Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
| Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | |
|---|---|
| File:DS9logo.JPG Star Trek: Deep Space Nine intertitle | |
| Created by | Rick Berman, Michael Piller |
| Starring | see below |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 176 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Ira Steven Behr Rick Berman Michael Piller |
| Running time | approx. 45 min. |
| Original release | |
| Network | Syndication |
| Release | January 3, 1993 – June 2, 1999 |
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (sometimes abbreviated to ST:DS9 or DS9) is a science fiction television program that premiered in 1993, ran for seven seasons, and ended in 1999. Rooted in Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek universe, it was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, at Brandon Tartikoff's request, and produced by Paramount Pictures. The main writers, in addition to Berman and Piller, included show runner Ira Steven Behr, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Ronald D. Moore, Peter Allan Fields, Joe Menosky, René Echevarria, Richard Manning, and Hans Beimler.
A spin-off of Star Trek: The Next Generation, DS9 began while its parent series was still on the air, and there were several crossover episodes between the two shows. In addition, two Next Generation characters, Miles O'Brien and Worf, became regular members of DS9.
However, unlike its predecessor, DS9 often broke the rules laid down by Roddenberry, such as the prohibition against interpersonal conflicts between the main characters.[1] Also, unlike the other Star Trek programs, DS9 took place on a space station instead of a starship. This made continuing story arcs and the appearance of recurring characters much more feasible. The show is noted for its well-developed characters and its original, complex plots. The series also depended on darker themes, less physical exploration of space, and an emphasis (in later seasons) on many aspects of war.
Although DS9's ratings were initially solid, it was never as successful as Star Trek: The Next Generation, with ratings declining in later seasons. A number of reasons were given for this decline, including an increasingly crowded television marketplace (Babylon 5 aired about the same time, mining similar themes), cannibalization of viewership between it, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager, and viewer fatigue.[citation needed] Nonetheless, it remained the top-rated first-run syndicated drama series throughout most of its run.
Premise
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Space station Deep Space Nine.
Conceived in 1991, shortly before Gene Roddenberry’s death, DS9 centers on the space station Deep Space 9 (original Cardassian designation Terok Nor), which is under the joint control of the United Federation of Planets and Bajor, a planet recently liberated from a long, brutal Cardassian occupation. According to co-creator Berman, he and Piller had considered setting the new series on a colony planet, but they felt a space station would both appeal more to viewers and save money that would be required for on-location shooting for a "land-based" show. However, they were certain they did not want the show to be set aboard a starship because Star Trek: The Next Generation was still in production at the time and, in Berman’s words, it "just seemed ridiculous to have two shows—two casts of characters—that were off going where no man has gone before."[1]
In the pilot, the station is moved near the just discovered Bajoran wormhole, allowing access to the distant, unexplored Gamma Quadrant. It quickly becomes a center for exploration, interstellar trade, political maneuvering, and eventually open conflict.
DS9 differs from preceding Star Trek series in that it contains more story arcs that span several episodes and even seasons. Its predecessors tend to restore the status quo ante at the end of an episode, so that many episodes could be seen out-of-order without compromising their plots. On DS9 however, not only are events in one episode often referenced and built upon in later ones, but sometimes several episodes in a row are cliffhangers. This trend was especially strong near the end of the series’ run, by which point the show was intentionally very much a serial.[1][2] This permitted greater character and plot development.
