ds9 star trek cast

Star Trek Deep Space Nine Cast: Where Are They Now?

It's been over 20 years since DS9 wrapped: what have the cast been up to since?

Deep Space Nine was the show that enjoyed one of the largest supporting cast out of all of the Trek series to date. Aside from the core characters, there were the regulars in Quark's bar and those Starfleet officers who dropped in from time to time to try to recall. Added to this, there was the mighty Dominion and the Klingon Empire - without a chart, sometimes it's a little difficult to keep all of the characters in check.

While there are dozens of characters who made up the cast of Deep Space Nine across the years, this list represents some of the most important recurring and main roles in the series' runtime. Characters like Kai Winn, Leeta, the Female Shapeshifter and Michael Eddington, while certainly important in their own right, aren't here simply because there is only so much room to work with - THAT'S how big the supporting cast was!

One of the major positives to a large cast however was the many different directions that the actors careers have taken them since. While many have remained on in television, some have moved into entirely new directions. Some are teaching, some are writing and others have run for office! Without further ado, here's what some of the favourite Deep Space Nine stars have been up to in the years since What You Leave Behind first aired.

19. Admiral Ross - Barry Jenner

Admiral William Ross was an addition to the series in its sixth season, taking Sisko on as his right hand man. From the beginning of this season, Barry Jenner appeared in several more episodes up to the seventh season finale. He passed away in 2016.

He was a popular addition to the convention circuit and attended as often as possible. His work post Deep Space Nine slowed down considerably, though he had been involved in various television and film projects beforehand. He had made appearances in Knots Landing, Dallas, Somerset and Another World.

To audiences outside of Star Trek, he may be better known by his role of Lieutenant Murtaugh, whom he played between 1990 and 1992. He had been a member of the professional actor's workshop Theatre East for over twenty years, working as an actor and director. He also did voice over work during his career, including a stint on the Nickelodeon cartoon Rugrats.

He was an avid fan of both tennis and golf, playing in many tournaments to raise money for charity. He died in August 2016 from acute myeloid leukemia. He was 75.

Writer. Reader. Host. I'm Seán, I live in Ireland and I'm the poster child for dangerous obsessions with Star Trek. Check me out on Twitter @seanferrick

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Commander Benjamin Sisko and the crew fight off rival alien species who want control of Deep Space Nine.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was the fourth Star Trek series and entered production in 1992 . It was broadcast in first-run syndication from January 1993 until June 1999 .

It was the first Star Trek series created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller rather than by Gene Roddenberry . It was also the only series to air alongside another Star Trek production throughout its entire run, airing alongside Star Trek: The Next Generation from 1993 until 1994 , and then with Star Trek: Voyager from 1995 until 1999 .

(Themes composed by Dennis McCarthy ).
1.1 The characters
1.2 Alien races
1.3 The mirror universe
1.4 Technology
1.5 Costumes
2.1 Development
2.2 Title sequence
2.3 Serialization
3.1 Starring
3.2 Also starring
3.3 Special guest stars
3.4 Special appearances by
3.5 Recurring characters
4 Executive producers
5 Staff writers
6.1 Season 1
6.2 Season 2
6.3 Season 3
6.4 Season 4
6.5 Season 5
6.6 Season 6
6.7 Season 7
7 Related topics
9 External links

Summary [ ]

Deep Space Nine goes where no Star Trek series had gone before – DS9 was the first Star Trek production not based on a starship , but instead, a starbase , known as Deep Space 9 (the starship USS Defiant was introduced in season 3, but the station remained the primary setting of the series). The show is known for its complex characters and storylines, engaging battle scenes and darker (less Utopian) atmosphere. Unlike its predecessors Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine tended to avoid an episodic format for most of its run and instead featured multiple-episode story arcs .

The show broke the "standard format" for Star Trek shows a number of times as well, with a direct, first-person narrative providing the commentary for the episode " In the Pale Moonlight ", a retelling of a classic TOS episode from a different angle in " Trials and Tribble-ations ", life in the racially segregated 1950s in " Far Beyond the Stars ", and a reintroduction of the concept of "black ops" to the Star Trek universe with Section 31 : " Inquisition ". The show also broke with tradition – and with the two Star Trek series that followed it – by featuring a commanding officer as the star of the show at the rank of commander, rather than captain, for a significant portion of its run, until Sisko was eventually promoted to captain in " The Adversary ". Additionally, a number of the episodes and main storylines focused entirely on characters who weren't members of Starfleet: for example, those revolving around Kira, Odo, Jake Sisko, and Quark. (" Progress ", " Shakaar ", " The House of Quark ", " Heart of Stone ", " Prophet Motive ", " Little Green Men ", " Bar Association ", " Body Parts ", " Nor the Battle to the Strong ", " The Ascent ", " The Darkness and the Light ", " Business as Usual ", " Ties of Blood and Water ", " Ferengi Love Songs ")

The characters [ ]

Unlike other Star Trek series, DS9 also had a large cast of recurring characters . Such characters included Nog , Rom , Elim Garak , Dukat , Vedek Bareil Antos , Winn Adami , Weyoun , the Female Changeling , Damar , Martok , Kasidy Yates , Leeta , Brunt , Ishka , and Zek .

Miles O'Brien , and later Worf , were two characters imported from TNG. Worf – a major character from TNG – played a large role on DS9. Several Next Generation characters also had recurring roles on the show, such as Keiko O'Brien and Gowron . Several other TNG characters made appearances too, such as Captain Jean-Luc Picard , Thomas Riker , Q , Lwaxana Troi , Kurn , Lursa , B'Etor , Admiral Alynna Nechayev , Vash , Toral and Alexander Rozhenko . In addition, Julian Bashir and Quark also had one-time appearances on The Next Generation , in " Birthright, Part I " and " Firstborn " respectively. Quark (and the station itself) also made a cameo in the pilot of Star Trek: Voyager , " Caretaker ". Characters from The Original Series were also re-introduced in DS9, including Kor , Kang , Koloth , and Arne Darvin .

The series also featured a number of episodes in which the character of Miles O'Brien was subjected to particular trauma. This became an in-joke among the DS9 writing staff, who called them "O'Brien Must Suffer" episodes and went to great lengths to produce at least one such episode per season. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , p. ? )

Alien races [ ]

The series focused on several races that were first featured on TNG, such as the Bajorans , the Cardassians , the Trill , and the Ferengi . Later, the Klingons and the Romulans (both created in TOS) became pivotal species in the series. Many other species made appearances on the series, including Vulcans , Bolians , and Benzites . The series also created many species of its own, most notably the Changelings , the Vorta , and the Jem'Hadar , who formed part of the Dominion .

Jadzia Dax and other Trills portrayed in DS9 were distinctly different from how Trills had been depicted in the TNG episode " The Host ". In DS9, the relationship between host and symbiont was described more as a truly symbiotic relationship rather than the symbiont dominating the host. Trills now having spots, rather than prosthetic make-up, was due to studio executives feeling that Jadzia Dax actress Terry Farrell was too attractive to cover her face up. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 23, No. 6, p. 21)

Another significant change was the relationship Ferengi had with Humans . The Ferengi on TNG had originally been intended to be a new adversary comparable to the Klingons in TOS, although the writers had quickly realized how ridiculous the Ferengi were as villains. In DS9, the Ferengi were mainly entrepreneurs and the Ferengi Alliance was a politically neutral economic power.

Deep Space Nine also featured several regular characters who were not members of Starfleet , with Kira Nerys , a member of the Bajoran Militia , and Odo , the station's chief of security , as well as civilians such as Quark and Jake Sisko .

The mirror universe [ ]

The series spent some time exploring the mirror universe , which had not been seen since the TOS episode " Mirror, Mirror ". The mirror universe was featured in five episodes of the series: " Crossover ", " Through the Looking Glass ", " Shattered Mirror ", " Resurrection ", and " The Emperor's New Cloak ".

Technology [ ]

The show also focused on a wider array of uses and depictions of functions for holographic simulations (known as a holodeck in TOS and TNG but as a holosuite in DS9). In addition to many obvious activities (such as those referenced by Chief O'Brien and Julian Bashir) which were completely in keeping with holodeck usage on The Next Generation , the numerous applications of the holosuites on DS9 included them being used as: a recurring background for people to hang out in, in the form of a 1960s Las Vegas lounge (in numerous episodes); a weapons showroom (by Quark); and the location for a baseball game between teams assembled by Sisko versus Solok , a long-time rival Vulcan captain (in " Take Me Out to the Holosuite ").

Costumes [ ]

DS9 initially featured a noticeable change in Starfleet uniform to a reversed color scheme of the TNG uniform, which is a black design with the division color on the shoulders and a grayish-indigo undershirt underneath the uniform, resembling the cadet uniforms seen on The Next Generation . This design is called the old DS9-style uniforms . It was mostly implemented as a continuation of Star Trek 's pattern of changing uniforms over time, although factors such as the discomfort of wearing TNG-style uniforms played a role as well.

What came to be known as the DS9-style uniforms were more of a variant than a switch, however, due to the cost of producing all-new uniforms. This is why, for example, the DS9 crew themselves wear old DS9-style uniforms from the beginning of DS9 pilot episode " Emissary " up to the fifth season episode " The Ascent ", and this style was also later used throughout Star Trek: Voyager . Meanwhile, even after TNG had gone off the air, the dress uniforms and flag officer uniforms on DS9 up until the sixth season (as well as uniforms on Earth , as seen in the fourth season episodes " Homefront " and " Paradise Lost ") were " TNG-style ".

These discrepancies were corrected with the later switch to a unified, "gray-on-black" format with the division color undershirts (known as the " DS9-style "), which was used through Star Trek Nemesis and were also used in this series, starting with " Rapture " and for the remainder of this series, though the old DS9-style uniforms in this series appeared four more times following the uniform change in the episodes, " In Purgatory's Shadow " and " By Inferno's Light " as well as seen on a photograph of " Field of Fire " and in the flashback scenes of " What You Leave Behind ".

Background information [ ]

Development [ ].

