History Series / SeaQuestDSV

* MilitaryScienceFiction: Season 3 ditches was retooled into this, ditching any pretence of being anything else than a regular military series that involves a lot of futuristic HotSubOnSubAction. Notably, all civilians so far on board of [=seaQuest=] have to either enlist or leave the ship.

''[=SeaQuest=]'' was essentially a wet SpaceOpera, and its stories and characters would be equally at home on the ''[[Franchise/StarTrek Enterprise]]'' or ''[[Series/{{Firefly}} Serenity]]'' as under the ocean, save for Darwin, the boat’s dolphin crew mate, of course. As the flagship of the UEO (like the UN, but wet), [=SeaQuest =] and her crew had dual roles as a military powerhouse and research/exploration vessel. She could dive deeper, move faster, and hit harder than anything else on or under the sea. The design of the boat was revolutionary, not only as a fictional vessel, but as a set and special effect. The interior sets struck a balance between cold functionality and whimsy, the latter provided by the transparent ''swim tubes'' (or hydropressure system, to series scholars). These allowed Darwin to enter any part of the boat, from the bridge to the launch bays and back. Darwin was provided with speech by an advanced computer system developed by the boat's TeenGenius.

''[=SeaQuest=]'' was essentially a wet SpaceOpera, and its stories and characters would be equally at home on the ''[[Franchise/StarTrek Enterprise]]'' or ''[[Series/{{Firefly}} Serenity]]'' as under the ocean, save for Darwin (the cybernetic dolphin) of course. As the flagship of the UEO (like the UN, but wet), [=SeaQuest =] and her crew had dual roles as a military powerhouse and research/exploration vessel. She could dive deeper, move faster, and hit harder than anything else on or under the sea. The design of the boat was revolutionary, not only as a fictional vessel, but as a set and special effect. The interior sets struck a balance between cold functionality and whimsy, the latter provided by the transparent ''swim tubes'' (or hydropressure system, to series scholars). These allowed the boats's dolphin crew mate, Darwin, to enter any part of the boat, from the bridge to the launch bays and back. Darwin was provided with speech by an advanced computer system developed by the boat's TeenGenius.

''[=SeaQuest=]'' was essentially a wet SpaceOpera, and its stories and characters would be equally at home on the ''[[Franchise/StarTrek Enterprise]]'' or ''[[Series/{{Firefly}} Serenity]]'' as under the ocean, save for Darwin of course. As the flagship of the UEO (like the UN, but wet), [=SeaQuest =] and her crew had dual roles as a military powerhouse and research/exploration vessel. She could dive deeper, move faster, and hit harder than anything else on or under the sea. The design of the boat was revolutionary, not only as a fictional vessel, but as a set and special effect. The interior sets struck a balance between cold functionality and whimsy, the latter provided by the transparent ''swim tubes'' (or hydropressure system, to series scholars). These allowed the boats's dolphin crew mate, Darwin, to enter any part of the boat, from the bridge to the launch bays and back. Darwin was provided with speech by an advanced computer system developed by the boat's TeenGenius.

''[=SeaQuest=]'' was essentially a wet SpaceOpera, and its stories and characters would be equally at home on the ''[[Franchise/StarTrek Enterprise]]'' or ''[[Series/{{Firefly}} Serenity]]'' as under the ocean, save for Darwin of course. As the flagship of the UEO (like the UN, but wet), [=seaQuest=] and her crew had dual roles as a military powerhouse and research/exploration vessel. She could dive deeper, move faster, and hit harder than anything else on or under the sea. The design of the boat was revolutionary, not only as a fictional vessel, but as a set and special effect. The interior sets struck a balance between cold functionality and whimsy, the latter provided by the transparent ''swim tubes'' (or hydropressure system, to series scholars). These allowed the boats's dolphin crew mate, Darwin, to enter any part of the boat, from the bridge to the launch bays and back. Darwin was provided with speech by an advanced computer system developed by the boat's TeenGenius.

* DumbMuscle: Dagwood, the ship's janitor from season 2 on, is a prototype genetically modified super soldier... with the mental capacity of a nine-year-old.

* CommunicationsOfficer: Lieutenant JG Tim O'Neill

** On both sides: "It's not a Stinger, it's a Gazelle" + "It's not a Gazelle, it's a Stinger"

* ManEatingPlant: They were genetically engineered under special lighting, able to uproot themselves and turned people to dust by drawing them into the center of 3 branches atop them. [[DidntThinkThisThrough Problem was, their weakness was regular sunlight.

