Spoilers Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

[bloodtide]

Thanks. I feel it's clear that the cast were a bit awkward at the start (especially in the pilot, which is typical and understandable), but as they became more comfortable both in their roles and with each other, they started to shine. I can see what everyone means about DS9 being a character-driven show. When the acting is good, it's really top-notch stuff.

This is true of all shows. The actors and writers grow over time.

I still find the space station a bit claustrophobic, so I'm looking forward to the arrival of Defiant and the increase in off-station settings in later seasons. I think part of what's off-putting about the station is its austere Cardassian design -- all blocky and harsh angles and ugly colors. It's not aesthetically pleasing like the inside of a Federation starship with all its curves and flowing lines.

Well, then the art department did it's job well and it was made to be "claustrophobic" and Ugly(to humans). The station is an "oil rig" and "factory".

I also think the non-Federation fashions on the station are pretty awful. Jake and Nog have bad taste in clothes., although neither of them is as bad as Quark, who always looks like he's wearing his grandma's upholstery cut-offs. And those Bajoran uniforms are not at all flattering!

I wear your Grandpa's clothes, I look incredible!!!

 

[Gradine]

Its Star trek its gonna be a lot of...

Though it gets a bot better once Worf joins up.

Palm punches. Palm punches everywhere

 

[pukunui]

This is true of all shows. The actors and writers grow over time.

Yep. That's why I said it's "typical and understandable".

 

[Staffan]

This is true of all shows. The actors and writers grow over time.

There's that, and there's also the writers learning what different actors' strengths are, and what actors have chemistry together. To take an example from an even better show, Babylon 5: in season 1 the character of Susan Ivanova was a pretty stiff no-nonsense career military sort. But it turns out Claudia Christian was pretty good at banter and the occasional bit of humor, so that got written into the character as well. She was still tough-as-nails, but now with some added depth to her.

Of course, you sometimes have the opposite as well. It turned out that Alexander Siddig and Andrew Robinson had amazing chemistry with one another, and would play every scene with Dr Bashir and Garak with heavy doses of subtext and flirtation... which the Powers That Be did not like at all, so they gave them a lot fewer scenes in common.

 

[payn]

Palm punches. Palm punches everywhere

The interlocked finger hammer punch is always a winner too.

 

[payn]

There's that, and there's also the writers learning what different actors' strengths are, and what actors have chemistry together. To take an example from an even better show, Babylon 5: in season 1 the character of Susan Ivanova was a pretty stiff no-nonsense career military sort. But it turns out Claudia Christian was pretty good at banter and the occasional bit of humor, so that got written into the character as well. She was still tough-as-nails, but now with some added depth to her.

Of course, you sometimes have the opposite as well. It turned out that Alexander Siddig and Andrew Robinson had amazing chemistry with one another, and would play every scene with Dr Bashir and Garak with heavy doses of subtext and flirtation... which the Powers That Be did not like at all, so they gave them a lot fewer scenes in common.

I… yeah can’t say B5 is a better show in any measure after a recent rewatch. The DS9 bench is just so much deeper. Though I’m sure the budget was a lot bigger as well. I say that as someone who enjoyed B5 a lot.

 

[Gradine]

The interlocked finger hammer punch is always a winner too.

Everyone knows two fists is twice the punch of one fist! Never mind the limited range of motion!

 

[Arilyn]

Struggling through Voyager. It's frustrating because it had potential that it couldn't reach. I am enjoying Jeri Ryan's portrayal of Seven, however.

 

[Older Beholder]

It was the movie length pilot of DS9 that really got me into Star Trek.
I remember catching episodes of TNG previously and liking it, but maybe I was a bit young.

I still remember a review that called the DS9 'Neighbours in Space', which I thought was a bit harsh.

 

[overgeeked]

Minor spoiler text meme.