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The underrated Star Trek: why you should watch Deep Space Nine

DS9 is having a resurgence because it’s set in a bifurcated world, much like our own – and it’s one of the smartest things ever to come out of mainstream sci-fi

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W edged between the operatic, trailblazing perfection of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the charming (yet wildly inconsistent) Star Trek: Voyager, Deep Space Nine was at an immediate disadvantage. Where were all the ships? The voyages? The jefferies tubes, dammit? Why would we want to watch a dialogue-heavy drama set on a badly lit space station?

But Deep Space Nine is like The Americans in space, or a le Carré cold war novel set in the dying embers of a horrific occupation. It’s about racial tension, religious fundamentalism and newfound faith. It is, hands down, one of the smartest things ever to come out of mainstream science fiction.

Here’s the turbolift pitch: Cardassia – a militaristic race with bumpy heads and few scruples – have ceded occupation of Bajor, a highly spiritual and scrappy planet. Terok Nor, a Cardassian space station floating above the planet, is renamed Deep Space Nine. Bajor wants to avoid being invaded again, so they ask the Federation for membership.

Starfleet commander Benjamin Sisko (played by Avery Brooks) is assigned to manage the station. When he arrives, a wormhole opens between Bajor and the far-flung Gamma quadrant, making the planet suddenly strategically vital. But wait! The Bajoran’s gods, the Prophets, live in the wormhole, and Sisko is made their emissary – and that’s just the first episode!

“The show looked forward,” says Nana Visitor, who plays Kira Nerys, the brilliant and fiery Bajoran liaison officer assigned to Deep Space Nine. “And it stands up! And I think that’s why there’s a resurgence. People watch, and go … holy shit! This is what we’re going through right now! Nothing has changed!”

Kira is one of a truly stellar cast of characters who jettison the profound but sometimes flattened ethos of Starfleet in favour of unprecedented moral messiness. Miles O’Brien (Colm Meaney), the friendly Irish transporter guy from Next Gen, shows up and becomes one of Trek’s best characters, hands down. (He’s a union man, dammit.) Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) is the arrogant, effete medical officer whose unfolding friendship with a mysterious Cardassian tailor, Garak (Andrew Robinson) takes viewers to some truly incredible places. We meet Dax (Terry Farrell), who is a Trill, a species that gives Doctor Who a run for its money. There’s Odo (the late, great Rene Auberjonois), the station’s chief of security and a shapeshifter whose origins become a major plot point later on. And there’s Odo’s nemesis, Quark (Armin Shimerman), the Ferengi bartender. In a franchise which presents humans as post-capitalist idealists, the Ferengi are a truly complex, hilarious and disturbing portrait of a society built solely around money.

I ask Shimerman why people should give the show a shot. “Watch us for the performances,” he says. “Watch it for really good acting. And what makes good acting? Good writing. Watch it for the writing. Many pooh-poohed Trek because they thought it was all about the phasers, and starships … yes, we have that! But our show is really about social issues. Watch it to inspire a philosophical discussion.”

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Deep Space Nine resonates now because it is set in a bifurcated world, much like our own. “Deep Space Nine is not about solving the problems of the world every 46 minutes,” Shimerman says. “But rather, how do people live together who don’t like each other, but have to? Have to form alliances, in order to survive, to just get through life?”

Admittedly, many viewers get thrown off early. The first season treads a lot of the same ground as the other Star Trek shows. But right near the season one finale, Deep Space Nine reveals its true face, before diving into dark, deep philosophical waters. It’s possible to come away from certain episodes and story arcs feeling almost physically winded. The show-runners brilliantly seed impending plotlines well before they emerge, and pull off some staggering twists, drawing in major players from the Trek universe to tell stories which, frankly, often put the rest of Trek to shame.

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The significance of having a black Starfleet captain, a single father, stationed in the middle of simmering racial tensions is one of Deep Space Nine’s greatest strengths. Sisko, throughout the show’s tenure, becomes as potent a Trek captain as Jean-Luc Picard at his zenith, bringing a true cinematic heft to his performance. And Deep Space Nine has, more so than any other Trek show, a sense of place. You’ll come to crave the promenade, miss the hiss of the turbolift and long to enter Sisko’s office again, and have him swivel around to greet you, tossing a baseball in the air.

Miraculously, we’ve been given the chance to return to this world. There’s a brilliant new comic series that explores the fates of some key characters, and the excellent animated series The Lower Decks is set five years after the finale of Deep Space Nine; Visitor and Shimerman made their triumphant return as Kira and Quark too. “Kira is always just off stage left for me,” Visitor says. “All the conversations I’ve had over the years, hearing what she meant to other people, trying to explain to them what she meant to me … makes her very fresh and alive in my head.”

As we wrap up our call, she elegantly sums up why Deep Space Nine is worth watching. “It was in a franchise that was travelling out to discover other worlds, and we had the nerve to say, wait a minute. The journey from here … ” she gestures at her head, “to here … ” and she draws her finger down to her heart. “That journey? That’s quite a journey. Let’s focus on that one.”

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Why 'deep space nine' is the best 'star trek' series.

It's been 30 years since Captain Sisko first appeared on our TVs. Let's show him some love.

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Solid star trek from beginning to end, it moves beyond the confines of starfleet, it challenges gene roddenberry's star trek ethic, stellar main cast, compelling recurring characters, the perfect combination of episodic and serialized storytelling, final thoughts.

Since the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation, fans have debated which series is best. But it seems that most Trekkies can't distinguish "my favorite" from "the best." In honor of the 30th anniversary of Deep Space Nine, here are all the reasons why DS9 is the best of the franchise.

Opinions incoming, Captain! In explaining why I believe Deep Space Nine is the best series, I necessarily mention that I don't enjoy some other series--probably some you like. Please remember that I'm not attacking you personally, nor am I disparaging the actors, writers, and producers of lesser Trek series. Live long and prosper.

The best argument that Deep Space Nine is the best Star Trek series is its consistent quality. And I don't mean to say it maintains the same quality from seasons one to seven. I mean that it is consistently good television. There are no stinker seasons of Deep Space Nine. Moreover, each season is better than the last. And by the time you reach season seven, nearly every episode is top-tier Trek.

DS9 is the only series in the franchise to pull off this feat. Season three of the original series is generally considered to be of lesser quality than the first two. The inaugural season of Star Trek: The Next Generation is unwatchable, even for die-hard Trekkies like myself. Season two gets better, but TNG doesn't get good until the third season. The final season of Next Gen is hit-and-miss as far as quality stories go. Star Trek: Voyager starts strong but falters after the third season and remains a rocky affair until the end of the series. And Enterprise only really found its footing during its fourth season right before it was abruptly canceled.

I think that this consistent quality was the result of the producers of Star Trek hitting peak performance in the mid-1990s. The original films had just wrapped up, all the bugs of making a new series were worked out in The Next Generation, and the writers and producers knew what worked in Star Trek and what didn't. This was the sweet spot in the history of the franchise. They had all the talent, drive, and experience going for them before the Next Generation era began to run out of gas with Enterprise and films like Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: Nemesis.

Keep in mind that the seasons I'm talking about are all at least 20 episodes long. That could be two or even three seasons of a contemporary television series. So to write off entire seasons of a show like this is saying quite a bit. But, if there's one thing Star Trek fans know is that there is a lot of bad Trek. So, having a complete series (176 episodes) with no seasons that you can just skip because they're so bad is a rare thing, indeed.

Related: What to Watch Before 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Premieres on Paramount+

And don't even get me started on Star Trek Universe (Trek produced from 2017 onward). To my mind, there are only one and a half seasons of watchable television in the streaming era. I enjoyed about half of the episodes of the first season of Star Trek: Discovery, but the rest is unbelievably bad. Picard is an unadulterated violation of the Star Trek franchise (maybe season three will be better, but I'm keeping my guard up ). Star Trek: Lower Decks is not funny, and I gave up after the first season. I haven't watched Prodigy, so I can't speak to that series. However, the first season of Strange New Worlds was a refreshing return to form, and I hope it continues to build on what's working in that series.

[Editor-in-Chief's note]  I, too, want to write Danny a nasty email for writing such atrocities as "Lower Decks is not funny" and not giving Prodigy a chance. I refer you back to the warning at the beginning of this article and say, "to each their own." Hold off on the emails, and let's agree that Star Trek is fine television, even if we don't love every episode or every series. [/note]

The main thing that distinguishes Deep Space Nine from the rest of the Star Trek series is its settings. Every other incarnation of the franchise takes the place of a Federation starship. DS9 switches it up by placing the series on a space station, but it's not a Federation starbase. Rather it's a repurposed Cardassian station that served as the headquarters for the occupation and subjugation of the planet Bajor. A departure that great from the series that preceded it opened up Deep Space Nine to an entire universe of stories that were simply unavailable to the starships Enterprise.

The original Star Trek and The Next Generation's premise revolved around Starfleet and its officers. Their casts were almost all humans, with an alien (or half-alien) character or two thrown in for flavor. In Deep Space Nine, more than half of the main characters were non-human--and just as many were not Starfleet officers (six of ten in both cases). This expansion both retained the familiar and loved ethic of Starfleet and injected more nuanced and diverse ways of doing things, allowing for more intense storytelling, character development, and a more detailed look at the fictional universe Star Trek operates in.

Related: What We're Watching: Let's Watch 'Star Trek: Voyager' Again to Remember Janeway

But that doesn't mean that Deep Space Nine abandoned the mission to explore strange new worlds and seek out new life and new civilizations. In due course, Deep Space Nine got its own Federation starship, the U.S.S. Defiant. And while it was built as a battleship, there's plenty of exciting exploration and new civilizations in the series. One of the central premises of the show is the Bajoran wormhole that transports starships to the distant Gamma Quadrant, with lots of new territories to explore. It's basically a fresh start to a galaxy that, up until this point, has been dominated by Klingons, Romulans, Ferrengi, and other familiar faces.

