star trek ds9 essential episodes

Let’s Watch Star Trek

Deep Space Nine Episode Guide

Season One Emissary: Parts 1 & 2 Rating: 4 – Watch Past Prologue  Rating: 3 – Watch  A Man Alone  Rating: 3 – Watch  Babel  Rating: 2 – Skippable Captive Pursuit Rating: 2 – Skippable Q-Less  Rating: 2 – Skippable Dax  Rating: 2 – Skippable The Passenger  Rating: 1 – Skip Move Along Home  Rating: 1 – Skip The Nagus  Rating: 2 – Skippable Vortex  Rating: 2 – Skippable Battle Lines  Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity The Storyteller  Rating: 1 – Skip Progress  Rating: 1 – Skip If Wishes Were Horses  Rating: 1 – Skip The Forsaken  Rating: 2 – Skippable Dramatis Personae  Rating: 1 – Skip Duet  Rating: 4 – Watch In the Hands of Prophets  Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity

Season Two The Homecoming Rating: 3 – Watch The Circle Rating: 3 – Watch The Siege Rating: 3 – Watch Invasive Procedures Rating: 3 – Watch Cardassians Rating: 3 – Watch Melora Rating: 2 – Skippable Rules of Acquisition Rating: 2 – Skippable Necessary Evil Rating: 4 – Watch Second Sight Rating: 1 – Skip Sanctuary Rating: 2 – Skippable Rivals Rating: 2 – Skippable The Alternate Rating: 2 – Skippable Armageddon Game Rating: 3 – Watch Whispers Rating: 2 – Skippable Paradise Rating: 3 – Watch Shadowplay Rating: 2 – Skippable Playing God Rating: 2 – Skippable Profit and Loss Rating: 3 – Watch Blood Oath Rating: 4 – Watch The Maquis, Part I Rating: 3 – Watch The Maquis, Part II Rating: 4 – Watch The Wire Rating: 4 – Watch Crossover Rating: 3 – Watch The Collaborator Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity Tribunal Rating: 2 – Skippable The Jem’Hadar Rating: 4 – Watch

Season Three The Search Part I Rating: 4 – Watch The Search Part II Rating: 3 – Watch The House of Quark Rating: 3 – Watch Equilibrium Rating: 2 – Skippable Second Skin Rating: 2 – Skippable The Abandoned Rating: 3 – Watch Civil Defense Rating: 3 – Watch Meridian Rating: 1 – Skip Defiant Rating: 3 – Watch Fascination Rating: 1 – Skip Past Tense, Part I Rating: 3 – Watch Past Tense, Part II Rating: 3 – Watch Life Support Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity Heart of Stone Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity Destiny Rating: 2 – Skippable Prophet Motive Rating: 2 – Skippable Visionary Rating: 2 – Skippable Distant Voices Rating: 1 – Skip Through the Looking Glass Rating: 3 – Watch Improbable Cause Rating: 3 – Watch The Die is Cast Rating: 3 – Watch Explorers Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity Family Business Rating: 1 – Watch for continuity Shakaar Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity Facets Rating: 2 – Skippable The Adversary Rating: 4 – Watch

Season Four The Way of the Warrior Rating: 4 – Watch The Visitor Rating: 4 – Watch Hippocratic Oath Rating: 3 – Watch Indiscretion Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity Rejoined Rating: 2 – Skippable Starship Down Rating: 3 – Watch Little Green Men Rating: 3 – Watch The Sword of Kahless Rating: 2 – Skip Our Man Bashir Rating: 2 – Skip Homefront Rating: 3 – Watch Crossfire Rating: 1 – Skip Return to Grace Rating: 4 – Watch Sons of Mogh Rating: 3 – Watch Bar Association Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity Accession Rating: 2 – Skippable Rules of Engagement Rating: 2 – Skippable Hard Time Rating: 2 – Skippable Shattered Mirror Rating: 2 – Skippable The Muse Rating: 2 – Skippable For The Cause Rating: 3 – Watch To The Death Rating: 3 – Watch The Quickening Rating: 3 – Watch Body Parts Rating: 3 – Watch Broken Link Rating: 3 – Watch

Season Five Apocalypse Rising : 4 – Watch The Ship : 2 – Skippable Looking for par’Mach in All the Wrong Places : 3 – Watch Nor the Battle to the Strong : 3 – Watch The Assignment : 3 – Watch Trials and Tribble-ations : 5 – Watch Let He Who Is Without Sin… : 1 – Skip Things Past : 3 – Watch The Ascent : 1 – Skip Rapture : 2 – Skippable The Darkness and the Light : 3 – Watch The Begotten : 2 – Watch for continuity For the Uniform : 4 – Watch In Purgatory’s Shadow: 4 – Watch By Inferno’s Light: 4 – Watch Doctor Bashir, I Presume: 2 – Watch for continuity A Simple Investigation: 1 – Skip Business as Usual: 2 – Skippable Ties of Blood and Water: 3 – Watch Ferengi Love Songs: 2 – Skippable Soldiers of the Empire: 4 – Watch Children of Time: 2 – Skippable Blaze of Glory: 4 – Watch Empok Nor: 2 – Skippable In the Cards: 2 – Watch for continuity Call to Arms: 5 – Watch

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Essential Star Trek Deep Space Nine Episode Guide

• Movies or TV
• IMDb Rating
• In Theaters
• Release Year

1. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Emissary (1993)

TV-PG | 90 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

When the troubled Commander Sisko takes command of a surrendered space station, he learns that it borders a unique stable wormhole.

Director: David Carson | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 4,597

2. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Past Prologue (1993)

TV-PG | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

Tahna Los, a former Bajoran terrorist during the Occupation, asks Sisko for asylum on DS9. Meanwhile, the station's last Cardassian inhabitant, Garak, possibly a former spy for the Cardassian government, proves an interesting mystery to Dr. Bashir.

Director: Winrich Kolbe | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,689

3. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Duet (1993)

TV-PG | 46 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

A Cardassian suffering from Kalla-Nohra, a disease that indicates he served in a labor camp, visits DS9. Kira is determined to convict him as a war criminal.

Director: James L. Conway | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 3,703

4. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: In the Hands of the Prophets (1993)

Vedek Winn, a candidate in the race for the open Kai position, stirs up trouble on DS9 when she attempts to boycott Keiko's school for not teaching Bajoran religious beliefs.

Director: David Livingston | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,384

5. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Cardassians (1993)

Political tensions rise on DS9 when Bajorans board the station with a supposedly orphaned Cardassian whom they have adopted.

Director: Cliff Bole | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,289

6. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Necessary Evil (1993)

Odo relives some terrible and tragic memories of a past investigation when he was the constable on Cardassian-occupied Deep Space Nine, then named Terok Nor.

Votes: 2,430

7. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Whispers (1994)

Chief O'Brien's world is turned upside down when for no reason whatsoever he is being ignored by his family and friends and is being closed out of every essential job on the station.

Director: Les Landau | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,478

8. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Paradise (1994)

Sisko and Chief O'Brien discover a colony which lives without technology.

Director: Corey Allen | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,297

9. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Maquis, Part I (1994)

The destruction of a Cardassian ship leads Sisko, Dukat, and Sisko's old friend Cal Hudson to the fact that there is an unofficial war between the Maquis and the Cardassians.

Votes: 2,184

10. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Wire (1994)

Dr. Bashir fights to save Garak's life when a device implanted in his brain, designed to alleviate pain in the event of torture, begins to malfunction and is slowly killing him.

Director: Kim Friedman | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,364

11. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Maquis, Part II (1994)

Sisko tries to resolve the Maquis crisis by preventing a war, freeing Gul Dukat and offering the defected Hudson the chance to return.

Votes: 2,154

12. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Crossover (1994)

Kira and Bashir find themselves in an alternate universe.

Votes: 2,291

13. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Tribunal (1994)

Chief O'Brien goes through the horrific Cardassian judicial system when he is charged for an unknown crime.

Director: Avery Brooks | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,099

14. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Jem'Hadar (1994)

While in the Gamma Quadrant, Sisko, Quark and a strange telepathic woman are captured by the Jem'Hadar, the soldiers of the Dominion.

Votes: 2,372

15. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Past Tense, Part II (1995)

Sisko is forced to take the place of a key historical figure on Earth in 2024 in order to preserve the timeline.

Directors: Reza Badiyi , Jonathan Frakes | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,359

16. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Second Skin (1994)

Kira finds herself on Cardassia as a Cardassian. She is told she is called Iliana Ghemor and was a Cardassian spy.

Votes: 2,295

17. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Search, Part I (1994)

Instead of waiting for the Jem'Hadar to attack, Sisko wants to try a different tactic; he wants to take a new class starship to try to find the Founders.

Votes: 2,370

18. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Search, Part II (1994)

Odo has found his home and is introduced. Meanwhile Sisko finds out peace talks between the Dominion and the Federation have already started.

Director: Jonathan Frakes | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,321

19. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Abandoned (1994)

Odo tries to change the nature of a rapidly maturing Jem'Hadar infant Quark finds, while Sisko tries to break his son's relationship with a 20 year old Dabo girl.

Votes: 2,048

20. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Past Tense, Part I (1995)

Sisko, Bashir and Dax are accidentally sent to San Francisco in the 21st century due to a transporter malfunction, and must figure out how to get back to return without changing the time line.

Director: Reza Badiyi | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,412

21. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Destiny (1995)

Sisko faces a conflict between his Starfleet duties and his role as the Bajoran Emissary when an ancient Bajoran prophecy predicts a joint Federation-Cardassian project will lead to the destruction of the wormhole.

Votes: 2,059

22. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Improbable Cause (1995)

After an attempt is made on Garak's life, Odo conducts the investigation on who tried to murder the Cardassian tailor - and why.

Votes: 2,374

23. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Explorers (1995)

Sisko rebuilds an ancient Bajoran space vessel from the blueprints, and he and Jake take the ship on a trip, attempting to prove that the ancient Bajorans went beyond their solar system without warp drive.

Votes: 2,149

24. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Visionary (1995)

While a Romulan delegation tries to get information about the Dominion, O'Brien gets visions of unpleasant things that are about to happen in the future.

Votes: 2,106

25. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Die Is Cast (1995)

Now rejoined with his former mentor, Garak is ordered to interrogate Odo about the secrets of his people, while the joined Romulan/Cardassian attack fleet moves towards the Founders' home world on a mission of destruction.

Votes: 2,553

26. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Adversary (1995)

The Defiant is off to show the Federation's presence to the new Tzenkethi government. While underway the ship malfunctions and repeated instances leads Sisko to believe a changeling's onboard, engaging in sabotage.

Director: Alexander Singer | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,118

27. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Way of the Warrior (1995)

TV-14 | 93 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

Sisko becomes uncomfortable when the Klingons station a task force to help defend against the Dominion. Worf is summoned to find out their true intentions.

Director: James L. Conway | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,992

28. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Family Business (1995)

Quark and Rom return to the Ferengi home world because their mother has broken the law - by wearing clothes and earning profits, forbidden for women in Ferengi society.

Director: Rene Auberjonois | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Alexander Siddig , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,045

29. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Visitor (1995)

Melanie, an aspiring writer, wants to know why Jake Sisko stopped writing at 40. Jake tells how his father died in an accident and then suddenly reappeared.

Director: David Livingston | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 4,302

30. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Little Green Men (1995)

Quark and Rom take Nog to Earth and Starfleet Academy, but a malfunction with the ship takes the crew back in time, to Roswell, New Mexico in 1947.

Votes: 2,724

31. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Hippocratic Oath (1995)

Bashir is asked to help a group of renegade Jem'Hadar break their addiction to ketracel white. Meanwhile Worf is dissatisfied with the way Odo runs security.

Director: Rene Auberjonois | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,171

32. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Indiscretion (1995)

Kira and Gul Dukat go after the lost prison ship Ravinok. Dukat has a secret. Meanwhile Kasidy Yates tries to find work near Bajor, leaving Sisko uncomfortable.

Director: LeVar Burton | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,145

33. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Paradise Lost (1996)

When Starfleet institutes martial law to combat the Changeling Menace, Sisko begins to question if the Dominion is the real threat.

Director: Reza Badiyi | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,260

34. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Starship Down (1995)

A damaged Defiant must play a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with two Jem'Hadar ships inside a gas giant.

Director: Alexander Singer | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,169

35. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Our Man Bashir (1995)

When a transporter emergency turns the command crew into holosuite characters, Bashir's James Bond fantasy takes on a deadly reality.

Director: Winrich Kolbe | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,366

36. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Bar Association (1996)

Unfair working conditions and pay cuts cause Rom to organize a union of the employees of Quark's Bar. Meanwhile, Worf still finds it hard to settle on the station.

Votes: 2,111

37. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Homefront (1996)

Sisko travels to Earth when a bombing at a Federation conference is determined to be the work of Changelings.

Votes: 2,286

38. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Broken Link (1996)

Odo is suddenly struck by illness. He is barely able to hold shape. Bashir and Odo see no other alternative than going to the Founders. Garak wants to come along.

Director: Les Landau | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,052

39. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Hard Time (1996)

O'Brien tries to re-integrate to life on the station after serving 20 years in a virtual prison.

Votes: 2,382

40. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Apocalypse Rising (1996)

With the war between Klingons and Federation intensifying, Sisko must make a plan to expose Gowron as a changeling. Odo is still having trouble with becoming a solid.

Votes: 2,179

41. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: For the Cause (1996)

Sisko must face betrayal when evidence surfaces that Kasidy is smuggling for the Maquis. Meanwhile Garak makes acquaintance with Ziyal.

42. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: To the Death (1996)

TV-PG | 44 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

A renegade group of Jem'Hadar plunders Deep Space Nine. Sisko agrees to a combat operation with loyal Jem'Hadar to prevent the renegades completing a planetary gateway.

Votes: 2,124

43. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Trials and Tribble-ations (1996)

Sisko tells two men from Temporal Investigations how he and his crew went back in time to when Captain James Kirk of the first Starship Enterprise exposed a Klingon spy with the help of Tribbles.

Director: Jonathan West | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 4,123

44. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Rapture (1996)

Sisko begins having visions that may show him how to best help Bajor, but they're killing him.

Votes: 1,970

45. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Ship (1996)

The crew is forced to retreat in a crashed Jem'Hadar ship after an attack by the Jem'Hadar. They get the feeling there's something very important about this ship.

Director: Kim Friedman | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,221

46. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: In Purgatory's Shadow (1997)

A coded message from the Gamma Quadrant leads Garak to believe his mentor, Enabran Tain, is still alive. He and Worf seek him out, only to discover something much worse: a Dominion invasion fleet poised to attack the Alpha Quadrant.

Director: Gabrielle Beaumont | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,327

47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: For the Uniform (1997)

When the traitorous Eddington returns, Sisko will go to any lengths to capture him.

Director: Victor Lobl | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

48. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: By Inferno's Light (1997)

The station readies for a Dominion attack. Worf and Garak meet some unexpected friends in a Dominion Prison camp.

Votes: 2,345

49. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Children of Time (1997)

The DS9 crew discovers a small colony on a remote world that was originally populated by them 200 years earlier due to a time-travel accident with the Defiant. The current colonists lives ... See full summary  »

Director: Allan Kroeker | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,292

50. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Soldiers of the Empire (1997)

TV-PG | 47 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

Dax and Worf accompany Martok on his first command since being held by the Dominion. But the ship they are given hasn't seen victory in months and the crew is near mutinous.

Votes: 1,985

51. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: A Time to Stand (1997)

Borrowing a captured Jem'Hadar attack ship, Sisko and crew embark on a mission to destroy the hidden base where all of the ketracel-white is stored for the entire Alpha Quadrant.

Votes: 2,155

52. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: In the Cards (1997)

Jake and Nog go through hell and high water, from participating in an auction to dealing with the Dominion, to receiving a Willie Mays baseball card, all in order to cheer up the war-fatigued Captain Sisko.

Director: Michael Dorn | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,047

53. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Call to Arms (1997)

With Dominion warships continuing to enter the Alpha Quadrant, Deep Space Nine prepares for a confrontation with the Dominion and Cardassia.

Votes: 2,328

54. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Sacrifice of Angels (1997)

The Federation attacks DS9 in hopes of keeping the mine field at the wormhole intact, while the Dominion waits entrance to the Alpha Quadrant from the other side.

Votes: 2,498

55. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Rocks and Shoals (1997)

Sisko and his crew crash on a barren world when their commandeered Jem'Hadar ship is shot down. They encounter Jem'Hadar who crashed there earlier, and have taken Nog and Garak hostage in exchange for medical aid for their Vorta overseer.

Director: Michael Vejar | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 2,311

56. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Sons and Daughters (1997)

Serving with his recruit son aboard a Klingon vessel, Worf finds his relationship with his son strained. Meanwhile, strained relationships abound on DS9 between Major Kira and Gul Dukat.

Director: Jesús Salvador Treviño | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 1,951

57. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Behind the Lines (1997)

After forming an attack plan on the Dominion, Sisko relinquishes command of the Defiant to Dax after accepting a promotion. On DS9, the resistance faces discovery when Odo links with another changeling.

Votes: 1,986

58. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Favor the Bold (1997)

Sisko mounts an attack to re-take DS9, while Rom faces charges as an enemy of the Dominion state.

59. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Far Beyond the Stars (1998)

Captain Sisko has a full sensory vision of himself as an under-appreciated science fiction magazine writer in 1950s America.

Director: Avery Brooks | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Michael Dorn , Terry Farrell

Votes: 3,795

60. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: You Are Cordially Invited (1997)

Suddenly desiring to wed within the week on DS9, Worf and Jadzia go through their own Klingon rituals: Worf on a four day bachelor party with the male members of the crew & Jadzia deals ... See full summary  »

Votes: 2,064

61. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Inquisition (1998)

Dr. Bashir's plans to attend a medical conference at a breezy resort are canceled when Starfleet Intelligence boards DS9, suspecting the doctor of treason.

Votes: 2,166

62. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: In the Pale Moonlight (1998)

To save the Federation in a critical scheme, Sisko comes to realize that he must violate its fundamental principles to do so.

Votes: 4,316

63. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Image in the Sand (1998)

Having returned to Earth a couple of months ago, Sisko waits for the Prophets to instruct him on what to do next. When he receives one, he begins searching for the woman behind the face in ... See full summary  »

Director: Les Landau | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Nicole de Boer , Michael Dorn

Votes: 2,009

64. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Tears of the Prophets (1998)

When Sisko is picked to head up an attack on the Cardassian homeworld, the Prophets appear to him in a vision, warning him of impending doom if he leaves the station.

Votes: 2,038

65. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Shadows and Symbols (1998)

Ezri Dax joins Sisko and his family on his quest for the Orb of the Emissary. Colonel Kira mounts a blockade around a Bajoran moon, where the Romulan hospital is - along with thousands of ... See full summary  »

Director: Allan Kroeker | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Nicole de Boer , Michael Dorn

Votes: 2,042

66. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Take Me out to the Holosuite (1998)

A Vulcan captain challenges Sisko to a game of baseball.

Director: Chip Chalmers | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Nicole de Boer , Michael Dorn

Votes: 2,351

67. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Once More Unto the Breach (1998)

An aged Kor requests an opportunity to die with honor as a warrior.

Votes: 1,936

68. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Afterimage (1998)

Sisko tries to convince Ezri to stay in Starfleet and serve aboard DS9, as Ezri tries to get to know Jadzia's friends aboard the station, especially Worf. Meanwhile, Garak tries to deal with a severe bout of claustrophobia.

Votes: 1,877

69. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Siege of AR-558 (1998)

Capt. Sisko and his away team volunteer to stay with a besieged unit at an isolated outpost.

Director: Winrich Kolbe | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Nicole de Boer , Michael Dorn

Votes: 2,472

70. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: It's Only a Paper Moon (1998)

Severely depressed at his serious war wound, Nog retreats into Vic Fontaine's holosuite program while the singer tries to help him.

Director: Anson Williams | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Nicole de Boer , Michael Dorn

Votes: 2,399

71. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Strange Bedfellows (1999)

Kai Winn gets unknowingly involved with Gul Dukat, surgically altered to resemble a Bajoran, using the name 'Anjohl.' Tensions further escalate between Weyoun and Legate Damar, as the ... See full summary  »

Director: Rene Auberjonois | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Nicole de Boer , Michael Dorn

Votes: 1,783

72. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: 'Til Death Do Us Part (1999)

The Prophets have told Sisko they do not approve of his impending marriage. Having been captured by the Breen, Ezri and Worf still don't know why the Breen would even bother to capture them... See full summary  »

Votes: 1,737

73. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: When It Rains... (1999)

Kira gets sent behind Cardassian lines in an effort to train them in resistance fighting. When Dr. Bashir learns of the deadly disease Odo is infected with, he meets with resistance whilst ... See full summary  »

Director: Michael Dorn | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Nicole de Boer , Michael Dorn

Votes: 1,778

74. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Changing Face of Evil (1999)

After the Breen attack Earth, mixed emotions abound on DS9. Kai Winn reveals her true feelings regarding the Prophets to her spiritual guide, a Bajoran farmer named Anjohl, who is a ... See full summary  »

Director: Michael Vejar | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Nicole de Boer , Michael Dorn

Votes: 1,863

75. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Tacking into the Wind (1999)

Odo is affected by the disease threatening to eliminate his race more than he lets on, while Kira has to deal with the Cardassians' dislike of her. Even though General Martok sees ... See full summary  »

Votes: 1,931

76. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: Extreme Measures (1999)

Dr. Bashir and Chief O'Brien go to some pretty extreme measures to try and track down a cure for Odo.

