Deep Space Nine is now 25 years old!

[conuly]

For my money, it remains the best Trek.

Now, I know a few people who have tried to watch it and couldn't get into it. Generally I find this happens with the first season of a series, and so I have my own list of "Episodes you can skip". You might want to try to watch these episodes, but if you're not feeling it within the first few minutes after the opening credits, you won't miss much by skipping them entirely!

The letter F in parentheses indicates that this is a Ferengi episode. The letter H in parentheses means it's a Holodeck or Vic episode. The letter L in parentheses indicates that it's a Lwaxana Troi episode, and frankly, I'd rather gouge out my eyeballs than watch any of her episodes, in any show. I'll catch you up at the bottom as to the other two.

First season

You can skip episodes 4, 5, 7 (catch the scene where Sisko punches Q on YouTube), 10, 14, 16 (this is where Sisko's baseball comes from)

You should at least read the synopsis of episodes 6, 11 (F), 13, 20 (you should at least watch long enough to develop a keen antipathy towards Vedek Winn, because my god she's one of the best Trek villains).

Second season

You can skip episodes 6, 9, 11 (F, mostly)

You should at least read the synopsis of episodes 4, 7 (F), 13, 15

Third Season

You can skip episodes 3 (F), 8, 10 (L), 23 (F)

You should at least read the synopsis of episodes 4, 11 and 12, 16 (F)

Fourth Season

You can skip episodes 8 (F), 10 (H), 25 (F)

You should at least read the synopsis of episodes 16 (F), 21 (L)

Fifth Season

You can skip episode 6

You should at least read the synopsis of episode 20 (F)

Sixth Season

You can skip episodes 10 (F), 12 (F),

You should at least read the synopsis of episode 14, 20 (H), 23 (F)

Seventh Season

You can skip episode 15 (H)

In general, if you don't like the goofier Ferengi episodes, you can gladly skip them. Even if I didn't list them, you can skip them and read the synopsis. Ditto with the Holodeck episodes EXCEPT "It's Only a Paper Moon", which is both a Ferengi episode and a Vic Fontaine episode, and is actually great.

You should definitely try all these episodes first before you decide to skip them, except any Lwaxana Troi episode and Move Along Home. (Actually, I don't particularly dislike Move Along Home, but everybody else does.) I don't remember which Vic Fontaine episode it is where Sisko sings something at the end, but you should YouTube that scene - turns out that Avery Brooks can really sing!

There are some episodes which aren't necessary but which are really good - I didn't list those as skippable. I can make a different list for those if you like, but if you feel the need to skip more than a couple of those then it may be that DS9 legitimately isn't the show for you.

Comments

[chanter1944]

Good *lord*, how is DS9 25 years old? *boggles* How was it 18 years ago that my friends and I were watching season 7, every Tuesday night like literal clockwork, then sprinting home in a desperate bid to make curfew? Wow.

I'm odd in that I really enjoyed Move Along Home. Kira showing how quickly she must have grown up, when faced with the skipping/singing game, Sisko again singing beautifully, Quark pulling out all the honest stops, all oily façade gone, Dax and Sisko scrambling for deeper cover... Maybe it's just me.

I don't remember episode order for season 3, so I wonder. Is The Jem Hadar one of the eps you listed to skip if so desired? That's a favorite of mine, and to this day I would *swear* that, at least when going off auditory input alone, there are *sparks* between Eris and Sisko. I'm told that there are visual cues I miss that put the royal old kersplat on my theory, but... darnit, I just wish.

[conuly]

I didn't advise skipping any Jem Hadar episodes.

[chanter1944]

Aha, and that's the introductory one for both Jem Hadar and, eventually, Vorta.