If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done differently?

[Aquehonga]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

*No prophets nonsense. They're wormhole aliens. Sisko's the man to straighten out the Bajorans about their superstitious irrationalities & backwardsness.

*Wouldn't have bumb-rushed ID of Founders so quickly. Would've taken my time with that.

Let the mystery fester.

*No Klingon invasion of Cardies, Klingon/UFP war or UFP/Dominion War.

*Instead of the MU & being Mirror,Mirror sequels with “gimmicky” forced refs to Goatee Spock & Kirk, have those episodes set in a different parallel universe heretofore unencountered. One akin to the Bajwarans of the alternate universe at the end of Parallels.

Leave some of the things the same {Kira the oppressor, Garak the 2nd mate, etc}. Couldn't Kira & Bashir have stumbled into a parallel universe where Bajor conquered much of the quadrant & the human & Vulcan slaves were there from a border war with the Romulus-allied UFP decades earlier.

In this Bajoran Empire, if Bajorans are Romans, then Cardassians would be Greeks.

Klingons could be there either as allies or a Bajor conquered species utterly subjugated & “Bajoranized”.

TOS had “Mirror, Mirror”, TNG had “Parallels”, DS9 could've had its own signature alternate/parallel universe episode(s).

*Defiant or other standard UFP ship brought in to enhance GQ exploration. T'Rul & Rom cloak could be still be there as part of joint UFP/RSE GQ scientific endeavours.

*More interesting GQ exploration. Have a streak of TOS/TNG style episodes take place there. This would elevate T'Rul's role also, make her a Romulan femme-Spock almost.

*Keep building up Dominion, but make them more complex, more between baddies & goodies.

Have them do something horrendously horrific & reprehensible in an episode, then when they show up again 5-8 episodes later have them do something altruistic, even quasi-messianic.

Make them a complex enemy.

And continue the mystery of the Founders.

*Make the UFP the baddies, undeniably, objectively the baddies a few times. I don't mean section 31.

*If bring Dominion into AQ, do it as Dominion setting up space stations & research colonies in AQ no-man's lands. Build tension from there.

Still: who ARE the Founders

*Make Dukat even deeper & more complex than he was originally. Have him be made Ambassador to the UFP. Show Dukat brokering an milestone Klingon/Romulan agreement. Something like that.

*Garak: leave the same pretty much, but not Tain's son. Hey that sounds alot like Kane's son. Make his conflict/history with Dukat more interesting.

*Bashir could use more humor in him. Minimal Jake & Nog, especially Nog. Is his first name Egg?

*O'Brien's fine. Could've used a nasty streak though.

*Eamon Walker (OZ's Said) would've made for a superior Sisko.

*Janette Goldstein (Vasquez from ALIENS) would've been a more interesting choice as Dax. And NO damn Ezri either

*And the Maquis? What to do with those irritants Minimize them for sure.

Heck, have them become Dominion tools

Not members like that Cardie joining the Dominion convolution. No! Something more subtle than that.

*.........????

 

[Cyke101]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

*No prophets nonsense. They're wormhole aliens. Sisko's the man to straighten out the Bajorans about their superstitious irrationalities & backwardsness.

That's so against the Prime Directive that the show wouldn't be Star Trek anymore.

Besides, Prophets or Aliens, they helped shape an entire planet's culture AND they can sneeze away the mightiest starships. You say To-may-to, and I say to-mah-to.

 

[LLAP]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

I think they could have using the changling agent ideamore effectively. Something along the lines of Battlestar Galactica - who is a friend, who is a foe - are you say what you say you are? Espionage, paranoia ambiguity etc. Would have been awesome

 

[Cyke101]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

I think they could have using the changling agent ideamore effectively. Something along the lines of Battlestar Galactica - who is a friend, who is a foe - are you say what you say you are? Espionage, paranoia ambiguity etc. Would have been awesome

For that matter, i would have liked to have seen a more diversified Dominion, since they were supposed to be the polar opposites of the Federation. Members of conquered races to serve on vessels or as expendable troops, side by side with the Jem'Hadar.

 

[-Brett-]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

I always thought the Pah'Wraiths were unnecessary and took away from the show more than they added to it. Or if they had to be included, make them less over the top.

Ditto for Sisko as the son of a wormhole alien possessing a human. I really didn't see what they were going for there.

Ditto again for Bashir as genetically enhanced. It kinda came out of the blue and didn't make much sense. Give him some kind of secret that could have destroyed his career, but something a little more interesting or easier to relate to.

The Founders as Odo's people didn't really work all that well. How many societies have their ruling class go on dangerous missions behind enemy lines planting bombs? The Changelings as members of the Dominion, essentially it's intelligence deparment would have still provided conflict for Odo and would have made more sense. I had a thought as I was typing this that the Pah'Wraiths as the Founders might have been a better use for them.

