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After two TV treatments, six movies and more than 100 novels, how do you take "Star Trek" where it never gone before? Apparently, the creators of "Deep Space Nine"-a new syndicated version of the series-did what Enterprising crews always do: they analyzed the environment. What was the planet's latest cultural controversy? Was there some forgotten lode of lucre waiting to be tapped? After that the rest was easy. Strip away its 24th-century trappings and "Deep Space Nine" is ... a politically correct Western. It will also plunge viewers into an unprecedented time warp. When Paramount launches the series on Jan. 4 (later in some areas), three different versions of the same sci-fi concept will be riding the airwaves simultaneously.
None of them, however, tries harder to be different than "Deep Space Nine." For openers, Starfleet's new commander-the heroic heir to Captains Kirk of "Star Trek" and Picard of "The Next Generation"-is an African-American. He's Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), a single parent who lost his wife in the federation's bloodiest battle. In the real world, the appointment of a Colin Powell to the nation's highest military post produces nary a groan. But in television, where no viewer must be alienated, handing over such a venerable franchise's leading role to a black actor seems revolutionary.
Feminists get a boost, too. Not only is this Starfleet's second-in-command a woman, but Maj. Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor)-a snarly former terrorist-loves to kick butt. Her gentlest managerial directive: "Do it!" That represents a long power trip from Uhura, the submissive communications officer on the original "Star Trek"-not to mention all those vixens in metallic mini-dresses and matching eye makeup. No less formidable is Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell), the fleet's new science officer. Dax may look like Brooke Shields but she thinks like Stephen Hawking. Whenever the men can't fix a techno-glitch, there's Dax with the solution ("Let's modify the subspace field output of the deflector generators"). And that's only the half of it. Dax is also a "joined species," a female humanoid whose 28-year-old body became inhabited by a 300-year-old alien male. Who said TV shies from sexual frontiers? Nor have the p.c. people behind "Deep Space Nine" ignored the Native American audience. One character is the spiritual leader of an alien race who chants messages to their gods. Imagine the last of the Mohicans with a touch of Yoda.
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As for the series' setting, this is one galactic frontier that's instantly recognizable. Deep Space Nine is the name of a remote orbiting outpost visited by travelers headed to and from distant worlds-a kind of interstellar stagecoach stop encircled by hostile aliens. "It's Dodge City in outer space," says coexecutive producer Rick Berman. It's also a wonderfully convenient gimmick. Traditionally, Starfleeters had to drop by an alien planet to meet some nasties. Now the nasties come to them. And as with any Old West stopover, they'll find a thriving saloon with brothel rooms tucked upstairs. (Unlike Miss Kitty's, however, these "holosuites" offer computer-simulated stimulation.) All of which makes for good camp. Welcoming some insectlike guests, the saloonkeeper instructs his bartender: "Give 'em something to put their wings into."
The new "Star Trek" is also part of a race into space: TV programmers are throwing the sci-fi genre into full warp drive. Coming in 1993: "Babylon 5" (syndicated), an almost exact replicate of "Deep Space Nine" except that a female Asian serves as second-in-command; "Time Trax" (syndicated), a 22d-century detective story courtesy of producer Harve Bennett, who gave us four of the "Star Trek" movies; "Space Rangers" (CBS), the saga of a band of futuristic marshals, led by Oscar-winner Linda Hunt, who try to keep the interplanetary peace, and "Sea Quest" (NBC), a sci-fi "Sea Hunt" produced by Steven Spielberg and starring Roy Scheider as the commander of a humongous undersea laboratory. If this keeps up, Hollywood's most-sought-after cosmetic enhancements could be snouts, humps, fins and feelers.
Of course, "Star Trek" has always been more than a monster show. At its best, it reflects its times. In the original series, technology cured man's ills as well as united starkly dissimilar races. The machines in "Deep Space Nine," however, create almost as many problems as they conquer. In contrast to the pristine, state-of-the-art Enterprise, the space-station set is a dark, eavelike enclosure with a deteriorating ecosystem and constantly malfunctioning hardware (yes, a very "Alien" place).
The crew's relationships don't work much better. The late Gene Roddenberry, "Star Trek's" legendary creator, designed a universe in which Starfleet officers did not and could not quarrel with each other. "That's a great view of the future," says Berman. "But it's not great for writing TV shows because out of conflict comes good drama." Accordingly, Deep Space Nine resonates with bad vibes. Major Nerys clashes with both Sisko and Dax, and everyone gets on the case of Quark, the station's resident gambler-thief-pimp.
All of this could strike hard-core Trekkies as downright treasonous. To soften their shock, the creators of "DS9" are transplanting some characters from "The Next Generation." Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) appears in the spinoff's pilot episode and Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney), the Enterprise's transporter chief, gets a permanent job with the new crew. Other crossovers from "DS9's" predecessor include the eccentric Mrs. Troi (Majel Barrett, Roddenberry's widow) and the Cardassians, a race of Nazi-like thugs. Even a few of the new characters will seem familiar. Security officer Odo, a shape-changing alien good guy, calls to mind Data, "The Next Generations" humanlike android, who was basically a replacement for the inimitable Mr. Spock.
While ignoring Roddenberry's insistence on interpersonal harmony, "DS9" remains faithful to his belief in the value of the human species. Sisko, for instance, regularly tries to convince assorted aliens that Homo sapiens ranks among the higher life forms-albeit with limited success. "This is still Gene's 24th century," says Berman. "It's still his optimistic vision of mankind's future potential." On the other hand, Michael Piller, Berman's coproducer partner, seems more interested in creating an "L.A. Law" in space. "Our primary goal is to dig deeper and deeper into these people," proclaims Piller. "As we explore the universe that Roddenberry invented, we're really exploring the human condition. We always want to ask: how does each of our stories help define humanity?"
Oh, please. "Star Trek" didn't "live long and prosper" by putting the human psyche on the couch. Beneath its higher themes, the secret of its appeal-and of "DS9's" grabbiest moments-seems as simple as that of science fiction itself MILES O'BRIEN (monitoring a sneak attack). "Our scanners are picking up fluctuations in the Cardassians' energy distribution net!" MAJOR NERYS: "What the hell is happening out there?"
Exactly. So recharge your phasers, fellow Trek-persons, and prepare to engage thrusters. It's still a big jungle out there.
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