Season 2 Full review and discussion...

[thegame]

Grades are on a A-F scale like season 1. Season 2 ran from 1993-1994, there were 26 episodes.

Episode 21: The Homecoming; Director - Winrich Kolbe
Synopsis: As the first of a three episode arc to begin season 2, this ep introduces two important Bajorans, Li Nalas, a war hero, and Minister Jaro Issa, a orthadox politician who is attempting to take control of the Bajoran government. This ep is a very nice setup for the events of the coup, Kira is particularly strong, as is Sisko, who is strong in his will to protect the work he and his crew have done to help Bajor over the past year. The ep has a lot of action, and is very good overall.
Grade: A-

Episode 22: The Circle; Director - Corey Allen
Synopsis: The second of the three story arc about the Bajoran coup focuses on The Circle, a extreamist Bajoran group that wants Bajor for Bajorans only. Odo discovers that the Circle, which has been armed by the Cresari, was really being armed unknowingly by the Cardassians, who were using the Cresari as a middleman. Li Nalas is made the new Bajoran First Officer on the station and Kira is demoted to Bajor and then kidnapped by the Circle. Kira is rescued by Sisko and returns to DS9 in time to hear that a force loyal to the Circle is on its way to DS9, and Sisko is ordered by Starfleet to get out. He decides to stay. The ep is very good, like the first of this arc. Li Nalas is an interesting character, as is General Krimm, the nemesis of Sisko from the Bajoran Militia that supports the Circle.
Grade: A-

Episode 23: "The Siege"; Director - Winrich Kolbe
Synopsis: Sisko and company go into hiding on DS9 in order to sabatoge efforts of General Krimm to secure the station long enough for Kira and Dax to reach Bajor with evidence of the Cardassian involvement in arming the Circle. Sisko and Li Nalas outmanuever General Krimm, and Quark is around for a bit of comic relief. Kira and Dax battle Circle forces in an old fighter, then are aided by Vedek Bariel in order to reach the chamber of ministers, exposing the Cardassian involvement. Vedek Winn, who was ready to back Minister Jaro's takeover, backed off when faced with the Cardassian connection, which overthrew Jaro. On the station, General Krimm conceded victory to Sisko, but one of his subordinates killed Li Nalas in a final act of defiance. This ep was the best of the three in this arc, Kira and Sisko really shine, as does Li, a tragic hero if ever there was one.
Grade: A

Episode 24: "Invasive Procedures"; Director - Les Landau
Synopsis: A storm forces all but the senior staff to Bajor, and a unidentified ship docks at the station and takes over. The leader of this party is a Trill, named Verad, who wants the Dax symbiont from Jadzeea. For some reason, Sisko agrees when Dax pleades with him not to let Verad kill him or the others, as O'Brian was already shot by one of Verad's Klingon goons. As Bashier changes over the symbiont, Sisko works over Verad's mistress, who is unsure whether being joined will be good for Verad. The now Verad Dax tries to make good with Ben, but to no avail. Verad is about to escape to the Gamma Quad when his mistress releases Sisko to catch him. The symbiont is returned to Jadzeea just in time to save her. This ep was wierd, it seemed that the station staff could have stopped Verad easily, but it didn't happen. Average overall.
Grade: B-

Episode 25: "Cardassians"; Director - Cliff Bole
Synopsis: A great ep here. Garak makes his second appearance, and he and Bashier try to solve the mystery of Rugal, a Cardassian orphan who comes to the station. It becomes clear that this boy is no orphan, but the lost son of Kotan Pudar, a leading Cardassian civilian official, and enemy of Dukat. Garak and Bashier find out that Dukat manipulated the situation in order to disgrace Pudar, and Sisko eventually rules that Pudar should get back Rugal, and Dukat's plans are foiled. This ep, like all Garak/Bashier eps was a great mystery. Garak and Dukat don't really interact, but their mutual hatred does come to the fore, as does the inner working of the Cardassian political structure.
Grade: A

Episode 26: "Melora"; Director - Winrich Kolbe
Synopsis: Not so great is how I describe this one. A physically challenged ensign, Melora Pazlar, comes to DS9 and captures Bashier's heart. Also, a former partner of Quark comes back to kill the little Ferengi. In the end both stories come together, and Melora is nearly killed by Quark's former partner on a Runabout. Melora and Bashier get together, but after this ep she isn't seen again. Melora was played by an average actress, and the Quark substory actually stole this sleeper of a show.
Grade: D

