Deep Space Nine Runthrough

pixelburp

Sleepy wrote: »

I'm mid-way through season 2 and TBH, it's largely as I remember it: a poor relation to TNG with less interesting characters.
[...]

Out of curiosity, who on TNG did you feel were 'interesting characters'? I only ask because I was surprised when I rewatched TNG how few of the Enterprise were competently written - or acted.

Beyond Picard, only Data and Worf could claim to have anything resembling 3 dimensions (with the latter blossoming as a more rounded character once he moved to DS9). Maybe Riker at a pinch, but they never went anywhere with him being a career officer. Geordi was abominably badly written, with a string of weird 'Geordi has a crush' episodes, and neither Troi nor Crusher ever got anything beyond equally horrible romance stories ('Sub Rosa' anyone?). Of course famously Denise Crosby left because (IIRC) Yar had nothing to do.

I actually think one of the more fascinating characters was Barclay; like Geordi they gave him some cringey crushes, but his anxieties and low self-esteem made for a more prospect than the super-genii of Geordi or Wesley Crusher. Again though, the show kinda wasted him.

DS9 definitely had growing pains and do admit that the first season saw some ropey acting; I was equally surprised at how poor Colm Meaney & Alexander Siddig's acting was at the start, but they definitely grow into the roles. Dax took a while to warm up too, though it must have been a challenge to play an old man in a young woman's body, and certainly once the aforementioned Worf arrived on the station her character expanded further.

Keep going though: I'd be surprised if you don't warm up to the characters, DS9 uses the longer-form storytelling to really grow the cast.

Sleepy

I haven't watched TNG since it's run on Sky1 when I was a kid so there's definitely rose-tinted glasses going on! Maybe "less likeable" would have been a better description of my view of the characters so far!

I'll keep going as I already mentioned, I'm looking forward to seeing the later seasons which seem to be almost universally lauded by Trek fans!

pixelburp

Sleepy wrote: »

I haven't watched TNG since it's run on Sky1 when I was a kid so there's definitely rose-tinted glasses going on! Maybe "less likeable" would have been a better description of my view of the characters so far!

I'll keep going as I already mentioned, I'm looking forward to seeing the later seasons which seem to be almost universally lauded by Trek fans!

Ah, funny I was wondering that too; my own memories of TNG prior to gorging on Netflix, were spotty remembrances from episodes watched during my childhood. Was a classic case of my kid self not noticing all the ropey acting, characterisation and flaws my adult brain couldn't ignore.

coffee_cake

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

That was an awful resolution to the story and a terrible ending for the character IMO.

Who was Worf to make that decision.. I know he was the "older brother" but he pick and mixed from Klingon society and culture as it suited him, whereas Kurn lived and breathed it - good or bad (remember, he was nearly killed by Duras's goons because he wouldn't betray his brother as well)

The writers really dropped the ball with Kurn

do you think it was terrible yeah?? i mean kurn was miserable and trying to die, couldn't settle into a job, worf was gonna be booted out if he 'did his duty' in killing him, so he did something to try make him happy - give him an honourable family.

bashir performing that op without consent was a bit insane though!!!

spotty rose tinted memories is what i had of ds9 before i started this rewatch. i'd nearly forgotten about ezri dax, not looking forward to her! lol

Evade

bluewolf wrote: »

bashir performing that op without consent was a bit insane though!!!

Technically it was life saving surgery, but still ethically dubious. Not the first time either, he replaced Bareil's brain with a positronic one.

coffee_cake

oh we are onto a courtroom episode now. i never liked these.
did worf dun it???

Evade

bluewolf wrote: »

oh we are onto a courtroom episode now. i never liked these.
did worf dun it???

One thing I really like about this episode is the fourth wall breaking parts in the flashbacks. I'm sure it's been done like that somewhere before but I haven't seen it.

coffee_cake

Evade wrote: »

One thing I really like about this episode is the fourth wall breaking parts in the flashbacks. I'm sure it's been done like that somewhere before but I haven't seen it.

I'll be honest i skipped half of it

sisko is getting extra staccato-y now

Evade

Did you skip the ending?

coffee_cake

Evade wrote: »

Did you skip the ending?

nope, there was a BIG TWIST and now sisko's just given worf a lecture

Now we're on to the original cookie idea pre-black mirror. poor o'brien is always getting the hard times

odyssey06

bluewolf wrote: »

oh we are onto a courtroom episode now. i never liked these.
did worf dun it???

