Unveiling Roddenberry's True Thoughts: The Surprising Take on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Was Gene Roddenberry's disdain for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine a certainty? Delve into the controversy surrounding his alleged rejection of DS9 and its relevance in the grand scheme of Star Trek
Summary
Fans who believed in Gene Roddenberry's view of a conflict-free futuristic utopia often dismissed "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" as not being true "Star Trek."
It's uncertain if Gene Roddenberry would have approved of "DS9" since he passed away before its premiere. Although he gave his general approval of the show's concept, it remains unclear how he would have responded to its occasionally contentious storylines. In truth, Gene Roddenberry expressed objections to several elements of the "Star Trek" series that fans now consider iconic.
The debate surrounding Gene Roddenberry's potential disdain for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is far more nuanced than commonly believed. Within the fandom, there exists a divide between those who strictly adhere to Roddenberry's vision of a conflict-free utopia and those who view it as a guiding principle rather than gospel. Devotees of Roddenberry's ideology often argue that DS9 does not adhere to the essence of Star Trek. However, this viewpoint fails to appreciate the show's groundbreaking departure from the confines of the "Roddenberry Box," allowing for fresh storytelling within the Star Trek universe.
Critics who fault Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for deviating from Gene Roddenberry's envisioned future fail to acknowledge that Roddenberry himself had animosity towards the original Star Trek movies and shows. Consequently, it becomes challenging to conclusively determine his potential affinity for DS9, despite the prevailing belief that he would have despised it. As Roddenberry did not live to witness DS9's debut, fans will never definitively know how he would have responded to its occasionally contentious narratives. However, it is possible to glean insights into Roddenberry's hypothetical reaction from the recollections of his friends, loved ones, and colleagues.
Would Gene Roddenberry Hate DS9? - What We Know
It is unclear what information Gene Roddenberry had about Star Trek: Deep Space Nine before his death in 1991. In 2014, DS9 co-creator Rick Berman mentioned on Twitter that Roddenberry had given them his enthusiastic approval for their show pitch. Since this occurred at least two years before DS9 premiered, it is likely that Berman and co-creator Michael Piller presented an overarching idea to Roddenberry, known as "The Rifleman in Space," which referred to a father and son surviving in a frontier town or space station. Given Roddenberry's role as the creator of Star Trek, no spinoff could have been commissioned without his consent during his lifetime. Therefore, it is probable that Berman and Piller had a general discussion with Roddenberry about the concept of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and he agreed in principle. In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion, Berman mentioned that Roddenberry knew they were working on something and that he had approval to develop it. However, DS9 diverged from Roddenberry's vision for Star Trek, which occasionally created disagreements with the franchise's creator.
However, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine exhibits several key elements of Roddenberry's Trek from its inception. Similar to Star Trek: The Next Generation, DS9 commences with the protagonist encountering an all-knowing species eager to gain insights into humanity. Being an atheist, Roddenberry would likely have been intrigued by DS9's more logical and scientific approach to religion, albeit possibly disapproving of Sisko's rise as a religious figure. Undoubtedly, he would have frowned upon the evident conflict between Picard and Sisko, particularly considering Roddenberry's previous proclamation that grief would no longer exist in 24th-century humanity.
DS9 Star Majel Barrett-Roddenberry Objected To The Dominion War
After the passing of Gene Roddenberry, his wife Majel Barrett expressed her approval of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine by making three appearances as Lwaxana Troi. In DS9 season 4, Lwaxana Troi, portrayed by Barrett, even tied the knot with Odo (Rene Auberjonois). However, in 1999, Barrett wrote a letter to Star Trek Communicator magazine, where she voiced her opinion that the Dominion War deviated from Gene Roddenberry's original vision. Ronald D. Moore, who was well aware of Roddenberry's objections to his work, agreed with Barrett in his response but also highlighted the positive aspects of the Dominion War storyline. During an AOL chat, Moore mentioned that "convincing Gene to embrace this direction would have been extremely challenging."
Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, would likely have objected to the more militaristic tone of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. If he had been alive during the crafting of the Dominion War arc, it is highly probable that he would have strongly objected as well. Roddenberry, a former veteran himself, strongly believed in the peaceful outlook of Star Trek. However, he failed to see that movies like The Undiscovered Country were not glorifying war, but rather spreading a message of peace and understanding. The Khitomer conspiracy represents the desperate attempts of warmongers to prolong the conflict, and only the crew of the USS Enterprise can put a stop to further bloodshed.
In essence, this is the same narrative of the Dominion War, as the writers of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, including Ronald D Moore and Ira Steven Behr, explored how far they could push Roddenberry's utopian vision. If Captain Sisko and his crew had to compromise the very ideals of Star Trek in order to defeat the Dominion, they would have achieved victory at a tremendous cost. Interestingly, D.C. Fontana, a renowned writer of the original Star Trek series, appreciated DS9 and its nuanced portrayal of characters and morality. She once stated that Roddenberry, as a former veteran, may have actually appreciated how the Dominion War arc highlighted humanity's tendency to repeat historic mistakes.
TNG Star Claimed Roddenberry Rejected DS9
Marina Sirtis' appearance at a 2014 convention raised eyebrows as she shared her opinion on what Gene Roddenberry would have thought of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. At the Star Trek: The Next Generation reunion event at New York Comic Con, Sirtis claimed that Roddenberry had firmly rejected the idea when it was presented to him. However, there is some confusion regarding how Sirtis obtained this information, especially considering Rick Berman's previous statement that Roddenberry had actually approved of DS9 before his passing.
Berman reaffirmed his earlier statement in response to Sirtis' claims, and it is surprising to observe Sirtis' apparent disdain for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Not only did she dismissively refer to it as a "hotel in space" during NYCC, but a video from Capital City Comic Con also revealed derogatory nicknames she had for the show. It is possible that, similar to other Star Trek fans who dislike DS9, Sirtis is using the "Roddenberry Box" as a way to rationalize her own aversion to the TNG spinoff.
Why It Doesn't Matter If Gene Roddenberry Would Hate Star Trek: DS9
Regardless of the perspectives of Star Trek figures like Majel Barrett, D.C. Fontana, Marina Sirtis, or Rick Berman, the issue of whether Gene Roddenberry would have despised Star Trek: Deep Space Nine remains unanswered. Roddenberry's unpredictable nature suggests that if he had lived, his relationship with DS9 would have likely mirrored that with Star Trek: The Next Generation and the films. Although he would have resisted storylines such as the Dominion War, Berman and Piller would have ultimately convinced him otherwise. By the fourth season of TNG, both Berman and Piller had developed a strong understanding with Roddenberry, facilitating the production of Ronald D. Moore's "Family" episode, despite Gene's disdain for it.
The reality is that Gene Roddenberry held animosity towards many aspects of Star Trek that fans view as timeless classics. While he was the creator of Star Trek, its true greatness was arguably achieved through the contributions of more daring and creative minds. This is precisely what Star Trek: Deep Space Nine accomplished, propelling the franchise into the realm of esteemed television and serialized storytelling, where it continues to thrive today. The offspring of the visionary Great Bird of the Galaxy must eventually forge their own paths, deviating from their father's footsteps, and that is how it should be.
