What do you love about DS9? Should I buy the series?

[DataLives]

Hello,

I have been offered the complete DS9 series for $125.

I am trying to figure out if I should get it, based on my Trek Tastes.

I am a huge STNG fan, was raised on the OS and have affection for Enterprise.

I dislike Voyager, despite several open-minded attempts to enjoy it.

I was really disappointed with the Abrams movie and deeply dislike it.

I watched the first few episodes of DS9 and liked it, but didn't have time to watch it after that (highschool, work, etc) so I "left it for later" thinking that I could save seven whole seasons of DS9 to turn to when I was longing for more Trek....

I think that time is now. I need some good Trek to share with my Trek husband. I have been reading the books, but I need some new episodes.

Please tell me, what do you LOVE about Deep Space Nine?

Trin.

 

[Photon]

I think you'll like it. I was slow to warm up to DS9 until Duet then came the Jem'Hadar and it was cranking.

If you like character dev, nice space battles (later on), and not all bright and shiny SF.people-you'll like it.

I like TNG and TOS, but this blew me away

DS9 has its share of clunkers, which have been cussed and discussed here ad nauseum but most episodes range from good to earth shattering great.

It seems to be a pretty good deal, and if you don't get them-PM me and I'll get them.

Have fun and enjoy
Photon

 

[TheGodBen]

I am a huge STNG fan, was raised on the OS and have affection for Enterprise.

I dislike Voyager, despite several open-minded attempts to enjoy it.

I was really disappointed with the Abrams movie and deeply dislike it.

This is similar to me, but a little different; I'm a very big TNG fan, that's the series I was raised on, when I finally got around to watching TOS I liked it because of the characters, I like Enterprise, I used to dislike Voyager (although now I've upgraded my opinion to so-so) and I thought that JJTrek was a bad movie with only a few good moments to make it bearable.

And I love DS9, easily my favourite Trek series.

I find DS9 more rewarding than the others shows because it went further in developing the characters, stories and universe than any of the others. It starts out with a group of people that can barely stand working with one another on an isolated space station and ends up being an epic struggle for the future of the galaxy involving a large extended cast.

Plus, none of the other series have plain simple Garak.

 

[RyuRoots]

Heavy use of continuity. Extensive character development. A show that isn't afraid to do the unexpected. If these are things you like, you will love Deep Space Nine.

I'm someone who absolutely adores TNG, puts VOY and TOS on about the same par (they're both okay, but certainly not great), doesn't like ENT at all, loves XI, and firmly considers DS9 to be the best that Trek has to offer.

They really do an amazing job of fleshing out all the regulars through the course of the show, and while it's not a serial like SGU where every episode leads into the next one, there's a very definite sense of progression throughout the show.

DS9 is far more character-driven than the other shows, which I think is a huge plus. And you also get to see the Federation in the midst of a full-scale war, which is very interesting since it's something we've never seen elsewhere. I don't really consider it a spoiler since you see "Dominion War" all over the place when you look up DS9.

I think it's a steal for such an amazing show. Definitely go for it.

 

[Photon]

What Photon Loves:
1) Kick Ass Commander/Capt (don't care if he's black white or purple-he's bad ass)

2) People from different parts of the universe come together to get a job done

3) End justifies the means episodes-so anti Roddenberry, but so cool

4) Kick ass starship-built for war

5) War, in all its glory and all its gore

6) Funny characters (Quark, Odo) and no stupidly irritating characters, (cough Nelix)

7) Bad guys that have good traits

8) Good guys that have bad traits

9) Jake, cool non-SF kid and not a geeky, irritating nerd like uh um...you know

10) Morn

11) Dominion-an enemy that has different faces-not totally evil but bad enough to knock over your desk and take your sack lunch

12) Beautiful intro music

13) Great space battles

14) Wormhole FX

15) No: geeky kids (bears repeating), stupid characters (aGAIN bears repeating), Borg (or much), Vulcans (well except one ep)

 

[Sykonee]

I paid $125 for DS9 ...per season.

Man, I always feel gypped whenever I see what the DVDs cost now.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

I bought all 7 seasons about 2 and a half years ago. 'Nuff said.

 

[urbandk]

I just watched all seven seasons with my wife this summer. We're both of the opinion that it's the best Trek series ever on TV. Then again, we both love the new movie, so your mileage may vary,

 

[DevilEyes]

15) No: geeky kids (bears repeating), stupid characters (aGAIN bears repeating), Borg (or much), Vulcans (well except one ep)

Actually, there are Vulcans in at least 3 eps (including a two-parter, so technically it is 4) - not counting the Vulcan captain in the pilot who appears very briefly. But since they've been excessively covered in other shows, this is not a bad thing, as it avoids repetitiveness. (Besides, I think that some of the DS9 Vulcans, as rare and minor as they were, presented a couple of interesting and unusual variations...) DS9 had its own alien races and a few that were introduced on TNG but played a crucial role on DS9 (Bajorans, Cardassians, Ferengi) which it wonderfully developed.