The decision to set the series on a space station, rather than a starship, spawned when Brandon Tartikoff originally approached Rick Berman about the show, in 1991, and specifically said he wanted it to have a format that was new for Star Trek but was classically western; if The Next Generation was Wagon Train in space, Deep Space Nine was to be The Rifleman in space – a man and his son coming to a dilapidated frontier town on the edge of known civilization. Berman brought this concept to Michael Piller , and together they set about creating a western in space. As Robert Hewitt Wolfe later explained, " We had the country doctor , and we had the barkeeper , and we had the sheriff and we had the mayor , we had it all, it was all there. We had the common man, Miles O'Brien , the Native American, Kira . " Indeed, the producers initially discussed setting the show at a colony on an alien planet rather than on a space station. This idea was ultimately rejected because it was felt that it would involve too much location shooting, and because they felt that fans of Star Trek wanted to see story lines set primarily in space , not on a planet. ( New Frontiers: The Story of Deep Space Nine , DS9 Season 2 DVD special features)

The change of venue to a space station was largely intended to differentiate DS9 from The Next Generation , because the producers felt that having two shows about a starship airing simultaneously would be unacceptable. As co-creator and executive producer Rick Berman later explained, " Because there were two years of overlap with The Next Generation , we could not create a show that took place on a spaceship. It just seemed ridiculous to have two shows and two casts of characters that were off going where no man has gone before. It was a land-based show, it was a show that in a sense was taking place on a space station. So it had to be an entirely different concept. " ( Deep Space Nine: A Bold Beginning , DS9 Season 1 DVD special features)

The decision to set the show on a fixed station rather than a traveling starship was also based upon a desire to look deeper into the actual workings of the Federation and to see how it dealt with the type of problems one wouldn't find in a show set upon a starship. Michael Piller felt that, by having the characters standing still, they would be forced to confront issues not usually applicable to people on a starship. Whereas on The Next Generation , issues raised each week could simply be forgotten about the following week as the ship visited somewhere else, on a space station, events couldn't be forgotten or left behind but instead had to have implications for the future. As Piller explained, " We didn't want to have another series of shows about space travel. We felt that there was an opportunity to really look deeper, more closely at the working of the Federation and the Star Trek universe by standing still. And by putting people on a space station where they would be forced to confront the kind of issues that people in space ships are not forced to confront. In a series that focuses on a starship, like the Enterprise , you live week by week. You never have to stay and deal with the issues that you've raised. But by focusing on a space station, you create a show about commitment. It's like the difference between a one-night stand and a marriage. On Deep Space Nine , whatever you decide has consequences the following week. So it's about taking responsibility for your decisions, the consequences of your acts. " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , p. ? ) Similarly, in 2002 , Piller stated, " If you look at The Next Generation , it's really about movement. You don't ever stay in one place long enough to get to know anybody. Well Deep Space Nine is a show where everybody is forced to stay week after week, so each episode, each show, is fundamentally dealing with the people who have to learn that actions have consequences, and they have to live with the consequences of their actions on a weekly basis. " ( New Frontiers: The Story of Deep Space Nine , DS9 Season 2 DVD special features)

Setting the show in a fixed location meant that a large cast of recurring characters could be built up with relative ease; much more so than in The Original Series or The Next Generation before it, or Star Trek: Voyager , Star Trek: Enterprise , or Star Trek: Discovery since. As Rick Berman, speaking in 2002, stated, " The show was land-based, but the benefit we got from that was that by staying in one place, it enabled us to create twenty or thirty secondary and recurring characters, which really enriched the show because of all the multi-layers of relationships that have existed over the years. It's a very character-driven show as a result, and I think that makes it quite unique. " ( Deep Space Nine: A Bold Beginning , DS9 Season 1 DVD special features)

The decision to set the show in a fixed location was regarded as a benefit by the series' staff writers. For example, Ira Steven Behr , speaking in 1996 , commented, " We have certain advantages that I think no other Star Trek series has had, because we do have a base of operations that doesn't travel through space, which is the space station. Every story we do, the repercussions, the consequences don't disappear. It's not like the other shows where you have an adventure and then you zoom off into the great unknown. We are here, we have made a home, what we do has consequences. And I think we're able to do this mosaic, this fabric of life in the future, which I like. " Similarly, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, speaking in 2002, stated, " I think if Next Generation and The Original Series were about going out there and discovering new things about other races, Deep Space Nine is about staying in one place and discovering new things about ourselves. Not that we didn't go out there and discover things, but we had the same characters, we didn't change location every week. Sisko couldn't just solve a problem and sail off into the sunset, and never have to go back to that place again. That place was always there, and that problem could always come back to haunt him. So, in a lot of ways, it was a more complex show. " ( New Frontiers: The Story of Deep Space Nine , DS9 Season 2 DVD special features)

The series was designed to have more interpersonal conflict than its predecessors, while still staying true to the universe that Gene Roddenberry had created. Rick Berman commented, " [Deep Space 9]'s an alien space station that doesn't work the way they want it to, and that in itself created a lot of conflict. At the same, our core characters are Starfleet officers; Sisko, O'Brien, the doctor and Dax in no way vary from The Next Generation in terms of the lack of conflict among themselves. That was a rule we had to follow. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages , p. 5) Berman also commented, " What we wanted to do was something that was almost paradoxical – bring conflict but not break Gene's rules. They still play paramount importance in what we're doing. We created an environment where Starfleet officers were in a location that they weren't happy about being in, and they were in a location where the people who lived there weren't all that happy about them being there. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages , p. 8)

The show's main cast was intentionally assembled to create conflict (Quark and Odo, Kira and Sisko, etc.), so as to contrast the relatively tranquil atmosphere aboard Federation starships. This was another very specific decision taken by the producers. Gene Roddenberry's golden rule was that there was to be no conflict among Starfleet characters, so the producers decided to introduce non-Starfleet characters so conflict could come from within the show rather than always coming from outside (as it did on TNG). Rick Berman recalled, " We [....] created a situation where we had people who were members of our core group who were not Starfleet: the security shapeshifter Odo; the Bajoran Major, Kira; the bartender, Quark. A group of our integral people are not Starfleet officers, and the ones that are Starfleet officers aren't crazy about where they are, so we have a lot of frustration and conflict. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages , p. 8) Writer Joe Menosky explained, " You can see right away they're not the perfectly engineered Humans of TNG. They seem more real. I don't know if that makes them as attractive to viewers or not. But they are really different, and they represent a different way to tell a story. And it was definitely a conscious choice to create that potential for conflict. " Similarly, Berman stated, " Viewers didn't see that group of loving family members that existed on the first two Star Trek shows. " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , p. ? ) Michael Piller also commented on this somewhat controversial aspect of the show; " One of the primary goals of the development process was to come up with a show that had more inherent conflict than The Next Generation . In order to do that, you have to understand that Gene Roddenberry had a very specific vision for Humanity in the 24th century. What that meant for The Next Generation was that everybody gets along remarkably well on the Enterprise . There's very little room for interpersonal conflict between those people. In this series, we set out to create a situation that would provide natural conflict. We've populated the show with several aliens, primarily Bajorans , as we are stationed on the edge of the Bajoran star system . And the Bajorans are very different people than we are. They are people who are very spiritual and mystical and have a whole different way of looking at life than the 24th century humanist views which many of our Starfleet people will have. So immediately, there are conflicts. And then there's additional aliens from elsewhere who are thrown into the mix. So, as regular characters, not all the people are Starfleet, not all the people are Human, and as a result, you have this continuing conflict, because people who come from different places, honorable, noble people, will naturally have conflicts. " ( Deep Space Nine: A Bold Beginning , DS9 Season 1 DVD special features)

Unlike with TOS and TNG, Gene Roddenberry wasn't directly involved in conceptualizing DS9. Regarding Roddenberry's involvement in the series, Rick Berman stated, " Michael and I discussed it with Gene when we were still in the early stages, but never anything conceptual. " " We never got a chance to discuss it (the concept) with Gene. By the time we had it to the point that it was discussable, he was in pretty bad shape and not really in the condition that it would have been wise to discuss it with him. On two specific occasions I was with him at his house and we tried to bring it up, but it wasn't really appropriate. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 328) Director Paul Lynch remarked, " My gut feeling is that Gene would be jumping up and down. This is definitely a different take on what Gene spawned, but I think he would love it [....] While it's quite different, Deep Space Nine is also, in many ways, quite the same. All of Gene's moral requirements are upheld in this show. If we've done anything, we've expanded on what Gene created. " ( The Official Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Magazine issue 1 , pp. 10 & 12)

Initially, Berman and Piller were at a loss for a title for the series and toyed with calling the series "The Final Frontier". During further development, the station was temporarily dubbed "Deep Space Nine", which not only stuck permanently as the name of the station, but also the title of the show itself. Despite this, the two co-creators were reportedly dissatisfied with the name. ( Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Unauthorized Story , pp. 17-18)

Miles O'Brien was brought aboard DS9 and made a part of the space station's senior staff because the producers felt that Colm Meaney was too talented an actor to confine his character to a transporter room . Additionally, they hoped the TNG crossover would help boost the new series' ratings.

In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , p. ? , Michael Piller explained the rationale behind each of the principal cast members, why each character was chosen, and what each one was to bring to the mix;

Jadzia Dax: " The Trill is a great race. They had some interesting ramifications on TNG. A Trill character would provide great potential for dichotomy and paradox. "
Odo: " We knew that we needed some kind of Data / Spock character who looks at the world from the outside in. And the idea that an alien entity would have to find some way to pass as Human was fascinating, and seemed to give us an avenue into the kind of 'complexion of Humanity' stories that we wanted to tell. "
Quark: " A Ferengi would provide the show with instant humor and built-in conflict. I saw Quark as the bartender who is a constant thorn in the side of law and order, but who has a sense of humor about it. He'd be someone who could obviously throw lots of story dynamics into play. "
Julian Bashir: " We decided to create a flawed character. He'd have to be brought down to size in order to grow. And we wrote him as kind of a jerk for much of the first season . "
Miles O'Brien: " After we decided we were bringing him over to the new show, we thought, 'How do we use him?' We'd already decided to focus on Bajor, with this long backstory, establishing his bitterness towards the Cardassians , so it worked very nicely together. "
Kira Nerys: " We liked the idea of having somebody working with the commander of the station who would be a thorn in his side, who would represent a different point of view. We knew we'd get conflict and interesting dynamics between the two characters. "
Benjamin Sisko: " Every hero needs a journey. You want to take your leading man on a quest where he has to overcome personal issues as well as whatever space stuff happens to be out there. The idea of a man who is broken and who begins to repair himself is always a great beginning for drama. "

The first officer aboard DS9 would have been Ro Laren , but she was replaced by Kira Nerys ( Nana Visitor ) because Michelle Forbes did not want to commit to a six-year contract working on DS9. Indeed, the reason the producers had decided to set the show on Bajor in the first place was because of Ro.

