DostoyevskyClone said:
The seventh season of DS9 is even more overrated than the sixth season - I just don't get what people see in it. There are a lot of mediocre episodes in there.
On the other hand, TNG had a lot of stand-out episodes - 'Parallels' and 'Lower Decks' to name but a few. For me, DS9 had nothing that reached this level.
Prediction: the next 18 people posting ahead of me are going to say DS9.
Request: please give me a couple of DS9 episodes that you feel are 10/10 or "A+" material. I do think DS9 is better overall than TNG as a series in terms of quality, but the seventh season really was a definite disappointment.
"Parallels", "Pegasus" and "All Good Things" are great episodes but a) I feel they're really the exception in TNG's season seven (the rest is either mediocre or barely watchable IMHO) and b) they're still quite a long shot from DS9's best offerings in my view.
Grade A or A+ material from DS9's season 7 in my book:
- Shadows and Symbols: Even stronger than the season opener. Easily juggles a number of storylines at once, ties up knots and sets up material for the future. And what's very important: It works because of the characters.
- Take Me Out to the Holosuite: One of my favorite comedies. And I think it comes at a good time offering some fun and relief before things develop even more steam.
- The Siege of AR-558: Very grim, honest anti-war episode. Being a Starfleet officer is dangerous, and sometimes people die. They're not just numbers.
- It's only a Paper Moon: I think this is a terrific follow up to AR. I think it's a great character piece between two of the most unlikely characters that works like a charm in that it's fun but it also deals with the problems at hand.
- Chimera: A very, very strong character piece again. Seeing another Changeling like Odo is fascinating especially in light of his very different take on 'solids'.
- Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges: Political intrigue and powerful drama that works so well because of the characters. This could almost count as part of the closing arc.
- Most of the final arc. The only real disappointment in my view is Extreme Measures. Just about everything else is top notch, I think. Trek has never done anything quite like this, and I think DS9 was probably the only show that could pull it off at the end of its run. Everything is there: The setting, the characters, the relationships, events in motion, and - not to forget - it's Trek at the very core. It's about people striving to be as 'good' as they possibly can given the circumstances. It's about people having to make choices the consequences of which can be painful. If I had to single out the most powerful episodes, it'd probably be The Changing Face of Evil, Tacking into the Wind and (despite its flaws) What You Leave Behind. All incredibly engaging, powerful episodes that are based in the Trek universe and make use of it to its fullest. It left me personally longing for more.
If you look at season 7 of DS9, one of the interesting things you'll find is that there are, in fact, relatively few explosions and fights. Yes, they're there. But it's a lot less than people seem to think. DS9 was ALWAYS about the characters and their stories - not about fights, battles or special effects of any kind.