 

[jgdst]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

There's not a lot I would change with the show actually. People who say that they should've gone straight in with the Dominion and/or the war - that's all well and good in hindsight, but then we'd be deprived of character development, and the variety of running stories that made the show as rich as it was.

It would've been good to get a bit more focus on Bajoran politics and religion, and how they interact, conflict etc. I realise that's not everyone's cup of tea, but they're some of the plot elements from other shows (B5 and nuBSG for example) that I thought gave shows a bit of an edge over straightforward sci-fi. Maybe Bajor could've joined the Federation midway through the series, then withdrawn in order to keep the peace with the Dominion?

I'm honestly not sure what effect it would have on the show, but I'd downplay the whole Klingon thing in season 4, maybe limit it to 6 or so episodes rather than the whole season. Not that it wasn't good, but it felt like too much focus was taken off DS9's unique stories - ie the Dominion, Bajor, Cardassia.

Finally, while I'm not totally sold on MU and Ferengi episodes, I'd keep them in, just so the show kept its variety, but I'd definitely cut out a lot of the filler episodes - Prodigal Daughter for example and a lot of those in season 5 and 6 that were "Calm Before the Storm" episodes.

Should the wormhole have been used more? I'm not sure. Given that it was one of the major plot points of the pilot, it rarely featured in later seasons. In fact, isn't Children of Time the last time they actually go to the Gamma Quadrant?

Yeah, so not major changes from me, maybe just a bit of streamlining and a bit more exploration into some of the themes that got pushed aside in favour of the Dominion War.

 

[Jadzia]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done differently?

Lose the Ferengi. Make Quark into a recurring character, not a regular, visiting the station as a rogue trader. Make the Bajorans more normal. Make O'Brien more interesting, and let him do some space walks on the outside on the station to replace all the bits that get blown up from time to time. Give Odo more to do that patrol the promenade. Give Kira something worth complaining about. Make her more independent with her own ship and she can go awol on mysterious little trips from time to time. Make Dr Bashir more arrogant and give him some bizarre hobbies like collecting comic books and arguing endlessly (and loudly) over the relative strengths and weaknesses of super-heroes. More of the Vorta and Weyoun. Make them feel more scheming and sinister. Replace Quarks Bar with a 'Holo Complex' a large open fronted holodeck providing a social/recreation function, and the program can be changed to suit other functions, like for public speaking, or for a sports day event, or as a public garden area. Have more children on the station, and a school. Introduce a school teacher as a new regular character (as a replacement for Quark's regular role). School teacher may have personal interests in the arts, and be a hopeless romantic, finding many love interests in the form of the station's visitors.

I think that would make more enjoyable viewing.

 

[Ezri II]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done differently?

Lose the Ferengi. Make Quark into a recurring character, not a regular, visiting the station as a rogue trader. Make the Bajorans more normal. Make O'Brien more interesting, and let him do some space walks on the outside on the station to replace all the bits that get blown up from time to time. Give Odo more to do that patrol the promenade. Give Kira something worth complaining about. Make her more independent with her own ship and she can go awol on mysterious little trips from time to time. Make Dr Bashir more arrogant and give him some bizarre hobbies like collecting comic books and arguing endlessly (and loudly) over the relative strengths and weaknesses of super-heroes. More of the Vorta and Weyoun. Make them feel more scheming and sinister. Replace Quarks Bar with a 'Holo Complex' a large open fronted holodeck providing a social/recreation function, and the program can be changed to suit other functions, like for public speaking, or for a sports day event, or as a public garden area. Have more children on the station, and a school. Introduce a school teacher as a new regular character (as a replacement for Quark's regular role). School teacher may have personal interests in the arts, and be a hopeless romantic, finding many love interests in the form of the station's visitors.

I think that would make more enjoyable viewing.

What about Jadzia and Kira drinking buddies that run around in low cut shirts and make Ezri a interesting love interests of Kira

 

[TheGodBen]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

What about Jadzia and Kira drinking buddies that run around in low cut shirts and make Ezri a interesting love interests of Kira

I've told you once already to get out of my head!

 

[Ezri II]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

What about Jadzia and Kira drinking buddies that run around in low cut shirts and make Ezri a interesting love interests of Kira

I've told you once already to get out of my head!

Now now I did not talk about Jadzia Dax and Leeta having a contest to see who can have the lower V neck shirt Hey, what if you were a guest character on DS9 and you and Jadzia, Leeta and oh why not Seven played a poker game. The girls are in a mans button down shirt and every time someone has the worst hand in cards has to unbutton a button until the shirt goes all the way down. Just an idea to not get in your head

 

[TheGodBen]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

*passes out due to blood loss*

 

[LLAP]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

What about Jadzia and Kira drinking buddies that run around in low cut shirts and make Ezri a interesting love interests of Kira

I've told you once already to get out of my head!