Following the highly rated appearance of James Doohan as Montgomery Scott in TNG : " Relics ", it was reported, in 1993, that Doohan had been urging Paramount to add him to the cast of DS9. It was also rumored that William Shatner had expressed interest in participating in DS9 in some capacity. ( Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Unauthorized Story , p. 15)

During pre-production for the series, the producers were especially keen to ensure that the aesthetic of the show was very different from anything yet seen in the Star Trek universe. For example, Director of Photography Marvin Rush said the producers told him that they wanted "a darker, more sinister place" than the Enterprise -D. Rush himself described the final look as "dark and shadowy." Similarly, Herman Zimmerman said, " The marching orders for the station were to make it bizarre. " Finally, Supervising Producer David Livingston summed up the differences between DS9 and TNG by comparing the Enterprise 's bridge with Deep Space 9's Ops ; " The bridge is a very easy set to shoot. It's a three-wall open set with a lot of room, big and cavernous. Ops, on the other hand, is a multilevel set with a lot of cramped areas and very contrasty lighting. It's more interesting visually. " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , p. ? ) As Colm Meaney elaborated, " Because it was an alien space station, it gives the whole thing a very different feel I think to Next Generation or the original show, where you have the Enterprise , which is this very perfect environment. This is much more kind of dark and eerie, and also nothing works, the whole thing is a terrible mess. " ( Deep Space Nine Scrapbook: Year One , DS9 Season 1 DVD special features)

From the very beginning, DS9's darker aesthetic, more antagonistic characters and less Utopian setting were somewhat controversial among die-hard fans of Gene Roddenberry's universe. As Ira Steven Behr, speaking in 1996 (about halfway through the show's seven-year run), stated, " At the beginning of Deep Space Nine 's life, there was feelings that this was not a show that Gene would approve of by some of the fans, feeling that, you know, we had gone away from the image of the future as a paradise, that we had much more conflicts between our people, life isn't always great. But I think Gene, just by his very nature as a creative individual, as a writer, as a forward-thinking person, knows that any franchise has to move forward like a shark, or it dies. And I think he would understand what we're doing, and I think he would like what we're doing, and I think we're in the pocket of the Star Trek universe, and we try to push the envelope. And I see nothing wrong with that, and I have a hard time believing that Gene would see anything wrong with that. " ( New Frontiers: The Story of Deep Space Nine , DS9 Season 2 DVD special features) The sense that DS9 was too "dark" to be a Star Trek show only increased over the years, with episodes such as " Nor the Battle to the Strong ", " In the Pale Moonlight " and " The Siege of AR-558 ", and topics such as Section 31 charting territory never before seen on a Star Trek show, and creating a great deal of controversy among fans of both The Original Series and The Next Generation .

Robert Hewitt Wolfe recalled that Sisko holding the rank of commander led to unfavorable comparisons to the other series. " Whenever people would do articles about Star Trek they would talk about the three captains: Kirk , Picard , and Janeway . " The decision to promote Sisko to captain was prompted by the producers feeling that he deserved the higher rank as much as the other lead characters. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , p. 253)

Identifying one way in which he believed DS9 differed from TNG, Colm Meaney stated, " On Next Generation they were dealing with more philosophical ponderings where we on DS9 tend to deal with more hands-on immediate crises that I think of as more resonant with the problems we have in the world today [….] I think that's probably the single main difference. We connect more with contemporary issues, issues relevant to the 1990s, than did Next Generation." ("Mr. Goodwrench", Star Trek: Communicator issue 105 , p. 20)

Title sequence [ ]

Dan Curry commented on the title sequence: " With DS9 I wanted a ballet around the space station, with elegant moves that wove in and out of each other ". ( Cinefantastique )

Serialization [ ]

The series is best remembered for an approach to serialization, predating the format of the late-2010s Star Trek series. Ira Behr commented: " The fact that Discovery is serialized or that Picard is serialized doesn't mean much to me, because how could they not be serialized in 2019? They get to just stay with the times. It's easy to be serialized now. Thank God they're doing that, but it would only be worthy of discussion if they didn't do it. The serialization was a bold move. I look back at it now and I was really a bit of an asshole, because everyone was saying people can't keep up with it. The show was syndicated and on at different times. I didn't care about any of that. I just wanted to do the best show we could do. I could understand why certain people involved and other producers and studios would feel that that was a little bit of an annoying take, because it did hurt the fan base, but at the time, I wasn't thinking about the future. I just wanted to do the best show we could do ". [1]

Ron Moore commented, " I think a lot of Battlestar was born at Deep Space Nine in that Deep Space started as much more episodic because of the nature of the show, it became more a continuing serialised structure. I really liked that, and I discovered I really liked that style of storytelling, and also particularly when we got into the later years of Deep Space , and we started telling the Dominion War story (1997-99), we would sit and argue and fight with the powers that be at Trek about making it a more realistic war, about making it grittier, and ugly; adding more ambiguity to the characters, and roughing it up a little bit, and I kept bumping my head against the strictures at Trek . What Star Trek is could not accommodate things that I wanted to do, so I started to have this sort of pent up frustration about 'well if we were really going to do it right', these ideas would sit in the back of my head so when Battlestar came along, I could now do all of those things that I was never allowed to do at Deep Space . " [2]

Due to the non-episodic nature of DS9, some of the series was lost on the casual viewer when it first aired. Many also believe that the changing television landscape contributed to DS9's ratings trouble, as local TV stations which had aired TNG in prime time became WB and UPN affiliates and pushed syndicated programming to the margins. Subsequent Star Trek shows Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise had network support from UPN and a guaranteed time slot. DS9 was also the only series to run opposite another Star Trek show (first The Next Generation , then Voyager ) for the entirety of its run (the first twelve episodes of the third season aired without another series on). Additionally, certain markets, notably in the UK, would only play one Star Trek series, in its entirety, at a time. Thus, events alluded to in The Next Generation or Voyager that happened in Deep Space Nine took months to "sync up."

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was nominated for 32 Emmy Awards , mostly in "technical" categories such as visual effects and makeup. It won four: "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Main Title Theme Music", "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Special Visual Effects", and "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup for a Series" (twice).

Deep Space Nine remained a fan-favorite series throughout its seven-year run, with reviewers consistently lauding the series for its bold shift in tone from The Next Generation . Most notable among such changes was the concept of inter-personal conflict – something which Gene Roddenberry himself was said to have forbidden.

Said Ronald D. Moore , DS9 producer and screenwriter:

"I'd like us to be remembered as the Trek series that dared to be different. We took chances in a franchise that has every reason to play it safe and spoon-feed the same old thing to the audience week after week. We challenged the characters, the audience, and the Star Trek universe itself. Sometimes we failed (sometimes spectacularly) but we never stopped trying to push the show into new directions."

Robert Hewitt Wolfe remarked, " The truth of DS9 is, we had a great ensemble cast. Michael Piller created all these terrific characters [with the exception of Worf]." ("Flashback: The Way of the Warrior", Star Trek Magazine issue 127 )

Several former producers and head writers from DS9 have been involved in other sci-fi series, including the creation of the "re-envisioned" Battlestar Galactica , as well as The 4400 , Farscape , Medium and Outlander .

In 2019, the documentary What We Left Behind was released. The documentary featured interviews with the actors, writers, production staff and fans, as well as featuring segments in which the writers pitched a new episode.

There was also a rivalry with another popular and critically acclaimed television series, Babylon 5 , created and produced by J. Michael Straczynski for Warner Bros. The two productions, which ran largely concurrently, were observed to be so similar that Babylon 5 fans accused Paramount, to whom Straczynski had previously pitched his series, of plagiarism. Considering how fellow Star Trek alumni like Walter Koenig and Andreas Katsulas had major roles in the rival series, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry agreed to a guest appearance in Babylon 5 as a gesture of goodwill to encourage a reconciliation between the two sets of fans. Rick Berman commented that rivalry was: " purely a fan thing, " adding: " there was a time when, I don't know whether it was specifically Straczynski or other people, it was implied that he had pitched an idea similar to DS9 to Paramount and that it had been rejected and that, lo and behold, a year or so later DS9 came about. The implication being that Michael Piller and I perhaps stole all or part of his idea, which was always amusing to Michael and I because it was completely untrue. We had no knowledge of this gentleman. If he did pitch something to Paramount, we never heard about it. DS9 was a show that was created by Michael and me and Brandon Tartikoff, who was the recent head of Paramount at the time, without any knowledge of Straczynski or of anything that he had ever pitched. So when we were accused of stealing his idea it was a little sad but at the same time a little comical to us. " [3]

Main cast [ ]

The first season promotional image of the cast of Deep Space Nine

Starring [ ]

Avery Brooks as Commander / Captain Benjamin Sisko

Also starring [ ]

Rene Auberjonois as Odo
Nicole de Boer as Ensign / Lieutenant jg Ezri Dax ( 1998 - 1999 )
Michael Dorn as Lt. Commander Worf ( 1995 - 1999 )
Siddig El Fadil as Doctor Bashir

Beginning in 1995, El Fadil was credited as Alexander Siddig and moved between Shimerman and Visitor in the opening credits.

Terry Farrell as Lieutenant / Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax ( 1993 - 1998 )
Cirroc Lofton as Jake Sisko
Colm Meaney as Chief O'Brien
Armin Shimerman as Quark
Nana Visitor as Major / Colonel Kira

Special appearances by [ ]

Bernie Casey as Calvin Hudson
James Darren as Vic Fontaine
Robert Picardo as Lewis Zimmerman / Emergency Medical Holographic program
Chris Sarandon as Martus Mazur
Vanessa Williams as Arandis

Recurring characters [ ]

Cecily Adams and Andrea Martin as Ishka
Marc Alaimo as Gul Dukat
Philip Anglim as Vedek Bareil
Casey Biggs as Damar
Jeffrey Combs as Liquidator Brunt
Max Grodénchik as Rom
Aron Eisenberg as Nog
Hana Hatae as Molly O'Brien
J.G. Hertzler as General Martok
Barry Jenner as Admiral Ross
David B. Levinson as Broik
Kenneth Marshall as Michael Eddington
Chase Masterson as Leeta
Robert O'Reilly as Chancellor Gowron
Duncan Regehr as Shakaar
Andrew J. Robinson as Elim Garak
Mark Allen Shepherd as Morn

Executive producers [ ]

Rick Berman – Executive Producer
Michael Piller – Executive Producer (1993–1995)
Ira Steven Behr – Executive Producer (1995–1999)

Staff writers [ ]

Ira Steven Behr , Staff Writer
Hans Beimler , Staff Writer (1995–1999)
René Echevarria , Staff Writer ( 1994 –1999)
Ronald D. Moore , Staff Writer (1994–1999)
Bradley Thompson , Staff Writer ( 1996 –1999)
David Weddle , Staff Writer (1996–1999)
Robert Hewitt Wolfe , Staff Writer (1993– 1997 )

Episode list [ ]

Season 1 [ ].

DS9 Season 1 , 19 episodes:

Season 2 [ ]

DS9 Season 2 , 26 episodes:

Season 3 [ ]

DS9 Season 3 , 26 episodes:

Season 4 [ ]

DS9 Season 4 , 25 episodes:

Season 5 [ ]

DS9 Season 5 , 26 episodes:

Season 6 [ ]

DS9 Season 6 , 26 episodes:

Season 7 [ ]

DS9 Season 7 , 25 episodes:

External links [ ]

List of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine characters at Wikipedia
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at the Internet Movie Database
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at TV.com
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes at the iTunes Store
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at StarTrek.com
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at Wikiquote
2 Klingon augment virus
3 Daniels (Crewman)

List of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine cast members

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is an American science fiction television series that debuted in broadcast syndication on January 3, 1993. [1] The series ran for seven seasons until 1999. [2] The show was spun off from Star Trek: The Next Generation which debuted in 1987, [3] with characters inhabiting a shared fictional universe. Deep Space Nine was developed by executive producers Rick Berman and Michael Piller , who together wrote the series bible . [4] The show was filmed primarily on the Paramount Studios lot in Los Angeles, California. [5]

Recurring cast

Appearances.

