Rating: Summary: Star Trek Forever Review: I love the Star Trek series. I hope that they come out with every single episode of Star Trek in all 5 series on DVD. They did a much better job of extras on DS9 than they did on TNG. One thing that I hope they would do is have a play all for each disk. That way, we could just put a disk in and watch all 4 hours. I know there weren't many people that were DS9 fans. I have to admit, I wasn't much of one when it was on until the Dominion wars started, but I think this collection is worth it.
Rating: Summary: Cheaper Box, But DVDs Easier To Remove Than TNG Sets Review: I am not going to waste your time telling you my personal opinion about the show except to say I like it a lot. I just want to tell you some practical information. When I first picked up season one I frowned...the box felt thin and cheap, nothing like the cool looking season sets for TNG. But the box has grown on me, mainly because the discs are easy to remove and put back. You don't get the standard compliment of 26 episodes, but they are mastered well enough and the extras are adequate. One final tip--if you buy this in a store and it says it comes with a bonus 7th DVD, run your fingers along the back of the box to see if you can feel it or not under the thin paper wrapping. Some sets have it, some don't. Make sure yours does. Emjoy!
Rating: Summary: GREAT DVD Package Review: I'm going to refrain from reviewing the actual series itself as so many others have done so well. Considering we're reviewing the DVD itself, I have to say Paramount improved upon itself tremendously since the TNG DVDs. First and foremost, the package is easy to handle. The clear cover enwraps the main case. Unlike TNG, where you had to unfold, unfold, unfold and drop something, the DS9 packaging opens like a book. You don't have to unfold anything. Also, TNG had that annoying insert with the cast picture which ALWAYS fell out when I opened the DVD box. Not in this case. The special features are fantastic, especially the Section 31 hidden files. Great touch. DS9 is the most creative and original of the modern Trek series. It seem the designers of this package caught it too. Great job. Can't wait for more!
Rating: Summary: Finally a Star Trek Captain Who Should Record an Album Review: My wife and I have both felt an emptiness since Deep Space Nine went off the air. DS9 was simply the most compelling, fascinating, adventerous, risky, unpredictable, best written, best acted, and best directed Star Trek of them all. During its last three seasons it was among the highest quality television programs -- right up there with Homicide: Life on the Streets. Once it really it its stride in the third season, each episode of DS9 played like a fine movie -- certainly far better than any Star Trek motion picture (except, perhaps, number IV). And to top it off, it had a captain (yes, Commander Sisko does become a captain -- and even more at the end) who should record an album. We had the pleasure of seeing Avery Brooks perform his one man show of Paul Robeson during the centennial celebration of Robeson's birth. Brooks can sing with the best of them (as he also demonstrates on DS9). No surprise -- he is on the faculty of the drama school at Rutgers University. When DS9 started, you may have thought of him as "The Hawk" from "Spenser for Hire." But long before DS9 was prematurely terminated, he made Sisko his own and established one of the great presences in any sci-fi television or film. Now if only Paramount would wake up and produce a DS9 movie that picks up where the series left off....
Rating: Summary: THE NEXT FRONTIER TO CONQUER IS HERE Review: The often overlooked "middle-child" of the legacy that is the STAR TREK universe is about to take it's rightful place as the most significant and vital of all the STAR TREK series. Already, in it's first season DS9 features some "stand out" episodes which exceed some of the expectations of any television fan -- especially a die-hard STAR TREK fan. Sit back and take a journey that may have otherwise been lost on the airwaves, but will prove to have an entire new life in DVD format!
