JasonF

I just finished watching the whole thing, start to finish. I had seen some episodes before -- primarily from the first couple of seasons and the last season -- but I had never actually watched the whole thing. That was some high quality TV. Once it kicks into gear during the third season or so, it never looks back. Highly recommended to sci-fi fans, and easily the best Trek (except maybe for the original, but that's really an apples and oranges comparison).

Anyway, I did have one question about the behind-the-scenes stuff: does anybody know why Terry Farrell left the show? I think I read somewhere that she wanted to stay. Did the producers have a particular reason for taking her off the show, or was it just that they felt her character was played out?

Nick Martin

She felt it was time to move on- well that's what she claimed, but at the time her contract for the upcoming final season was up anyway. From what I understand, she was not particularly fond of how Jadzia was killed off.

There are two series I consider to be simply the best I have ever seen- ANGEL, and of course, Deep Space Nine- the only "Star Trek" for me.

If only those DVDs weren't so criminally overpriced so I could get them....

misterchimpy

I think that she did want to leave and do other stuff(she ended up on Becker, ugh).

I agree DS9 is the best ST series, though it depends on your tastes. The real strength of the series are the depth and breadth of the supporting characters who are much better than in any other ST series, imo. They are so good in fact, that in some of the later episodes, Starfleet types aren't even on the screen that much! The best character imo, is Garak, played by Andrew Robinson, who owns the screen when he is on it, they even had a few episodes just about him. But Jeffrey Combs, who plays a number of characters, is terrific as Weyoun, not to mention the Ferengis, who yes, can be annoying, but can be pretty funny as well. And Louise Fletcher is great as the bitchy passive/aggressive Kai Wynn, etc etc.

It is also much stronger thematically, in addition to many multipart episodes there a number of different themes that run throughout the series. They also did a great job on the "tribute" episodes, the Tribbles one was great, but the one where they brought back the Klingon captains from the original series was terrific as well.

A lot of traditional Trekkies never liked DS9 very much because it is a dark counterpoint to the optimistic ST universe. It is full of greed, betrayal, treachery, and violence.

I agree with you, esp Seasons 4-6, it is one great episode after another.

Mhepburn20

Essentially Becker was going to pay Terry the same amount as DS9 except it would be for a 30 minute sitcom (no heavy make-up, no prosthetics, etc.). With that deal she would be basically getting a raise since she would be paid the same for 3/4 the amount of time she would have put in on DSN (if that). She took this to the producers and asked for a raise. They declined, she left the show and begged not to be killed off. They killed her off anyway.

mikehunt

I kind of liked Ezri better any way

nemein

I have to say I agree. I didn't get to watch it much when it was on but I also recently started going back and renting them all. It is a much better story than what I recall and easily the best ST series. Still not quite as good as SG1 and B5 IMHO though

lisadoris

The best Trek IMHO. I'm currently re-watching my DS9 DVDs and can't wait to get to S4. I agree that Garek is one of the best characters (just watched The Wire from S2 and Robinson just owns that ep).

I have conflicting feelings on the whole Jadzia/Ezri issue. I actually liked the idea that they killed Jadzia and realistically at that point in the story there wasn't anything else for the writers to do. I think Ezri was an interesting character in her own right but since there was only one season left her insertion felt a bit forced. It would have been more interesting to just not see Dax again.

And of course my one quip about the finale is the the fact that Jadzia wasn't in the final montage though I think that has more to do with Farrell.

Nick Martin

You are correct- they couldn't use her image because of likeness rights.

Whenever I hear something like ' "Star Trek" is stuck, give it a rest' or something like that, I never lump DS9 in there, because it was so different, so much more creative.

tasha99

DS9 is my favorite Trek too, but then I prefer dark, brooding tales with long story arcs. That may be why some trekkies dislike DS9, but for me, those are some of its best features.

D.Zero

For my money, far & away the best Trek series. It's proof that Star Trek can change, shake things up and still be engaging, thoughtful & fun television. Of all the spin-off series, DS9 is the one I'd like to see further adventures of.

das Monkey

The only thing about DS9 that leaves a bad taste in my mouth was the letdown of the finale. Whenever I think about how great it was in those latter seasons, I'm never able to escape that disappointment. It's a shame, because it was a great show and IMO the end of Trek as an important piece of our television heritage. To this day I can't listen to "The Best is Yet to Come" without thinking of that scene from "Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang". It was no B5, but it sure was good.

das

JasonF

What didn't you like about the finale? I liked it -- Bittersweet, but I thought it did a good job of tying up the war, Dukat, Wynn, Sisko's role as the emissary, and Odo's relationship with the other shapeshifters. The only thing I didn't like was the fact that a shapeshifter link had previously been portrayed as an instantaneous transmission of knowledge, yet when Odo said goodbye to Kira, it wasn't "Goodbye for a little bit while I link," it was "Goodbye forever."

