In the Cards (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), S5 E25) was recommended by Shay, She/Her, saying:

"I love this episode for what it represents. It is the breath of fresh air right before the shit hits the fan regarding the Dominion War. The plot is light-hearted and doesn't take itself too seriously. Even Weyoun gets a cute moment at the end. And after this episode, everything basically changes forever. You don't really go back to these low stakes romps around the station with Nog and Jake once Season 5 ends"

Was also recommended by Lauren Rivers who said:

When it aired, I didn't think much of this episode. It wasn't bad, by any means, but it has come to mean a lot more to me over the years as it is one of the episodes to feature the friendship between Jake and Nog front and center. In an effort to surprise his father, he and his best friend go through a series of events to acquire a Willie Mays rookie card. Unable to tell anyone why, they must do favors for the senior staff to get what they need. Along the way, they are even captured by the Dominion.

What makes this episode so wonderful is not only does it focus on the great chemistry between Cirroc Lofton and Aron Eisenberg, but it also reminds us of how much little things people do can have a butterfly effect. Do they save the universe? No. But everyone in the episode comes out of it a little bit happier, and sometimes that makes all the difference for what comes next. On a personal note, Aron Eisenberg was one of the few celebrities who I felt I knew on a somewhat personal level, and he is one of the few celebrity deaths to hit me as hard as a member of my own family. Any chance to highlight the remarkable talent and spirit that Aron had is a huge positive for me.

In the Cards first aired on June 9, 1997, written by story by Truly Barr Clark & Scott J. Neal, teleplay by Ronald D. Moore, and directed by Michael Dorn

Jake wants to give his father a present to cheer him up, a 1951 Willie Mays baseball card. He enlists Nog to help him obtain it, but they run into complications with a mysterious geneticist, Dr. Giger. Kai Winn, worried over the prospect of a Federation/Dominion war and its effects on Bajor, meets with Dominion representative Weyoun.

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"Logical Intuition" by lauraschiller, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/50419471

"At the inauguration of the Voyager Museum, Tuvok meets a young Vulcan Starfleet officer who asks him for advice."

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I, Excretus (Star Trek: Lower Decks, S2 E8) was recommended by Chief Engineer Greg, who said: Going mildly mad with power, I wanted to suggest an episode myself.

The first time I saw a Lower Decks cosplay, it was a Boimler and a Shaxs together. I had just started watching the show and conventions were beginning to come back in the post-Covid environment. And seeing a Boimler covered in Borg babies was such a delight to see. Lower Decks is the show made of deep cuts to obscure bits of Star Trek lore (Borg Maturation chambers) and also send up of the Franchise. This show is steeped in love for how silly the franchise is, while never getting jaded about it, and even fighting against the more jaded elements you can see when you get too close.

This is an episode that openly admits to the workaholism of the Federation and uses it to great effect. It causes the trainer to break down because everyone gets perfect scores, yet Boimler's striving for that perfection. To paraphrase Homer Simpson, "Workahol. The cause of, and solution to, all life's problems."

I, Excretus first aired on September 30, 2021, written by Ann Kim, and directed by Kim Arndt

A consultant arrives on the U.S.S. Cerritos to run drills that require the lower deckers and bridge crew to swap duties.

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"Intuition" by BoldBeverly, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/36517078

"A post-episode drabble for Cause and Effect. Jean-Luc visits Beverly in sickbay and drags her out after a long day.

(I realized after a rewatch that the ship didn’t really sustain damage but for purposes of this story assume there was turbulence that caused damage and minor injuries.)"

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Cause And Effect (Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), S5 E18) was recommended by he/him, who said: All right, I realize we're supposed to recommend the... less than stellar episodes of Trek, but Cause and Effect is a classic TNG episode for good reason. While time travel episodes have been done to death in the franchise, the Groundhog Day loop in this one presents the crew with a genuine mystery that they have to puzzle out, which comes across with slowly dawning horror as they piece the puzzle together and realize that they may have no way out. Plus, it's got a literal banger of a teaser which has yet to be topped :)

Cause And Effect first aired on March 23, 1992, written by Brannon Braga, and directed by Jonathan Frakes

The Enterprise becomes stuck in a time loop but the crew retain some memory of previous instances. Guest star Kelsey Grammer as Morgan Bateson.

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"flowers are insufficient" by isloremipsumafterall (orphan_account), can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/4763531

"“Perhaps you have overlooked something Captain.” Seven finally said and Janeway tilted her head, leading Seven to go on, “It may be that you have a secret admirer. I have heard that flowers are a good indication as such and often appreciated by the person receiving them. Is this true?”"

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Inside Man (Star Trek: Voyager, S7 E6) was recommended by Rugger (They/them), who said: When people talk of this episode, they usually say it's a repeat of season 6's Pathfinder, where Barclay is clever but is ignored by Commander Harkins, so Barclay has to prove himself right. And it's two episodes after the Starfleet data stream was hacked by another party, to the detriment of Voyager.

Plot-wise, they're right. But the plot isn't why I love this episode.

Barclay instantly became one of my favourite Star Trek characters from his introduction as Lieutenant Broccoli, and Voyager made me love him even more. Barclay is the socially-inept, self-doubting genius, and, aside from when he merged with the Enterprise, he has remained in that role.

In this episode, awkward Barclay cannot save the day with engineering or cleverness. All he can do is talk. It is a fantastic moment that serves as an excellent capstone on a side character's arc, who found confidence in his engineering, and, after 10 years, in his voice.

Also, it is sheer delight to watch Dwight portray two vastly different characters with such zest. Dwight played Murdoch on the A-Team, and that versatility really shows in this episode.

Inside Man first aired on November 8, 2000, written by Robert Doherty, and directed by Allan Kroeker

A hologram of Reginald Barclay is sent to Voyager, supposedly to implement a dangerous plan to bring them home; but the hologram has been tampered with by some Ferengi, who are trying to steal valuable Borg nanoprobes from Seven of Nine.

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"I [43M] wish to tell my friend [40M] that it’d be logical for us to get married." by Smile_Edgeworth, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/43177045

"Spock shares a list of reasons why his friend Kirk should accept to marry him.

r/Relationships post."

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