I presume we're talking about Rules of Engagement... very contrived, even by Starfleet rules, that Klingon ship had to be a legitimate target. The equivalent of a submarine showing up in the middle of a naval battle.

coffee_cake

Mirror garak is just as crafty and funny
Not a bad mirror episode. Save terak nor. Soz jen


'lwxana... your replicator wasn't really broken was it?'
ah, odo

coffee_cake

worf: i love grilka so much. she's so amazing
jadzia: hi worf
worf: i mean she's so proud and so
jadzia: hi worf
worf: i can't believe quark got there first why won't she look at me
jadzia: hi worf
worf: i suppose i'll help him out, i don't know why
jadzia: JESUS CHRIST WORF HELLO
worf: :eek::o

coffee_cake

A klingon altered to look human!!
now i know where that comes from!
'i'm a doctor, not an historian' :pac: :pac: :pac:

Evade

bluewolf wrote: »

A klingon altered to look human!!
now i know where that comes from!

And the true origin of Bones' nickname.

bluewolf

bluewolf wrote: »

A klingon altered to look human!!
now i know where that comes from!
'i'm a doctor, not an historian' :pac: :pac: :pac:

See... SEE!!!

Sleepy

Up to S02E20, The Maquis, the first of a two parter and, having heard mention of The Dominion numerous times in this season, but without seeing them yet, I'm hoping I'm approaching the point where the show starts to become slightly less episodic...

A lot of episodes are very self contained and actions within them seem to have next to no consequence to future episodes (only the previous episode had Jadzia off to murder an enemy of Dax's to fulfill a Klingon blood pact yet here, she's back at her station with no more than an annoyed look from Sisko).

Evade

Season three has more arcish stuff 3 and then it really picks up in season four.

coffee_cake

The begotten was a brilliant episode, odo brilliant acting

I was wondering when julian's secret was going to pop up, watching doctor bashir i presume now

coffee_cake

How's quark putting his bar up as loan collateral if he doesn't own it anymore after your man took away his business licence

Evade

He's Quark, he wheeled and dealed himself back to black over the last six or so months. Operating the only(?) bar and holosuite arcade in a busy trading port probably helped.

bluewolf

bluewolf wrote: »

How's quark putting his bar up as loan collateral if he doesn't own it anymore after your man took away his business licence

His Ferengi business licence, he isn't supposed to be able to do business with other Ferengi.
They bar belongs to the station and, one would assume, that the lease is in Quarks name and could not be transferred by such actions. Now if he wants to sell the lease??

Sleepy

Started Season 3 this morning. Love that the Defiant was so easily beaten in it's first encounter with the jem'hadar!

brainfreeze

Spotted Mike from Breaking Bad in season one.

Daith

Sleepy wrote: »

Started Season 3 this morning. Love that the Defiant was so easily beaten in it's first encounter with the jem'hadar!

Yep, I thought this was a clever idea. It wasn't the ace they thought it might be at the start anyway.

One thing about rewatching the show is how "alien" the first season is. Some of it's TNG lite for sure but having most of the episodes on the station gives it a nice feel. The journey into politics and war was great but there's something about the first season I really like.

Inviere

Daith wrote: »

Yep, I thought this was a clever idea. It wasn't the ace they thought it might be at the start anyway.

One thing about rewatching the show is how "alien" the first season is. Some of it's TNG lite for sure but having most of the episodes on the station gives it a nice feel. The journey into politics and war was great but there's something about the first season I really like.

Same, it's real 'new frontier' stuff...and turning a hostile environment into a functional home.

coffee_cake

I sympathise with eddington a fair bit. Am i a terrorist now

Evade

bluewolf wrote: »

I sympathise with eddington a fair bit. Am i a terrorist now

The Maquis are one of those weird times in Star Trek when the "bad" guys are right.

Daith

Evade wrote: »

The Maquis are one of those weird times in Star Trek when the "bad" guys are right.

Agreed and DS9 did more with them than Voyager which is so odd.

TheValeyard

bluewolf wrote: »

I sympathise with eddington a fair bit. Am i a terrorist now

#Eddingtonwasright.