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- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is an American science fiction television series that debuted in broadcast syndication on January 3, 1993. The series ran for seven seasons until 1999. The show was spun off from Star Trek: The Next Generation which debuted in 1987, with characters inhabiting a shared fictional universe. Deep Space Nine was developed by executive producers Rick Berman and Michael Piller, who together wrote the series bible. The show was filmed primarily on the Paramount Studios lot in Los Angeles, California. Siddig El Fadil, later known as Alexander Siddig was an early front runner for the part of series protagonist Benjamin Sisko. Ultimately the producers thought he was too young for the role and instead offered him the part of Dr. Julian Amoros, who was subsequently renamed to Julian Bashir; the role of Sisko went to Avery Brooks. Deep Space Nine was originally intended to have Ro Laren, a character from The Next Generation as a main character. However, after actress Michelle Forbes declined to sign on for a five- to six-year commitment for the series, the part was re-written to become Major Kira Nerys, with Nana Visitor cast in that role. For similar reasons, Famke Janssen turned down the role of Jadzia Dax when offered, with Terry Farrell becoming the last main cast member to be cast with filming already underway on "Emissary". Two actors who considered for main roles went on to be cast as recurring characters: Andrew Robinson was beaten to the role of Odo by René Auberjonois, but was cast as the Cardassian tailor/spy Elim Garak; similarly, Max Grodénchik lost the role of Quark to Armin Shimerman, but was subsequently cast as that character's brother, Rom. There were several actors who appeared in Deep Space Nine in roles they had previously played in other Star Trek series. The most prominent of these was Colm Meaney, who played Chief Miles O'Brien. Meaney had first appeared as an unnamed crewman in the pilot episode, "Encounter at Farpoint", and went on to appear in a total of 52 episodes of The Next Generation. Miles' wife Keiko O'Brien had also appeared on The Next Generation and became a recurring character on Deep Space Nine, as played by Rosalind Chao. Majel Barrett appeared as Lwaxana Troi, having also originally appeared in The Next Generation. She was intended to be a recurring character in the new show, and also continued to voice the Starfleet computers as in the earlier series. The series had several long-running antagonists. Marc Alaimo portrayed Gul Dukat, the Cardassian former commander of Deep Space Nine who later led his people into joining the Dominion. Dukat had been included in the series bible as a recurring character described as someone who "represents the continuing threat to our people". There were several Dominion characters who appeared from the third season onwards, including Salome Jens as the Female Shapeshifter, and Jeffrey Combs as Weyoun. Combs was unique in Deep Space Nine for simultaneously playing two recurring characters – Weyoun and the Ferengi Brunt – in the same episode, "The Dogs of War". The fourth season saw a change in direction for the series with the producers asked to "shake up the show" by Paramount, and the addition of a main cast member. Rick Berman suggested adding a Klingon contingent to the show, adding Michael Dorn to the main cast in the role of Worf, which he had played for seven seasons on The Next Generation. The changes also brought in J. G. Hertzler as General Martok, who became a recurring character. Hertzler had previously appeared in the pilot of the series as a Vulcan Captain on board the USS Saratoga, and Martok would end the series as the Klingon Chancellor. One further change to the main cast occurred between the sixth and seventh seasons. Terry Farrell elected not to renew her contract, so her character was killed in the final episode of season six. She was replaced by Nicole de Boer, who was cast as Ezri Dax. (en)
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