Director: Stephen L. Posey | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Nicole de Boer , Michael Dorn

Votes: 1,815

77. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: The Dogs of War (1999)

Odo begins recovery from the deadly disease which Dr. Bashir tells him had been engineered by Section 31 in order to wipe out the Founders' entire race, A resistance mission goes bad for ... See full summary  »

Director: Avery Brooks | Stars: Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois , Nicole de Boer , Michael Dorn

Votes: 1,849

78. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Episode: What You Leave Behind (1999)

TV-PG | 92 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

As the Dominion War comes to an end, Dukat goes to the Pah Wraiths to awaken them. Meanwhile the Dominion turn on the rebelling Cardassians, destroying them city by city. Will the Alliance ... See full summary  »

Votes: 2,665

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‘star trek: deep space nine’ — the 20 greatest episodes.

We boldly go — and revisit the top episodes from 'Deep Space Nine.'

By Aaron Couch , Graeme McMillan September 22, 2016 6:00am

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Though Deep Space Nine was the fourth Star Trek series to hit the airwaves, it is number one in the hearts of many Trekkies . 

The series was grittier and more serialized than any Trek that came before. Over seven seasons and 176 episodes, fans were delighted by the work of stars Avery Brooks ( Sisko ), Rene  Auberjonois ( Odo ), Terry Farrell ( Dax )  Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko )  Colm Meaney (O'Brien)  Armin Shimerman (Quark), Alexander Siddig  ( Bashir ), Nana Visitor (Kira) Michael Dorn ( Worf ) and Nicole de Boerwhich .

To mark the  50th anniversary of Star Trek this month, The Hollywood Reporter counted down the  top 100 episodes of  Star Trek  across all six TV series. Every day through Friday, we're breaking that list down even further — ranking the episodes by individual series.

Here, you'll find the cast and crew of  DS9 sharing what makes these episodes among the best of what they did from 1993-99. For more, check out the top episodes from the original series and Next Generation .

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A windy mystery featuring poisons, explosions and interspecies intrigue, Odo   attemps to uncovery  who is behind a plot to kill Garak , only to learn the Cardassian merchant knows more than he is saying. Many in the  DS9  cast of characters are outsiders, and Garek  is no different, with the episode exploring his exile and desire to return to the  Cardassian fold, no matter the consequences. 

"Necessary Evil"

For anyone still wondering what a departure Deep Space Nine was from Next Generation , those questions were thrown out the window by the conclusion of this murder mystery, which revealed one of the station's beloved characters isn't the spotless type you'd expect from the Enterprise-D crew. 

"Little Green Men"

Quark, Rom, and Nog are headed to take the younger Ferengi to Starfleet Academy, when an accident sends them back to 1940s Earth, where they end up being responsible for the famous UFO sighting at Roswell. Though Quark has dreams of staying in the 20th century and using the superior technology of their shuttle to set up a business empire like none other, he doesn't get his way in the end.  

"Trials and Tribble-ations"

Doubtlessly, there are those who sought a more serious way to mark Star Trek 's 30th anniversary, but "Trials" was a celebration in the most literal sense: a hilarious episode that inserted DS9 's crew in the background of a fan-favorite installment of the original series, gently and affectionately poking fun at the design and attitude of the show as-was while reminding everyone who they loved it so. 

Take Me Out To The Holosuite

In the midst of the show's hopelessness, this series is a necessary breath of fresh air as the DS9 crew finds itself having to defend its honor against a group of arrogant Vulcans by … playing baseball, of all things. As if to underscore the contrary nature of the series as a whole, things don't go as well as they might have for the crew of the Enterprise, but there seems something fitting about that, somehow. Pay particular attention for Max Grodenchik's performance as the clumsy Rom; the actor was such a good baseball player that he had to play left-handed to come across as suitably inept.

"The Siege of AR-558"

How bad do things get during the Dominion War? Everything you need to know can be found in this brutal episode, which kills off multiple Starfleet crew — including Lost in Space 's Bill Mumy — and maims one of the show's regular characters in the process. While earlier Star Trek series had reveled in the standalone nature of each episode, the Dominion War storyline in DS9 reveled in the slow burn, meaning that the dramatic events in this episode — and the fallout that followed — had even more impact than fans might have expected at the time.  

"It's Only a Paper Moon"

A quasi-sequel to "The Siege of AR-558," this episode didn't just deal with the post-traumatic stress suffered by one of the survivors of the interplanetary siege in the earlier episode, it advances the existence of one of the show's stranger recurring characters: the self-aware hologram and quasi Vegas lounge singer Vic Fontaine (James Darren) in the process. If ever there was an episode that displays the depth and breath of DS9 's varied ambitions, it's this one; touching, challenging and amusing all at the same time.

"Once More Unto the Breach"

Klingon  Kor (John Colicos ) is growing old and senile, and asks Worf for one last chance to die in battle. Worf uses his sway to get him on a ship, and though he initially he is humiliated, he eventually gets his warrior's death.

"I liked the honor and loyalty and black and whiteness of Worf ," says Michael Dorn , who rates the episode in his top two for DS9 . "Even though he may chose different things, you're going to do the honorable thing. Even if the honorable thing doesn't appear honorable at first." 

"Inquisition"

By the time this episode aired, episodes where one of the crew is suspected of being a traitor were nothing new — The Next Generation had even turned Geordi into a brainwashed would-be assassin at one point — but mixing that idea with the wartime paranoia that had utterly infused DS9 by this point proved a perfectly potent combination, especially when the final twist in the tale is something that no-one saw coming. (We won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen the episode yet, but 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness has some roots in this episode, surprisingly enough.)

"Past Tense, Parts I & II"

As everyone who's ever read, watched or lived (Hey, it's not impossible ) a time travel story knows by heart, changing the past is a very bad idea and definitely shouldn't be done — so what happens when some of the DS9 crew end up trapped on Earth, three centuries before they were born, and watch one of the most important historical figures they know of die right in front of them? Factor in commentary on then-contemporary issues about how society treats the homeless and what "Past Tense" offers is classic Trek , even when it's gleefully contradicting and ignoring genre tropes. Think of it as the anti-"City on the Edge of Forever."

"Soldiers of the Empire"

The LeVar Burton-directed episode sees  Martok  (J. G. Hertzler ) enlist Worf (Michael Dorn ) to find a missing Klinong vessel. When  Martok is too afraid to act in the face of the enemy, Worf reluctantly challenges him for command of his ship, eventually letting him win the fight after realizing the general had overcome his fear.

Dorn , who spent more time than anyone playing a Klingon , says acting in an episode that takes place almost entirely on a Klingon ship gave him new insights into his character that even he didn't previously have. 

"That was when it first started to hit me how Shakespearean the Klingons were," Dorn  says of the episode. "It really spoke to me about who the Klingons really were."

"What You Leave Behind"

The finale of Deep Space Nine might have struggled to meet the challenge of living up to seven years' worth of teases of the mythical nature of the existential Prophets (Gods? Aliens? Both?) and their connection to the show's lead characters and closing out the multiple running storylines, but it doesn't matter: everything is done with such intensity and passion that any and all mistakes are forgiven, especially in light of some pitch-perfect conclusions for many of the show's long serving characters. ( Garak , we're looking at you.) Simultaneously downbeat and optimistic in its refusal to bring the story to an end, there's something effortlessly fitting about the way that Trek 's most challenging incarnation draws to a close. 

"A Time to Stand"/"Rocks and Shoals"/"Sons and Daughters"/"Behind the Lines"/"Favor the Bold"/"Sacrifice of Angels"

The fifth season finale of Deep Space Nine hadn't just broken the utopian pacifism of the franchise as a whole, it had broken the very concept of the series by kicking Starfleet off Deep Space Nine and placing the station into the hands of the Dominion. What followed broke new ground for Trek as a whole, as the franchise moved into a serialized format for the first time ever outside of the two-parters fans loved, with a six-episode arc showing how the good guys got to go home. Although they achieve their goal — you can only break the concept of your show for so long, after all — success comes with a cost, and events in this arc set up the remainder of the series and changes DS9 as a show going forward. An ambitious victory for showrunner Ira Steven Behr and his team.

"A wonderful actor, Harris Yulin , and I, were given the episode 'Duet during the first season of Deep Space Nine ," recalls Nana Visitor, who played Kira Nerys for seve  seasons. "What I knew going in was that it was a 'bottle' show, meant to help make up some of the money that was spent on the special effects-laden pilot. Two characters, few effects. It felt like it was going to be disastrous the whole time we were shooting."

The episode, which deals with dark material such as cowardice, prejudice and even genocide, went on to be be a hallmark of the first season. But Visitor didn't know at the time it would turn out so well.

"Everything felt like a struggle," she admits. "I even struggled with my own sense of ethics with my character. I struggled with Harris. I struggled with being on mostly one claustrophobic set sixteen hours a day, watching Harris struggle with one of the heaviest makeup the show did. When I saw the show, I was amazed. The writing was beautiful, true to life's shades of grey when you delve beneath the surface, which the writer's certainly did. Harris was heartbreaking, and going through the filming of that show left me with a phrase that is still in my brain and continues to humble me, 'I don't know.' "

"Call to Arms"

After three years of prelude, the series closed out its fifth season by doing the one thing that Star Trek wasn't supposed to, as a franchise: declaring war, and taking Trek away from its pacifist outlook and into the great unknown for the first time in decades. Co-written by showrunner Ira Steven Behr and the dependable Robert Hewitt Wolfe, this episode underscores DS9 as the series that betrayed the very ideals that make Star Trek what it is — and strengthens the franchise as a whole as a result. 

"Homefront" and "Paradise Lost"

With impressive understatement, the two-parter at the center of the show's fourth season — and the entire series as a whole — quietly drives home the scale of the danger facing humanity as Sisko finds himself facing both the Dominion and Federation as a result of the paranoia being sown by the shape-changing Founders. When the enemy can look like anyone they want, who can be trusted? (One answer: Sisko's father, played by Trek veteran Brock Peters; clearly, he's making up for his untrustworthy Star Trek VI character, who was working against Kirk and co. back in the day.)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ33e9BK9aU]

The pilot for Deep Space Nine is considered the strongest in Trek history — with it making the bold move of beginning in the middle of the action at the battle of Wolf 359, where Sisko lost his wife at the hands of Locutus of Borg. Director David Carson had worked on TNG , and notes DS9 was "completely and daringly different" from earlier Trek .

"Creators, Michael Piller and Rick Berman pushed the Star Trek universe into areas it had never been before and at the same time stayed true to the overall concept so that the immense fan base would be satisfied with what we did," says Carson. "The most significant change — which changed everything — was to set the series in a static space station guarding a wormhole, not constantly on the move, going where no one had been before. As a consequence, the stories became darker and less episodic, charged with more emotion and more closely analogous to the social problems of our age."

"The Visitor"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozq3_cWia3s]

Guest star Tony Todd gave one of the greatest Trek performances of all time as an aging Jake Sisko , who dedicates his life to trying to save his father after an accident sends him rippling through time.

"It was like lighting in a bottle," recalls Todd. "I first appeared as the lost Klingon brother of Worf in Next Generation . By the time the 'The Visitor,' came along, my Aunt Clara, who raised me, had recently passed. Totally inconsolable, out of the blue, this fabulous script came along, and accepting her voice to get up and move forward, I dived into the task at hand."

Todd played Jake throughout the decades, having extraordinary chemistry with Avery Brooks as a son consumed with grief, and who eventually grows older than his own parent. Todd still considers it the role of a lifetime. 

"Without trepidation, I accepted David Livingston’s direction like none other before or since, and turned in a performance like none other before. Totally connected, the tremendous cast of DS9 accepted my channeling and allowed me to embrace the virtues of Star Trek ," he says.

"Far Beyond the Stars"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0fk4H2DSM0]Avery Brooks directed the stirring episode, which sees Sisko have a vision of himself living as a sci-fi writer in the 1950s , where he deals with racism on a daily basis. 

"It is the very best of Star Trek, if not some of the very best of science fiction in general," says  Armin Shimerman , who played Quark for seven seasons. "Even though that was a problem in the 1950s and Star Trek takes place in 24th  century, one can imagine, although one hopes, it isn't going to be that way, that racism is still a problem."

The episode culminates with one of Brooks' finest  monologues , with his character Benny Russell breaking down after facing discrimination his whole life. Shimerman recalls standing to the side while Brooks delivered his monologue , calling it "a great tribute to Avery that he was able to give a sterling performance while he was shouldering the responsibilities of being a director."

"In the Pale Moonlight"

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-YyL7X4CWw]If DS9 was the Star Trek series that asked questions the other series shied away from — and it was, on a regular basis — this is the archetypal episode that shows how fearlessly the show pushes the envelope. In the midst of war with the Dominion, Sisko betrays the ideals of Starfleet for the greater good and then dares the audience to fault him for his decision. Avery Brooks' brittle, angry performance anchors an episode that underscores the cost the war is having on his character, and the series as a whole. Who knew Star Trek could feel this dark, or conflicted? 

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Graeme McMillan

WIRED Binge-Watching Guide: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

When it debuted in 1993, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine seemed like an odd proposition. After all, Star Trek: The Next Generation was still going strong, so the idea of a second series set in the same time period seemed superfluous, and the revelation that it wouldn't be set on a starship, but instead a space station, felt ludicrous. How good could a Star Trek be if the characters weren't boldly going anywhere?

The answer turned out to be "pretty good, actually." Deep Space Nine (or DS9 for short) wasn't the same kind of Star Trek that audiences had enjoyed before, but instead something that took the ideas behind the earlier series in different directions. It remained true to the ideals behind the franchise while breaking new ground, and in the process, setting the stage for the great sci-fi that followed (looking at you, Battlestar Galactica remake).

Despite that, it remains a show that a lot of people haven't managed to discover just yet. If you're one of those people, cancel all your evening plans for the next few months. It's time to visit the Gamma Quadrant.

Number of Seasons: 7 (176 episodes)

Time Requirements: Prepare yourself for a three-month stay on board the Federation space station, with a base intake of two episodes a day. Of course, chances are you'll race through the series even faster, especially as the show picks up speed.

Where to Get Your Fix: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes

Best Character to Follow: While DS9 has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to enjoyable characters worth paying attention to—Snarky Ferengi bartender Quark (Armin Shimerman)! Conflicted war veteran turned reluctant peacekeeper Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor)! Featureless authoritarian Odo (Rene Auberjonois)! Cheerfully harassed engineer Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney)! etc.—the series revolves around Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), as complicated and compelling a lead as Star Trek has ever came up with. Even if you don't buy into the quasi-spiritual savior role that he's thrust into in the show's pilot, the character's arc across the entire series from traumatized survivor of a war that killed his wife to a confident leader of two separate but equal communities is something that should pull in any viewer. The clear joy with which Brooks delivers some of Sisko's dialogue helps a lot, as well.

Seasons/Episodes You Can Skip:

Unlike other Star Trek series, Deep Space Nine embraces long-form storytelling, with arcs and plots that thread through a number of episodes at a time. As a result, it's difficult to convincingly argue for skipping episodes in the same way that can be done for, say, Star Trek: The Next Generation . (It helps that even *DS9'*s worst episode has a level of quality that's above the worst of TNG or other Star Trek s.) That said, if you're really pressed for time, you could consider avoiding the following:

Season 1: Episode 10, "Move Along Home" The crew of the space station become pawns in a cosmic game they don't understand in this clumsy, but not unenjoyable episode. And, yes, that "pawns in a game" thing is literal; they're forced to take part in a game where the penalty is... death ! Because, of course they are.

Amit Katwala

Andy Greenberg

Caroline Haskins

Season 4: Episode 21, "The Muse" Where do ideas come from? In this episode that appears to be allergic to subtlety, the answer is "from an alien who'll help turn you into a masterful writer while killing you in the process." Don't you understand, viewers? It's so hard to come up with good ideas and you're just sitting there and watching passively!

Season 5: Episode 7, "Let He Who Is Without Sin..." Continuing a proud tradition of Star Trek episodes that try to show how evolved and, like, with it future humanity is when it comes to morality, but only succeeds in showing how very much those responsible for said episodes are products of their time, "Let He..." doubles down with the revelation that, hey, did you know that events in your childhood can shape the person you become as an adult? It's true!

Season 6: Episode 23, "Profit and Lace" You might have thought that Tootsie , a movie from 1982, put an end to the tradition that men dressed up as women were inherently funny, but this 1998 episode (that genuinely is trying to offer a feminist message at its core) proves otherwise.

Season 6: Episode 24, "Time's Orphan" Every parent goes through what O'Brien has to deal with in this episode: the feeling that his child is growing up too quickly. Fewer parents have to watch as a sci-fi MacGuffin immediately ages said child into a feral adult.

Seasons/Episodes You Can't Skip:

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is an impressively strong show from its very start, lacking the shaky beginnings that both The Next Generation and Voyager suffer from, meaning that you're guaranteed a pretty good ride right from the beginning. If possible, consider everything from the pilot recommended (well, with the few exceptions listed above), but here are some episodes that you can call essential.

Season 1: Episode 1, "Emissary" The series starts off with a bang with an opening that takes place during one of the best stories from Star Trek: The Next Generation . But things only get better as the crew of the space station get introduced to the audience and each other—and that's before Sisko meets some aliens who are going to change everything for the next seven years and beyond...

Season 1: Episode 19, "Duet" Kira becomes convinced that one of the visitors to the station is actually a war criminal responsible for an infamous slaughter of prisoners at a labor camp, and sets out to break him in order to find the truth. Tense and unwilling to take the easy route, "Duet" was an early hint at the future direction of the series.

Season 2: Episode 23, "Crossover" The choice to bring back the Mirror Universe of the original Trek was one that could easily have backfired, but thanks to a quick-moving story—and the decision to turn one of the show's regular characters into a semi-dominatrix villainess in the alternate timeline—"Crossover" turned out to be successful enough to turn Mirror Universe episodes into a regular occurrence for the rest of the show's run.

Season 4: Episode 3, "The Visitor" An accident sends Sisko out of phase with his regular timeline, but instead of following him as he leaps into the future without any control, the episode sticks with his son as he comes to terms with becoming an orphan even though his father is still, technically, alive. Sentimental in all the best ways, and more than a little touching as a result.

Season 4: Episode 9, "Our Man Bashir" The Next Generation had Sherlock Holmes and Dixon Hill as regular Holodeck fantasies, but Deep Space Nine was more interested in the Swinging Sixties, leading to this James Bond parody in which the station's doctor, Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig), gets to live out his secret agent fantasies. Even more fun than the retro-parody is watching Bashir slowly realize that his friend Garak (Andrew Robinson) is a far better spy than he ever imagined.

Season 5: Episode 6, "Trials and Tribble-ations" Speaking of the show's love of the 1960s, the 30th anniversary of *Star Trek'*s debut gave the show a chance to go back in time literally, with the crew of the station traveling back to the era of James T. Kirk and (thanks to some inventive camerawork and some faithful recreations of sets, costumes, and props of the time) appear in the background of an episode of the original series. It's silly, it's shameless fan-service, and it's amazingly fun.

Season 5: Episode 26 and Season 6: Episodes 1-6, "Call to Arms," "A Time to Stand," "Rocks and Shoals," "Sons and Daughters," "Behind the Lines," "Favor the Bold," and "Sacrifice of Angels" A seven-episode sequence that bridges the end of the show's fifth year and the start of its sixth, war is declared throughout the galaxy as Sisko takes it upon himself to save the station from being overrun by a collective of aliens known as the Dominion... and fails. Well, at least, he does to begin with. The story took seven episodes, after all.

Season 6: Episode 13, "Far Beyond the Stars" Probably the best episode of Deep Space Nine , and definitely the best example of the "What if all of the series is a hallucination and this is the truth?" trope that's popped up on countless series throughout the years, the audience is introduced to Benny Russell, a sci-fi writer in 1950s New York who has to deal with racism, censorship, and police brutality. That he and his colleagues all look like the crew of Deep Space Nine isn't a coincidence.

Season 7: Episode 10, "It's Only a Paper Moon" In a series that centers around a man coming to terms with losing his wife as the result of an alien attack, it's surprising that its most clear commentary on post-traumatic stress comes in relation to another character altogether, but no less surprising than the fact that said commentary includes the presence of a faux Rat Pack-er in a virtual Las Vegas from the middle of the 20th century. Deep Space Nine didn't always take the obvious route, as you might be realizing by now.

Season 7: Episode 25, "What You Leave Behind" Everything from the past seven years comes to a head in a series finale that brings the show to a satisfying close, if not necessarily a happy ending. Be warned.

Why You Should Binge:

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is, in many ways, a midway point between the sincerity and procedural nature of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the messier, more ambitious Battlestar Galactica . (Ronald D. Moore, a writer and producer on DS9 , got his start on ST:TNG and created and served as showrunner on BSG .) As a result, it's able to pull strengths from both, while having an appeal all of its own. Much of the show's DNA is true to the more cerebral, philosophical elements of earlier Treks , but there's also an embrace of ideas and concepts that the franchise had previously shied away from—including spirituality, race, and Starfleet being a quasi-military organization. Thinking of it as the "dark side" of Star Trek is too reductive—not least because it's a show that flirts with darkness but purposefully doesn't embrace it—but maybe "the Star Trek that's not uncomfortable feeling weird" would fit, instead. It's the Star Trek for people who don't think they like Star Trek , and the Star Trek for people who do, as well.

Best Scene—"Just Like the Federation" As much as we're tempted to suggest that the sight of Avery Brooks in full-on monologue mode "celebrating" something that, as he says, might be the turning point in the Dominion War that dominates the majority of the second half of the series, there's another scene that deserves the honor of being declared *Deep Space Nine'*s best. But before we get to that one, let's enjoy Brooks' fourth-wall-breaking performance, shall we?

With that out of the way, the best scene from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine comes from the show's fourth season opener, "The Way of the Warrior," in which Quark and Garak talk politics and put the appeal of the Federation in a whole new light:

The Takeaway: After 30 years, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine showed that there were new places left for the franchise to boldly go, and it did so for seven years with style. That there are also lots of bad guys to hiss at from the safety of your own sofa amongst the social and political metacommentary in the series just shows how well the whole thing was put together.