Since at least the beginning of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the franchise operated under Gene Roddenberry's vision of a future free of war, poverty, greed, interpersonal conflict, and all the rest of the flaws humanity now suffers from. By the 24th century, humankind had perfected itself in its journey to the stars.

It's debatable whether or not this ethic was present in the original series. For example, the idea that the Federation had done away with money didn't appear until Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, 20 years after the franchise premiere. But this notion of a perfected human race was at the heart of The Next Generation from the very beginning. And in a line from the film Star Trek: First Contact, Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) explains the future succinctly to a resident of the 21st century:

"The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives. We work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity."

And it drove the writers bonkers. There were many constraints on how characters could interact with each other, chief among them being no interpersonal conflict. This is a big reason why everyone gets along so famously in TNG. The Hollywood writers who were so accustomed to personal tension being at the very heart of storytelling had to develop new ways of telling stories.

However, this concept did serve an essential storytelling purpose beyond Roddenberry's vision of utopia. It allowed the humans exploring the galaxy to encounter alien races that were experiencing similar problems that humans now face and examine them from an outside perspective. It's this form of allegorical storytelling that gives Star Trek its most potent and long-lasting impact.

On the other hand, if humans are perfect, there's really no way for them to grow and change as characters. And it eliminates many different types of stories that the writers could tell if they could just let Commander Riker have a short temper or allow Geordi La Forge to have a drinking problem.

Plus, it doesn't actually make much sense. Could humans really live without conflict, war, racism, poverty, and the rest? Many of the writers didn't think so. And with so many non-human characters in Deep Space Nine (and Gene Roddenberry dead), they felt comfortable pushing the boundaries of the Federation utopia. Characters that were once always affable suddenly became more sullen. Instead of a smiling Starfleet first officer happily commanding his lieutenants, you get an angry war-weary Bajoran former terrorist running the show. And rather than literally penniless Federation citizens going about their comfortable lives, you get arch-capitalist Ferrengi always looking to make more latinum.

Related: What We're Playing: 'Star Trek Timelines' Free-to-Play in the Final Frontier

Perhaps the most significant push against Roddenberry's vision is the seasons-long Dominion War arc. Would a perfected human race do what needed to be done to defeat an enemy that's bent on their destruction without violating the core ethics that got them to the stars in the first place? Deep Space Nine answers that question. Moreover, Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) delivers a direct rebuke to Captain Picard's sunny disposition on humanity's condition.

"Do you know what the trouble is? The trouble is Earth. On Earth, there is no poverty, no crime, no war. You look out the window of Starfleet Headquarters, and you see paradise. It's easy to be a saint in paradise."

And while the challenge to Roddenberry's vision is a central theme in Deep Space Nine, I think Star Trek meets it head-on. Not everything survives, but the Federation and its principles emerge from the series mostly intact.

While there are no bad casts in all of Star Trek, the main character roster of Deep Space Nine stands out for its uniqueness. There are no one-dimensional or stock characters in the DS9 lineup. Each character and their actors bring something genuinely unique to the show. In other series, most characters share much of the same background--being in Starfleet. And while that's not necessarily a bad thing, the breath of character types in Deep Space Nine still hasn't been matched by any other series in the franchise.

Avery Brooks as Benjamin Sisko : Of all the captain characters in Star Trek, Benjamin Sisko was the first not start off the series with that rank. Rather, he held the rank of commander for the show's first three seasons. This is part of his character arc, which is arguably the most complete of any Trek captain. Furthermore, he began the series without even knowing if he wanted to remain in Starfleet. Throughout the course of the show, Sisko grows from a grieving, angry widower into a strong commander who finds new love and becomes a critical figure in the history of the Federation and Bajor. And Brooks' handling of the character in "In the Pale Moonlight" is nothing short of a tour de force.

René Auberjonois as Odo : Odo is the first non-humanoid character to be featured as a main character in Star Trek. He's a liquid-based shapeshifter who takes on the form of a solid humanoid being to fit in with the rest of the DS9 crew. At the beginning of the series, his origins are unknown but are slowly revealed as the seasons progress. Odo's arc focuses mainly on his conflict regarding how different he is from the rest of the station crew and that he must choose between his comrades and his people when war breaks out.

Related: Why 'The Undiscovered Country' is the Best 'Star Trek' Film

Alexander Siddig as Julian Bashir : DS9's chief medical officer chose his post because he felt it would be the most challenging. He starts the series as arrogant and disrespectful, but he mellows over the seasons and discovers lasting friendships with Miles O'Brien and Garak (more on them in a minute). He also carries a deep secret revealed in later seasons and grapples with the horrors of war and his search for love.

Terry Farrell as Jadzia Dax : While Odo is truly the first non-humanoid main character in Starfleet, Jadzia Dax could also qualify for that distinction--at least half. Her character is a Trill, meaning she's actually two life forms in one. In her belly, she carries what Star Trek refers to as a "symbiont," a slug-like creature that's millennia old and has lived in other host Trills. When Jadzia received the Dax symbiont, she gained the knowledge and memories of all the previous hosts. One of the earlier hosts was very good friends with Benjamin Sisko. Jadzia's arc centers on what it means to live an extremely long time and ultimately face death.

Cirroc Lofton as Jake Sisko : Ben Sisko's young son is a welcome addition to the Deep Space Nine cast. You could consider him DS9's answer to Wesley Crusher from The Next Generation. Fans of Next Gen didn't universally accept Wesley because they saw him as a Mary Sue (a character with no flaws that constantly saves the day). Jake is not that in the least. And his presence on Deep Space Nine contributes to the show's themes of family (with his father) and friendship (with Nog) and provides a years-long coming-of-age tale that ultimately sees him take on the universe on his own.

Colm Meany as Miles O'Brien : One of the things that Deep Space Nine does best is to take fan-favorite characters from The Next Generation and build on their stories. We first met O'Brien in the first episode of The Next Generation, and he served on the Enterprise as the transporter chief. In Deep Space Nine, he is the equivalent of a starship chief engineer. He also has a family and two young children. The O'Briens are unique among Star Trek clans as they are the only intact nuclear family to be portrayed long-term throughout a series. (Wesley Crusher and Jake Sisko both had one dead parent during the shows they were in).

Armin Shimerman as Quark : If there's any character in the main cast of Deep Space Nine that challenges Gene Roddenberry's vision for the future most, it's Quark. When the Ferrengi were introduced in The Next Generation, Data described them as "Yankee Traders" whose only goal in life was to seek profit and acquisition. And while Quark is portrayed throughout the series as an amoral trader that's out for his own interests, he often brings a sense of balance and charm to that role. By the end of the series, you will better understand the Ferrengi and maybe sympathize with their point of view--if not agree with it.

Related: The Coolest 'Star Trek' Stuff on Amazon

Nana Vistor as Kira Nerys : The Bajoran people are at the heart of Deep Space Nine, as it's their planet the station orbits in the first episode. Major Kira serves as the embodiment of the race throughout the series. As a former freedom fighter and terrorist, she has to come to grips with what it means to finally be free. Moreover, she exudes the deep spirituality of her religious beliefs, something not often depicted in Star Trek.

Michael Dorn as Worf : The addition of Worf to the cast in the show's fourth season was an amazing gift to fans who had watched The Next Generation. In that series, Worf served as chief of security on the Enterprise. And while he was a fan favorite, his role was often reduced to making brutish, violent suggestions that got shot down. In Deep Space Nine, Worf came into his own and grew as a character. And during the Dominion War arc, his nature as a warrior came to true fruition as it could be explored in far more detail than in The Next Generation.

Nicole de Boer as Ezri Dax : (SPOILER ALERT) Jadzia isn't the only Dax on the show. After the sixth season, Terry Farrell left the series, and her part needed to be recast. Luckily for the show's writers, the Dax symbiont can transfer hosts. When Ezri receives Jadzia's memories and experiences, she has to struggle with having to take her place. And though she's only around for a single season, Ezri is an integral part of the series and serves as an epilogue to Jadzia's character arc.

It's not just the main cast that makes Deep Space Nine stand out among Trek series. The show has a deep bench of recurring characters that play a pivotal role in the overall narrative. In other Trek shows, side characters only show up occasionally, usually just once, then they're gone.

Critical side characters include Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo), the former commander of Deep Space Nine when it was in Cardassian hands. He is the perfect foil for Sisko and remains one of the most nuanced and compelling villains in all of Star Trek. Another Cardassian of note is the former spy-turned-tailor Garak played by Andrew J. Robinson (who may as well have been a main character, given how often he appears). He adds an air of mystery and deceit to the show whenever he's on-screen and plays a crucial part in some of the series' most poignant stories.

Additionally, when the Dominion War begins, the show introduces many war-themed characters, including the genocidal female changeling from Odo's home planet. Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs) is a character who is actually a series of clones who can replace each other when one gets killed. General Martok (J. G. Hertzler) leads the Klingon offensive in the fight against dominion. And Damar, who is Dukat's right-hand man throughout the war but ends up becoming one of the most heroic figures of Star Trek.

Until this point in the franchise, Star Trek had an almost purely episodic affair. Sure, there were a few two-parters in The Next Generation, and sometimes popular side characters returned. But, generally speaking, you can pop in any episode of the original series and Next Generation and enjoy them without knowing what happened in the previous episodes.

Compare that to now, when most stories in Star Trek are season-long serials. You can't just sit down and watch an episode of season three of Star Trek: Discovery and understand what's happening without acquainting yourself with all the show's events prior to that episode.

Both storytelling methods have their strengths and weaknesses, but Deep Space Nine combines both in a way that hasn't been replicated in the rest of Trek. However, it is somewhat present in the first season of Strange New Worlds (and maybe Lower Decks, but Deep Space Nine does it best).

Related: What to Watch Before 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Season Three

Again, it all comes down to the Dominion War arc. In starting that war between the Federation and the Dominion, the writers introduced a sense of severe consequence to the events of any particular episode, as they would likely impact the rest of the show. And it all culminated in a 10-part finale that saw Sisko and crew finally bring resolution to the conflict.