Interpersonal conflicts between regular characters had been previously forbidden by Roddenberry in Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation, but feature prominently in DS9. This was at the suggestion of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s writers (many of whom also wrote for DS9) because they felt that the prohibition limited their ability to develop interesting stories. In Piller's words, "people who come from different places—honorable, noble people—will naturally have conflicts".[1]
Cast
Main characters
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The cast of DS9 in season six
Featuring a diverse cast, DS9 was the first series to include main characters who were not members of Starfleet. Kira Nerys is an officer in the Bajoran militia, Odo is a Changeling who worked for the Cardassians during the Occupation of Bajor, while Jake Sisko and Quark are civilians. Though Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes) was the producer's first choice as the first officer, Kira Nerys was created because Forbes did not wish to commit to a television show.[2] Among Starfleet characters, Miles O'Brien is the first enlisted (non-commissioned) main character, reprising a supporting role he played on several episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
During its seven-year run, DS9 faced two major cast changes. The fourth season added Michael Dorn as Worf, who had recently finished seven years on Star Trek: The Next Generation, in order to boost ratings.[3] The second change was the abrupt departure of Terry Farrell (Jadzia Dax). Feeling that the large cast limited her screen time, Farrell did not renew her contract at the end of the sixth season. Because her character hosted the Dax symbiont, the writers introduced Ezri Dax (Nicole de Boer) to provide a new host.[4]
Alexander Siddig (Julian Bashir) appears in the opening credits by a shortened form of his birth name, Siddig el Fadil, for the first three seasons. He appeared as Alexander Siddig after he married co-star Nana Visitor (Kira Nerys), which placed their names together in the alphabetical cast credits, although his stated reason for the name change was that he discovered that nobody watching the show knew how to pronounce "el Fadil".[citation needed] Siddig continued to be credited as Siddig el Fadil when he directed.
| Actor | Character | Position | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avery Brooks | Benjamin Sisko | Commanding officer | Human |
| Nana Visitor | Kira Nerys | Executive officer and Bajorian liaison officer | Bajoran |
| Rene Auberjonois | Odo | Chief of security | Changeling |
| Alexander Siddig | Julian Bashir | Chief medical officer | Human |
| Terry Farrell | Jadzia Dax Seasons 1-6 |
Science officer | Joined Trill |
| Nicole de Boer | Ezri Dax Season 7 |
Counselor | Joined Trill |
| Michael Dorn | Worf Seasons 4-7 |
Strategic operations officer | Klingon |
| Colm Meaney | Miles O'Brien | Chief of operations | Human |
| Cirroc Lofton | Jake Sisko | Correspondent for the Federation News Service | Human |
| Armin Shimerman | Quark | Owner of Quark's Bar and chairman of the Promenade Merchants Association | Ferengi |
Recurring characters
The setting of the show—a space station rather than a starship—fostered a rich assortment of recurring characters. It was not unheard of for "secondary" characters to play as much, or more, of a role in an episode as the regular cast. For example, "The Wire" focused almost entirely on Garak, while "Treachery, Faith, and the Great River" featured an A-story about Weyoun and a B-story about Nog. Perhaps the best example of this willingness to focus on secondary characters remains "It's Only a Paper Moon", which featured Nog and holographic crooner Vic Fontaine carrying the A-story (and most of the dialogue and scenes), and no B-story. Lasting consequences and the presence of familiar faces were among the reasons Berman and Piller chose to set the series aboard a space station.[1]
Several Cardassian characters figure prominently in DS9, among them Elim Garak, portrayed by Andrew Robinson. He is the only Cardassian who remains on the space station when the Federation and the Bajorans take over. Widely suspected of being a disgraced former agent of the Obsidian Order, the feared secret police, he maintains that he is merely a simple tailor. Garak's skills and unofficial contacts on Cardassia prove invaluable on several occasions, and he becomes a pivotal figure in the war with the Dominion.
Another important Cardassian is Gul Dukat, played by Marc Alaimo. A complex character, he starts out sometimes being cooperative, but more often antagonistic, and undergoes several transitions before ultimately becoming purely evil and Sisko's archenemy by the show's conclusion. A StarTrek.com article about Star Trek's greatest villains described Gul Dukat as "possibly the most complex and fully-developed bad guy in Star Trek history".[5] Commander of the station before it was turned over to Federation control, Dukat remains a part of the Cardassian military through the beginning of the Dominion-Cardassian alliance's war with the Federation, until he is driven mad by the death of his half-Bajoran daughter (Ziyal).