If You Liked Star Trek: Deep Space Nine You'll Love: Both the reboot of Battlestar Galactica and J. Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5 spring to mind as further viewing options for those who love Deep Space Nine , in addition to the obvious suggestions of Star Trek: The Next Generation , which shares characters and sets up concepts that blossom in DS9 , and Star Trek: Voyager . (Spoilers: There are those who prefer Babylon 5 to Deep Space Nine . Those people are wrong.)

The best suggestion, however, isn't another TV show at all; for those who fall for the mix of politics, science fiction, and derring-do that Deep Space Nine serves up, the ideal follow-up is actually the Star Trek: Vanguard series of novels, which pretty much takes the DS9 approach and applies it to the original series' era with just a little bit more of a bloodthirsty edge. Highly recommended.

Angela Watercutter

Eric Ravenscraft

Jennifer M. Wood

Megan Farokhmanesh

The 10 Best Episodes of 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'

A deep dive into Deep Space Nine!

If there is such a thing as a “pessimistic” version of Star Trek , that radically hopeful cornerstone of 20th century science fiction, then Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is as close as it gets. Premiering in 1993, Deep Space Nine quickly charted a course unique to the franchise, from the way it told its stories – in Season (and series) long story arcs – to what those stories were about -- the politically tangled, emotionally complex territory of war and occupation. This was terrain that its progenitors, Star Trek: The Original Series , and Star Trek: The Next Generation , had only glimpsed. The rosy vision of the future at the core of Star Trek -- with its improbably well-adjusted human race and largely harmonious universe – was long overdue for reassessment, and Deep Space Nine did just that, lingering in the morally opaque margins of Gene Roddenberry’s utopian fantasy, but doing so without losing the essence of what made Star Trek so beloved.

In fact, Deep Space Nine broadened Star Trek ’s central conceit by consciously turning away from it, and thereby making it more relatable. We’re not perfect beings, the show reminds us (as if we needed it), and the road to paradise is rougher than we imagined -- but we’re still trudging along, and the struggle towards perfection is no less noble than its assumption. That struggle, it must also be said, makes for more dramatically interesting TV, and it’s at the heart of what makes Deep Space Nine the best Star Trek show ever made.

Not convinced? Here are ten classic episodes to change your mind:

RELATED: Ronald D. Moore Shares Some Great Stories About Writing 'Star Trek: THe Next Generation' and 'DS9'

"In the Pale Moonlight" (Season 6, Episode 19)

How much are you willing to sacrifice when your back is against the wall? That’s not a question often asked in Star Trek , which typically presents us with protagonists who have the luxury of the moral high ground – people who have nothing to lose by doing the right thing. But when those rosy circumstances change, when the choice is between our principles and our continued survival – what choice do we make? That’s the question In the Pale Moonlight asks, in not only one of the best episodes of Star Trek ever made, but in one of the most gloriously bravura hours of television ever filmed.

If you’re wondering what all that “ Deep Space Nine is the morally gray version of Star Trek ” fuss is about, go watch this episode and get vaporized.

"Far Beyond the Stars" (Season 6, Episode 13)

Far Beyond the Stars finds Captain Sisko ( Avery Brooks ) caught in a time-traveling reverie: he’s stuck in 1953, living the life of a science fiction writer named Benny Russell, and totally unaware of having ever been the captain of a space station in the far future. As if that weren’t enough, Russell must endure racism both blatant and subtle -- in the form of police brutality and workplace discrimination – all while being strangely drawn to write a story about a “fictional” space station called Deep Space Nine.

Star Trek had taken on racism before, but it always felt like something of an academic exercise -- the work of writers fundamentally opposed to racial prejudice while also being safely insulated from its real-world horrors. Episodes like the original series’ Let That Be Your Last Battlefield – in which an alien race segregates its members based on the pattern of color on their faces -- point out the absurdity of racism without actually engaging with it, treating it like some logical fallacy to be disproven, or a primitive “idea” long since dispensed with, rather than something still out there, deeply engrained in human society.

That’s what makes Far Beyond the Stars so affecting: it doesn’t let its audience off the hook—it’s addressing itself to us . And by doing so, it creates the most vital statement on race that Star Trek has ever attempted.

"The Visitor" (Season 4, Episode 3)

In another victory for real live humans, Deep Space Nine showed us a commanding officer grappling not just with grand existential concerns, like obeying the Prime Directive or avoiding a war with the Romulans, but with the decidedly more earthbound demands of parenthood. And indeed, Captain Sisko’s relationship with his son Jake ( Cirroc Lofton ) is the heart and soul of DS9 -- the warmth between the two is unflagging and tender (and real -- actors Avery Brooks and Cirroc Lofton have remained close) so it’s no surprise that Deep Space Nine ’s most emotionally powerful hour would showcase the love, and heartbreaking devotion, of these two characters for each other.

There are precious few evocations of familial love in popular science fiction -- much less the bond between a father and son -- but The Visitor showcases both with unbelievable beauty and grace, not once misstepping into melodrama.

I don’t know if it’s the best episode of Star Trek ever made, but it’s certainly the only one to ever make me cry, and I suspect I’m not alone.

"Duet" (Season 1, Episode 19)

Deep Space Nine gets a lot of flak for its early seasons, and not without reason – in the years before it moved toward grand narrative arcs and incisive character studies, it struggled to find its footing, lost in the shadow of its wildly popular predecessor, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and attempting (largely unsuccessfully) to emulate that show’s episodic structure. But season one’s Duet was a promising hint of things to come. The episode is essentially a stage play -- simply, but powerfully, told as a series of conversations between occupation survivor Kira Nerys ( Nana Visitor ) and her Cardassian prisoner, Marritza ( Harris Yulin ) a man who may in fact be one of the worst war criminals in Bajoran history.

The stage is thus set for a simple morality tale, in classic Star Trek style, in which good guys wag their fingers at bad guys, maybe even teaching them a lesson in the process. But DS9 , true to the murky ethical view that would come to define its universe, eschews simple answers. Instead, it never stops asking questions -- even when the finger points squarely back at us.

"Who Mourns for Morn?" (Season 6, Episode 12)

As dark as Deep Space Nine could sometimes be, it could also be fun (and funny) -- particularly in its bottle episodes. Who Mourns for Morn? probably won’t place in many top ten lists, but it’s always been a favorite of mine, not just for its light-hearted tone, but for the way it highlights DS9 ’s outstanding commitment to all of its characters. And I do mean all of them. Not only did the show thoughtfully flesh out the stories of its supporting cast over its seven-year run, it even made time for its extras -- including one who never uttered a single line.

That would be Morn ( Mark Allen Shepherd ), of course -- the mute, vaguely porcine humanoid perpetually parked at Deep Space Nine's bar. Morn’s death triggers the action in this bit of frivolity from season six, sending Quark ( Armin Shimerman ) on a wild goose chase and giving us all more insight into everyone’s favorite interstellar barfly – and his digestive system -- than we ever thought we’d need.

"What You Leave Behind" (Season 7, Episode 25)

A barn-burning series capper, What You Leave Behind -- unlike many other episodes on this list -- can’t truly be appreciated without first familiarizing yourself with everything that came before, a testament to how profoundly interwoven Deep Space Nine ’s stories had become by the time of its finale. But once you’re prepared, get ready for a whopper of an ending: the culmination of the Dominion War in a space battle as epic as anything in Trek history, the final act of Cardassian Damar's ( Casey Biggs ) rocky journey to apotheosis (the greatest character arc in all of Star Trek ) and – by the way – the last goodbye to all of our friends on DS9 .

Though some choices proved controversial (particularly the culturally-fraught coda of Sisko’s storyline) most hit the target, and Deep Space Nine departed as it lived: bold, complicated, and just a bit sad.

"Homefront/Paradise Lost" (Season 4, Episodes 11 & 12)

How do you identify, let alone defeat, an enemy who can literally look like anyone? Such was the dilemma the Federation faced in its series-long conflict with the shape-shifting Changelings, a foe who brought new meaning to the phrase “hiding in plain sight.” Aside from a few episodes, DS9 only occasionally focused on the psychological havoc a few well-positioned shape-shifters might cause. The most notable exception being season four two-parter Homefront and Paradise Lost .

These episodes unleash the Changelings on an unsuspecting Earth -- that holiest of holies in the Star Trek universe -- and by doing so reveal that a carefully concocted paranoia might be more of a threat to freedom and democracy than even the most fearsome army – fairly prescient, wouldn’t you say?

"The Sound of Her Voice" (Season 6, Episode 25)

Though Deep Space Nine threw the Star Trek universe into existential crisis, in ways both subtle and profound, it was also – somewhat surprisingly -- the most heartfelt of any iteration of Trek before or since, as compassionate in its portrayal of human tenderness as it was unflinching in its exploration of human frailties. There’s plenty proof of that on display in The Sound of Her Voice , another bottle episode that, like Duet above, draws its considerable emotional power entirely from conversations between characters.

It’s also helped along by virtue of one high concept twist – best not revealed here – that reminds us that the distance to each other is as close as the sound of our voices -- and farther than the farthest star.

"Take Me Out to the Holosuite" (Season 7, Episode 4)

Following a challenge by a visiting captain, the DS9 regulars find themselves drawn into a baseball game with a team of “superior” Vulcans. Our ragtag home team (the “Niners”) are – on paper at least -- no match for their opponents. Can Sisko’s crew rise to the occasion and defeat their pointy-eared rivals? Will they discover there’s more to life than just winning? Will Quark catch a pop-fly with his ear? Stay tuned, holographic sports fans!

Yes, Take Me Out to the Holosuite is essentially The Bad News Bears meets Deep Space Nine . And, frankly, that’s just fine. As it closed in on the end of its run, the show had more than earned this kind of cheerful frivolity, which gave us some wonderful, funny character moments with our beloved cast, and also provided a much-needed respite from the monumental goings-on in the show’s final season.

Given all that, I’d call Take Me Out to the Holosuite a homerun.

"Trials and Tribble-ations" (Season 5, Episode 6)

Star Trek: The Original Series and Deep Space Nine are such polar opposites that it’s strange to be reminded that they both inhabit the same narrative universe, much less the same aesthetic one – Captain Kirk’s ( William Shatner ) moralizing soliloquies would feel as out of place aboard DS9 as the original series’ boxy Playmobil sets. It’s those discrepancies that make for a campy good time in season five’s Trials and Tribble-ations , which finds the time-traveling DS9 crew aboard the USS Enterprise way back in the Technicolor age of the 23rd century.

The plot of this episode is barely there, existing only to get our cast inserted into the original series (and interacting with the original cast) -- but that’s hardly the point. Trials and Tribble-ations was made to be pure fan service (it aired during the original series’ 30th anniversary) and in that, it succeeds brilliantly. The costumes, sets, and special effects all blend together seamlessly to create a loving ode to the show that started it all – and it’s still the greatest cross-over in all of Trek history.

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The Best Episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Ranked

When Star Trek: Deep Space Nine premiered 25 years ago, it was entering into a storied science-fiction enterprise that prized camaraderie and intellectual curiosity. Almost immediately, Deep Space Nine set itself apart from its predecessors. If previous incarnations saw their story lines born from a place of peace and exploration, Deep Space Nine was born of the fires of war. No incarnation of Star Trek before or since has lived up the ideals of diversity quite the way Deep Space Nine did over the course of its seven seasons. The series introduced the franchise’s first black lead in the form of Commander (and later Captain) Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), a widow, single father, and religious icon to the Bajoran people who is tasked with bringing the newly freed people of Bajor into the Federation while heading a space station at the edge of a previously undiscovered wormhole. (If you want more details, take a look at my guide to every Star Trek show .)

Deep Space Nine isn’t only notable for its diversity though. The show favored long-form arcs, which allowed its stories to be as emotionally resonant as they were politically profound. It is a beautifully acted, impactfully directed, and resolutely gritty show. Rewatching Deep Space Nine in 2018 has shown me that its artistry feels more relevant than ever today, which makes a list like this difficult to write. In honor of its 25th anniversary, here are the top 15 episodes of Deep Space Nine, all available on Hulu .

15. “Past Tense Part 1 & 2” Season 3, Episode 11 & 12

Since its beginnings, science fiction has used all manner of ghouls, aliens, monsters, and madmen as allegory to interrogate real-world concerns. The Star Trek universe reflects this history, but in doing so, sometimes the complexity and tangled nature of certain social concerns get lost in translation. Deep Space Nine often made the bold decision to eschew allegory and instead tackle race, poverty, and identity with a more gimlet-eyed approach, which gave us episodes like the season three two-parter, “Past Tense.” In it, Sisko, science officer Lieutenant Jadzia Dax (a luminescent Terry Farrell), and Dr. Julian Bashir (the always amazing Alexander Siddig) are thrust about 300 years into the past because of a transporter malfunction. San Francisco in 2024 is a harrowing landscape in which the homeless are sectioned off from society, poverty is rampant, and racism is still very much a reality. It’s fascinating watching how each Starfleet officer contends with the thorny political moment as well as the lengths Sisko goes to ensure that the future remains intact. As men of color, Sisko and Bashir contend with racism in ways they never have to in their daily lives, as it is a thing of the past in Earth’s 24th century. As Robert Greene II wrote for the Atlantic , “‘Past Tense’ was notable for depicting racism not from the perspective of a well-meaning white liberal, as seen in previous iterations of Star Trek , but through the eyes of people of color directly threatened by violence and indifference.”

14. “Whispers” Season 2, Episode 14

What makes Deep Space Nine such an amazing series are its rich performances from a cast of actors with no weak links, adding an important dimension to the emotional reality of the series. This is true of everyone from silent supporting figures like Morn to crucial antagonists like Kai Winn to Starfleet officers like Chief of Operations Miles O’Brien (Colm Meaney), who was introduced on The Next Generation but came into his own on Deep Space Nine. Many episodes that focus on O’Brien put him through an existential, often surreal hell. “Whispers” is definitely part of that tradition, as O’Brien returns from an away mission to find his wife, Keiko (Rosalind Chao), and his colleagues treating him with strange suspicion. Taking inspiration from films like The Parallax View and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, “Whispers” creates a miasma of dread that builds to a gut punch of a surprise ending.

13. “Duet” Season 1, Episode 19

The first season of Deep Space Nine is notoriously rocky, as the writers and cast were still finding the right balance between acknowledging the history they were entering into and establishing the show as its own beast. “Duet” crystallizes the transcendence of the series as the writers smartly established the emotional lives of each character as important, making the political and historical commentary resonate on a deeper level. “Duet” fleshes out one of the best characters in the series, Kira Nerys (a fierce Nana Visitor), a Bajoran former freedom fighter (or terrorist, depending on who you ask) who now acts as the first officer aboard the station. She confronts the past of her people when a Cardassian she suspects to be a war criminal boards the station looking for medical help. “Duet” eschews any subplot to focus entirely on the morality play between Kira and a man she believes is responsible for hideous crimes against her people during the war. In doing so, it introduces a host of fascinating themes about the nature of war and its aftermath that are consistently explored throughout the run of the series.

12. “The Siege AR-558” Season 7, Episode 8

Despite my intense love of this series, I have a strange relationship with its final season. Most of that is because of the loss of my personal favorite character, Jadzia, whose final-season replacement lacks her complexity and throws off the balance of the narrative. But season seven has many stellar episodes, especially the barbed “The Siege of AR-558,” the darkest entry in the series’ exploration of the perils of wars and the moral compromises made in order to achieve victory. Sisko decides to help a group of downtrodden Starfleet officers fighting to protect an important outpost, and the episode is granted great dimension because of his willingness to cross lines to find success (along with the impressive guest turns). Coupled with the direction of Winrich Kolbe, who used his past as a Vietnam veteran to shape the visual grammar, it’s a thought-provoking and brutal episode that shows the depth of Deep Space Nine’ s moral complexity.

11. “The Magnificent Ferengi” Season 6, Episode 10

Deep Space Nine is typically considered a hard-hitting, gritty entry in Star Trek ’s canon. While this is definitely true, some of my favorite episodes are when it decides to embrace its pulpier sensibilities. Many of the most hilarious episodes center on the underhanded yet empathetic bar owner Quark (Armin Shimerman), and such is the case with “The Magnificent Ferengi.” In it, Quark forms a ragtag group of Ferengi to rescue his mother from the Dominion, the overarching big bad of the series headed by the Changelings. It’s a blissfully bonkers episode showcasing the comedic talents of the supporting cast, with Jeff Combs especially being a highlight. Plus, it has a guest turn by none other than Iggy Pop.

10. “For the Uniform” Season 5, Episode 13

At what point does the Federation’s interest in expanding a peacekeeping group of planets and influence turn into colonization? This is the question the franchise as a whole hasn’t properly considered despite the obvious military aspects to Starfleet and the writers’ interest in philosophy. Deep Space Nine tackles this directly through the arc of Michael Eddington, a Starfleet officer who betrays his duty while serving under Sisko in order to join a rebel group, known as the Maquis, disgruntled about the Federation’s practices.

9. “Sacrifice of Angels” Season 6, Episode 6

If I had my way, nearly the entirety of the sixth season would be on this list. It’s that good. The beginning of the season sees the main crew embroiled in a fierce war with the Dominion. “Sacrifice of Angels” culminates a crucial six-episode arc as Sisko makes a bold attempt to reclaim Deep Space Nine from Dominion influence. It’s bracing and profound, showcasing the most spectacular large-scale battle in Star Trek TV history. But it isn’t the bombast that lands the “Sacrifice of Angels” on this list, but how Sisko’s relationship with his status as a religious icon, a crucial arc to the entire series, evolves.

8. “The Sound of Her Voice” Season 6, Episode 25

“The Sound of Her Voice” has a deceptively simple premise: Aboard their warship USS Defiant, the main crew gets a distress call from a lone Starfleet captain (Lisa Cusak, voiced by Debra Wilson) on an inhospitable planet, who will die shortly if not given proper medical care. The crew slowly forms a relationship with Lisa, partially to keep her mind off what will happen if the Defiant doesn’t arrive in time, and also to talk about the interpersonal issues they struggle to voice with those closest to them. It’s a revealing, emotionally layered episode that creates worlds of intensity simply by characters having conversations with one another. Even more impressive is that Lisa is never seen onscreen. Debra Wilson is able to create a well-rounded, humane character with only the sound of her voice.

7. “Second Skin” Season 3, Episode 5

What if you woke up with a face that is not your own and told the life you’ve been leading is a cleverly constructed lie? From the very beginning, Kira Nerys is a complex woman who ties much of her identity to being a Bajoran — her role as a freedom fighter in the war to regain her planet provides the backstory to the series. “Second Skin” centers on Kira being kidnapped by Cardassians, whom she has long viewed as enemies given their long occupation of her home planet, and told she’s really a Cardassian spy who took over the life of the real Kira Nerys, and was implanted with false memories to make the deception more authentic. Tinged with a Philip K. Dick–inspired approach to identity, “Second Skin” further evolves Kira in ways that are both poignant and existentially profound.

6. “Improbable Cause” and “The Die Is Cast” Season 3, Episode 20 & 21

The former spy turned exiled Cardassian Garak (played with wit and cunning by Andrew J. Robinson) is by far one of the best characters in all of Star Trek canon. This two-parter from season three cements the moral complexity and sharp-tongued mendacity of Garak, giving Robinson the opportunity to take center stage as he tangles with the faults of his past. Brimming with intrigue, twists, and a standout interrogation scene between Odo and Garak, it’s a stunning two-parter that shows just how astounding Deep Space Nine could be with its characterization and sense of history.

5. “The Way of the Warrior” Season 4, Episode 1

If asked who my favorite Star Trek character is, I will excitedly and quickly name Lieutenant Commander Worf (played with fierce elegance by Michael Dorn), the first Klingon in Starfleet whose gruff exterior masks his intense honor and passionate nature. Worf joins Deep Space Nine in its feature-length season-four premiere, and he makes a perfect addition to the series as the Klingons make dramatic choices in order to fight the Dominion in the way they believe is right. “The Way of the Warrior” pushes Deep Space Nine to a new level of excellence. It encapsulates everything I love about the series: its lived-in quality, the honest yet never uniform emotional dynamics of the cast, its bracing sense of action, and its surprising wit.

Even better? This episode introduces the first inkling of my favorite love story in Star Trek history between Worf and Jadzia Dax, a Trill science officer who is joined with a symbiote who has lived several lives as men and women, giving her a radical view (for Star Trek at least) on gender and sexuality.

4. “Trials and Tribble-ations” Season 5, Episode 6

When I watch the best episodes of Deep Space Nine , an immense feeling of wonder wells in my chest. “Trials and Tribble-ations” is the most technically astute and narratively audacious of Deep Space Nine’ s episodes. The episode begins with the Temporal Investigation unit coming aboard the station to investigate the details of how the crew of the USS Defiant were flung back in time to stop the assassination of James T. Kirk, and crosses paths with the crew of The Original Series. Seeing Deep Space Nine cast members like Worf and Jadzia don the bright, tight-fitted costumes of the Enterprise’s crew to blend in is a pure joy to witness. Sisko and the rest of Deep Space Nine may seem to fit uneasily within the landscape of The Original Series , but this episode works beautifully, showing just how far Star Trek has come while acknowledging the greatness of its beginnings. No matter how many times I watch “Trials and Tribble-ations,” I am still in awe of its joyfulness, sense of play, and consideration of Star Trek ’s beginnings.

3. “In the Pale Moonlight” Season 6, Episode 19

There’s something about the bass in Avery Brooks’s voice and the the tension in his physicality that immediately communicates that Sisko is not the kind of man you want to cross. “In the Pale Moonlight” depicts Sisko’s willingness to bend his ethics in order to win the Dominion war that the Federation is currently losing. Told in flashback format, Sisko breaks the fourth wall, discussing how he enlists the help of the underhanded, yet well-connected Garak to convince the Romulans to enter the war on the side of the Federation. This is the story of a man selling off part of his soul and Starfleet values in order to accomplish what he feels is for the greater good. This is Deep Space Nine at its most ethically complex and morally gray. It’s the darkest entry in Star Trek history, pushing Gene Rodenberry’s creation to limits he likely never imagined. More than that, it is an astounding testament to the skills of actors Avery Brooks and Andrew J. Robinson.

