Deep Space Nine

[meddow]

I mentioned a while back that I'd decide to watch Star Trek Deep Space Nine, and its fantastic! I watched a few episodes last year, when I was doing my big post-XI watching thing, and caught quite a few episodes (notably Far Beyond The Stars, In the Pale Moonlight and the series finale), and they were all brilliant episodes, but I hadn't fallen for the characters yet. Now I have, I love it to bits.

Yes, it is the dark, mature Trek, and no, they don't travel the stars, they're in one spot and the problem of the week comes to them, but both those things are fantastic, because the situation the Federation's in – assisting Bajor which has just regained its independence after 50 years of brutal Cardassian occupation – is the kind of thing that deserves careful attention. Being that they're also right next to a strategically important wormhole which means plenty problems come to them. And I really enjoy the greater focus on the characters.

A OMG the characters. I adore them. Bashir, O'Brien, Quark, Odo and especially Kira. How could I have gotten through so much of my life having not discovered the awesomeness of Major Kira Nerys? The first officer of Deep Space Nine is a former resistance fighter (from the age of thirteen), an unabashed Bajorian nationalist, deeply religious, quick to kick ass (particularly Cardassian ass, she hates them), slow to warm to the Federation and one of the most wonderfully fleshed out characters in Star Trek.

I spent most of the first season trying to pick who Kira reminded me of, and eventually I figured it out, she's a non-villainous Admiral Helena Cain (from BSG). It all there, the childhood marked by war, trauma and loss and the deep hatred of the enemy and both of them ending up as a very successful military officers. But whereas Cain snapped and she became all about seeking vengeance, Kira's arc is the opposite, she's taking inching steps towards overcoming her hatred and trying not to let the violence of her past take over her future.

Odo's also wonderful. He's the most alien of all the regular characters on Star Trek, what with being a shapeshifter whose natural form is a gelatinous mass. Plus he's grumpy and gets the best rants.

Sisko meanwhile makes for an interesting lead character. I'm third of the way into the second season, and he's yet to have a big hero moment (well, there was that time he punched Q). If there's something to be explored, Dax has it covered. If some ass to be kicked, that's Kira. If there's a mystery to be solved, that would be Odo. If there's so big moral dilemma, well, that's Kira again. Since I don't find Sisko all that interesting, that's okay with me, but it's not what I'm used to from the lead character of a Trek series.

To recommend it, here's a link to my favourite scene from the show and possibly the whole of Trek from episode 2x02 The Circle, which is both hilarious with Sorkin-esq rapid dialogue, and heart-warming and also serves as a pretty good intro for the regular characters (bar Sisko and Jake) as well. (In order of appearance: Kira, Odo, Dax, Bashir, O'Brien, Quark and Creepy-Dull-Reoccurring-Monk-Dude-Who-Wants-In-Kira's-Pants).

I'm back off to watch more. There's so much I know comes up that I can't wait to get to: the mirror universe, Worf, the Defiant, the Dominion War, Trials and Tribble-ations, Take Me Out To The Hollosuite.

Comments

[eeriewhisper.livejournal.com]

I never *really* warmed up to any of the other Star Trek franchises, but I love THIS SHOW so much. Probably because of the BSG resemblence :D

Odo and Kira are definitely my favorites.

In the beginning I didn't really care for Sisko (and the actor), but later he grew on me. (Oh, god the last moments of "In the Pale Moonlight" still gives me shivers.)

Always intented to rewatch it again, but sigh...7 season!

One of my favorite scenes:

[meddow.livejournal.com]

Is that the 1950s? Are Quark, Nog, Rom and Odo the Roswell aliens? Lol!

I've been told Sisko gets better once he loses the hair and grows the beard. In the mean time, at least I don't not like him, I just find him dull.

I adore TNG and Voyager. I've never been able to get into the Original Series though. But it was the BSG similarities and links and not the Star Trek factor that motivated me to watch DS9. And after a season and a half, DS9 has become my favourite of the Treks.

[laverinth.livejournal.com]

Oh man. DS9 was my favorite Trek series, bar none. I never got into the others as much as I did this one. Even though it took place in one general area, I felt like we actually got to see more.

I'm rather fond of Garak, myself.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

Even though it took place in one general area, I felt like we actually got to see more.

Yes! I can't agree with that statement more. I love how the writers are actually exploring the rich fictional universe Star Trek operates in rather than just using it as a basis for planet-of-the-week story lines. And we get to see the bad stuff and that the Federation isn't all that great.

I like Garak as well. I haven't seen much of him yet though.

[laverinth.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was never interested in single episode romances and civilizations that we see for one or two episodes and then never again. DS9 focused on the characters and let you learn more about the areas around the base and the conflict involved. You could feel more for all sides.

