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Revision as of 23:52, 19 August 2006

Template:Realworld

For the article on the space station, see Deep Space 9. For related links, see Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (disambiguation).
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Deep Space Nine's logo
Abbr.: DS9
Created by: Rick Berman
Michael Piller
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Original network: Syndicated
(by Viacom)
Production dates: 1993-1999
Original run: 3 January 19932 June 1999
Episodes: 173 (7 seasons)
Timespan: 2369-2375
Space station Deep Space 9.Space station Deep Space 9
The crew in Season 6.The crew in Season 6

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is the third live-action Star Trek series. It ran in first-run syndication from January 1993 to May 1999, and was the first Star Trek series not created by Gene Roddenberry.

(Themes composed by Dennis McCarthy)

Summary

Deep Space Nine boldly went where no Star Trek had gone before in that it was the first series that was not actually a trek, being set instead on starbase Deep Space 9. Unlike its predecessors Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine avoided a simple episodic format and prided itself on complex story arcs with lasting consequences. Although controversial (particularly among traditional Trek fans), by the end of the series run TV Guide declared it the "best acted, written, produced, and altogether finest" Trek series. [1]

Like The Next Generation, DS9 had a strong cast and well-developed characters and relationships. Unlike other Trek series, DS9 also had a strong cast of recurring characters, which heightened the richness of the program's world. The series focused on several races that were first featured on TNG, such as the Bajorans, the Cardassians, the Trill and the Ferengi. Later, the Klingons and the Romulans (both created in TOS) became pivotal species in the series. Many other species made appearances on the series, including Vulcans, Bolians and Benzites. The series also created many memorable species of its own, most notably the Changelings, the Vorta and the Jem'Hadar. Deep Space Nine was also the first series to have regular characters who were not members of Starfleet, with Kira Nerys, a member of the Bajoran Militia and Odo, the station's chief of security as well as civilians such as Quark and Jake Sisko.

Ironically, one of DS9's most redeeming qualities — the fact that, being set aboard a space station, events from one season directly affected the next — also turned out to be one of its biggest drawbacks, at least where casual viewers were concerned. Like TNG before it, DS9 took several seasons to firmly establish its own identity; however, unlike TNG, audiences could not simply tune in to watch the latest adventure. The complex development of the characters and the multiple story arcs over time meant that much of the series was lost on the casual observer. This may have contibuted to the series' smaller fan base and lower ratings, compared to TNG.

However, the changing television landscape also contributed to DS9's ratings trouble, as local TV stations which had aired TNG in prime time became WB and UPN affiliates and pushed syndicated programming to the margins. Subsequent Trek shows Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise would have network support from UPN and a guaranteed time slot. DS9 was also the only series to run opposite another Trek show (first TNG, then Voyager) for the entirety of its run.

DS9 also garnered a reputation for having some of the best Trek episodes made to date. These include "Trials and Tribble-ations", "Necessary Evil", "Duet", "The Visitor" and "In the Pale Moonlight". Perhaps inevitably, DS9 also counted some of its episodes among the weakest in Trek. These include "Let He Who Is Without Sin...", "Meridian", "Profit and Lace" and "Second Sight".

In any case, by the time the Dominion War came into full swing from the latter part of the fifth season until the end of the series, virtually all fans were more than satisfied.

The series also spent some time exploring the mirror universe, which had not been seen since the TOS episode "Mirror, Mirror". The mirror universe was featured in five episodes of the series: "Crossover", "Through the Looking Glass", "Shattered Mirror", "Resurrection" and "The Emperor's New Cloak".

Despite the relative lack of exposure the series received during its initial run, DS9 has found an ever-growing following of fans in syndication. Even opponents of DS9 admit that, despite the bumps along the road, it achieved a level of complexity and richness the likes of which Star Trek had never seen before and likely will never see again. This creative legacy has been maintained by its former producers and head writers, who have become instrumental in creating recent critically-acclaimed and widely-viewed series, including the re-envisioned Battlestar Galactica, The 4400 and Medium.

Main Cast

Executive Producers

Staff Writers

Episode List

Season 1

DS9 Season 1, 19 episodes: Template:DS9-Season1

Season 2

DS9 Season 2, 26 episodes: Template:DS9-Season2

Season 3

DS9 Season 3, 26 episodes: Template:DS9-Season3

Season 4

DS9 Season 4, 25 episodes: Template:DS9-Season4

Season 5

DS9 Season 5, 26 episodes: Template:DS9-Season5

Season 6

DS9 Season 6, 26 episodes: Template:DS9-Season6

Season 7

DS9 Season 7, 25 episodes: Template:DS9-Season7

Related topics

External Links