2. “The Visitor” Season 4, Episode 3

I can say without hesitation that Deep Space Nine has the most moving, complex, and beautiful depictions of black fatherhood in all of television history. The relationship between the widowed Sisko and his teenage son, Jake (Cirroc Lofton), is tender and heartfelt. “The Visitor” depicts the depth of their love for one another after a freak accident on the USS Defiant seemingly kills Sisko, and Jake dedicates his life to finding a way to save his father. We watch Jake grow into a man (played with melancholy and yearning by Tony Todd) who becomes a writer and scientist watching his marriage disintegrate because of his harried quest to save his father. It’s an episode that embraces sentimentality without sacrificing complexity, and a long view of history without losing sight of the heartwarming relationship between Sisko and Jake at its center.

1. “Far Beyond the Stars” Season 6, Episode 13

When I rewatched “Far Beyond the Stars” last year, I was amazed at how its themes felt richer and more poignant. Directed by Avery Brooks, who gives his best performance as Sisko in the episode as well, it follows Sisko as he gets visions that he’s actually a 1950s science-fiction writer named Benny Russell, trying to write a story about a black captain aboard a space station called Deep Space Nine. There are many immediate pleasures to this episode, like recognizing Brooks’s skills as a director and seeing the cast outside of their usual costumes when they play people Benny crosses paths with in the 1950s. But “Far Beyond the Stars” earns the top spot on this list for its unflinching, layered portrayal of racism and police brutality, and Brooks’s raw performance, which perfectly encapsulates the emotional reality that comes with being black in America. Watching this episode in 2018, the undercurrents and concerns it depicts have only grown deeper in their impact. With “Far Beyond the Stars,” Deep Space Nine once again proves why it is one of the best science-fiction shows to ever air on television.

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The 15 Best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Episodes, Ranked

Spinning out of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," " Star Trek: Deep Space Nine " expanded the iconic science fiction franchise into considerably darker and more morally ambiguous territory than its predecessors. Starring Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko, the show took place on its eponymous Starfleet space station positioned by the planet Bajor and a wormhole leading to the Gamma Quadrant. As the series progressed, "DS9" would shift to longer-form storytelling as the installation became a focal point amidst the Starfleet and the Dominion's warfare.

With over 170 episodes across seven seasons, "DS9" had a memorable ensemble cast that pushed the final frontier into new directions that its successors thematically furthered, including "Star Trek: Voyager." From standalone character studies to emotionally searing tales of battle and sacrifice, "DS9" ran a wide gamut of themes and tones that redefined what "Star Trek" could and can be while earning a considerable amount of widespread acclaim. Here are the 15 best episodes of "DS9" that I consider the best showcase of the series' ambitious story.

15. In Purgatory's Shadow (Season 5, Episode 14)

A war between Starfleet and the Dominion and an alliance between the Cardassian Union and the Changelings — the same shape-shifting race as Odo (René Auberjonois), based in the Gamma Quadrant — had been brewing since season 3. By season 5, the conflict between the two factions became inevitable, with hostilities escalating dramatically in the "In Purgatory's Shadow" episode. Packed with twists and deception, "In Purgatory's Shadow" is one of the most shocking episodes of "DS9." The episode showcases Starfleet's peaceful ideals violently tested.

While investigating a distress signal from the Gamma Quadrant, Worf (Michael Dorn) and Garak (Andrew Jordt Robinson) stumble across a Dominion invasion fleet poised to enter the Alpha Quadrant — leading to their imprisonment. Worse, Doctor Bashir (Alexander Siddig) and Klingon General Martok (John Garman Hertzler Jr.) are imprisoned, revealing Changeling imposters have secretly taken their place in the Alpha Quadrant. A lot is going on in "In Purgatory's Shadow," but the episode is a masterclass in juggling multiple payoffs and reveals without them overshadowing each other. This episode sets the stage for something great to follow.

14. Improbable Cause (Season 3, Episode 20)

Odo's responsibilities as DS9's constable usually lead him to match wits with whichever illicit get-rich scheme Quark (Armin Shimerman) has cooked up next. But Odo finally gets a chance to showcase how keen a crime-solver he is in "Improbable Cause." After someone attacks Garak's tailor shop, Odo investigates who is behind the explosive assassination attempt. As Odo gets closer to the heart of the mystery, he stumbles across a wider conspiracy that leaves him unsure of who to trust, including Garak.

More than just an excellent showcase for René Auberjonois' Odo, "Improbable Cause" is instrumental in establishing Andrew J. Robinson's Garak as a vital addition to the "DS9" cast. Garak had been a recurring presence on the series since episode 3: He hints at having a dark past, but this is unmistakably brought to the forefront here. Odo and Garak didn't get to share scenes often, and their pairing in a whodunnit makes for an entertaining team-up of a detective hunting the truth with a spy unable to tell it.

13. The Siege of AR-558 (Season 7, Episode 8)

Often, "DS9" cited the mounting cost of the Dominion War as the conflict progressed across the show's latter seasons. But the horrors arrive front and center in season 7's "The Siege of AR-558." On a routine mission to provide supplies to a planetary communications installation, the crew becomes embroiled in a brutal ground battle against the attacking Jem'Hadar. Impressionable Ferengi Starfleet recruit Nog (Aron Eisenberg) plays a vital role in the bloody fight, losing a leg throughout the fiery skirmish and witnessing other wartime nightmares firsthand.

"The Siege of AR-558" is a meditation on the end of innocence and war's hollow gallantry — a sort of "All Quiet on the Western Front" by way of "Star Trek." Sisko and other main characters often lament casualty reports and other news of the war. But in this episode, they encounter their most harrowing battle ever — even Quark becomes involved . "The Siege of AR-558" blends rousing set pieces with reflections on trauma, illustrating the ramifications of the Dominion War storyline.

12. Take Me Out to the Holosuite (Season 7, Episode 4)

If "The Siege of AR-558" stands among "Deep Space Nine's" darkest episodes, "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" is a reminder of how much escapist fun the show provides. In a rare respite from the Dominion War, Sisko reunites with Solok (Gregory Wagrowski), an old rival who believes he (and his Vulcan crew) are empirically superior to their counterparts. Determined to beat the elitist Starfleet captain, Sisko takes on Solok's crew in a pickup game of baseball with the DS9 team in the Holosuite.

"Take Me Out to the Holosuite" works most effectively when taken into the context of the series. By its seventh season, "DS9" had become a bonafide war show. Sisko and his allies constantly make compromising and costly decisions against the Dominion, changing galactic stakes. This baseball diversion offered a refreshing detour from the show's bleak tone and let characters explore their fun side again in a low-stakes side story.

11. By Inferno's Light (Season 5, Episode 15)

If "In Purgatory's Shadow" shocked audiences with multiple twists about the Dominion's clandestine tactics to destabilize Starfleet, its immediate follow-up, "By Inferno's Light," solidly resolves loose ends while upping the ante. After learning Bashir and Martok have been replaced by Dominion imposters, there is a heightened sense of intrigue — as most characters don't know this truth. This episode finds its balance with a more grueling story: Worf and Garak endure the horrors of imprisonment.

As the disguised Changeling, Alexander Siddig shines in a darker performance as a disguised villain — secretly charged with carrying out one of the series' most dastardly schemes. Dorn similarly delivers one of his best performances as Worf. He's defiantly unwavering, no matter how much punishment the character suffers in captivity. A massively important chapter in progressing the overarching Dominion War narrative and filled with great character moments, "By Inferno's Light" signals how dark and intense "DS9" later becomes.

10. The Die Is Cast (Season 3, Episode 21)

Continuing the story from "Improbable Cause," Odo and Garak discover a Cardassian-Romulan armada attacking the Dominion. As the two men's absence becomes acutely apparent for the DS9 crew, Sisko defies Starfleet Command to bring Odo safely home from the Gamma Quadrant. If "Improbable Cause" is a glorified whodunnit, "The Die Is Cast" is a full-on war story and one of the best in a series that would eventually become defined by them in its latter half.

More than just continuing to capitalize on the onscreen pairing of Odo and Garak, "The Die Is Cast" solidifies that multi-part storytelling has a place in "Star Trek." Apart from the occasional two-parter, "Star Trek" focused on episodic storytelling. "DS9" trailblazed longer-form storytelling that the current "Star Trek" on Paramount+ utilizes. Beyond its franchise implications, the episode is a rousing tale that offers compelling character moments for Odo, Garak, and Sisko as the Dominion War's foundations take shape.

9. The Way of the Warrior (Season 4, Episode 1)

Although the main "DS9" cast is memorable and effectively tight-knit, the entire show received a significant boost with the addition of Michael Dorn reprising his "TNG" role as Worf. This fresh arrival came in the season 4 premiere, opening with the Klingon Empire going to war with the Cardassian Union. Looking for additional insight into Klingon policy and culture, Sisko has Worf transferred to DS9 to learn what the Klingons have planned for the escalating conflict.

"The Way of the Warrior" features a role-defining performance from Dorn: He takes full advantage of his character's torn loyalties between Starfleet and the Klingon Empire. Worf has always been a figure caught between cultures, but by the episode's end, Worf has committed to a side. Dorn brings moral complexity to Worf reaching that decision. Dorn fit seamlessly into the "DS9" cast and story from the jump, and "The Way of the Warrior" provides him the perfect showcase to cement why he belonged off the Enterprise.

8. Far Beyond the Stars (Season 6, Episode 13)

"Star Trek" has never been a franchise shy of providing social commentary. However, it almost always does this through the veneer of science fiction, using cosmic metaphors to make its messages less overt. But season 6's "Far Beyond the Stars" discarded all sense of allegorical subtext to present a pointed rebuke of racism and bigotry in a standalone episode directed by Avery Brooks. As the pressures of the Dominion War take their toll on Sisko's psyche, he fantasizes about being science fiction writer Benny Russell in 1953's New York City.

From Patrick Stewart to Kate Mulgrew, "Star Trek" has boasted several classically trained stage actors in their principal roles, and in that regard, "DS9" is no different. The cast takes advantage of playing new characters in a standalone period-piece story largely separate from the main narrative. Brooks gives the most powerful performance of his time on the show. A bold portrait of what "Star Trek" can be and has always stood for, "Far Beyond the Stars" is an emotional powerhouse that lets its cast showcase their fine acting chops.

7. What You Leave Behind (Season 7, Episodes 25/26)

"Star Trek" often pulls out all the stops for its series finales, and "DS9" is no different. However, it ends on a more fittingly bittersweet note than "TNG" and "Voyager." In the "DS9" series finale , Starfleet launches its final offensive in the Dominion War. Kira (Nana Visitor) embarks on a daring mission on Cardassia Prime to turn the Cardassian Union against their Dominion allies. As the devastating war reaches its fiery climax, Sisko has one final confrontation with Dukat (Marc Alaimo), embracing his destiny as foretold by the Bajoran prophets.

A good series finale not only resolves its major plot threads but gives each of its leads one last character moment before the end credits roll: "DS9" deftly succeeds with this. Each character gets a moment to shine in the closing moments of the Dominion War while Sisko fulfills the spiritual role teased since the series premiere. Though its somewhat obligatory deaths may seem like a cheap way to raise the stakes, "DS9" ends on a high note that lives up to the melancholia that defined "DS9."

6. Sacrifice of Angels (Season 6, Episode 6)

The fifth season of "DS9" ended with a shocking cliffhanger: The Cardassians led the Dominion to seize control of DS9. Starfleet personnel retreated as the Dominion War swept across the Alpha Quadrant. Season 6 kicked off with a six-episode storyline following DS9 under Cardassian occupation, culminating with Starfleet retaking the space station in "Sacrifice of Angels." With Sisko at the helm of a Starfleet armada pitted against Dukat's opposing Cardassian fleet, the episode is as thrilling as "DS9" gets while keeping an eye on personal stakes.

Brooks stands front and center as Sisko shifts into a hardened wartime leader. Sisko finally squares off against Dukat on the battlefield, gambling with the lives under their respective command. Marc Alaimo plays Dukat to the hilt, bringing the character to his most emotionally vulnerable as he loses his daughter amidst the horrors of war. By the end of "Sacrifice of Angels," Sisko and Dukat emerged as changed men: Their longstanding feud more bitterly personal than ever — giving the interstellar conflict its raw heart.

5. Duet (Season 1, Episode 19)

"DS9" is a show borne in fire and blood — not just for the Sisko family but for the Bajorans liberated from the Cardassians' lengthy and brutal occupation. Bajoran security officer Kira Nerys' painful history with the Cardassians is explored in season 1's "Duet," serving as a transformative moment for the character. Confronted with an alleged Cardassian war criminal, Kira becomes determined to bring the notorious figure to justice at any cost, even as doubts over his identity surface.

"Duet" operates as an inversion of the "TOS" episode "Conscience of the King," which similarly saw Captain Kirk investigate a man he suspected of being a fugitive war criminal. However, "DS9" keeps its audience guessing over the validity of these suspicions by highlighting that war leaves victims on both sides. These themes help add further human dimensions to Kira and hint at the darker direction "DS9" would eventually assume when the Dominion War takes center stage in the series.

4. The Visitor (Season 4, Episode 2)

"DS9" begins with Sisko losing his wife to the Borg, leaving him with their young son, Jake (Cirroc Lofton), as the two face their shared grief. We see the depth of Jake's love for his father in the season 4 episode "The Visitor," with the elder Sisko lost to a temporal anomaly while on a routine mission observing a wormhole. As his father periodically appears to him briefly throughout his life, Jake becomes obsessed with finding a way to rescue Benjamin at any cost.

A reflection on the bond between fathers and sons, "The Visitor" is "DS9" at its most emotionally resonant. Cirroc Lofton and guest star Tony Todd excel in their performances as Jake as he grows up. More than just a fantastic standalone episode of the series, "The Visitor" is a remarkably well-written sci-fi story in the "Twilight Zone" or "Time Traveller's Wife" mold. "DS9" was always "Star Trek" at its darkest and most tragic, and "The Visitor" paints a story with those painful colors beautifully.

3. Call to Arms (Season 5, Episode 26)

Although there have been hostilities between Starfleet and the Dominion before, the Dominion War officially commences in the season 5 finale, "Call to Arms." The episode puts the Federation immediately on the defensive. After drawing the battle lines, Sisko becomes tasked with mining the nearby wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant to prevent the Dominion from linking the bulk of their forces with Cardassia. With Starfleet and the Klingon Empire occupied, Sisko must hold out as long as possible to ensure his mission is successful.

Ever since "The Wrath of Khan," "Star Trek" has become fascinated with the idea of a no-win scenario to see how its main characters react to impending defeat. Hopelessly outnumbered and with no expectation of reinforcements, Sisko and his allies know they're going to lose DS9 to the Dominion. It's only a matter of when. "DS9" is widely remembered for becoming a war show, and "Call to Arms" masterfully handles that transformation as its characters admirably engage in a holding action they know will end in defeat.

2. Trials and Tribble-ations (Season 5, Episode 5)

One of the best episodes in all of "Star Trek," not just "DS9," is season 5's "Trials and Tribble-ations," commemorating the 30th anniversary of the franchise memorably. The DS9 team travels back to the events of the "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode "The Trouble with Tribbles" and interacts with the classic crew to prevent the timeline from being disrupted and altering history. An impressive feat in technical production and storytelling, "DS9" crafted a franchise tribute that has yet to be topped.

Using the same digital insertion technology as "Forrest Gump," "Trials and Tribble-ations" takes up the same sense of humor as the "TOS" episode with self-aware flair. Commentary about the physical changes of Klingons and the admittedly dated "TOS" era Starfleet uniforms surface. "DS9" handles the shift to sci-fi comedy wonderfully. More than offering a timely celebration of all things "Star Trek," the episode has a rare moment of levity before "DS9" moves into considerably darker tones for the remainder of the series.

1. In the Pale Moonlight (Season 6, Episode 19)

From black ops divisions to engaging in biological warfare, "DS9" pushed the boundaries for how dark "Star Trek" could go, clashing with the utopian ideals of the Federation. At the center of this narrative evolution is Sisko, a traumatized veteran who lost everything to wartime tragedy only to become a leader performing increasingly morally dubious acts to ensure victory. Season 6's "In the Pale Moonlight" perfectly showcases this transformation and the show's overarching darkness. This episode reveals how ruthless Sisko has become to serve the greater good.

With Starfleet steadily losing ground to the Dominion, Sisko and Garak devise a plot to trick the Romulan Empire into entering the Dominion War allied with the Federation. Framed as the recording in Sisko's personal log after the fact, "In the Pale Moonlight" plays out like a confession by the character. Pushing the moral boundaries of "Star Trek," the episode is a masterclass in how it directly challenges its characters' souls while asking what happens when good people go to war.

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The 10 best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes, ranked

For decades, Deep Space Nine was “that other Star Trek show.” It debuted in 1992, during the run of Star Trek: The Next Generation , the first Trek series to achieve mainstream popularity. DS9 overlapped in first-run syndication with TNG until 1994, and then with Voyager — which ran on primetime network television — from 1995 to 2001. Throughout its seven-year run, Deep Space Nine was never a top priority for studio Paramount or franchise executive producer Rick Berman. While this was a source of frustration for the cast and crew, the studio’s neglect also allowed them to take greater creative risks.

• 10. In Purgatory’s Shadow/By Inferno’s Light (season 5, episodes 14 and 15)

9. Bar Association (season 4, episode 16)

8. past tense i and ii (season 2, episodes 11 and 12), 7. trials and tribble-ations (season 5, episode 6), 6. improbable cause/the die is cast (season 3, episodes 20 and 21), 5. rocks and shoals (season 6, episode 2), 4. duet (season 1, episode 19), 3. the visitor (season 4, episode 3), 2. far beyond the stars (season 6, episode 13), 1. in the pale moonlight (season 6, episode 19).

Under showrunner Ira Steven Behr, DS9 gleefully subverted the Star Trek formula , pulling open the cracks in the franchise’s futuristic utopia and refusing to be bound by the episodic nature of weekly television. DS9 ’s serialized stories and long character arcs may have made it harder to keep up with when it first aired, but it’s perfect for the modern binge-streaming model, which has introduced it to a whole new generation of fans. Thirty years after its debut, Deep Space Nine is finally receiving the respect it always deserved.

Selecting just ten episodes of DS9 to showcase is a challenge, as many of its most compelling stories are spread out across multiple episodes. Some of the episodes below are totally standalone stories, some are standout chapters in multi-part arcs that can be appreciated on their own, and some are two-parters that we simply couldn’t separate and had to list as a single entry. We hope you don’t mind us bending the rules just a bit — after all, that’s part of what made DS9 great to begin with.

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10. In Purgatory’s Shadow/By Inferno’s Light (season 5, episodes 14 and 15)

By the middle of season 5, the Federation’s long-simmering conflict with the Gamma Quadrant’s conquering Dominion was nearing its boiling point. In a pair of episodes that mirrors a later entry on our list, shifty Cardassian spy Garak (Andrew Robinson) and surly Klingon warrior Worf (Michael Dorn) embark on a mission that seems inconsequential but turns out to have massive implications on the show’s ongoing narrative. Garak and Worf venture into enemy territory in search of Garak’s missing mentor, only to stumble across a far larger mystery. It’s a top-tier Garak story (and there are no bad ones), but it’s also a shining moment for Worf, who joined the cast of DS9 at the start of season 4 and was continuing to evolve as a character. While Worf had been a fan favorite on The Next Generation , his time on DS9 offered him far greater room for development, and By Inferno’s Light contains what might be his single greatest triumph.

At the same time, this two-parter is a vital turning point for one of Trek’s most interesting characters, dethroned Cardassian despot Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo). Over the course of the series, Dukat’s role oscillates repeatedly between obstacle and ally, depending on what best serves his personal and political ambitions. He’s driven simultaneously by a massive ego and an unquenchable thirst for praise and approval, and his desire to be seen as a righteous man is usually in direct conflict with his actions. In Purgatory’s Shadow is the culmination of years’ worth of development for his character, as the man who presided over the heinous Cardassian occupation of Bajor finally shows us what he’s really made of.

Lest it sound as though this series is all misery and violence, Deep Space Nine frequently offered viewers a respite from the grit and heartbreak in the form of light comedy and hijinks. In fact, until the premieres of Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds , DS9 was far and away the funniest Trek series, thanks to a game cast and an unpretentious writers’ room. While nearly every character gets to participate in the occasional zany misadventure, the center of much of the show’s comedy is the Ferengi, the species who functions as a grotesque parody of modern American greed and misogyny. Within the show’s main Ferengi family resides a dynamic that would be ripe for its own sitcom. There’s Quark (Armin Shimmerman), the amoral businessman who delights in exploiting his workers and hoarding his wealth; Rom (Max Grodenchik), his kind-hearted brother whose weak will and lack of common sense belies an unparalleled technical genius; and Nog (Aaron Eisenberg), Rom’s son, who breaks from tradition to join the ranks of the progressive and egalitarian Starfleet. The relationship between the trio, the Starfleet crew, and lovesick Bajoran bar employee Leeta (Chase Masterson) remains funny year after year.

But, of course, this is Star Trek, so even when it’s silly, it’s in the service of saying something interesting. In Bar Association , the employees of Quark’s Bar, Grill, Gaming House and Holosuite Arcade get fed up with their low pay and terrible treatment and do something that is outright forbidden in Ferengi culture: They unionize. Inspired by the words of Karl Marx and the long history of workers’ movements on Earth, Rom risks his job, his family, and his standing with his own culture to win the economic justice that his friends in the Federation take for granted. The episode is light and funny, but it’s also the most explicitly socialist episode of the franchise to date, making it a beloved favorite amongst Trek’s progressive fanbase.

