Did DS9 and Voyager split the TNG viewers?
- Thread starter Aike
- Start date
Anecdotally, there's a pretty big gap between the two fan bases. For example, I'm a huge DS9 fan, but I really have nothing nice to say about Voyager at all (okay, one thing, Picardo's an entertaining figure).
And evidence does show that neither series had the numbers TNG pulled.
And evidence does show that neither series had the numbers TNG pulled.
Nardpuncher
Rear Admiral
I'm another one that watched them both...bot I only watched VOY to make I didn't miss anything. DS9 was the sweet one.
I watched DS9 for depth, character development and to be blown away by cutting edge plotlines. It was my deep and contemplative Trek.
I watched VOY for the TNG standalone episode formula, the occassional good episode, the SFX. It was my 'popcorn Trek'.
Thought there was a big contrast in quality they went pretty well together.
I watched VOY for the TNG standalone episode formula, the occassional good episode, the SFX. It was my 'popcorn Trek'.
Thought there was a big contrast in quality they went pretty well together.
I watched both. Liked DS9 way better. Now my wife and I have watched all the way through on DVD; one season left, and the writing just isn't that good: the actual words on the page. The initial coolness and novelty in the 90s wore off and I'm disappointed. The writing is just sort of cliche/comic bookish. And the whole ongoing war plot seems cheap. I'm with the DS9 fans who think staying with Bajor politics (and doing it well!) would have made a more interesting/relevant show. Again, if the writing was there. Which it definitely wasn't for the Bajorans.
Voyager however, in reruns is much more fun that it was first airing. Yes several characters are dull, but some are better. Even Seven, who I remembered as a cheap ratings ploy - she has some good plots. And I'm not expecting the writing (dialog, that is, not plot ideas) to be good, so it occasionally surprises.
Voyager however, in reruns is much more fun that it was first airing. Yes several characters are dull, but some are better. Even Seven, who I remembered as a cheap ratings ploy - she has some good plots. And I'm not expecting the writing (dialog, that is, not plot ideas) to be good, so it occasionally surprises.
Plecostomus
Commodore
I liked them both and watched them both.
Watched and loved both. Not sure why they would have split the fanbase.
More Trek= More Awesome
More Trek= More Awesome
I don't think DS9 and Voyager split the fanbase in the sense that because there were two shows on the air at the time, each got lower ratings. I think it's just that neither one appealed to the broad base of fans that TNG did. If either had stood alone, I don't think it would have made a difference.
DS9 premiered to huge ratings on the heels of TNG. But very quickly, long before Voyager came on the scene, it's ratings trailed off. DS9 is a brilliant show, but it's quite different from TOS or TNG and it doesn't appeal to everyone. The people it didn't appeal to came, sampled and left and would have left regardless of Voyager.
Voyager tried to stick more to the TNG formula, often being referred to as "TNG Lite," but it always felt just like that... a lightweight version of the heavyweight that really worked. And it wasn't willing to take the risk of charting a different course for itself. So, again, it's numbers dwindled as the casual viewer's interest wasn't held like it was for TNG. And would have done so even if DS9 hadn't been on the air.
DS9 premiered to huge ratings on the heels of TNG. But very quickly, long before Voyager came on the scene, it's ratings trailed off. DS9 is a brilliant show, but it's quite different from TOS or TNG and it doesn't appeal to everyone. The people it didn't appeal to came, sampled and left and would have left regardless of Voyager.
Voyager tried to stick more to the TNG formula, often being referred to as "TNG Lite," but it always felt just like that... a lightweight version of the heavyweight that really worked. And it wasn't willing to take the risk of charting a different course for itself. So, again, it's numbers dwindled as the casual viewer's interest wasn't held like it was for TNG. And would have done so even if DS9 hadn't been on the air.
Ditto. Any thing that filled out the Trek universe was worth watching, but DS9 was the best of the two by far IMO.
Remember though, only 5 years of overlap between the two shows. DS9's 1st 2 seasons overlapped with TNG, 5 years of both, followed by 2 years of just VOY.
TNG only 1987-1992
TNG&DS9 1992-1994 (DS9 starting Jan '93)
DS9&VOY 1994-1999 (VOY starting Jan '95)
VOY only 1999-2001
Remember though, only 5 years of overlap between the two shows. DS9's 1st 2 seasons overlapped with TNG, 5 years of both, followed by 2 years of just VOY.
