History Series / StarTrekDeepSpaceNine

''Deep Space Nine'' is very frequently compared to ''Series/BabylonFive'', the ''[[DuelingWorks other]]'' 90's cult SpaceOpera show set on a space station incorporating matters of faith, interstellar war, and {{Deconstruct|ion}}ing the future. (Indeed, Creator/JMichaelStraczynski has implied that {{Creator/Paramount}} effectively stole a treatment he pitched to them and [[DolledUpInstallment stuck a "Star Trek" brand]] on it.) Both shows were ahead of their time: their strong focus on {{Character Arc}}s, GrayAndGreyMorality and {{Story Arc}}s feel much more normal to audiences that have since seen shows like ''Series/TheSopranos'' and ''Series/BreakingBad'' turn those tropes into the holy grails of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Television_(2000s%E2%80%93present) Peak TV]]. But when they aired, both shows struggled; Straczynski's show had to be {{Uncanceled}} at one point, and this one is the LoveItOrHateIt OddballInTheSeries of ''Star Trek'' as a whole.

Another part of the ''Star Trek'' formula left behind was the sense of actions without consequence. Part of that was due to former ''TNG'' writers (namely Ira Behr and Creator/RonaldDMoore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other; and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't simply [[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]] at the end of the episode and leave the Problem of the Week behind to sort itself out. Rather than simply being standard [[PlanetOfHats Planets of Hats,]] the Bajorans, Cardassians and even ''TNG's'' failed recurring villains the Ferengi were thoroughly developed, with their societies, politics and beliefs becoming crucial aspects of the narrative. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] overworked jarheads, living and interacting on a daily basis with people who at first regarded them with varying levels of suspicion, resentment and contempt, the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.

''[=DS9=]'' changed the franchise's approach to WorldBuilding; the fixed location allowed the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, fleshing in details and nuance. If you thought of the ''Enterprise''-D (and, later, ''[[Series/StarTrekVoyager Voyager]]'') as out there exploring the frontiers, drawing the outlines of the known galaxy, then ''this'' show was coloring in the drawing that had already been made.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] the Cardassian Empire through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet and its people battling the aftermath of several decades of exploitation and spiralling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid and help Bajor rebuild; they take up residence at formerly Cardassian space station ''Terok Nor'', [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the Alpha Quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. What's more, the appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]", adding further complications to his duty of mediating relations between Bajor and the Federation. The appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets, and the tensions between the two governments shape much of the show.

''[=DS9=]'' changed the franchise's approach to WorldBuilding. If you thought of the ''Enterprise''-D (and, later, ''[[Series/StarTrekVoyager Voyager]]'') as out there exploring the frontiers, drawing the outlines of the known galaxy, then ''this'' show was coloring in the drawing that had already been made. The fixed location allows the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, fleshing in details and nuance.

The show originally aired in {{syndication}} but has gone on to be shown in reruns and on numerous streaming services.

As of October 2011 the complete series is available on {{Creator/Netflix}} streaming in the United States (where, by many reports, it has been far more popular than it was in rerun broadcast and is a staple of the service). For that matter, it is also on Amazon Instant Video, Hulu and Paramount+ as well, so basically you're covered if you're signed up on any of these. Alongside all the other ''Trek'' shows and films, ''[=DS9=]'' was made available in its entirety in Netflix Europe in 2016.

Another part of the ''Star Trek'' formula left behind was the sense of actions without consequence. Part of that was due to former ''TNG'' writers (namely Ira Behr and Creator/RonaldDMoore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other; and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't just [[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]] and leave the Problem of the Week behind to sort itself out. Rather than simply being standard [[PlanetOfHats Planets of Hats,]] the Bajorans, Cardassians and even ''TNG's'' failed recurring villains the Ferengi were thoroughly developed, with their societies, politics and beliefs becoming crucial aspects of the narrative. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] overworked jarheads, living and interacting on a daily basis with people who at first regarded them with varying levels of suspicion, resentment and contempt, the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.

