# Convince me that DS9 is not the best trek **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 5, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116 "2016-09-05T19:05:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/1 "2016-09-05T19:05:46Z")
I’ve seen many stories were they decide who is the best Captain or which is the best star trek series. I’ve yet to see one that puts either Sisko or DS9 at the top. I don’t understand it as I view both to be clearly better than the rest. So convince me and show your work why i should prefer some other series. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/2 "2016-09-05T19:16:59Z")
I’m working my way through DS9 now, and in general I like it - but it has the fingerprints of the people who took over from Roddenberry all over it. It rejects the optimistic ST future. I know this is a plus for a lot of people, but not for me. There are also logic holes in a lot of the plots, where the tension comes from a certain course of action being totally impossible, only to have the plot resolved by them doing it with no consequences. TOS is still my favorite, during its best moments. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/3 "2016-09-05T19:20:01Z")
Avery Brooks. He sucks. Therefore DS9 can never be the best Trek. The only captain that sucked worse was Janeway. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/4 "2016-09-05T19:20:20Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I’m working my way through DS9 now, and in general I like it - but it has the fingerprints of the people who took over from Roddenberry all over it. It rejects the optimistic ST future. I know this is a plus for a lot of people, but not for me. > There are also logic holes in a lot of the plots, where the tension comes from a certain course of action being totally impossible, only to have the plot resolved by them doing it with no consequences. > > TOS is still my favorite, during its best moments. Your name is Voyager, your opinion is invalid. 😃 I agree with the OP, it is my favorite of the Star Trek series. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/5 "2016-09-05T19:21:42Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > I’ve seen many stories were they decide who is the best Captain or which is the best star trek series. I’ve yet to see one that puts either Sisko or DS9 at the top. I don’t understand it as I view both to be clearly better than the rest. So convince me and show your work why i should prefer some other series. No U. In other words, we have no idea what it is you liked about that series over the other series, so how can we convince you that any of the other series are better? it might very well be that what DS9 had was what_you_ wanted in a series…but unless you tell us what those points were, there’s not much we can do. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/6 "2016-09-05T19:30:48Z")
What was your first Trek? For many, that’s their favorite. My first Trek was the third season of the original run of TOS. I was 6 yrs old. Reruns of the whole thing filled my entertainment time in the early 70s. I like all Trek, even the cheesy EPS/movies. TOS remains my fave. BTW, Tom Baker is my favorite Doctor. Ymmv ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/7 "2016-09-05T19:35:29Z")
I will not attempt to convince you of this, because DS9 is the best Trek. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/8 "2016-09-05T19:35:38Z")
Nah, the best Trek was the animated series. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/9 "2016-09-05T20:05:59Z")
I believe that TNG has the highest highs and lowest lows but will always be my favorite because of Picard and Data. DS9 was definitely the most consistently good of the series. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/10 "2016-09-05T20:39:02Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No U. > In other words, we have no idea what it is you liked about that series over the other series, so how can we convince you that any of the other series are better? it might very well be that what DS9 had was what_you_ wanted in a series…but unless you tell us what those points were, there’s not much we can do. First of all Deep Space Nine started with a very brave premise. Namely that the show would take place at a stationary place instead of a starship going through space. This eliminated the most common crutch in Star Trek, namely the planet of the week. I will focus on TNG but similar things could be written about the others. The planet of the week did not require the characters and develop. Rather each story was how would the crew interact with X. It was always the same, Picard would moralize, Riker would try to sleep with something, Data would wish he was human and along with Geordie and Westley would tech tech a solution to the problem, Dianna would say something obvious and Crusher would heal up [Worf](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheWorfEffect) after he tried to take on the bad guy of the week so that we would know how serious the problem was. The show tried to have them make moral choices but they never did since all their choices were made for them by either the prime directive or Gene’s idea of what future men would be like, hint humans have no personality flaws. It left a lot of holes in the universe that were explored by DS9. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/11 "2016-09-05T20:48:53Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Avery Brooks. > > He sucks. Therefore DS9 can never be the best Trek. The only captain that sucked worse was Janeway. [Wrong](http://www.vitamin-ha.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Funny-Star-Trek-Memes-05.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/12 "2016-09-05T20:50:57Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > What was your first Trek? For many, that’s their favorite. > > My first Trek was the third season of the original run of TOS. I was 6 yrs old. Reruns of the whole thing filled my entertainment time in the early 70s. I like all Trek, even the cheesy EPS/movies. TOS remains my fave. > > BTW, Tom Baker is my favorite Doctor. > > Ymmv TNG was my first trek. I watched it as it first came out, I was 5. I didn’t watch Dr. Who till much later my favorite doctor is John Hurt. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/13 "2016-09-05T20:54:13Z")
TOS attracted premier sci fi authors to write episodes. For that reason alone, nothing can top it. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/14 "2016-09-05T20:55:03Z")
The mystical, aspects get tiresome. The prophets and Pah-wraiths stories are my least favorite. The series is at its best with the Federation and Cardassian conflicts. The Cardassians were more interesting and cunning villains than the Jem’Hadar. Jem’Hadar were mostly shock troops. The Dominion war episodes were good but that story arc seemed to drag on forever. DS9 is a great series. I want to rewatch it eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/15 "2016-09-05T20:57:09Z")
In DS9, Sisko’s father was dead in the first season, or maybe two. But then somehow, he’s alive and well with out any explanation. Whenever Enterprise did their “expanse arc”, I’d say that little chunck right there was some of the best Star Trek ever. But the before and after, especially the after, wasn’t so great. Still though, pitting series against series, I’d say DS9 is the over all best. Oh, and I’d pit first season Voyager against first season NG any day, so go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/16 "2016-09-05T21:45:01Z")
I’d only say it’s not the best due to their lack of effort in series seven. They even reused footage from previous battles for the final battle against the dominion. ---
**Author:** ![Chihuahua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@Chihuahua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chihuahua)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/17 "2016-09-05T21:48:14Z")
DS9 is overall the best Trek, but it’s most glaring flaw is that it is lacking Trip Tucker. I know Enterprise wasn’t always great, but Trip was one of the most lovable characters since TOS and gave the show an old-school charm that really made it shine. Easily the most entertaining character on ENT and one of the best Trek characters ever. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/18 "2016-09-05T21:53:49Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Your name is Voyager, your opinion is invalid. 😃 > > I agree with the OP, it is my favorite of the Star Trek series. My name has nothing to do with that series. I’ve seen about a season of it, and it is much worse than the first 3. Just sayin’ ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/19 "2016-09-05T21:57:30Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > TOS attracted premier sci fi authors to write episodes. For that reason alone, nothing can top it. Excellent point. The staff writers for the other series ran out of ideas, and got more and more bizarre. TOS had a much greater diversity of material from the diversity of writers. Consider Trouble with Tribbles vs. City on the Edge of Forever. Both great shows, and very different shows. I don’t think you’d be able to get both out of one set of writers. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116/20 "2016-09-05T22:08:02Z")
DS9 was great, and Brooks was great. So was TNG and Stewart. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-that-ds9-is-not-the-best-trek/765116.md?page=2)