But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy individual episodes, even those in the mega-long finale. Every episode remains self-contained. All you have to know is that a war is happening. Deep Space Nine walks the line between episodic and serialized storytelling masterfully.

If I haven't convinced you yet that Deep Space Nine is the best Star Trek series, that's okay. But I hope I've at least made you consider why this oft-neglected show is so critical to the franchise's history. If it's been a while since you rewatched Captain Sisko and company, I invite you to revisit Deep Space Nine on Parmount+ in honor of the 30th anniversary. And if you've never seen it before, I'm jealous. You're in for a fantastic Star Trek journey.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Complete Series

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Season 1 – Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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Avery Brooks (Captain Benjamin 'Ben' Sisko) Rene Auberjonois (Constable Odo) Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko) Alexander Siddig (Doctor Julian Bashir) Colm Meaney (Chief Miles O'Brien) Nana Visitor (Major Kira Nerys) Armin Shimerman (Quark) Terry Farrell (Lt. Cmdr. Jadzia Dax) Michael Dorn (Lt. Cmdr. Worf) Randy James (Jones)

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In the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, the Federation space station Deep Space Nine guards the opening of a stable wormhole to the far side of the galaxy.

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

In the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, the Federation space station Deep Space Nine guards the opening of a stable wormhole to the far side of the galaxy. In the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, the Federation space station Deep Space Nine guards the opening of a stable wormhole to the far side of the galaxy. In the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, the Federation space station Deep Space Nine guards the opening of a stable wormhole to the far side of the galaxy.

• Rick Berman
• Michael Piller
• Avery Brooks
• Rene Auberjonois
• Cirroc Lofton
• 361 User reviews
• 61 Critic reviews
• 59 wins & 116 nominations total

Episodes 173

Photos 3181

• Captain Benjamin 'Ben' Sisko …

• Constable Odo …

• Jake Sisko …

• Doctor Julian Bashir …

• Chief Miles O'Brien …

• Major Kira Nerys …

• Lt. Cmdr. Jadzia Dax …

• Lt. Cmdr. Worf …

• Cardassian Computer …

• Gul Dukat …

• Jem'Hadar Guard …

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• Trivia Kira was a last-minute addition to the cast. The original plan was to include the Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) character of Ro Laren, but Michelle Forbes didn't want to do a series at the time.
• Goofs In the first three seasons, CDR Sisko refers to his father in the past tense, even talking about his slow demise and death from some unknown ailment. But starting in the fourth season ("Homefront"), Joseph Sisko is alive and well running a restaurant in New Orleans. Joseph appears in a total of six episodes throughout the last 4 seasons.

Garak : [Cornered by a group of Klingons in his store] Well, let me guess! You're either lost, or desperately searching for a good tailor.

• Crazy credits The opening credits for "Emissary" lacked the wormhole opening that all future episodes featured. Starting with Season 4, the opening credits included additional spacecraft and activity around the station, including the Defiant flying into the wormhole.
• Alternate versions Several episodes were originally shown as 2-hour movies. They were later edited into two-part 60 minute episodes for later airings.
• Connections Edited into Star Trek: Voyager: Unity (1997)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Main Title Written by Dennis McCarthy

User reviews 361

• Dec 16, 1999
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• January 3, 1993 (United States)
• United States
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• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine on Wikia
• Deep Space Nine
• Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant - 6100 Woodley Avenue, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

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• Runtime 45 minutes

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Star Trek Deep Space Nine: The Complete Series Review

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• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

The Star Trek Deep Space Nine: The Complete Series DVD set is a re-release of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine DVD release that took place in 2003.

The Contents:

The set includes all one hundred-and-seventy-six episodes on forty-eight discs in three separate cases. Seasons 1-3 are in one case. Seasons 4-6 are in another case and the final season is in its own separate case. Here is the breakdown of the discs:

Season 1: Discs 1-5 include the nineteen episodes. The sixth disc has the special features for the season.

Season 2 and 3: Discs 1-7 include the twenty-six episodes for each season. The special features are also on disc seven for each season.

Season 4: Discs 1-7 include the twenty-five episodes and the seventh disc also includes the special features for season 4.

Seasons 5-6: Discs 1-7 include the twenty-six episodes for each season. The special features are also on disc seven for each season.

Season 7: Discs 1-7 include the twenty-five episodes and the seventh disc also includes the special features for season 7.

Special features include all of the features found in the 2003 release, minus the seven Best Buy exclusive discs.

The full list of special features includes:

Season One: Deep Space Nine: A Bold Beginning, Crow Dossier: Kira Nerys, Michael Westmore’s Aliens: Season One, Secrets of Quark’s Bar, Deep Space Nine Sketchbook, Alien Artifacts: Season One , and Production Photo Gallery .

Season Two: New Frontiers: The Story of Deep Space Nine, Michael Westmore’s Aliens: Season Two, Deep Space Nine Sketchbook: Season Two, Crew Dossier: Jadzia Dax, New Station-New Ships.

Season Three: The Birth of the Dominion and Beyond, Michael Westmore’s Aliens: Season Three, Time Travel Files – Past Tense, Crew Dossier: Odo, Sailing Through the Stars: A Special Look at Explorers.

Season Four: Charting New Territory: Deep Space Nine Season Four, Crew Dossier: Worf, Michael Westmore’s Aliens: Season Four, Deep Space Nine Sketchbook: John Eaves, Photo Gallery.

Season Five: Trials and Tribble-ations: Uniting Two Legends, Trials and Tribble-ations: A Historic Encounter, Crew Dossier: Miles O’Brien, Inside DS9 with Mike Okuda, Michael Westmore’s Aliens: Season Five, Photo Gallery .

Season Six: Mission Inquiry: Far Beyond the Stars, 24th Century Wedding, Crew Dossier: Julian Bashir, Crew Dossier: Quark, DS9 Sketchbook: John Eaves, Photo Gallery .

Season Seven: Ending an Era, Crew Dossier: Benjamin Sisko, Crew Dossier: Jake Sisko, The Last Goodbyes, Photo Gallery .

The set is basically a repeat of the 2003 release. As far as the discs themselves, nothing new has been added and even the menus are the same as on the old set.

The artwork is brand-new for this release and it’s very attractive. The main cast members (minus Bashir) are featured on the front of the three cases while the Deep Space Nine station itself is featured on the reverse. There is artwork inside of the cases too, along with the description of the disc contents.

The Verdict:

If you have the set from 2003, you won’t want this set as it brings nothing new to the table, other than the compact size and the beautiful new artwork.

However, if the price of buying all seven seasons or some other reason stopped you from buying Deep Space Nine on DVD when it was first released, then this set is definitely for you. The price is reasonable ($144.99 on Amazon ) and the set is compact, taking up much less room on a shelf if you choose to keep your discs in the clamshell containers and box.

DVD Information:

Discs: forty-eight

Runtime: @ one hundred-and-thirty-three hours and six minutes

Release Date: February 7

Where to buy: Amazon

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Star trek: deep space nine, common sense media reviewers.

Strong spin-off is more violent than the others.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

The Federation is portrayed as a benevolent democr

Captain Sisko and his crew frequently use teamwork

Explores themes of genocide, fascism, and oppressi

No nudity, but more sexual situations and innuendo

No direct product promotion, but the Star Trek fra

One of the main characters owns a bar where many i

Parents need to know that this Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is by far the most violent entry in the franchise. One alien race was enslaved and forced into concentration camps, while another has been genetically engineered to become the perfect fighting machine (their masters take over a portion of the galaxy and…

Positive Messages

The Federation is portrayed as a benevolent democracy with a tolerance and acceptance for other cultures. However the series also features several other cultures with very different values, including the Klingons, who judge each other by their fighting prowess; the sexist Ferengi; and the Dominion, a fascist dictatorship bent on taking over the galaxy.

Positive Role Models

Captain Sisko and his crew frequently use teamwork to solve problems. Although they are trying to maintain peace, they often find themselves amid violent battles against other cultures.

Violence & Scariness

Explores themes of genocide, fascism, and oppression, all of which come with plenty of violence -- though it's discussed more often than it's shown. A central long-running plot line involves a major intergalactic war, with plenty of spaceship battles and some ground combat.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

No nudity, but more sexual situations and innuendo than other Star Trek series. Couples occasionally shown in bed together, etc.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

No direct product promotion, but the Star Trek franchise is a commodity in itself.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

One of the main characters owns a bar where many important scenes take place, usually with a fair amount of drinking. An entire race of villains has been genetically engineered to be addicted to a drug.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is by far the most violent entry in the franchise. One alien race was enslaved and forced into concentration camps, while another has been genetically engineered to become the perfect fighting machine (their masters take over a portion of the galaxy and prove to be brutal dictators). A secret faction within the Federation engages in biological warfare. Later seasons focus on an all-out war against the Dominion, which costs billions of lives and features several battle scenes involving hundreds of starships. There are more sexual situations and innuendos than in other Star Trek series, but there's never any nudity, and language is not an issue.

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (6)
• Kids say (11)

Based on 6 parent reviews

The most thought-provoking of the "Star Trek" series, with three-dimensional characters

Wooooooooooooahhhh, what's the story.

Unlike other entries in the Star Trek lineup, STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE takes place in a space station that's permanently parked near the planet Bajor. It centers on Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), who oversees the station's operations. At the series' start, Bajor has just been liberated from five decades of brutal occupation by the Cardassians and with the assistance of the Federation, the freed planet is assuming joint control of the strategic space station. Shortly thereafter, Sisko discovers a "wormhole" in space, a shortcut to the far side of the galaxy. Peace on Bajor and the wormhole's tantalizing secrets quickly transform Deep Space 9 from a galactic backwater to a thriving commercial hub.

Is It Any Good?

