Star Trek: Deep Space Nine distinguished itself from other Star Trek enterprises by focusing the action in one location. Aboard the space station Deep Space Nine, a motley crew of Earthlings and aliens worked together to create stability in the universe and overcome their differences.
The writers of the show decided to step away from Gene Roddenberry's rules for the Star Trek universe. Roddenberry, who is the original creator of the series, had insisted that there should be no conflict between the crew members and that the heroes of Star Trek should be infallible. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, on the other hand, introduced characters that were flawed and often had disagreements.
The space station setting also allowed for a broader variety of recurring characters. The station offered the services of the barman Quark and the tailor Elim Garak, and it would also host visitors from other planets who stopped by. The large cast allowed writers to concentrate on character development and interpersonal relationships. It also gave actors more nuanced roles to play compared to previous Star Trek shows.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine poses more complex and ambiguous questions than its predecessors. Its philosophical themes and fixed location have made it a controversial addition to the franchise. The series' mature material would prove to be both a challenge and opportunity for the cast.
During its seven season run, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine featured actors who captured all the facets of their characters as well as those who didn't quite fit in with the show or universe.
Here are 8 Casting Decisions That Hurt DS9 (And 12 That Saved It).
Saved: Colm Meaney As Miles O'Brien
Miles O'Brien is like most of us; he is a working-class guy from Earth who loves his family and hates spiders. O'Brien is in fact so much like the rest of us that writers always made sure to include one episode each season where he was put in particularly unfortunate circumstances. Writers felt that audiences empathized with the character more than the rest of the cast and would be more invested in the outcome. This trend was called "O'Brien Must Suffer."
In an otherwise unfamiliar setting, O'Brien's straightforward approach to life made him the perfect substitute for viewers.
Colm Meaney's affably baffled appearance fits the character perfectly.
He also infused O'Brien with a healthy dose of humility and relatable charm.
Hurt: Majel Barrett As Lwaxana Troi
Lwaxana Troi may be the character that has annoyed fans of Deep Space Nine the most. She is played by Gene Roddenberry's wife Majel Barrett, who is considered to be Star Trek royalty. Barrett first appeared in Star Trek as Nurse Chapel in the original series and she even played a part in the original Westworld movie.
Because of her marriage to Roddenberry, her presence in the Star Trek universe has been controversial from the start. Unfortunately, the character of Lwaxana Troi does not justify her participation in the franchise.
The cougarish mother figure is at best a comic relief, at worst a grating distraction.
Saved: Terry Farrell As Jadzia Dax
Terry Farrell got to play DS9's most open-minded character, Jadzia Dax. Jadzia hosted the Dax symbiont, a worm-like creature whose memories fuse with that of its host. The symbiont had lived several lifetimes as both men and women and offered a gender-neutral outlook on life.
Farrell plays the character with great playfulness and poise.
She was the last person cast during the show's first season, so when she came on board the only scenes left filming were the ones with her in them.
On an otherwise tense and serious show, Farrell added some much-needed joy. Her bright gaze lights up the screen and balances out her more somber cast mates.
Hurt: Nicole De Boer As Ezri Dax
After the sixth season, Terry Farrell left the show. Her character was written off and its symbiont found a new host in Ezri Dax.
Ezri is a stark contrast to Jadzia. The character is neurotic and tense, lacking the lightness of Farrell's interpretation.
Actress Nicole De Boer, however, is not to blame for the character's shortcomings. The writers probably wanted to underline the differences between the symbiont's hosts by creating a character that was diametrically different to Jadzia.
With more time, De Boer would probably have come into her own in the role, but Ezri's introduction in the show's final season felt forced and unnecessary.
Saved: Andrew Robinson As Elim Garak
Elim Garak was one of Starfleet's most captivating characters. His introduction gave audiences a better understanding of the Cardassian race and kept us entertained.
Robinson went to great lengths to understand and develop the character.
While making the show, Robinson would write endless notes on Garak's motivations and backstory. These notes were eventually compiled into the book A Stitch In Time, which was published after the show's last season.
The actor did not simply make up a lot of information to add to the character-- he also drew from his own experiences. An interest in horticulture and a fear of confined spaces were personal traits that Robinson lent to his on-screen persona. Robinson's passion for the role shone through in a stellar performance.