At the time, ''Star Trek'' tended towards a TheMainCharactersDoEverything and MonsterOfTheWeek approach, with the result that the number of characters who managed to appear in every season of a show, despite not being in the main cast ''of'' that show, was very short: four in the three seasons of ''The Original Series'' (at least one of whom never had a line), and then a nameless ''[=TNG=]'' speaking part who went on to operate the transporters. ''[=DS9=]'' added the next ''seven'' such {{Fake Guest Star}}s: Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), Max Grodenchik (Rom) and Creator/AndrewRobinson (Garak) had their characters introduced within the first two episodes and held prominent roles all the way up to the {{series finale}}. Relatedly, this is also where that nameless speaking part -- Miles O'Brien, played by Creator/ColmMeaney -- became an AscendedExtra, joining the opening credits of this show and managing to get his wife Keiko (Creator/RosalindChao) and daughter Molly (Hana Hatae) into all seven seasons. (O'Brien appeared in two episodes of ''[=TNG=]'' Season 6 prior to transferring to Sisko's command, and returned for the Season 7 SeriesFinale, making him one of the only characters in the history of television to appear in every season of ''two'' shows.) The last major recurring character was Morn, the [[TheVoiceless never-heard-but-always-talking]] extra who hung around the bar; he appeared in more episodes than ''actual'' opening-credits star Cirroc Lofton, and even had an episode revolve around him... despite the fact that he never once had a line.

At the time, ''Star Trek'' tended towards a TheMainCharactersDoEverything and MonsterOfTheWeek approach, with the result that the number of characters who managed to appear in every season of a show, despite not being in the main cast ''of'' that show, was very short: four in the three seasons of ''The Original Series'' (at least one of whom never had a line), and then a nameless ''[=TNG=]'' speaking part who went on to operate the transporters. ''[=DS9=]'' added the next ''seven'' such {{Fake Guest Star}}s: Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), Max Grodenchik (Rom) and Creator/AndrewRobinson (Garak) had their characters introduced within the first two episodes and held prominent roles all the way up to the {{series finale}}. Relatedly, this is also where that namesless speaking part -- Miles O'Brien, played by Creator/ColmMeaney -- became an AscendedExtra, joining the opening credits of this show and managing to get his wife Keiko (Creator/RosalindChao) and daughter Molly (Hana Hatae) into all seven seasons. (O'Brien appeared in two episodes of ''[=TNG=]'' Season 6 prior to transferring to Sisko's command, and returned for the Season 7 SeriesFinale, making him one of the only characters in the history of television to appear in every season of ''two'' shows.) The last major recurring character was Morn, the [[TheVoiceless never-heard-but-always-talking]] extra who hung around the bar; he appeared in more episodes than ''actual'' opening-credits star Cirroc Lofton, and even had an episode revolve around him... despite the fact that he never once had a line.

Another part of the ''Star Trek'' formula left behind was the sense of consequence-less actions. Part of that was due to former TNG writers (namely Ira Behr and Creator/RonaldDMoore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other; and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't just [[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]] and leave the Problem of the Week. Rather than simply being standard [[PlanetOfHats Planets of Hats,]] the Bajorans, Cardassians and even ''TNG's'' failed recurring villains the Ferengi were thoroughly developed, with their politics and societies becoming crucial aspects of the story. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] overworked jarheads, living and interacting on a daily basis with people who at first regarded them with varying levels of suspicion, resentment and contempt, the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.

