Fans, why do you like DS9?

[Thestral]

I'll be mostly agreeing with others, but adding my voice to the chorus anyway.

Things I liked about DS9:

The characters. There's not a one, primary or secondary, that I'd drop. In fact, I regret the show didn't go on longer so we could get an even better handle on some of these characters.

Character relationships that felt real. Whether the Bashir/O'Brien bromance, Dax as Sisko's sounding board, the Siskos' family dynamic (which I wish we'd spent more time on), Kira and Ziyal, Odo and Quark, or the many many others, the DS9 writers let these characters interact in a way even they may not have predicted (who would've forseen the tight bond Bashir and O'Brien would form, for one?)

Character evolution. This is epitomized, of course, by Damar. From tertiary thug of Dukat to Freedom Fighter for the Cardassians. Watch "Return to Grace," "Sacrifice of Angels," and "Dogs of War/WYLB" back to back and be amazed by the vastly different places Damar fits in the story. Or look at Sisko's growth to thinking of Bajor as home, Nog's growth from petty annoyance to respected Starfleet officer, or Jake's (literal) growth into a wise young man.

Bajorans and Cardassians. If there's one quibble I have with the ongoing plot of DS9 and the coming of the Dominion and Quadrant politics into the forefront, it's that we got less attention on the Bajorans themselves, because I thought, excepting maybe the Pagh-wraith storyline, these were a fascinating people and the religion-science interplay around the Prophets was great. The Cardassians, however, may as a culture have undergone the most evolution and change in all of Star Trek. From jack-booted thugs enslaving and butchering Bajorans... to opressed masses on their own planets being exterminated by Jem'Hadar and used as pawns of the Dominion - they came full circle.

I'll just echo what everyone has said about the brialliant writing and well-designed storylines, including the villains.

As a minor point, knowing that sexiness does not equal catsuits (neccessarily)... Kira, Dax, and Yates versus Seven or T'Pol, or Troi in her more ridiculous outfits? Former, please.

 

[startrekwatcher]

One other thing I liked about DS9 was how the writers were sharp to seize on elements from earlier seasons that obviously weren't created as part of a larger purpose and then cleverly found interesting and intriguing ways to bring them into the mix most notably in the Final Chapter. And along those same lines I loved how the writers in season seven commented on the intriguing parallels between Bajor and Cardassia.

 

[JayTheTrekkie]

I like DS9 (third favorite series) because its an interesting series. I didn't really get into the show until season 4 (did see most of season 3).

 

[Warped9]

Presently I'm catching reruns of the first season on SPACE. I'm reminded to some extent of why I initially liked this show. It was leaner and edgier than TNG had gotten. Not so much technobabble and more economical with the spoken word. More facial expressions and body language instead of the spoken word. It was more like TOS.

 

[Praetor]

IMO, Sisko's speech to the Prophets in "Emissary" explaining humanity could have easily been a Kirk speech.

 

[DarKush]

1. Characters. These characters felt more real to me than on TNG, and it helped make me feel that DS9 was the true inheritor of TOS. Sisko was the most well rounded of all the captains and I loved his relationship with Jake and Kasidy. I like Sisko's arc, the most developed of any captain. I think Kirk's arc really came because of the TOS movies. Picard's arc was fitful, and the TNG movies helped and hurt it. I also think Janeway and Archer's arcs were hurt by poor writing. But Sisko's was the most clear cut and I felt a sense of completion almost when I saw the series finale.

2. Social issues. DS9 also returned Trek back to exploring, in depth, social issues. In a way, with the focus on nation building and terrorism, DS9 was ahead of its time. It also focused somewhat on religion, genocide, rogue government agencies, racism, avarice, etc. This was another thing that made DS9 more like TOS, but to some extent, the show went further than TOS in exploring the issues of its time.

3. Dominion. The Dominion was awesome. I saw them as a sort of dark Federation, an anti-Federation and I loved the Dominion War.

4. Cardassians. I didn't care for them at first, to me they were stock villains. But looking back at DS9 I gained more of an appreciation for them and the main actors who portrayed Cardassians, and it made their ultimate fate somewhat deserved but still tragic.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

. I guess that makes DS9 "Gunsmoke to the Stars"?

In The Making of Deep Space Nine, it's mentioned that the series was conceived to be a "Rifleman in Space," iirc. Ben Sisko, a widower, and Jake being similar to Lucas McCain (Chuck Conners), also a widower, and his son.

 

[Praetor]

. I guess that makes DS9 "Gunsmoke to the Stars"?

In The Making of Deep Space Nine, it's mentioned that the series was conceived to be a "Rifleman in Space," iirc. Ben Sisko, a widower, and Jake being similar to Lucas McCain (Chuck Conners), also a widower, and his son.

A-ha! Perfect! Thank you.