Siddig El Fadil, later known as Alexander Siddig was an early front runner for the part of series protagonist Benjamin Sisko . Ultimately the producers thought he was too young for the role and instead offered him the part of Dr. Julian Amoros , who was subsequently renamed to Julian Bashir ; [6] [7] the role of Sisko went to Avery Brooks . Deep Space Nine was originally intended to have Ro Laren , a character from The Next Generation as a main character. However, after actress Michelle Forbes declined to sign on for a five- to six-year commitment for the series, the part was re-written to become Major Kira Nerys , with Nana Visitor cast in that role. [8] For similar reasons, Famke Janssen turned down the role of Jadzia Dax when offered, with Terry Farrell becoming the last main cast member to be cast with filming already underway on " Emissary ". [9] [10] Two actors who considered for main roles went on to be cast as recurring characters: Andrew Robinson was beaten to the role of Odo by René Auberjonois , but was cast as the Cardassian tailor/spy Elim Garak ; [11] similarly, Max Grodénchik lost the role of Quark to Armin Shimerman , but was subsequently cast as that character's brother, Rom . [12]

There were several actors who appeared in Deep Space Nine in roles they had previously played in other Star Trek series. The most prominent of these was Colm Meaney , who played Chief Miles O'Brien . Meaney had first appeared as an unnamed crewman in the pilot episode, " Encounter at Farpoint ", and went on to appear in a total of 52 episodes of The Next Generation . [13] Miles' wife Keiko O'Brien had also appeared on The Next Generation and became a recurring character on Deep Space Nine , as played by Rosalind Chao . Majel Barrett appeared as Lwaxana Troi , having also originally appeared in The Next Generation . [14] She was intended to be a recurring character in the new show, [15] and also continued to voice the Starfleet computers as in the earlier series. [14]

The series had several long-running antagonists. Marc Alaimo portrayed Gul Dukat , [16] the Cardassian former commander of Deep Space Nine who later led his people into joining the Dominion . Dukat had been included in the series bible as a recurring character described as someone who "represents the continuing threat to our people". [17] There were several Dominion characters who appeared from the third season onwards, including Salome Jens as the Female Shapeshifter, [18] and Jeffrey Combs as Weyoun. [19] Combs was unique in Deep Space Nine for simultaneously playing two recurring characters – Weyoun and the Ferengi Brunt – in the same episode, " The Dogs of War ". [20]

The fourth season saw a change in direction for the series with the producers asked to "shake up the show" by Paramount, [21] and the addition of a main cast member. Rick Berman suggested adding a Klingon contingent to the show, adding Michael Dorn to the main cast in the role of Worf , which he had played for seven seasons on The Next Generation . [22] The changes also brought in J. G. Hertzler as General Martok , who became a recurring character. [23] Hertzler had previously appeared in the pilot of the series as a Vulcan Captain on board the USS Saratoga , [24] and Martok would end the series as the Klingon Chancellor. [25]

One further change to the main cast occurred between the sixth and seventh seasons. Terry Farrell elected not to renew her contract, so her character was killed in the final episode of season six. [26] She was replaced by Nicole de Boer , who was cast as Ezri Dax . [27]

Avery Brooks as Benjamin Sisko , commanding officer of space station Deep Space Nine until his disappearance in 2375
René Auberjonois as Odo , chief of security until 2375
Terry Farrell as Jadzia Dax , chief science officer until her death in 2374
Cirroc Lofton as Jake Sisko , son of Benjamin Sisko
Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien , chief operations officer and later Starfleet Academy professor
Armin Shimerman as Quark , bar owner
Alexander Siddig as Julian Bashir , chief medical officer
Nana Visitor as Kira Nerys , first officer of Deep Space Nine
Michael Dorn as Worf , strategic operations officer and later Federation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire
Nicole de Boer as Ezri Dax , station's counselor
Cecily Adams as Ishka , mother to Quark & Rom and a Ferengi entrepreneur
Marc Alaimo as Dukat , Cardassian officer, leader of the Cardassian Union, a leader of the Dominion , and later a Bajoran religious leader
Philip Anglim as Bareil Antos , Bajoran religious leader until his death in 2371
Adrienne Barbeau as Kimara Cretak , Romulan liaison to Deep Space Nine
Majel Barrett as Lwaxana Troi , Federation Ambassador
Felecia M. Bell as Jennifer Sisko , Benjamin Sisko 's deceased wife and mother of Jake Sisko
Casey Biggs as Damar , Cardassian officer, a leader of the Dominion , and later the leader of the Cardassian resistance until his death in 2375
Rosalind Chao as Keiko O'Brien , botanist , teacher, and wife of Miles O'Brien
Jeffrey Combs as Weyoun, a Dominion leader, and Brunt , liquidator with the Ferengi Commerce Authority
John Colicos as Kor , Klingon warrior and friend of Jadzia Dax
James Darren as Vic Fontaine , a holographic entertainer
Paul Dooley as Enabran Tain , former head of the Obsidian Order
Aron Eisenberg as Nog , Quark 's nephew, student, Starfleet cadet, and later operations officer
Louise Fletcher as Winn Adami , Bajoran religious leader and later Kai of Bajor
Max Grodénchik as Rom , Quark 's brother, bar employee, and later a maintenance engineer until he was appointed Grand Nagus in 2375
Hana Hatae as Molly O'Brien , daughter of Miles O'Brien and Keiko O'Brien
J. G. Hertzler as Martok , Klingon liaison to Deep Space Nine , and later leader of the Klingon Empire
Barry Jenner as William Ross , Field Commander of Starfleet forces during the Dominion War
Salome Jens as the Female Changeling, leader of the Dominion until her incarceration in 2375.
Penny Johnson Jerald as Kasidy Yates , freighter captain and wife of Benjamin Sisko
Deborah Lacey as Sarah Sisko , mother of Benjamin Sisko
Kenneth Marshall as Michael Eddington , security officer and later Maquis rebel until his death in 2373
Chase Masterson as Leeta , a Dabo girl and Rom 's wife
Julianna McCarthy as Mila , housekeeper to Enabran Tain
Natalia Nogulich as Alynna Nechayev , flag officer in charge of Cardassian affairs
Robert O'Reilly as Gowron , leader of the Klingon Empire until his death in 2375.
Brock Peters as Joseph Sisko , restaurant owner and father of Benjamin Sisko
Duncan Regehr as Shakaar Edon , resistance leader, farmer, and later First Minister of Bajor
Andrew Robinson as Elim Garak , tailor and former member of the Obsidian Order .
William Sadler as Luther Sloan, an operative of Section 31
Camille Saviola as Opaka Sulan , Kai of Bajor until her death, resurrection and marooning on a penal colony
Wallace Shawn as Zek , Grand Nagus until his retirement in 2375
Mark Allen Shepherd as Morn , freighter captain and bar patron
James Sloyan as Mora Pol , a Bajoran scientist who studied Odo
Melanie Smith as Tora Ziyal , daughter of Dukat , and an artist until her death in 2374
Tiny Ron Taylor as Maihar'du , attendant to Grand Nagus Zek
Marc Worden as Alexander Rozhenko , a Klingon officer and Worf 's son
John Vickery as Rusot , the deputy of Legate Damar in the Cardassian resistance
List of Star Trek: The Original Series cast members
List of Star Trek: The Next Generation cast members
List of Star Trek: Voyager cast members
List of Star Trek: Enterprise cast members
List of Star Trek: Discovery cast members
F: ^ This character was previously portrayed in a single season three appearance by Andrea Martin . [28]
↑ "What You Leave Behind, Part II" . Star Trek.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2012 . Retrieved October 20, 2013 .
↑ "Encounter at Farpoint" . Star Trek.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2013 . Retrieved October 20, 2013 .
↑ Berman & Piller (1992) : p. 19
↑ "Stage 17" . The Studios at Paramount. Archived from the original on June 6, 2013 . Retrieved October 20, 2013 .
↑ Berman & Piller (1992) : p. 15
↑ Yesilbas, Amanda; Anders, Charlie Jane (August 24, 2012). "10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" . io9 . Gawker Media . Archived from the original on March 5, 2013 . Retrieved October 20, 2013 .
↑ Reeves-Stevens (1994) : p. 105
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 7
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 14
↑ "First Person: Andrew Robinson" . Star Trek.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2004 . Retrieved October 20, 2013 .
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 19
↑ "Meaney, Colm" . Star Trek.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2013 . Retrieved October 20, 2013 .
1 2 "Barrett, Majel" . Star Trek.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013 . Retrieved October 20, 2013 .
↑ Berman & Piller (1992) : p. 17
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 9
↑ Berman & Piller (1992) : p. 18
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 160
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 346
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 681
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 255
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 256
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 262
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 16
↑ Erdmann & Block (2000) : p. 705
↑ "The Trill of It All – Terry Farrell Interview, Part 1" . Star Trek.com. August 2, 2011. Archived from the original on March 18, 2013 . Retrieved October 20, 2013 .
↑ Green, Michelle Erica (August 12, 2002). "Nicole de Boer" . TrekNation . Archived from the original on October 19, 2010 . Retrieved October 20, 2013 .
↑ " Family Business ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Season 3. Episode 23. Paramount Television . May 15, 1995. syndicated .

‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ at 25: Through the Wormhole With the Cast and Creators

When “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” premiered in 1993, the science-fiction franchise whose legacy it extended was — like most of primetime television — episodic. The original “Star Trek” effectively hit the reset button at the beginning of each episode, sending Kirk, Spock, Bones and company on an all-new adventure. Its successor, “The Next Generation,” flirted with serialization, showing the ramifications of certain episodes in later ones, but ultimately adhered to the original’s episodic nature.

“Deep Space Nine,” about a remote outpost at the foot of a wormhole in space, was different. From the beginning, the series made clear that certain storylines would run throughout. (It is the only “Star Trek” to begin with a prophecy.) As it progressed over seven seasons, it transformed from a somewhat darker, more serialized version of previous “Trek” iterations to a serious-minded precursor to contemporary shows such as “Game of Thrones,” “The Walking Dead” and “Homeland.”

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According to “DS9” showrunner Ira Steven Behr, the writers initially tried to make the show similar to other “Trek” series, but the results were not satisfying. Behr and David Zappone are co-directors of the documentary “What We Left Behind: Looking Back at ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.’” The film, currently in post-production at Paramount, marks the series’ 25th anniversary and is slated for release in summer, 2018.

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“We tried all these different types of things and none of them really seemed to work,” says Behr. “The standalone episodes just kind of bored the hell out of us for the most part. We were struggling. Then the episode that seemed to work at the end of season one had the double whammy of ‘Duet’ and ‘In the Hands of the Prophets.’ So by the end of season one, I felt that I had a handle on what the strength of this show was, which was building on this complicated backstory [creators] Michael [Piller] and Rick [Berman] had given the show.”

That particular style of storytelling did not sit well with everyone, though. Behr says when he tried to introduce interpersonal conflict during his time working on “TNG,” “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry “handed me my head.”