The show's complicated setup provides endless opportunities for drama. Not only does the series explore the lingering tension between the Bajorans and the Cardassians (who make it very clear that they want to regain control of the outpost), the constant stream of characters passing through the busy station means endless opportunities for guest stars with new conflicts. And unlike the other Trek series, which almost always resolved their conflicts by the end of each episode and rarely followed story arcs for more than a few episodes, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (which originally aired from 1993 to 1999) really hit its stride by creating a compelling, overarching storyline that follows the complicated political machinations among the Federation and its allies, the Dominion and its invasion plans, and the simmering conflict with the Cardassians (who eventually ally themselves with the Dominon and later come to regret that choice).

DS9 is also notable for its many comedic subplots, which generally focus on Quark (Armin Shimerman), a grumpy Ferengi who owns the station's popular bar (imagine the famous Star Wars cantina, with a bit less attitude and a lot less gunplay). The Ferengi value greed and pure capitalism, and the show often depicts them as childlike nuisances. They also have institutionalized sexism, which is clearly displayed in Quark's attitude toward the bargirls he employs. Not surprisingly, a fair amount of drinking takes place at the bar.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about dictatorship and rebellion in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Two of the show's main alien races were involved in a long war before the series began; considerable tension remains between them, and there are frequent references to atrocities committed during the conflict. Is war ever necessary? When is it acceptable to fight back?

Does the violence in Deep Space Nine ever feel over the top? Is it exciting or gruesome? Which do you think it's intended to be? Why?

How is this Star Trek series different from the other TV series and movies? Which one is your favorite? Why is the franchise so successful?

• Premiere date : January 3, 1993
• Cast : Armin Shimerman , Avery Brooks , Rene Auberjonois
• Networks : Spike , Syndicated
• Genre : Science Fiction
• Topics : Space and Aliens
• TV rating : TV-PG
• Last updated : March 27, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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[REVIEW] Deep Space Nine Complete Series DVD Box Set

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine returns to DVD

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is back on DVD in a new complete series box set.

Originally released on DVD back in 2003, this is the first time the series has been reissued in the U.S. and distributed in a complete box set-style package.

Within the outer cardboard packaging, you’ll find three large multi-disc keep cases which contain 48 discs of all 176 episodes of the series — which ran on TV for seven seasons from 1993 to 1999 — along with the bonus features previously found in the 2003 individual season releases.

Bonus Features

While there are no newly-recorded bonus features to be found, one of the major highlights of the prior release were the behind-the-scenes and in-depth featurettes. Aside from the 2003 Best Buy exclusive content, all of the original features are found here.

Michael Westmore discusses Nana Visitor’s makeup effects from the third season episode “Second Skin” | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

Some of the included bonus features:

• Deep Space Nine: A Bold New Beginning
• Secrets of Quark’s Bar
• Michael Westmore’s Aliens
• Section 31 Hidden Files
• New Frontiers – The Story of Deep Space Nine with Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Ira Behr, and Robert Hewitt Wolfe
• New Station, New Ships – Dan Curry, Robert Legato, Robert Sternbach, and others describe the designs and models for the DS9 station, the runabout, and Cardassian warships
• The Birth of the Dominion and Beyond – Ira Steven Behr and others discuss the development of DS9’s arch nemesis
• Sailing Through the Stars – A Special Look at “Explorers”
• “Trials and Tribble-ations: Uniting Two Legends”
• “Trials and Tribble-ations: A Historic Endeavor”
• “Inside Deep Space Nine with Michael Okuda”
• Mission Inquiry: Far Beyond the Stars – an in-depth look at one of the most acclaimed episodes in Star Trek history
• 24th Century Wedding – cast and crew discuss the Klingon wedding between Worf and Dax
• Ending an Era retrospective
• The Last Goodbyes

Both the outer packaging along with the three clamshell cases include new artwork created specifically for this new release.

At this point, you may be asking “DVD? Where’s the Blu-ray release?” For answers to that question and a slew of information on the subject, check out our exclusive interview with Robert Meyer Burnett .

RELATED : Why Deep Space Nine and Voyager May Never Get the HD Remaster They Deserve

Disc menu screen | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

The disc menus carry over from the previous release. I can’t help but wish CBS freshened these up, as they feel a little dated.

So, this is the best presentation you’ll find of DS9 — at least for the foreseeable future.

Should you buy it?

While Deep Space Nine (and all other Star Trek series) are available on multiple streaming platforms, like Netflix, Amazon Prime and CBS All Access, this DVD set (and of course the 2003 single season sets) are your only way to add the previously mentioned bonus features to your collection. If you’ve been holding off on buying the individual season sets, I would highly recommend picking up this box set — especially with a significantly discounted price tag, compared to the 2003 release.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – The Complete Series is now available on Amazon .

Impecunious Joe

February 11, 2017 at 8:08 am

I must say, it’s disappointing the Best Buy material isn’t included. Oh, well.

February 11, 2017 at 1:40 pm

The original packaging for DS9 and VOY are bad. But I have No reason to buy the new sets. I do like the new packaging and clam shell cases! If I didn’t own the old sets I would with out a doubt get the new releases!

Kyle Swinderman

April 16, 2017 at 1:32 am

I really wish they would remaster DS9. I’d buy all of them in a heartbeat…

Disappointed

September 19, 2021 at 6:21 pm

One of the discs in this set doesn’t play on all players for some reason. (I’ve seen others complaining if this same issue so it’s not just my set). The silvery shimmery stuff on the cardboard box/case flakes off and gets all over the damned house, the videos tend to have a small weird wiggling “square” in the dead center of the screen which you might not notice at first glance but watch a few episodes in a row and you’ll see that once you notice it; it’s infuriatingly annoying. I HATE remastered stuff with a passion, but I bloody well know that “square” distortion was NOT in the series when I watched it on TV years back so no one can tell me it’s there because it’s an old show. Also the discs are not even given their own slot and are slotted half on top of other discs which makes keeping them in order for the next watching extremely irritating. The plastic cases are just thin and cheap in general. Loved the series, really regret buying this set.

Jim Vandemoter

December 5, 2022 at 6:52 pm

The packaging is terrible. The discs are extremely hard to get out. I wound up getting separate sleeves for each disc. The overall look and sound are fine but I highly recommend different packaging if you want to avoid damaging the discs.

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The Star Trek DS9 And TOS Episodes That Influenced Strange New Worlds' Darkest Episode

In the "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" episode "Under the Cloak of War" (July 27, 2023) , a Klingon ambassador named Dak'Rah (Robert Wisdom) comes to visit the U.S.S. Enterprise on a diplomatic mission. "Strange New Worlds" takes place immediately after the Klingon War, and several of the ship's crew remember the conflict vividly, expressing prejudice and consternation to see a Klingon on board. Captain Pike (Anson Mount) reminds his officers to keep an open mind, but Dr. M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) cannot. 

Through flashbacks, audiences learn the horrible wartime conditions that both Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush) served under, and they were bleak. There weren't enough medical supplies to go around, and Dr. M'Benga had taken to storing injured soldiers inside a transporter pattern buffer, hoping to rematerialize them when more could be done. He also secretly develops a rare and dangerous steroid called Protocol 12 which temporarily increases strength and stamina but also robs one of their ability to discern right from wrong. The drug turns people into berzerk killing machines. 

Dak'Rah was present at the same battle Dr. M'Benga barely survived, and the doctor resents the Klingon's attempts at diplomatic contrition, knowing of the blood on his hands. Later, it will be revealed that Dr. M'Benga has an even darker secret and that more violence happened during the war than he initially communicated. War, the episode argues, will break everyone and everything. 

This is in keeping with Trek's usual attitudes toward war, often depicted as humanity's ultimate failing. 

In a new interview with TrekMovie , "Cloak" director Jeff Byrd pointed to other bleak, war-themed episodes of "Star Trek" as precedent, showing that the franchise has a dim view of armed conflict and that anytime it happens, morals decay. 

A Private Little War

The TrekMovie interviewer was astute enough to recognize the two episodes in question. The first was the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" episode "The Siege of AR-558" (November 16, 1998), and the other was the original series episode "A Private Little War" (February 2, 1968) . 

"A Private Little War," often referred to by Trekkies as "the Vietnam War episode" featured a peaceful, primitive planet that inexplicably started fighting each other with flintlock rifles, a technology centuries beyond their capabilities. Kirk (William Shatner) finds that the locals have been given the weapons by a Klingon named Krell (Ned Romero), a cruel interloper who wants to perpetuate a primitive Civil War for his own nefarious purposes. Kirk faces a moral dilemma. He can provide more weapons to the losing side of the Civil War, giving them a better chance for survival, but forcing him to actively perpetuate the conflict. Or he can step out and let one side be killed. 

Byrd summed it up, saying: 

"Yes, the one where they are selling the weapons and keep upgrading. So a lot of those were brought into this script-wise and then realized by me on set visually." 

"The Siege of AR-558," meanwhile, is an out-and-out combat episode of "Deep Space Nine." At that point in the series, the Federation had been at war with the Dominion for over a year, and capturing communications relays was key to winning. Sisko (Avery Brooks) managed to fend off an attacking Dominion force, but lost many Federation officers in the process. The episode if violent and bleak. Everyone is injured and horrified. War is Hell. Davy Perez, the writer of "Under the Cloak of War," knew both "Private" and "Siege" when he penned the episode.

The Siege of AR-558

"The Siege of AR-558" also features a scene wherein Ensign Nog (Aron Eisenberg) has his foot blown off . Medicine in "Star Trek" is advanced enough to easily grown him a new one, but Nog still has to face horrible trauma. Byrd also noted other war movies outside of "Star Trek" that influenced the battle scenes in "Under the Cloak of War." 

"Obviously, there are comparisons in here to ' Apocalypse Now' and there is a little ' Hamburger Hill' in there, and even some ' Born on the Fourth of July .' We discussed, on set, a lot of little Easter eggs [you would see] if you're looking really closely at certain little moments. We wanted to make sure that we got some iconic moments and framing and different things of these iconic war films so that it feels familiar but it's in a different time.

