How would you rank this recent batch of nine episodes I've watched as part of #TrekRewatch5? 🔴 "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" 🟣 "Rise" 🟣 "Favorite Son" 🔴 "A Simple Investigation" 🔴 "Business as Usual" 🟣 "Before and After" 🔴 "Ties of Blood and Water" 🔴 "Ferengi Love Songs" 🟣 "Real Life"

"Children of Time" builds a classically #StarTrek sci-fi premise with a potent ethical dilemma and deploys it to explore #DS9's character-focused strengths. It's a great showcase for the cast, and some of these developments power story elements for the rest of the series. Score: 4.5/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Distant Origin" is expertly produced and a complete original from a stylistic perspective. The science-fiction overlay of the examination of doctrine takes familiar material and imbues it with fascinating new textures. This is #StarTrek storytelling at its very best. Score: 5.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Soldiers of the Empire" is an insightful window into the inner workings of Klingon vessels, and a strong showcase for the growing and fascinating Worf/Martok connection. It's an entertaining and briskly paced adventure with a distinctive perspective driving its story. Score: 4.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Real Life" is a feat of confident direction, as it navigates in and out of wildly varying tones mimicking classic television tropes. This inventive concept allows for a human, emotionally resonant exploration of family dynamics. It's extremely well executed in every way. Score: 4.5/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Ferengi Love Songs" is an insufferable Ferengi comedy, pairing Ishka and Zek for a farcical romance, once again testing Quark's views (and ours) on Ferengi societal norms. The actors do their very best to deliver laughs, but I think this comedic angle misses the mark. Score: 1.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

Terribly disappointed by this news. #StarfleetAcademy has been such a pleasant surprise and I'd have loved to see it get the full, intended four seasons.

“Ties of Blood and Water” is highly dramatic material, as it adeptly navigates challenging and heavy themes. The interesting flashback structure adds to the heft, while connecting Kira’s emotional investment in a satisfying way. Not for the faint of heart, but well done. Score: 3.5/5 #TrekRewatch5

#StarTrek fans everywhere should absolutely check out PROJECT HAIL MARY. I hadn't read the novel, so I can't speak to the adaptation, but I thought it was gorgeous. I struggle to imagine a Star Trek fan who wouldn't respond to this movie in at least some capacity. Bright, hopeful and human sci-fi.

"Before and After" uses its innovative premise to showcase and explore Kes' most distinctively unique characteristics. This is easily the show's most effective episodic use of the character, driven by very strong work from Jennifer Lien. Well paced and propulsive sci-fi. Score: 4.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Business as Usual" feels like a throwback in the way that it handles Quark, by boxing him into very dicey ethical terrain. It does end up servicing the character well, as it underlines the gradual changes we've seen take root over the last few seasons. Solid all around. Score: 3.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"A Simple Investigation" continues #DS9's recurring pattern of film-noir inspired Odo-centric stories. Rene Auberjonois and Dey Young have convincing chemistry, always keeping the episode aligned with its tonal aim. Not the most innovative, but it's modestly successful. Score: 2.5/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Favorite Son" has the kernel of an interesting science fiction idea and begins with promise on that basis. However, as the story unfolds, it becomes less interesting, and ends up not feeling like an especially valuable exploration of Harry's character. Quite a misfire. Score: 0.5/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Rise" is driven by reliably good work from Tim Russ and Ethan Phillips, showcasing one of #Voyager's most interesting character pairings. However, it struggles mightily on the guest casting front, and with its general execution. One of the show's clunkier productions. Score: 1.5/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Doctor Bashir, I Presume" covers big ideas, rooted in the #StarTrek canon, and makes an ambitious choice to re-contextualize a major regular character. Both the A and B stories are critical to the big picture and full of character beats. Mixed results on the comedy here. Score: 3.5/5 #TrekRewatch5

How would you rank this recent batch of ten episodes I've watched as part of #TrekRewatch5? 🟣 "Fair Trade" 🟣 "Alter Ego" 🔴 "The Begotten" 🟣 "Coda" 🔴 "For the Uniform" 🟣 "Blood Fever" 🔴 "In Purgatory's Shadow" 🟣 "Unity" 🔴 "By Inferno's Light" 🟣 "Darkling"

