Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series) Explorers (1995) User Reviews

Sailing in space

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 5 May 2010]

After returning from Bajor Commander Sisko has become fascinated by plans to an ancient Bajoran ship that according to legend sailed to Cardassia propelled by interstellar particles. He builds a replica of the ship and tries to re-enact part of that journey with Jake. On the way he learns that Jake has been offered a place at a prestigious school back on Earth. Meanwhile back on the station Doctor Bashir is upset when the student who beat him to the top place in medical school visits Deep Space Nine and totally ignores him; this leads to a night of drunken singing with Chief O'Brien.

While the main story wasn't the most exciting in the series it had some exciting moments and although it was not really surprising it was nice when they accidentally proved the ancient could have got to Cardassia. This episode is notable for a couple of things; it was the first to feature Leeta, played by Chase Masterson, even if all she does here is make a pass at the doctor and impress him with her ample cleavage, secondly Jake tells his father he knows a woman he might be interested, while we don't see her here she is destined to be an important part in Sisko's life in later episodes.

I like filler episodes and I like risky episodes.

[thevacinstaller · 7/10 · 31 March 2020]

The episode itself much like Sisko's space sail expedition is a risk. I like it when star trek takes a risk and goes with an off the wall idea. It's very fitting with the core foundation of star trek for Sisko to get excited by this ancient form of space travel and it's telling of Sisko's character (and admiration for Bajor) that he is determined to provide travel into Cardassian space was possible.

I just love that fact that the Cardassian government already had archaeological records for it and only after Sisko enters their space do they 'celebrate' this achievement. In a rare moment of true class we have the Cardassians putting on a fireworks (?) display for Sisko.

Bashir's decision to work on the frontier of space turns out to be the smart way to go. He's probably be bored to tears working on a star ship treating boils and ingrown toenails.

If this Starfleet thing doesn't work out for Sisko, I truly believe he would be an astounding home builder. This man is a work machine.

RE: the ship storyline...

[lisa-cangelosi · 6/10 · 26 July 2021]

I LOVE all of the Star Trek series. And can look past many scientifically improbable storylines.

However, in this episode: HOW would the Bajoran sailing space ship been able to get past the atmosphere of Bajor to make it into outer space?!

An apt reference to Earth history, with great character development.

[corumo · 9/10 · 23 January 2013]

In the three first episodes of Deep Space 9 there are many stand-alone episodes, but this one may just be my favourite. To the untrained eye or uninformed it may be difficult to see why, so I shall try to explain the reference.

The story references, by drawing a parallel to ancient Bajoran early interstellar achievements, the Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdal who battled against an entire world's academia of disbelievers to embark on a journey to prove that the indigenous peoples of South America crossed the Pacific ocean on rafts to settle on the south-east Asian islands.

Until that expedition, called Kon-Tiki, the world believed the indigenous people of South-East Asia originated from Asia itself. But Thor Heyerdahl knew otherwise. He set out to disprove those assumptions, and against the odds managed to scrounge funding somehow against all the odds. He made it to Tuamotu Islands in 1947, proving his theory.

In this episode, Commander Benjamin Sisko takes on this role, setting out to prove that ancient Bajorans, from before humankind even dreamed of the stars, could sail to Cardassia in rudimentary ships propelled by simple solar sails, a theory that has never been proved, nor has it been particularly widely believed to be possible.

The episode is a feel-good reminder of what Star Trek is all about. Even the most simple exploratory mission can lead to dispositional changes between cultures, respect can be found through plain passion alone, and that you shouldn't take what you have for granted.

The character development is evident within, with Sisko and his son bearing the focus of the story.

Overlooked Gem

[paulwbakersf · 10/10 · 10 November 2010]

This wonderful father-son episode featured several major developments within the social context of the series. It introduced the character of Leeta, the Bajoran dabo girl who would become a major part of the Ferengi arc. It was the first episode where Commander Sisko wore a goatee. The subplot really cemented the friendship of Bashir and O'Brien, as the two Brits sang "Jerusalem" while getting drunk together. In addition to that, Jake for the first time reveals to his father that he wants to become a writer. He also told his father about Kassidy Yates, who was later to become Sisko's wife. Although these are all good reasons for liking the episode, it is simply a fun stand-alone that glows with good feeling and gets better with time.

