Rating: 
Summary: make it so..............................
Review: the best of all the sets...........a must have for all.........make it so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Joe marzionna
Rating: 
Summary: Now with added shouting
Review: The fifth season of Deep Space Nine is a strong entry in the Star Trek line-up. The influence of Babylon 5 was growing, with even more elaborate on-going storylines cropping up. This may have made things confusing when the series originally aired (if you happened to not be home during an important episode, you'd come back the next week to a different galactic power-balance), but since the show is now out on DVD, there's no real danger of missing something and getting lost. The previous season had seen the introduction of Worf, and his entry onto the station opened up a large potential for Klingon stories. Season four had devoted a fair amount of time to tales of the Klingon Empire. That trend continued through to the fifth year culminating in "Soldiers of the Empire" which takes place almost entirely on board a Klingon Bird Of Prey with Dax as the only character not buried underneath heavy prosthetics. To my surprise, I really enjoyed this gradual inclination towards more episodes dealing with loud actors shouting at each other about honor. I had been fairly bored during The Next Generation's attempts at building up the Klingons, so I was very happy that the Deep Space Nine people managed to not only hold my interest, but kept me wanting to see more. My enthusiasm for this season is caught between a desire to talk about the various ongoing plot stands and the need to highlight the great standalone episodes. Deep Space Nine did an almost perfect job of balancing the two, making my job even more difficult. The Star Trek universe underwent many changes during this year with all sorts of allegiances forming and/or falling apart. On a more personal level, a few characters had to face demons from their past, but those stories were generally better than one might expect (in Star Trek, "demons from the past" usually involve someone's parent showing up unexpectedly and a Large Argument From Childhood finally being cleared up -- thankfully the show mostly steered away from this). Sisko's role as Emissary of Bajor was given more than just a cursory examination, while Quark and Odo continued to develop their snide arguments. The extras in this release revolve around the fifth season (surprise, surprise). This means that there's not one but two mini-documentaries focused on the "Trials and Tribble-ations" episode (where Sisko and company go back in time and interact with the original 60s Star Trek episode, "The Trouble With Tribbles"). And, to be fair, there's a lot of stuff from and about that episode worthy of discussion. The first documentary involves a lot of talking heads discussing how the premise developed and what kinds of difficulties the production crew encountered getting it to the screen. The second documentary (and the one I found the most interesting, geek that I am) is more about the technical side of the episode -- how they managed to actually get the modern day actors and actresses to appear as if they were standing alongside their TOS counterparts. The "Forrest Gump" technology is expounded upon at length as well as the troubles that the model designers had in recreating the old ships and starbase models. We also have a mini-documentary featuring the character of Miles O'Brien, one of the series' more entertaining and realistic characters. Also, Mike Okuda gives a guided tour of the space-station sets, pointing out little in-jokes that were too small to be seen on-camera. Michael Westmore (as he has in previous seasons) takes a look back at the various alien baddies and their makeup. There were a few clunkers this year ("Let He Who Is Without Sin" - argh! Run away! Run away!), but overall I found this to be an excellent season of television. The storyline continually gets beefed up until one can't figure out exactly how they are going to keep outdoing themselves. The season ender is a great bit of storytelling and gives one a great sense of anticipation for the following year.
Rating:
Summary: Now with added shouting
Review: The fifth season of Deep Space Nine is a strong entry in the Star Trek line-up. The influence of Babylon 5 was growing, with even more elaborate on-going storylines cropping up. This may have made things confusing when the series originally aired (if you happened to not be home during an important episode, you'd come back the next week to a different galactic power-balance), but since the show is now out on DVD, there's no real danger of missing something and getting lost. The previous season had seen the introduction of Worf, and his entry onto the station opened up a large potential for Klingon stories. Season four had devoted a fair amount of time to tales of the Klingon Empire. That trend continued through to the fifth year culminating in "Soldiers of the Empire" which takes place almost entirely on board a Klingon Bird Of Prey with Dax as the only character not buried underneath heavy prosthetics. To my surprise, I really enjoyed this gradual inclination towards more episodes dealing with loud actors shouting at each other about honor. I had been fairly bored during The Next Generation's attempts at building up the Klingons, so I was very happy that the Deep Space Nine people managed to not only hold my interest, but kept me wanting to see more. My enthusiasm for this season is caught between a desire to talk about the various ongoing plot stands and the need to highlight the great standalone episodes. Deep Space Nine did an almost perfect job of balancing the two, making my job even more difficult. The Star Trek universe underwent many changes during this year with all sorts of allegiances forming and/or falling apart. On a more personal level, a few characters had to face demons from their past, but those stories were generally better than one might expect (in Star Trek, "demons from the past" usually involve someone's parent showing up unexpectedly and a Large Argument From Childhood finally being cleared up -- thankfully the show mostly steered away from this). Sisko's role as Emissary of Bajor was given more than just a cursory examination, while Quark and Odo continued to develop their snide arguments. The extras in this release revolve around the fifth season (surprise, surprise). This means that there's not one but two mini-documentaries focused on the "Trials and Tribble-ations" episode (where Sisko and company go back in time and interact with the original 60s Star Trek episode, "The Trouble With Tribbles"). And, to be fair, there's a lot of stuff from and about that episode worthy of discussion. The first documentary involves a lot of talking heads discussing how the premise developed and what kinds of difficulties the production crew encountered getting it to the screen. The second documentary (and the one I found the most interesting, geek that I am) is more about the technical side of the episode -- how they managed to actually get the modern day actors and actresses to appear as if they were standing alongside their TOS counterparts. The "Forrest Gump" technology is expounded upon at length as well as the troubles that the model designers had in recreating the old ships and starbase models. We also have a mini-documentary featuring the character of Miles O'Brien, one of the series' more entertaining and realistic characters. Also, Mike Okuda gives a guided tour of the space-station sets, pointing out little in-jokes that were too small to be seen on-camera. Michael Westmore (as he has in previous seasons) takes a look back at the various alien baddies and their makeup. There were a few clunkers this year ("Let He Who Is Without Sin" - argh! Run away! Run away!), but overall I found this to be an excellent season of television. The storyline continually gets beefed up until one can't figure out exactly how they are going to keep outdoing themselves. The season ender is a great bit of storytelling and gives one a great sense of anticipation for the following year.
Rating:
Summary: Klingons, Changelings, And Tribbles, Oh My
Review: The fifth season of Star Trek Deep Space Nine continued to offer top quality episodes. The ongoing story arcs took some unexpected and very entertaining twists. The level of creativity of year five ran circles, in my opinion, around the then concurrent Star Trek spin off, Voyager, that in its third year was on life support. As the season kicks off, Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) and an undercover team infiltrate the Klingon empire, in order to determine whether or not a changeling has taken over. Dax (Terry Farrell) and Worf (Michael Dorn) look for love in all the wrong places. Kira gives birth to the O'Brien's child and finds time to take on the Founders. Dr Bashir (Alexander Siddig) reveals a shocker of a secret in the great "Dr. Bashir I Presume?" The lovely Vanessa Williams guests as the crew goes for a little R+R on the pleasure planet Risa. Security Chief Odo (Rene Auberjonis) discovers a less developed shape shifter in "The Begotton" Quark (Armin Shimmerman) finds out his family is truly disfunctional in "Ferengi Love Songs" The best show of the season though is without a doubt, the original series tribute called "Trials And Tribble-lations" Its clever use of the first tribble episode footage from 67 and new stuff ala` Forrest Gump, is a marvel. It's a well written romp that's a classic, whether you like Trek or not. Given that ground breaking episode's impact, two of the 7 disc box set featurettes focus on that episode. "Trials and Tribble-ations: Uniting Two Legends": traces the origins of the episode, while, "A Historic Endeavor": is an examination of the technical challenges of the show and bringing back the original classic series look. Two more featurettes take a look at the production design of the Promenade with Mike Okuda; As well as make up effects guru, Michael Westmore's work for season five. A crew dossier on Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and the usual "section 31" hidden files top off the bonus material. For DS9-ers don't stop now Season 5 is a recommended trip into space
Rating:
Summary: The best Trek ever... volume 5!
Review: The fifth season took on new twists, with the new threat from the Founders. Revelations about characters, and their lives. And, one of the most incredible episodes for die-hard Trek fans of all time. In one of the greatest time travel episodes, "Trials and Tribble-ations" found the crew of the Defiant visiting the K-9 space station. They happened to arrive just as Captain Kirk and crew (from TOS) were engaged in what was the episode "The Trouble with Tribbles." The set direction, lighting, and fight sequences were all designed to fit seemlessly into the original series episode. All-in-all a fun time. The serious nature of the season as a whole gave way to a couple of fun episodes. Overall, an excellent season.
Rating:
Summary: The plot and tensions mount in the 5th season set.
Review: The fith season of "Star Trek Deep Space 9" is now on DVD and paramount has wisely decided not to change the successful formula they have established and followed with the release of the first season of The Next Generation last year. Season 5 continues the ongoing story of the Dominion threat upon the Federation and the Alpha Quadrant and centers around a military buildup by the Dominion in the Cardassian system. The Cardassiasns have joined the Dominion forcing the Federation to the brink of war. The strong and versatile cast is given alot to work with this year including Odo (Rene Auberjonois )having to deal with the loss of his shape shifting abilities and Quark (Armin Shimmerman) having to deal with the loss of his Ferengi business license that makes earning profit very difficult for the greedy bartender. Episodes of note include "Trials and Tribbleations" that sends the crew to the time of the original Trek series as they interact with Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the characters from the classic "Trouble with Tribbles" episode. The very provoking "A Simple Transaction" that takes a look at the subject of weapons sales and the rousing finale "A Call To Arms" highlight this spectacular set. The overall quality of the episodes shine, as the acting, writing, and effects give a blance to the season. .The Season Five DVD set is a well-crafted set that in many ways surpasses the outstanding Next Generation series. Aside from the plethora of behind the scenes and making of segments, the series features the episodes in sparking color and sound and is a must for collectors. 5/5 Gareth Von Kallenbach 5 stars out of 5 www.sknr.net
Rating:
Summary: The plot and tensions mount in the 5th season set.
Review: The fith season of "Star Trek Deep Space 9" is now on DVD and paramount has wisely decided not to change the successful formula they have established and followed with the release of the first season of The Next Generation last year. Season 5 continues the ongoing story of the Dominion threat upon the Federation and the Alpha Quadrant and centers around a military buildup by the Dominion in the Cardassian system. The Cardassiasns have joined the Dominion forcing the Federation to the brink of war. The strong and versatile cast is given alot to work with this year including Odo (Rene Auberjonois )having to deal with the loss of his shape shifting abilities and Quark (Armin Shimmerman) having to deal with the loss of his Ferengi business license that makes earning profit very difficult for the greedy bartender. Episodes of note include "Trials and Tribbleations" that sends the crew to the time of the original Trek series as they interact with Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the characters from the classic "Trouble with Tribbles" episode. The very provoking "A Simple Transaction" that takes a look at the subject of weapons sales and the rousing finale "A Call To Arms" highlight this spectacular set. The overall quality of the episodes shine, as the acting, writing, and effects give a blance to the season. .The Season Five DVD set is a well-crafted set that in many ways surpasses the outstanding Next Generation series. Aside from the plethora of behind the scenes and making of segments, the series features the episodes in sparking color and sound and is a must for collectors. 5/5 Gareth Von Kallenbach 5 stars out of 5 www.sknr.net
Rating:
Summary: Prelude to war
Review: The Klingon conflict continues as season five begins. But after spending a fourth year doing that, the writers and producers began to return to the Dominion story line. While some saw this tonal shift proof the series was in trouble, for the writers and producers, it was what they needed to bring the Dominion arc back to center stage. "Apocalypse Rising" brought about an end to the Klingon "problem" and opened the door for the return of the Changelings. Season five also had other things going for it. Star Trek was celebrating its 30 anniversary that year, and both DS9 and Voyager were going to do special episodes to commemorate that fact. Voyager brought back George Takei and Grace Lee Whitney as Sulu and Rand in a so-so tale adventure that brought Janeway to the bridge of the Excelsior during the events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. DS9 would go the distance and bring everyone back from TOS. Of sorts, anyway. Thanks to the breakthrough technology used in the Oscar winning film Forest Gump, the crew of DS9 travels back into the events of TOS episode "The Trouble with Tribbles." In the humorous and slightly goofy "Trials and Tribble-ations", Sisko and his crew have to stop a plot to kill Kirk before all of time is destroyed. The writers worked a miracle, by placing the crew into a 30 year-old episode. The 100th episode, "The Ship" also aired, along with "Looking for Par'Mach in all the Wrong Places", "Nor Battle to the Strong" (a special episode for Cirroc Lofton, a birthday present for the actor from the producers, as he was now 18 and no longer had to have a teacher on the set), "Things Past", "The Ascent", "Rapture", "The Darkness and the Light", "The Begotten" (where Odo gets his shapeshifting abilities returned),"For the Uniform", the two-part "In Purgatory's Shadow/By Inferno's Light", "Doctor Bashir, I Persume?"(which featured a performance from Voyager's Robert Picardo as the real Dr. Zimmerman), Business as Usual", "Ties of Blood and Water" (a sequel of sorts to season three's "Second Skin"), "Ferengi Love Songs", the brilliant "Children of Time", the darkly humorous "In the Cards" and the shattering finale "A Call to Arms". As I've mentioned before, there are always stinkers (the less said about "A Simple Investigation" the better), but overall, the series was in its stride. The fifth season would also see a magnificent visual effect of all of Starfleet heading towards DS9 -now overtaken by the Dominion and the Cardassians. It was an awe inspiring, jaw dropping effect. And as the ships head towards DS9, Gul Dukat -now back in his office -discovers a message that Sisko left him. A baseball. Dukat, as he holds the ball, tells a puzzled Weyoun that Sisko intends to return. And the war begins...
Rating:
Summary: Finally the Federation shows us some action
Review: This is excellent because all through the season the Klingons are getting walloped by the Dominion & Cardassians which to me, is shows the ever growing Dominion threat. This season contains some of the best Trek Episodes ever- especially Call to Arms. Smashing stuff!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Marvelous
Review: Truly a risky season for all involved, Deep Space Nine's fifth year had the show churning out some of its best hours of television and taking the show back onto its original course. Following the gloominess of season 4, Deep Space Nine featured not only more comic relief, but less of the heavy-handed devastating drama that so frequently reared its head in its predecessor. As a result, this season is much more balanced and also happens to give layers of complexity to new and previous characters. All in all, this season was the great beginning of a fantastic end. That said, this season is close, but not nearly, the show's best. Deep Space Nine was refined in this year, but it wouldn't be until the following year that the show hit its creative and emotional peak. Another problem with this season is the occasional appearance of story flotsam (Let He Who is Without Sin, Ferengi Love Songs) that either just shouldn't have been made (the former) or were poorly executed (the latter). However, aside from some minor faults, the season does mostly contain some thrilling, fascinating, and emotional episodes that brought the series forward. It seemed like every major (and most minor) characters had at least one episode to shine here. Captain Sisko got to finally begin to mature in his role as Emissary by receiving visions from the Prophets (Rapture) and truly feel the futility of war (The Ship), as did Jake (...Nor the Battle to the Strong), who also got to undergo machinations to get a treasured Willie Mays card (In the Cards). Kira was pregnant for most of the season, which prompted inside jokes (Apocalypse Rising) and was a central plot device when her friends began dying off (The Darkness and the Light). She also got another episode with her Cardassian father-who's-not-her-father, Legate Ghemor (Ties with Blood and Water), which exposed some of her shortcomings and resulted in some really nice scenes. Worf got to prove his mettle to the Jem'Hadar (By Inferno's Light) and become a Fletcher Christian to save his crew (Soldiers of the Empire). But of course the season was notable for putting him together with Dax (Looking for Par'mach...). Odo found a brother (The Begotten) and had a relationship with a humanoid woman (A Simple Investigation), but ultimately confessed to Kira that he loved her (Children of Time). Quark got into the arms business (Business as Usual) and developed a conscience as a result. He also ended up courting Grilka once again (Looking for Par'mach...). O'Brien was tormented again, this time by a Pah-Wraith (The Assignment), and got to revert to his old soldier roots (Empok Nor). We began to see some characters more and more, such as Jeffrey Combs' delightful Weyoun (Ties of Blood..., In the Cards, Call to Arms), Glinn Damar (Apocalypse Rising, Ties of Blood..., Call to Arms), Kai Winn (Rapture, Ties of Blood...,In the Cards). Others dropped in sporadically, such as Kassidy (Rapture) and Michael Eddington (For the Uniform, Blaze of Glory). Along with all of this character development, we got some truly fantastic stories. "Apocalypse Rising" is yet another great season opener, combining suspense, political machinations and some wry humor. "The Ship" has got suspense, but also some moving dialogue at the end, dealing with meaninglessly lost lives. "Looking for Par'mach..." is a very funny episode, a Cyrano de Bergerac parallel that culminates in Quark dueling another Klingon with Bat'leths! "The Assignment" finally introduces the Pah-Wraiths, setting up the series finale. But, of course, the stunner of the season is "Trials and Tribble-ations." Technically stunning and filled with nostalgia, this episode is a winner. "Things Past" was a dark examination of Odo's psyche, and "The Ascent" allowed Quark and Odo to confess to some friendship, "For the Uniform" was a fantastic episode that brought the struggle between Sisko and the Eddington-led Maquis to a point. The Dominion two-parter (In Purgatory's Shadow, By Inferno's Light) brought forth most of the story threads that would propel the series into its final years. "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" is a dramedy looking at Bashir's sordid past. It also features Robert Picardo as a guest star, a.k.a. the EMH. "Children of Time" is an interesting science-fiction episode dealing with time-travel and the crew meeting their future descendants. "Empok Nor" captures the feel of a great slasher movie, and Garak is a very convincing psychotic killer. Credit actor Andy Robinson (Scorpio from Dirty Harry) who had problems about playing the same type of character that got him typecast. The season concludes with the stirring "Call to Arms", the show's best cliffhanger. All in all, the episodic offerings here are great. In short, one needs only think of the difference that this season made in the run of the series to realize how important it was. This season features great contributions from plenty of people, and it is a must for fans.
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