"Darkling" leans heavily into gothic horror tones to very mixed results. There are a few stylish and creepy moments, but Robert Picardo is uncharacteristically off-key which keeps the episode from finding a successful groove. The potential of the premise doesn't pay off. Score: 1.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"By Inferno's Light" continues to build on the many great elements of "In Purgatory's Shadow", laying down foundational shifts in the series' overarching story. It also gives Michael Dorn & Andrew Robinson some of their very best material. Absolutely essential #StarTrek. Score: 5.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Unity" is a landmark episode with #Voyager's formal introduction to the Borg. There are foreshadowing elements for what's to come, and I appreciate the unexpected and unorthodox use of the Borg as a concept. It's eery and unsettling, while focused on exploring big ideas. Score: 3.5/5 #TrekRewatch5

"In Purgatory's Shadow" is a hefty, densely packed, incredibly important #DS9 entry. The pairing of Garak & Worf is surprisingly well fitted and the prison drama elements are especially well achieved. High drama, loads of tension and monumental in terms of overall impact. Score: 5.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Blood Fever" mixes various big picture elements with #VGR's own specific character dynamics to create a memorably impactful episode of the series. Like #TOS' "Amok Time", the sensitive and intense performances from all involved really sell its extreme conceptual aspects. Score: 4.5/5 #TrekRewatch5

"For the Uniform" is #DS9's take on a tried and true #StarTrek motif; pushing a captain to the brink with an obsessive, personal score to settle. Avery Brooks' intensely heightened performance and a dynamic directorial approach combine to make this a full-scale classic. Score: 5.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Coda" gives Kate Mulgrew emotionally charged material and there are extremely impactful scenes in the mix here. It's disorienting and impressionistic, but avoids falling into traps which could make this off-putting or impenetrable. An undervalued showcase for Janeway. Score: 3.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"The Begotten" presents two nicely aligned stories, which both feel integrated and essential to the big picture of the series. The Odo/Mora half follows a well trodden path, but Rene Auberjonois & James Sloyan's performances deliver the goods and nicely carry the episode. Score: 3.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Alter Ego" doesn't work on every single level and feels a bit flaky in the early going. When the story pivots to Tuvok's point of view, and once it lands its final twist, it packs a punch. There's a message and real life implications explored years ahead of its time. Score: 3.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

First blush, sure to change #StarTrek #StarfleetAcademy Season 1 episode rankings: 1️⃣ Come, Let's Away 2️⃣ Vox in Excelso 3️⃣ Rubincon 4️⃣ The Life of the Stars 5️⃣ Series Acclimation Mil 6️⃣ 300th Night 7️⃣ Kids These Days 8️⃣ Beta Test 9️⃣ Vitus Reflux 🔟 Ko'Zeine

#StarfleetAcademy totally stuck the landing with the excellent "Rubincon". Hunter/Giamatti/Maslany were expectedly incredible anchoring with gravitas, the cadet ensemble continues to impress with great work, and Tig freaking Notaro is the best she's ever been as the heroic as hell Jett Reno.

"Fair Trade" gives Neelix a story which remembers and capitalizes on his shady and complicated pre-Voyager lifestyle, nicely charting his development. Ethan Phillips' performance captures the impact of desperate, good-faith and well intentioned bad decisions compounding. Score: 3.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

How would you rank this recent batch of ten episodes I've watched as part of #TrekRewatch5? 🔴 "Let He Who Is Without Sin" 🟣 "Future's End, Part II" 🔴 "Things Past" 🟣 "Warlord" ⚪ "Star Trek: First Contact" 🔴 "The Ascent" 🟣 "The Q and the Grey" 🟣 "Macrocosm" 🔴 "Rapture" 🔴 "The Darkness and the Light"

1996 contained 17 weeks with two episodes of #StarTrek airing side by side. This included episodes from #DeepSpaceNine Seasons 4-5 and #Voyager Seasons 2-3. According to my #TrekRewatch5 scoring system, #DS9 won 10 weeks to #VGR's 7.

"The Darkness and the Light" smartly applies horror/thriller vibes, quite notably placing a very pregnant Kira in the drivers seat for a story with those tones. It's taut with credible tension and concludes with a disturbingly memorable sequence. Grim, but well handled. Score: 3.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Rapture" is part quiet character study, and part important big picture tone setter for #DS9's broad story threads. There are decisions made here which echo out to the end of the series. It's also an essential entry surrounding Sisko's relationship to being the Emissary. Score: 4.5/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Macrocosm" fully commits to a horror/action tone, giving Janeway some memorably heroic moments, which Kate Mulgrew delivers with ease. It's also structurally distinctive, using wisely placed flashbacks to withhold the reveal of key story elements, amping up the tension. Score: 3.5/5 #TrekRewatch5

How many of this year's Oscar nominees for Best Picture have you seen? I'm spending the next week revisiting all ten of them and feel like this is one of the strongest slates of films in the last few years.