Episode 27: "Rules of Aquisition"; Director - David Livingston
Synopsis: Ah, the Ferengi and their customs. We get introduced to the Ferengi treatment of women, as Pel, a woman masquerading as a man, comes to aid Quark in negotiations with a Gamma race, and the Nagus also arrives to oversee the talks. Quark ends up falling for Pel once he learns of her sex, but is not able to overcome his Ferengi conditioning, and Pel is exposed. Quark loses his lucrative contract to make deals in the Gamma Quad, but saves face because the Nagus is unwilling to go public with the story of a women making profit under his nose. I love this ep, Quark, Rom, Zek, and Pel all have good roles, as does Dax, who consults Quark and Pel. Always fun.
Grade: B+

Episode 28: "Necessary Evil"; Director - James Conway
Synopsis: Odo, Kira, and Dukat are the main players in this flashback ep. A clue in a five year old case makes Odo re-examine the events of that day, when Kira was a main suspect in a murder of a Cardassian collaborator. This was Odo's first action as station chief of security, and the interaction between Odo and Dukat was priceless. Kira ends up on the short end of the stick, but nothing really comes of it, although Odo and Kira's reletionship, which is important to this ep and the series, takes a blow. Nice to see a glimpse of Terok Nor, back when it was Terok Nor.
Grade: B-

Episode 29: "Second Sight"; Director - Alexander Singer
Synopsis: Sisko falls in love with the mysterious and exotic Fenna, who appears and disapears at random. She ends up being married, in a way, to Seyetik, a great terraformer who has come to DS9 to stage his greatest terraforming expedition. Sisko and company depart on the Promethius, no, not that Promethius, this one is a Nebula class ship, in order to test this new terraforming method developed by Seyetik. Fenna is exposed as a alter ego of Nidell, the real wife of Seyetik. The incident and the impending onset of old age overcame Seyetik, who killed himself in order to see that his new terraforming project saw success. Nidell was cured, and left Sisko. Not very strong in the story department past Seyetik's character, better to leave Sisko's love life out of the picture. I didn't like the new Nebula class bridge, either.
Grade: C

Episode 30: "Sanctuary" Director - Les Landau
Synopsis: In one of the worst DS9 eps in history, a group of terribly annoying refugees fleeing the Dominion come to the station. They believe that Bajor is the promised land of lore from their customs. Bajor does not accept these refugees, and one young lad from the refugee contingent is actually killed by Bajoran militia, but are eventually given a chance to survive on Draylon II. This ep has no redeeming qualities, except that we see a bit more on the Dominion, who are a mystery to us all at this point in the series. Skip this one.
Grade: F

Episode 31: "Rivals"; Director - David Livingston
Synopsis: A fun ep is what we have here. Quark and a competitor, Martus, jockey for business on the Promenade after Martus comes into posession of a game that alters chance for the player. Quark counters by staging a match of raquetball with Bashier and O'Brian, who tries as hard as he can to prove that Julian isn't his superior. Quark quotes my favorite rule of aqisition to a defeated Martus in the end of the ep, after Martus' machines were taken out because they were altering probablility laws on the station. "Dignity and an empty sack is worth the sack." Rule of Aquisition #109. I love this one, it's all good. Look for the O'Brian/Bashier angle to continue.
Grade: B+

Episode 32: "The Alternate"; Director - David Carson
Synopsis: Odo's "father", Dr. Mora comes to DS9 to have Odo help him in discovering an artifact in the Gamma Quad that has links to Odo. Odo is subsequently invaded by another being, which alters Odo into a terrible creature when Mora is around, because Odo has resented Mora for many years. Eventually the other being is brought out of Odo, and he and Mora come to some sense of a mending of fences, but don't completely bury the hatchet yet. I liked this one, it wasn't great but the Odo story really delves into the events of his "youth" and his reletionship with Mora is very complex.
Grade: B

Episode 33: "Armageddon Game"; Director - Winrich Kolbe
Synopsis: Here we see the real foundation of the O'Brian/Bashier friendship. The two are stranded together after the T'Lani and Kelleran government's try to have them killed. These two races, long at war, had just negotiated peace and had Bashier and O'Brian help them get rid of a cache of genetic weapons, the Harvestors. Both governments wanted to completely destroy all knowlege of the virus, so they tried to kill anyone who knew of the system, including O'Brian and Bashier. A coverup failed and both men were rescued by Sisko, who outmanuevered a more powerful Kelleran vessle and returned home. O'Brian starts to warm up to Bashier after this, and the two are always close subsequently. Bashier's past is also brought up, as he almost got married some years ago. Good ep, exciting and complex.
Grade: B+