At the time, ''Star Trek'' tended towards a TheMainCharactersDoEverything and MonsterOfTheWeek approach, with the result that characters didn't get much development and the number of characters who managed to appear in every season of a show, despite not being in the opening cast, was very short: four in the three seasons of ''The Original Series'' (at least one of whom never had a line), and then a nameless ''[=TNG=]'' speaking part who went on to operate the transporters. ''[=DS9=]'' added the next ''six'' such {{Fake Guest Star}}s: Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), Max Grodenchik (Rom) and Creator/AndrewRobinson (Garak) had their characters introduced within the first two episodes and held prominent roles all the way up to the {{series finale}}. Relatedly, this is also where that namesless speaking part -- Miles O'Brien, played by Creator/ColmMeaney -- became an AscendedExtra, joining the opening credits of this show and managing to get his wife Keiko (Creator/RosalindChao) and daughter Molly (Hana Hatae) into all seven seasons. (Meanwhile, O'Brien appeared in two episodes of ''[=TNG=]'' Season 6 prior to transferring to Sisko's command, and returned for the Season 7 SeriesFinale.) The "Fake Guest Star" trope has become rather more prominent in ''Star Trek'' since.[[note]]Others include ''[[Series/StarTrekEnterprise Enterprise]]''[='s=] Ambassador Soval; a CastHerd of six, mostly BridgeBunnies, from ''[[Series/StarTrekDiscovery Discovery]]''; and Billups, Migleemo, Barnes and Stevens from the ongoing ''[[WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks Lower Decks]]''.[[/note]]

''Star Trek'' tends to be saddled with a TheMainCharactersDoEverything problem and a MonsterOfTheWeek approach: there aren't many recurring characters and those characters don't get a huge amount of development. Prior to ''[=DS9=]'', the closest thing the franchise had to a FakeGuestStar was a nameless ''[=TNG=]'' speaking part who went on to operate the transporters and is the first character to ever appear in every season ''of'' a ''Star Trek'' show without being in the opening credits. ''[=DS9=]'' added the next ''six'' such characters: Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), Max Grodenchik (Rom) and Creator/AndrewRobinson (Garak) had their characters introduced within the first two episodes and held prominent roles all the way up to the {{series finale}}. Relatedly, this is also the show where that namesless speaking part -- Miles O'Brien, played by Creator/ColmMeaney -- became a starring character, with his wife Keiko (Creator/RosalindChao) and daughter Molly (Hana Hatae) also managing to appear in all seven seasons. (Meanwhile, O'Brioen appeared in two episodes of ''[=TNG=]'' Season 6 prior to transferring to Sisko's command, as well as the show-ending Season 7 SeriesFinale.)[[note]]For those curious, the only others who share this distinction are ''[[Series/StarTrekEnterprise ENT]]''[='s=] Ambassador Soval; a CastHerd of six, mostly BridgeBunnies, from ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery]]''; and Billups, Migleemo, Barnes and Stevens from the ongoing ''Series/StarTrekLowerDecks''.[[/note]]

What made ''[=DS9=]'' unusual in Trekdom is that every action has consequences. Part of that was due to former TNG writers (namely Ira Behr and Ron D. Moore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't just '[[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]]' and leave the Problem of the Week behind with no repercussions. Rather than simply being standard [[PlanetOfHats Planets of Hats,]] the Bajorans, Cardassians and even ''TNG's'' failed recurring villains the Ferengi were thoroughly developed, with their politics and belief systems becoming crucial aspects of the story. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] overworked jarheads, living and interacting on a daily basis with people who at first regarded them with varying levels of suspicion, resentment and contempt, the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.

While all ''Trek'' shows have large casts, [=DS9=]'s is especially large. Consequently, the show is overrun with {{Fake Guest Star}}s, Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), Max Grodenchik (Rom) and Andrew Robinson (Garak) standing out in particular; these characters debuted within the first two episodes and held prominent roles all the way up to the {{series finale}}. This is a show which could do a BottleEpisode starring people who aren't even in the opening credits: [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E10ItsOnlyAPaperMoon one]] focused on Nog's recovery from a war injury with the help of a second recurring guest, and [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E12WhoMournsForMorn another]] on the disappearance of an AscendedExtra who [[TheVoiceless never once had a line]].

