When Star Trek: Discovery premiered two seasons ago, fans were divided in their opinions regarding the show’s darker interpretation of Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic vision of the future. But Discovery wasn’t the first attempt by the franchise to present a different vision of the Trek universe. When Star Trek: Deep Space Nine premiered in 1994, some long-time Trek fans initially didn’t know what to make of the show. Star Trek (at least up to that time) had been about starship crews going out into the universe and exploring new worlds, often coming into conflict with enemies like the Romulans and the Borg. Deep Space Nine was set on a space station, located near a stable wormhole, rather than aboard a starship. The cast was diverse, and the storylines were less about straightforward heroics, often sketching characters and situations with various shades of grey. In its later seasons, an ongoing storyline detailed the Federation’s war with a new threat called The Dominion, and showed how that conflict affected the show's characters. While some fans were slow to embrace Deep Space Nine, there was no denying the show contained some of the strongest acting, writing and direction of any iteration of Star Trek up to that point. The series has become a favorite among fans and critics, many of whom now consider it one of the best of the Trek spinoffs.
Ira Steven Behr, who was a writer, producer and showrunner for the series, spearheaded the production of a crowd-funded documentary about the legacy and impact of the show. What We Left Behind: Looking Back At Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2019), premiered in theaters last summer with a series of special screenings, and is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. The documentary is a comprehensive look at the history of Deep Space Nine, and features in-depth interviews with the cast and crew of the series. The cast share their honest feelings about how the show was initially perceived as the also-ran of the franchise. It wasn’t until home video and streaming releases of the series allowed viewers to binge- watch the episodes in larger batches, that a wider audience began to appreciate the show’s well-crafted storytelling. The interviews are compelling and insightful. The comments seen in the film are refreshingly honest, a far cry from the pleasant chatter usually seen in studio produced documentaries. Terry Farrell, who played Lieutenant Dax, and left the show after Season 6, is particularly frank about her acrimonious exit from the series. What becomes crystal clear from watching the film is these actors still have great affection for one another, and are proud of what they accomplished during their time on the series.
The history of the show’s conception and production is covered in detail by Behr and the writers, including Ronald Moore (who went on to create the re-booted version of Battlestar Galactica) and Rene Echevarria. The concept of serialized storytelling in a genre series was relatively new at that time, and Deep Space Nine was pioneering in that regard. Classic episodes like “In The Pale Moonlight” and “Far Beyond The Stars” are discussed, as well as the reaction to the addition of Michael Dorn as Worf, a character from Star Trek: The Next Generation, who joined the cast in the fourth season of the series. Behr is also honest about his assessment of where the show succeeded in exploring controversial social, political and religious issues, and where it could have done more in that regard. There’s also a tantalizing look (using animation) at the writers ideas of what might have been explored story wise had the series gone on to an eighth season. It’s like being invited to a writers roundtable discussion. Also included is a look at a clip from the show remastered in high-definition, which Behr hopes will spark a true HD release of the series.
What We Left Behind is clearly a labor of love for everyone involved, and this talented group of actors are still quite passionate in their feelings about the series. Sadly, both Rene Auberjonois (who played Odo) and Aron Eisenberg, (who played Nog), have passed away since the documentary was produced, though they both have touching moments in the film. Like some of the other Star Trek spinoffs, Deep Space Nine had a bit of a rocky start, but once it settled into its groove, it spun a rich tapestry that I think holds up well to this day. It’s my personal favorite of the modern Star Trek series. This is a heartfelt, well-produced tribute to a groundbreaking entry in the Trek canon. Co-directed by Ira Steven Behr with David Zappone (who also worked on the well-received The Captains documentaries), What We Left Behind is one of the best Trek centered retrospectives released thus far. If you’re a Trek fan, or even a casual viewer of the series, this enthralling and perceptive documentary is worth a look. What We Left Behind is available on DVD and Blu-ray from Shout Factory home video at www.shoutfactory.com. Here’s a link to the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4LPDX6uqSM.
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