Multiple live-action Star Trek series feature an episode in which our descendants from the utopian future are flung back in time to our present, usually resulting in some fish-out-of-water comedy and light social commentary. DS9 writers Robert Hewlett Wolfe and Ira Steven Behr took a different approach, dropping three of their characters into the audience’s near future for a harrowing drama about economic inequality and the American public’s apathy towards the poor and unhoused. Past Tense, Parts I & II beams Commander Sisko (Avery Brooks), Lt. Dax (Terry Farrell), and Dr, Bashir (Alexander Siddig) to 2024 San Francisco, where the poor are swept off the streets and confined to “sanctuary districts” so that the wealthy don’t have to think about them. When the trio materializes in the past with no money or identification, Sisko and Bashir (who are Black and Middle Eastern) are tossed into the ghetto, while Dax (the pretty white lady) is offered shelter by a rich entrepreneur. Inside the sanctuary district, Sisko realizes that they have arrived on the eve of a historic uprising and that it may be his fate to die there.

Past Tense was a projection of economic disparity 30 years in the writers’ future, but it became prophetic before it was even broadcast. During the filming of the episode, Los Angeles’ Mayor James Riordian proposed a strikingly similar initiative that would relocate the city’s homeless to a camp in an industrial park. The real-life “sanctuary district” never came to pass, but Wolfe and Behr’s depiction of the harsh divide between haves and have-nots in 2024 doesn’t skew too far from reality. But, importantly, Past Tense is not merely a portent of doom, but a call to action. One of the two-parter’s messages is the value of passionate, unruly, even violent activism in an environment where civility only benefits those in power. Asking the disenfranchised to quietly wait their turn for generation after generation doesn’t solve anything, and no one ever built a better future by smiling politely.

Star Trek’s 30th anniversary in 1996 happened to coincide with what could be considered the franchise’s peak in popularity, with two concurrent TV series on the air, the hit Star Trek: First Contact in theaters, and mountains of merchandise on sale. Both Deep Space Nine and Voyager produced special anniversary episodes celebrating Trek’s long history, and while Voyager ’s was the mostly forgettable Flashback , DS9 went all-out with a joyful and ambitious time travel adventure that used technology developed for the movie Forrest Gump to splice the cast into a beloved episode of The Original Series . In Trials and Tribble-ations,  Sisko and company are sent back to the 23rd century to keep a disgraced Klingon agent (guest star Charlie Brill) from assassinating Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner, via archival footage). It’s a nostalgia-soaked tribute in which the DS9 crew tries (and fails) to avoid interacting with the TOS crew.

For all that Trek traditionalists criticized this spin-off for breaking from the franchise’s format and challenging its long-held values, Trials and Tribble-ations  is proof positive that the cast and crew of DS9 absolutely adored classic Trek. It’s an exercise in pure joy, reflecting the nostalgia of fans without ever feeling cheap or exploitative. (This was decades before every new piece of Trek was expected to contain constant nods and Easter eggs in order to satisfy the demands of die-hards.) It’s no wonder why the episode is such a favorite, not only among DSNiners, but Trekkies who otherwise don’t care for this particular show’s take on Star Trek.

Deep Space Nine benefits greatly from its mixture of serialized and episodic formats. The Next Generation would habitually mix an important two-part episode into the middle of a season, but this would always be telegraphed by the opening title card. Deep Space Nine , on the other hand, used a model closer to that of The X-Files , in which a viewer might not know whether they’re watching a “monster of the week” story or an essential chapter in the ongoing mytharc until 30, even 40 minutes in. Improbable Cause starts out as a murder mystery in which shapeshifting Constable Odo (René Auberjonois) must figure out who tried to murder Cardassian expatriate Garak. This turns out to be an on-ramp to a much larger story with galactic implications, leading directly into The Die is Cast,  an essential early chapter in the series-spanning Dominion War storyline. (According to the official Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , even the decision to make Improbable Cause into a two-parter was a last-second twist, as no one on staff could think of a satisfying way to resolve the plot in forty-eight minutes.)

At the heart of this twisty conspiracy story is a compelling character drama between Odo, a stiff and order-obsessed policeman, and Garak, an unpredictable secret agent whose conscience is frequently out to lunch. Garak makes an excellent foil to nearly any member of DS9 ’s ensemble, but there’s a particular chemistry between Garak and Odo as two diametrically opposed figures who share a common pain — they’re both isolated from their people, the only one of their kind aboard a station that their kin aims to conquer. The drama between them brings out series-best performances in both Auberjonois and Andrew Robinson, and neither character is ever quite the same again.

At the end of season 5, Deep Space Nine launched its most ambitious storyline yet, a seven-part saga that totally disrupted the status quo of the series. During the “Dominion invasion” arc, open war finally breaks out between the Federation and the Dominion, forcing our heroes to surrender Deep Space 9 itself to enemy forces. The station’s crew is divided, with Starfleet officers like Sisko, Dax, and O’Brien (Colm Meaney) fighting on the new, contested border and Bajoran nationals Major Kira (Nana Visitor) and Odo remaining to subvert the Dominion’s occupation of the station. The entire storyline is a series highlight, as each character is pushed to their limit in the effort to restore their home, but the third chapter, Rocks and Shoals , is the episode that stands out the most and is the installment that functions the best as its own, individual work.

Rocks and Shoals begins with Sisko and his Starfleet crew crash-landing on a barren planet, only a few kilometers from where an enemy vessel has, likewise, run aground. Both the Starfleet and Dominion camps know that their fate depends on which of their fleets comes to their rescue, but neither is equipped to send a distress call on their own. Can these opposing armies hold a truce long enough to save all of their lives? How do the Federation’s strict ethics survive the trials of war? The story also offers an inside look at the life of the Jem’Hadar, the Dominion’s genetically-engineered soldiers who are smart enough to know that they’re cannon fodder, but programmed to obey anyway. Meanwhile, on the station, Major Kira comes to grips with her new role as a tool of a fascist regime, and whether she can — or even should — keep the peace with the new Dominion leadership. Rocks and Shoals  is about the tragic nature of war, and the sad truth that there is no such thing as a “fair fight” between mortal enemies.

Since Deep Space Nine started airing before the end of The Next Generation , creators Michael Piller and Rick Berman aimed for the new spin-off to have its own unique perspective on the Star Trek universe. Where TNG ’s crew traveled the galaxy in a beautiful starship and encountered a new civilization every week, DS9 ’s would be pinned to a single location, a space station with an ugly history overlooking a planet recovering from a brutal occupation. Characters like Major Kira Nerys, who hail from said planet, cannot warp across the galaxy to escape their baggage. The story of the once-peaceful Bajorans and the cruel, colonizing Cardassians may not be the focus of every episode, but it’s never far away, and each time it’s revisited, our understanding of its horrors gets a little bit deeper.

In the first season episode Duet , former resistance fighter Major Kira comes face to face with a wanted Cardassian war criminal who presided over one of the occupation’s most horrific labor camps. From opposite sides of a detention cell force field, Kira and the Cardassian (played by guest star Harris Yulin) interrogate each other about their actions during the occupation, the lives they’ve taken, the crimes they’ve committed, and the guilt — if any — they hold onto from their experience. How does one justify genocide? How does one justify terrorism? In a “bottle episode” with no new sets or special effects, Duet proves the potential of a Star Trek that goes boldly inward rather than outward.

One of the many traits that distinguishes Captain Benjamin Sisko from his peers in the Star Trek franchise is his role as the adoring single father of a teenage son, Jake (Cirroc Lofton). Where Kirk, Picard, and Janeway have no room in their lives for family, Sisko makes room, and this is an essential part of his character. Jake may not be central to many episodes or storylines, but he’s always the most important thing in Ben’s life. The Visitor  puts that relationship through unimaginable strain when Captain is seemingly killed in an accident, leaving Jake an orphan. However, rather than being allowed to heal from this traumatic loss, Jake discovers that his father has become unstuck in time, reappearing every few years for mere minutes at a time. Ben is forced to miss huge spans of his son’s life, while Jake lets his own time go to waste by obsessing over saving his father.

The Visitor is the most heart-wrenching time travel episode in a franchise well-known for heart-wrenching time travel episodes, boasting one of Avery Brooks’ most compelling performances and a memorable turn by frequent Trek guest star Tony Todd as the adult Jake. Brooks nails the complexity of Ben’s ghost-like state, mortified at the time he’s lost while still treasuring every precious moment he gets with his son, who’s grown visibly older every time they meet. Meanwhile, Tony Todd embodies Jake over the course of decades, and even behind the layers of age makeup, he never stops being a wounded teenager who misses his father. The Visitor  was even nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Make-Up Design, which it lost to the Star Trek: Voyager episode Threshold  — ironically, one of the worst episodes of that series.

Though Deep Space Nine ’s more serialized structure allowed for greater complexity in its characters, the series also retained the flexibility offered by weekly episodic television. On a given week, DS9 might advance its ongoing narrative, or it might digress into a standalone genre experiment. The greatest of these experiments is Far Beyond the Stars,  in which Captain Sisko experiences strange flashbacks to the 1950s, where he lives out the life of science fiction author Benny Russell (also portrayed by Avery Brooks). While Sisko is getting swept away by these glimpses of the past, Russell is transfixed by visions of the future , one in which a Black man can be the hero of an epic space adventure, and he struggles to get his apparent imaginings published at the magazine where he works. Both of them feel as if they’re going mad, but which one of them is real? Which of them is the dreamer, and which is the dream?

While Star Trek has never been shy about the subject of racism, the franchise has usually approached it through the protective veil of science fiction allegory, with alien beings standing in for both the oppressor and the oppressed. In Far Beyond the Stars, the audience does not get to detach themselves from the conflict — this is the story of a Black American facing both passive and violent oppression at the hands of the white establishment. The only distance the episode offers is time — the notion that this sort of thing couldn’t happen in the 1990s or the 2020s — but even that doesn’t hold water. Instead, within the context of a Star Trek episode, the viewer is placed directly into the indignity of being a second-class citizen in the United States, and it hits hard. Avery Brooks’ performance (which he also directed) is so explosive that it dares you to call it hyperbolic, but in the face of constant danger and disrespect, how can any reaction truly be overstated? Far Beyond the Stars  is a testament to the power of fiction as an empathy machine, one that allows us to express our experiences and codify our dreams in a way that makes each of us a little more human.

Outside of the streaming era, In the Pale Moonlight might be the most divisive piece of Star Trek canon. Star Trek is, by nature, an aspirational show about human beings who have grown beyond our modern hang-ups and prejudices and been rewarded with lives of excitement and enlightenment. Deep Space Nine puts that utopia in jeopardy and, in so doing, questions whether or not it ever existed in the first place. While this is a prevalent theme throughout the series, the issue comes to a head late in season 6, at the height of the Dominion War. The Federation is losing, and their only chance of survival may be to draw their old rivals, the Romulan Empire, into the conflict. Since the Romulans won’t side against the Dominion without evidence of an impending attack, and no such evidence exists, Sisko enlists Garak to help him to manufacture some.

In the past, when a Starfleet hero was confronted with the choice to either do something unconscionable or die, said hero has chosen oblivion, only for the circumstances of the story to offer them some way out of the dilemma. That’s a fair decision for an individual to make, or even for a Captain to make on behalf of their crew, but what about when an entire civilization is at stake? Can the moral integrity of one person really be measured against billions of lives? In the Pale Moonlight  breaks the Star Trek mold by not offering Captain Sisko a way out. There is no third option, no saving throw, no deus ex machina. For once, right and wrong do not align with positive and negative outcomes. It’s an entirely atypical, deeply uncomfortable Star Trek episode, and not coincidentally, one of the franchise’s greatest hours.

All seven seasons of Deep Space Nine are streaming on Paramount+.

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It’s hard to imagine today, but back in the late 1960s, the original Star Trek was not considered a hit. The ambitious science fiction series was constantly on the brink of cancellation and was cut short only three years into its planned five-season run. However, it’s important to put Trek’s apparent failure into historical context as, given that most markets in the U.S. had only three television channels to choose from, even a low-rated show like Star Trek was being watched by about 20% of everyone watching television on a Thursday night, or roughly 10 million households. This year’s season of HBO’s Succession was viewed by roughly 8 million households a week, which makes it a hit by today's standards. Star Trek’s audience only grew once it went into reruns in the early 1970s, and by the time Star Trek: The Motion Picture hit theaters in 1979, it was a genuine cultural phenomenon. Today, the Star Trek franchise is considered one of the crown jewels of the Paramount library. Though arguably outshined by its most prosperous spinoff, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Original Series holds up remarkably well for a vision of our future imagined nearly 60 years in our past. It’s a space adventure series that tackles social or political issues from what was, at the time, a daring and progressive perspective informed by the contemporary civil rights movement, sexual revolution, and backlash against the Vietnam War. Conveying these values through fanciful science fiction didn’t only allow its writers to get away with a lot of subversive messages, it also delivered them in a way that remains fun to watch decades later — fun enough that fans are willing to forgive when its ideas, or its special effects, crumble under modern scrutiny. These 10 episodes, however, unquestionably stand the test of time, and thanks to the continuity-light nature of mid-20th century television, any one of them could be your first Star Trek episode. (Be aware, however, that the order in which classic Trek episodes are listed varies depending on the source. For our purposes, we’re using the numbering from streaming service Paramount+.)

10. Mirror, Mirror (season 2, episode 4)

How do you celebrate Star Trek at Comic-Con when all of the actors stayed home? The actors and writers strike has greatly diminished the star power of San Diego Comic-Con, but Paramount+ had a novel solution. The streamer put its cards on the table early by promoting the remaining episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, including a video preview for the upcoming musical episode.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | "Subspace Rhapsody" Trailer (SDCC 2023) | Paramount+

Paramount+ is the USS Enterprise for Trekkies, as the streaming service continues to produce entertaining and well-received Star Trek programs. There are multiple Star Trek TV shows to choose from that span a variety of genres. Star Trek: Lower Decks is an animated comedy for adults, Star Trek: Prodigy is geared toward families, and Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard are dramas. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds falls into the drama category, but it's a throwback to the original Star Trek and a treat for all fans.

Created by Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, and Jenny Lume, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the crew of the starship USS Enterprise as they traverse to new worlds within the galaxy. The series takes place ten years before Star Trek: The Original Series. After a critically-acclaimed first season in 2022, Strange New Worlds returns for its second season this summer. Below is information about the release date, time, channel, and plot for the first episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2. When does episode 1 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 release?

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ST:DS9 episode guide – Detailing seven seasons of epic sci-fi adventure and intrigue

Once considered the black sheep of the Star Trek universe, Deep Space Nine has earned a repuation as a series far ahead of its time. Indeed, a look at these episode listings shows that DS9 could well have been the first-ever binge-worthy tv show. A few bottle episodes (“The House of Quark”, “Take Me Out to the Holosuite”) may be watched as purely isolated stoies while “Far Beyond the Stars” is set completely outside continuity, but the generally intricate plots and seaon-long story arcs help make DS9 well more popular among the contemporary viewing public…

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – The seasons, the key episodes

Season 1 – Like all of the “new” Star Trek series, Deep Space Nine required a warmup period. Through seasons 1 and 2, the “A” listers of the Star Trek writing/production team were assigned to The Next Generation while DS9 was left with the generic sorts of plots that allowed exploration of character: Episodes like “Past Prologue” (Nerys’s loyalties are divided thanks to a terrorist friend), “Babel” (the automatic translator breaks down), “Dax” (The symbiote is accused of a murder she didn’t commit) and “Vortex” (Odo delves into his origins) and more are cookie-cutter stuff designed to flesh out characters and the environment rather than advance the ST mythos.

Season 2 – More warmup? Yes, essentially. The conspiratorial threat of “The Circle” pops up for a few episodes, but is vanquished immediately. Season 2 is perhaps most notable for the increasingly humorous interplay between the hypercapitalist Ferengi and Odo. The evil “mirror universe” concept, from which DS9 got lots of play through the seasons, in “Crossover” (episode #23). The season-closing “Jem-Hadar” introduces those badass killers along with their leaders, the Dominion.

Season 3 – Now things kick into high gear as DS9 becomes the flagship of the Star Trek TV universe with the conclusion of The Next Generation. The station is provided with a sort of mini-starship the Defiant, in order to peruse the Gamma Quadrant. And in the first three episodes of season 3 “The Search” parts 1 and 2; “The House of Quark”) is the potential of DS9 to effortlessly bounce from spacefaring drama to side-splitting sci-fi comedy. O yes, there’s time travel, too, as in “Past Tense” (#s 11-12).

Season 4 – The spectre of war begins haunting the proceedings from the opening two-parter, “Way of the Warrior” with a whole mess of Klingon ships looking to pick a fight with the Cardassians. By “Paradise Lost” (#12), the Federation is prepping for the inevitable cross-quadrant war with the Dominion skirmishes and conflicts break out throughout. This season includes another trip to the mirror universe in “Shattered Mirror” (#20), while “The Visitor” is the first DS9 episode to tell a story basically completely outside standard DS9 continuity.

Season 5 – Head trips abound in this season of DS9; by my count, Sisko, Dax, Worf, O’Brien and Bashir all participate in at least one episode wherein “Things are not as they seem.” The über-highlight of this season, though, is clearly “Trials and Tribble-ations,” the hilarious redux of the original series’ “Trouble with Tribbles.”

Season 6 – By the end of season 5, Dominion ships were creeping into the Alpha Quadrant, prompting Sisko to mine the wormhole to prevent their passage. War is declared, and thus season 6 of DS9 takes the ST universe to places it’s never been. The single darkest of all ST seasons, these 26 episodes are filled with edge-of-your-seat stuff that pushed forward the notion of heavy continuity of American television. Only by episode six (“Sacrifice of Angels”) does the station come back into Federation hands after its capture by Cardissian and Dominion forces in episode 1 (“A Time to Stand”), and the series enjoys its finest hour in the incredible “In the Pale Moonlight” (#19). But as though to show DS9 wasn’t dragging ST into pure wartime thrills, the incredibly deep (and utterly continuity-ignoring) “Far Beyond the Stars” (#13) is a more heartfelt examination of 20th-century racism than nearly anything in TV history.

Season 7 – The symbiote Dax gains a new humanoid body to start the season, setting the table for the wave of departures inevitable in a final season. All the individual stories are wrapped up – no, really, *all* of them, including one hell of a horrible fate for Gul Dukat – as all but Bashir, the new Dax, Quark and poor Jake Sisko leave the station by “All That You Leave Behind.” And check out that heartbreaking, full-circle last shot, with particular reference to the opening scene of the first episode…

Season 8 – Okay, so tehnically, DS9 never got reupped for a season 8; however, an interesting conceit in the 2019 documentary release What We Left Behind has essentially all the key stroy-/scriprtwriters developing a story for DS9 season 8, episode 1. The only negative to the imaginary episode creation is that we sadly shall never see the results. Anyone else miss this show...?

Screen Rant

Star trek: the 10 best episodes of ds9 ever, according to imdb.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is one of the most beloved Star Trek series. What are the ten best episodes of the show, according to IMDb?

Almost 30 years ago, in 1992, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine hit television screens. DS9 boldly went where no Star Trek show had gone before at the time, with characters, storytelling, and settings far from what was seen previously. It has since become one of the most popular entries of the franchise.

Related: The Best Character In Each Season of Deep Space Nine

For seven seasons, the crew of the eponymous station and the USS Defiant entertained audiences with many adventures. These audiences have, in turn, spoken on which episodes were the best and highest rated according to IMDb.

The Die Is Cast (Season 3) - 9.0/10

Season 3 was when the Dominion as a superpower was introduced, but it was not until this episode and "Improbable Cause" that they returned in a big way. A joint Cardassian and Romulan fleet, headed by spymaster Enabran Tain, made a preemptive strike against the Dominion and their smart and devious Founders.  The tailor Garak also had to choose whether to side with Tain or Constable Odo.

"The Die is Cast" not only had repercussions for all of the major factions, but it was also strong on the characters. The emotional highlight was when Garak was forced to torture Odo to solidify his allegiance to Tain. That he was deeply hurt and regretful for doing it was an excellent example of how the characters of DS9 , even secondary ones, were developed well.

What You Leave Behind (Season 7) - 9.0/10

The ending storyline of  DS9 was a whopping nine episodes, with the series finale clocking in at 90 minutes. The final battle of the Dominion War was nigh, with all the significant players prepared to put everything on the line for victory. Captain Sisko was also about to face his destiny alongside the villainous yet beloved Gul Dukat .

The extended runtime guaranteed that "What You Leave Behind" wrapped up almost all of the character arcs and conflicts. Unlike other finales, there were no promises of more adventures as the beloved crew went their separate ways. It was a bombastic, heartwarming, and bittersweet farewell after seven seasons.

The Way Of The Warrior (Season 4) - 9.0/10

One of the essential aspects of DS9's predecessor, The Next Generation , was the modern reinvention of the Klingons into begrudging allies of the Federation. Worf thus was a crucial character, as he provided the audience more insight into his race. The fourth season of DS9 took the next step for both by reigniting tensions with the Klingons and reintroducing Worf as a series regular.

"The Way of the Warrior" raised the stakes for DS9 by adding the Klingons to the Federation's enemies alongside the Maquis Resistance. This was clear when Klingon ships were involved in two altercations against the Federation and the station itself. It also helped that this episode was also at a 90-minute runtime, which gave plenty of opportunities for Worf to integrate himself into the cast.

Far Beyond The Stars (Season 6) - 9.0/10

Halfway through Season 6, Sisko was crushed by losing many of his colleagues to the war. When he was considering resignation, he was transported to the 1950s and turned into a writer named Benny. With no memories of his former life, Benny went about his typical day and dealt with all the troubles and widespread social unrest around him.

While episodes of The Original Series and The Next Generation presented episodes around racism using allegory, DS9 cut to the chase and showed the truth of this period as is. "Far Beyond the Stars" was not only a powerful presentation of a sensitive issue, but it was also a significant examination into Sisko. It fitted that the episode, in 1998, aired during Black History Month.