[erinpuff]

YES YES YES I ADORE DS9

I never really watched it when it was actually on (I was a TNG girl), but last summer I marathoned it (after re-watching a lot of TOS and TNG after seeing the new movie) and fell completely in love.

The things you are looking forward to are AWESOME. "Trials and Tribble-ations" is pretty much my favorite thing in the universe. And I guarantee you "Far Beyond the Stars" will be even more awesome after really getting to know the characters (as will the finale, obvs.).

[eponymous-rose.livejournal.com]

DS9 hurrah! (I am so excited to see more people on my flist getting into this show recently - and everyone's a Kira fan, which is fantastic in my book.) My all-time favourite Trek show is still TNG, but DS9 is a very, very close second, and it's such a different sort of show that it's difficult to compare the two at all.

I'm just rewatching season two, actually, and there is definitely a lot of awesomeness contained in this one season - plus more Garak and Dukat, which is always a good thing. I also love the fact that the DS9 crew can't just shrug off the consequences of one episode and wander off to the next planet - I can imagine this was a tricky show to watch on TV, because especially later in the series, it becomes really serialized (there's an seven-parter through the end of season five and the start of season six), but that makes it fantastic to marathon.

Your to-look-forward-to list is awesome! Trials and Tribble-ations is truly epic, and oh man, Take me out to the Holosuite is definitely fun. I'd add a ton of episodes to that list, including the crack that is Our Man Bashir! And much as I adored the early episodes of the show (and Kira and Jadzia especially), season four is when I started getting really fannish about it. Lots of awesomeness to look forward to! ♥

[calapine.livejournal.com]

YOU HAVE ALL THE GOOD STUFF LEFT. Not that I don't actually quite love the first two seasons but sometimes people are judgey at them and think them dull and they are quite great but there is like REALLY COOL AND EXCITING STUFF AHEAD A LOT. It is lovely reading DS9 glee. PLEASE DO NOT STOP. Thankee.

[erinpuff]

OH YES, "OUR MAN BASHIR." I love that one!

[naushika.livejournal.com]

At some point in the series, Sisko becomes certifiably insane. And then he gets awesome. :D

Yaaay, DS9. I love this show.. but I love all the Treks, especially the crackier ones. (See: Voyager icon) DS9 is one of the crackiest. I love O'Brien and Bashir, and Odo, and Garak, and Quark is basically the most hilarious character in all of Star Trek. My favorite part of that clip you posted is when Quark comes in and is all "hey, it's a party!" Hee.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

I also never watched it when it was on, despite loving TNG. I guess though its a show you've got to discover as an adult to appreciate it. As a kid I wrote it off as "they don't go anywhere - boring," but I'm so glad I've decided to watch it now.

Already some of the stuff I remember from the final episodes has become a lot more poignant. I have a feeling I may get weepy when I watch it again.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I'm not the only one getting into it. DS9 needs a major revival so there can be lots more fic, vids and icons and all of the wonderful stuff that comes from having an active fandom.

I really like the serialised format, but it would be hard to watch of television. Thinking about it, most serialised shows I've gotten into (such as BSG and Rome) I've gotten into on DVD, which makes life so much easier.

I became fannish about it towards the very end of series one, so I can't wait until I get to the really good stuff.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

I love that it's going to get even better! Most TV shows seem to start off strong and then get worse, which is so depressing when you're discovering it some time after it's ended. But DS9 is not like that. Yay!

[meddow.livejournal.com]

Cool! I want to like him more (it helps so much when I like the main character) so I'm glad he gets better.

I love Voyager too. I often wish it was a better show, but I love it despite that.

I love Quark as well, a lot more than I ever expected too. Usually I don't like comic relief swindler characters, but Quarks just hilarious.

[settiai]

*hugs DS9 tightly*

Is it not an awesome show? I'm thrilled that so many people seem to be watching it for the first time recently. It deserves all the love it can get.

[adroidmortox247.livejournal.com]

I caught a few episodes of series seven and really liked them, so now I've got the series one boxed set and while it will take me time I plan on working my way through them all. I have also seen in the pale moonlight which again I adored.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Oh, DS9! I love it dearly and and have written the fanfic and meta to prove it. So glad you're discovering it!

[meddow.livejournal.com]

It really does deserve so much love. I hope that with so many people watching it, we get a bit more fic and the fandom becomes more active.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

Duet in the first series stands up to In the Pale Moonlight. It's really good just getting to know the characters and how their interactions and friendships began watching the first series after seeing later episodes.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

You are one of the many whose constant love for the show motivated me to watch it all the way through and I'm so happy its as good as everybody says it is.