“We all wanted conflict, but I just got into his crosshairs,” he says.

Roddenberry died in 1991. He had given his blessing to development of “DS9,” but held no sway over it.

“DS9” allowed “Trek” writers the chance to delve into that conflict like never before. Over the course of its run, the show tackled complex subject matter including the ethics of war, faith, cultural identity and the often subtle distinction between a freedom fighter and a terrorist in dark and surprising ways that the previous two series had not.

“I don’t think it was a coincidence that [‘DS9’s’ storytelling style] coincided with Ira Behr’s ascendancy,” says series star Alexander Siddig, who played Dr. Julian Bashir. “I think the great Michael Piller had an idea of where he wanted to go with the narrative, but it took the combination of Michel and Ira to really gel that. And Rick Berman was a great yes man. Any idea he thought was good, he would say, ‘Yes, try that.’ Rick broke the mold. He was the ultimate boss because he let Michael and Ira really try something pretty controversial at the time.”

But being different didn’t exactly translate to ratings gold. “DS9” never matched the viewership success of “TNG,” though one could also attribute that to such factors as the changing television landscape. Still, the show was by no means the pop-culture force its predecessors had been.

“What evolved was kind of a third-child mentality of not being everyone’s cup of tea, but the people who liked it were passionate about it and really enjoyed the neurotic quality to our characters,” says René Auberjonois, who played security chief (or Constable) Odo. “Every single character on ‘Deep Space Nine’ had some deep psychic problem they had to work out. It was being developed at the time of the riots in Los Angeles and the burning of South Central. And also politically Bosnia and Yugoslavia. Everything was falling apart. There was a real darkness, and I think that deeply influenced the style of the show.”

As it turns out, that darkness and moral ambiguity was light years ahead of its time. Nowadays, audiences all but expect a series to present them with complex characters filled with flaws and doubts. One need look no further than the rise of anti-heroes including “Breaking Bad’s” Walter White or characters you love to hate or hate to love such as “Game of Thrones’” Jaime Lannister to see that the classic good guy-bad guy paradigm has shifted. Even “Star Trek: Discovery,” the recently launched CBS All Access installment of the franchise, has moved far beyond the style of the original series into a much darker, more complex serialized narrative style.

Nana Visitor played Major Kira on the series, but almost didn’t. She turned the part down initially on the advice of her manager who told her “you will kill your career if you do this job. Turn it down.”

A syndicated science-fiction television series was not, in the early ’90s, a prestige gig. But Berman called Visitor and pitched her on the vision for the show — and on Kira, a former member of a terrorist organization who had moved into a military position in a newly liberated society.

“By the end of the call, he had convinced me that I did want to be a part of it whether it impacted the rest of my career or not,” she says. “When I read the script, I thought, ‘That’s a man’s role. That’s not for me.’ Yet it was all I wanted to do. I hated every part that I had to play where I was chastising a husband or getting upset about the carpet. And I did a lot of those. Any time I could get my teeth into something, that was my flow state. That’s why I was an actor. Major Kira was like Disneyland for an actor.”

Fan reception to the character, and to the show as a whole, ran hot and cold. Previous female “Star Trek” characters had been helpmates — a switchboard operator (Lt. Uhura in the original series), a therapist (Counselor Troi in “Next Generation”), a healer (Dr. Crusher in “The Next Generation”). None had been a war veteran with emotional skeletons.

“Some people in the ‘Star Trek’ world were like, ‘That’s not what a woman in “Star Trek” should be. That’s the wrong thing to be teaching,’” Visitor says. “But what I saw her as was a woman of appetite and gray area — lots of gray area. Very fallible, but growing and trying. And that’s all over television now.”

In a sense, the character was a precursor to Sonequa Martin-Green’s protagonist Michael Burnham on “Discovery.” The new streaming series revolves around Burnham, a young officer with a bright future who betrays her captain, sets off an interstellar war and is stripped of her rank.

The same streaming technology that makes it possible for “Discovery” to do away almost entirely with episodic storytelling has helped “Deep Space Nine” age well. Available on Netflix and CBS All Access, the series lends itself more to binge viewing than most other dramas of its era.

“What I think is happening now is that since it is on Netflix and streaming, people are watching it and seeing the whole story,” Auberjonois says. “People love to stream the original episodes and all the other versions, but ours is the one that is almost like a Russian novel. My sense of there is a growing base of an audience that really is getting it. Where people weren’t quite sure about it while it was happening episode by episode, now that they get to evaluate it as a whole piece, it’s being recognized in a way it wasn’t before.”

Thus the crew of “Deep Space Nine” will likely continue to boldly go for decades to come.

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Firsts and Lasts: The Cast of Deep Space Nine

From "Emissary" to "What We Leave Behind."

For seven seasons, audiences fell in love with the crew of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . We're taking a look back on the first and last appearances of the major players in the series.

What Happened To The Cast Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine After The Show Ended

Chronicling the adventures of a space station crew at the mouth of the galaxy's only stable wormhole, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" distinguishes itself from the rest of the "Star Trek" franchise in many ways. With a group of sympathetic characters that includes a money-hungry criminal, a former terrorist, and an exiled spy, "Deep Space Nine" added a level of moral ambiguity and complexity not seen before or since in "Trek" films or shows. While it may not have been the most popular "Trek" series when it first aired, its more serialized storytelling makes it a perfect match for the era of streaming services.

"Deep Space Nine" was also different from other "Trek" shows because of its huge cast. Along with the principal actors, "Deep Space Nine" commanded a small army of recurring players, some of whom portrayed characters that remain fan favorites. We couldn't fit all those actors into a single story about what happened to the show's cast after it ended, but we've tracked down enough to fit in a shuttlecraft.

Avery Brooks dealt with industry hurdles after DS9

Few "Star Trek" captains shoulder the kind of responsibility borne by Benjamin Sisko, who Avery Brooks played for all seven seasons of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." Along with the usual duties of keeping his crew safe, Sisko is charged with nudging Bajor toward the Federation, unintentionally becoming a religious figure, and waging a war against the Dominion, all while raising his son alone.

When Brooks joined the faculty of Rutgers' Mason Gross School of the Arts , it was widely believed his departure from professional acting was a willing one . In a 2020 interview on Orville Nation, however, Brooks' co-star Cirroc Lofton suggested Brooks was blacklisted in Hollywood even before "Deep Space Nine." He said showrunner Ira Steven Behr was warned against hiring Brooks for "Deep Space Nine" by "other producers" — advice Behr thankfully ignored. Lofton didn't say why Brooks was reportedly blacklisted, but did say he thought his TV father was "being discriminated against" and suggested at least part of the motivation was racial.

Regardless, Brooks hasn't left acting behind entirely. Among other things, he starred as a detective in the 2001 crime thriller "15 Minutes." He's also done voice work for audiobooks as well as narrating documentaries for National Geographic and the Discovery Channel.

René Auberjonois left behind a body of great work

Before "Deep Space Nine," René Auberjonois was best known as the snooty Clayton Endicott III on the popular sitcom "Benson," a character who couldn't be farther from Constable Odo. A solitary, uncompromising security chief, Odo often feels more like the hardboiled private eyes Captain Picard likes to dress up as on the holodeck. While many DS9 residents see him as aloof and hard-hearted, Odo bears a torch for Kira Nerys that eventually develops into a romance, and he occasionally betrays a soft spot for the station's most well-known crook, the Ferengi bartender Quark.

Unfortunately, in December 2019 news broke that Auberjonois had passed away from metastatic lung caner at the age of 79 . After "DS9," Auberjonois never stopped working, and kept landing great roles in movies and TV shows. For example, he joined another "Trek" alum — William Shatner — on the dramedy "Boston Legal." He also built an impressive body of voice work before his death, including on animated series like " Archer ," "Avengers Assemble," and "Young Justice."

Cirroc Lofton shifted focus

One of the many things that distinguishes "Deep Space Nine" from other "Star Trek" series is the relationship between Ben Sisko and his son Jake, the latter played by Cirroc Lofton. While his father bears the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders, Jake forges a friendship with the Ferengi Nog, navigates the dating world, and discovers his passion — writing.

Lofton continued to act, though his acting credits grew more sparse the more time that passed from the end of "Deep Space Nine." His first role after "Trek" was as Curtis Thorpe on the Showtime drama "The Hoop Life," but in more recent years he's taken smaller roles, including as a security guard on two episodes of "Days of Our Lives."

Lofton's switched focus to other endeavors. For example, in 2010 he opened Cafe Cirroc in Culver City, California , though it's since closed. More recently, in 2019, Lofton helped launch the Star Trek podcast "The 7th Rule" with his late friend and co-star Aron Eisenberg.

Alexander Siddig found more great roles

The serialized storytelling of "Deep Space Nine" facilitates a lot more character growth than we see in other "Trek" series. A perfect example is Doctor Julian Bashir, played by Alexander Siddig. Early in the series, Bashir is often the last person any of the other characters want to talk to. Naive, long-winded, and cursed with an unfortunate tendency to hit on his patients, Bashir matures over the course of "Deep Space Nine" (though he still occasionally hits on his patients).

Few "Deep Space Nine" alum have landed as many varied and prominent roles as Siddig since the Trek series ended. In particular, Siddig's enjoyed a lot of great TV work including playing the sickly Prince Doran Martell in "Game of Thrones," the artist Ruben Oliver in Netflix's period crime drama "Peaky Blinders," and the immortal villain Ra's al Ghul in "Gotham." You also may have seen him in the films "Kingdom of Heaven," as the Greek god Hermes in 2010's "Clash of the Titans," or more recently in the crime thriller led by the late Chadwick Boseman, "21 Bridges."

Colm Meaney never took a break

Originally appearing in the recurring role of Miles O'Brien on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Colm Meaney graduated to series regular on "Deep Space Nine" as the station's tireless, overworked chief of operations. Among other things, O'Brien is known for enduring more creative narrative torture than just about any character on the show — including being subjected to the virtual memories of a decades-long prison sentence, having teeth ripped out by Cardassians, and even dying from radiation exposure and being replaced by a future version of himself.

While O'Brien may not have always been the luckiest of souls, Meaney found great fortune before and after "Deep Space Nine." Before playing DS9's chief of operations, he landed smaller roles in popular movies like "Dances with Wolves" and "Under Siege." He's kept busy since the end of the "Deep Space Nine" with a variety of projects that includes playing an Irish gangster in 2004's "Layer Cake" and Thomas "Doc" Durant in the AMC Western "Hell on Wheels."

In March 2021, Meaney told Looper that while no one's talked to him about reprising the role Miles O'Brien for "Star Trek: Picard," that he'd be willing to do it with the proviso there would need to be "a good and valid reason for him to pop up."

Nana Visitor is still among the stars

Major — and later Colonel — Kira Nerys isn't your average "Star Trek" first officer. A former self-proclaimed terrorist who fought to free Bajor from the Cardassian occupation, Kira doesn't trust the Federation at first. Early in the series she bumps heads with Sisko more often than not, though eventually they earn each other's respect and friendship.

