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 is the first Star Trek series not created by Gene Roddenberry, but by Rick Berman and Michael Piller. It was also the only Trek series to run alongside other Trek series through its entire run; Star Trek: The Next Generation from 1993-1994, and Star Trek: Voyager from 1995-1999.
Deep Space Nine went where no Star Trek had gone before – it was the first series that was not based on a starship, but was instead based on a starbase, known as Deep Space 9. Indeed, when Brandon Tartikoff originally approached Rick Berman about the show, he specifically said he wanted it to have a new format; if The Next Generation was Wagon Train in space, Deep Space Nine was to be The Rifleman in space - a man and his son coming to a dilapidated town on the edge of a new frontier.
The show is known for its complex characters and storylines, engaging battle scenes and darker (less Utopian) atmosphere. Unlike its predecessors Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine tended to avoid an episodic format for most of its run and instead featured multiple-episode story arcs. It also tended to deal with subjects never before dealt with in any real depth by Star Trek; subjects such as racism, sexuality, war, politics, and, especially, religion.
Unlike other Trek series, DS9 also had a large cast of recurring characters. Such characters included Nog, Rom, Elim Garak, Dukat, Weyoun, the Female Changeling, Damar, Martok, Kasidy Yates, Leeta, Brunt, Ishka and Zek.
In addition to Miles O'Brien, Worf – a major character from TNG – played a large role in DS9. Several Next Generation characters had recurring roles on the show, such as Keiko O'Brien and Gowron. Several other TNG characters made appearances, such as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Thomas Riker, Q, Lwaxana Troi, Kurn, Lursa, B'Etor, Admiral Alynna Nechayev, Vash, and Toral. In addition, Julian Bashir and Quark also had one-time appearances on The Next Generation, in TNG's "Birthright, Part I" and "Bloodlines" respectively.
Characters from The Original Series were also re-introduced, including Kor, Kang, Koloth and Arne Darvin.
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 species of its own, most notably the Changelings, the Vorta and the Jem'Hadar, who collectively made up the Dominion.
Deep Space Nine also featured several 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.
The series 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".
In addition to the visits to the mirror universe, the DS9 writing staff wrote a number of episodes where the character of Miles O'Brien would be subject to particular trauma. This became an in-joke among the staff terms "O'Brien Must Suffer" and occurred about once per season. [1] (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
Due to the show's non-episodic nature, much of the series was easily lost on the casual viewer. Many also believe that the changing television landscape 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 had network support from UPN and a guaranteed time slot. DS9 was also the only series to run opposite another Trek show (first The Next Generation, then Voyager) for the entirety of its run (albeit briefly the first 12 episodes of the third season aired without another series on).
Additionally, certain markets, notably in the UK, would only play one Star Trek series, in its entirety, at a time. Thus, events alluded to in The Next Generation or Voyager that happened in Deep Space Nine took months to "synch up."
Despite these problems, Deep Space Nine remained a fan-favorite series throughout its seven-year run, with reviewers consistantly lauding the series for its bold shift in tone from The Next Generation. Most notable among such changes was the concept of inter-personal conflict -- something which Gene Roddenberry himself was said to have forbidden.
