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DS9: PRODUCTION NOTES
The third Star Trek television series, DEEP SPACE NINE
(DS9), is named for the space station on which it is set. It is the first Star Trek series not created by Gene Roddenberry, which may explain why it has come to be known as the 'dark' Star Trek, as its subject matter is somewhat lacking the usual Roddenberry-influenced 'optimism'. DS9's pilot, The Emissary first aired in 1992, and the final episode capped off the seventh season in May 1999, leaving a total compliment of 176 episodes --> in the DS9 legacy.
CAST -- STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE
| ACTOR |
CHARACTER
[CLICK HERE FOR BIOS] --> |
ROLE |
| Avery Brooks |
Benjamin Sisko |
Commander -> Captain |
| Rene Auberjonois |
Constable Odo (Shape-shifter/Founder) |
Chief of Security |
| Alexander Siddig (was Siddig El Fadil) |
Dr. Julian Bashir |
Chief Medical Officer |
| Terry Farrell |
Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax (Trill
host-died 6th season) |
Science Officer |
| Michael Dorn |
Lieutenant Commander Worf (Klingon) |
Command Officer |
| Cirroc Lofton |
Jake Sisko |
Captain's son; aspiring writer |
| Colm Meaney |
Miles O'Brien |
Chief Operations Officer |
| Armin Shimerman |
Quark (Ferengi) |
Bar Owner |
| Nana Visitor |
Major Kira Nerys (Bajoran) |
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| Nicole deBoer |
Ensign Ezri Dax (Trill
host-7th season) |
Science Officer |
Other Recurring Characters:
Marc Alaimo -- Gul Dukat (Cardassian)
Philip Anglim -- Vedek Bareil (Bajoran Priest; character died)
Rosalind Chao -- Keiko O'Brien (Miles' wife)
Aron Eisenberg -- Nog (Ferengi - Rom's son)
Louise Fletcher -- Kai Wynn (Bajoran High Priestess)
Max Grodenchik -- Rom (Ferengi - Quark's brother)
J.G. Hertzler -- General Martok (Klingon Fleet Commander)
Penny Johnson -- Kassidy Yates (Captain Sisko's lady)
Chase Masterson -- Leeta (Bajoran - now Rom's wife)
Andrew Robinson -- Garak (Cardassian and Station's 'Tailor')
Melanie Smith -- Ziyal (Cardassian/Bajoran - now Garak's lady)
see Simon's
Pages --> for further listings
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DS9: SETTING
This series is set contemporaneously with The Next Generation in the 24th century. Deep Space 9 was originally a Cardassian-built space station named Terok Nor. The Cardassians placed Terok Nor in orbit around Bajor during their military occupation of the planet. Following Bajor's liberation, Terok Nor became property of Bajor.
Because of the weakened state of the newly liberated Bajor, the Bajoran government recruited the Federation to assist in its restoration and defense. Cmdr. Benjamin Sisko begrudgingly headed the Federation team to Bajor, which took up residence in the space station, now renamed Deep Space 9 (DS9). Almost immediately, a 'Wormhole' in space was discovered nearby, which proved to be a travel conduit connecting the galaxy's Alpha and Gamma Quadrants [see map -->].
Due to the strategic importance of the Wormhole, DS9 was subsequently moved to close proximity in order to act as a sentry station of the Wormhole. Eventually, a formidable foe, named The Dominion, was encountered on the other side of the wormhole. As of this writing, the Dominion aligned with the Cardassians, and together are proving to be a constant agitation to the residents of DS9...
The space station has a central community area called the Promenade Deck, where we find Quark's Bar. Other commonly seen places aboard the station are The Bridge, Sick Bay, crews' quarters, cargo holds, and the Security Chief's office.
DS9: ALIENS
The Klingons are as prominent in DS9 as they are in TNG, sometimes as aggressors, sometimes as allies. The Romulans also appear, but not as frequently as The Klingons. Three races introduced in TNG are strongly represented in DS9: Bajorans, Ferengi, and Cardassians.
| Race |
Home Planet |
Characteristics |
| Bajorans |
Bajor |
Known for their intense spirituality. They have ridged-noses and wear a chain earring connecting from the top to the lobe of their left ear. They often wrestle with the scars of 70 years military oppression under the Cardassians. |
| Cardassians |
Cardassia Prime |
People of a recently defeated military empire. They have reptilian necks and spoon-ridged foreheads. |
| Ferengi |
Ferenginar |
Known for their male-dominated, commerce-driven culture. They are generally short of stature, with high, hairless craniums, and huge ears. Financial profit and unabashed greed are their most noted characteristics, and they often refer to their Rules of Acquisition as a code of conduct. |
New to the DS9 alien set are the residents of the Gamma Quadrant, who are also the three races making up The Dominion: The Founders, The Vorta, and the Jem-Hadar. Little is known of their homeworlds.
| Race |
Characteristics |
| Founders |
Also called 'Shape-shifters', whose race Odo of DS9 belongs. These are the leaders of The Dominion. As their byname suggests, they are able to take on the shape of any solid object (including lifeforms), and often camouflage themselves this way. Their natural state is a liquid form, and they reside on their homeworld in 'The Link', a communal ocean. They are highly distrustful of 'solids' (corporeal lifeforms). |
| Vorta |
A pointy-eared race (much moreso than Vulcans), whose lives are dedicated to worship and serve The Founders on a diplomatic level. |
| Jem Hadar |
A genetically-engineered warrior race, whose faces are framed by short, bony spikes. They are extremely aggressive, and their lives are dedicated to worship and serve the Founders on a military level. They are also dependent on 'White', a drug dispensed by the Vorta, for their longevity. |
The Maquis (pronounced "mah-KEE" ... no 'r'), though not a race per se, should be noted here. They are a multi-racial, underground, pseudo-terrorist alliance, who fight against the colonization/occupation of their homeworlds by the Cardassians. The Maquis are often a bane to the Federation as well, who for the sake of a peace treaty, agreed that Cardassian space encompasses many of the Maquis' homeworlds.
DS9: UNIVERSE
Explored space now is a little past 20-degrees to either side of Earth. Bajor lies near the far reaches of explored space in the Alpha Quadrant. As noted above, a Wormhole, or space/time tunnel, was recently discovered near Bajor. The Wormhole enables a traveler to cover a distance of nearly 90,000 light-years between the Alpha and Gamma Quadrants in only minutes. It is also known to the Bajorans as The Celestial Temple, home of their venerated Prophets.
Unlike the previous two Star Trek television series, Deep Space Nine is not primarily involved with exploring new regions and discovering new races of the galaxy. DS9 is a stationary, defensive outpost, so much of the series' drama unfolds within that context.
 There is a starship, The Defiant, stationed on DS9, but this is basically used for military defense rather than space exploration. From time to time, Runabouts are taken on near-space exploratory excursions.
DS9: TECHNOLOGY
In my observation, there is no 'new' technology introduced in this series. Compared to the previous two series, Deep Space Nine is lighter on technology. Though holo-suites, replicators, transporters, etc. are mentioned frequently, they seem less integral to the plots.
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