Deep Space Nine - Season Four Reviews

1. Broken Link  Rating ****1/2  Odo's molecular structure begins to disintegrate, and the only people who may be able to help save him are the Founders. One of the best “Odo Episodes”. 
2. Indiscretion Rating ***1/2 Kira teams up with Gul Dukat to explore a Cardassian ship lost 8 years ago. Another good Kira-Dukat episode. This is Dukat’s highpoint in DS9. He’s treated here as a fairly ruthless character, but also heroic and full of love for his daughter. Light years from the Genocidal, crazy, monster he later becomes.
3. Return to Grace  Rating *** When Freighter captain Gul Dukat transports Kira to a diplomatic event, the two must work together to bring Klingon terrorists to justice. Another good Kira-Dukat episodes.
4. The Sword of Kahless Rating *** Worf, Dax, and Kor’s quest for a long-lost legendary icon, results in them fighting renegades and each other. Excellent adventure story –All three actors have good chemistry with each other.  
5. The Way of the Warrior Rating *** When the Klingons bring a task force to DS9, Lt. Cmdr. Worf arrives to uncover their mysterious intentions. Solid episode introducing Worf to the DS9 crew.  Dukat shows up too. Some easily skipped Sikso-Family scenes. 
6. Starship Down  Rating **1/2 The Defiant is attacked and severely damaged by Jem'Hadar fighters and must escape the Jem'Hadar and a violent space storm. Uneven episode combining a boring “Ship in trouble” main plot, with a good Quark comic subplot. The oddest scene, so typical of a liberal show, is Kira uttering a Bajorian Prayer over an injured Sisko – the supposed Emissary, and when Sisko recovers he doesn’t bond with Kira over Bajorian Religion. Instead, he asks Kira to a Baseball Game!
7.  Accession Rating **1/2 A man emerges from the wormhole after three centuries and claims to be the Emissary. and announces he will bring back an ancient caste system.  Interesting story about Bajorian religion. That Sisko ends up being the Prophet’s choice as “Emissary” is rather silly but whatever. BTW, it’s significant that the Federation - supposedly in love with diversity, the “prime directive”  and respecting other cultures - threatens Bajor with expulsion if they re-institute the Bajorian “Caste System” based on their old-time religion. Y’see the Federation believes in all kinds of societies cultures and beliefs, as long as they believe in CORRECT beliefs and cultures. Wonder what other “Federation rules” smaller planets have to follow. Note: we get a lot of O’brien-Kekio lighthearted family stuff – but it seems more tolerable than normal.
8. Crossfire  Rating **1/2 Kira and Shakaar rekindle their romance when he visits DS9 for a conference, leading Odo to face his own buried feelings for Kira. Uneven Odo story that a setup for future Kira-Odo pairings. While I love Odo, we spend too much time on his unrequited love for Kira. And Shakaar is boring. This definitely needed a better Subplot. Still, it has some great Quark-Odo moments. Note: I hope this is the last of Kira and that damn mannish Red pantsuit!
9. Hippocratic Oath  Rating **1/2 A Jem'Hadar squadron captures O'Brien and Bashir's and demands Bashir free them from their addiction.  Well done episode that raises some issues regarding ethical behaviors and the Jem”hadar. The subplot with Worf and Oda was fun.