Finally, there is Damar (Casey Biggs). He starts off in a minor role as Dukat's loyal henchman, but later becomes more sympathetic and plays a vital role in the defeat of the Dominion.
Jeffrey Combs (of Re-Animator fame) has stated that he had auditioned for the role of William T. Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but when Jonathan Frakes (who won the part) later directed the DS9 episode "Meridian", he recommended Combs for a part.[6] Combs made his Star Trek and DS9 debut as a one-episode alien named Timon, before being cast as the Ferengi Brunt and the Vorta Weyoun. He would go on to appear in thirty-one episodes of DS9, playing four distinct characters—five, if one counts the "mirror universe" version of Brunt. In "The Dogs of War", he also became one of the few Star Trek actors to play two distinct roles (Brunt and Weyoun) in a single episode. He later played a prominent role as Shran on Star Trek: Enterprise.
Morn is a minor character who, like his inspiration (Norm from Cheers), is a fixture in a bar (in this case, Quark's), spending the next seven years there. It became a running joke that, despite the other characters' remarks on how talkative and funny he is, he never speaks a word on camera.
The Klingon Empire plays a more significant role in DS9 than in any other Star Trek series. Aside from Worf, recurring Klingon characters include Chancellor Gowron (Robert O'Reilly), leader of the Empire until he is supplanted by General Martok (J.G. Hertzler) during the Dominion War. Martok befriends Worf and accepts him as a member of his house. Kor, a Klingon character from Star Trek: The Original Series resurfaces in three DS9 episodes. He was played by John Colicos in both series.
Several of the prominent recurring actors are also known for their work on other projects, the most notable being Academy Award winner Louise Fletcher (the Bajoran spiritual leader Kai Winn) and sci-fi veteran Salome Jens (the Female Changeling). Other celebrities seen in guest and recurring roles included Vanessa L. Williams, Wallace Shawn, Lark Voorhies, James Cromwell, Gabrielle Union, Iggy Pop, Frank Langella, Chris Sarandon, Steven Berkoff and James Darren.
Plots
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The Bajoran wormhole
In the first episode, Starfleet Commander Benjamin Sisko takes charge of Deep Space Nine. He and Jadzia Dax stumble upon the first stable wormhole ever found and discover that it is inhabited by beings who are not bound by normal space and time. To the strongly religious people of Bajor, the wormhole aliens are the "Prophets" and the wormhole itself is the long-prophesied "Celestial Temple." Sisko himself is hailed as the "Emissary of the Prophets."
This provides the basis for a long-lasting story arc. Sisko initially considers his role as a religious icon with open discomfort and skepticism, referring to the Bajoran Prophets simply as "wormhole aliens" and striving to keep his role as commander of the station distinct from any obligations that the Bajorans try to place on him. Later, he becomes more accepting of his role and, by the end of the series, he openly embraces it.
The station crew early on has to contend with a human resistance group known as the Maquis. Rooted in the events of The Next Generation episode, "Journey's End", in which Native American settlers refuse to leave when their colony world is given to Cardassia as part of a treaty, the Maquis is an example for the show’s exploration of darker themes: its members are Federation citizens who take up arms against Cardassia in defense of their homes, and some—such as Calvin Hudson, a long-time friend of Sisko's, and Michael Eddington, who defects while serving aboard the station—are Starfleet officers. The show’s sharp departure from traditional Star Trek themes can be seen in episodes such as "For the Cause", in which Eddington tells Sisko, "Everybody should want to be in the Federation. Nobody leaves paradise. In some ways you’re even worse than the Borg. At least they tell you about their plans for assimilation. You assimilate people and they don’t even know it."
The second-season episode, "Rules of Acquisition" introduces the Dominion, a ruthless empire in the Gamma Quadrant. It is led by "the Founders", a race of shapeshifting Changelings—the same race as station security chief Odo. They were once persecuted by non-shapeshifters (whom they call "Solids") and they seek to impose "order" upon any who could potentially harm them, which includes nearly all Solids. The Founders have created or genetically modified two races to serve them: the Vorta, sly and subversive diplomats, and the Jem’Hadar, their fearless shock troops. These races worship the Founders as gods.
