Best DS9 exploration and/or diplomacy episodes?

[Ragitsu]

Good afternoon.

I've been trying to compile a list of DS9 episodes that hewed to the classic Star Trek formula (which would exclude those chiefly concerning commerce, religion and war/murder). Which episodes focused on exploration with a minimum of accompanying violence? Which episodes involved diplomacy that wasn't tainted by skullduggery and an excess of sarcasm (in other words, the day was won thanks to an honest combination of intellect, wisdom and charm)? There's that one episode where Ben and Jake journey on an ancient Bajoran light-sail ship, but the title escapes me at the moment.

Bonus questions ->

Would you consider the A-Plots of both "Meridian" (a main character falls in love with someone living on an exotic planet whose properties stand in the way of their budding romance) and "The Sound of Her Voice" (what begins as a rescue mission ends in a twist) to be TOS-esque?

 

[Oddish]

"Explorers". It's even appropriately named.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Would you consider the A-Plots of both "Meridian" (a main character falls in love with someone living on an exotic planet whose properties stand in the way of their budding romance) and "The Sound of Her Voice" (what begins as a rescue mission ends in a twist) to be TOS-esque?

Absolutely. I would add "Shadowplay" (disappearing colonist mystery).

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Almost half of TOS episodes were religion, commerce, war and murder, including many of the most famous: Balance of Terror, Errand of Mercy, City on the Edge, Doomsday Machine, Trouble with the Tribbles, Enterprise Incident, ...

 

[Ragitsu]

"Explorers". It's even appropriately named.

Figures. I remember the esoteric stuff right off the bat, but as for the obvious...

Absolutely. I would add "Shadowplay" (disappearing colonist mystery).

There was also that episode featuring the Wadi: colorful aliens with a bizarre game rope in our heroes who mistake the diversion for a genuine life-and-death scenario. In the broadest terms, I would consider that diplomacy. For whatever reason, "Twist=TOS" is stuck in my grey matter, even if that might be an exaggeration.

Almost half of TOS episodes were religion, commerce, war and murder, including many of the most famous: Balance of Terror, Errand of Mercy, City on the Edge, Doomsday Machine, Trouble with the Tribbles, Enterprise Incident, ...

Arguably, DS9 - considered by quite a few people to be the "Anti-Trek" - placed a greater emphasis on all three in general (thanks to the ever-present Ferengi, Bajorans and Cardassians/Dominion); plus, because of its serial nature, it was able to continually depict the lattermost (i.e., "war") with regularity in its later seasons. The Enterprise was an itinerant construction...always braving into territories unknown. Still, you needn't agree with that particular assessment, but I would appreciate recommendations.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Figures. I remember the esoteric stuff right off the bat, but as for the obvious...



There was also that episode featuring the Wadi: colorful aliens with a bizarre game rope in our heroes who mistake the diversion for a genuine life-and-death scenario. In the broadest terms, I would consider that diplomacy. For whatever reason, "Twist=TOS" is stuck in my grey matter, even if that might be an exaggeration.



Arguably, DS9 - considered by quite a few people to be the "Anti-Trek" - placed a greater emphasis on all three in general (thanks to the ever-present Ferengi, Bajorans and Cardassians/Dominion); plus, because of its serial nature, it was able to continually depict the lattermost (i.e., "war") with regularity in its later seasons. The Enterprise was an itinerant construction...always braving into territories unknown. Still, you needn't agree with that particular assessment, but I would appreciate recommendations.

Indeed, they were both larger in scale and frequency in DS9 than TOS, but the latter was a very political show in spite of the reputation of being about "exploration." Saying otherwise heaves too close to revisionism IMO.

That said, there are even later season DS9 episodes that are close to the exploration model or could have been written without the war content, like Children of Time and Sound of Her Voice.

 

[tomalak301]

I want to give some love to Battle Lines

First season episode that did exploring and diplomacy very well. I wish they had gone back to that planet though.

 

[Ragitsu]

What is the ultimate fate of Kai Opaka?

 

[tomalak301]

What is the ultimate fate of Kai Opaka?

I think I read those books and I don't remember.

 

[Ragitsu]

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