Rating: Summary: Permission To Come Aboard... Review: Star Trek Deep Space 9 begins with a flashback to the events of "the battle of Wolf 359" and The Next Generation episode, The Best Of Both Words. As Starfleet battles the Borg, led by Locutus, (Patrick Stewart), Commander Ben Sisko (Avery Brooks) and his son escape the destuction of their starship. Sadly, Sisko's wife Jennifer (Felicia M. Bell) isn't so lucky...Three years later, Sisko is asked by Starfleet to assume command of space station DS9, that is near the planet of Bajor. Bajor had been under the occupation of Federation enemy, the Cardassians, for some 60 years. Following their withdrawl, Starfleet hopes that Bajor will join the Federation, but as Sisko takes charge...things get a bit more interesting. I have to say, that like everyone else, I had my doubts about the series. However, after its stunning pilot called Emissary, and because of its solid cast, I was hooked by the middle of the first year. Created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, the show stuck to the ideals of Trek, set forth by Creator Gene Roddenberry, while at the same giving us something a bit different. Most of the series centered around one alien race and its culture, that could have spelled trouble but it did not. The station was populated by Ferengi, Trill, Humans, Shapeshifters, and Bajorans, all forced to make it work. The inclusion of a stable Wormhole to another part of space meant that there would be plenty of time "to explore strange new worlds" Aside from Patrick Stewart's appearance as Picard in the pilot, Other crossovers with TNG/guest stars of season one include John De Lancie as Q, Jennifer Hetrick as Picard's former flame, Vash, Majel Barret as Lwaxana Troi, Klingon renegades Lursa and B'tor (Barbra March and Gweneth Walsh), the late Brian Kieth and Harris Yulin in season highlights Progress and Duet respectively. DS9 not only had a winning main cast, but it had quite a powerful recurring cast as well that only made the series richer in the long run The 6 disc DVD box set of season one contains all 20 episodes of year one The extras can be found on disc number 6. The bonus materials are set up in much the same fashion as the extras for the TNG sets. I have to say though I thought that more care went into the DS9 featurettes for season one, as opposed to those found in the TNG sets. There seemed to be a much more of an in depth overview here--I hope the trend contniues with future sets of the series. There are a total 6 featuretes, DS9's original launch promo, and "hidden" files. This box set is for fans of the show, as well as for those who missed out when the series first premiered, thinking the show is not "true" Trek. I disagree. I believe the show has more trek traits than most folks believe. See for yourself...
Rating: Summary: Even better the 2nd time around Review: I just got thru watching the first episode- wonderful stuff. I could not help but smile at the first entrance of each character- like seeing old friends again. Wonderful acting, wonderful story. Looking forward to buying all 7 seasons- especially since they don't show DS9 on TV in Chicago!!!... One warning: It was difficult removing the disk from the holder, and I pressed too hard on the eject button and snapped it off- so be careful. This is largely due to the more brittle plastic used in the all-transparent parts.
Rating: Summary: A classic comes to DVD at last. Review: In 1993, The creative elements of Star Trek The Next Generation sought to capture lightening in a bottle for a unprecedented third time, and see if they could launch a successful third Star Trek series. Buoyed by the runaway success of the earlier Star Trek The Next Generation, the creative team sought to provide viewers a look at the Star Trek universe that was different from the typical Federation point of view. Towards this end, the new series, Deep Space 9, was set on a space station orbiting the war-ravaged world of Bajor. A planet whose inhabitants are a bit leery of their provisional government inviting the Federation to oversee the station as they attempt to rebuild their planet from 50 years of brutal occupation by the Cardassians.
If this sounds a bit complex for a star Trek series, you are right, deep Space 9 was easily the most complex and diverse Star Trek show ever created, as characters and storylines unfolded over the shows seven seasons with many twists and turns, keeping viewers guessing. The idea of the show was to introduce conflict back into the series, as the Trek creator Gene Roddenberry insisted prior to his death that there would be no conflict between humans in the 24th century. To honor the late creators wishes Deep Space 9 centered on a multi-species cast, many of whom had very different value systems and beliefs that caused friction between the characters as well as set the stage for character development.