%% * HeroicDolphin: Darwin the dolphin.

%% * HumanSubspecies: The Daggers.

%% * TheKirk: Captain Bridger.
%% * LIsForDyslexia: Piccolo.

%% * HeroesWantRedheads: Bridger and Dr. Smith, for a brief moment.

* FunWithAcronyms: The titular [=seaQuest=] is designated a '''D'''eep '''S'''ubmergence '''V'''ehicle.

->''"The twenty-first century -- mankind has colonized the last unexplored region on earth, the ocean. As captain of the [=SeaQuest=] and its crew, we are its guardians, for beneath the surface lies the future."''

''[=SeaQuest=]'' was essentially a wet SpaceOpera, and its stories and characters would be equally at home on the ''[[Franchise/StarTrek Enterprise]]'' or ''[[Series/{{Firefly}} Serenity]]'' as under the ocean, save for Darwin of course. As the flagship of the UEO (like the UN, but wet), [=SeaQuest=] and her crew had dual roles as a military powerhouse and research/exploration vessel. She could dive deeper, move faster, and hit harder than anything else on or under the sea. The design of the boat was revolutionary, not only as a fictional vessel, but as a set and special effect. The interior sets struck a balance between cold functionality and whimsy, the latter provided by the transparent ''swim tubes'' (or hydropressure system, to series scholars). These allowed the boats's dolphin crew mate, Darwin, to enter any part of the boat, from the bridge to the launch bays and back. Darwin was provided with speech by an advanced computer system developed by the boat's TeenGenius.

* AxeCrazy, BloodKnight: Marilyn Stark, in spades. Was willing to start a nuclear war at Livingston Trench, completely in defiance of orders, because she was sick and tired of having the biggest boat in the water and not being able to kick ass with it. Later blew up several farming and mining communities for the sole reason of pissing off the ''[=seaQuest=]'' crew enough to chase her. Deleted scenes have her [[KickTheDog fatally shooting a crewman]] who tries to tell her that this may be a bad idea.

* CoolShip: So cool, in fact, that the UEO doesn't build another one until absolutely necessary. When the crew makes it back to Earth after being missing with [=SeaQuest=] for ten years, Bridger actually [[LampshadeHanging asks Hudson why they didn't build a replacement again]]; during their absence, the world has politically fractured to the point that only the antagonistic powers like Bourne's "Macronesian Alliance" or mega-corporations like Larry Deon's still have the technology to build another one, and even they can't actually ''afford'' to do it.

* CrapsackFuture: At the beginning of the third season, ''Seaquest'' has been missing for ten years. In its absence, a dictator has taken control of most of the colonies in the Pacific Ocean and is poised to take over the entire Pacific Rim before Lucas' next birthday.

* FakingEngineTrouble: One episode of ''2032'' had ''[=seaQuest=]'' getting caught in Macronesian waters, and Captain Hudson giving the excuse they were having engine trouble, and the Macs offer to "escort" them to port. Hudson accepts and orders his helmsman to take an erratic course with variations in speed until he can find a way to make a break.

* ForgottenPhlebotinum: An especially egregious example about the ''second'' version of the seaQuest. Among its many weapons are 'intercepts'- weapons that can destroy incoming torpedoes. In the second season opener, the crew used them to defend against an attacking sub - yet in that season's finale, they seemed to forget they had those weapons and let the ship get sunk by an alien super-weapon fired at them.
* FriendlyPlayfulDolphin: Darwin the dolphin.

** Also, the episode introducing Wendy Smith has her consistently call the ''[=seaQuest=]'' a ship, while Bridge insists that it's a boat. In this case it's TruthInTelevision, as Bridger is in line with modern American naval parlance regarding submarines.

* JokeAndReceive: In "Daggers", O'Neill has trouble getting the new ''Seaquest'''s video communications to work properly, instead accidentally picking up random classic TV broadcasts. Ortiz jokingly asks if he can get ''Film/AbbottAndCostelloMeetFrankenstein''... which just happens to be on the next channel they pick up.

** By Stark in the pilot, who insists on loading every torpedo tube the Delta-IV has to finish Seaquest off in one glorious barrage. Subverted; it takes so long that Seaquest's juryrigged plan to get around her sabotage has more than enough time to work and sink her.