I must say that it's not entirely true that there aren't any stupid characters - there is at least one, but at least he is not in the main cast... And this pales in comparison with all the good and great stuff the show did. Which includes:

- No reset button, long-term storylines
- Great characters - every character in the main cast and numerous recurring characters are all well developed
- Character development - characters actually change and grow, rather than staying the same for 7 years
- Moral ambiguity (as Photon said, bad guys with good traits and good guy with flaws)
- Strong and interesting female characters
- Complicated and dynamic relationships (friendly, romantic, adversarial... or more than one at the same time)
- Well developed and complex alien cultures/societies - since it is a space station, they are not just aliens-of-the-week, they're there to stay
- The background of Bajor and Cardassia and episodes dealing with their relations/history (the former 50-years long Cardassian Occupation of Bajor)
- the Dominion War - the first full-scale war in Trek
- Great space battles
- Political intrigue
- You get to see points of view other than the Federation one (as a few of the main cast are not Federation Starfleet)
- The Federation has a dark side, too
- Religion as a theme treated in a surprisingly even-handed way
- Main characters that are allowed to have long-term relationships or even a family
- Believable kid characters and a great father/son relationship
- Sense of humor

Now, there are also quite a few bad episodes - and season 1 is particularly weak... There is a bad stretch in the middle, but once you come to the last 2 episodes of season 1, it really picks up. Also, some of the comedy episodes are great, but most of them are not (there are a lot of good comedy moments in DS9, but most of them are in non-comedic episodes). I was also not happy with some decisions made in season 7... but this is not the time to talk about the things I dislike about DS9. It is not a perfect show, but the good and great stuff far, far outweighs the bad.

If TNG episodes like "The Wounded", "Chain of Command", "Ensign Ro", "Preemptive Strike", "Face of the Enemy", "Sins of the Father"/"Reunion"/"Redemption" are your thing, you should like DS9. Also, if you enjoyed TOS relationships such as Spock/McCoy love/hate frenemiship, you may find a few such dynamics on DS9.

 

[Kirkman1987]

for $125!

Get it. You could sell it for more than that if you didn't like it, that is dirt cheap.

As for the show, everyone else has beat me to it. Like You, I love TNG and TOS and didn't care for VOY much. I think DS9 is the greatest Trek series.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

For $125, its well worth it.

Its the best plotted, the most consistently good-written show, and it stands up very well on its own against TOS and TNG. And its way, way better than ENT. You might be turned off of its critisizing the 24th century lifestyle rather than embracing it as they did with TNG, but its part of the show's attempt to be more human than before.

Overall, its very well worth the money, the effort and the time spent. IMO.

 

[Crimea River]

To make a long explanation short: darker themes, the fact that it's on an alien starbase, and of course... Cardassians! DS9 will be my favourite of all-time.

 

[Photon]

Religion as a theme treated in a surprisingly even-handed way

That's a good un. TOS was very very amicable w/religion esp Christianity.

TNG seemed hostile and more friendly w/humanism and secularism, as did Voyager.

DS9 was very evenhanded in the way it dealt w/the Bajoran religion.

 

[bbailey861]

Excellent bargain for a series you are sure to watch more than once.

 

[DataLives]

Greetings,

You have convinced me.... thank you very much for the very thoughtful responses, I really appreciate your time.

I knew I could depend upon Trek fans to be thorough!

I will let you know when I have it in my hands, well, just because.

The seller is also offering me the Original Series (cleaned but unenhanced) for $100. I think I will bite the bullet and make it a Star Trek Christmas and get both.

DataLives.

 

[Horga'hn]

It looks like you've already decided, but here's some reaffirmation anyway: the best thing about DS9 is that it's interesting spin on the earlier, "mobile" Treks, where at the end of each episode the Enterprise crew zipped off in whichever direction took their fancy.

On DS9, they're stuck there and have to deal with whatever comes their way.

 

[Wicca who Wonta]

I loved the way they handled religion, the tension between Bajor and Cardassia and the great character development.

 

[DataLives]

Greetings,

I now have about 30 lb of TREK under my desk... DS9 and OS....and if I could purr I would be doing so.

My biggest problem is waiting until Christmas.

Thank you all for your thoughts, I look forward to discussing the episodes with you.

Data Lives.

 

[Photon]

I hope you have a blue ray player and HD TV

Greetings,

I now have about 30 lb of TREK under my desk... DS9 and OS....and if I could purr I would be doing so.

My biggest problem is waiting until Christmas.

Thank you all for your thoughts, I look forward to discussing the episodes with you.

Data Lives.

it makes it alot better

 

[DataLives]

Totally silly question:

The outer clear plastic shell is kind of scuffed, while the inner stuff is perfect....

Have any of you cleaned the scuffs off using a magic eraser or something simlar? I just want them to look spiffy for Christmas.

DataLives.