Deep Space Nine was better when it wasn't being tied to The Next Generation

Lore building is a wonderful thing when you're developing a franchise as big as Star Trek. To develop the space needed in and around this fantastical universe requires a lot of effort, time, and money. Heading into 1993, the universe of Star Trek was expanding from three to four series, as Deep Space Nine joined the original series, the Animated Series, and The Next Generation in the quest to further build out the Star Trek lore.

It was an up-and-down affair to start, as some fans didn't want anything new. They figured if you're going to make a spinoff show from The Next Generation, just do more Next Generation. Yet, the show survived some rough years and ultimately ended up thriving. So much so that many hold it as the apex of Star Trek content.

Some would disagree, but most still admit it's among the best products that Star Trek ever did. It was a masterclass in the classic Star Trek morality play, focusing on the fallout of an occupation of a planet named Bajor by an alien race named the Cardassian. The Star Trek version of Nazi Germany.

It contained compelling stories of how people dealt and continue to deal with the emotions that came hand-in-hand with such an event. The impact was felt on the characters for years and arguably it's where the show shown most. Yet whenever the show tried to tie itself back to The Next Generation, it seemed to suffer.

Whether it was the pilot, where commander Benjamin Sisko and captain Jean-Luc Picard had a final conversation before Sisko departed the Enterprise-D, or when Jonathan Frakes popped on for an episode, reprising Will Riker. Only to find out that he was actually Thomas Riker, Will's not-so-twin, who was there to join up with the Maquis.

Even the addition of Worf seemed to overtake some of the focus on the rest of the cast. While a great addition for fans who cared more for the Next Generation brand, the fact is that others lost air time due to the need to focus on a star as big as Worf at the time. Worf wasn't bad for the show, but his arrival did make Deep Space Nine feel more like it was living in the Next Generation's shadow. Almost like the show needed the TNG rub.

Granted, it was still a fun four seasons with Worf. The show lost its uniqueness with his addition and the series therefore fell into a more standard, serialized war story, but it was fun nonetheless. But it lost its uniqueness in a way. While Worf wasn't the first TNG character to pop over, Miles O'Brien was first on board, O'Brien was so underutilized, that his arrival was seen as a fresh new idea, giving him far more to work with than he was given in The Next Generation.

Deep Space Nine was never a bad show, but it certainly lost something the more the show tried to connect itself to the larger Star Trek universe.