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The USS Defiant (NX-74205)
At the start of DS9’s third season ("The Search"), with the threat of a Dominion attack looming from the other side of the wormhole, Commander Sisko returns from a trip to Starfleet Headquarters on Earth with the USS Defiant, a prototype starship that was originally built to fight the Borg. It remains stationed at Deep Space Nine until its destruction in season seven, providing an avenue for plotlines away from the station.
The Dominion forms an uneasy alliance with the Cardassians in the fifth-season episodes "In Purgatory's Shadow" and "By Inferno's Light" and goes to war with the other major powers of the Alpha Quadrant. Throughout the series, loyalties and alliances change repeatedly: pacts with the Cardassians are made, broken, and remade; a short war with the Klingons flares up and is settled, and (through Sisko's secret machinations) the formerly neutral Romulans ally with the Federation.
Another example of DS9’s darker nature is Section 31, a secret organization dedicated to preserving the Federation way of life at any cost. This shadow group, introduced in "Inquisition", justifies its unlawful, unilateral tactics by claiming that it is essential to the continued existence of the Federation. Section 31 features prominently in several episodes of the Dominion War arc; such plot elements, as well as DS9’s relative lack of exposure compared to its predecessor, garnered the show a reputation as the "black sheep" of the Trek family.[7]
In DS9, the Ferengi are no longer an enemy of the Federation, but rather an economic power whose political neutrality is, for the most part, respected. Several episodes explore their capitalistic nature, while others delved into the race’s sexist social norms (however it is also revealed that the race had a far more peaceful evolution than humans, with far less war, crime or slavery). The Ferengi are guided in their lives and business transactions by the Rules of Acquisition. During the course of the series, Rom's son Nog is transformed from a juvenile delinquent into the first Ferengi in Starfleet, attaining the rank of lieutenant junior grade in the series finale (and admiral in an alternate timeline).
Connections with other Star Trek incarnations
Characters and races
Deep Space Nine has seen many appearances by races introduced in the Original Series and The Next Generation. Some notable examples have been Bajorans, Cardassians, Klingons, Ferengi, Romulans, Trill, Breen, Betazoids, and many more minor races.
Miles O'Brien, and later Worf, were brought over from The Next Generation to Deep Space Nine as major cast members. Other Next Generation characters, who reprised their roles on Deep Space Nine have included Jean-Luc Picard, Keiko O'Brien (Miles' wife), Molly O'Brien (Miles' daughter), Starfleet Admiral Nechayev, Klingon Chancellor Gowron, Alexander Rozhenko (Worf's son), Klingon Kurn (Worf's brother), Lwaxana Troi, Q, Thomas Riker, and Vash. Also, Tuvok from Voyager appeared in "Through the Looking Glass".
Three Deep Space Nine major characters have reprised there role in other Star Trek productions. Dr. Bashir appeared in Next Generation episode "Birthright, Part I." Quark appeared in Next Generation episode "Firstborn", and in Voyager episode "Caretaker". Worf appeared in Star Trek films First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis after becoming a lead character in Deep Space Nine.
Actor crossovers
The following Deep Space Nine cast members have appeared as various other characters in other Star Trek productions.
- Rene Auberjonois (Odo) appeared in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country as Starfleet Colonel West, and in Enterprise episode "Oasis" as Kantare engineer Ezral.
- Armin Shimerman (Quark) appeared in Next Generation episodes "The Last Outpost" as Ferengi Letek, "Haven" as the face of a Betazoid gift box, and "Peak Performance" as Ferengi DaiMon Bractor.
- Michael Dorn (Worf) appeared in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country as Klingon Colonel Worf.
- Aron Eisenberg (Nog) appeared in Voyager episode "Initiations" as Kazon adolescent Kar.