It's notable that the three films Byrd cited are all about the Vietnam War, the infamously messy quagmire that killed about 3.8 million people and achieved very little. That war was surrounded by lies and deceit, and the American soldiers knew it. Vietnam was proof that the United States war machine was an ignoble enterprise that cost billions and murdered the poor. It's no coincidence that the notoriously pacifistic "Star Trek" was created in the shadow of Vietnam. In a very real, living sense, "Star Trek" exists as a direct refutation of combat-forward thinking. Gene Roddenberry looked at the horrors of war and envisioned a future when it would be futile. 

Very occasionally, "Star Trek" has to depict war, however, to remind audiences of how horrible it is. 

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Review: The EXO-6 ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ 1:6 Odo Figure Is The Shape of Things To Come

| April 9, 2024 | By: Jeff Bond 7 comments so far

Constable Odo 1/6 Scale Action Figure

Manufacturer: EXO-6 Price: $215 Grade: A+

Way back in the no-man’s land between the release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Wrath of Khan , when it briefly looked like there might be no more Star Trek movies and there hadn’t been a new Star Trek TV show since the 1973 animated series, I had a weird dream one night that there was a new Star Trek series on the air and one of the actors in it was René Auberjonois. At the time I knew Auberjonois from his performances in the 1976 King Kong remake and The Eyes of Laura Mars (where he did an uncanny impression of Lloyd Bridges using only his face).

What I didn’t imagine was that Auberjonois would indeed appear in a new Star Trek show a decade or so later—but his face would be covered by a thick layer of latex makeup and he would be playing an alien shapeshifter named Odo. Like Spock, Data, and later characters like Seven of Nine and Saru, Odo was part of the Star Trek formula that dictated an alien “other” character was always needed to provide an outsider perspective on humanity. A holdover from the Cardassian’s shepherding of their space station Terok Nor, Odo retained his job as a security officer to become Deep Space Nine’s “constable”—a sheriff who keeps a close eye on the denizens that live on and visit DS9, particularly his arch nemesis, the Ferengi Quark. Odo can use his shapeshifting abilities to impersonate other beings or even disguise himself as inanimate objects—all a boon to his work maintaining law and order on the station.

René Auberjonois as Constable Odo in a Deep Space Nine publicity photo (Paramount)

Odo’s origins were initially mysterious, even to himself (in one first season episode after chasing what he’d thought to be a clue to his background, a lonely Odo gazes out into space from a runabout and ponders, “Home…where is it?”). Eventually, he discovers that he’s part of the race of the Founders, dangerous “changelings” and founders of the Dominion, a warlike confederation of races that threatens the Federation. Odo consequently finds himself torn between loyalty to his friends on DS9 and the race that gave birth to him. Auberjonois, a reliable and effective character actor, gave Odo a gruff, no-nonsense personality that set him off from DS9’s mix of hotheads, pious clerics, and very human Starfleet officers. He figured in some tremendous storylines, although I wish the show hadn’t gone in the direction of putting him and Major Kira—two of the strongest characters in the series—in a standard romance that ultimately weakened both of them.

René Auberjonois as Constable Odo in “What You Left Behind” (Paramount)

EXO-6 Odo Figure

EXO-6’s Deep Space Nine line of 12” action figures has been absolutely stellar in its quality, and Odo might just be the best release yet. One might think that capturing Odo’s deliberately featureless prosthetic makeup would be a breeze, but it actually seems more like a trap as the proportions of the character’s face come off as deliberately vague and confusing due to the makeup. Sculptor Dean Tolliver pulls off the assignment flawlessly, from Odo’s prim, downturned mouth to his piercing, deep-set eyes.

EXO-6 DS9 Odo figure

One big challenge to these characters is hair—it has to be molded into the one-piece head sculpt which often gives the entire character a plastic, doll-like sheen. Odo’s hair even in the series has an uncanny, sleek appearance that lends itself well to this kind of reproduction—there’s a very fine seam bisecting the head, something you can catch with careful examination on this and some other EXO figures, but it mostly disappears within the hair sculpture, and that’s really the only minor flaw (if you can call it that) in the figure.

Odo’s clothes are of drab and utilitarian Bajoran make, almost allowing him to disappear among the brown and bronze arches of the space station’s promenade, and the figure captures the cut of the uniform, its Bajoran insignia, belt and boots perfectly.

If you watch the series, you know that Odo doesn’t roll with standard Starfleet weaponry—he’s his own weapon, with the ability to turn his arms into whiplike tendrils or any other shape that might come in handy to subdue a scofflaw. Odo comes with the standard Starfleet PADD and a tricorder, but this figure boasts two more-character-based accessories that really set this release off and required a larger-than-normal collectors box. One accessory is Odo’s “bucket”—a metallic container that the shapeless being relaxes inside in liquid form after a hard day’s crime-fighting. EXO also includes a spectacular clear vinyl sculpture of Odo in mid-transformation, congealing upwards from a puddle on the floor, his arms folded and his distinctive features starting to take shape.

Bucket and shape-shifting accessories for EXO-6 DS9 Odo figure

These accessories make Odo’s display footprint about twice the size of a normal EXO-6 figure, but it’s worth it, especially since at $215 he’s in line with most of the other DS9 figure price points.

Odo was released today and is available now at EX0-6.com .  This is another spectacular figure release from EXO-6 and since they tend to sell out quickly, you’d be well advised to order ASAP.

The Odo figure is part of EXO-6’s Star Trek: Deep Space Nine collection. Quark and Sisko have already sold out. The Kira figure [ see TrekMovie’s review ] is still available. Dr. Julian Bashir is next in line , but the pre-order period has already sold out.

Upcoming EXO-6 Dr. Bashir figure

A closer look at Odo

Jeff Bond is a freelance writer and book author who’s addicted to plastic models and action figures. You can catch up with him on  Facebook  and  Instagram  where he posts model works in progress, and takes commissions. His latest Star Trek book is  Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Art and Visual Effects .

Find more Star Trek merchandise news and reviews at TrekMovie.com .

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Incredible detail, the greatest representation….

Finally, an EXO sculpt that actually looks like the character.

Kind of funny that it’s the one with a deliberately featureless messed up face.

Wow. I sold my TMP Kirk and Spock due to the poor likenesses.

But this actually looks really good. Maybe….

Gotta admit, this IS a good one! 🫤 If only I had the bars of latinum… 😒💸

This looks absolutely fabulous!! 😍

Well done. These are so well done. Not surprised they keep selling out.

I sure hope Hiya Toys can give us a diverse range of Star Trek figures drawing from the entire legacy of Star Trek like Exo-6 is doing here. Playmates has certainly dropped the ball but I still have faith that a good quality line could be a success. I hope unlike Playmates, Hiya will take fan’s comments and input into consideration like Exo-6 is also doing. We fans like feeling like we have some say in the thought process of creating a line and being appreciated by the teams responsible for developing products like this and Playmates just took all our patronage for granted.

Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery is a sad reminder ds9’s dax is long dead.

Burnham meets Jinaal Bix in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, a Trill host who reminds us that DS9's Dax is long dead in the 32nd century.

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, "Jinaal".

• Star Trek: Discovery's latest episode explores the deep history of Trill and the Bix symbiont's quest for the Progenitors' treasure.
• The return to Trill reminds viewers of the long history of the Dax symbiont, which may have passed away centuries before the 32nd century.
• Jinaal Bix's journey to become a Trill host showcases a different path compared to the iconic Dax hosts, with a focus on preserving ancient secrets.

Star Trek: Discovery 's return to Trill is a sad reminder that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Dax symbiont is long dead in the 32nd century. In Discovery season 5, episode 3, "Jinaal" , Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) meets Kalzara Blix (Claire Coulter), a Trill host who can help Discovery with its hunt for the Progenitors' treasure. To unlock the next clue to their quest, Burnham and her away team have to speak to the symbiont's original host, Jinaal Bix , who uses the zhian'tara ritual to inhabit the body of Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) to test the worthiness of Burnham and Book (David Ajala).

Jinaal Bix was one of six scientists, including Romulan scientist Dr. Vellek (Michael Copeman) who spent years researching the Progenitors and their technology following the revelations in Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "The Chase". Jinaal chose to become a Trill host, so that the Bix symbiont would retain the information about the Progenitors, and the whereabouts of the clue on Trill. 800 years later, and the Bix symbiont is barely holding on to life, having spent centuries awaiting a " worthy seeker ", a fact that reminds viewers that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Dax will be long dead in Star Trek: Discovery 's 32nd century .

Star Trek: Discovery’s TNG Connection Explained - "The Chase" & Who Are The Progenitors?

Star trek: discovery reminds us dax is long dead in the 32nd century.

While briefing Burnham on their findings in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio) explains that " it would be unusual " but not uncommon for a Trill symbiont to live for 800 years . Star Trek: Deep Space Nine established that Trills could live beyond 550 years, which does mean that the Dax symbiont could have made it to its 800th birthday. However, the symbiont was already 350 years old when Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) became the eighth Dax host .

This means that even if Dax had made it to the ripe old age of 800, they would have done so in the year 2818, almost 400 years before Burnham and the USS Discovery arrived in the 32nd century. When Lt. Jadzia Dax was killed off , Ensign Ezri Dax (Nicole de Boer) became the symbiont's unwilling and unprepared new host. However, despite Star Trek: Discovery 's return visits to Trill, no updates on what Ezri did after the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , or who her successors were, have ever been revealed .

While Ezri Dax is the official ninth host of the Dax symbiont, she's technically the tenth, as the criminal Verad stole the symbiont in Star Trek: Deep Space season 2, episode 4, "Invasive Procedures".

