Movies - TV
The 15 Best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Episodes, Ranked
By SAMUEL STONE
15. Season 5, Ep. 14
"In Purgatory's Shadow" is one of the most shocking episodes of "DS9." Worf and Garak are captured after running into a Dominion invasion force, as Starfleet's peaceful ideals are violently tested — with many satisfying payoffs and dark revelations, it sets the stage for something great to follow.
14. Season 3, Ep. 20
Odo finally gets a chance to showcase how keen a crime-solver he is in "Improbable Cause," investigating the attempted assassination on Garak. More than just an excellent showcase for René Auberjonois' Odo, the episode is instrumental in establishing Andrew J. Robinson's Garak as a vital addition to the "DS9" cast.
13. Season 7, Ep. 8
"The Siege of AR-558" is a meditation on the end of innocence and war's hollow gallantry — a sort of "All Quiet on the Western Front" by way of "Star Trek." As the DS9 crew encounters their most harrowing battle ever, the episode blends rousing set pieces with reflections on trauma, illustrating the ramifications of the Dominion War storyline.
12. Season 7, Ep. 4
"Take Me Out to the Holosuite" reminds fans how much escapist fun the show can be and works best when taken into context of the series. By Season 7, "DS9" had become a bona fide war show, so this episode provides a welcome detour from the show’s bleak tone, letting characters explore their fun side again.
11. Season 5, Ep. 15
An important chapter in progressing the overarching Dominion War narrative, "By Inferno’s Light" signals how dark and intense "DS9" will later become. Michael Dorn also delivers one of his best performances as Worf, and Alexander Siddig shines in a darker performance as a disguised and villainous Changeling.