The Orb: A Star Trek Deep Space Nine Podcast

The Mirror Universe, Part 2: Through the Looking Glass. Since its introduction in the second season of The Original Series, the Mirror Universe has been a fan favorite. This alternate world in which good is bad has captured the imagination of fans and allowed writers to put a new twist on Star Trek's familiar wrappings. Following 1967's "Mirror, Mirror," our connection with this reflection of sort...

The Mirror Universe, Part 1: Crossover. Since its introduction in the second season of The Original Series, the Mirror Universe has been a fan favorite. This alternate world in which good is bad has captured the imagination of fans and allowed writers to put a new twist on Star Trek's familiar wrappings. Following 1967's "Mirror, Mirror," our connection with this reflection of sorts was severed fo...

DS9 25th Anniversary. On January 3, 1993, a new chapter in Star Trek storytelling began. And although we didn't know it at the time, this new series set on space station Deep Space 9 would become the richest chapter in Gene Roddenberry's vision. In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing get together for a casual chat about the series they love so much, why it has come to...

Rom. When we first met him in "Emissary," Rom was just another Ferengi. He was brother of Quark, father of Nog, and a pit boss concerned about profit. But over the course of the series, he became so much more thanks to the relationships he formed, the influence of other cultures, and an environment that allowed him to break free of the box Ferengi society put him in. In this episode of The Orb, ho...

Natima Lang. Once of the strengths of Deep Space Nine is its ability to bring in secondary characters and make them important. In some cases, those character may appear only once, yet have significant impact on our main crew. Such was the case with Natima Lang. In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing focus on the Cardassian professor and dissident who appeared in the se...

Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges Commentary. Gene Roddenberry's utopian vision of the future is what attracts many fans to Star Trek. But as Deep Space Nine shows, solving the problems we face is just one part of creating an ideal society. Once you're there, you must diligently protect what you've built or else it will quickly be taken away. And guarding against threats means that, sometimes, unsavory...

Music and DS9. When you think of Deep Space Nine, of course the Dominion War, the Bajoran religious and political tug-o-war, and the complex character relationships come to mind. But another thing that is really hard to shake is the music. The most prominent style of music on DS9 is jazz, and it's a part of the show that adds a layer of depth that is key to making DS9 seem more real than any of th...

Past Tense, Part II. In 1995, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine addressed the effects on society of a growing gap between the haves and have-nots. More than two decades later, the challenge remains and the message still applies. Homelessness is a multilayered problem, and solutions to the underlying causes continue to elude us. In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing conclude...

Past Tense, Part I. A growing gap between the haves and have-nots leads to a fractured society. In Star Trek's 2024, America has tucked away undesirables in Sanctuary Districts. Sisko explains that social problems had to reach a breaking point before the US began to address them. "Past Tense" was prophetic in its time, and it remains so today—just seven years from Gabriel Bell's famous stand. In t...

Remembering Barry Jenner. Deep Space Nine was filled with supporting characters who enriched the show and made its story believable. Most of these made far fewer appearances than it seems. Such is the case with Admiral William Ross. In only 12 episodes, Ross turned the tide of the war through his faith in Sisko and his firm yet thoughtful interactions with those in the field. The writing was impor...

The Orb of Time. Deep Space Nine has few time travel stories, but when the writers chose to dip into the temporal well they had a unique tool at their disposal. The Orb of Time offered a way to move characters through time that was not available to the writers of other series. Tied to the Bajoran religion and the overarching storyline of DS9, this mystical object provided a bypass that avoided tec...

Kira Meru. For most of her life, Kira Nerys had an image of her mother, Meru, that drove her to hate Cardassians. When her mother was ripped away to serve as a comfort woman aboard Terok Nor, Nerys's life changed forever. She was only three. Told by her father that her mother had died in the detention camp attempting to protect the family, Kira believed her mother was a hero. But when she learns i...