How DS9’s Dax Symbiont Compares To Discovery’s Bix Symbiont

It's unknown if Star Trek: Discovery 's Bix symbiont lived longer than Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's symbiont . Bix was definitely younger than Dax during the 24th century, as Jinaal is confirmed to be the first of the symbiont's hosts. Each year on Trill, 500 symbionts become available for joining, so Jinaal must have chosen to become a Host at some point prior to the Bix symbiont becoming available. Jinaal, Vellek and the other five scientists worked together for years to find the Progenitors' technology, so he could have joined with Bix many years after the ending of DS9 .

Unlike Jadzia Dax, who chose to become a Host from an early age, Jinaal Bix chose to become a Host to preserve the secrets of the Progenitors. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine revealed that becoming a Host was an honor not bestowed on every Trill. Star Trek: Discovery 's Jinaal reveals that his passion and desire to become a Host was driven by a stronger obligation to preserve the secrets of the Progenitors. With Bix's message finally imparted, the symbiont can now sleep, joining Dax in the Trill afterlife.

Star Trek: Discovery streams Thursdays on Paramount+

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

*Availability in US

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Civil Defense (Review)

This September and October, we’re taking a look at the jam-packed 1994 to 1995 season of Star Trek , including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and  Star Trek: Voyager . Check back daily for the latest review.

Civil Defense is an episode that really worked a lot better than it should have. The third season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine hit a bit of a stumbling block in the early part of the third season. Indeed, Second Skin had been shot from what was pretty much Robert Hewitt Wolfe’s first draft of a teleplay. The Abandoned felt like a good premise pushed in front of the camera too early. Civil Defense was similarly rushed into production, with very little turn around from the production staff.

However, despite these production concerns, Civil Defense turns out to be an enjoyable pulpy adventure. The production team wouldn’t royally screw up until the next episode. The biggest problem with the script is that it feels like we’re seeing it far too late in the show’s run. Civil Defense is a fun third season episode, but it would have been a spectacular first season adventure.

“Free dissident suppression system with every purchase over twelve bars!”

Like most of the episodes around it, Civil Defense was produced on a fairly tight schedule. In an interview with Cinefantastique , producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe notes that conditions were far from optimal:

“We did a really terrible thing to Mike Krohn, who is a seasoned screenwriter. We had bought this story from Mike and kept saying it wasn’t going to be in the first ten episodes. Then we had this stuff fall and told Mike we are going to break your episode and then you’re going to write it and you’ll have about six days. So Mike came in and was a total trooper and he broke the story in two days and he delivered us a draft in a week and then it was in pre-production. I think we all had a hand in that. At one point point Ira and I were in here on a weekend trying to rewrite sections of it. Everybody got involved in that thing, which turned out pretty well.”

To compound these problems, Civil Defense was not an episode being produced by seasoned Star Trek veterans. The episode marked the first (and last) Star Trek teleplay from Krohn and was veteran television director Reza Badiyi’s first work on the franchise.

“This is just like old times! Only, y’know, without the oppression, torture and systemic murder…”

Badiyi did come back to direct on Deep Space Nine a number of times, but the production process seems like a bit of a nightmare, recalling the production confusion that gripped Star Trek: The Next Generation during its third season. Of course, things weren’t quite as bad as they had been at that point. The production staff on Deep Space Nine were working on a much more stable show that had, to a large extent, already found its groove. Unlike the third season of The Next Generation , these troubles did not culminate in a massive exodus from the writing staff.

Still, it’s remarkable how well Civil Defense turned out. The episode is a rather simple premise that provides an opportunity to throw the cast into peril on (mostly) standing steps, and allowing the actors to play well off one another. There’s some nice tension, some solid action and some nice exchanges. It’s not an intimate character study, but it’s also not a “big” episode. It doesn’t change the  status quo or fit within a larger tapestry of Deep Space Nine . It’s just a well-constructed done-in-one claustrophobic thriller.

Personally, I was waiting for the “Dukat terrorist ultimatum blooper reel” to kick in…

Badiyi’s direction helps a lot, and it’s clear why the director was invited back to work on the show again. Badayi was an experienced and talented television director, having working in the medium since the sixties. In fact, Badiyi cut his teeth directing on Mission: Impossible . His work in television was so prolific and consistent that Monsters and Critics dubbed him “the Godfather of American Television.”

Badiyi’s direction works well here, setting an effective mood. Turning down the lighting on the already dark sets creates a wonderful atmosphere. He shoots the characters well, focusing on the cast trapped within the station. He does an excellent job making the station we’ve been watching for over two years at this point seem less familiar than it really should. In the midst of this crisis, Deep Space Nine itself appears alien and horrible – haunted and otherworldly.

Kira prepares to void the station’s warranty…

The plot itself is simple, but effective. Taking something that has become recognisable and making it into something threatening is an efficient storytelling device. In fact, Deep Space Nine was quite fond of the trope, constantly reminding viewers that the station was a monument to oppression and cruelty. In Necessary Evil , the show took us back to that period of brutality. In Crossover , the show stepped sideways into a universe where that brutality was still occurring.

The show would continue to do so throughout its run. Even outside of the recurring trips to the mirror universe, episodes like Empok Nor and Covenant find ways to make the familiar sets seem eerie and unsettling. In Civil Defense , the Cardassian computer reasserts itself, firmly reminding everybody that the station has its own grim history that cannot be evaded or escaped simply because the Federation has turned the lighting up and taken down the fences on the promenade.

Adopting a hands-on approach…

Civil Defense feels like an episode that would work a lot better earlier in the show’s run. It seems a little surreal that O’Brien hasn’t completely cleaned out the old computer system at this point, or at least installed safeguards to help prevent something like this from happening. After all, one imagines that the Federation would have been eagerly checking the system for booby traps or anomalies as soon as the Cardassians withdrew.

The show would have made a much more effective take on the themes and ideas at the heart of Babel , an early (and mostly forgettable) first season episode in which a Bajoran biological weapon is accidentally activated by the crew. Offering a similar reminder that this wasn’t always a Starfleet star base and reiterating the sense of randomness and isolation of this frontier outpost, Civil Defense also works because it draws in a recurring cast that took too long to establish during the first season.

Quark has a blast…

Garak and Dukat are essential to the story here, and putting them at the centre of a story like this in the first second would have helped foreground them earlier in the show’s run. As it stands, their appearances are entertaining but inessential diversions. Both are fascinating characters played by charming actors, but Dukat is in between two important pieces of character development. The Maquis and Defiant push his character forward in ways that aren’t possible here. Similarly, Garak is always fun, but we’re between Second Skin and Improbable Cause .

That said, there is at least some sense to putting the story at the start of the third season rather than in the first or second. The reminder of how alien the station is works better if we’ve been lulled into a false sense of complacency. “You know,” Bashir notes, “I’ve been here nearly three years and I was just finally starting to think of this place as home.” Kira points out, “Your home was built by Cardassians, Doctor. Don’t ever forget that.”

Setting the ball rolling…

It’s worth noting that Bashir is echoing a similar sentiment from Sisko in The Search, Part I . The crew are finally getting comfortable. With the new writers joining the staff from The Next Generation , one assumes the writing staff is feeling similarly at home. The audience might be getting cosy as well. After all,  Deep Space Nine was airing in the slot filled by The Next Generation in many markets and was – for this briefest of windows – the only Star Trek airing on television. So it would be easy to take all that for granted, particularly at this point in time.

So upsetting all those expectations is a good thing. Reminding everybody that this isn’t the Enterprise is worth doing. It’s perfectly reasonable to stress the idea that the cast and characters will never truly know the station they inhabit. It’s a very cynical piece of work, but the third season of Deep Space Nine seems to revel in its cynicism. Everything is up for grabs, and nothing can be trusted or presumed to be safe.

The Changeling faceplam of evil…

In that context, it’s worth conceding that Civil Defense exists as part of a particularly popular paranoid conspiracy theory of the nineties. Deep Space Nine is a show very firmly anchored in post-Cold War cynicism and paranoia. In many respects, it almost feels like a companion piece to The X-Files , with its shape-shifting alien impersonators, sinister secret plans, and untrustworthy authority figures. Episodes like Whispers and The Search, Part II play into the sort of existential uncertainty that underpinned a lot of the nineties.

Civil Defense does something quite similar. It suggests that the people inhabiting Deep Space Nine are not entirely safe in the world that they have forged. It hints that their warm and comforting home is liable to turn into a trap at a moment’s notice – that everything can change radically and dramatically, with no real foreshadowing or justification. One day, everything changes and the world you live in is not the world that you thought you lived in.

I love how Dukat’s recorded rambles are clearly unedited, and particularly how he seems to stop the count-down to give the dissidents a stern talking-to. (“Let me tell you…”)

This plays to a particular branch of popular conspiracy thinking. The idea that the United States might suddenly morph from a democracy into an oppressive fascist state has been quite popular for a long time – undoubtedly spurred on by revelations about military plans and exercises like Rex 84 or Garden Plot . These ideas remain popular. Consider the popular “truther” movement alleging that the 9/11 attacks were a false flag operation by the military, or the infamous “FEMA Deathcamps” theory that suggests the government is waiting to open concentration camps . (Or even Orson Scott Card’s racist speculative future fiction .)

These sorts of conspiracy theories are particularly old. After all, it has been argued that the American fascination with “the right to bear arms” is rooted in the fear that the British might return and try to subjugate the colonies again or even the fear that slaves might attempt to rise up and overthrow their masters . However, this paranoia about potential oppression and suppression found new life in the nineties, perhaps due to the collapse of Soviet Russia as an external enemy or even George H.W. Bush’s choice to drop the phrase “new world order” into an address to the joint Houses of Congress on September 11 1990 .

Getting the shaft…

This fear of an emerging totalitarian dictatorship in the democratic United States became one of the guiding conspiratorial narratives of the nineties . Indeed, one of the most successful plot threads on The X-Files was the suggestion that the United States government was secretly conspiring against its government – a fascist regime simply miming the pretences of liberal democracy so as to better catch the country’s inhabitants off guard. Much of the iconography of UFO lore – black helicopters and men in black in particular – seem to exist primarily as cautionary tales about an oppressive state.