* OceanPunk: The oceans are the new frontier and underwater colonies are besieged by pirates, EcoTerrorist groups, ''regular'' terrorists, nations at war, oceanic examples of the NegativeSpaceWedgie, sea monsters, science run amok, and plain screw-ups that happen when you are a thousand feet under the sea and probably are too eager to pull something nobody has ever done before to keep track of things. The United Earth Oceans (UEO) built the ''[=SeaQuest=]'' to play sheriff.
* OhCrap: In the pilot when Stark realizes that her insistence on MoreDakka has given Seaquest enough time to work around their sabotaged targeting systems.

* OrganicTechnology: The [=SeaQuest=] itself has an organic shell.
* TheOtherDarrin: in-universe. Nathan Bridger conceived, designed, and personally oversaw the construction of the first ''[=SeaQuest=]'', and was slated to be her Captain, until his son's death triggered his retirement. Marilyn Stark's [[BloodKnight ''aggressive'']] tendencies were probably exacerbated by the fact that she knew full well she was an example of this trope - if Robby Bridger had survived, she wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the ''[=SeaQuest=]'''s Captain's chair.
* ParentalAbandonment: Lucas' parents didn't have time enough to bother with him, hence they dumped him on Seaquest.

* ReplacementGoldfish: Lucas as a replacement for Captain Bridger's missing son. Lucas and Darwin are two of the few things that help convince Bridger to stay on the ''Seaquest'' after the pilot, and Dr. Westphalen occasionally {{lampshades}} their relationship.

* StockFootage: Usually what you would expect, especially in light of the expense of CGI effect in those days; for example, the shots of [=SeaQuest=] crash-diving to escape the Delta-IV in the pilot are often reused to show the boat simply diving. One episode, however, has old footage from ''Series/{{Airwolf}}'' to give the villain an attack helicopter that strafes Caicos Key. One of the first shots in the series (two military subs rising from below) is lifted from ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober''.

* TakeThat: In the 3rd season episode ''Equilibrium'', Nathan Bridger finds himself conflicting with the crew of the ''[=SeaQuest=]'' over how to respond to the disaster, leading to conflict with Lucas. Later in the episode, Lucas is giving a minor TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to Bridger about how Bridger wasn't willing to consider other options than his own, stating Bridger never conceded to anything. One of the reasons stated was "When you thought that ''[=SeaQuest=]'' stopped being what it should be, you left!" - In fact, Bridger's stated reasons for leaving were to track down his apparently non-deceased son, which his duties as ''[=SeaQuest=]'''s captain would conflict with. Roy Scheider (Bridger's actor) on the other hand, had complained loudly and publicly during the second season about the falling quality of the series and became so disgusted he left the show. In short, Lucas' speech is directed at Scheider, not Bridger.

* ThatWasTheLastEntry: In the Halloween episode ''Knight of Shadows'', the ''[=SeaQuest=]'' crew exploring the sunken liner ''George'' find the Captain's Log, with the final entry "I am going to the engine room now." They had earlier discovered the captain's mummified body in the engine room, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

* WhatNowEnding: Season 2 ends with an explosion on the ''[=SeaQuest=]'''s bridge, its hull ruptured, sinking on an alien world, while most of the command staff are trapped in a firefight on an alien spaceship and Bridger, giving Lucas a rushed FinalSpeech, hits the detonator to destroy said spaceship (which had brought ''[=SeaQuest=]'' to this world in the first place, leaving the question of how the ''[=SeaQuest=]'' could be returned to the earth). The episode ends with only Lucas, Dagwood, and Darwin alive for sure, the former two floating in a raft in an alien sea, miles from land. This whole mess is resolved by... a season premiere where ''Seaquest'' is found in a cornfield on Earth 10 years later, and the remaining crewmembers scattered in various locations that were linked to their "last happy memories". ''How'' they got back is explained; the aliens they were helping brought them back to Earth. ''Why'' it took ten years and why they were dumped off so randomly is not.
* TheWorfEffect: The Chaodai are able to nearly sink the ''[=SeaQuest=]'' with a mere three of their highly advanced sub-fighters, and in the process kill [[spoiler: Fredericks.]]

%% * HotterAndSexier:
%% ** Season 2
%% ** Literally and figuratively in season 3. Seems they left the air conditioner behind [[spoiler:in space]].
%% ** Literally in the first season episode 'The Regulator' when their thermal control chip was broken, too.
%% * HotSubOnSubAction: Of course.