Now that I finished DS9, I've gone on to a blind buy -- Dead Zone S1, starring Nicole (Ezri) de Boerr. I had no idea she was in Dead Zone! Neat!

The other thing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth about the DS9 finale is the way the TNG movies ignored Worf's new status quo. It's disrespectful of DS9, as if that doesn't count as "real" Trek.

das Monkey

It was just poorly executed. Particularly, the major showdown with Winn, Dukat, and Sisko was terribly lame IMO. It's not that the finale was bad television (it's no "Endgame" or anything), just not worthy of the great build-up to it in the second half of that final season. "All Good Things ..." inspired me. "Sleeping in Light" turned me into emotional jello. "What You Leave Behind" just fizzled and ended. Don't get me wrong. The show was great. But you never get a second chance to make a last impression.

Good luck with The Dead Zone. Nicole's in it for at least 5 minutes, maybe 6.

das

calhoun07

I hated her at first, but when I re-watched her episodes on the DVD, I preferred her as well. I especially liked the "Kill Trill" episode (not the title, just what I call it....the one with the Vulcan assasin). She brought a lot to the table and it was sad to only get her for one season.

das Monkey

I always felt like Jadzia was a stronger character than Farrell was an actor. After 6 years, Ezri was a nice change of pace, and Nicole was just so damn cute, I can't complain.

das

D.Zero

das....I remember watching the finale when it was first broadcast and feeling the same thing but watching the whole series recently I've got to say it plays better, at least to me, with a repeated viewing or two.
And not to veer off topic or start a war but I have never gotten B5. I tried watching it from the start and then would check in on it from time to time. I always found the acting to be wooden and the writing by JMS to be overdone. There were some great ideas & concepts running around but I found the execution to be lacking. For my money, DS9 was the vastly superior show.

Jadow

they needed a drunk Col Tigh in charge to really shake thing up

das Monkey

No war, but so you know, if there's one show in the history of television that is the absolute worst to "check in on it from time to time", it's B5. You may as well pick up a great novel and just read random pages. You can get away with it some on DS9, especially in those early seasons, but with B5, its greatness will be completely lost on a viewer watching it in that manner. Maybe one day you'll have the chance to revisit it and watch it correctly. Imagine how much you'd miss if you just watched DS9 from time to time after the first season. Now multiply that by 10.

In any case, kudos to JasonF for watching this particular show the way it should be done. Shows like these need to be watched properly to be effective.

das

lotsofdvds

I'd seen the first season of DS9 when it aired, and didn't care for the "more of the same" approach of the writing. Goofy aliens visiting and the crew imposes their ideals on them, virus of the week eps, etc. But once all seven seasons were on DVD I went back and just plowed through them. What a great show! It was so smart, and so engaging once the main plotline kicked in. Granted there were a few revisions along the way to make current stories fit into the grand scheme of things, and said revisions really stick out when viewing them all back to back.

I was on such a high after I finished DS9 that I figured I'd give Voyager a chance. What a mistake that was.

D.Zero

I watched the first season of B5 and roughly half of its second season before moving on to a every few episodes kind of check in. I still find most of the acting wooden as well as a lot of the writing obvious & overdone. Like I noted, a lot of good ideas but the execution didn't work for me and I never really responded to the characters.

milo bloom

I was always a big fan of Jadzia, but when Ezri came aboard, she blew her away. It's really a shame we only got a season of her, but whatever little bit we got of her, was worth six seasons of Terry Ferrel. Pretty girl, but really Becker? My first thought is a South Park quote: "All he does is sit around watching Becker. And that show's so stupid."

Nick Martin

I never bothered with B5 out of spite- everytime I saw a clip from the show during a short interview spot with an actor on it ( here in Canada, the channel Space does that often with many shows) the actor and the clip in which they appear always badmouthed Trek, and they always felt like really cheap shots...I don't remember what was said (this was a few years ago) but they were the kind of things that would make one say 'grow up ' or 'get over it'.

HN

It really is the only way to watch a series...no commercials, no long breaks, no re-runs.
i was really annoyed when kai wyn was on screen, and even though i disliked dukat's character, he had the greatest moment in the series' history (for me at least); it was one of those rare times when i blurt something out to the screen - i just yelled "hell yeah dukat! hell freakin' yeah!!"

*spoiler for those who haven't finished*

Chew

Also agree this is the best modern Trek. I'm making my way through all the Trek series' right now and might have to revisit DS9 after I finish up with Enterprise.

Giantrobo

BTW, does anyone else love how Lucas ripped off the sail ship Sisko and Jake refurbished.

I always dug the Cardassian females....

Ep faves....

1. The one where Sisko shows just how far he was willing to go to get allies in the war. What a great ep in terms of its dark vibe and finally showing the Federation with some balls. The way he looked into the camera at the end of the ep and declared his devotion to what he did was just amazing.

2. The ep where Sisko was sci fi writer from the 1950's.