Nana Visitor and co-star Alexander Siddig began dating in 1995 . They married two years later and, while they divorced in 2001, one important piece of their union is a part of "Trek" history. In Season 4's "Body Parts," Visitor's real life pregnancy was written into the series in order to explain the telltale "baby bump." Kira winds up carrying the baby of Miles and Keiko O'Brien after an accident injures the pregnant Keiko.

Visitor continues screen acting today. Following "Deep Space Nine," she was the sadistic Madame X on the science fiction drama "Dark Angel" and later played Jean Ritter on ABC Family's "Wildfire." Along with other one-offs and recurring roles, she's dipped her toe into voice work, in particular voicing several characters on "Family Guy."

Armin Shimerman became an author

In many ways, the Ferengi bartender Quark (Armin Shimerman) is at the very center of what sets "Deep Space Nine" apart from other "Trek" series. Quark doesn't share the Federation's high-minded ideals, and his criminal schemes tend to make bad situations worse on DS9. Still, Quark is no villain. Either out of pure self-preservation or emotional attachments to which he won't admit, Quark often finds himself on the good guys' side, including briefly taking up arms against the Dominion in Seasons 6 and 7.

Along with various live-action work, Shimerman's built a thriving voice acting career since closing his bar on DS9 for good. Fans of animation have heard him on "The Tick" and "Regular Show," among others. If you're a gamer there's a good chance you've heard his voice in "World of Warcraft" or as the villain Andrew Ryan in "BioShock." Shimerman's also a professional author. Most notably he's written a book series called "The Merchant Prince" in which Shimerman and various co-authors use science fiction to reimagine the real-life Elizabethan figure John Dee.

Terry Farrell built a new life

Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) of "Deep Space Nine" boasts one of the series' most interesting origin stories. Jadzia is a Trill who shares her body with a slug-shaped symbiote — Dax — living within her. While Jadzia is a young woman, Dax has lived for centuries and all of those memories are shared with their host. Dax's previous host, the late Curzon, was Ben Sisko's friend and mentor, explaining why Sisko refers to Jadzia as "old man."

Farrell proved to be the only member of the original regular cast to not be around for the final season. When contract negotiations broke down between Farrell and producer Rick Berman, she left the series and her character was killed off in the Season 6 finale.

After "Deep Space Nine," Farrell played Reggie on the Ted Danson-led sitcom "Becker," but she was written out of the show after the fourth season . Farrell retired from acting , though she returned in the late 2010's starting with the fan-made TV series "Star Trek: Renegades." She also married Adam Nimoy — son of the late Leonard Nimoy, best known as the iconic "Trek" character Spock.

Michael Dorn hasn't left Worf behind

Beginning with the Season 4 premiere "The Way of the Warrior," Worf (Michael Dorn) from "The Next Generation" joins his fellow Starfleet officers on DS9. Used to a much more ordered and predictable environment, Worf at first has trouble adjusting to the station, but soon becomes an integral part of the crew.

Dorn continued to play Worf in "TNG" films, including in the final installment of the series, 2002's "Star Trek: Nemesis." Starting with the second film, Dorn became a regular fixture in the "Santa Clause" movies and landed the recurring role of a psychiatrist in the crime dramedy series "Castle."

In January 2021, Dorn told Horror Geek Life that he was campaigning for either a solo Worf TV series or film and in April 2021, he cryptically tweeted that he was "summoned back to action. Starfleet calls." It was later confirmed, however, that Dorn wouldn't be playing Worf for any upcoming Paramount+ TV show or a film , leaving fans dismayed when it turned out he was referring to a video game .

Aron Eisenberg left behind a powerful Star Trek legacy

No "Deep Space Nine" character evolves more during the series than the Ferengi Nog, played by the late Aron Eisenberg. In the beginning of the series he's a petty thief who talks about humans like they're garbage, and by the final season he's a courageous Starfleet officer.

Eisenberg's acting credits grew sparse after "Deep Space Nine," though the late 2010s saw the actor making a return starting with the 2016 TV movie "Cozmo's." In 2019 he joined "DS9" co-star Cirroc Lofton on the podcast "The 7th Rule," but sadly Eisenberg was destined not to see 2020. Suffering chronic health problems for most of his life, Eisenberg died of heart failure at the age of 50 in September 2019 . The day before his death, his final film appearance was released in theaters — the gambling comedy "7 Days to Vegas."

In its third season, "Star Trek: Discovery" paid tribute to Eisenberg in a special way. In "Die Trying," the crew of the Discovery is reunited with the Federation after jumping over 900 years into the future, and one of Starfleet's new ships is named "USS Nog."

Andrew Robinson told us Garak's life story

As demonstrated in the 2018 documentary "What We Left Behind," plenty of "Deep Space Nine" fans name the enigmatic Garak as their favorite character from the series. The Cardassian is a spy exiled from his homeworld for reasons he consistently lies about. While he often works alongside the crew of DS9, it's never a guarantee, and to the end of the series his past remains shrouded in mystery.

One of the first things Robinson did after the end of "Deep Space Nine" was to give fans Garak's life story. In 2000, his novel "A Stitch in Time" was released. Created from notes Robinson made while playing Garak, "A Stitch in Time" gives us Robinson's version of the Cardassian's history. Much of his acting work after "DS9" came in one-offs and recurring roles on TV series, though he has had the opportunity to return to the role of Garak in interesting ways. In particular, Garak is much of the focus of the non-canonical remote series "Alone Together: A DS9 Companion" that Robinson made alongside other "DS9" alums.

Max Grodénchik moved across the pond

The Ferengi of "Star Trek" are known for their trickery and avarice, but Rom of "Deep Space Nine" — played by Max Grodénchik — is a breed apart. Rom is deceptively complex. While most of DS9's population initially see him as good-hearted but stupid, Rom proves to be an engineering prodigy on par with Starfleet's best. Not only does his raw know-how singlehandedly keep his brother Quark's replicators and holosuites running, but it's Rom who conceives of the ingenious minefield in the Season 5 finale "Call to Arms" that holds the overpowering Dominion at bay.

Grodénchik continued to make brief appearances in TV shows like "Six Feet Under" and "CSI" after "Deep Space Nine," as well as contributing his voice to video games like "Star Trek: Armada II" and "Star Trek Online." By the time StarTrek.com interviewed Grodénchik in 2014 , he'd moved to Austria with his wife and daughter in order to be closer to his wife's family. He hasn't left his passion for acting behind, however, and continues to appear mostly in European-produced films and TV series.

Marc Alaimo

"Deep Space Nine" has the honor of being the home of Star Trek's greatest villain – Gul Dukat, played by Marc Alaimo. Beginning as your average power-hungry Cardassian and eventually becoming a DS9 frenemy, a warlord, a madman, and eventually a vessel for the evil gods known as the Pah-wraiths, Dukat displays more growth and change over the course of "Deep Space Nine" than any antagonist in the franchise.

Some interesting and potentially revealing moments in the 2018 documentary "What We Left Behind" suggest that life may have imitated art when it came to Alaimo's relations with the rest of the crew. In the documentary, Nana Visitor recalls being mortified at the suggestion that the writers might create a romance between her character and Dukat while, like his character, Alaimo admits to being attracted to Visitor.

While it's been some time since Alaimo has earned any acting credits, he did make a very interesting appearance in 2020. While the principal photography was completed in 1983, it took 37 years for the horror flick "Grizzly II: Revenge" to finally be released , in which Alaimo not only co-stars with Louise Fletcher — who would go on to play both Alaimo's enemy and lover in "Deep Space Nine" — but with a star-studded cast that includes Charlie Sheen, Laura Dern, and George Clooney.

Jeffrey Combs

There are quite a few actors who have played multiple roles in the "Star Trek" franchise , but the undisputed king of them is Jeffrey Combs, who first reached prominence as the star of the 1985 comedy horror classic "Re-Animator." Among other "Trek" roles, Combs played not one but two of the most memorable recurring "DS9" villains. He's the Ferengi Brunt who keeps showing up to make Quark's life miserable, but he's best remembered as Weyoun — the mischievous but charismatic Vorta representative of the Dominion who coordinates the war effort against the Federation and their allies.

Combs seemingly hasn't been interested in taking a break since the vengeful Garak murdered his final clone in the "Deep Space Nine" series finale. The following year he appeared as an alien gladiator recruiter in the Season 6 "Star Trek: Voyager" episode "Tsunkatse" and, starting with its first season, portrayed the recurring blue-skinned frenemy Commander Shran on "Star Trek: Enterprise." Along with other brief appearances, he's the paranoid Kevin Burkhoff on "The 4400" and has a prosperous voice acting career.

Nicole de Boer is still entertaining in the Great White North

Terry Farrell's departure from "Deep Space Nine" marked the tragic end of Jadzia's story, but not the end of her symbiote Dax. In the final moments of the Season 7 premiere, Nicole de Boer reveals herself to the Siskos as Ezri — the newest host of the Dax symbiote. Less confident than Jadzia and more socially awkward, Ezri Dax gives the series an interesting new chemistry in its twilight season.

De Boer is Canadian, and much of her post-"Trek" work has been in joint American-Canadian productions such as her first big TV role after leaving "Deep Space Nine" — as Sarah Bracknell Bannerman, the female lead of USA's "The Dead Zone." Starting in 2010, she landed a recurring role on another Stephen King adaptation. She plays the antique store owner Marion Caldwell in the supernatural series "Haven," based on King's 2005 novel "The Colorado Kid." More recently on the Canadian crime drama "Private Eyes," De Boer plays the ex-wife of Jason Priestly's investigator lead.

Chase Masterson found her voice

As soon as Leeta (Chase Masterson) shows up in Season 3's "Explorers," the attractive Bajoran Dabo girl is set up as a new romantic interest for Dr. Bashir. The pair enjoy a romance that ends with Season 5's "Let He Who Is Without Sin..." She goes on to fall in love with her boss' brother Rom and marry him in the Season 5 finale. While she's rarely a major player, "DS9" wouldn't be the same without her.

Since shedding her Bajoran nose ridges, Masterson has taken command of her voice in more than one way. Like a number of "DS9" alum, she's become a hotly sought-after voice actor. Along with other series, she provides the voice of the computer for the CW's sci-fi series "Pandora." After appearing in "Doctor Who" audio plays as the bounty hunter Vienna, Masterson landed her own spinoff "Vienna" audio series. She's also a singer and has released a number of jazz records, including 2008's "Thrill of the Chase."

Louise Fletcher loved her time on DS9

If you want to make a "Deep Space Nine" fan growl, say the name "Kai Winn" within earshot. Best known for her Oscar-winning performance as Nurse Ratched in 1975's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Louise Fletcher evokes similar reactions from "Trek" fans as Winn Adami. Winn is a power-hungry religious fanatic who reeks of passive aggression in almost every scene.

Speaking to StarTrek.com in 2012, Fletcher said she wasn't much of a Trek fan before joining the cast of "Deep Space Nine," but she treasured the experience of playing Kai Winn . She said the show was blessed with "the most professional cast and crew imaginable," and that working with them "was like playing a symphony for the 99th time."