Now now I did not talk about Jadzia Dax and Leeta having a contest to see who can have the lower V neck shirt Hey, what if you were a guest character on DS9 and you and Jadzia, Leeta and oh why not Seven played a poker game. The girls are in a mans button down shirt and every time someone has the worst hand in cards has to unbutton a button until the shirt goes all the way down. Just an idea to not get in your head

All of them in one shirt? Wow....wow

 

[Aquehonga]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

For the record:

Gene Roddenberry died in the fall of 1991, around the time of STAR TREK's 25th Anniversary.

I remember hearing or reading GR knew of DS9, plans for it & approved it. GR greenlighting DS9 requires verification though.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine premiered 16 Januaries ago (1993), on a week night. I remember.

Most of this can be verified at imdb

 

[Jono]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

I think they could have using the changling agent ideamore effectively. Something along the lines of Battlestar Galactica - who is a friend, who is a foe - are you say what you say you are? Espionage, paranoia ambiguity etc. Would have been awesome

For that matter, i would have liked to have seen a more diversified Dominion, since they were supposed to be the polar opposites of the Federation. Members of conquered races to serve on vessels or as expendable troops, side by side with the Jem'Hadar.

The Dominion did have expendable troops other then the expendable Jem'Hadar, they were called Cardassians and Breen.

 

[Mr. Fergy]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

Like most trek, i would had streamlined it a little going from 24-26 episodes to 13-18. Less filler=More powerful episodes.

 

[Cyke101]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

I think they could have using the changling agent ideamore effectively. Something along the lines of Battlestar Galactica - who is a friend, who is a foe - are you say what you say you are? Espionage, paranoia ambiguity etc. Would have been awesome

For that matter, i would have liked to have seen a more diversified Dominion, since they were supposed to be the polar opposites of the Federation. Members of conquered races to serve on vessels or as expendable troops, side by side with the Jem'Hadar.

The Dominion did have expendable troops other then the expendable Jem'Hadar, they were called Cardassians and Breen.

I meant more Gamma Quadrant races. We only saw a handful of them in the first few seasons. Sure, they were member worlds of the Dominion, but they were terrified of them as well, which makes for a wonderful twist on the Federation.

Also, while the Cardassians were indeed part of the Dominion, I'm not sure if the Breen actually were. Of course they were helping the Dominion, but they could've been simply allied to the Dominion what the Klingons and the Romulans were to the Federation. After all, the Female shapeshifter offered Earth to the Breen should they win the war.

 

[Mysterion]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

Make the Bajorans more normal.

Huh?

 

[scorpius1701]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

-No Worf
-No EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVIL Dukat
-No Odo/Kira romance
-Garak would never ever ever have been on the bridge at a console during a battle
-Have the main storyline be the political strife and rebuilding of Bajor
-Have the Dominion but not be such a huge presence. Also no wormhole but since they are out in uncharted space, have them be encountered there. Removes the common sense strategy of collapsing the wormhole as well as the advantage of being able to concentrate your firepower on one little section.
-Romulan character.
-No Rom, Leeta, Nog, Nagus
-No more thousand ship fleets. I mean really, how many can they afford to lose?
-Once the Dominion comes in, send an admiral out to oversee the situation. Give Sisko a superior rather than have him in charge of the whole thing.
-Stop having every klingon in the entire universe telling people that they are without honor.
-Have Quark continue to be what he was in the 1st season. A genuine black marketeer, a criminal, as opposed to later seasons when he is comic relief.

 

[Mr. Fergy]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

-More time travel episodes
-More technobabble
-More technobabble-as-conflict-resolution
-More Borg (One episode? What the heck is that?)
-More skin (Leeta? More catsuits for Leeta!)
-Bashir should be able to sing, dance, and assume command of DS9 whenever needed
-More technobabble-puns (for Bashir, of course)
-More coffee
-More ignoring of the first officer
-Have Ensign Wildman's cousin adopt Molly O'Brien, turning her into Molly Wildman. She should have access to Ops, Sisko's office, the holding cells, the security office, the infirmary, the deuterium tanks, four of the six fusion reactors, and behind Quark's bar. We'll never get enough of kids named Wildman.

Star Trek: Deep Space Voyager? YUCK!!!!

 

[cybersoldier]

Re: If you were the creator of DS9, what would you have done different

Would had a couple of TNG-DS9 dominion war crossovers, if not the ships & characters, at least the characters.

Instead of Ross being in as many episode would like to see how Sisko would have handled a admiral jellico

The par wrath storyline would have finish by season 6, early season 7.

Series finale would be 100% concentrated on the Dominion war

Dax wouldn't have died in season 6 just reassigned to allow her to pop up in the final season

bajor joins the federation after the Cardassians rebellion kicks up to full swing and the dominion were retreating. Kira and the bajorian military is part of starfleet.