''Deep Space Nine'' is very frequently compared to ''Series/BabylonFive'', the ''[[DuelingWorks other]]'' 90's cult SpaceOpera show set on a space station incorporating matters of faith, interstellar war, and {{Deconstruct|ion}}ing the future. (Indeed, Creator/JMichaelStraczynski has implied that {{Creator/Paramount}} effectively stole a treatment he pitched to them and [[DolledUpInstallment stuck a "Star Trek" brand]] on it.) Both shows were ahead of their time: their strong focus on {{Character Arc}}s, GrayAndGreyMorality and {{Story Arc}}s feel much more normal to audiences that have since seen shows like ''Series/TheSopranos'' and ''Series/BreakingBad'' turn those tropes into the holy grails of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Television_(2000s%E2%80%93present) Peak TV]]. Meanwhile, both ''[=B5=]'' and ''[=DS9=]'' struggled; the former had to be {{Uncanceled}} at one point, and the latter is considered the LoveItOrHateIt black sheep of the ''Star Trek'' franchise.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] the Cardassian Empire through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet and its people battling the aftermath of several decades of exploitation and spiralling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid and help Bajor rebuild; they take up residence at formerly Cardassian space station ''Terok Nor'', [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the Alpha Quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. What's more, the appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]", adding further complications to his duty of mediating relations between Bajor and the Federation. The appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets, and the brewing tensions between the two governments shape much of the show.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] the Cardassian Empire through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet and its people battling the aftermath of several decades of exploitation and spiralling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid and help Bajor rebuild; they take up residence at formerly Cardassian space station ''Terok Nor'', [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the Alpha Quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. What's more, the appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]", adding further complications to his duty of mediating relations between Bajor and the Federation. The appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets, and tensions between them shape much of the show.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] the Cardassian Empire through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet and its people battling the aftermath of several decades of exploitation and spiralling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid and help Bajor rebuild; they take up residence at formerly Cardassian space station ''Terok Nor'', [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the Alpha Quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. What's more, the appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]", adding further complications to his duty of mediating relations between Bajor and the Federation. The fixed location allows the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, but the appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets.

While all ''Trek'' shows have large casts, [=DS9=]'s is especially large. Consequently, the show is overrun with {{Fake Guest Star}}s, Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), Max Grodenchik (Rom) and Andrew Robinson (Garak) standing out in particular; these characters debuted within the first two episodes and held prominent roles all the way up to the {{series finale}}. This is a show which could do a BottleEpisode starring people who aren't even in the opening credits: [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E10ItsOnlyAPaperMoon one]] focused on Nog's recovery from a war injury with the help of a second recurring guest, and [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E12WhoMournsForMorn another]] on the disappearance of an AscendedExtra who [[TheVoiceless never once had a line]].

''Deep Space Nine'' is very frequently compared to ''Series/BabylonFive'', the ''[[DuelingWorks other]]'' 90's cult SpaceOpera show set on a space station incorporating matters of faith, interstellar war, and {{Deconstruct|ion}}ing the future. Indeed, there are frequent accusations that the two shows ripped each other off. Creator/JMichaelStraczynski has implied that {{Creator/Paramount}} effectively stole a treatment he pitched to them and [[DolledUpInstallment stuck a "Star Trek" brand]] on it.

What made ''[=DS9=]'' unusual in Trekdom is that every action has consequences. Part of that was due to former TNG writers (namely Ira Behr and Ron D. Moore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't just '[[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]]' and leave the Problem of the Week behind with no repercussions. Rather than simply being standard [[PlanetOfHats Planets of Hats,]] the Bajorans, Cardassians and even ''TNG's'' failed recurring villains the Ferengi were thoroughly developed, with their politics and belief systems becoming crucial aspects of the story. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] overworked jarheads, living and interacting with people who at first regarded them with varying levels of suspicion, resentment and contempt, the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.