Fletcher continued to appear in TV and films regularly after "Deep Space Nine." Among other productions, she landed recurring roles on "ER" and "Heroes," as well as playing the main character's mother on Showtime's "Shameless."

Salome Jens continued her already impressive career after DS9

While subordinates like Dukat and Weyoun might have more screen time, on "Deep Space Nine" there was no higher-ranking villain in the Dominion than the unnamed Female Changeling, played by Salome Jens. While she would later take a larger hand in the military aspect of the war with the Federation, at first the Female Changeling is at her most devious in her attempts to seduce Odo away from his DS9 found family.

Few "Deep Space Nine" cast members had careers as prolific as Jens, who first started showing up on the screen in the mid-'50s. Jens appeared in classic TV series like "The Untouchables," "Gunsmoke," and the original '60s "The Outer Limits." A few years before showing up on "Deep Space Nine," she even played Martha Kent on the syndicated "Superboy" series.

Since "Deep Space Nine," Jens appeared as one of the Guardians of Oa in 2011's "Green Lantern." She's also scored a number of voice roles in "Star Trek" video games, along with the 2001 comedy "Cats & Dogs."

Penny Johnson Jerald found her way back to the stars

Ben Sisko doesn't have a lot of romantic storylines in "Deep Space Nine," though that changes in Season 3's "Family Business" when his son Jake plays matchmaker and sets him up with the freighter captain Kassidy Yates (Penny Johnson Jerald). They seem like the perfect match right away, and their relationship miraculously survives the reveal toward the end of Season 4 that Yates is working with the rebellious Maquis. In the final season, Ben and Kassidy are married in spite of warnings from the Prophets, though their wedded bliss ends in the series finale when Sisko is called home to live among the godlike aliens.

Jerald has enjoyed a rich and diverse acting career since the end of "Deep Space Nine." She's President Palmer's ex-wife Sherry in "24," precinct captain Victoria Gates in "Castle," and the Director of National Intelligence in "The 4400." She also got the chance to graduate from Captain Sisko's love interest to the ship's doctor as Claire Finn on Seth MacFarlane's love letter to "Star Trek," "The Orville."

Casey Biggs is a lot more resilient than Damar

When he spoke to TrekMovie in June 2020, Casey Biggs said he never expected to play Damar — Gul Dukat's second-in-command — for more than one episode, but his character would go on to become one of the most important recurring characters in the series. Little more than the Dominion's puppet, Damar is installed as the Cardassian head of state after Starfleet captures Dukat. Unable to confront his impotence as a leader, Damar first tries to drink his problems away. Eventually, however, his masters heap enough abuses on Cardassia that Damar is willing to lead a rebellion against the Dominion and dies fighting in the series finale.

Biggs returned to the world of "Star Trek" as an Illyrian captain in the final season of "Star Trek: Enterprise." Along with his "Trek"-related appearances at conventions and other events, Biggs continues his career as a character actor. Since the end of "Deep Space Nine," he's appeared mostly in minor roles on TV series like "The X-Files," "Shameless," and "The Mentalist."

Rosalind Chao could have spent a lot more time on Star Trek

When Miles O'Brien accepts his new position on DS9, he's joined by his wife Keiko (Rosalind Chao), who never seems to find a place for herself. She eventually accepts a research job that keeps her away from the station for months at a time, but things change when she finds herself pregnant with a second child.

For all seven seasons of "Deep Space Nine," Chao only appears in 19 episodes as Keiko O'Brien, though according to the actor, she could have had a lot more time onscreen if she'd wanted. In 1996, she told the Chicago Tribune she was originally offered a regular role on the series but preferred the option of a recurring role, which freed up her schedule to pursue outside opportunities.

Chao's work in film and TV has kept her very busy since "Deep Space Nine," including appearing in the 2001 drama "I Am Sam," as Dr. Kim on "The O.C.," and as Hua Li, the titular hero's mother in the live-action remake of Disney's "Mulan."

J.G. Hertzler still hasn't left Star Trek behind

While he plays a few other characters on the series — including an unnamed Vulcan captain in the premiere episode — J.G. Hertzler's best-remembered "Deep Space Nine" role is the Klingon General Martok, a one-eyed warrior who forges a strong friendship with Worf and eventually ascends to the Chancellorship of the Klingon Empire. Speaking to StarTrek.com in 2019, Hertzler said he secured his role as Martok in a surprising but effective way — by slamming a chair into a wall during the audition.

While "Deep Space Nine" may be over, Hertzler never fully put "Star Trek" in his rear view mirror. He was cast as one of the hunting-obsessed Hirogen on "Voyager," played two different Klingons on "Enterprise," provided voices for multiple "Trek" video games, and as recently as 2020 voiced a Drookmani captain for the goofball animated series "Star Trek: Lower Decks." He's also lent his vocalizations to non-"Trek" video games like "Dead Space" and the first two "BioShock" installments.

Brock Peters left behind wonderful performances

In Season 4's "Homefront," we're introduced to a new Sisko — Ben's father Joseph, played by Brock Peters. A chef and New Orleans restaurant owner, Joseph is stubborn, charismatic, and fiercely protective of his grandson Jake. While he only appears in six episodes, Peters' time as Joseph Sisko is unforgettable. "Deep Space Nine" wasn't Peters' first time in the "Trek" franchise, either. In 1986's "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" and 1991's "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," Peters plays Admiral Cartwright — a high-ranking Starfleet officer who eventually turns traitor.

Peters enjoyed a long acting career before "Deep Space Nine." He plays the wrongly convicted Tom Robinson in 1962's "To Kill a Mockingbird" and Chief Hatcher in the classic 1973 dystopian thriller "Soylent Green."

Unfortunately, Peters passed away from pancreatic cancer in August 2005 at the age of 78 . Much of his acting between "Deep Space Nine" and his death was voice work, including voicing the police officer Jomo in the 2002 animated film "The Wild Thornberrys" and playing the Klingon General Mi'Qogh in a video game from the same year, "Star Trek: Starfleet Command III."

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2 main star trek ds9 actors had already played very similar roles in tng.

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All 6 Star Trek Characters Played By DS9's Marc Alaimo

Recasting star trek: the next generation for a movie reboot, why star trek: the next generation's enterprise had a rarely-seen second bridge.

Several Star Trek aliens made their debut on Star Trek: The Next Generation before playing more significant roles on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and a couple were even portrayed by the same actors. TNG set the stage for a new golden era of Star Trek , influencing almost everything that came after. Some of Star Trek's most famous aliens - like the Vulcans, Klingons, and Romulans - were introduced on Star Trek: The Original Series, but others did not appear until TNG. Several actors have portrayed multiple roles in the Star Trek franchise , and some have even played different characters within the same alien species.

Star Trek: The Next Generation took a season or two to find its footing as it worked to figure out what kind of show it was going to be. Even as TNG progressed, there were many elements it was still figuring out, including the looks and cultures of new alien species. Species like the Ferengi and the Cardassians, as well as the Bajorans and the Trill, would be better defined on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but they got their start on TNG. Armin Shimerman and Marc Alaimo both appeared on TNG before taking on their more famous characters on DS9 , and they helped define the Ferengi and the Cardassians.

Armin Shimerman Played TNG Ferengi Before DS9’s Quark

Shimerman portrayed one of star trek's first ferengi.

Armin Shimerman may be most known to Star Trek fans for portraying the Ferengi bartender Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but Quark was not the first Ferengi Shimerman played. In TNG season 1, episode 5, "The Last Outpost," Shimerman played one of the first Ferengi to ever appear on screen. By playing one of Star Trek's first Ferengi, Armin Shimerman helped establish some aspects of the species, including their mannerisms. Although the Ferengi were initially meant to be the main adversaries for Captain Picard on TNG, producers felt they came across as too comedic to be scary.

Shimerman also appeared as the Ferengi DaiMon Bractor in TNG season 2, episode 21, "Peak Performance."

The Ferengi of TNG were one-note villains focused almost entirely on profit. Shimerman later expressed regret about the way he portrayed TNG's Ferengi, but he got the chance to redeem himself and the entire Ferengi species as Quark . Quark certainly has a love for gold-pressed latinum, as any self-respecting Ferengi should, but he also cares about his friends. As a central figure throughout DS9's seven seasons, Quark developed into a complex character, and he and his family revealed a lot more about Ferengi culture.

Marc Alaimo Played A TNG Cardassian Before DS9’s Gul Dukat

Alaimo appeared in tng's "the wounded" as star trek's first cardassian.

Before he became the villainous Gul Dukat on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Marc Alaimo portrayed Star Trek's first Cardassian on TNG. In TNG season 4, episode 12, "The Wounded," Alaimo played Gul Macet, the commanding officer of the Cardassian warship Trager. Macet visits the Starship Enterprise when a Federation starship begins attacking Cardassian outposts. Not only does "The Wounded" introduce the Cardassians, but it's also one of the first Star Trek episodes to focus on Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney). O'Brien had served on the USS Rutledge during the Federation-Cardassian War and continued to hold on to his prejudice against Cardassians.

Marc Alaimo played four different characters on TNG before he began portraying one of Star Trek's best villains on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

With his commanding performance, Marc Alaimo helped establish the cunning and war-like nature of the Cardassians. Macet remains the only Cardassian seen sporting facial hair and the headgear worn by the Cardassians was never shown again. While some aspects of the Cardassian's appearance differed from TNG to DS9 , Macet helped establish the Cardassians' look. Looks aside, Alaimo's Gul Dukat went on to become one of Star Trek's most complex and compelling villains. Alaimo brought the same menacing energy to both Cardassians he played, creating intelligent and formidable villains who could go toe to toe with even the best Starfleet captains.

Other Early Versions Of Star Trek: DS9 Aliens On TNG

The trill & the bajorans made their debut on tng.

A handful of other alien species made their debut on Star Trek: The Next Generation before becoming more permanent fixtures on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . In the aptly titled TNG season 2 episode, "Ensign Ro," Ensign Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes) became the first Bajoran to appear in Star Trek . There were plans for Ro to join the cast of DS9 , but Michelle Forbes turned down the role that eventually became Major Kira Nirys (Nana Visitor). Ro's characterization on TNG informed Kira as a character and offered insight into the plight of the Bajorans.

Not only is Odan's physical appearance different than that of later Trill, but his relationship with his symbiote seems different as well.

Introduced in TNG season 4, episode 23, "The Host," Star Trek's first Trill was a mediator named Odan (Franc Luz) who developed a romance with Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden). Not only is Odan's physical appearance different than that of later Trill, but his relationship with his symbiote seems different as well. On DS9, Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) would gain the spots most associated with the Trill and help define the species and their culture. The Trill, Bajorans, Ferengi, and Cardassians have all become important Star Trek species who were introduced on Star Trek: The Next Generation before being more fully explored on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Five Years Later, This Star Trek Star Remains the Franchise's Greatest Ambassador

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Aron eisenberg was forever grateful for his continued role on star trek, hollywood may not have appreciated aron eisenberg, but fans did, aron eisenberg was on the front lines of the battle against toxicity, five years after his passing, aron eisenberg's legacy looms large.