* ForgotAboutHisPowers: An especially egregious example about the ''second'' version of the seaQuest. Among its many weapons are 'intercepts'- weapons that can destroy incoming torpedoes. In the second season opener, the crew used them to defend against an attacking sub - yet in that season's finale, they seemed to forget they had those weapons and let the ship get sunk by an alien super-weapon fired at them.

* AssPull: Scheider left the show because he hated the direction the show took in the second season, such as the arrival of aliens. Michael Ironside agreed to replace him as long as the show eliminated elements. The problem is, at the end of the second season, the ''SeaQuest'' crew and sub [[spoiler: were taken by aliens to another planet, where the sub was destroyed, and Lucas and others marooned. At the start of the third season, the sub and its crew is somehow returned to earth fully intact and the crew can't remember what happened.]]

* TheBusCameBack: In the third season, Ben Krieg returns for "In the Company of Ice and Profit", while Bridger leaves in "Brave New World" and returns in "Equilibrium" and "Good Soldiers".
* ChekhovsGunman: Shortly after his introduction in "Daggers", Piccolo reveals that he has bio-engineered gills, allowing him to breathe underwater. Brody later states that the sensors around the G.E.L.F. colony can detect anything as dense as scuba gear or a wetsuit, so Piccolo's the natural choice to swim in and disable the alarms.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: At the end of "Destination Terminal", Captain Hudson realizes that Ford and Henderson were on a date and orders them to finish up before returning to duty.

* TheDragon: In the third season, General Stassi to President Bourne, and Mason Freeman to Larry Deon.

* GlamorousWartimeSinger: Hitchcock poses as one to infiltrate a mining community held hostage in "[=seaWest.=]"

* HiddenDepths: Hudson never stops being as hardline as he starts off as, but he's perfectly willing to give Lucas a chance when Lucas is willing to join up to stay, and he comes to value Dagwood's presence. Hudson also does a lot for Piccolo, helping him overcome his dyslexia, which leads to Piccolo working to become an officer and sub-fighter pilot.

* ReducedToDust: The episode "By Any Other Name" has the crew arrive at an underwater research station where the crew has seemingly vanished, but they find strange piles of dust all over the place. Throughout, people keep disappearing, leaving more piles of dust. The culprit is eventually found to be some genetically engineered plant that suck the water out of people, leaving just dried piles of dust. [[TruthInTelevision This is a real process called]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiccation Desiccation]], but for anyone who didn't know beforehand watching, this episode wouldn't have made it seem believable.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Series/VoyageToTheBottomOfTheSea''.

* BigStormEpisode: Season One, Episode Nine: Bad Water.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: A good many of them.

* TheOtherDarrin: in-universe. Nathan Bridger conceived, designed, and personally oversaw the construction of the first ''[=SeaQuest=]'', and was slated to be her Captain, until his son's death triggered his retirement. Marilyn Stark's [[BloodKnight ''aggressive'']] tendencies were probably exacerbated by the fact that she knew full well she was an example of this trope - if Robby Bridger had survived, she wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the ''[=SeaQuest=]'''s Captain's chair.

* NoPronunciationGuide: Despite Lucas's surname (Wolenczak) being an exotic central-European combination of letters that a significant portion of westerners would stumble over on ''at least'' the first attempt, nobody in the series who learns his name by reading it (as opposed to being told what his name is) ever fails to pronounce it correctly on the very first try.
** Apart from a random desk clerk in the second season, anyway.

** CunningLinguist: Lt. Tim O'Neill. Also TheSmartGuy and rarely TheChick.

* TakeThat: In the 3rd season episode ''Equilibrium'', Nathan Bridger finds himself conflicting with the crew of the seaquest over how to respond to the disaster, leading to conflict with Lucas. Later in the episode, Lucas is giving a minor TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to Bridger about how Bridger wasn't willing to consider other options than his own, stating Bridger never conceded to anything. One of the reasons stated was "When you thought that seaQuest stopped being what it should be, you left!" - In fact, Bridger's stated reasons for leaving were to track down his apparently non-deceased son, which his duties as seaQuest's captain would conflict with. Roy Scheider (Bridger's actor) on the other hand, had complained loudly and publicly during the second season about the falling quality of the series and became so disgusted he left the show. In short, Lucas' speech is directed at Scheider, not Bridger.

