Why Did Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Not Gain a Massive Audience?

Star Trek has captured the hearts and minds of audiences for decades with its blend of adventures, sci-fi thrills, and deep character development. However, some series, particularly Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, have not garnered the same massive following as Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) and Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS). The reasons for this are multifaceted, and interestingly, it's not as simple as it might seem at first glance.

My Observations

While I enjoyed Star Trek: Voyager and Deep Space Nine enough, my personal opinions may differ from others. Too often, Voyager is dismissed with common complaints such as a lack of engaging character arcs and unrealistic storylines. Conversely, Deep Space Nine is often unfairly criticized for drifting too far from the ideals of Star Trek into darker, political narratives. Let's delve into the actual reasons behind these dynamics.

Common Complains About Voyager

No Character Arcs

One of the most frequently cited complaints about Star Trek: Voyager is the absence of meaningful character development. Despite strong arcs for characters like the Doctor and Seven of Nine, many other characters remained static throughout the series. The insular nature of Voyager's crew, with Ensign Kim remaining at the same posting from start to finish, and the highly flexible nature of characters like Tom Paris would often lead to character inconsistencies, making it hard for viewers to connect with them.

No Consequences

Another significant issue with Voyager is the lack of long-term consequences. The ship would repeatedly face catastrophic events, and in the next episode, everything would be back to normal. Examples include the loss of 16 shuttlecraft at once, which seems unrealistic and undermines the series' credibility. The ship's isolation and desperate situation often had no lasting impact on the characters' lives, making it harder to feel invested in the narrative.

Ridiculous Stories and Questionable Decisions

The show occasionally landed on bizarre storylines, such as Tom Paris and Captain Janeway turning into salamanders and having children, or the unethical decisions like changing the timeline to avoid a fight and even murdering Tuvix. These story choices often felt forced and disconnected from the characters' emotions and motivations, leading to a disjointed experience for many viewers.

Deep Space Nine: A Popular Star Trek Series

Deep Space Nine was a very popular and critically acclaimed series in its own right. Unlike Deep Space Nine, which was set on a space station and focused more on a static environment, Star Trek: Voyager faced the challenge of being a series that was often criticized for its episodic format. However, while Voyager was a challenge, it still managed to find its audience and achieve higher ratings than DS9, as well as higher rewatch appeal.

Popularity and Ratings

It is a common misconception that Deep Space Nine did not have a substantial following. In fact, Voyager has consistently had higher ratings than DS9 and has seen more rewatching. Despite starting on a straightforward cable channel with fewer viewers, Voyager managed to maintain these high ratings, proving its appeal. While TNG was the beginning of a new era in Star Trek, Voyager and DS9 each brought unique storytelling elements to the franchise.

Criticism and Rejection

The criticism of Voyager often stems from people who feel it was not a continuation of Deep Space Nine. Many argue that it had too many new ideas and a more diverse crew, which some viewers found confusing or inconsistent. However, showing new ideas and exploring different concepts is what makes the Star Trek franchise so rich and engaging. In many ways, Voyager was a well-executed series that filled the gap left by DS9, and its success is evident in its continued popularity and recent streaming availability.

The departure from the bright, optimistic tone of TNG in DS9 marked the beginning of a trend that would negatively impact Star Trek's viewership. DS9 was great as a show, but as a Star Trek series, it was flawed by its darker, more political undertones. On the other hand, Voyager struck a balance between the adventures of TNG and the unique elements of DS9, making it a compelling and well-received series.

Conclusion

While there are valid reasons to critique both Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager, the series each offered something unique and engaging to Star Trek fans. Critics who dismiss these series often miss the mark, as Voyager in particular has a solid and expanding fan base. It's time for viewers to give these series a second chance and reevaluate their opinions based on the evidence presented in both ratings and contemporary rewatch statistics.

Keywords: Star Trek, Voyager, Deep Space Nine, Star Trek TNG