"The Q and the Grey" introduces some interesting ideas and continues #VGR's effort to expand our understanding of the Q Continuum. Unfortunately, the execution of those ideas leave much to be desired. There are a few comedic hits in the early going, but they are fleeting. Score: 2.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"The Ascent" takes a fairly standard premise, and mines it for #DS9's reliably strong character work. The story allows for a forthright and honest look at the complicated Odo/Quark dynamic, while the Jake/Nog story is a refreshing throwback to a hallmark of prior seasons. Score: 3.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

I couldn't agree with Caleb more! "300th Night" nicely sets up a promising season finale, but provides a ton of great stuff in its own right. There's an emotionally charged GREAT scene between four cadets in this episode which underlines how much I've grown to love these characters and this show.

"First Contact" is a marvel of cinematic efficiency. Perfectly constructed, balancing core #StarTrek big picture elements, brilliantly expanding on existing continuity and offering eerie horror moments, all while working as a great standalone sci-fi action film. Perfect. Score: 5.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Warlord" gives Jennifer Lien radically atypical material to play, and that comes with some mixed results. The episode's gothic thriller aesthetic brings some interesting production design elements, but it also comes across a bit cheesy, undermining the intended tension. Score: 2.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Things Past" is a spiritual sequel to the excellent "Necessary Evil", looking back at Odo's complicated history with the Cardassian occupation of Bajor. It's notably grim, but this explores moral grey areas and challenges our understanding of Odo in true #DS9 fashion. Score: 3.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Future's End, Pt II" is full of memorable set pieces, both on character and action-adventure fronts. The Paris/Tuvok scenes with Rain Robinson are standouts, simultaneously calling back to #TOS vibes and capitalizing on #VGR specific notes. Totally satisfying conclusion. Score: 5.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Let He Who Is Without Sin" has the kernel of an interesting idea buried deep within its story, but it's so surrounded by inept comedy and torturously, painfully off-key character beats that it just can't get off the ground. A rare and completely empty misfire for #DS9. Score: 0.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

How would you rank this last batch of eight episodes I've watched as part of #TrekRewatch5? 🔴 "The Ship" 🟣 "Remember" 🔴 "Looking for Par'Mach in All the Wrong Places" 🔴 "Nor the Battle to the Strong" 🔴 "The Assignment" 🟣 "Sacred Ground" 🔴 "Trials and Tribble-ations" 🟣 "Future's End, Part I"

"Future's End, Part I" echos past #StarTrek stories, but finds its own voice to create a #VGR classic. It doesn't take itself too seriously with its retro charm, but this is strangely more relevant than ever. Loads of great dialogue and dynamic chemistry among the cast. Score: 5.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Trials and Tribble-ations" is as loving a tribute to past #StarTrek as one can imagine. The attention to detail, the technical expertise and the perfectly calibrated tone all work together to create a legendarily classic episode of television. All-timer in every way. Score: 5.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

Gut check, super fluid #StarTrek #StarfleetAcademy S1 episode rankings heading into the last two. Absolutely sure to change! 1️⃣ "Come, Let's Away" 2️⃣ "Vox in Excelso" 3️⃣ "The Life of the Stars" 4️⃣ "Series Acclimation Mil" 5️⃣ "Kids These Days" 6️⃣ "Beta Test" 7️⃣ "Vitus Reflux" 8️⃣ "Ko'Zeine"

It takes a minute for #SFA's "The Life of the Stars" to show its cards, but it sure packs a wallop once it does. The dramatic device driving the story gives the episode a unique and distinctive flair, which enhances the emotional impact of everything around it. I thought this was truly exceptional.

"Sacred Ground" is led by reliably great work from Kate Mulgrew, and offers a worthwhile test of Janeway's scientific convictions. It's not briskly paced by any means, but pockets of this hold up nicely. It's not consistently dynamic and I admire it more than I love it. Score: 2.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"The Assignment" mines good drama from this domestic disturbance powered by an often used sci-fi conceit. O'Brien continues to be the best situated character to convey the most realistically human responses to bizarre circumstances. Rosalind Chao is effectively scary. Score: 3.0/5 #TrekRewatch5

"Nor the Battle to the Strong" features potent scenes and explores themes uniquely suited to DS9, but its structural approach comes with mixed results. This has heft and gravitas in a surface level manner, but isn't entirely successful with applying it in satisfying ways. Score: 2.5/5 #TrekRewatch5