TNG only 1987-1992
TNG&DS9 1992-1994 (DS9 starting Jan '93)
DS9&VOY 1994-1999 (VOY starting Jan '95)
VOY only 1999-2001
I watched em all but strongly prefer DS9.
I think a well maintained and properly written Voyager wouldn't have split the TNG viewers (assuming the answer to the thread title is "yes,") simply because of the disparity of quality. You'll see many more people defending DS9 than Voyager.
That's not to say that Voyager had to be as dark or as intricate as DS9. TNG wasn't and it definitely succeeded as a memorable show worthy of classic status. If Voyager were to be a popcorn flick, though, it had the potential to be the Iron Man of Star Trek as opposed to the Fantastic Four = expensive budget, bad writing.
In the 90s, I suppose I was fortunate enough that Voyager and DS9 never overlapped. They were on two channels, but they never competed with each other. Voyager was a weeknight show and DS9 was a weekend show. Still, I always gave DS9 the higher priority.
That's not to say that Voyager had to be as dark or as intricate as DS9. TNG wasn't and it definitely succeeded as a memorable show worthy of classic status. If Voyager were to be a popcorn flick, though, it had the potential to be the Iron Man of Star Trek as opposed to the Fantastic Four = expensive budget, bad writing.
In the 90s, I suppose I was fortunate enough that Voyager and DS9 never overlapped. They were on two channels, but they never competed with each other. Voyager was a weeknight show and DS9 was a weekend show. Still, I always gave DS9 the higher priority.
RobertScorpio
Pariah
I watched both. At the time they aired, i was a teenager, and liked VOY better.
But now I think DS9 is the superior show. VOyager can still be entertaining on occasion, though.
But now I think DS9 is the superior show. VOyager can still be entertaining on occasion, though.
I used to love watching new Voyager and DS9 episodes together when they first aired. I was also getting into TNG at the same time so when BBC aired TNG on Wednesdays, DS9 on Thursdays and VOY on Sundays it was brilliant. Because I was watching three series in one go, I didn't necessarily notice the difference in quality between the three. They all complimented each other. I think by the time VOY was on its own for seasons 6 and 7, and I'd seen all of TNG and DS9, I sort of realised the quality wasn't really there.
Having the series on DVD is another way of realising how different DS9 and VOY are - I watched one in its entirity before watching the other, which really shows up VOY against DS9. DS9 is easily my favourite, but I still like VOY.
Having the series on DVD is another way of realising how different DS9 and VOY are - I watched one in its entirity before watching the other, which really shows up VOY against DS9. DS9 is easily my favourite, but I still like VOY.
I watched them both, although I prefer DS9 I did watch them both when they were on. Im a fan of star trek in general not just specific shows so I'll watch any of the first four series (TOS,TNG,DS9, VOY), even though I do not like them all equally. I wont however watch enterprise, I tried really hard but I couldnt get into it and it just wasnt star trek for me.
I suppose you could make the argument that the split in the writing staff caused Trek to lose viewers. Probably the four most prolific writers during the second half of TNG were Braga, Moore, Echevarria and Menosky. Moore and Echevarria tended to be more grounded and did character or political stories, usually with some sense of continuity, and they went to DS9. Braga and Menosky weren't as grounded and liked doing big high-concept episodes with less focus on continuity, and they went to Voyager.
TNG's popularity was perhaps based upon this balance between these writers; if you didn't like this week's character episode then you'd still watch for next week's sci-fi episode, and vice versa. TNG was a see-saw where each side was evenly matched, but DS9 had all their guys sitting on one side of their see-saw, while Voyager had all their guys on the other side of a different see-saw. Trekkies like us kept watching both, but casual viewers were put off.
TNG's popularity was perhaps based upon this balance between these writers; if you didn't like this week's character episode then you'd still watch for next week's sci-fi episode, and vice versa. TNG was a see-saw where each side was evenly matched, but DS9 had all their guys sitting on one side of their see-saw, while Voyager had all their guys on the other side of a different see-saw. Trekkies like us kept watching both, but casual viewers were put off.
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