So Civil Defense arguably fits within this storytelling structure. It’s a tale about how our heroes have come to take Terok Nor for granted, and to trust the station. However, it’s discovered that Deep Space Nine is not to be trusted, and that the characters should maintain their guard at all time. Deep Space Nine might look like a flourishing multicultural space station, but that wasn’t always the case. As O’Brien points out to Jake, this used to be a slave labour installation, built on the bodies of Bajoran workers.

Feels like going home…

Civil Defense cleverly brings back two of the show’s most enjoyable guest stars. Marc Alaimo is always wonderful as the charismatic Dukat. Civil Defense works as an effective reminder that Dukat isn’t a good guy. Sure, the show might have humanised him in The Maquis , and would continue to develop him in Defiant , but here we are reassured that Dukat is not a nice man. This is most obvious in the counter-insurgency programme itself, where Dukat plans to kill every Bajoran on the station , but also in his visit to the station later in the episode. Dukat tries to barter for assisting the crew, insisting on a foothold back on the station.

Dukat would become an awkward character for the show in its final years. As the show went on, the writers would struggle with conveying the fact that Dukat could be utterly charming and remain a genuinely unpleasant man. It’s a reminder that  Deep Space Nine is an artefact of the nineties, and it is limited as such. There was only so much ambiguity the characters could manage with Dukat, although the show balances it all quite well in these middle years. Dukat might be a family man who doesn’t want intergalactic war, but that doesn’t make him a pleasant individual or a decent person.

A gas time…

There’s also an argument to be made that the producers were correct to try to make Dukat less ambiguous and more villainous in his later appearances. While it would seem to condescend to the show’s fans, to suggest that viewers bought too readily into Alaimo’s charming performance and Dukat’s self-aggrandising justifications, there is some basis for this decision. It has been joked that Alaimo considered Dukat the hero of his own show , and there’s something intoxicating about that. Apparently, some of the fans bought into it as well.

After all, Civil Defense introduces the idea that Dukat is romantically interested in Kira. Although never alluded to before, this would become a recurring plot point through to at least Covenant . What is most interesting about this attraction – despite the fact that it is very obviously one-sided within the show itself – is the fact that a significant portion of fandom has latched on to it. It has its own niche among fan-fiction writers , who seem to enjoy the pairing of Kira and Dukat.

This, rather naturally, glosses over the rather uncomfortable subtext to Dukat’s interest, as Nana Visitor herself noted in The Deep Space Nine Companion :

“I would have liked my character to make the point that only a few years earlier, Dukat’s wanting me would have meant that he would have had me, and I wouldn’t have been able to do a thing about it,” says Visitor. “So it shouldn’t have been seen as a ‘cute’ moment. It was actually a horrifying moment, one that would make Kira feel disgust and panic.”

The series never quite allows Kira to make that point. Indeed, when the series does delve back into the sexual politics of the Cardassian Occupation in Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night , the series somewhat glosses over the institutionalised sexual assault that takes place during these sorts of military occupations.

Opening a door…

For Visitor’s part, she remained consistently and publicly opposed to any hint of a romance between Kira and Dukat throughout the show’s run :

“It will never change,” affirms Visitor adamantly, “and I will never ever let it. Just as an actor, just as someone responsible for playing something, it will never be a sexual tension. It’s not that. This is someone who – gosh, it’s kind of the way a mother would feel about a child molester. More and more she has to deal with him. She has to, because she is first officer of a station where it’s necessary to negotiate alongside him sometimes, but she will never ever for a moment let herself forget who and what he is.”

Although Civil Defense glosses over the whole “what Dukat would have done if this was during the Occupation” subtext, the episode at least has the good sense to recognise his posturing as distasteful. “And you, a married man!” Garak remarks, dismissively. Particularly given how Dukat cynically used the importance of family for his own ends to ruin a rival in Cardassians .

A tailor tinkering…

That exchange between Dukat and Garak is interesting because it seems to foreshadow quite a lot about both characters – undoubtedly accidentally, but in a way that is absolutely fascinating. After all, it seems – in context – a bit much for Garak to jump from “Dukat is a pompous ass” to “Dukat is a pompous ass because he wants to sleep with Kira” , even factoring in his disdain for Dukat. The recorded messages in the episode betray a Dukat who is in love with the sound of his own voice, and who desperately wants to be seen to be a reasonable and beneficent leader. His conduct in Ops is in keeping with that self-image.

However, in hindsight, Garak’s accusation seems quite astute. As a former Obsidian Order operative with a history that involves Dukat’s father, it makes sense for Garak to keep an eye on the Prefect of Bajor. Given that later episodes like Indiscretion and Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night or Covenant suggest that Dukat has a “thing” for Bajoran women, Garak would most likely be aware of Dukat’s tastes and leanings. As such, his barb is wonderfully pointed and well-observed, even if it only feels that way in retrospect.

Bashir really isn’t too great at this whole action hero thing, is he?

Similarly, the remark – and the delivery – seem somewhat out-of-place for Garak. The former spy is normally polite and dignified to a fault, while it seems that his snipe at Dukat’s romantic interest in Kira is driven by frustration. It is hardly relevant to the matter at hand, as Bashir seems acknowledge when rebuking the tailor. “Garak, this isn’t helping.” It seems like a surprisingly petty exchange for the sophisticated tailor, even if Andrew J. Robinson does his best to convey that Garak is feeling rather stressed.

Again, this is something that make a lot more sense in hindsight. With the lights turned down, the self-destruct ticking down and his passcodes no longer valid, one can imagine Garak’s claustrophobia kicking in. It’s a character trait that would not be confirmed until the show’s fifth season, but his quick temper and frustration here fits remarkably well with that aspect of Garak. After all, the other members of the senior staff are dealing with a similar amount of pressure, but keeping their heads. It’s a nice example of how something the show articulated later on actually enhances a viewing of an earlier episode.

Apparently there is a legal limit to how much O’Brien can suffer…

Indeed, it’s not too hard to believe that Dukat’s interest in Kira and Bajoran women was inspired by this exchange – leading to retroactive plot developments that would validate the scene even more. Similarly, it’s quite possible that the writers looked at Robinson’s delivery here and decided that Garak really should be a little afraid of enclosed spaces. Of course, it’s equally likely that this was all just a happy coincidence – a bit of writing that happened to be retroactively validated by later work on the show.

Another nice little touch with Dukat’s visit is the way that he seems disappointed not to be dealing with Sisko. It’s quite clear that Dukat has already constructed his own fantasy narrative where Sisko is his “worthy opponent” , and clearly imagines that Sisko feels the same way about him. “Where’s Commander Sisko?” Dukat asks the senior staff. “I trust he wasn’t vaporised while asking for one of those… raktajinos he’s so fond of.” The way that Dukat makes a point to drop in a personal detail (Sisko’s preference for Klingon coffee) is particularly creepy, as if Dukat has been making notes about Sisko and wants to prove how attentive he’s been.

“I also know what aftershave he likes to wear and the secret ingredient to his jambalaya…”

In fact, the filmed insets of Dukat trying to address the rebelling Bajoran slaves are something of a highlight of the episode, revealing a great deal of how Dukat sees himself. He seems to cast himself as a stern father figure trying to deal with an unruly child. There’s the firm tone, but the assurance that everything will be okay. At several points, Dukat alternates between trying to appear like an ally to the Bajorans and a firm commanding presence, alternating between compassionate pleas not to escalate the situation and heavy threats. One almost expects Dukat to say something like “I’m doing this for your own good.”

This is consistent with Dukat’s portrayal in later episodes – particularly when he discusses the Occupation in Waltz . Dukat clearly sees himself as a superior being who is trying to help a less advanced culture. They only rebel because they don’t realise how much they should love him – they don’t appreciate the sacrifices he makes for them, the protection he affords them. Sure, he might leave a legacy of slavery, brutality and murder, but he’s helping teach them an important work ethic and making them part of something greater . Those fools simply can’t appreciate it. Those inserts give a clear picture of Dukat’s paternalistic internal narrative.

The tailor’s got this covered…

There are lots of other nice exchanges as well. The pairing of Quark and Odo is hardly surprising, but there’s a reason that the show keeps coming back to the two of them. Rene Auberjonois and Armin Shimerman play very well off one another, and their odd-couple relationship is decidedly charming. As ever, Quark is the first of two to admit a grudging fondness for his rival, readier than Odo to acknowledge their personal relationship.

As with The Search, Part I , Quark stresses how much he respects the Constable. “There’s something very wrong going on and this is the safest place on the whole station. I think I’ll stay right here.” To be fair, Odo does repay the compliment later on, even if he backtracks once the pair are out of danger. One of the more consistently fascinating aspects of the relationship between Quark and Odo is that way that writers allow the least likeable and scrupulous of the two to be the most open and honest about their dynamic. There’s a sense that Quark is more aware of their friendship than Odo, and that Odo might even be hiding it from himself.

“Maybe next time we should run a virus scan on that identified file before playing with it?”

Civil Defense is a well-constructed little episode, even if it’s not necessarily exceptional. It’s a fairly stock plot that feels like it has arrived a little too late on the show, even if it has some wonderful fun with the cast. In a way, it’s a very clear forerunner to Starship Down in the following season and a successor to Disaster from The Next Generation . Given the difficulties unfolding behind the scenes, it’s impressive that the episode was at all watchable. That it ended up highly enjoyable is a wonder.

You might be interested in our reviews of the third season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine :

• The Search, Part I
• The Search, Part II
• House of Quark
• Supplemental: The Lives of Dax – Allegro Ouroboros in D Minor (Joran) by S.D. Perry
• Supplemental: Fearful Symmetry by Olivia Woods
• The Abandoned
• Civil Defense

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Filed under: Deep Space Nine | Tagged: cardassians , civil defense , deep space nine , ds9 , Elim Garak , Garak , gul dukat , Nana Visitor , review , Robert Hewitt Wolfe , star trek: deep space nine , Television , terok nor |

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I saw this episode today, and noticed an awesome tiny character bit from Dukat. When he’s threatening/negotiating with Kira, he doesn’t believe she’ll “let thousands of people die because you hate m… us” he doesn’t even make the m sound, but you can see he had to stop himself saying it. He can never admit that someone could hate him, it’s always because of something else, the system, he was amazing but they made him look bad.

