That was a directive from the studio: no more internal Bajoran politics. The writer bear no fault in that.
Harsh Realities of Rewatching Deep Space Nine
- Thread starter Bad Thoughts
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That was a directive from the studio: no more internal Bajoran politics. The writer bear no fault in that.
I tried to come up with a list of DS9's five biggest mistakes... but I actually only managed to come up with four.
4. Putting "Inquisition" before "In the Pale Moonlight". They've JUST introduced Section 31, the Federation's designated "dirty work" outfit... then Sisko just goes out and does said dirty work himself. If they'd just flip flopped the two and had Sloan mention that "after the affair with the Romulans, we decided we needed our own operative on the station"... much more sense.
3. Killing Dax, then replacing her immediately like nothing happened. This ruined one character, cheapened her loss, and introduced another who deserved a lot more than a year for us to get to know her, a total lose-lose. It also ruined an interesting romance (Jadzia/Worf) in favor of a completely boring one (Ezri/Bashir). This one gets extra points because (like Harry on Voyager), it was done out of malevolence, not cluelessness.
2. The whole mess with the Pagh Wraiths. The Bajoran faith did not need a devil thrown into the mix. This one is exacerbated by the fact that it caused Sisko to be taken from his family at the end, something that Avery Brooks (rightly) was in strong opposition to, and that was anathema to the aspect of Sisko's character that was more important to him than any other: fatherhood.
1. The complete dismantling of the Ferengi as a unique and interesting culture, centering around the dreadful "Profit and Lace" episode. The events of S4 E6 of Lower Decks are no surprise...
4. Putting "Inquisition" before "In the Pale Moonlight". They've JUST introduced Section 31, the Federation's designated "dirty work" outfit... then Sisko just goes out and does said dirty work himself. If they'd just flip flopped the two and had Sloan mention that "after the affair with the Romulans, we decided we needed our own operative on the station"... much more sense.
3. Killing Dax, then replacing her immediately like nothing happened. This ruined one character, cheapened her loss, and introduced another who deserved a lot more than a year for us to get to know her, a total lose-lose. It also ruined an interesting romance (Jadzia/Worf) in favor of a completely boring one (Ezri/Bashir). This one gets extra points because (like Harry on Voyager), it was done out of malevolence, not cluelessness.
2. The whole mess with the Pagh Wraiths. The Bajoran faith did not need a devil thrown into the mix. This one is exacerbated by the fact that it caused Sisko to be taken from his family at the end, something that Avery Brooks (rightly) was in strong opposition to, and that was anathema to the aspect of Sisko's character that was more important to him than any other: fatherhood.
1. The complete dismantling of the Ferengi as a unique and interesting culture, centering around the dreadful "Profit and Lace" episode. The events of S4 E6 of Lower Decks are no surprise...
After "The Dogs of War", they practically were the Federation, just with money, so joining them wasn't much of a step.
That is quite a major and I would say damaging studio demand, no further developments on the world that is right next to the setting, that the second-in-command is from and that the lead is a big influence/reluctant religious influence over.
The Suits were bored by the Bajor centric storylines in the first two seasons and decreed that the audience was also bored therefore no more episodes about Bajor politics.
To paraphrase the DS9 companion book; By the third season the suits had feedback saying that young male viewers (considered a key demographic by advertisers ) didn’t think the show had enough excitement & action and that viewers in general had expressed a desire for more interaction with aliens and travel away from the station.
Their feedback also told them that episodes focused on intellectual & philosophical issues (bajoran politics) weren’t being well received and that Odo and quark were the characters viewers seemed to favour most with Sisko’s character being well liked but seen as having a rather low key presence.
Hence the move away from bajoran centric episodes. The show at that time had the pressure of suits paying extra special attention because TNG had just ended and the shiny new series voyager hadn’t begun airing yet.
Their feedback also told them that episodes focused on intellectual & philosophical issues (bajoran politics) weren’t being well received and that Odo and quark were the characters viewers seemed to favour most with Sisko’s character being well liked but seen as having a rather low key presence.
Hence the move away from bajoran centric episodes. The show at that time had the pressure of suits paying extra special attention because TNG had just ended and the shiny new series voyager hadn’t begun airing yet.
I have two issues with DS9.
1. Score is overproduced. Music is present far too much, too direct. Really dates the series. One of those things that I find distracting when I watch DS9.
2. Gul Dukat and the balance of good and evil. I think they bounced him back and forth between the two way too much. One would have thought they were going with something a bit more subtle, that those who we deem evil are capable of good, and vice versa. In the end he was just evil, no doubt.
1. Score is overproduced. Music is present far too much, too direct. Really dates the series. One of those things that I find distracting when I watch DS9.
2. Gul Dukat and the balance of good and evil. I think they bounced him back and forth between the two way too much. One would have thought they were going with something a bit more subtle, that those who we deem evil are capable of good, and vice versa. In the end he was just evil, no doubt.
They were until people voiced finding Dukat appealing or agreeing with him and so they went all in on evil.
Haha, could see that. Maybe the more subtle message wasn't a good fit. Still a bit of a shame though.
maybe it's just personal thing. But I think it was overused and too "on the nose". If there was a suspenseful moment, cue the suspense music, next there is heroic moment, cue the heroic music. I think it was likely a matter of accessibility to studios where a few people could produce the entire score for an episode, instead of needing a studio orchestra, or using pre-recorded music.
I did a rewatch on it several years ago but had to stop by Season 2 as I was too busy. Would like to get back to it once d ay.