- Max Grodénchik (Rom) appeared in Next Generation episodes "Captain's Holiday" as Ferengi Sovak, and "The Perfect Mate" as Ferengi Par Lenor.
- Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun & Brunt) appeared in Voyager episode "Tsunkatse" as Norcadian Penk, in Enterprise as recurring character Andorian Commander Shran, and Enterprise episode "Acquisition" as Ferengi pirate Krem.
- Marc Alaimo (Dukat) appeared in Next Generation episodes "Lonely Among Us" and Antican Badar N'D'D, "The Neutral Zone" as Romulan Commander Tebok, "The Wounded" as Cardassian Gul Macet, and "Time's Arrow" as poker player Frederick La Rouque.
- Casey Biggs (Damar) appeared in Enterprise episode "Damage" as an Illyrian captain.
- Salome Jens (Female Shapeshifter) appeared in Next Generation episode "The Chase" as the ancient humanoid.
Reception
Praise
DS9 was well received by critics, with TV Guide describing it as "the best acted, written, produced, and altogether finest" Star Trek series.[8] Despite debuting in the shadow of The Next Generation, DS9 achieved a considerable level of success in its own right. According to a press release through Newswire on April 7 1999, it was the #1 syndicated show in the United States for adults 18-49 and 25-54 throughout its run in the National Television Index. The characters of DS9 were featured on the cover of TV Guide ten times during its run, including several "special issue" editions in which a set of four different-covered versions were printed.
Additionally, the series won a number of awards.[9] It was nominated for Emmy Awards every year of its run, including makeup, cinematography, art direction, special effects, hairstyling, music (direction and composition), and costumes. Of these, it won two for Makeup (for "Captive Pursuit" and "Distant Voices") and one for the Main Title Theme Music (Dennis McCarthy). It was also nominated for two prestigious Hugo Awards for Best Dramatic Presentation, for "The Visitor" and "Trials and Tribble-ations", although competitor Babylon 5 won.
Critique
Only recently did supporters of DS9 say that the show was allegedly conceived while Gene Roddenberry was still alive but not put into production until after his death. This has led to debate over whether he would have approved of the show, and a contingent of Star Trek fandom felt it took its darker themes too far. In particular, many were annoyed that DS9 somehow hinted that the utopian aspects of Federation society were actually just a show of sorts, a hypocritical disguise hiding the Federation's communist and totalitarian plans for the galaxy. Although writer/producer Ira Steven Behr has acknowledged that some fans feel the show has "gone away from the image of the future as a paradise", he defends the show as moving forward and believes Roddenberry would have understood their motivations and, as a "forward thinker", been pleased with the results.[citation needed]
Additionally, Michael Piller, who spoke very highly of Behr's contributions, believed one of the series' most redeeming qualities was that the repercussions of past episodes remained with the show and characters were forced to "learn that actions have consequences".[1]
The show first aired just weeks before the debut of Babylon 5. Controversy surrounding similarities between the two shows was common at the time, and Babylon 5 creator, J. Michael Straczynski has indicated that Paramount was aware of his concept as early as 1989.[10]
Taboos
DS9 is also notable for breaking several cultural taboos during its run. Most prominent among these is the issue of homosexuality. Gay and gay-friendly fans of the franchise had been waiting for a Star Trek television spin-off to address how the utopian society dealt with the issue of sexual orientation, since Gene Roddenberry had promised to tackle the issue in 1987.[11] While Star Trek: The Next Generation would occasionally gingerly address the issue through gender identity, DS9 had two episodes with lesbian kisses.