A wonderful Star Trek episode

[DSNForever · 10/10 · 15 February 2012]

There isn't any episode of "Star Trek" quite like "Explorers". It is at heart a character study, with excellent scenes between Sisko and Jake. A little creative license is taken with the solar sails, although that didn't stop the episode being given an award by the Space Frontier Foundation for its creativity. The inside of the solar sailing vessel is also very interesting looking and quite evocative of a Jules Verne novel.

The episode also has an excellent "B" story with Bashir facing a competitor from Starfleet Academy and features Bashir and O'Brien together singing when drunk.

Great episode

[mmserrano4 · 9/10 · 12 August 2021]

My judgment may be clouded by a father/son bonding plot and a space sailboat a la treasure planet but this episode had a point to be made about historical accomplishments as well as anything it did about the relationships between the characters, which was a good deal. The last episode that OBrien and Bashir actually had a scene, OBrien still wasn't really fond of him. Now he directly implies he loves Bashir, and Sisko's son Jake is having nothing but breakthrough conversations with him. This not only establishes their relationship better, but the overall parent-child relationships in this era of Trek. Might not be relevant to the overall plot of the Dominion War or anything, but characterizes the Cardassiasns in a way that hadn't really been seen before.

Scientifically horrendous

[Ar_Pharazon_the_golden · 5/10 · 25 August 2014]

The episode itself is passable, neither very good nor terrible, but it's hard to look past the enormous flaws in the design. Solar sails are an old idea, which means the writers are not justified to not realise they would need to be kilometers' wide to function. The steampunk feel of the ship may be aesthetically interesting, but space travel with astrolabes and sextants is pushing it too far. And the concept that one man can build such a spaceship in his backyard in a few days borders on laughable. Not to mention that 800 years in the past is hardly such a long time for an interstellar journey to pass into the sphere of legend. Other problems, such as the inability of the ship to take off from the planet surface or to land, or return, are secondary.

All in all, I think the series goes to great lengths to establish the Bajorans as possessors of some sort of admirably rich culture both technologically and spiritually, like they went through an idealised Earth past - but for me, such exaggerated and unrealistic (even in Star Trek terms) plot devices make them more and more annoying as a species.

Very upbeat episode

[DonandLiG · 10/10 · 21 February 2021]

The conversations between Bashir & Elizabeth Lense, & Bashir & O'Brien as they drank are stellar. And the ending scene with the Siskos & Ducat were unusually cordial and heartwarming.

Nice character episode

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 11 June 2022]

The Sisko boys spend some quality time together.

This is exactly the type of episode required after the drama of the previous story.

It has a nice, reflective tone as Ben and Jake go on a mini-adventure together and have some good father-son interaction. The plot is good-natured and mostly focussed on their relationship.

The subplot involving Dr Bashir is also quite fun. I particularly like the drinking scene with Chief O'Brien and the exchanges with his med school rival.

All characters contribute in a lighthearted way and we are introduced to the character Leeta, who appears in many future episodes.

For me it's a 7.5/10 but I round upwards.

Heartwarming!

[dirvingman-62136 · 8/10 · 25 July 2023]

On paper, this may sound like a rather dull episode. Sisko and Jake sail on a recreation of an old Bajoran spaceship, while Julian Bashir is nervous to meet his academic rival from Starfleet Academy.

In execution, those slower plot points give room for many great character moments. Julian and Miles singing drinking songs together, Jake's writing hobby gains a notable development, and Jake starts to set up Sisko with someone who would eventually be a long-term partner for him.

I also love the idea of "solar sailing" - practicality be damned, it's a fresh and easily understood way to differentiate "anchient" spaceship tech.

All in all, an episode that is notably warm and optimistic. The type of episode that makes me thankful that these 90s Trek shows had so many episodes to work with. It gives room for something like this - a slower-paced, slice-of-life episode to go between the dramatic and action moments. It does wonders for worldbuilding and feeling like the show is an actual lived-in universe.

Laughable science / engineering, no story

[dave-03795 · 3/10 · 4 December 2023]

I don't think I fully understood how bad this was on first viewing.

Sisko builds a ship capable of interstellar travel in his spare time, as a hobby, in a matter of ... weeks?

And it's made out of wood, metal, and glass, without any electronics. That's the part I missed on the first viewing, because it just makes no sense at all. It's basically a sailing ship. It somehow has artificial gravity so they sleep in hammocks. When they have to figure out where they are, they reach for a sextant ... only they dropped it and it broke.

