DS9, The Greatest of All Treks

[Aurora-7]

Pretty much all I had to say.

Back in the day on Trek BBS, when DS9 was still being aired, I was reading posts about DS9 that some people were referring to it as pretentious. PRETENTIOUS!

I've heard this comment by many but could never see it myself. Maybe in the first couple of seasons when it was trying to find it's footing but the later seasons, particularly when they got into story arcs, it was Trek at it's best.

 

[DonIago]

Statement of fact.

That anyone could call DS9 pretentious, especially if comparing it to TNG, is...bizarre.

 

[marlboro]

It's probably my favorite series too, but there are good episodes from all of the series.

 

[Tosk]

All Treks matter?

 

[Leviathan]

DS9, The Greatest of All Treks
Pretty much all I had to say.

Nothing more to say, the truth points to itself.

 

[Aurora-7]

All Treks matter?

Hmmmm..........Not Star Trek V.

 

[Getoffmylawnyadamnkids]

Have to agree, so far of the 3 series I've watched DS9 is the most effective at making me care about its characters. By the end I found myself invested in all the main characters and thought the acting was superb.
The character I'd want most as a best friend and least as an enemy was Garak....amazingly intense acting, so much was said with the eyes. The show also totally redeemed the Ferengi, who I learned to love.

 

[Jayson1]

For me I can't decide on the best beyond the idea that it is either TOS,TNG and DS9. They each have strength's that the others don't. DS9's strengths was being on a space station which seperates it from the other shows. It's ability to take more chances and also take a more honest look at the Federation/Starfleet. It had some character's who weren't starfleet. It embraced continuity even more than the other shows.

Jason

 

[Paradise City]

Depends were your threshold for what qualifies as pretentious is at

Now if you'll excuse me I have to go and "google" what the word pretentious means.

 

[Prax]

I'm not sure it had more continuity then the other shows. It seems like Everytime I've watched TNG lately, I'm surprised by how often there are references to prior events/episodes. Voyager does this quite frequently, and Enterprise probably does this most, even in the earlier seasons. In fact in Enterprise, episodes often pick up right after where the previous one ended.

 

[Jayson1]

I'm not sure it had more continuity then the other shows. It seems like Everytime I've watched TNG lately, I'm surprised by how often there are references to prior events/episodes. Voyager does this quite frequently, and Enterprise probably does this most, even in the earlier seasons. In fact in Enterprise, episodes often pick up right after where the previous one ended.

I think a more acurate description is that DS9 relied more on continuity or canon than some of the other shows. You don't have as many alien of the week adventure's on DS9 as the other shows. Plus you had a bigger number of support character's to deal with and bigger story to tell overall beyond just a generic "exploring space" concept the other shows tended to go with.

Jason

 

[Sybok Was Wrong]

What is this need to "rank" the series all the time?

Respectfully, you cannot definitively state DS9 is the "best". It can be your "favorite". And that's fine.

See, I think it's sets were ugly. I think the relationships were forced because they were scripted, but the actors didn't seem like they were having a ton of fun. Or chemistry. I think the show was too much in its own head to be accessible and be truly popular. I thought the Bajoran religious elements and the Ferengi episodes were embarrassing for the actors and viewers. I think Brooks and Visitor were prone to overacting. I think the Producers made the most of their creation by Season 4, but I bet the studio regretted the series. So, how can it be the "greatest"?

On the plus side, it had the longest stretch of quality writing of any Trek. So, theres that! And by "that"- clearly, every Trek show had its pluses and weaknesses. All of them. So, let's all say- that generally speaking, Star Trek as a whole is pretty darned great!

 

[Michael]

Respectfully, you cannot definitively state DS9 is the "best". It can be your "favorite". And that's fine.

Nah, it's the best.

 

[ichab]

TOS, TNG and DS9 are my top three...

I loved TNG back in the day but like it less than I use to. Characters are so lifeless and the atmosphere is so sterile. Plus I just can't stand Picard's attitude of using the prime directive to justify standing around and letting bad things happen.

DS9 I still enjoy on rewatches but I can't give it top honors due to Avery Brooks. IMO he's the weakest link of the entire cast and he's suppose to be the lead. Other than that I loved the rest of the cast as well as the supporting characters that popped up. The story arcs were well done and still enjoy them almost twenty years latet. I think with a recast Sisko it would work well today on T.V.

TOS still stands up even after all this time. The entire cast is solid plus some of the best episodes in all of Trek are here. Kirk, Spock and McCoy are well known even outside of trek fandom. It's no coincidence that they went the reboot route for the movies and had great success with them. Those characters just work.

So I have to give top honor to TOS. It laid the groundwork for everything that came after.

 

[Prax]

I think a more acurate description is that DS9 relied more on continuity or canon than some of the other shows. You don't have as many alien of the week adventure's on DS9 as the other shows. Plus you had a bigger number of support character's to deal with and bigger story to tell overall beyond just a generic "exploring space" concept the other shows tended to go with.

Jason

Yes, but there are just as many "life-changing crisis of the week" that are never mentioned again.

 

[Mysterion]

For me, DSN stands on equal footing with TOS. I see DSN as the closest successor to TOS in terms of it's philosophical outlook. Roddenbrry (and later Berman) took TNG/VGR/ENT way further leftward (not necessarily a bad thing if'n you're into it) than TOS had been. DSN shifted back toward the middle ground of TOS which was optimistic but not necessarily idealized to the extent of the other spin-offs, IMO. In DSN Starfleet characters could be imperfect and human again just like Kirk & Co.

 

[kkt]

Respectfully, you cannot definitively state DS9 is the "best". It can be your "favorite". And that's fine.

Calling anything "the best" is a matter of opinion. "Mom's rhubarb pie is the best" is understood to be my opinion not some sort of universal truth.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Calling anything "the best" is a matter of opinion. "Mom's rhubarb pie is the best" is understood to be my opinion not some sort of universal truth.

Are you sure? Sybock was Wrong might want to come to your Thanksgiving Day dinner to explain otherwise.

 

[Gina Taylor]

Maybe in the first couple of seasons when it was trying to find it's footing but the later seasons, particularly when they got into story arcs, it was Trek at it's best.

Yes!!! In fact, season 6 was DS9 in its prime! I don't think any other episode could compare to IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT.

 

[Jayson1]

Yes, but there are just as many "life-changing crisis of the week" that are never mentioned again.

I'm not so sure about that. Off the top of my head I can only think of 3 things that never felt like they weren't properly followed up on.

1 O'Brien's suffering from "Hard TIme" He basically spent years in prision, killed someone and tried to kill himself. Yet we never hear about it again.
2 Sisko's actions in "Pale Moonlight" I would have liked for another character, other than Garak, at least find out about it and confront him and even some guilty glances whenever a Romulan enters a room.
3 Admiral Ross working with Section 31. Granted the show was almost over at this point so i'm not sure were they could fit this in. Especially since Bashir's and Ross's ready room conversation was off the record. Maybe he could have been in the episode were we go inside Sloan's head as one of the people he screwed over like his wife and the others in that conferance room scene.

Jason