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Jadzia Dax and Lenara Kahn
The first same-sex kiss on a Star Trek television series was shown in the episode "Rejoined". In that episode, Jadzia Dax and another Trill named Lenara Kahn at one point embrace in a passionate kiss. While it was only technically a lesbian kiss – as the two had been married in earlier lives when the Dax symbiont was in a male host and in love with the female host of the Kahn symbiont – none of the other characters expressed any shock at temporary homosexuality. Writer Rene Echevarria made a conscious effort not to glamourize the kiss and make it a ratings booster, wanting it to be romantic rather than sensational.[3] This aired a year and a half before the controversial "out of the closet" shift in the sitcom Ellen, and proved troublesome for some local affiliates.[11] It would be followed up by the seventh-season episode, "The Emperor’s New Cloak", which features the Mirror Universe versions of Kira Nerys and Ezri Dax kissing in a clearly lesbian or bisexual context and the Mirror Universe Leeta exhibiting an unmistakable interest in the Mirror Ezri (and vice versa). Although none of these instances dealt directly with a homosexual character per se, the pre-Ellen same-sex kisses were often compared to the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Plato’s Stepchildren", which featured the first interracial kiss to air on United States network television.[12][13] (see also LGBT characters in the Star Trek universe).
The season six episode "Profit and Lace" attempted to use transvestism for humorous effect, similar to the film Tootsie. In the midst of a struggle for women's rights on Ferenginar, Quark's mother suffered a heart attack prior to a critical meeting with an influential businessman, whom she hoped to recruit to her cause. As no other Ferengi females were available, Quark underwent a temporary sex change, moonlighting as a female named Lumba. He attempted to impress the man, who flirted and even fell in love with "her", chasing Quark around a room. The episode was intended to be lighthearted—promotional spots depicted Quark's predicament as "a real drag"—but was poorly received by fans and has been heavily criticized.[citation needed]
In addition to sexuality, there were several instances of potentially offensive language during the series' run, unprecedented for the Star Trek franchise (although Star Trek: Enterprise went much further, even using the phrase "you son of a bitch" in its pilot). The episode "Far Beyond the Stars", much of which takes place in 1950s Earth, features a scene in which Cirroc Lofton, as an African-American man, claims that blacks will never get to space except to "shine the shoes" of whites, to whom his character feels blacks "would always be niggers." Although not the first time the word had been used on American television (it was commonly used in dramas in the 1970s as well as the groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family), by the late 1990s, the word had all but vanished in any context in mainstream media. Another occurrence likely went unnoticed among American audiences; in the episode "Time’s Orphan", Irish Chief O’Brien utters the British and Irish swear word "bollocks". In addition to these, the series spawned and used several racial epithets for alien races in the series, namely "spoonhead" and "Cardies" for Cardassians; however, given that the series revolved largely around the Cardassian's occupation of Bajor, this is more a matter of theme and scriptwriting than actual offensive terminology.[citation needed]
Multimedia
Music
On June 30, 1993, between seasons one and two, DS9 followed other Star Trek series in releasing the original score from its pilot episode on CD. The title theme was also made available as a CD single. Music from several other episodes is included on the The Best of Star Trek releases.
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James Darren’s album of songs performed on DS9
The character of Vic Fontaine (played by 60s heart throb James Darren), a self-aware holographic Las Vegas lounge lizard from the 1960s, was introduced in the sixth-season episode "His Way". Vic was popular with the station's crew and performed many period songs by, among others, Frank Sinatra and Nat "King" Cole. Darren's role allowed him to release This One's From the Heart on August 24, 1999, featuring songs that Vic sings in the show and other period pieces.
VHS and DVD releases
Episodes of DS9 were made available on VHS cassettes. The first release came on November 19, 1996 in the United States, but the line was discontinued once all of DS9 had been released on DVD. The series was released on VHS in the UK starting August 2, 1993. Each video box contained unique artwork and character/plot information.
Following the DVD release of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 2002, DS9 was released on DVD beginning in February 2003. DS9 was released in boxed sets of one season each and released approximately a month apart. Each season contains several "special features", including a a biographical look at a main character, information from make-up designer Michael Westmore on how various aliens were created, and interviews with cast members and crew members. The sets also include "Section 31" easter eggs that give a brief look at other aspects of the show. The Region 2 DVDs also come with bonus CD-ROM discs that allow users to build a "virtual" DS9 on their computer with each release. On October 26, 2004, a compilation of all seven season sets was also released.
