1992: Birth of Deep Space Nine

In 1992, Paramount is noting that the good times enjoyed by Star Trek: The Next Generation cannot continue forever. If not for falling viewership, then by the steadily increasing production costs of the show (which was reportedly over 3 million per episode in the final seventh season). Paramount needs a new show based on Star Trek, and Rick Berman / Michael Piller was called upon to create a new show.

The creative process took a while to solidify. In the first draft, the show was about an outpost on Bajor itself, with the doctor Julian Amoros and Ensign Ro dealing with problems on Bajor as well as the occasional visiting aliens. However, this by definition requires a lot of outdoor scenes, which costs more and cannot really be done on a soundstage. Since a ship is done in Next Generation, that leaves the space station.

The commander took a while to find, and Brandon Tartikoff suggested the show to be "Rifleman in space", similar to the original description Gene Roddenberry gave for Star Trek, "Wagon Train to the Stars". (For those not familiar with American television, both Rifleman and Wagon Train were Westerns, shows featuring the American West era.) The Commander will have a child, but no mate, to keep the story line open. The second-in-command will be conflicting with the commander, and practically requires a Bajoran, with a different agenda.

To keep the roles familiar, a doctor, a science officer, and an engineer were quickly added. The doctor is basically the opposite of the Classic Trek's Dr.McCoy, who's old and know it all. The new doctor will be young and brash and knows little about the real life, but was sure s/he can handle it. The science officer should be an alien, and the first draft called for someone from a low-gravity planet, who can only move around in a wheelchair on the station. As for the engineer, Miles O'Brien, with his ready made family, was a natural pick. He was long overdue for a promotion, and the starring role will is only fair to Colm Meaney, a great actor.

Now the problems goes to creating a community that was in space, and a security chief was quickly added, and to be his foil, an owner of a bar, where the dark side dwells was added as well. The result was Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, a Star Trek show based on a space station, next to a wormhole, next to planet Bajor. Instead of a ship travelling to the various aliens, the aliens will come to the station, next to a wormhole that leads to the other side of the galaxy.

Why the title? The truth is, Rick Berman can't think of anything better. They thought about Final Frontier, but that's the worst Star Trek movie ever. They don't want to call it Starbase 362, and finally Berman proposed "Deep Space Nine". As no one can think of anything better, the title stuck.

In the beginning there were grave doubts from the fans. Can a Star Trek show without a ship still be Star Trek? To assuage such fears, Paramount originally planned for Ro Laren, the Bajoran ensign to be one of the lead characters in the show. However, when Michelle Forbes, who plays Ro Laren, did not with to take the role, the role was offered to Nana Visitor, and the character was changed to Major Kira Nerys. There was also no doubt that several Next Generation characters will guest star on Deep Space Nine.

The first episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was shown on various syndicated stations in October 1992. It was not quite a hit as Paramount has hoped, and it has not matched Next Generation in first-run ratings, but it is still consistently among the top syndicated dramatic series, occasionally trading places with Baywatch.

In 1993, Star Trek: The Next Generation marked its final episode. The crew will go on to make movies, and Deep Space Nine will carry on the torch, but there is help on the horizon. Another Star Trek series is on the drawing board, and this may be the boldest adventure of them all...

 

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Star Trek Nexus Deep Space Nine section

 

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