Episode 34: "Whispers"; Director - Les Landau
Synopsis: O'Brian returns home to find everyone acting strangly. He comes to the conclusion that Starfleet is planning to aid a coup against the Parada, a race O'Brian had just visited. He flees to the Parada system, but finds out in the end that he is a double agent, placed by Parada rebels to disrupt a peace conference. The real O'Brian was captured, but was retrieved and in the end the double and original looked each other in the face. The double never knew he wasn't really Miles himself. This ep was very confusing, I had never seen it until I got the DVD's. Not bad, and very compelling. O'Brian really does a good job in this ep, his love of family and honor is apparant.
Grade: B

Episode 35: "Paradise"; Director - Corey Allen
Synopsis: Sisko and O'Brian are taken prisiner on a remote Gamma world, then come to find out that the leader of this colony is a crazy woman, who hates technology and thus the starfleet crewman. She manipultes the situation so as to keep Ben and Miles there forever, but Sisko rebels and stands up to her. Meanwhile, Miles discovers that a dampening field has been put in place by this woman to stop the use of all technology, and she is exposed. She and her son are taken back to DS9 to answer for deaths incurred while the device was operational, but the rest of the colony stayed behind, as this place was now their home. This ep really upsets me, this woman is a real bitch. Sisko is very strong here, showing his principals do not waiver in time of crisis. Very good character ep.
Grade: B+

Episode 36: "Shadowplay"; Director - Rob Sheerer
Synopsis: The Dominion is mentioned again as Dax and Odo travel to a Gamma world where only a single settlement exists. The inhabitants turn out to be holograms, except for the village leader, Rurigan, who had fled the Dominion and created this village to live in. Originally set on disableing the hologenorator, Dax and Odo decide not to. Odo even befriends a young hologram girl, who brings out Odo's softer side. This part of the ep was the most interesting, the main story was a sleeper. Not a memorable show, but not the worst I've seen.
Grade: C-

Episode 37: "Playing God"; Director - David Livingston
Synopsis: Arjin, a Trill initiate comes to the station to be mentored by Dax, who is troubled in here role. She and Arjin have their problems, but so does the station, as it is the harbor for a new proto-universe that is expanding. It becomes so dangerous that it must be destroyed, and in the process of studying the new universe, Arjin learns about himself as does Dax, both gain new confidence and perspective by the end of the ep. This one isn't very memorable, although Dax gets a little much needed character development here, and we see what it means to be a Trill Inititate.
Grade: C

Episode 38: "Profit and Loss"; Director - Robert Wiemer
Synopsis: An old flame of Quark's comes to DS9, a Cardassian dissident teacher named Natima Lang, and wants nothing to do with him. Quark tries hard to regain her love, and does in the end. Meanwhile, Garak is working to bring Lang to justice on Cardassia, as she and her students are wanted enemies of the Union. Garak even speaks for his government in this ep, and almost kills Lang and Quark, but opts instead to kill Gul Toran, who was there to ensure Garak did his duty, citing that some people, like Toran, should never be promoted. Garak's evil side is thrown in our face here, but so is both his and Quark's more humain side, Quark is shown as much deeper than just a theif or conman, and Garak grows into even a more mysterious man than before. Good stuff.
Grade: A-

Episode 39: "Blood Oath"; Director - Winrich Kolbe
Synopsis: One of the most famous eps in DS9 history saw the return of the top 3 TOS Klingons, Kor, Koloth, and Kang. The three, and Dax, swore a blood oath to kill The Albino, 80 years ago. Now Kang has found this man and the 4 set out to kill him. Kang was originally against bringing the new Dax, as he planned to die in this battle, but Jadzeea convinced him. Kang and Koloth would die in the final battle, but so would The Albino, by Kang's hand. Dax and Kor lived, and Dax returned to her duties. This one is a classic. The inner battle with Jadzeea over killing someone was a tough one, as was Kang's quest to avenge his family honor to the Albino. Kor was an interesting character, far different from how we saw him in TOS. One of the best eps of season 2.
Grade: A

Episode 40 and 41: "The Maquis"; Directors - David Livingston and Corey Allen
Synopsis: This two parter opens our eyes to the terrible situation in the DMZ, land on the new Cardassian/Federation border. A new terrorist orgainization made up of Federation citizens, the Maquis, come to the fore. They destroy a Cardassian frieghter, kidnap Dukat, and buy weapons from Quark. This was all aided by Cal Hudson, a Starfleet officer and friend to Sisko, who defects to the Maquis. Dukat and Sisko work together and stop the Maquis, at least for now, and the best and most compelling interaction of the eps come from the Sisko/Dukat scenes, where the very foundation of thier reletionship is laid. The Cardassians are exposed to be breaking the treaty with the Federation, arming the Cardassians in the DMZ. Dukat didn't know, shedding light on his decreasing political standing on Cardassia. This ep is a foundation in and of itself for the next 2 years of Cardassian foriegn policy, and beigns the Maquis storyline that stays an important part of the show for the next 3 seasons.
Grade: A