* ThatWasTheLastEntry: In the Halloween episode ''Knight of Shadows'', the Seaquest crew exploring the sunken liner ''George'' find the Captain's Log, with the final entry "I am going to the engine room now." They had earlier discovered the captain's mummified body in the engine room, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

* TheOtherDarrin: in-universe. Nathan Bridger conceived, designed, and personally oversaw the construction of the first seaquest, and was slated to be her Captain, until his son's death triggered his retirement. Marilyn Stark's [[BloodKnight ''aggressive'']] tendencies were probably exacerbated by the fact that she knew full well she was an example of this trope - if Robby Bridger had survived, she wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the seaquest's Captain's chair.

* WhatNowEnding: Season 2 ends with an explosion on the Seaquest's bridge, its hull ruptured, sinking on an alien world, while most of the command staff are trapped in a firefight on an alien spaceship and Bridger, giving Lucas a rushed FinalSpeech, hits the detonator to destroy said spaceship (which had brought Seaquest to this world in the first place, leaving the question of how the Seaquest could be returned to the earth). The episode ends with only Lucas, Dagwood, and Darwin alive for sure, the former two floating in a raft in an alien sea, miles from land. This whole mess is resolved by... a season premiere where ''SeaQuest'' is found in a cornfield on Earth 10 years later, and the remaining crewmembers scattered in various locations that were linked to their "last happy memories". ''How'' they got back is explained; the aliens they were helping brought them back to Earth. ''Why'' it took ten years and why they were dumped off so randomly is not.
* TheWorfEffect: The Chaodai are able to nearly sink the ''SeaQuest'' with a mere three of their highly advanced sub-fighters, and in the process kill [[spoiler: Fredericks.]]

* OminousCrack: Happens to a gang of terrorists who attempt to hijack the [=seaQuest=] in "Nothing But the Truth". The terrorist ringleader asks LCDR Hitchcock, who up to that point has been under orders to cooperate with them, if the pressure at their current depth will crush their escape sub. She says it will. The terrorist, [[WrongGenreSaavy thinking this is the moment where he's supposed to trust her (something he outrighted pointed out she'd do eventually after only telling the truth)]], takes this as "the lie I was waiting for" and leaves anyway. Cue escape sub going Crunch.

* ReducedToDust: The episode "By Any Other Name" has the crew arrive at an underwater research station where the crew has seemingly vanished, but they find strange piles of dust all over the place. Throughout, people keep disappearing, leaving more piles of dust. The culprit is eventually found to be some genetically engineered plant that suck the water out of people, leaving just dried piles of dust. [[TruthInTelevision This is a real process called]][[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiccation Desiccation]], but for anyone who didn't know beforehand watching, this episode wouldn't have made it seem believable.

* ManEatingPlant: They were genetically engineered under special lighting, able to uproot themselves and turned people to dust by drawing them into the center of 3 branches atop them. Their 'roar' was pure {{Narm}} and their [[WeaksauceWeakness weakness]]? Regular Sunlight!

* OminousCrack: Happens to a gang of terrorists who attempt to hijack the [=seaQuest=] in "Nothing But the Truth". The terrorist ringleader asks LCDR Hitchcock, who up to that point has been under orders to cooperate with them, if the pressure at their current depth will crush their escape sub. She says it will. The terrorist [[TooDumbToLive says "That's the lie I was waiting for" and takes off anyway.]] Cue escape sub going Crunch.

* ReducedToDust: The episode "By Any Other Name" has the crew arrive at an underwater research station where the crew has seemingly vanished, but they find strange piles of dust all over the place. Throughout, people keep disappearing, leaving more piles of dust. The culprit is eventually found to be some genetically engineered plant that suck the water out of people, leaving just dried piles of dust. It's about as silly as it sounds.
** Actually, this is a case of TruthInTelevision that roared past ArtisticLicenseBiology and ran smack into a solid wall of {{Narm}}. The process is called [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiccation Desiccation]] - it's just that the episode really didn't try to make it even seem remotely realistic.

* FemmeFatale: Lucas is seduced (for a PG-rated version of 'seduced') by one of these in the episode [[spoiler: ''And everything nice'']]. She's an agent for a terrorist cell assigned to honey trap him into helping the group access UEO computers. Her undercover persona is specifically designed to appeal to Lucas and gain his sympathy, which lets him out of WhatAnIdiot territory - he also gets credit for seeing through her act pretty quickly.