'The Visitor' the sadest episode of DS9?

[Lt.Cmdr.LaForge]

After having bought and watched all 7 seasons of TNG i decided i wasnt satisfied and wanted more so i move onto DS9.

Im only just into S4 at the moment, but i cant see how 'the visitor' will be topped by any other episode in terms of how sad it is (though it does have an uplifting ending, the ride is very depressing).

I thought nothing could be more heartbreaking than 'Inner light's' ending from TNG, but i think this one might just have beaten it.

Anyone else think this wa a particularly moving episode?

 

[DonIago]

I believe 'The Visitor' is generally considered one of the best episodes of DS9, if not one of the best of Trek-entire.

So, yes lots of people think it was particularly moving.

 

[Photon]

No, no....The Visitor is about a father's love for his boy and vice versa/

The saddest is WYLB...that danged pull away is a killer

 

[Bones2]

Nah, I say the saddest is Hard Time. But I think The Visitor is the most moving.

 

[RyuRoots]

I don't think so. Episodes like this and The Inner Light are too much of a side trip for me to be as emotionally invested as I was in say, It's Only a Paper Moon or Family. I think it's a GOOD episode, yes. But one of the best? Ehhh...wouldn't go that far. And it IS pretty sad, but I can think of a few things that outdo it for me.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

"The Visitor" is very sad indeed, and I think I might've cried when I saw it.

But the one I cried the most for was "Ties of Blood and Water".

 

[DevilEyes]

The Visitor is moving, but I wouldn't say that it is sad, as the ending is very positive. There are many sadder episodes of DS9... "Ties of Blood and Water", "Duet", "What You Leave Behind", "Life Support", "Sacrifice of Angels", "The Begotten", and not to limit this just to episodes in which someone dies or disappears for which might be forever, I though "A Simple Investigation" was quite sad, as was "Chrysalis".

 

[Navaros]

Considering that they pushed the big red reset button by the end of The Visitor, I don't see it as sad. If they had it take place after the end of the series and with no reset button, then maybe it mighta been sad.

Saddest episode of DS9 is "Treachery, Faith, and The Great River."

 

[nx1701g]

Hasn't "The Visitor" made national polls as the second best episode of all Star Trek episodes (behind The Best of Both Worlds)?

 

[Tallis Rhul]

I'm not sure about that but answering an earlier point, I've found it to be the most moving episode of Star Trek I've ever watched. And yeah, Photon, I agree about that pullaway! XD It's evil!

 

[BolianAuthor]

After having bought and watched all 7 seasons of TNG i decided i wasnt satisfied and wanted more so i move onto DS9.

Im only just into S4 at the moment, but i cant see how 'the visitor' will be topped by any other episode in terms of how sad it is (though it does have an uplifting ending, the ride is very depressing).

I thought nothing could be more heartbreaking than 'Inner light's' ending from TNG, but i think this one might just have beaten it.

Anyone else think this wa a particularly moving episode?

It may have been the saddest, but IMO, it was also THE BEST and FINEST bit of writing of any Trek ever... there was nothing about this episode I did not like, and it showed what absolutely brilliant and gifted writers they had, and the caliber of material they could put out, given the chance.

 

[Odo You Didn't!]

I think that The Visitor has had less and less impact on me the more times I've watched it, obviously because I know exactly how it's resolved. BUT, I should say that no other episode has had the impact on me that The Visitor had on first viewing, and the reason why is because:

Spoiler: Spoilers about The Visitor

to me it was utterly heart-rending to watch Jake suffer the repeated loss of his father. When Ben appeared for the first time and Jake thought he was back it really got me when he was lying on the bed in the infirmary and then he was gone again. The pain on Jake's face. And watching that again and again made it unbearable.

Brilliant episode, whether it's the saddest/best written or not.

 

[DevilEyes]

BUT, I should say that no other episode has had the impact on me that The Visitor had on first viewing, and the reason why is because:

Spoiler: Spoilers about The Visitor

to me it was utterly heart-rending to watch Jake suffer the repeated loss of his father.

Kind of sad and ironic that that's what happens at the end of the series.

