This past January marked the twentieth anniversary of perhaps the most underrated Star Trek show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It differed from the other Trek shows in that it took place on a space station (the titular Deep Space Nine or DS9) near a wormhole and the characters often had to deal with the political and social ramifications of galactic events. In so many ways, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is arguably the best Trek show and certainly the best spinoff of the original Star Trek. Many episodes were exciting, thought provoking and best exemplified the spirit of Star Trek. 
10." In The Pale Moonlight" One of the most controversial episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has Captain Ben Sisko (Avery Brooks) committing very questionable and treasonous actions to influence the Romulans to join the war on the Federation's side. 
9. "In The Cards" This very funny episode showcases Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton) and Nog (Aron Eisenberg) as they go through many headaches and make complicated deals just to obtain a rare baseball card for Jake's father Ben. 
8. Emissary" The pilot episode introduces the cast of characters and the Cardassian-built space station orbiting the ravaged planet of Bajor. Intrigue and self-discovery abound as the intricacies of Bajoran society and the characters' quirks are revealed, especially Sisko's tortured soul.
7. "In Purgatory's Shadow/By Inferno's Light" Major changes happen in this two-parter when the Cardassians unexpectedly join the Dominion. One of the biggest shocks came when it was revealed that one of the major characters was actually a Changeling of the Dominion and out to decimate the Alpha Quadrant powers.
6. "Far Beyond The Stars" Sisko finds himself in an alternate reality where he is a struggling science fiction writer in 1950s New York and must contend with racism as he tries to get his story published about a space station commandeered by a black officer. Seeing the show's actors without makeup and portraying distinctly different characters was unforgettable, as was Brooks' performance.
5. "Trials And Tribble-ations" In this tribute to the original Star Trek, the crew of the Defiant time travel back to Captain Kirk's era and wind up part of the Star Trek episode "The Trouble With The Tribbles". The scenes where the DS9 characters interact with the original Enterprise crewmembers are still fun to watch. 
4. "Nor The Battle To The Strong" Jake and Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) are stranded on a Federation outpost under attack by Klingons. This episode focuses on Jake and his impressions of war. He sees up close how filthy and demoralizing war is and is strongly shaken by its brutality. 
3. "Call To Arms" The fifth season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine closes with this exciting episode that is about the eve of war between the Federation/Klingons and the Dominion. The episode's writers skillfully set up many cliffhangers for the coming season with stunning multiple endings that could've each ended the season effectively. That final shot of the Defiant joining a massive Starfleet/Klingon armada will make fans cheer.
2. "Sacrifice Of Angels" This epic conclusion to the storyline about the Dominion occupying DS9 rivals any big-screen sci-fi spectacular with its amazing special effects. Outnumbered and outgunned on board the Defiant, Sisko leads an armada of Starfleet ships against Dominion and Cardassian battle ships. It's a race against time to break through the formidable fleet and reach DS9 before the mined wormhole can be opened to send through Dominion reinforcements. Meanwhile, Kira (Nana Visitor), Quark (Armin Shimmerman), Jake and others on the station must stay one step ahead of Dominion forces as they try to sabotage the enemy. 
1. "The Visitor" One of the best time travel stories shown on any Star Trek series is ultimately about the bond between a father and his son. Sisko and Jake are on board the Defiant when a freak accident apparently disintegrates the captain. During his mourning Jake discovers that his father is actually alive but trapped in a timeless limbo. Life and time goes on while Sisko never ages and helplessly watches as Jake grows older, marries and then gives up his marriage and writing career to help him. The performances by Avery Brooks and Tony Todd (who plays Jake as an adult) will touch a soft spot in any viewer's heart. Top 10 Fringe Episodes
Fringe, one of the most recently acclaimed sci-fi shows, just concluded its five-season run. The show boasted many intriguing and memorable episodes that pushed the envelope in regards to storytelling. The show was about the investigations by a government agency into fringe science events like strange mutations and teleportation. The Fringe team led by Special Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) and his son Peter (Joshua Jackson) encountered some really bizarre phenomena. While Fringe had many standout episodes, these ten were among the show's very best stories.
10. "The Arrival" The enigmatic Observer called September (Michael Cerveris) is fully introduced and right away viewers are fascinated by this strange, formidable being from the distant future who can predict actions.
9. "The Boy Must Live" This fifth-season episode takes place (as does the entire season) in the future where the Observers have taken over the world. September and the Observers' origins are finally revealed as is the forgotten plot devised by Bishop to defeat the Observers.
8. "Black Blotter" The Fringe team recover an empathic and mute child Observer called Michael (Rowan Longworth), who is the key to defeating the Observers. Meanwhile to aid in that task, Bishop takes a hallucinogen, which leads to some pretty trippy animated sequences.
7. "Brave New World, Parts 1 & 2" The fourth season (and for a moment the series before it was renewed) closes with this exciting two-parter that has the Fringe team finally confronting Bishop's former partner (Leonard Nimoy), who is out to destroy the universe and remake it to his own designs.
6. "There's More Than One Of Everything" This first-season finale answers many questions about The Pattern events that the Fringe team was investigating while brining up many more questions. Plus, it introduces a parallel world where the World Trade Center is still standing.
5.TIE: "The Plateau"/ "Amber 31422" These two episodes take place predominantly in the parallel world and present viewers with intriguing plots about the affect both Bishops have on the parallel world. "The Plateau" is about a gifted man who can forecast future possibilities using math except for the variable of a different Olivia in his world. "Amber 31422" features the impact that the suspending amber chemical has on people living in the parallel world.
4. "Peter" This outstanding flashback episode explains how the entire mess with the parallel world began. Taking place in 1985, Dr. Bishop comes up with a way to peer into a parallel world. Around the same time his son dies and he learns his son's double in the other world is also dying, thus he decides to save that boy at a terrible cost. The episode had a nifty retro feel to it, even the opening credits reflected the 1980s.
3. "Entrada" The thrilling conclusion of the swapped Olivias storyline in season three has them both on the run in the two universes. There was an urgent feeling of desperation shown by both Olivias as the original tried to make her way back to her own universe, while her malevolent double assigned to the original universe mercilessly avoided a manhunt led by Peter.
2. "White Tulip" One of the grisliest and most emotional stories dealing with time travel introduces Alistair Peck, a scientist (played exceptionally well by Peter Weller) who is experimenting with time travel. Peck is able to time travel by painfully and surgically implanting devices on his body. What gets the Fringe team involved is that his work winds up killing people by draining them of their energy. It turns out that Peck was only trying to save his wife from being killed in the past.
1. "Over There, Parts 1 & 2" The two-part second-season finale takes place in the parallel universe as Dr. Bishop and Olivia travel there to retrieve Peter, who had defected to the other side. It was fun seeing all the differences in that other world. For example the comic books are different (Red Lantern instead of Green Lantern), dirigibles fill an altered New York skyline, and even the map of the U.S. is radically different. But more enjoyable were the actors portraying alternate versions of their characters. Fauxlivia and Walternate were very effective villains and are part of the reason why Fringe was so much fun to watch.
Lewis T. Grove