, and we see Odo open up a bit about his shape-shifting. Bashier finally gets some respect from the callus ambassadors after saving them when a fire broke out on the station, caused by a probe that had gotten loose in the station's computer. O'Brian was able, after a while, to outsmart the probe and defeated it. Odo and Troi part on good terms, but its not the last we'll see of these two...
Grade: B+

Episode 18: Dramatis Personae; Director - Cliff Bole
Synopsis: An alien virus carried aboard a Klingon ship infects the staition's crew. This program makes the station command recreate an old mutiny situation that originally took place on a planet where the program came from. Very interesting stuff, Kira and Sisko were against one another, only Odo was unaffected. In then end Kira almost killed Sisko and O'Brian, but with Bashier's help, Odo was able to get the program out of the brains of the senior staff. Bashier was infected too, but Odo masterfully manipulated him. Good story, all involved gave very strong performances, especailly Odo, who was great as always.
Grade: B+

Episode 19: Duet; Director - James L. Conway
Synopsis: This episode is the stuff that made DS9 so great. Easily a top 15 ep of the whole series. Kira interregates a man claiming to be Gul Darheel, a terrible war criminal who operated the Gallitep labor camp during the occupation. Kira and Darheel give us some of the best two person scenes in the show's history, and the powerful nature of the story is gripping. In the end this man is not Darheel, but only a file clerk from Gallitep named Marritza. Marritza wanted to take Darheel's place and stand trial, forceing his people to admit how wrong they were during the occupation. Kira won't allow it, as her perspective has changed during the ep, and she no longer wants to see another good man die. Marritza is killed, however, by a drunk Bajoran who thinks that being Cardassian is reason enough to die. Kira realizes that that idea is not true, although she herself had believed it for many years.
Grade: A

Episode 20: In The Hands of the Prophets; Director - David Livingston
Synopsis: The season 1 finale brings Bajoran politics into the spotlight, as Vedek's Winn and Bariel vie for the position of Kai. Winn is shown very early on as a liar and political schiester, she tries to close Keiko O'Brian's school and lures Bariel into a trap she has set for him. The murder attempt goes awry, and Sisko and Kira realize how terrible Winn is. Even so, Winn is not discredited, she will eventually become Kai and betray her people. This was a great closer, Winn is a real great antagonist. Bariel is terrible, one of the most boaring Bajorans ever. Sisko stands up to Winn from the start, and the two obviously never really get along. A true sign of things to come.
Grade: A-

Overall, season 1 isn't as bad as many make it out to be, although its not great either. Any comments? Your own grades? Your favorites? Opinions?[/b]

[PrankishSmart]

Nice reading, but you forgot to grade 'duet'.

[Los]

I love Nana Visitor.

I WOULD DEFINATELY HIT THAT!

[thegame]

Fixed the grade for Duet.

C'mon, people, someone must disagree with me. Input!

[thegame]

Upon further review, I still will list season 1 as the worst of the 7, but after watching this DVD I've really had to rethink my original opinions about how bad season 1 was. It wasn't that bad, I encourage all Trek fans to check this box set out. Season 2 on April 1!

[shrek man]

That's a good review of DS9 1st season.

[Lindley]

[thegame]

^ Yeah, I forgot about that Opaka appearance, was it in "Rapture" from season 5?

Isn't she in that last relaunch book, the one with Sisko coming back?

You really should see "Duet" again. Top notch.

[lord_picard]

very good... do you know what time ds9 comes on now ( i live on the east coast, if you dont then never mind

[L'ursa]

[Defiant]

I dont feel like reading all those.

Anyways, I think Seasons 1 and 2, were the MOST BORING EVER. They spend way too much time developing the Bajoran culture. Its really good writing, but its incredibly boring. I know the series would fall apart without it, but I love a good firefight.

[gul Lemek III.]

Yeah, I think that the fourth, fifth and sixth seasons were really delighting and fresh.

[Necron]

Scripts - A+
Actors - B-

Season 1 of DS9 is haunted with the ST curse; It has to be bad (some episodes reaaaally bad) before it get's better.
If some stories of season 1 would have been done later on in the series they would probably been superb, now they are plain 'good'.

Personally I really liked the 'Dax' episode. Pretty much agree on the grades you gave the other ones.

[Sonic74205]

I would have given "dax" probably A-
I love all of the episodes like that.
Such as:
"Death Wish"
and that TNG episode when they wanted to dismantle data to build others like him (can't remember name and can't be bother to check the DVD )

[John Connor]

I like Emissary the first 2 parter for DS9 season 1.