The show was lead by Avery Brooks as Commander Ben Sisko, a career Starfleet officer who is struggling to raise his son after the loss of his beloved wife to the evil Borg. He is a disillusioned man who is not happy about being assigned to a station in a remote system and is even less happy with the conditions facing him at the station. His second in command is Major Kira (Nana Visitor), a former freedom fighter who is assigned to be the Bajoran liaison to Starfleet on the station, and not happy at all with the Starfleet presence in her system. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farell) is a young science officer who holds a symbiotic organism with the experiences and memories of 800 years and several lifetimes. A past host was a close friend and mentor to Sisko. Julian Bashir (Siddig El Fadil), a bright, yet cocky young doctor who desires to make a name for himself on the wild frontier of space. Chief O'Brien (Colm Meaney), the former Operations officer on the Enterprise who is assigned to head up the operations of the station. Odo (Rene Abuerjonois), A shape shifting security chief of the station as well as the only known member of his species. Odo is a caustic loaner yet faithful to justice and determined to jail Quark and find the nature of his origins. Quark (Armin Shimmerman), a scheming and opportunistic Ferengi bartender who has his hands into everything and never misses a chance to make a profit, even if it means bending the law. The first season set includes a number of classic episodes such as the classic "Duet" where Kira confronts a suspected war criminal played by Harris Yulin. The parallel the Holocaust is evident and the story and acting combined with the way controversial and sensitive subjects are handled make this a powerful episode. Other episodes dealt with spiritualism, racial relations, abuses of power, and more allowing the series to take a look at topics in a hard hitting way, and unlike past Treks, events did not have to be wrapped up in an hour and were free to carry over to future episodes and seasons as many did. To this cast a myriad of strong supporting actors and actresses mixed with a vast and complex storyline allowed for some of the best moments in science Fiction to be created. The Season One DVD set is a well-crafted set that in many ways surpasses the outstanding Next Generation series. Aside from the plethora of behind the scenes and making of segments, the series features the episodes in sparking color and sound. A great launch to a fine series and a promise of great things to come.
5 stars out of 5
Gareth Von Kallenbach
Sknr.net
International Association of Film Critics.
Rating: Summary: Finally! Review: I hate to think of DS9 because Trek Fans are so quick to dismiss it. You can always find repeats of Voyager and TNG on five or six channels but you will rarely find DS9 on any station. DS9 deserves so much more because it is the best of the Trek shows. Voyager was awful (I can never understand why they found such awful actors for the series)TNG was too confusing and Enterprise just hurts the continuity and timeline of the overall Trek universe in addition to forcing us to watch such bad actors. DS9 was purely political science fiction which, in my opinion, is the best Science Fiction. You weren't forced to endure plots that only physics majors would understand (I hated learning about "quantom fissures" or "neutron disruptions" or "dimensional folds" on TNG and Voyager)and you didn't really have to think about confusing (and often nerdy)Science plots. You were just given intelligent stories that cleverly refleceted the real political issues we face today (I thought the Bajoran/Cardassian relationship was always eerily similar to the Israel/Palestine relationship). You were also given more straightforward action episodes on DS9 that were, in my opinion, superior to any Enterprise/Borg battle episodes on TNG. I could see a Deep Space Nine future more than a TNG future. The characters and events on DS9 are more real than they were on the other Trek shows. The crew would argue and fight and they would rarely have happy endings on the show (which is how it will really be if a DS9 station is ever made one day in the future) and the tone of the series was more dark and epic than the other Trek's. You have to buy this set if you love Star Trek. It is SOOOOO nice to know that they finally are making these box sets. Why buy TNG DVD's when you can see all the shows on TNN?
Rating: Summary: DS9=awesome Review: I remember being 6, and watching TNG premiere for the first time. My imagination was lit. 16 years later, I find myself still in love with the characters and stories, probably DS9 being my favorite Being older I find myself not only watching it for the intesteller drama, but also for it's mystical/intellectual content. It's awesome storytelling, probably some of the best in a while. Watch these, enjoy them, and do yourself a favor and check out B5. Pure genius. Sure there are parallels, but to say that one is a knock-off of the other is to diminish the spirit of both. Both have their own merits, strenths and weaknesses. Watch them if nothing more than to see two similar (and yet very different) stories told in different ways. Out.
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