Dukat is, quite simply, a fantastic creation. Particularly in this phase, from The Maquis through to A Sacrifice of Angels.

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It’s not that Cruz doesn’t seem happy as Culber, not at all, but there is a distinct looseness in his portrayal of Jinaal that is miles away from how he plays the calm, contemplative Culber. Jinaal’s no Curzon, but he certainly enjoys having a body again (“This guy really works out!”) and is very enthusiastic about the long hike to the next clue he gets to lead Burnham and Book on.

A consistent criticism I’ve had of Discovery is that the dialogue often feels unreal to me, like something someone wrote and not something someone would really say in the moment. Dialogue in Star Trek has always been highly stylized – even disregarding the technobabble there’s something specific and staid about the way most people in the future speak (and which makes the occasional Jett Renos of the world so immediately refreshing).

But I have to say, the dialogue in “Jinaal” is uniformly great , and Culber’s Jinaal is just the start. It’s full of different textures for different characters, it’s funny, it’s thoughtful without seeming overthought, it’s quick without being quippy. And more than anything, it feels real. One of this episode’s writers — Lauren Wilkinson — joined Discovery this season, with this episode being her first writing credit on the show. Kyle Jarrow, her co-writer, wrote two episodes last season, including one where I spent a decent chunk of my review criticizing its stiff writing, especially for secondary characters.

Discovery has a chronic problem with flattening its secondary characters to silent nods on the bridge and factoids blurted out to superior officers only when the plot demands it. “Jinaal” does this too (a lot!), but it’s with a deliberate self-awareness that turns one of my biggest complaints into one of the episode’s best gags.

Back aboard Discovery , demoted Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) is far too impatient and brusque to actually do the ship tour and crew meet-and-greets Burnham has tasked him with; instead, he orders each crewmember to come to his office and tell him something about themselves in 20 words or less.

Thanks to some nimble editing and an understanding that the gag only gets funnier the longer it goes, we get a fast flip through character after character — several of whom we’ve never met before this episode, and several of whom have been around since Day One but who I now, finally actually feel like I know.

Dr. Pollard (Raven Dauda), for example, who’s been on the show since the first season, finally has a personality thanks to the deadpan no-bullshit way she delivered her 20 words. Not only is Linus (David Benjamin Tomlinson) a father three times over (or, three clutches over), it’s clearly something he’s very proud of. Who knew?

And when the crewmembers we don’t know get the “standard Discovery factoid treatment”, it doesn’t feel clunky so much as illuminating. That Bajoran gal who is unbeatable at tongo — Lt. Commander Asha (Christina Dixon) — I believe it and I really want to see it. The new helmsman who had to “save her drag racing story for next time” — Lt. Gallo (Natalie Linconti) — I hope we get to hear it, and I hope it’s not told immediately before a drag race just happens to become a major plot element to save the day.

Tilly (Mary Wiseman) is present throughout all of this, and her writing gets a huge boost this episode as well. Tilly is a character I often find myself wanting to like more than I actually do, and who I think has so much potential that’s undermined by writing that doesn’t go any deeper than portraying her as quirky and flustered.

Here though, we get a confident, assertive Tilly, one who still feels true to character, but is a more adult version of that character. Her core motivations are there — her focus on a supportive crew, her concern for treating people with respect — she just has more grown-up way of expressing them. She is, after all, an instructor at the Academy now and can’t be fumbling through every interaction, especially when confronting something that she feels is, in a sense, bullying.

It’s clear from the way the two characters leave their working relationship at the end of the episode that Tilly has gained Rayner’s respect, and that he takes her criticisms of his attitude to heart. He’s still Rayner, he’s still a grouch, but he’s not unreasonable — and he’s not an actual bully. He just finds it easier to pretend to be one.

Back on Trill, the hike gives Jinaal a chance to unload some exposition about why this puzzle exists in the first place. Long story short, the group of scientists which included Jinaal and Vellek found the Progenitors’ technology and immediately recognized its incredible power. But with the Dominion War raging they worried about its use and decided to scrub their research and identities from history, and hide the location of the technology away until the galaxy was a more peaceful place.

What isn’t a peaceful place is the canyon Jinaal has lead Book and Burnham to as the supposed location of Trill’s clue. Why? Because gigantic semi-invisible bee moths who shoot red bolts of electricity live in this canyon! I didn’t know it until I watched this episode, but it turns out I’m a very big fan of gigantic semi-invisible bee moths who shoot red bolts of electricity, just FYI. I enjoyed these guys a lot and I’m glad they and their clutch of eggs made it out unscathed. It’s not that I was rooting against Burnham and Book, but more that I was just firmly on Team Bee Moth.

The bee moths themselves were also a test: a way for Jinaal to observe how Burnham and Book behaved when faced with an innocent aggressor (they were wild animals simply protecting their young, after all) before deciding to give them the clue. In choosing to prioritize the bee moths, they pass and Jinaal hands them another map piece… which was never where he said it was in the first place.

Mission over, Jinaal is returned to Bix and — if I understood the episode’s closing montage correctly — Bix is pretty immediately returned to the milk pools. I’m sure the moment was supposed to be one of happiness and contentment, watching a symbiont finally get to take a nap after fulfilling a lifelong mission, but all I could think about was Bix’s current host.

That old lady may have been tired but she certainly didn’t look to be on death’s door so, uh, is she okay? I’m thinking she might not be okay.

Meanwhile throughout all of this, Saru (Doug Jones) and T’Rina (Tara Rosling) have their first fight… one that’s very polished and diplomatic, but no less serious than if it had involved bigger displays of emotion. It’s time for an engagement announcement to be sent out, and what first seems like a minor quibble over some language thanks to Saru’s modesty — does T’Rina have to refer to him as “the handsome and erudite Captain Saru”? – quickly becomes a matter with much larger consequences.

T’Rina’s assistant Duvin (Victor Andrés Trelles Turgeon) who carries on the long and proud tradition of snooty Vulcans you kind of want to punch, is concerned with the optics of her union with an “outsider” — particularly with respect to what the Vulcan Purist movement is going to think about it. Saru decides to cancel the announcement “for” T’Rina, T’Rina feels that Saru has overstepped, and it’s icy for about five minutes until they make up and Saru admits that he doesn’t have a whole lot of experience being in this type of love.

It’s refreshing to see mature adult characters talking about their lack of experience with relationships, as it’s really not something you see often. Usually storylines about learning how to navigate love are contained to younger characters, and understandably so, but not everyone figures these things out at the same pace.

Another well-handled relationship moment occurs between Adira and Gray, both of whom are genuinely happy to see each other, but who also recognize that things have changed between them. As with Book and Burnham, I don’t know that Adira and Gray will remain broken up through the rest of the series, but for now anyway they’ve decided to move on from being a couple.

OBSERVATION LOUNGE

• We have another mention of the Breen. Between these references, L’ak’s (Elias Toufexis) mysterious identity and quips about helmets, I’m officially joining in on the speculation that he’s Breen.
• I’m a big fan of Rayner’s personality quirk of using slightly old-fashioned human expressions with a deadpan scowl on his face. Never has “I can walk and chew gum at the same time” sounded so irritable. Keep it up.
• “To rush a sehlat is to risk a goring.” Between this and “It is difficult to ride two valebeasts with only one set of buttocks” from “Choose to Live,” Saru is a veritable font of folksy aphorisms.
• Was that a Selay , the cobra-headed aliens first seen in TNG ’s “Lonely Among Us”, at the negotiating table? Why I do believe it was.

• According to Tilly’s data regarding Trill, the planet has a 26.5-hour day and a 483-day year.
• Like human fingerprints, Trill spots are unique to each individual — and it seems the Trill government keeps records of all spot patterns, even after 800 years.
• While Gray permanently inhabits his clone body through the Trill zhian’tara ritual, Culber’s z hian’tara experience parallels the Deep Space 9 crew; they took on the personalities and knowledge of Dax’s previous hosts in “Facets.”
• Saru’s office at Starfleet Headquarters is filled with many alien plants, like his quarters aboard Discovery .
• Jinaal notes that the discovery of Progenitor tech occurred during the Dominion War, meaning that his group of scientists hid the bounty no later than 2375 (when the war concluded). “The Chase” took place in 2369, just six years earlier.
• Lt. Commander Nillson has transferred to the Voyager -J, meaning it’s unlikely we’ll see actor Sara Mitich this season.

• The bartender in Red’s serves Tilly a glass of green Ferengi Slug-O Cola, introduced on Deep Space Nine and last seen in Picard Season 3.
• Reno’s complaint about chips refers to her Starfleet interrogation in Season 3’s “Die Trying.”
• The “day for night” filter used during the Trill canyon night scenes isn’t very effective when the actors have visible shadows.
• The latest Progentitor clue leads to coordinates located in Tzenkethi space, a dangerous species mentioned twice in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
• As foreshadowed at the beginning of the episode, we see Burnham kneeling in a Vulcan meditative pose, exactly like Spock in Star Trek II. (Someone please get her some of those little knee pillows Sarek had in “Light and Shadows,” the floor of her quarters has to be pretty hard to kneel on!)

Adira says their goodbyes to the guardians before beaming up to the ship, and as they do so… oh no, one of the guardians is Mol (Eve Harlow) — and she’s slipped a tracking chip onto Adira before slinking away into the shadows!

Was Mol there the whole time, and if so, was she worried that any of the Trill present were going to realize she had no idea how to do any of the ceremonial stuff that she was presumably fumbling her way through? Probably not, as a seasoned galactic mercenary she’s way too cool for that. But I would have been.

• DSC Season 5
• Star Trek: Discovery

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