Books
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The cover of Avatar, Part I
Pocket Books has published several dozen books based on DS9 since its premiere in 1993. Some of these were novelizations of memorable episodes, such as "Emissary", "The Search" and "What You Leave Behind", which were usually published a few days after the episode officially aired in the United States. Several novels were part of "crossover" series between the Star Trek franchises, while others were part of other franchises but dealt with events laid out in DS9. For example, The Battle of Betazed tells of how Deanna Troi attempted to resist the Dominion occupation of her world (Betazed had fallen to the Dominion in DS9 episode "In the Pale Moonlight"). Most focus on the station and its crew, with a notable exception being Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe’s Legends of the Ferengi.
Of particular importance among the books published after DS9 concluded, its run is Avatar, a two-part novel published on May 1, 2001, which continued DS9’s legacy by picking up where the series left off. It began season 8 of DS9, into which A Stitch in Time (a biographical look at the life of Elim Garak, written by Andrew Robinson) was incorporated retroactively. The events of "What You Leave Behind", DS9’s series finale, caused some radical changes to occur in season 8. As Benjamin Sisko had entered the Celestial Temple, Colonel Kira was given command of the station while a new Commander named Elias Vaughn took over her position, Garak became the leader of post-war Cardassia, Odo (now a part of the Great Link) helped the Changelings rebuild, and Rom presided over the Ferengi Alliance, among other things.
Outside its line of novels, DS9 has been the subject of several comic books and other publications. One comic is a spin-off, detailing Nog’s experiences at Starfleet Academy. Another DS9 comic series became an exceptional example of licensed Star Trek works influencing each other, a major character from WildStorm Comics’ N-Vector, Tiris Jast, appeared in the Avatar, Part I novel.
Other publications, such as the Deep Space Nine Technical Manual and Deep Space Nine Companion, are common to most of the Trek series. The DS9 Companion contains detailed episode guides and interviews with actors, writers, directors and other staff members.
DS9 series influences were included in role-playing game reference books from Last Unicorn Games and Decipher. Additionally, several novels have also been released in audio form, narrated by Rene Auberjonois (Odo) and Armin Shimerman (Quark) among others.
Games
Several video games focusing on DS9 have been released. The first was Crossroads of Time, a 1995 side-scrolling game released for the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. The game takes place around the time of the series premiere, borrowing some stories from early episodes such as "Past Prologue" and creating others. A number of problems reportedly impeded the game's development process,[14] and it met with mixed reactions.
Three DS9-themed games were released for the PC: Harbinger in 1996, The Fallen in 2000, and Dominion Wars in 2001. A board game was released as part of the now-defunct "component board game" series, which included an intercompatible board game for Star Trek: The Next Generation.[15] DS9's role-playing book was one of several that failed to be released into wide circulation when Decipher, then publisher of the Star Trek role-playing game, discontinued its line.[citation needed]
The series features prominently in the Star Trek Customizable Card Game, particularly its second edition. In the game's first edition, Deep Space Nine is the titular fifth set, followed by one entitled "The Dominion" and several other DS9-themed sets. In the second edition, there are two types of cards for the United Federation of Planets, which may be placed at Earth or Deep Space Nine. The Ferengi, Dominion, Cardassian, Bajoran, and Maquis affiliations are comprised primarily of DS9-derived material, while the Klingon affiliation also borrows strongly from it.[16]
Other merchandising
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Promotional photo for Quark’s
Along with the rest of the Star Trek franchise, DS9 has been the subject of much merchandizing. Action figures, keychains, models, and other items have been released. The station itself, which is highly recognizable and iconic of the series, is the subject of many of these items. Paramount also sells Starfleet uniforms; among the styles is the so-called "DS9-style" uniform, which is primarily black with a division colour (red for command, yellow for engineering or security, blue for medical and the sciences) on the shoulders.
