Synopsis: Sisko, Odo, Dax, and Garak are trapped seven years in the past on Terok Nor, but everyone else thinks that they’re condemned Bajorans, and only Odo’s memory can save them

Memory Alpha Summary: He saves them!

Review: Strong parallels with Necessary Evil, though I like that episode significantly more.

Synopsis: Kira and Gul Dukat chase the Klingon Bird-of-Prey that destroyed a Cardassian outpost where Cardassian and Bajoran representatives were holding a conference.

Memory Alpha Summary: and Grace wasn’t happy about it

Review: The writers continue to do a fine job at pigeonholing Dukat into plots while developing his character in a realistic way. On TNG, the story about him reuniting with his daughter would have just dangled forever, but here they deal with it in a fairly satisfying way.

Synopsis: Kira’s lover is accused of collaborating with the Cardassians during the Occupation.

Memory Alpha Summary: Kira’s future lover does too!

Review: Holy Hannah is Vedek Winn awesome television. Every time she talks it makes your skin crawl, yet her character is entirely believable at the same time. Vedek Bareil, on the other hand, is kind of dull, so this turn of events is actually welcome, as having Winn as the Kai will definitely lead to better episodes in the future. Unfortunately, we haven’t had enough time with Nerys and Bareil to really buy into their love for one another, so the emotional parts of this episode fall flat a bit. 

Synopsis: When Commander William T. Riker from the Enterprise-D arrives on Deep Space 9, he takes a liking to Kira, who gives him a tour of the Defiant. But Riker is revealed to be not who he claims to be when he attacks Kira and steals the Defiant.

Memory Alpha Summary: Not man-whoring should have been our first clue

Review: Unlike Q’s appearance during season one, Riker’s appearance is perfectly timed and never feels contrived. The reveal that it’s Thomas Riker is done early enough to please the audience and to avoid the trap of writing an episode where its only point is to sweep out the rug. It also develops a character that TNG failed to expand upon, though unfortunately, only does so for one episode.

Synopsis: A visiting delegation from the Gamma Quadrant turns four crew members into “pieces” for a bizarre game.

Memory Alpha Summary: I wonder what Worf’s honor stat would have been.

Review: Considered by many to be one of the worst episodes in the Star Trek canon, and boy I don’t get all the vitriol. It’s goofy for sure but everyone seems to be having fun and it’s not a lazy recycle of a dozen other Trek plots.

Synopsis: Bashir tries to help when Garak suffers painful headaches from an implant in his brain.

Memory Alpha Summary: Those Baltimore police at it again

Review: Any episode that prominently features Garak is compelling. This one plods a little bit, as it’s just a repetition of Bashir chasing the truth out of Garak, which is like Charlie Brown trying to kick Lucy’s football. But the introduction of Tain is great, and the final line of the show is delicious.

Synopsis: A Bajoran terrorist tests Kira’s loyalties to the Federation when he attempts to rid Bajor of the Federation for good.

Memory Alpha Summary: Hmm, this plot happens more than once I think.

Review: Tighter plot than the pilot and it packs more tension with additional character development.

Synopsis: The Defiant receives a distress call from a Starfleet captain stranded on an inhospitable planet.

Memory Alpha Summary: It’s a nice sound.

Review: Like The Usual Suspects, this episode is better once the ending hits and you think about what you just watched.  Part of that is because you’re waiting for a twist ending but aren’t getting the one you may have expected.  And also it’s just written well. Lisa Cusak is a more well-rounded, satisfying version of Vic Fontaine, whose presence improves the lives of the crew; it’s also a solid commentary about how war can affect the personal lives of officers in a more nuanced way than we’re used to seeing.  

Synopsis: A fugitive from the Gamma Quadrant attempts to trade evidence about Odo’s people for freedom.

Memory Alpha Summary: Mini-Borgs.

Review: The most important episode of season one establishes that Odo is not alone in the universe as well as setting the stage for the Changelings and The Dominion, as we learn a little bit about their persecution at the hands of humanoids. It’s not the best episode, however, as the individual impact of the episode is low. We get to know two new alien species from the Gamma quadrant that we’ll never see again. I love the idea of the Miradorn, a species where every person has a twin that they’re interdependent on. They’re only minimally explored here, sadly, and we’ll never hear from them again.  

Synopsis: Sisko builds a replica of an eight hundred-year-old Bajoran spaceship, and tries to use it to prove that Bajoran explorers could have made it to Cardassia without developing warp drive.

Memory Alpha Summary: Ahoy!

Review: After a few heavy episodes in a row, Explorers is a nice break. The A story, a father/son episode, is written quite nicely even if the dialogue between dad and son is a bit on the nose at times. It’s a classic “Dad wants to do something fun but son is a teenager” story, realized with the space them of building a starship, this one made of solar sails. The tie-in to Bajoran/Cardassian history is barely interesting, but I always welcome Gul Dukat, especially when his presence is not there just for conflict’s sake. In fact, there is almost no conflict or tension in the story, which works out okay as there is solid character development throughout.