Saved: Rene Auberjonois As Odo
Odo's journey is ripe with questions about humanity, ethics, and what it means to belong. Throughout the series, the character goes through powerful transformations and faces difficult choices.
Considering the intrusive prosthetic make up the actor has to wear to become Odo, the part required a highly skilled performer. Rene Auberjonois does not disappoint in his portrayal of Odo.
The actor is able to convey an impressive range of emotions using mostly just his eyes and voice.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is undoubtedly elevated by Auberjonois' delicate delivery, which does a lot of the emotional heavy lifting for the show.
Hurt: Louise Fletcher As Winn Adami
Louise Fletcher received accolades and acclaim for her performance in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. In DS9, she gets into the robes of another chilling villainess.
Winn Adami is a cunning religious leader from the planet Bajor. Through the seasons, she rises to the leadership position of kai and even holds her planet's first minister position for a while.
The writers had actually planned on promoting her colleague Bareil to the position of kai, but changed things up at the last minute. Appointing Adami instead created more opportunities for conflict further down the road.
Few actors master a disquieting smile with the same ease as Louise Fletcher. Unfortunately, the actress was not able to carry this same ease into her role as a futuristic space priestess. Fletcher seemed to struggle through stretches of dialogue that are predominantly space-related.
Saved: Nana Visitor As Kira Nerys
Nana Visitor was one of the grounding forces of DS9. While Captain Sisko maintained a detached distance to the conflicts that played out in the universe, Kira Nerys was all in.
Nerys was a former Bajoran freedom fighter who came to the Starfleet to represent her nation in the negotiations that followed the war on her home planet.
Through her time on the Starfleet, Jadzia teaches Kira to be more open minded and Odo helps her fall in love.
Visitor perfectly captures the passion Kira has for her people, her friends, and justice.
The show would not be the same without her.
Hurt: Alexander Siddig As Julian Bashir
Julian Bashir is the Space Station's resident doctor. His arrogant constitution rubbed fans the wrong way from the get-go.
The writers maybe sensed that people were not responding well to the character as they decided to make some changes to Bashir. After the first few seasons, viewers would discover that he was in fact a genetically engineered human. His character changed after this revelation, making him a more tolerable part of the cast.
Alexander Siddig was a good sport and rolled with the punches. Even though he wasn't a good fit as the original Julian Bashir, he was a great fit for Bashir 2.0.
Saved: Avery Brooks As Captain Benjamin Sisko
Benjamin Sisko was a groundbreaking character. He was Star Trek's first black Captain and he was also one of the first single black fathers to be portrayed on television. Captain Sisko also distinguished himself from previous Star Trek captains by his willingness to do what a situation required, even if he had to compromise his moral standings.
Avery Brooks gave the character a distinct gravitas that few other actors could have provided.
Although his elocution was at times amusing to viewers, he always brought a lot of heart to the scenes with his son. Their relationship was hardly ever confrontational and was a welcome change in pace to most teenage-parent relationships found on TV.
Hurt: Wallace Shawn As Grand Nagus Zek
Wallace Shawn is almost always excellent in everything that he does, but the Grand Nagus Zek cannot stand among his other iconic roles.
The beloved film star plays the part of Zak with an air of whiny petulance, a quality that does not mesh well with what viewers have come to expect from the Ferengi.
The Grand Nagus is both the political and economic leader of the Ferengi. Even though their interests mainly revolve around profits, the Ferengi are clever negotiators and good at reading people. It seems unlikely that they would chose a leader with so little natural authority.
Saved: Armin Shimmerman As Quark
Armin Shimmerman faced an uphill battle when he was cast in the role of Quark. Not only did he have to work with an uncomfortable headpiece, he also had to give depth to a species that had been accused of promoting unsavory stereotypes.
Through his interactions with the rest of the cast, Shimmerman slowly peeled back the layers of his controversial character.
The part was beautifully written and drew from the inclusiveness that made Star Trek stand out when it first hit the screen.
During a panel in New York, Shimmerman explained how he viewed Quark; "The Ferengi represent the outcast… it’s the person who lives among us that we don’t fully understand."
His performance on the show stands as a testament to his great empathetic abilities as an actor.
Saved: Jeffrey Combs As Weyoun
In addition to six other separate characters, Combs portrayed five different versions of the clone Weyoun on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
After producer Ira Stephen Behr had seen him act as Brunt he decided to cast him in a role that showed more of his face. That was a wise decision.