And then nothing happens and they make to where they were going--another star sustem--by sheer luck and yay, something about ancient Bajorans and Cardassia. The Cardassians let off fireworks. What?

And a B plot that makes just as little sense: Bashir's rival at the academy and she doesn't recognize him because she always thought he was someone else.

Absolute Nonsense

[newarkinvaders · 4/10 · 21 July 2022]

What a stupid ship.

Oh yeah we have build an ancient spaceship . With full life support and a fancy sailing ship design.

It's the biggest nonsense I've seen for some time.

Lightweight and Dull!

[Hitchcoc · 5/10 · 17 October 2018]

While it's nice to have a father bonding with his son, the episode was like watching Ozzie and Harriet. There were no villains. Even the conflicts as the spacecraft sailed on were uninteresting. After such a couple of outstanding episodes, this one just sat there. Bashir's meeting with his former classmate was even duller than the main plot. Hopefully, we will get to something of some substance. Oh, we have to remember that Sisko will be meeting some woman who is a freighter captain.

Totally out of order

[giannhs_karfo · 1/10 · 11 November 2006]

This episode does not belong to any of the star trek series.

It's script has way too many incoherences not only to any sci-fi logic, to the entire star trek universe, to DS9 series, but even to it'self. Those flaws are too many to describe but i would suggest to those that pay too much attention in the series coherence to skip this episode in order to avoid getting frustrated.

The only thing that i would say you could find interesting is the first appearance of Sisko with a goatee which may stand for the turning of him to a more serious character for the rest of the series (like he wasn't a stiff already), he also shows some interest in galactic archeology and history (a futile attempt to come closer to the character of Picard) and the first (unreasonably) friendly gesture by the cardasians towards him, without any gain for them.

What's with the instant beard and Jake's sudden growth spurt?

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 26 December 2014]

When this episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space 9" begins, suddenly Commander Sisko has a cool beard (sort of like Spock's in "Mirror, Mirror") and Jake seems a little taller. Obviously some time elapsed between this and the prior episode and it's odd no one mentioned this in any way.

The plots of this one are incredibly slight. First, just like Thor Heyerdahl and the Kon-Tiki, Commander Sisko decides to fly some sort of space sailboat across space to lend credence to a theory that the Bajorans were great outer space explorers during ancient times. He takes Jake along with him and the two do some bonding. And, second, speaking of bonding, the bromance between Dr. Bashir and Miles O'Brien is going to a greater level of intimacy. When an old rival of the Doctor's comes aboard and doesn't seem to recognize him, he's bummed and so he and O'Brien decide to get drunk and get to know each other better.

Overall, I'd rank this one rather low--simply because nothing of any consequence happens. It's a filler episode and did little, if anything, to enhance the overall plot or themes of the show. Very skippable.

One of most ridiculous DS9 episodes ever.

[JiS87 · 3/10 · 25 March 2024]

It was really painfull to watch. Besides all the countless ret*rded 'science' they come up with about the ancient ship from the first 'til the last minute, the fact that everyone let a spacestation commander indulge in his middle life crisis by building weeks on end an entire Bajoran 800 year old ship (seemingly on his own?!) and taking it out on an extreme dangerous voyage with his son whilst there is an imminent Dominion threat to the whole bloody region and even towards the Federation itself, is beyond words. W. T. F.?!

Such a missed opportunity when tackling themes like pioneer space travelling...

I give 3 stars only for the long awaited quality time between goatee Sisko and Jake.

Filler episode

[tomsly-40015 · 3/10 · 25 October 2023]

Wow, Sisko is the man. He builds a complete spaceship in less than 3 weeks. Alone, without the use of laser cutters or anything else. While having a full time job. And he has even time to make it look pretty from the inside and outside. This guy would have been able to Rome in less than a year I guess.

Besides that we see Sisko bonding with Jake and learn, that he wants to become a writer. Jake also tries to set him up with Claire Finn from the Orville and surprise, surprise - it works because both love Baseball!

Then Sisko and son go full Thor Heyerdahl with their new spaceship to prove that Bajorans were able to reach Cardassia Prime hundreds of years ago. But who thought, that such a bold attempt would attract lots of attention is wrong again. Roddenberry obviously didn't like media, the press or crowds of people in general. So, no one but Dul Dukat actually cares about this flight...