Call To Arms (Season 5) - 9.1/10

After the events of the two-parter "In Purgatory's Shadow" and "By Inferno's Light," the newly-formed Dominion-Cardassian alliance made only a few scattered appearances to menace the heroes in a cold war-like fashion. This all changed by the season's end when more Dominion forces arrived to bolster their numbers. To Deep Space Nine, it was clear that war was inevitable.

Related: 10 Facts About The Cardassians Only Diehard Fans Would Know

Season-ending, multi-part cliffhangers were popularized by The Next Generation , but DS9 handled its season finales differently. In the case of "Call to Arms," it wrapped up the simmering hostilities with the Dominion and set the stage for Season 6 by showing the opening salvos of the Dominion War. It was a very effective finale that guaranteed Season 6 would be a whopper.

Sacrifice Of Angels (Season 6) - 9.1/10

The first six episodes of Season 6 formed a storyline of the DS9 cast scattered, with some forced to abandon the station. Others stayed behind and were forced to endure the occupation of the Dominion. With the start of the Dominion War not going well for the Federation, Sisko provided the only option to give the Federation a fighting chance: Retaking Deep Space Nine.

This episode was given the task of concluding the introductory arc of Season 6, and for the most part, it succeeded. The battle to retake the station was a thrilling action sequence, and it foreshadowed what was to come for the rest of the season. Even the primary villain, Dukat, had intense character moments and is the reason this episode was called "Sacrifice of Angels."

Duet (Season 1) -  9.1/10

The initial premise of  DS9 was for the Federation to assist Bajor after decades of brutal oppression from the Cardassians. Major Kira, a former freedom fighter, was outraged when a Cardassian linked to an internment camp visited the station. However, things took a turn when the Cardassian was not all he appeared to be.

"Duet" was the first to spotlight the Bajoran Occupation, and Kira's stories and parallels to World War II are haunting and tragic. However, the performance of guest star Harris Yulin as the Cardassian Marritza deserved a standing ovation. The episode's placement in Season 1 was vital because it was just the start of DS9's popularity for years to come.

The Visitor (Season 4) - 9.2/10

One thing that made Sisko stand out among other captains was his son, Jake. This episode was a tale of Sisko being killed in a freak accident. What followed was Jake trying and failing to move on with his life as he obsessed over bringing his father back.

Related: Tony Todd's Best Movie Roles, Ranked

Despite being credited as a primary cast member, Jake, and his actor Cirroc Lofton, did not appear as often as the other characters. "The Visitor" allowed Lofton to shine in this tearjerker episode on the love between father and son. Particular praise goes to  Candyman icon Tony Todd, who portrayed the elderly Jake and gave a stellar performance.

Trials and Tribble-Ations (Season 5) - 9.4/10

In this 30th anniversary special, what started as a routine trip took an unexpected turn when the USS Defiant was thrust back to the past by a Bajoran artifact. To make things worse, they were brought back to the time of The Original Series . To make things even worse, the mastermind of this plot had one nefarious goal: the assassination of Captain Kirk.

The respect and reverence "Trials and Tribble-ations" had for The Original Series was evident when the DS9 cast infiltrated the USS Enterprise. It was the perfect anniversary celebration for Star Trek and   one of its best crossovers . Even 25 years later, the effects used to make this episode a reality combined with the original "The Trouble with Tribbles" is remarkable.

In The Pale Moonlight (Season 6) - 9.5/10

As Season 6 progressed, it was evident that the Federation may have retaken Deep Space Nine, but the Dominion War was far from over. The Federation was far from winning, with the causality count increasing. Only by getting the Romulans involved could the Federation have some chance at victory, but the problem was convincing them.

DS9 was considered the darkest Star Trek series, and this episode helped solidify that. Through flashback segments and his log, Sisko laid bare the lengths he went to give the Federation a chance to win the war. It perfectly encapsulates all the strengths and risks DS9 took, and it is no surprise why "In The Pale Moonlight" is ranked by IMDb as the best episode.

Next: The Best Star Trek Series, Ranked (According to IMDb)

TOME OF NERD

Star Trek DS9: The Complete Dominion War Guide

I love Star Trek:  Deep Space Nine . Not only does it have some of the best characters in Star Trek canon, but DS9 also pushed the boundaries of syndicated storytelling by introducing serialized plotlines. While every show and their mother is serialized today, procedurals were the norm in the 90s, especially with Star Trek . DS9 dared to tell a deeper and more complex story. That story is known as the Dominion War.

While Deep Space Nine  has some amazing non-Dominion-centric episodes, you can’t really watch the show without feeling the Dominion’s presence. The Dominion War is the core story underlying the entire series, so it deservedly caters a lot of attention. But for a show that is 132 hours long, it can be a bit intimidating to dive in, especially if you only want to follow the Dominion War arc.

Thus, I took it upon myself to create a complete Dominion War viewing guide. But as I attempted to identify the essential episodes of the series, I discovered I was pulling at a thread. If episode X was important, then you had to have seen episode Y, which of course means you need episode Z. In the end, I had not one, but three viewing lists. So here they are, with many more details below:

Your first question is probably along the lines of: Why are there three lists? How big a nerd are you? To the later question I would say: very. But I will expand further on the first question.

Ultimately, one list wouldn’t work for everyone. Some people want a streamlined viewing of the Dominion War while others would appreciate a more fleshed out version of the story. Obviously, determining the importance of each episode is not an exact science. But as I rewatched each episode, I discovered that most episodes fall into one of three categories:

Essential : A pivotal episode that is integral to understanding the Dominion War story. A can’t miss.

Expanded : Expands on the overarching story, focusing heavily on the Dominion. Episodes sometimes includes lasting consequences, but not required viewing.

Supplementary : Stories tangential to the overarching story, but the Dominion still play a noteworthy role in the episode.

For the sake of brevity, I have not included every single episode that mentions the Dominion, because that would become superfluous. I am including any episode in which the Dominion or their effects are featured prominently. Using the criteria above, we end up with three viewing lists:

The Essential List will provide the most streamlined viewing by including only the most important episodes of the series. You will miss out on a lot, but you will still get to watch some of the best episodes of the series while watching the complete Dominion War arc.

The Essential + Expanded List will further flesh out the greater Dominion War themes. Not only do you get all the of integral story, but you will also get most of the backstory. This provides a deeper understanding of the characters (on both sides) and hopefully a greater appreciation of the Dominion War arc.

The Essential + Expanded + Supplementary List is the closest version to a complete list possible. In addition to the above, it includes some fairly inconsequential episodes regarding the Dominion and/or tangential events to the war that help shape the story. For those seeking a “complete” list without watching the whole series, this is it.

Below you will find a summary and justification for each episode in the guide. Because the list encompasses nearly the entire series, there will undoubtedly be spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Dominon War Episode Summaries and Justifications

2×07 rules of acquisition and 2×10 sanctuary (supplementary).

Rules of Acquisition and Sanctuary contain the first two whispers of the Dominion. The malevolent force is only hinted at, but it’s clear that they are a major player in the Gamma Quadrant. It’s fitting that the first introduction to the Dominion is through the eyes of the Ferengi. Their lust for profit and expansion immediately puts them in touch with the who’s who in the Gamma Quadrant. Sanctuary  doubles down on this premise, illustrating the power the Dominion wield by turning a race of people into refugees.

That being said, neither episode is particularly strong. Both suffer from Star Trek early-season-itis and the Dominion only play background roles within the episodes. Watch them if you want to see the foreshadowing, but they are the definition of supplementary material.

2×26 The Jem’Hadar (Essential)

The second season finale finally introduces the true might of the Dominion. The Jem’Hadar starts innocently enough with a Sisko family trip (plus Quark and Nog) into the Gamma Quadrant. But before long they come across a mysterious alien being hunted by the Jem’Hadar. As the episode slowly unravels, the true threat of the Dominion is revealed.

What’s great about this episode is that it shows just how outmatched the Federation and the Alpha Quadrant really are. The Dominion isn’t just a brute force enemy, but also incredibly intelligent and cunning. The Jem’Hadar already know plenty about the on-goings of the other side of the wormhole. And when push comes to shove, it is the Dominion that stands tall. An ominous introduction of the threat to come.

3×01/3×02 The Search Part 1 and 2 (Essential)

After the events of The Jem’Hadar , Sisko gets proactive in regard to the Dominion threat. The crew of DS9 head into the Gamma Quadrant in search of the Founders on board their brand new warship: the Defiant. The mission sends them head first into the Dominion.

The Search  again illustrates the superiority the Dominion has over the Federation. There is a continuing trend of not just being outmatched physically, but also strategically. This episode has a lot of twists and turns, with the final reveal setting the stage for the series moving forward.

3×06 The Abandoned (Supplementary)

Quarks purchases wreckage from the Gamma Quadrant that includes a baby Jem’Hadar (whoops). As the child rapidly ages, Odo, Sisko, and the others must decide the Jem’Hadar’s ultimate fate. Will he be given to the Federation for study or will the Jem’Hadar be allowed something more?

While The Abandoned touches on some key Jem’Hadar backstory, such as their addiction to Ketracel-white, the episode is fairly removed from the overarching story. The dynamic between Odo and the Jem’Hadar is interesting to watch unfold, but the episode is not the strongest. There is also a bizarre B story about 16-year-old Jake dating a 20-year-old Bajoran Dabo girl. Watch if you are interested in Jem’Hadar lore, but skippable otherwise.

3×17 Visionary (Supplementary)

Chief O’Brien is exposed to radiation poisoning, sending him back and forward through time. 5 hours in the future, O’Brien observes the events of a Romulan delegation’s briefing on the Dominion. O’Brien must unravel the mysteries of his time jumps while also trying to stay alive.

Visionary is very supplemental to the Dominion War, so much so that I almost didn’t include it in this list. Ultimately, I decided to include it because the episode foreshadows the Romulan’s stake in the Dominion and how severely they view the situation. The episode itself is also strong in its own right, with classic Star Trek time travel antics and mysteries. If you’re a fan of that stuff, watch Visionary . If you are only interested in the Dominion War, skip it.

3×20 Improbable Cause and 3×21 The Die is Cast (Essential)

After Garak’s shop is destroyed in an explosion, Odo discovers there is more to the story than a simple assassination attempt. Odo and Garak unravel a mystery that leads them all the way to the Tal Shiar and Obsidian Order. They discover the unlikely alliance of intelligence agencies is determined to preemptively strike the Dominion.

This is an excellent two-parter and could have easily been the season finale. Garak and Odo are two of the strongest characters in the show and until now haven’t interacted much. They display their entire range, bringing strong character moments to a story that is galactic in scope. Probably the best episodes yet on the list.

3×26 The Adversary (Essential)

Sisko and the crew of the Defiant are called to intervene in a possible coup on Tzenkethi. Things quickly turn south as their ship is sabotaged by a changeling. Sisko and the others must find a way to regain control of the Defiant before they unintentionally start a war with the Tzenkethi.

If it wasn’t for the ending, this episode would be supplementary. As a season finale, it is a fairly weak entry. It is by no means a terrible episode and it has big consequences moving forward, but the stakes never feel high. The episode falls into various tropes (self-destruct sequence cancelled at the last minute anyone?) and leaves us waiting for the inevitable resolution to the problem. You could also nit-pick the convoluted way in which the changeling attempted to start a Federation war with the Tzenkethi. But most of these criticisms aren’t deal-breakers. It is a middling episode, but required viewing.

4×01/4×02 The Way of the Warrior Part 1 and 2 (Expanded)

The Klingons decide to go on the offensive against the Dominion. They believe the recent coup on Cardassia was part of a Dominion plan to establish a foothold in the Alpha quadrant. In an effort to better understand the Klingon actions, Sisko recruits Worf. The crew of DS9 must find a way to stop the Klingons without starting a war.

A lot of guides say that this episode is essential viewing and I can see why. First, it establishes Worf as a main player on the show. Secondly, it introduces the Klingons being at war with basically everyone. But the Dominion never show themselves in this episode. The episode is more about the confrontation with the Klingons and the Dominion’s rippling effects on the Alpha Quadrant. It’s a fun 90 minutes of television and definitely worth a watch, but non-essential to the greater Dominion War arc.

4×04 Hippocratic Oath (Expanded)

Bashir and O’Brien become stranded on a planet and are captured by a group of Jem’Hadar. Their leader, Goran’Agar, reveals that his Jem’Hadar are attempting to free themselves from the addictive drug ketracel-white. Bashir and O’Brien must decide to help the Jem’Hadar or help themselves escape.

This episode contains a lot of backstory about the Jem’Hadar and the function they play within the Dominion. Specifically, how they view the Vorta as slave masters and the Founders as gods. It’s also a classic Bashir/O’Brien episode where we see their friendship and their conflict. There is a B story involving Worf learning to fit into his role on the station that is arguably stronger than the Bashir/O’Brien plot line. Watch if you are a Jem’Hadar completionist, otherwise you can pass.

4×07 Starship Down (Supplementary)

While negotiating a trade deal with the Karemma in the Gamma Quadrant, the Dominion attack. The Defiant is heavily damaged and must locate the Karemma ship within a gas planet, all while taking on two Jem’Hadar warships.

This episode is essentially the The Next Generation Season 5 episode Disaster . Members of the Defiant crew are separated and forced to bond through crisis. There are some noteworthy moments, such as Kira’s relationship with Sisko and his role as the emissary, but in general the episode is fairly rote.

4×11 Homefront and 4×12 Paradise Lost (Essential)

After a changeling bomb in San Francisco kills dozens of people, Sisko and Odo are recalled to Earth. Sisko is given the title of acting Chief of Starfleet Security as they investigate how to best stop the changeling threat. But when the clues don’t add up, Sisko and Odo believe something else is amiss.

This 2-part episode is classic DS9 fare in the best way possible. The episode looks at the lengths people go to protect themselves from an existential threat. How do we live our lives when anyone could be an enemy? Many of the themes ring truer today perhaps than when the episode initially aired. Light on action and heavy on ideals and philosophy. An excellent set of episodes.

4×23 To the Death (Expanded)

A group of Jem’Hadar strike Deep Space Nine. The Defiant crew hunt down the perpetrators, only to discover the Jem’Hadar are in possession of an Iconian Gateway. Now they must join forces with the Dominion to stop the rogue Jem’Hadar.

I had a hard time deciding how important  To the Death is to the Dominion War arc. It introduces Weyoun into canon and articulately displays the contempt the Jem’Hadar and Vorta have for one another. It’s also the first episode that shows the Dominion has flaws. But on the other hand, the plot itself is fairly inconsequential to the greater story. More of a one-off tale staring the Dominion. But it’s a good episode with a TNG callback to the Iconians. Definitely worth watching, but not essential.

4×26 Broken Link (Essential)

Odo becomes dangerously ill. With no other solution in place, the crew of the Defiant must head to the Gamma Quadrant to find the only people that can help Odo: the Founders.

While Broken Link is very much an Odo episode, the B story surrounding Garak really stands out. One of my favorite scenes is when Garak confronts the female Founder, asking if there were any Cardassian survivors from the events of The Die is Cast . Her response is chilling and dooming to the Cardassian people. The episode as a whole is strong and the conclusion resonates moving forward.

5×01 Apocalypse Rising (Essential)

While in the Great Link, Odo saw that Gowron is a changeling. Now Sisko, O’Brien, Odo, and Worf are tasked with going undercover and exposing Gowron.

This is a fun episode that I’m glad wasn’t stretched into a two-parter. For as exciting as the Klingon-version of the DS9 crew should be, it almost overstays its welcome. Most of the episode is simply standing around and observing Klingon culture, but even so there are good bits of humor and action. As always, the mission isn’t as straight forward as it seems. The ending also has lasting ramifications for the series.

5×02 The Ship (Supplementary)

The crew of the Defiant is on a planetary survey in the Gamma Quadrant when a Dominion Warship crashes. The wreckage would be of great importance to the Federation, but the Dominion arrive before it can be salvaged.

The Ship is a fairly tense episode, most of it being a standoff between the DS9 crew and the Dominion. It suffers from a few Star Trek cliches, such as the new characters that are just around to die. The episode also has a very Star Trek-y moral at the end, which it may or may not have earned. Certainly worth a watch, but it is non-essential to the overall story.

5×10 Rapture (Expanded)

After a holosuite accident (shocking!), Sisko begins to have prophetic visions. As Bajor is accepted into the Federation, Sisko starts to understand its greater purpose within the universe. Also, as you might have guessed, the visions are killing Sisko…

Rapture is the definition of an Expanded episode, but it is well worth watching. There is lots to love with plenty of foreshadowing. For as “big” as an episode this is, it is still intimate, focusing on Sisko, Kasidy, and Jake. Is the life of one man more important than understanding the future? Classic Star Trek .

5×14 In Purgatory’s Shadow and 5×15 By Inferno’s Light (Essential)

DS9 receives a Cardassian signal from the Gamma Quadrant. When Garak determines the message is from Enabran Tain, Worf joins him to investigate the origins of the signal. Back on the station, Dukat is hanging around and rustling feathers. Antics ensue on both fronts.

This two-parter is probably my favorite thus far in the series. This has everything you would want in a Dominion War episode. The highlight is Worf taking on Jem’Hadar after Jem’Hadar in battle. Also, the “reveal” near the end of the first episode is perfectly done. The episode has ramifications for the rest of the series. A fantastic and essential viewing.

5×21 Soldiers of the Empire (Supplementary)

Martok receives orders to investigate the disappearance of a Klingon warship in Cardassian space. Worf and Jadzia join under Martok’s command, but soon realize that low morale is putting the mission in jeopardy.

This is a mediocre episode with only the slightest relation to the overall story. You get a deeper glimpse of Klingon culture, but it isn’t anything a seasoned fan hasn’t seen before. If you are interested in watching “How Martok Got His Groove Back”, then go for it. Otherwise move on to the next episode.

5×23 Blaze of Glory (Supplementary)

When Sisko learns of a Maquis plan to attack Cardassia, he must turn to Michael Eddington for help. The unlikely duo enter the Badlands in search of the remaining Maquis. But can Sisko avoid the Dominion and stop an all-out war?

The episode only has a tangential tie to the Dominion War and is really more of a wrap up to the entire Eddington/Maquis-arc of the series. It’s a fine episode and you can’t help but enjoy the lovably-hateable Eddington. If you skip it, you won’t miss anything related to the Dominion arc.

5×25 In the Cards (Expanded)

The crew of Deep Space Nine has the blues. The Dominion threat grows and tensions are at an all-time high. In an effort to cheer up his dad, Jake attempts to acquire a Willie Mays rookie baseball card. Antics ensue.

With a summary like that, you’d be surprised how relevant this episode is. It’s one of the first episodes that illustrates the Dominion’s effect on everyday life on the station. In what should have been the main plotline of the episode, Weyoun is on DS9 negotiating a non-aggression pact with Kai Winn and Bajor. While the focus is on Jake and Nog’s comical adventure, the underlying themes are relevant to the series as a whole.

5×26 Call to Arms (Essential)

Sisko is determined to prevent more Dominion ships from entering the Alpha Quadrant. As more and more Alpha Quadrant powers sign non-aggression pacts with The Dominion, Sisko and the crew of DS9 decide to mine the entrance to the wormhole.

Call to Arms defines the future of the series and the Dominion War to come. In just one episode, the show manages to touch on nearly every notable plot-point in the series thus far. It’s a fantastic episode and the first true Dominion War episode. A must watch.

The Terok Nor Arc (Essential) – 6×01 A Time To Stand, 6×02 Rocks and Shoals, 6×03 Sons and Daughters, 6×04 Behind the Lines, 6×05 Favor the Bold, 6×06 Sacrifice of Angels

Shit just got real.

The six episode arc that kicks off season 6 is quintessential Deep Space Nine. It is the first real attempt at serialization and multiple narratives. Nearly every major character has a storyline running throughout these episodes (except poor Bashir).

The arc as a whole is an amazing character piece. On the station, Dominion and Cardassian antagonists are given ample screen time next to our usual DS9 heroes. Odo’s character arc is particularly noteworthy. Worf has joined Martok’s crew for his own adventures. Oddly enough, the Starfleet characters (Sisko, Jadzia, Bashir, O’Brien) are probably the least interesting, albeit no less essential.

What else can be said? This is the best 6-episode run of the series yet. Unskippable for the Dominion War arc.

6×09 Statistical Probabilities (Expanded)

Dr. Bashir is temporarily in care of an eccentric group of genetically enhanced individuals. After witnessing their cognitive abilities, Bashir believes they can assist with the ongoing Federation/Dominion negotiations.

This episode is borderline “Supplementary” because the focus is on Bashir’s relationship with the genetically enhanced quartet. But Statistical Probabilities establishes some important story elements, even if somewhat in the background. Most notably, Damar’s ascension into Dukat’s previous role as leader of Cardassia is worth noting. It’s a middling, non-essential episode, but worth a watch at least once.

6×10 The Magnificent Ferengi (Supplementary)

When Quark learns of his mother Ishka’s capture by the Dominion, he puts together a ragtag group of Ferengi to rescue her. With the vorta Keevan in tow, Quark and his team go to Empok Nor for a prisoner exchange. Antics ensue.

The episode is a classic “Ferengi” episode, but that isn’t a bad thing. It’s actually quite comical at times and the Dominion characters are of the love-to-hate variety. I was glad to see Keevan return and Yelgrun (Iggy Pop!) is a great vorta as well. The reason this episode is classified as Supplementary is because when all is said and done, it is of no consequence to the greater Dominion War arc. There is a one-off line from Yelgren about the Breen, which could be construed as foreshadowing, but that’s about it. Still a fun episode and worth a watch, especially if you are a Ferengi fan.

6×11 Waltz (Expanded)

Sisko boards the U.S.S. Honshu to escort Dukat to trial. But after a Cardassian ambush, the Honshu is destroyed, leaving Sisko and Dukat stranded on a dangerous planet. Worf and the Defiant crew must rescue Sisko before he succumbs to the violence of an unhinged Dukat.