DS9 is also well represented at Star Trek: The Experience, an attraction at the Las Vegas Hilton which faithfully recreates both Quark’s Bar & Restaurant and the Promenade. The former serves Star Trek-style food and drinks, and hosts gatherings such as conventions. The latter (called the Shopping Promenade) sells various souvenirs and rarities; among the items for sale are "official" Starfleet uniforms and action figures.
References
- ^ a b c d e f The featurette "A Bold New Beginning" can be found on the DVD set, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete First Season. In it, Rick Berman and others detail the early design phases of the series and what their goals were in creating it.
- ^ a b Source: "New Frontiers". DVD extra included with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Second Season. (In an interview conducted on October 17, 2002, Piller stated of the second season, "I would put that on a par with any season in the history of Star Trek.")
- ^ a b Source: "Charting New Territory". DVD extra included with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Fourth Season. Of Worf, writer/producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe said in an interview conducted on October 20, 2002 that the studio felt DS9's ratings were sagging at the end of the third season, and he and the other writers were asked to give viewers a new reason to watch. Their answer was to make Worf a part of the cast.
- ^ Source: "Crew Dossier - Jadzia Dax". Included with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Second Season.
- ^ Source: http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/features/specials/article/1617.html
- ^ Combs, Jeffrey. Interview conducted January 30, 2003. Included as a "Hidden File" with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Third Season.
- ^ The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette used this phrase in a November 30, 1999 editorial (which can be found archived on Brannon Braga’s official website), as did Exclaim! magazine in a March 31, 2003 review. (Despite the connotations associated with the phrase "black sheep", however, the writers of both articles spoke highly of the series.)
- ^ Although it does not specify an issue or volume, the publisher’s description for the DS9 relaunch novel Unity uses this quote to tout the book.
- ^ "Awards for 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'". IMDb: Earth's Biggest Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106145/awards. Accessed 16 August 2006.
- ^ Sylvain, Nicholas, Judge (Retired) (2003-04-08). "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season One (review)". DVD Verdict Review.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b The fan site Gay League maintains a Gay Star Trek Timeline, which details the franchise's treatment of homosexuality. Of the first "lesbian kiss", it states, “Reaction to the episode was strong: some stations refused to air the episode, a Southern affiliate edited the kissing scene out. Mail and phone calls ran very negative, although some positive feedback emerged." (Spike TV, which holds the rerun rights to the series, currently shows all episodes unabridged except where time constraints are concerned.)
- ^ The groundbreaking nature of the kiss, which occurred between William Shatner (James T. Kirk) and Nichelle Nichols (Nyota Uhura), is described in the product description for the VHS release, Star Trek- The Original Series, Vol. 34, which contains "Plato’s Stepchildren" and "Wink of an Eye". It is worth noting that the act was technically forced by alien beings.
- ^ Kay, Jonathan (June 30, 2001). ""Gay 'Trek'"". Salon.com.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ On his personal website, lead designer Maurice Molyneaux provides behind-the-scenes information and personal reflections about the development of Crossroads of Time.
- ^ "Star Trek Deep Space Nine - Component Game System". Board Game Geek. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/12937. Accessed 16 August 2006.
- ^ A comprehensive history of the first edition is at http://www.jklm.net/atn/pdp.html. Of note, particularly in the second edition, are the Bajoran and Dominion affiliations and the "Deep Space Nine"-oriented United Federation of Planets option; the material for all three comes almost exclusively from DS9. The Cardassian, Ferengi and Maquis affiliations also draw the majority of their source material from the series.
See also
- List of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine DVDs
- Deep Space Nine relaunch
External links
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at StarTrek.com
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine on Spike TV
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at Memory Alpha
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at TrekCore.com - Includes archive of over 60,000 DVD Screencaps from the show
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine DVDs at DVD Journal
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Scripts
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