10 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Episodes That Were Almost Completely Different
These classic episodes were beset with rewrites, revisions and sometimes all out restarts.
The first show in the franchise to be made without the direct input of mastermind Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had the deck stacked against it from the start in terms of fan expectation. Following the incredible success of The Original Series and The Next Generation, creators Rick Berman and Michael Piller took the well established formula of the sci-fi institution and boldly took it into places never seen before.
Gone were the idyllic voyages from upliftingly utopian Federation crews, to be replaced by a treacherous space station filled with underhanded dealings, dark political intrigue and all out war.
Whilst not as widely regarded as its predecessors, the gamble paid off as the show is now seen by many die-hard fans as the unsung hero of the Star Trek Universe, owing in part to its weightier storylines and long form storytelling.
Many of these stories would go on to be some of the best the series had to offer but the journey to get them there was often one beset with rewrites, revisions and sometimes all out restarts.
10. Emissary (Season 1 Episode 1)
What better place to start than where it all began.
Tasked by Starfleet with facilitating Bajor’s acceptance into The Federation following the end of the Cardassian Occupation, Commander Benjamin Sisko reluctantly takes on command of the station and immediately clashes with his Bajoran liaison and First Officer: Major Kira Nerys. Having endured the brutal Cardassian rule for her whole life, Kira’s time in the Bajoran Resistance has left her with a unflappable determination to see Bajor freed, and the presence of The Federation after so many years of struggle strikes her as nothing more than interfering colonisation when her planet finally has a chance to stand on its own two feet.
Whilst Sisko and Kira’s antagonism and eventual camaraderie would go on to form a major part of the show, this was not always the plan. From the beginning, writers wanted to bring along the recurring Next Generation Bajoran character Ro Laren for the role of liaison. Despite the promise this could bring, actress Michelle Forbes did not want to sign on for a six season arc, so the role was hastily rewritten for Major Kira.
Whilst we can’t help but wonder what sort of dynamic Ro would have brought to the show, with her conflicting duties to Bajor and the Federation, as well as her combative attitude to authority, to have her would have robbed the audiences of one of Star Trek’s best characters in Kira. With her emotional journey and post-colonial ties, Kira’s stories are some of the most engaging in the entire series and, thanks to the outstanding work of actress Nana Visitor, the show would not have been the same without her.