From: cmeadows@nyx.cs.du.edu (Chris Meadows)
Subject: DEEP SPACE NINE: The good, the bad, and the mediocre
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix @ U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 93 16:12:52 GMT


Well, saw DEEP SPACE NINE last night.  This is my own little semi-
review of it.  Spoilers ahead, folx; since I can't do a ^L, blank
lines follow.
 
  
 
 
   
 
  
  
  
 
  
   
 
 
   
  
 
  
 
 
   
 
 
I think that's enough.  I shall now list the things about Deep
Space Nine: Emissary that made an impression on me.  I shall put
them into "Good" and "Bad" lists.  Here goes...
GOOD:
The new space station.  It did subscribe to the "Millenium Falcon"
effect--where we see something that's so incredibly cool-looking,
and they say "What a piece of junk!"  I liked the model, and the
interiors.

The Borg battle footage--we sure didn't see this in BOBW.  I guess,
since this is a series pilot, they had a bigger special-effects 
budget...

The Cardassians.  Personally, I think they look cool, and are re-
placing the Klingons and supplanting the Romulans as the current
"bad guy" of choice.  Wonder how long it will be before it comes
to all-out war?  I think the Federation could kick their butts any
day.  :-)

Odo.  As far as Deep Space Nine security goes, it's definitely
"in the bag."  (Sorry, couldn't resist. :)  I like him a lot--es-
pecially his temper.

O'Brien.  It's about time he got a bigger role, and chief operations
officer of a space station is definitely a move up.

The rest of the cast.  What can I say, I like 'em all?  Of course,
I also like Troi, Wesley, Alexander, and movies that everyone else
says stinks, so I guess I can't be relied on for my judgement.  :)
I can see how Sisko's kid might be considered annoying by some,
and I don't look forward to seeing the "kids get in trouble and nearly
cause the destruction of the space station" stories that are surely
around the bend.

The special effects.  The Borg battle, the shapeshifting Odo, the
wormhole--'twere a great job.

The Bejorans.  I've always liked Bejorans.  I wish Ensign Ro had
signed on; she was one of my favorite characters.  I hope that she
finds, like Gates McFadden did, that there's just not all that much
else out there, and comes back to the show...

Those "Runabout"-class spaceships.  Overgrown shuttlecraft with 
warp drives--pretty cool...


THE BAD
The appearance of Picard, but no other ST:TNG regulars.  I mean,
come on!  All we saw of the Big E were the Ready Room, the Bridge,
Transporter Room Three, Picard, a nameless ensign, and O'Brien (who
really doesn't count any more).  Even Keiko "went off to visit
relatives"!  It sounded a little lame, I think...I would have liked
to see Keiko whining to Miles about how lousy the space station 
was, and Miles saying, "Don't worry, honey, we'll fix it," etc. 
Not necessarily because I like whining, but because it would have
been in character.  To get back to the Enterprise, Picard was the
only recognizeable crewmember we saw--it seemed kind of fake.  It
would have been better to have seen Riker, Worf, Data, Geordi, Troi,
Crusher, etc., if only for a few seconds.  They wouldn't even have
had to say anything; they could just have passed by in the hall,
for all I care.  It's just not the same ship without them there.
  And another thing--with the shape that station was in, it seems
to me that Picard would have sent Geordi over to help get the station
operating, and maybe Bev to help with medical, just until they were
ready to go...  Okay, tirade over.  To continue...

The Enterprise itself--it looked FUNNY, for some reason--not the way
we're used to seeing it.  I guess because the show was on the scale
of Deep Space Nine, not the Enterprise, so there were no shots of
the Enterprise at full-size, just of DS9 at full-size and the En-
terprise small by comparison.

The control panels.  Rather than seeming high-tech, they reminded
me of some childrens' toys I've seen.  Of course, I guess they're
supposed to be like that, being Cardassian...it's just annoying.  
I hope they replace them with some Federation tech soon. 

The sequence with the wormhole inhabitants...It was cool, but it
went on too long.



Well, those are my opinions.  I would really like to see TNG crew-
members making guest appearances on DS9.  What Commander Data could
do--fix that computer, for instance.  :-) 

Overall, I really liked the show.  Can't wait to read what others have 
said about it...

--
Chris Meadows  | Editor of Robotech: The Misfold; author of other               
CHM173S@SMSVMA | Robotech/Rifts stories; DEFENDER of PALLADIUM BOOKS!!!         
CHM173S@VMA.SMSU.EDU   | "Computer, you and I need to have a little             
CMEADOWS@NYX.CS.DU.EDU | talk..." --Chief O'Brien, DEEP SPACE NINE