DS9: Trek at it's Best (Star Trek - Deep Space Nine)

Member Name: mcrouch

Product:	Star Trek - Deep Space Nine
Date:	10/06/01 (13 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Strong ongoing storylines,, well-rounded characters,, 3 dimensional villains

Disadvantages: you may lose the plot if you miss certain episodes

I largely agree with the opinions expressed here about Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Of all the Trek programmes, this is the only one I have followed from beginning to end and that is largely in part to the excellent ongoing storylines and characterisation.
Apart from story continuity through the programme and which is laregly missing in the other Trek franchises, the really big plus for DS9 is that it's characters mature and grow throughout the series. Generally characters in a series, not just Star Trek, go through an experience, learn something, and then return to the status quo; they fail to move on. DS9's cast cannot be accused of the same. Even the Ferengi Quark manages to develop a layer of humanity. The characters split and go their separate ways through their lives unlike the cosy, strife-free family relationships shared by the other series.
DS9 is also set aside by the quality of it's villains. Gul Dukat and Kai Winn both demonstrate the complexity of the series in their attempts at oneupmanship; there were times when I could actually symptahise with their points-of-view, for example, Winn's objection to Mrs O'Brien's scientific teachings in the school leaving no room for religious belief.
And what about "plain, simple Garak", possibly the most complex character of them all? We could never be quite sure whose side he was on. He was the master manipulator. A case in point is one of my favourite episodes, "In the Pale Moonlight". Here, Garak tricks Sisko into betraying his ethics with bribery, secrecy and more. Sisko remains undecided if the means justify the ends but goes through with it anyway. Picard wouldn't even have considered the option. Garak wraps up by saying, "That's why you came to me, isn't it? Because you knew I could do those things that you weren't capable of doing. Well it worked, and you'll get what you wanted ... and all it cost was one Romulan Sen
ator, one criminal and the self-respect of one Starfleet officer. I don't know about you, but I'd call that a bargain."
In my opinion, Star Trek doesn't get any better than this. If it does, I look forward to seeing it (we do have "Star Trek: Enterprise" on it's way; set in the troubled early days after First Contact, perhaps we can see a return to the less settled, less cosy style of Trek that makes for such better storylines than those of TNG or Voyager).

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