Waltz is a fine episode that delves into the inner workings of Dukat’s mind, but I went back and forth on how integral it is to the Dominion War arc. On the one hand, Dukat is obviously a central figure to the show and this episode is ultimately the first step towards the final Dukat and Sisko confrontation. But on the other hand, Dukat’s character is reinvented a couple times between here and there, making this episode less mandatory viewing. At the end of the day, this is a skippable episode in terms of plot, but worthy of a watch.

6×14 One Little Ship (Supplementary)

O’Brien, Dax, Bashir shrink in size to investigate an anomaly. During their mission, the Defiant is attacked and commandeered by Jem’Hadar. Now the Defiant’s only hope rests in one little ship.

Look, it’s Honey I Shrunk the Kids meets Deep Space Nine . Depending who you are, that’s either a good thing or a bad thing. The episode is downright goofy. In terms of the greater Dominion War, there is an underlying Alpha versus Gamma Jem’Hadar plotline, but that is never mentioned again. If you are a completionist looking for a ridiculous episode, this one is for you. Otherwise, it’s an inconsequential episode.

6×19 In the Pale Moonlight (Essential)

Sisko recounts his plan to bring the Romulans into the Dominion War.

Watch this episode. It’s considered to be one of the series’ bests. While the story is galactic in size, the episode is truly about Sisko and how far he will go to save the Alpha Quadrant from the Dominion. I could write a whole article on this episode, so I say again, just go watch it.

6×22 Valiant (Expanded)

When Jake and Nog’s runabout is ambushed by a Jem’Hadar force, they are rescued by Red Squad, a group of elite Starfleet cadets. When Nog is quickly promoted to Chief Engineer, Jake questions the morality of what is occurring.

Valiant isn’t essential viewing for the Dominion War story, but it does wrap up the Red Squad storyline from wayyyy back in Homefront / Paradise Lost . It also introduces the new Jem’Hadar battleship. It’s borderline Supplementary, but ultimately I decided it was worth the Expanded designation. Worth a watch for fans of Jake and Nog or those who want a fuller view of the Dominion War.

6×26 Tears of the Prophets (Essential)

Sisko leads the Alpha Quadrant alliance into Cardassian space, despite visions from the Prophets warning him otherwise. Dukat returns to Cardassia, promising to sway the war in favor of the Dominion.

Oh boy. This is undeniably the most pivotal episode of the show thus far. The season six finale touches on almost every major character on both sides of the war. And of course, Tears of the Prophets is most remembered as being one of the most tragic of the series. This is a can’t miss episode. Bring your tissues.

7×01 Image in the Sand and 7×02 Shadows and Symbols (Essential)

With the wormhole closed, Sisko returns to Earth in an attempt to reconnect with the Prophets. On DS9, the crew deals with the ramifications of Sisko absence. Months later, Sisko has a mysterious vision from the Prophets and is joined by a familiar guest.

This two-part episode sets the stage for the rest of the series. There are some big revelations and the introduction of a sometimes controversial character (Ezri). With the time jump, the episodes do a good job at catching up with all of DS9 regulars, friend and foe. Obviously an important episode in the greater Dominion War arc.

7×06 Treachery, Faith, and the Great River (Essential)

Odo receives a secret message from an old contact on Cardassia. When he arrives, he discovers Weyoun wishing to defect to the Federation. Back on the station, Nog helps O’Brien procure a graviton stabilizer through Ferengi ingenuity.

This episode plays a surprisingly important role in the series despite its fairly innocuous plotlines. Sure, Weyoun defecting to the Federation sounds big and important, but the significance is in the foreshadowing information revealed. I initially thought about marking this episode as Expanded, but ultimately I felt viewers would be lost without it.

7×07 Once More Unto the Breach (Supplementary)

Kor, the Dahar master, seeks help from his friend Worf to find an honorable death in the Dominion War. Martok, on the other hand, doesn’t particularly care for Kor, the Dahar master. After Worf appoints Kor, the Dahar master, to an officer position on the Ch’Tang, we soon discover why.

While the Dominion War plays a central role in this episode, it is truly about wrapping up the story of Kor, the Dahar master. Can the old and weathered veteran find a place of value in the Klingon Empire and earn an honorable death? If you are a fan of Kor, the Dahar master, than this is a must watch. For those looking for only the integral episodes of the series, feel free to pass on this one. But before you go, did I mention that Kor is the Dahar master?

7×08 The Siege of AR-558 (Expanded)

Sisko and the crew of the Defiant stop at AR-558 for a supply drop. But when the Defiant is attacked by Jem’Hadar fighters, Sisko and crew decide to stay on the planet to assist the units on the frontline.

This is one of the few episodes that deals directly with the horrors of the Dominion War. Most of the series takes place in space (obviously) so it’s quite interesting to get a view of the war from the perspective of the foot-soldiers. While the episode doesn’t deal with the greater war effort, at least one character will deal with ramifications from the episode down the road.

The Final Chapter – 7×17 Penumbra, 7×18 ‘Til Death Do Us Part, 7×19 Strange Bedfellows, 7×20 The Changing Face of Evil, 7×21 When It Rains…, 7×22 Tacking Into the Wind, 7×23 Extreme Measures, 7×24 The Dogs of War, 7×25 What You Leave Behind

This is it. The epic 9-part serialized conclusion to the Dominion War and Deep Space Nine . These final episodes wrap up every open arc on the show and are the very definition of essential viewing. For many, these episodes are arguably the best episodes of the series. The serialization is downright pioneering in nature and the tale being told is gripping. Not much else I can say. If I were you, I would block out a day and binge from here on out.

In Closing…

Creating this guide took quite some time, but nothing is perfect. I would love to hear feedback. Did I miss anything? Were any episodes a complete waste of time? Let me know.

I also couldn’t have done all of this by memory, so a big thanks to the folks at the astutely named  Memory Alpha for their extensive database on all things Trek. Even after rewatching every episode above, I always had the associated Memory Alpha episode entry open in another tab while writing this guide. A great resource.

And finally, for those of you who somehow made your way through 5,000+ words on the Dominion War, thank you! I hope that this guide provided some value to you. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to take a look.

All images courtesy CBS Television

More in the Tome of Nerd:

• My Journey Through the Comic Book Speculation Bubble…
• The 8 Best Star Wars Canon Books
• Maximum Carnage: Enjoying a Classic Spider-Man Event
• Star Trek CCG: How a Card Game Became a Way of Life
• The 7 Best Star Trek DS9 Novels

40 Replies to “Star Trek DS9: The Complete Dominion War Guide”

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Thank you so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so much for this! It was EXACTLY what I was looking for. I didn’t have time for the entire series, so using your guided plus a “top 10 DS9” I really feel like I was able to capture the heart of the series. Great job!

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Can you do the same for the Borg story arc in Voyager?

Including Species 8472

That’s a great idea I’ve literally never thought about. I’m not as well versed in Voyager, but I’ve been looking for a reason to rewatch the series. We’ll see what I can do!

DS9 is my favorite Star Trek series and your list made it possible to go back and watch all my favorite parts of the series. I would suggest adding The Begotten S5 EP12 to the list. It details how Odo regained his shape shifting abilities.

Thank you for the kind words! I went back and forth on this episode. As you said, it’s very influential for Odo’s arc, but the episode itself isn’t related to the Dominion War. It might make sense as a supplementary episode because Odo being a shapeshifter is pretty essential to the overall story. Thanks for the feedback!

This is quite the devoted and curated list. I’d expect nothing less from a true Star Trek fan. I admire your work sir. Thank you for this. Coming from a 41 year old who watched these shows sporadically as a teenager but never got the full story arc. I am VERY much appreciative. Thank you.

Thank you for the kind words. Glad it was useful!

Damnit I should’ve been Jean Luc Pwncard. My whole life, ruined by less than 5 seconds of expounding upon a username… KHAAAANNNNN!

5×02 Is an absolute essential, it was the last chance to prevent the dominion war and it went horribly.

PS hottest Star Trek girl ever is a Vorta

Hello Nerd writer,

I’m a big fan of DS9 and was looking for a guide just like this, thank you.

I read your post about episode The Visitor. While our species, H. Sap., has a pre-existing condition of not seeing that we don’t know what we don’t know, as individuals we get to shine a little light sometimes so others can glimpse what we didn’t know we didn’t know.. uh, about something we thought we knew about.. if you follow me. Thx for your little light.

Thanks for reading and for the kind words!

I’d also add season 3’s ‘Heart of stone’ great now i got to go add it to my set

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Thank you so much for taking the time to create the list! My husband and I are starting e17s7 today! Really appreciate awesome fans like you!

Thank you for the kind words! I’m glad you found it helpful.

I too would add Season 3 Heart of Stone. We get insight and further context into the Changlings – and also Nog and his entry into Starfleet Acadamy. I would add it to your Essential + Expanded + Supplementary list. It’s not required. But it’s a good supplemental episode.

Thanks, I’ll keep it in mind. Undoubtedly I’ll need to revise the list in the future because there are probably a few changes that could be made. Thanks again!

Also – thanks for these lists. I binged the show about 8-10 years ago and have been wanting to rewatch only the shows regarding The Dominion and The Dominion War. The Essential + Expanded + Supplementary list is great. I’m going to add in the recommendations of the others to this list. As I see them I’ll post my opinion – fwiw – as to if I agree or not to add them. Great Job!! I’m going to recommend your list to a friend. He’ll love it.

Thanks for reading and thanks for passing it along!

I think you made a mistake. You listed episodes 4×11 Homefront & 4×12 Paradise Lost as “essential”. But these episodes are actually 4×10 & 4×11 respectively. At least that is the way they are listed on Amazon Prime.

Actually this is kind of confusing. Wikipedia numbers the episodes for season 4 the same way you did here. But Amazon Prime & Netflix list them differently. Anyway…as long as you pay attention to the title for each episode you will be able to figure out the right episodes to watch. In any event, I appreciate this guide. I’m up to season 4 episode 26. Really enjoying it!! Thanks!

If I had to guess, I imagine the discrepancy comes from how The Way of the Warrior is listed. I’m going off of memory, but I believe Netflix has that as one long 90 minute episode whereas it aired as a 2-parter. So depending on if you count that as 1 or 2 episodes, it would affect the rest of the season numbering.

Thanks for the kind words!

You are correct. They list the 1st two episodes of season 4 together as 1 long episode. It does throw the rest of the season numbering off on Netflix & Prime. But thanks to you including the titles for each episode… its easy enough to figure out. Thanks Again. I really wanted to see the dominion war. But I probably would not have watched this series after all these years without this cheat sheet.

Been said before bro but top post, exactly what I was after, and your curation got it spot on for me. Cheers from London!

Thanks so much for this list! Awesome to have it, and great categorization of the episodes — best guide I’ve found!

This was an epic list to guide me in my first new apartment and projector binge watch. Bravo kind internet friend. May Stovokor gates be blown asunder from this glorious victory!! Q’apla!

i’m sure i would make other changes but 2 episodes I would add are (Spoilers):

1) Heart of Stone (3×14) – it’s when Nog applies to Starfleet. it’s been a while so i could be wrong but, without this episode some may go “ummmm…. what happened to nog” and then “when TF did Nog join Starfleet?”

2) Doctor Bashir, I presume (5×16) – this is the episode where it’s discovered that Dr. Bashir is genetically enhanced and thus, super smart and physically skilled. Before this episode, Dr. Bashir is, IMO, annoying and annoyingly naive. after this episode, he calms down and stops being so naive and i really like how they “fixed” his character. Without this episode, i can see people questioning why his character changed so much so fast. It won’t make sense IMO. not critical to the war but to one of it’s characters.

Thanks for the information and all the hard work you put in making this article, excellent 👌

thanks for the list, very helpful for rewatch

just what I need for a Picard-related rewatch, ty

Thank you so much for creating this guide! After starting to watch season 3 of Picard, I realized that not having watched all of DS9 was impeding my understanding of the return of the Dominion, and then I found your guide. I’m absolutely enthralled with DS9 now! My Dad always told me it’s the best science fiction series ever, yet I’d only seen the first three seasons, which are prior to this incredible Dominion arc. Just blown away. Right now I’m in season 5 and hitting even extra episodes like “The Begotten” (Odo with the infant changeling is emotionally compelling) and “For the Uniform” (because I got hooked on the Eddington storyline after he sabotaged the Defiant crew in “The Die is Cast”). I have this guide open at all times as I make my way through the Dominion War arc, so thank you!

The Waltz is the worst episode I’ve seen in the Dominion Arc. Dukat is all over the place, and I don’t see its importance to overall arc. I recommend removing it completely.

Thanks you for the terrific guide!

Sorry, I wrote that before finishing the episode. Now, I realize it’s the episode where Dukat escapes from Starfleet imprisonment. I understand its importance now.

I injured my knee and got a free trial of paramount and this list has been keeping me sane as I recover.

Thank you so much, OP.

Thank you so much for this. I actually only have interest in the Dominion more aspect for DS9 so this will be a perfect way for me to get caught up.

A nice concise list of episodes for the show. I have been looking for a trimmed list of DS9 for a while, this is definitely the best one. I have added a few more episodes, mainly around the Maquis and Emissary storylines which I find fascinating. Will definitely revisit the show more often watching it this way. Another show about a space station also benefits from a trimmed list.. Babylon 5. Happy to share it with you.

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• The Inventory

The Best Moment in Deep Space Nine 's Greatest Episode Is a Punch Left Unthrown

And all it took was the life of one romulan senator, one criminal, and the self-respect of one starfleet officer..

Twenty-six years ago today, Deep Space Nine delivered the knife under its cloaked examination of Star Trek ’s morals in wartime with all the delicate precision of a sewing needle: the incredible “In the Pale Moonlight,” not just one of DS9 or Star Trek ’s finest hours , but one of the all time greatest episodes of TV ever made. But the finest moment in an already immaculate piece of television is all about the ways to enact violence without lifting a single finger.

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“In the Pale Moonlight,” framed around a maudlin Captain Sisko recounting recent events in his personal log after a long, long day, is about the increasing moral compromises he is willing to make as one of Starfleet’s vanguards in the increasingly dire war against the Dominion. Seeing an opportunity to bring one of the Federation’s coldest enemies, the secretive Romulans, into a war they’ve stayed neutral in, Sisko finds himself drawn into the charismatic orbit of the simple tailor and occasionally master of all sorts of spycraft, Garak the Cardassian clothier , as the two plot to artificially construct evidence of a Dominion plot to invade the Romulan Star Empire, and pass it along to a Romulan senator.

The episode layers on its tension through each circle of hell Sisko is willing to put his soul through. Even the first step of simply working with Garak on such a plan is already heinous enough for the high and mighty values of Starfleet’s officer class, but bit by bit, Sisko begins to see the proverbial river of blood he must wade into to come out of the other side with even a chance of Romulus entering the Dominion War. Using criminals to fake evidence, crafting the perfect deception, planting it in Senator Vreenak’s hands, all this would be tantamount to the gravest of moral costs our hero could pay... and then it all blows up in his face when Vreenak calls Sisko out on his bluff, realizing the data rod he’s been handed showcasing the Dominion’s supposed plans is counterfeit.

It’d be here that any other Star Trek show would plant its flag as the lowest moment one of its heroes could sink to: they played dirty, and now must face the consequences of taking the low road. But Deep Space Nine is not any other Star Trek show , and so it prepares to thrust its knife. The next day, as senior staff monitor casualty lists and Sisko braces for his fall, a Starfleet Intelligence report comes through confirming the death of a Romulan Senator in a shuttlecraft explosion the Star Empire is laying at the hands of Dominion subterfuge. It’s Vreenak: he’s dead, the secret of Sisko’s moral cost with him, and Sisko knows exactly who’s to blame for the explosion.

As Sisko storms down to Garak’s shop, we get it: the finest moment in all of Deep Space Nine . Time and time again in the show, in ways small and large, we’ve seen up to this point that Benjamin Sisko is not a man who pulls punches, metaphorically or otherwise. From laying out Q the moment he tries to cast the then-Commander as another Picard, to his dogged determination to root out the anti-Cardassian guerrillas of the Maquis, Sisko has always acted as he does here: to come in swinging. He decks Garak, sending him clean across the room. He yells his accusations at Garak—he killed Vreenak, he killed the criminal they used to forge that data rod; all along, he’s knowingly brought the Romulans into the deadliest war the Alpha Quadrant has seen in generations on a falsehood. Even without the punch, this isn’t Sisko passionate or dogged or determined. He is furious , something we have seen simmering in him before, but now fully unleashed.

But Garak never fights back. He takes Sisko’s punch, and all the rage, goes to block the second swing, but he doesn’t match Sisko’s braggadocio. He waits. And then in cold, calculating form, he turns Sisko on himself—laying out all the evidence that the Romulans will now have, from a dead senator to an imperfect, damaged rod containing even the faintest traces of evidence of a Dominion plot, and guides Sisko along the way to a conclusion that was there from the beginning of the episode. Sisko would see what Garak predicts the Romulans will see, and would enter the war against the Dominion , just as they will. Garak doesn’t even have to say it, he just lets Sisko work through it out loud himself, not even having to push him... because for all his posture, for all the fists swinging, they think exactly the same. And if anything, Sisko is even dirtier than that, because he already knew that in going to Garak he would get someone who willing to dirty their own hands on his behalf, and leave him with the victory he wanted—at any cost, no matter what he’d claim otherwise.

And so, with Sisko at the lowest depths of hell at last, he and Garak are locked as kindred spirits in this game of spycraft and moral theater. It’s a remarkable moment, one that has rightly stuck with Star Trek for the two and a half decades since it first broadcast, because of the way it skewers the franchise’s legacy of purported enlightenment in such an elegantly compelling way . For years before this, Starfleet and its officers have been depicted as above this kind of underhanded manipulation—that our heroes talk their ways out of fights, that they maintain the moral high ground, and that even when they falter, when they play a little dirty, it’s with a roguish charm, and in the manner of a hero, the small, innocent prices paid, for a greater good that is always worth it. It’s never meant to stain their soul, because in the end, it always works out in the hero’s favor—and their righteous view of the universe.

Sisko’s greater good is hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of beings slaughtered to prevent the complete destruction of the Alpha Quadrant powers as we know them, predicated on a lie. In the end, he got it, not in the noblest of manners as the heroes before him might have, but through cloak and dagger deception and knives in the dark. Because, back against the wall, he was always willing to throw that punch—and because Garak knew it too, he himself never had to.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .

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The Star Trek DS9 And TOS Episodes That Influenced Strange New Worlds' Darkest Episode

I n the "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" episode "Under the Cloak of War" (July 27, 2023) , a Klingon ambassador named Dak'Rah (Robert Wisdom) comes to visit the U.S.S. Enterprise on a diplomatic mission. "Strange New Worlds" takes place immediately after the Klingon War, and several of the ship's crew remember the conflict vividly, expressing prejudice and consternation to see a Klingon on board. Captain Pike (Anson Mount) reminds his officers to keep an open mind, but Dr. M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) cannot. 

Through flashbacks, audiences learn the horrible wartime conditions that both Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush) served under, and they were bleak. There weren't enough medical supplies to go around, and Dr. M'Benga had taken to storing injured soldiers inside a transporter pattern buffer, hoping to rematerialize them when more could be done. He also secretly develops a rare and dangerous steroid called Protocol 12 which temporarily increases strength and stamina but also robs one of their ability to discern right from wrong. The drug turns people into berzerk killing machines. 

Dak'Rah was present at the same battle Dr. M'Benga barely survived, and the doctor resents the Klingon's attempts at diplomatic contrition, knowing of the blood on his hands. Later, it will be revealed that Dr. M'Benga has an even darker secret and that more violence happened during the war than he initially communicated. War, the episode argues, will break everyone and everything. 

This is in keeping with Trek's usual attitudes toward war, often depicted as humanity's ultimate failing. 

In a new interview with TrekMovie , "Cloak" director Jeff Byrd pointed to other bleak, war-themed episodes of "Star Trek" as precedent, showing that the franchise has a dim view of armed conflict and that anytime it happens, morals decay. 

Read more: Every Star Trek Show And Movie In Chronological Order

A Private Little War

The TrekMovie interviewer was astute enough to recognize the two episodes in question. The first was the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" episode "The Siege of AR-558" (November 16, 1998), and the other was the original series episode "A Private Little War" (February 2, 1968) . 

"A Private Little War," often referred to by Trekkies as "the Vietnam War episode" featured a peaceful, primitive planet that inexplicably started fighting each other with flintlock rifles, a technology centuries beyond their capabilities. Kirk (William Shatner) finds that the locals have been given the weapons by a Klingon named Krell (Ned Romero), a cruel interloper who wants to perpetuate a primitive Civil War for his own nefarious purposes. Kirk faces a moral dilemma. He can provide more weapons to the losing side of the Civil War, giving them a better chance for survival, but forcing him to actively perpetuate the conflict. Or he can step out and let one side be killed. 

Byrd summed it up, saying: 

"Yes, the one where they are selling the weapons and keep upgrading. So a lot of those were brought into this script-wise and then realized by me on set visually." 

"The Siege of AR-558," meanwhile, is an out-and-out combat episode of "Deep Space Nine." At that point in the series, the Federation had been at war with the Dominion for over a year, and capturing communications relays was key to winning. Sisko (Avery Brooks) managed to fend off an attacking Dominion force, but lost many Federation officers in the process. The episode if violent and bleak. Everyone is injured and horrified. War is Hell. Davy Perez, the writer of "Under the Cloak of War," knew both "Private" and "Siege" when he penned the episode.

The Siege Of AR-558

"The Siege of AR-558" also features a scene wherein Ensign Nog (Aron Eisenberg) has his foot blown off . Medicine in "Star Trek" is advanced enough to easily grown him a new one, but Nog still has to face horrible trauma. Byrd also noted other war movies outside of "Star Trek" that influenced the battle scenes in "Under the Cloak of War." 