In the role of Wayoun, Combs employed a wide range of expressions to create a devilishly pleasant character. He also got to explore the character further when he took on the role of a defunct Wayoun who did not display unwavering loyalty to the Dominion. These dastardly Vortas became fast fan favorites.
Hurt: Chase Masterson As Leeta
When Seven of Nine rose to popularity on Star Trek: Voyager, the writers behind Deep Space Nine reportedly scrambled to highlight a character with a similar set of attributes.
They settled on Leeta, an attractive casino hostess, to fill this role. However, the character was not as nuanced as the Borg from Voyager.
Leeta's presence seemed more like a gratuitous ploy to draw in viewers than an interesting addition to the story.
It did not help that Masterson's performance bordered on a cartoonish depiction of female sensuality. She ended up coming across as more of a Mansfield than a Monroe and the character ultimately hurt the series.
Saved: William Sadler As Luther Sloan
Luther Sloan was introduced towards the end of the series. His morally ambiguous character added new fuel to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Sloan worked for a secretive intelligence agency called Section 31 and operated according to the philosophy that the ends justify the means. William Sadler plays the role brilliantly. Even though the character is thoroughly odious, you hope things will work in his favor just so you can see more of his performance.
This esteemed actor could probably pull off anything thrown at him.
Among his long list of credits are memorable roles in Shawshank Redemption, Die Hard 2, and Iron Man 3. You can currently catch Sadler on the show Power.
Hurt: Ken Marshall As Michael Eddington
It is hard to portray a likable, or at the very least compelling, traitor. In DS9 Ken Marshall plays security officer Michael Eddington who eventually abandons his duties and deflects to join the Maquis.
In most of his screen time, Marshall has an inexplicable smirk on his face. The expression sometimes works to his advantage, but at other times it distracts from the plot.
It is in the character's odd moments of heroism that Marshall's acting abilities really shine through. His talents would probably have been better displayed if he had the chance to work with more of this type of material.
Saved: Iggy Pop As Yelgrun
Several famous faces have appeared on Star Trek over the years, but the most surprising is perhaps music legend Iggy Pop. In an otherwise uneventful episode, Iggy Pop shows up to play Yelgrun from Vorta.
This was not the musician's first acting credit.
Iggy Pop had previously played in a number of films, such as Sid And Nancy and The Color Of Money.
Ihr was initially worried that Iggy might not be a great fit for the role they cast him in. He is known for his physicality, and the Vorta are typically quite stiff. However, he pulled off the role with a beautifully muted charisma and elevated the episode with his presence.
Hurt: Robert O'Reilly As Gowron
Gowron was brought onto Star Trek: Deep Space Nine after a run on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but the character did not work as well in the new setting.
When he was surrounded by conniving villains and conflicted heroes, Gowron came across as cartoonish with his bulging eyes and brutish mannerisms. The character simply worked better in the black and white world of The Next Generation.
This was not the fault of actor Robert O'Reilly, who continued to portray the character he had already developed. It was more the case of two concepts that did not manage to find a good balance within the same framework.
Saved: James Darren As Vic Fontaine
Behr had been thinking about adding a '60s singer to the show for a while before James Darren was pegged for the part. The role had previously been offered to Frank Sinatra Jr. and Tom Jones, but a lack of interest kept it on the back burner. Then the executive producer stumbled across Darren.
Darren was cast after his first reading and would move the character in new directions. He was intentionally added to the show as just another holosuite program, but the singer end up taking up much more space than that.
The smooth jazz man brought Odo and Kira together and helped Nog recover from a leg-injury. The character probably would not have been involved in these important storylines had it not been for Darren's pitch perfect delivery.
Saved: Marc Alaimo As Gul Dukat
Dukat is the perfect foil for Garak. The two are caught in an endless rivalry where the characters play wonderfully off each other.
Marc Alaimo manages to capture Dukat's ominous presence as well as the humanity, so to speak, within. The character has suffered immense loss, which has caused him to become the way that he is.
Alaimo's performance does not only add a lot of depth to the character he plays, it also lets the viewers discover new sides of Garak, an audience favourite. The interplay between these kinds of characters is a big part of what makes Star Trek: Deep Space Nine work.
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