[thegame]

Continued:

Episode 42: "The Wire"; Director - Kim Friedman
Synopsis: This is the best of the Garak/Bashier eps in my view. Garak is stricking with pain from a device in his head that is supposed to provide pleasure if the person, Garak, is torutured. Faced with the prospect of neverending exile, Garak left the device on one day, and never again deactivated it. Now he is losing his mind, and Bashier fights an unwilling Garak, who wants death, to save him. Through a mound of lies and stories, Bashier sifts through Garak's life story, eventually leading him to Enabron Tain, who sets some of the record straight on Garak, although his past is not fully described, nor is his reason for exile. Garak is cured in the end, and he and Bashier form a closer friendship. This is one of my all time favorite DS9 eps, Garak is true to form as the complex character we love. This is why DS9 is so great.
Grade: A+

Episode 43: "Crossover"; Director - David Livingston
Synopsis: The mirror universe returns here as Kira and Bashier arrive on mirror DS9, still Terok Nor here. Terrans are a slave race now, as Kirk's plea to mirror Spock in TOS ep "Mirror Mirror" was enough to make Spock pursue peace and allowed the Cardassian/Klingon/Bajoran alliance to overthrow the Terrans. Kira and Bashier are trapped, but mirror Sisko, who is fed up with mirror Kira, helps them and mirror O'Brian escape. This is a great original continuation of the mirror universe concept, truley with a DS9 dark twist to it. Mirror Kira, Sisko, O'Brian, and Odo are very interesting characters, particlulary the nympho Kira mirror. The mirror eps that followed in subsequent seasons were great, but this one is my favorite.
Grade: A

Episode 44: "The Collaborator"; Director - Cliff Bole
Synopsis: Kira and Odo investigate a massacre that was made possible by a collaborator during the Occupation. The search leads to Bariel who admits to collaborating with Cardassians, killing over 30 Bajorans. Bariel drops from Kai contention, but Kira is dissatisfied and finds out that Bariel is not the true collaborator, it was Kai Opaka, and Bariel wanted to take the fall for his mentor. In the interim, Vedek Winn became the next Kai, which would spell disaster for Bajor in the future. This was a good mystery ep, Kira is strong, as is Winn as a antagonist.
Grade: A-

Episode 45: "Tribunal"; Director - Avery Brooks
Synopsis: In an effort to discredit the Federation, O'Brian is accused of unkown crimes on Cardassia and is put on trial for his life. Sisko investigates and finds that the Cardassians have a double agent, a man altered to look human, on the station to manipulate events. Sisko is able to free O'Brian when the Cardassian judge realizes that Sisko could discredit her government after realizing this plan. We see the unfair system of judicial control on Cardassia here, it is a intersting look into the Cardassian society. See this ep if you want to understand the Cardassians.
Grade: B+

Episode 46: "The Jem'Haddar"; Director - Kim Friedman
Synopsis: The name says it all... They're here! The Dominion make their precence felt to Quark and Sisko, who spend most of the ep arguing while captive in the Gamma Quad while on vacation with Jake and Nog. The two young lads help alert DS9, which gets a visit from the Dominion itself, saying it won't allow passage through the wormhole. Also of interest is that the Dominion has a lot of intelligence on our part of the galaxy. The Galaxy class USS Odessy under Captain Keogh goes with two Runabouts to save Sisko, but is beaten up badley by 3 Jem'Haddar fighters. Sisko is freed, partly because the Dominion wanted to let them go to allow a Vorta to gather intel at DS9. Sisko, with Quark's aid, found out about the Vorta, and she was exposed, but escaped. As the Oddessy and Runabouts were withdrawing, a Jem'Haddar ship ran at the Oddessy and destroyed it, showing Sisko that the Jem'Haddar would kill themselves in order to make a point. All hands lost on Odessy, Starfleet's most advanced ship at that time, and it was no match for even one Dominion ship at that time. Sisko realized that the first battle with the Dominion would be fought at DS9, so was going to be ready. So we begin the cold war with the Dominion, which ends in the way we all know about now. This is the greatest foreboding ep in DS9 history, and a great cliffhanger season finale.
Grade: A+

Season 2 complete.

[Crono]

Impressive analysis, I agree with the grades you gave them as well.