Star Trek: 10 Greatest Filler Episodes

7. Paradise

Star Trek Deep Space Nine Paradise OBrien And Sisko
CBS Media Ventures

Paradise is an exploration on the nature of cultism, with Alixus taking the role of cult leader. For Michael Piller, it was another chance to do a Sisko episode. Combining Sisko and O'Brien worked well, and would be repeated in the seasons to follow. 

The story is simple - Sisko and O'Brien are looking for potential colony worlds, and find a community that has rejected all technology. Rather than help them to leave, Alixus plans to break them, forcing them to accept her way of life. For this writer, that punishment box was the definition of hell.

So much of Paradise works so well, even if it is rarely discussed alongside such other episodes as Past Tense, Trials And Tribble-ations, or Tears Of The Prophets. It's got a smaller scale, but it works. It definitely deserves a re-watch soon. 

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"