The Ultimate Star Trek Viewing Guide: TV & Streaming Details For Every Single Episode And Movie

13. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine represented a maturing of the Trek universe. It was the first show released after franchise creator Gene Roddenberry's death in 1991, with early seasons still emulating those earlier shows. With the third season, a shift in tone saw increased militarism, with all-out war breaking out in the fourth and fifth seasons.

Deep Space Nine was the first Star Trek show to be led by a black man, Avery Brooks, as Commander, later Captain, Ben Sisko. In 1993, when the pilot Emissary aired, this was a radical move for the universe. While Star Trek had attempted to display equality since its inception, it still took nearly 30 years for a black lead actor to arrive.

Sisko was not just in command of the station, but was also a single father, raising his son Jake alone. He was a strong male role model for people in the '90s, not to mention a strong black role model as well. 

Deep Space Nine succeeded with middling viewership ratings during its run, which ironically allowed it to be much more experimental than previous shows, which has led to the show ageing particularly well in the years that have followed.