Of the all the big names and personalities that are responsible for Star Trek and its enduring presence over six decades, its best ambassador was an actor diminutive in stature. In fact, that's how Aron Eisenberg won his role as Nog, the adolescent Ferengi on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine despite being 23 at the time he was cast. On the fifth anniversary of his passing, to his collaborators, friends and the fans, Aron Eisenberg remains an immortal giant, and the best ambassador Star Trek ever had.

While other Star Trek alumns like the late Nichelle Nichols helped recruit women and people of color to NASA, and, Star Trek IV helped save the whales , with its time-travel plot to rescue humpbacks and bring them to the future, the impact Aron Eisenberg had on Star Trek was far more personal. Through his appearances at conventions and, later, a video podcast, he greeted more hostile elements of the fandom with warmth and respect. He celebrated the work of his peers, and he was the loudest "legacy" voice welcoming the third-wave of Star Trek fans into the family. Eisenberg understood the responsibility that came with being a part of this universe, but he never let anyone forget that it was supposed to be fun.

How Deep Space Nine Elevated the Ferengi From Jokes to Serious Characters

The Ferengi are aliens Star Trek: The Next Generation turned into a joke, but how did Star Trek: Deep Space Nine elevate Nog, Rom, and Quark?

The Actor Helped Take Nog, a Tertiary Character, on DS9's Greatest Journey

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was perhaps the riskiest gamble taken in a storytelling universe that had already defied the odds so many times before. Star Trek made the jump from television to film, then back to television, all things that defied conventional Hollywood wisdom. However, Deep Space Nine was the first series without the "Roddenberry touch." It was a complex look at the galaxy beyond Starfleet, and one that many fans thought was too critical. However, Nog's arc from the series pilot to finale proves Deep Space Nine was as hopeful and aspirational as any Star Trek before or since .

In fairness, DS9's reputation as a "dark and gritty" series was earned, especially at this stage in Star Trek 's development. The series dealt with topics not usually found on the bridge of any ship named Enterprise. Deep Space Nine was the first series to challenge Roddenberry's vision of a utopian, human-led future. Similarly, the characters didn't always measure up to his high standards, but there was value and authenticity in their failures. Nog's introduction in the series was as a criminal, but he ended the show as the only junior Star Trek character to believe in and join Starfleet. While the writers crafted the story, it was Eisenberg's nuanced and committed performance that sold it .

[The producers] told me nothing! And I had no idea how many episodes I would do at any given time. So, I thought every episode I was doing might be my last episode. -- Aron Eisenberg to StarTrek.com in 2012.

Eisenberg's most pivotal and important arc came during the final season of Deep Space Nine . Nog is wounded in action during the Dominion War, losing a leg. The episode "It's Only a Paper Moon," centered on Nog and his recovery after Star Trek science gave him his leg back. Eisenberg's sensitive, authentic performance revealed mental injury is not so easy to repair, even in the 24th Century . Yet, unlike the pervasive war veteran tropes in other fiction , Nog recovered, unbroken and resilient even in the face of fear. Ironically, Eisenberg delivered one of Star Trek 's most truly human performances under layers of prosthetic alien makeup.

How Deep Space Nine Pioneered Serialized Star Trek Storytelling

Deep Space Nine helped evolve Star Trek as a franchise in many important ways, but the most significant was introducing serialization to the universe.

Eisenberg Was a Shining Star Even With the Industry Bias Against Star Trek Actors

Often, Star Trek actors have a difficult time reconciling their lifelong association with the universe and their desire for full, dynamic careers. William Shatner is a talented actor and works constantly even in his 90s. No matter what new project he's talking about, the conversation always veers towards Captain Kirk. Aron Eisenberg was always open in interviews and conversations about his love of acting and desire to play more roles . Yet, despite the unforgiving nature of being a working actor, he never lamented his time on Deep Space Nine . Whether giving an interview or meeting fans at a convention, he greeted them with kindness and joy.

Ira Steven Behr, Star Trek writer and showrunner for DS9 , led a documentary about the show called What We Left Behind . Eisenberg, however, foiled the title and concept. "I'm a part of [ Star Trek ]," he said in the film, "I will forever be a part of this." Aron Eisenberg got into acting at age 17, three years after a kidney transplant. Like Nog, who joined Starfleet against his Ferengi family's wishes, he chose to act because he fell in love with performance. Instead of regretting spending seven years on the Deep Space Nine set, he relished every scene because it made his dream come true.

I pushed myself to do the best I could and cared about every episode, every scene I was a part of and it paid off because it kept giving me more work. I wish it could have given me more work after the show! -- Aron Eisenberg, 2016 interview with Some Kind of Star Trek .

One of the most emotional scenes in the documentary comes after a montage of war veterans express how "It's Only a Paper Moon" helped them transition back to civilian life. "It's powerful," he said, tearfully. Like all working actors, Aron Eisenberg took a risk to make performance his vocation. He was just chasing an artistic dream, but, through Nog, he gave people in crisis enough hope to imagine a better future . Not that in some far-flung century humanity would fix its problems , but the simple notion that waking up tomorrow will be a little easier than it was yesterday. That legacy is worth more than a thousand other credits IMDB.

How Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Has Become More Relevant Than Ever

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine debuted on television more than 30 years ago, but the themes in its 7 Seasons are more relevant today than ever before.

Eisenberg Embodied the Core Values of Star Trek For the Next Generation

One of the great ironies of the Star Trek fandom is that for all their passion for the universe, some fans tend to hate whatever the newest thing is. When The Animated Series debuted, fans almost killed it , outraged their beloved series was a mere cartoon. Having lived through that with Deep Space Nine , when the third wave of Star Trek began, Aron Eisenberg became a champion for the newest artists in the sci-fi fraternity . With Ryan T. Husk and his Deep Space Nine co-star Cirroc Lofton, he started The 7th Rule , a video podcast about all things Star Trek . Eisenberg's exuberance and joy for this universe didn't stop where his role ended.

Aron Eisenberg's Star Trek Shows

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Voyager
What We Left Behind: Look Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
The 7th Rule Video Podcast

Aron proved this in the very first episode, covering both Star Trek: Discovery and the newly announced Star Trek: Picard . As his co-hosts speculated about the potential return of Deep Space Nine characters in the series, he revealed he'd heard (correctly) they wouldn't be in the series. "That's a bit frustrating," he admitted, "because I think they're…missing out on some wonderful characters." Yet, he didn't discuss that missed opportunity with bitterness nor anger. In fact, he was the biggest cheerleader for Discovery . He even celebrated the controversial Klingon redesign and the choice to have extended scenes in the Klingon language. It was almost as if Aron Eisenberg was incapable of negativity.

Along with thinking critically about the new series and what it added to the Star Trek universe, he embraced the new actors . Mary Chieffo, who played the eventual Klingon leader L'Rell, and the late Kenneth Mitchell (who played a number of roles) became fast friends with him. Star Trek viewers like what they like, of course. But a legacy actor with Eisenberg's bona fides embracing the next generation of the universe stood as a bulwark against the bad-faith, toxic creators who treat mining fan outrage like a business strategy. Eisenberg used The 7th Rule as a platform to remind fans that positivity and tolerance is the bedrock of Roddenberry's universe.

Deep Space Nine Shows How Star Trek Does Religion

Star Trek doesn't often incorporate religion into its stories or central characters' lives, but Deep Space Nine made room in the galaxy for faith.

Star Trek's Greatest Ambassador Is Sorely Missed and Never Forgotten

On Sept. 21, 2019, Aron Eisenberg passed away at age 50 . "There will never be another light like Aron's. The beauty that he was and the legacy he leaves behind is beyond words," his wife Malissa Longo wrote. Star Trek fans know the brightest light travels far, fast and can shine in the cosmos after the star that cast it is no longer there. Those closest feel the warmth fade faster than those who only saw that glow from afar. Through his acting and on The 7th Rule , his example remains the North Star guiding fans through this universe.

It's a testament to his artistic expertise that he valued all the Star Trek series he didn't work on as much those made better by his inclusion. Deep Space Nine is now a universally beloved series, and Nog is a big reason why. Spending time with him is as easy as finding an episode of the show. If The 7th Rule , which with Husk, Lofton and others, has a central thesis, it's: "There's enough Star Trek to love for everyone, and maybe the next thing will be fun?"But just as the best Star Trek stories are allegories addressing a bigger, complex truth, so is the life of Aron Eisenberg.

He wasted little time on regret, never fixating on the shallow shortsightedness of the entertainment industry. He was honest about his disappointments, but only to acknowledge they existed. In interviews or reminiscing with Lofton on their show, Eisenberg spoke with the same exuberance and honesty he put into his scenes as Nog. Aron taught anyone who listened how to latch onto the joy in what happens to them . That way, those feelings become the memory itself.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is available to own on DVD, Blu-ray, digital and streams on Paramount+ and Pluto TV. The 7th Rule is available on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Star Trek universe encompasses multiple series, each offering a unique lens through which to experience the wonders and perils of space travel. Join Captain Kirk and his crew on the Original Series' voyages of discovery, encounter the utopian vision of the Federation in The Next Generation, or delve into the darker corners of galactic politics in Deep Space Nine. No matter your preference, there's a Star Trek adventure waiting to ignite your imagination.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series)

The storyteller (1993), full cast & crew.

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Star Trek Deep Space Nine Cast: Where Are They Now?

19. Admiral Ross - Barry Jenner

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Full Cast & Crew

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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List of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine cast members

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‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ at 25: Through the Wormhole With the Cast and Creators

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Firsts and Lasts: The Cast of Deep Space Nine

What Happened To The Cast Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine After The Show Ended

Avery Brooks dealt with industry hurdles after DS9

René Auberjonois left behind a body of great work

Cirroc Lofton shifted focus

Alexander Siddig found more great roles

Colm Meaney never took a break

Nana Visitor is still among the stars

Armin Shimerman became an author

Terry Farrell built a new life

Michael Dorn hasn't left Worf behind

Aron Eisenberg left behind a powerful Star Trek legacy

Andrew Robinson told us Garak's life story

Max Grodénchik moved across the pond

Marc Alaimo

Jeffrey Combs

Nicole de Boer is still entertaining in the Great White North

Chase Masterson found her voice

Louise Fletcher loved her time on DS9

Salome Jens continued her already impressive career after DS9

Penny Johnson Jerald found her way back to the stars

Casey Biggs is a lot more resilient than Damar

Rosalind Chao could have spent a lot more time on Star Trek

J.G. Hertzler still hasn't left Star Trek behind

Brock Peters left behind wonderful performances

Screen Rant

All 6 Star Trek Characters Played By DS9's Marc Alaimo

Armin Shimerman Played TNG Ferengi Before DS9’s Quark

Marc Alaimo Played A TNG Cardassian Before DS9’s Gul Dukat

Other Early Versions Of Star Trek: DS9 Aliens On TNG

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine