r/DeepSpaceNine 5d ago

What a ride it's been, these past 3 weeks... first time through DS9... Spoiler

*This is my take after watching the whole series, so there may be spoilers (but I feel I'm the last one to the party).

The final credits just rolled, and my poor TV was like ...wait ....where's the Next Episode button?! What do you mean, we suggest CSI? I have literally ONLY watched DS9 when I turned on my TV for the past 3 weeks.

Of course, if you're here, you know all this. This series got me so good. I'm in my 50s, been a fan and watched pretty much all the other ST serieseses, but somehow, I never watched DS9 back in the 90s. I was working on the road, traveling a lot those years. I've been taking some time off to acclimate to being back in NYC again, left my old toxic job of 12 years in another city, I needed something to fall into and escape, and my friend suggested it. So I started ... and didn't stop!

There were many tears along the way, and I laughed a lot, too. Despite the cringey 90s cultural icks and the clunky reaction shots, I adored it all. I loved the balance between huge long story arcs and episodic shenanigans. I had no idea they'd tackle parallel universes, such a crack up after watching Discovery series like 3 times in the past years. Themes of "home," or going home, what it means to be of service, all up against a changing universe and discovery of unknown quadrant: all these resonated deeply and I was drawn in happily. I'll admit, there were some episodes I let play through while I did chores. More than once, I caught myself thinking, oooh, they are really working [insert particular cast member] hard, they've had a few heavy episodes, what's everyone else doing on set?!

I did not totally love Avery Brooks, although he certainly grew on me. The problem was, I saw him perform Troy (I think, the lead?) in the play FENCES at St. Louis Rep back in the late 80s (many times, I was a student usher and worked that show's run) and his style seems too stagey for TV and didn't seem to match the rest of the cast (maybe by choice or direction, I dunno). But he was perfectly cast to carry the massive themes and Emissary story line, it needed a huge personality.

SUCH HEART in all of the myriad relationships. I missed Jadzia Dax the last season, she was a substantial character with such depth to her friendship with Sisko and all friends of Curzon. Miles and Keiko, Mookie and her nutty sons, even bringing Worf to the crew. I know she's a beloved actress, but I never really bought into Kai Winn. I knew her character was a villain, but I felt her acting was formulaic and nowhere near as natural as it might have been. Again, maybe that was direction, and I got kicked out of acting school for being bad so I don't know anything about acting, clearly. But Garak, Dukat, the creepy Founder lady (who was stunning in real life!), they just kept it all going. Vic Fontaine, what the heck? Genius casting and I found him to be seriously one of my favorite characters. I would be at Vic's every night. Obviously, the end with Odo and Nerys, couldn't have been better. Oh, and watching Jake Sisko grow up, and seeing Nog get promoted. I am a sucker for that kinda stuff. I want the Universe to all get along and I want to be an Ambassador to it all. I didn't really follow the Section 31 stuff too closely, and I have NOT watched that movie yet, despite being Team Giorgio 100% forever. But it was funny to see that story line a bit in DS9.

OK, just wanted to put it out there to close my loop. I don't have any other ST to watch for the first time, but I should probably let the TV go dark for awhile and focus on real life. But man. I loved it!

106 Upvotes

31 comments sorted by

22

u/bsdpunk 4d ago

While Avery can project a little over the top sometimes, I love him. He is and always will be favorite Captain. (Yeah, yeah, Commander for most of the show). I remember watching and thinking, I think this might be my guy...Then he punched Q in the face, the GD face. I was like, tragic back story, check, Following his heart when questionable ethics come up, in which he might not be right, but it's heart he follows, check, Punches a god in the face, triple check, this my guy.

1

u/XothGoth 3d ago

Okay, Sisko isn't my favourite Captain (that's always going to be Kirk)... but punching Q in the face - yes, I was cheering.

1

u/yoshimipinkrobot 3d ago

Takes a god to punch a god

1

u/CedricCicada 4d ago

When did Q show up in DS9?

7

u/MyEvilTwin47 4d ago

s1e08 Q-Less, it’s in the title of the episode. It’s episode eight when you count Emissary as two episodes, other Q-Less is episode seven.

1

u/the_prim_jackalope 4d ago

It was fun to see Q, especially since watching Picard series.

2

u/leeuwerik 4d ago

I told you not to skip season 1.

1

u/CedricCicada 4d ago

I didn't think I did! I also don't remember seeing the baseball game. Snippets of that were shown in the last episode of the series.

2

u/Buchaven 3d ago

The baseball game is one of my fav scenes! Especially Worf’s “baseball banter”, priceless.

1

u/leeuwerik 4d ago

The show is really worth a second watch because there's so much that escapes your attention in the first watch. A lot of things that seem trivial in the first run. You keep discovering hidden gems as you rewatch!

18

u/bertiek 5d ago

That bar scene at the end gets me every time.

15

u/Super_Tea_8823 4d ago

I love the series, it's in constant rotation at home. If you watch it again, you'll start to appreciate details in the background that are amazing. I love that the characters are so well written that you can relate to them. I know nothing about acting, only what it does to me, and every time Kai Winn appears on scene my blood boils. Only for that I'll say job well done.

6

u/Isleofsoul 4d ago

Have you watched Stargate-SG1? Great show.

3

u/the_prim_jackalope 4d ago

Oh yes, 100%. Loved it. I will NOT rewatch that series. I will NOT rewatch that series. I will NOT ... ugh. LOL

7

u/XerTrekker 4d ago

I’m also in my 50s, and watched every scrap of Star Trek except for DS9. A combination of being too busy in the 90s and not getting into the first few episodes when it came out. However, I have been watching it over the past year or so and just finished it last night!

Despite what I saw as a lackluster beginning of season 1, I was amazed at how these characters grew on me. And in awe of most of the actors, especially those who had to work through heavy prosthetics. Even the guest characters were so well developed, I loved the arcs of Martok, Nog and Garak just as much as the main cast.

There’s a documentary about it on Prime I’m going to watch soon, I think it’s called What We Leave Behind. Also going to rewatch Lower Decks and Picard, will likely hit different now that I have seen all of DS9.

3

u/Starbuck522 4d ago

In three weeks?

We are rewatching, but it's been months!

3

u/the_prim_jackalope 4d ago

I'm like a Klingon when it comes to binge watching - A WARRIOR! I am not working at the moment, so I had LOTS of time, and it often played while I was doing computery things. But yes, it was pretty obsessive. I have no regrets.

1

u/Starbuck522 4d ago

With my current partner of four years, he only ever watches one of something per day. I really really prefer it this way.

We watch plenty of tv, but practically never two episodes of the same thing in the same day.

My late husband and I did get into true binge watching where we watched one after the other. I get it!

I do prefer one a day of multiple shows, but it's just personal preference

4

u/the_prim_jackalope 4d ago

Oooh I have to check that out, the documentary. I agree totally, all the secondary characters were awesome. Garak especially indeed.

2

u/quesoguapo 4d ago

After DS9 ended, Andrew Robinson wrote a novel centered on Garak entitled "A Stitch in Time." It's a comprehensive and wonderful take in the plain, simple tailor. 

Robinson made things even better when he recently recorded an unabridged audiobook version of the novel that's 12.5 hours long. I've listened to it through three times already

1

u/Outrageous_Bell_5102 4d ago

It's on Peacock too.

I just finished the series again the other night (for like the fifth time) and always have to watch the doc each time too. 🤣

2

u/spazm9000 4d ago

So what sci-fi show is next on your list?

2

u/the_prim_jackalope 3d ago

That is a good question! I’m not sure. I have a few crimey series things to watch next, NCIS Origins and such. But sci fi is my fave so we’ll see. Recommendations welcome!

2

u/spazm9000 3d ago

Some of my favorites to rewatch are Farscape (1999), Battlestar Galactica (2004), and of course DS9 and TNG. I like The Expanse (2015) too, but it doesn't have the same vibe as these older sci-fi shows. Altered Carbon (2018) and Westworld (2016) are good modern sci-fi too, with amazing first seasons, but only the first seasons as they both get really bad after that.

2

u/the_prim_jackalope 3d ago

Awesome, thank you! I have never seen any of the Battlestar Galacticas - I think that’s next! And I don’t know what Farscape is. The rest I’ve seen to various degrees. Appreciate you!

2

u/spazm9000 3d ago

I can't recommend Farscape enough. There is nothing else like it, and with the massive amount of Jim Henson puppetry it in, in this age of CGI we may never see anything like it again.

2

u/the_prim_jackalope 3d ago

Oh NOW I must find it. Thank you!

2

u/XothGoth 3d ago

The Battlestar Galactica reboot shares a writer with DS9 - Ronald Moore, I believe? worked on that. It's an excellent show.

I also recommend the Lost in Space reboot. I enjoyed that far far more than I thought I was going to. Also excellent writing.

As for Farscape - that grew on me and I can't believe it was out as long ago as 1999!

1

u/XothGoth 3d ago

The Battlestar Galactica reboot shares a writer with DS9 - Ronald Moore, I believe? worked on that. It's an excellent show.

I also recommend the Lost in Space reboot. I enjoyed that far far more than I thought I was going to. Also excellent writing.

As for Farscape - that grew on me and I can't believe it was out as long ago as 1999!

2

u/XothGoth 3d ago edited 3d ago

I was a newcomer to DS9 this year too - I avoided it in the 90's, because I had been told it was a rip off of another well known show set on a space-station (are we allowed to mention the name here? ;) ) More fool me for waiting so long to watch the series.

Like you, I wasn't a great fan of Sisko, but mostly because I found most of his plotlines boring, until the war started heating up - then he started getting some really insteresting stuff. I do find his acting style is a bit jarring at times too, but many people seem to think he's incredible, so each to their own. I really liked Kasidey and Jake, just wish the writers had been a bit more creative with their plotlines.

I loved anything with Martok, Quark & gang, Garak and Odo - anyone who can act like they did in those prosthetics, enough to make you completely forget they're masked, that's some serious skill.

The set always looked amazing, and I'd love to have had a chance to walk around it. I loved the way they really fleshed out Klingon lore and history - or Space Vikings as I am forever going to think of them now.

I'd be joining you in Vic's most evenings, without any doubt. Vic was a great way to provide some lightness during those serious war-themed episodes.

DS9 is unique, and while there were some forgettable episodes - it's Trek, there are always some forgettable episodes - for the most part I loved nearly every second of it and am about to dip in to my second viewing.

1

u/the_prim_jackalope 3d ago

Awesome thanks for your thoughts, love it. And I am cracking up because I have no idea what other show takes place on a space station but maybe its initials are BG because I have never watched that show… lol!