EDIT: edited for spoiler, at Odo You Didn't!'s suggestion.

 

[Odo You Didn't!]

^ Oh noes, I just changed it to a spoiler in case anyone wants to see what all the fuss is about and hasn't seen it yet!

At the end of the series it's different circumstances, he doesn't think that this is a permanent situation, right? Whereas in The Visitor it's a total shock, out of nowhere, and it keeps happening. Doesn't make it any easier, but Jake is more mature by then too... I don't know. I wish I could have replied to this thread after I'd first seen it!

 

[Tallis Rhul]

^ Oh noes, I just changed it to a spoiler in case anyone wants to see what all the fuss is about and hasn't seen it yet!

At the end of the series it's different circumstances, he doesn't think that this is a permanent situation, right? Whereas in The Visitor it's a total shock, out of nowhere, and it keeps happening. Doesn't make it any easier, but Jake is more mature by then too... I don't know. I wish I could have replied to this thread after I'd first seen it!

The official book relaunch covers Jake's response to that, though again whether it's considered canon (authorised by CBS but not on screen, GREY ALERT!) is another thing entirely.

I don't know about you, but I always want to ring my Dad after I watch that ep. Even though he'll just grunt at me down the phone and call me a soft git.

 

[Myasishchev]

The Visitor is moving, but I wouldn't say that it is sad, as the ending is very positive. There are many sadder episodes of DS9... "Ties of Blood and Water", "Duet", "What You Leave Behind", "Life Support", "Sacrifice of Angels", "The Begotten", and not to limit this just to episodes in which someone dies or disappears for which might be forever, I though "A Simple Investigation" was quite sad, as was "Chrysalis".

Aw, "Duet" has a happy ending. The Bajoran guy gets to kill a Cardassian, and Marritza gets to die a martyr like he wanted after all. Everyone wins!

"The Die is Cast" is pretty sad--Garak is clearly miserable the whole time, pushing past the limits of even his own... well, expansive morality, all to regain the approval of Tain, and for what? So he can watch the old man lose it and die.

Spoiler: Tain

Except he actually died later, in also-depressing circumstances.

"Faith, Treachery, and the Great River" is also pretty sad.

 

[DevilEyes]

The Visitor is moving, but I wouldn't say that it is sad, as the ending is very positive. There are many sadder episodes of DS9... "Ties of Blood and Water", "Duet", "What You Leave Behind", "Life Support", "Sacrifice of Angels", "The Begotten", and not to limit this just to episodes in which someone dies or disappears for which might be forever, I though "A Simple Investigation" was quite sad, as was "Chrysalis".

Aw, "Duet" has a happy ending. The Bajoran guy gets to kill a Cardassian, and Marritza gets to die a martyr like he wanted after all. Everyone wins!

(treating the comment as serious for a moment)

Marritza didn't get what he wanted - he wanted to make Cardassia face up the truth about the Cardassian crimes against the Bajorans, so it could change and heal and have a different future. All his death proved was that some Bajorans hate all Cardassians without seeing them as individuals - and what else is new?

 

[Tallis Rhul]

Agreed. We knew that from the off! I really enjoyed Duet, but while it had some excellent scenes and was pretty emotional it didn't go on the same rollercoaster as The Visitor. I also thought Time's Orphan was pretty powerful, thinking about it...

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

The Visitor is about a father's love for his boy and vice versa/

I think that's probably my big reason for not rating the episode as high as a lot of others. My father was a deadbeat, and I've never really had that father figure in my life, so the major connection, the love between a father and son, isn't there for me.

I think it's a good episode, especially for Jake, who fell by the wayside as the Dominion War storyline began to dominate more screentime, but it's not in my top ten.

 

[DevilEyes]

The Visitor is about a father's love for his boy and vice versa/

I think that's probably my big reason for not rating the episode as high as a lot of others. My father was a deadbeat, and I've never really had that father figure in my life, so the major connection, the love between a father and son, isn't there for me.

I think it's a good episode, especially for Jake, who fell by the wayside as the Dominion War storyline began to dominate more screentime, but it's not in my top ten.

"The Visitor" is a good episode, but I prefered "...Nor the Battle To the Strong".