Some of the less common entries have been mentioned (Far Beyond the Stars! No one ever mentions that one!) so I’ll give some deeper cuts still. There are so. many. good episodes. I’ll limit myself to ten.

• Bar Association, where the employees of Quark’s Bar form a union
• Past Prologue, where Sisko, Bashir, and Jadzia are sent back in time (to 2024!) to a time where unemployment and wealth inequality have created abject poverty, to the point where the government just forgets about people
• Prophet Motive, where the Grand Nagus becomes a socialist
• For the Uniform, where Sisko chases Eddington throughout the galaxy and gives an order to fire weapons and Worf hesitates
• Doctor Bashir, I Presume, where Bashir’s genetically engineered nature is revealed to Starfleet
• Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges, where the military (Starfleet) ignores the law to do some espionage and cooperates with Section 31, turning a blind eye to the ally they got killed in the process
• Wrongs Darker than Death or Night, where Kira (Nerys) learns what her mother (Kira Meru) sacrificed for her family
• Homefront / Paradise Lost, where fear of a changeling invasion on Earth causes an admiral to go paranoid and fake an attack so he can declare martial law (pre-9/11!)
• Covenant, a disturbingly realistic depiction of a cult

I made these choices because they illustrate how timeless the series is. There’s a saying that good scifi isn’t prescient, it’s just aware, and that’s true for DS9. All of these episodes could be made today and would be well-received. They are just as relevant today as they were 25-30 years ago. Just keep in mind that DS9 is a far darker series than you’re used to with TNG. It is not afraid to talk about serious topics or use the language it needs to in order to get the point across (… thinking of Far Beyond the Stars in particular here).

And yes, DS9 is a hyperfixation of mine and has been for a very long time. I am always happy to talk more in depth about it, so please send me a message if you like :)