So, I was watching some reruns of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine yesterday. Specifically, I was watching the 2-part episode In Purgatory's Shadow and By Inferno's Light.
Now, I know a lot of people say that DS9 hit its stride with the opening of season 4 and when Worf joined the crew. I don't think so. I think DS9 hit its stride with this 2-part episode, which happened about 2/3rds of the way through season 5.
For those who don't remember, this is the 2-part episode where Cardassia joined the Dominion, and the Dominion War began.
I think that this episode is when DS9 hit its stride because, with this episode, DS9 finally found a focus. There had been many attempts at finding a focus in the past: the Dominion, the reconstruction of Bajor, the Maquis and the battles in the DMZ, and even a war with the Klingons. But with In Purgatory's Shadow and By Inferno's Light, it's like the writers finally said, "OK, the focus will be the Dominion War."
I came to this realization about halfway through part 2, when Gul Dukat, as the new head of the Cardassian government, outlines the plans for the Dominion/Cardassian alliance. And what are his plans? Reclaim Bajor. Eliminate the Maquis. Re-conquer everything that the Klingons took. In response, the Klingons re-allied themselves with the Federation, ending the Klingon War. When Dukat said all those things would be eliminated, it was like the writers saying, "OK, here's everything that's been distracting us the whole time this show's been on. We're getting rid of it!"
Voyager never had an episode like that. Enterprise desperatly needed an episode like that. One where it's like the writers standing up and saying, "This will be the show's focus."
Many books have been written analyzing Star Trek. I'm fairly certain I could write my own.
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