"Obviously, there are comparisons in here to ' Apocalypse Now' and there is a little ' Hamburger Hill' in there, and even some ' Born on the Fourth of July .' We discussed, on set, a lot of little Easter eggs [you would see] if you're looking really closely at certain little moments. We wanted to make sure that we got some iconic moments and framing and different things of these iconic war films so that it feels familiar but it's in a different time.

It's notable that the three films Byrd cited are all about the Vietnam War, the infamously messy quagmire that killed about 3.8 million people and achieved very little. That war was surrounded by lies and deceit, and the American soldiers knew it. Vietnam was proof that the United States war machine was an ignoble enterprise that cost billions and murdered the poor. It's no coincidence that the notoriously pacifistic "Star Trek" was created in the shadow of Vietnam. In a very real, living sense, "Star Trek" exists as a direct refutation of combat-forward thinking. Gene Roddenberry looked at the horrors of war and envisioned a future when it would be futile. 

Very occasionally, "Star Trek" has to depict war, however, to remind audiences of how horrible it is. 

Read the original article on SlashFilm

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Published Apr 15, 2024

Star Trek 101: Trill History

Learn everything you can about the Trill after Discovery's latest episode with this curated watch list.

StarTrek.com

While there are a number of fan favorite species in the Star Trek universe, perhaps one of the most beloved is the Trill.

Made popular with the character of Jadzia Dax on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the Trill have always been a fascinating part of the Star Trek universe, and their culture has been the source of many fan discussions.

With the planet Trill and an important ritual making a reappearance in the latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery , we’re counting down the most important legacy Trill centric episodes to watch to best understand who the Trill are, what a symbiont is, and much, much more.

" The Host ," Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 4, Episode 23)

Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Host

The Trill were first introduced in this episode, where Dr. Crusher falls in love with a Trill ambassador.

However, when the ambassador is injured, he confides in Crusher that he's carrying a symbiont and explains that while a Trill host can die, the symbiont must be protected and transferred to a new Trill host as soon as possible. Riker plays host to the symbiont until it is transferred into a new Trill. This episode plays with the idea of the symbiont being part of a host's personality and shows how the symbiont carries the memories of each past life before it.

" Dax ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 1, Episode 8)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Dax

Can you be blamed for something done in a past life?

This first Dax-centric episode in Deep Space Nine ’s seven-season run establishes that Jadzia remembers all things that Dax has done in the past, but questions if she can be blamed for those actions.

Delving deep into the ethical quandaries of being a host, this classic episode written by Star Trek scribe D.C. Fontana is one that's key to revisit to understand the history of the Trill, and what their culture represents. After all, as Sisko argues, Jadzia is a different person than Curzon Dax, or any of Dax's previous lives. A current host shouldn’t have to take the fall for something done in a past life that could have happened before they were even born.

" Invasive Procedures ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 2, Episode 4)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Invasive Procedures

A Trill named Verad attacks the station and tries to take the Dax symbiont from Jadzia in this Season 2 episode.

While mostly centering on the crew's attempts to save Jadzia and her symbiont from the invaders and take back the station, this episode still reveals some key points about the Trill. Namely, they don’t give symbionts to any Trill who applies and the process for application is grueling. Jadzia insists that a Trill can live a good life without being a host, but Verad is insistent that he be joined, even going so far as to force Dr. Bashir to transfer the Dax symbiont to him. Ultimately, Dax is returned to Jadzia and she is able to be joined once more with the symbiont that has become such a part of her.

" Equilibrium ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 3, Episode 4)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Equilibrium

When Jadzia starts having hallucinations and begins playing the same musical motif over and over, she journeys back to the Trill homeworld to understand what’s happening to her.

Ultimately, it is revealed that Dax had a host she never knew about — a murderer named Joran. Joran Dax was considered to be unsuitable, and yet he was able to host the Dax symbiont without being rejected. This revealed that the process for choosing the host unfairly shut out most Trill from being able to be joined, due to the smaller number of symbionts compared to the Trill population. Sisko uses this knowledge to save Jadzia’s life, and in the end, Jadzia reconciles with Dax's missing memories and Joran.

" Facets ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 3, Episode 25)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Facets

"Facets" centered on a ceremony in which the previous Dax hosts were able to inhabit another's body so that Jadzia could converse with them and learn from their experiences.

This establishes that while a host can die, their memories and experiences live on within the symbiont itself, and as a result, Jadzia can learn from them, even if they’re technically gone. She can also summon them to the forefront of her mind or even have them sent to others, who can then be, well, a host to the former host. The episode also features a delightfully comedic turn as Odo shares his consciousness with Curzon Dax, who’s far more relaxed than the usually stoic and buttoned up constable.

" Rejoined ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 4, Episode 6)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Rejoined

Perhaps Star Trek ’s most famous episode centered on LGBTQIA+ themes, "Rejoined" sees Jadzia reunited with fellow Trill Lenara Kahn — both the Dax symbiont and the Kahn symbiont had been paired with married hosts.

Jadzia and Lenara realize they have more in common now than they ever did in the past, and slowly begin to fall in love again. The episode features the first same sex kiss in Star Trek history, establishes that Jadzia is not straight, and that the Trill are a fluid species that don’t judge based on sexuality. However, due to Trill culture and taboo, Lenara and Jadzia are not allowed to be together, which makes their doomed romance all the more heartbreaking.

" Afterimage ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 7, Episode 3)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Afterimage

After Jadzia’s untimely death at the hands of Gul Dukat in the Season 6 finale, the Dax host is passed on to a new Trill, Ezri.

Ezri faces uncertainty from those on Deep Space 9 who knew Jadzia, ranging from discomfort to outright hostility. This episode makes it clear that it's difficult for a new host to pick up where their old life left off, as Ezri tries to forge her own identity in a world that's so used to Jadzia and who she was.

" Field of Fire ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 7, Episode 13)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Field of Fire

It’s up to Ezri to solve a murder, with the help of past host Joran Dax.

Ezri is able to summon Joran to the forefront of her subconscious and has visions of him helping her as she works to solve the murder of a Deep Space 9 crewmember. At the end of the episode, a counter-ritual sends Joran back into her subconscious, where he remains with the other Dax lives. This episode serves to show how Trill can access past lives and even interact with them, though to an outside observer, they only see the current host.

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This article was originally published on November 8, 2020.

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Star Trek: Discovery takes a break from the hunt for the Progenitors’ tech to deliver audiences a competent, entertaining time travel episode that serves as a neat retrospective on this show and its characters.

The device Moll ( Eve Harlow ) left on Adira ( Blu del Barrio ) on Trill, which we assumed was a tracker of some sort, was actually far more lethal and debilitating. The spider-like device is a temporal weapon – a tool from the Temporal War that took place before Discovery ’s jump to the future – capable of freezing a ship in time. It’s the perfect instrument to let the criminal pair get the upper hand on Discovery . Luckily for Captain Michael Burnham ( Sonequa Martin-Green ) and Commander Rayner ( Callum Keith Rennie ), they are spared the time-freezing effects of the time bug because they both were transporting around the ship at the exact time the bug activated itself.

“I think they are too familiar, too comfortable with each other, and frankly, with you.” “That familiarity helped us save the Federation, the galaxy, and you.” – Rayner and Burnham, about Discovery ’s crew.

The command duo were in the middle of a heated discussion about how the commander should interact with Burnham’s crew, a lesson he started to wise up to in the last episode. After calling out a member of the bridge crew for what he thought was an unnecessary and ill-prepared comment about the chase for Moll and L’ak ( Elias Toufexis ), Rayner is taken to task by Burnham, who insists Rayner adopt a more personal, diplomatic tone with her crew. His half-hearted attempt to connect with his subordinates in the last episode just doesn’t cut it with Burnham, but before the pair can finish their conversation, all temporal hell breaks loose.

Burnham and Rayner find themselves traveling across the timeline, always landing in Burnham’s ready room but in a different year, and never for very long before the next jump. Burnham quickly realizes Paul Stamets ( Anthony Rapp ) should be able to help rectify the time issue, as he exists outside of time thanks to his tardigrade DNA. Ultimately, we see Burnham, Rayner, and Stamets visit events from Discovery ’s past and future, such as:

• The climactic battle with Control in the season two finale .
• The Discovery as it was under the command of Gabrial Lorca in season one.
• The Discovery as it was jumping to the 32nd century following the Red Angel.
• The ship as it was being constructed in drydock in San Francisco, a previously unseen part of the vessel’s history.
• Osyraa’s attack on Discovery , as seen in “ There is a Tide… ”
• A future where Moll’s time bug was successful in stopping Discovery ’s search for the Progenitors’ tech. The Federation was destroyed in this time, and the Discovery ’s crew was killed, which gives Burnham and Rayner a look at what the stakes are should they fail in restoring Discovery to the present. Zora ( Annabelle Wallis ), lonely on Discovery , helps her former captain predict the pattern of time jumps.
• Using the time bug as reasoning to jump across the timeline in this way is a neat excuse to revisit major moments from the show’s past.

“You have to be the only person in Starfleet to captain a ship that you first boarded as a prisoner. How’d you do it?” “Never give up.” – Rayner and Burnham.

Thirty-second-century Burnham encounters her first-season self on the Lorca-era Discovery, which offers the audience a neat illustration of how her character has changed across the five seasons. The younger Burnham is more hardened, aggressive, and a bit darker than the captain she would blossom to be, a transformation that isn’t lost on current-day Burnham.

Likewise, Stamets remembers how cranky and irritable he was back in season one – before the tardigrade DNA drastically improved his mien – and uses that to his advantage to help keep his mission to save the ship clear of any unwitting witnesses. He also reflects on this gradual shift toward a more collaborative approach with his crewmembers as the years went on, instead of trying to tackle all problems himself.

The solution to our heroes’ time-jumping escapades is to get Discovery to full warp, and then shut down the warp bubble – a plan concocted with no small amount of Star Trek ian technobabble. But that’s much easier said than done, as it would require the crew of season one-era Discovery to trust current-day Burnham’s plan; remember, the ship’s crew still knows Burnham as an untrustworthy mutineer. However, Burnham, ever the persuasive one, presents herself to the crew outright as a future version of the Burnham they know and uses her knowledge of these people to persuade them she is legit.

One of the people she has to convince to get on board with her plan is the human cyborg Airiam, the ill-fated science officer who heroically met her end in 2019’s “Project Daedalus.” Airiam is played here by Hannah Cheesman, who is reprising her role from Discovery’s earlier seasons. It’s a wonderful surprise seeing Airiam back on screen, and a reminder of how her death impacted Discovery’s crew, especially Burnham. Burnham must convince the lieutenant commander, who sits in the center chair while Lorca and Saru are away on a mission, to follow her plan. She does so by sharing the intimate details of the cyborg’s future death and asserts she died for the crew – a rationale Airiam believes.

With Discovery ’s bridge crew on board with Burnham’s warp bubble idea, it’s up to Rayner and Stamets in engineering to trigger the plan. But young Burnham and young Gen Rhys ( Patrick Kwok-Choon ) confront the pair, leaving the plan in a precarious place.

Rayner takes a page from his captain’s book and tries to connect with the younger, angrier Burnham, and uses intimate knowledge of Burnham’s backstory and motivations to dissuade the younger Burnham from stopping them. For good measure, Rayner also appeals to what he knows about Rhys – that the man’s favorite starship is the 23 rd -century Constitution -class, a sentiment with which Rayner agrees. Really, who doesn’t like the Constitution ’s ample curves?

With all obstacles cleared, the warp bubble plan is successful, and “Fear the Strange” smacks the ole’ reset button as Rayner and Burnham find themselves in Burnham’s ready room once again, safe and sound in the 32 nd century with no changes to the timeline. With a mere six hours lost due to the ship’s entrapment in the time field, the crew can continue their hunt for Moll and L’ak, who are nearby as they also search for the next clue in the Progenitor puzzle.

This episode was smart, and we appreciated the retrospective on Discovery ’s history – a welcome topic considering this is the last season of the show. Seeing the two Burnhams interact was a tour de force for Martin-Green, who has gradually and organically shifted away from her character’s markedly different season-one-era personality to the aspirational, emotionally intelligent, jack-of-all-trades captain we know and love. The message at the heart of Burnham’s experiences in the time bubble is striking: change, while hard, can be a driving force for good. Burnham turned herself into the change she wanted to see in the galaxy, and we have a renewed appreciation for her character arc after examining it in “Face the Strange.”

Revisiting season one-era Discovery was a nostalgic affair, and makes us want to go back and rewatch that long-ago adventure, an exciting time when Star Trek just came back to the small screen and the franchise was brimming with possibilities – possibilities that have since manifested in the current smorgasbord of television shows. Although we will ding one facet of Burnham’s journey to the past: it sure would have been killer if Jason Isaacs was able to reprise his role as the memorable villain Mirror Lorca. What a missed opportunity to bring back, however briefly, a key part of Discovery ’s initial success!

As it stands, “Face the Strange” is a much more entertaining entry in this season than its predecessor , and thanks to its retrospective nature, occasional hits of humor, solid sci-fi concept, and heartful message, make it one of the most memorable entries of this show in recent years. Kudos to writer Sean Cochran. We didn’t mind the break from the season’s overarching plot, nor did we mind the confined nature of this bottle show, as the result was a competent time-travel story that deserves a place near the top of the franchise’s best time travel-focused episodes.

Stray Thoughts:

• Writer Sean Cochran has five Star Trek credits to his name, including the memorable Short Trek “ Calypso ,” which “Face the Strange” ever so gently alludes to when Burnham and Rayner visit the crippled Discovery .
• It’s quite the bit of fortune that Stamets saw the time bug in engineering at all, let alone enter the panel behind which the bug would wreak temporal havoc.
• A 32 nd -century Breen ship makes an appearance in this episode, barely visible outside Discovery during Burnham and Rayner’s visit to the future. This is just one of a few references to the Breen in this season, which makes us think they will play a larger role at some point.
• Why does Burnham suggest to Stamets and Rayner that they meet on deck 13 after each reset? Is there something special about that deck that ensures the trio has privacy?
• This episode suggests Burnham still harbors strong feelings for Cleveland Booker ( David Ajala ), after having to pretend to be with him in one of her time jumps. Let’s see how awkward Burnham is around Book the next time she sees him.
• This episode shows how Moll and L’ak obtained the time bug device. They murdered a trader who used to sell poison to the Emerald Chain, which the organization then used on “people like” Moll.  They grabbed the bug from the trader and reasserted to themselves how they would soon be free from being chased.
• Why didn’t Airiam tell Burnham and Rhys to stand down from holding up Rayner and Stamets? We know Rayner needed an opportunity to connect with people but come on.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery stream Thursdays on Paramount+ , this season stars Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland “Book” Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). Season five also features recurring guest stars Elias Toufexis (L’ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).

Stay tuned to TrekNews.net for all the latest news on Star Trek: Discovery , Star Trek: Prodigy , Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , Star Trek

Kyle Hadyniak has been a lifelong Star Trek fan, and isn't ashamed to admit that Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek: Nemesis are his favorite Star Trek movies. You can follow Kyle on Twitter @khady93 .

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Star Trek: Discovery" season 5, episode 3

The latest installment of "Star Trek: Discovery" season 5 on Paramount Plus adds a little water – and possibly some fertilizer – to the various different story seeds sewn last week. 

Entitled "Jinaal," the primary plot revolves around a revisit to the planet Trill and as you may recall, the last time we spent any length of time here was the episode " Forget Me Not " (S03, E04), which was not terrible. In fact, it was undeniable highlight of the third season, which itself had some of the best we've seen from "Discovery." Incidentally, that was first look at the Trill homeworld since " Star Trek: Deep Space Nine " episode "Equilibrium" (bizarrely, also S03, E04). (If you need a recap on how to watch Star Trek: Discovery, check out our Star Trek streaming guide for Paramount Plus .)

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Get all the Star Trek content you can possibly handle with this free trial of Paramount Plus. Watch new shows like Star Trek: Discovery and all the classic Trek movies and TV shows too. Plans start from $4.99/month after the trial ends.

Curiously, in that episode "Forget Me Not," Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) was given a rare and welcome chance to shine and he does so once again in this episode as well. To briefly recap, Adira (Blu del Barrio) and her lover, a Trill named Gray (Ian Alexander), were aboard a generation ship way back when. They were both orphans, very much in love, and Gray had just received his symbiote when the ship was struck by an asteroid and everyone was ordered to evacuate. Unfortunately, Gray was fatally injured and the only way to save the symbiote was for Adira to join with it. And that's how it was for all of season three right up until the fourth season episode " Choose To Live " (S04, E03). 

Then, after all of that, Gray Tal has his consciousness transferred out of Adira and into an artificial synth golem before heading back to Trill to complete all that monk-style studying. And now you're all caught up. 

While a trip back to Trill is nice, you can't help but start to wonder if this fifth and final season will end up a 10-episode long epilogue as it ties up all its loose ends, almost like season five of " Babylon 5 ."  Commander Jett Reno (Tig Notaro) pops up in this episode at last, which more or less just leaves Commander Nhan (Rachael Ancheril), whom we last saw in the episode " Rubicon " S04, E09, to make an appearance. Although Ancheril's IMDb page does currently say, "Coming up in 2024, Rachael will be seen again in 'Chucky' season three [and] 'Star Trek Discovery' for its final season," so who knows. 

The big highlight this week was, as we alluded to above, Cruz's chance to stretch his acting chops just a little bit and he does not disappoint. The two biggest grumbles however, are the dialogue written by a writer who just saw "Lethal Weapon II" for the very first time and that the notion of teleporting around the place instead of just walking, has been taken to ludicrous extremes. 

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"Star Trek: Discovery" seems to be at peace with lifting from other IPs, sci-fi or otherwise. We've seen a nice " Close Encounters of the Third Kind " reference with mashed potato and we've even seen a fun nod to "Scooby-Doo," but these were all subtle. Then there was the extremely unsubtle " Die Hard " thing and then in " Scavengers " (S03, E06) the writers went  way  beyond homage and practically lifted a set piece directly from the 1987 movie "The Running Man." The premise was the same, the effect was the same and even the setting was practically identical.

This week's insight into what classic movie the Gen-Z writers of "Discovery" have recently discovered comes from a legendary scene with equally legendary dialogue between Sgt. Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Sgt. Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) during a rescue attempt after the latter learns that the toilet he's been sitting on has been rigged with a bomb in the first "Lethal Weapon" sequel. Lest we forget, this underrated action extravaganza also gave us Leo Getz and immortalized phrases like "diplomatik immunitee." and "but, but...you're blick."

Still, at least it was just a line or two of dialogue this time and not an entire set piece. My other main grumble with this episode as we mentioned above is the carefree abandon with which transporters are used. And I've touched upon this before. Despite beaming becoming a very common part of everyday life of the 32nd century, to the extent that folk use transporters instead of stairs and even to just change outfits, like we saw in the season four premiere episode — but the thing is, transporters kill you .

The creators of " Star Trek " have never officially confirmed that transporters kill you. However, solely based on the science, transporters do kill you. In simple terms, these teleportation devices scan every molecule in your body and briefly store them in the pattern buffer, while at the same time, the original body is to all intents and purposes, disintegrated. The transporter then converts the scanned copy into energy and beams the data stream to the desired location, where the body is rebuilt, from a sub-atomic level, using technology similar to a replicator. It's comparable in principle to a fax, except this fax machine destroys the original, to prevent duplication, although that has been known to happen.

The issue is essentially an existential one. Since our bodies are made up of identifiable matter, why won't transference of consciousness occur? What makes our consciousness so unique? What's the difference between an identical copy and you? If you were to put your copy into a different room that you hadn't been into, would you be able to see it? No. It's a perfect copy, but it's not you. There is a good article on Ars Technica that really goes into detail on this.

Still, all of this banter aside, this episode is not ... terrible. It is very evenly paced and that, despite the not-exactly edge-of-seat storyline, makes it bearable. Every sub-story seems to be given equal time and brief-but-enjoyable interplay between Lt. Tilly (Mary Wiseman) and Captain Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) is fun. Plus, of course, we get to see the Trill homeworld again, which is nice. 

In other "Star Trek" news, " Strange New Worlds " has been renewed for a fourth season, while " Lower Decks " will end with its previously announced upcoming fifth season, expected to air sometime this year. Creator Mike McMahan and executive producer Alex Kurtzman posted a statement on the Star Trek website: “While five seasons of any series these days seems like a miracle, it’s no exaggeration to say that every second we've spent making this show has been a dream come true. Our incredible cast, crew and artists have given you everything they have because they love the characters they play, they love the world we've built, and more than anything we all love, love, love Star Trek."

Meanwhile, "Strange New Worlds" is currently in production on its third season, which is set to debut in 2025. It seems that all of this combined with the fact that "Section 31" ended up as a movie , casts doubt over the future of the Starfleet Academy spin-off and hopefully signals the end of the idiotic idea of "Star Trek: Legacy." Perhaps Paramount should look to cancel other ludicrous endeavors like the proposed Picard movie instead of cancelling decent shows in their efforts to tighten purse strings. 

The fifth and final season of "Star Trek: Discovery" and every episode of every "Star Trek" show — with the exception of "Star Trek: Prodigy" — currently streams exclusively on Paramount Plus in the US while "Prodigy" has found a new home o n Netflix.  

Internationally, the shows are available on  Paramount Plus  in Australia, Latin America, the UK and South Korea, as well as on Pluto TV in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel. They also stream on  Paramount Plus  in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In Canada, they air on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel and stream on Crave.

 —   Watch the bittersweet trailer for 'Star Trek: Discovery's final season (video)

 —  'Spaceman' sees Adam Sandler shine as a cosmonaut in crisis in Netflix's somber sci-fi film (review)

—  Star Trek's Seven of Nine returns in new novel 'Picard: Firewall' (exclusive)

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When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.

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