Rapture. When Benjamin Sisko arrived at Bajor, he was told right away that he was the Emissary. He didn't believe it. By the end of the series he did, but it took some time. The writers marked several turning points, such as "Destiny" (season three) and "Accession" (season four). But it wasn't until the fifth season episode "Rapture" that Sisko reached the point of no return. His discovery of the...

By Inferno's Light. Beginning in season three with "The Die Is Cast," it was revealed that the Founders were infiltrating the Alpha-Beta powers by replacing key figures. In the fifth season two-parter comprising "In Purgatory's Shadow" and "By Inferno's Light," this is taken to a new level when a member of DS9's own crew is replaced. The revelation that the Doctor Bashir with whom everyone had bee...

In Purgatory's Shadow. Beginning in season three with "The Die Is Cast," it was revealed that the Founders were infiltrating the Alpha-Beta powers by replacing key figures. In the fifth season two-parter comprising "In Purgatory's Shadow" and "By Inferno's Light," this is taken to a new level when a member of DS9's own crew is replaced. The revelation that the Doctor Bashir with whom everyone had...

Defiant Commentary. What happens when William Riker drops by to check out Sisko's new toy? We don't know, because that didn't happen. But when his transporter-created twin Tom drops by, that toy goes missing. In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing bring you a commentary for the third-season episode "Defiant," which provides a sequel or sorts for TNG's "Second Chances."...

Feedback Show. In each episode of The Orb we delve into the minutiae of Deep Space Nine, which generates a lot of feedback from you, our loyal listeners. When the messages start piling up, it's time to gaze into the Orb of Mail. In this special show we share our thoughts on your thoughts and questions about past episodes. Join us as we discuss the value of Vic Fontaine, Worf's ramming knowledge, t...

Worf's Journey to DS9, Part 4: Nemesis. When it was announced that Michael Dorn would join the cast of DS9 with the show's fourth-season premier, fan reaction was mixed. Was this just a gimmick to win over the TNG crowd and boost the show? Well, maybe. But as it turned out, DS9 was where Worf really belonged, and the character blossomed as part of the Station's ensemble. But how did he get there?...

Worf's Journey to DS9, Part 3: Insurrection. When it was announced that Michael Dorn would join the cast of DS9 with the show's fourth-season premier, fan reaction was mixed. Was this just a gimmick to win over the TNG crowd and boost the show? Well, maybe. But as it turned out, DS9 was where Worf really belonged, and the character blossomed as part of the Station's ensemble. But how did he get th...

Worf's Journey to DS9, Part 2: First Contact. When it was announced that Michael Dorn would join the cast of DS9 with the show's fourth-season premier, fan reaction was mixed. Was this just a gimmick to win over the TNG crowd and boost the show? Well, maybe. But as it turned out, DS9 was where Worf really belonged, and the character blossomed as part of the Station's ensemble. But how did he get t...

Worf's Journey to DS9, Part 1: TNG and Generations. When it was announced that Michael Dorn would join the cast of DS9 with the show's fourth-season premier, fan reaction was mixed. Was this just a gimmick to win over the TNG crowd and boost the show? Well, maybe. But as it turned out, DS9 was where Worf really belonged, and the character blossomed as part of the Station's ensemble. But how did he...

Essential DS9, Season One. The episodic television format has its strengths and weaknesses. The advantage is that the viewer can tune into just about any episode, any time, and enjoy it without having to know what happened in previous installments. The downside is that it’s harder to build momentum with self-contained episodes. That means that some episodes will shine, while others will fall into...

The Ship. As we reach our 100th episode, we mark the occasion with a quiet moment from Deep Space Nine—one that put our characters under pressure, tested their resolve, and highlighted the rift between the Federation and the Dominion. And like this installment of The Orb, it’s also the centennial moment for DS9 (depending on how you count your episodes). Join hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushin...

Emissary, Part 2 of 2. When Deep Space Nine premiered, the idea of a show set on a space station didn’t sit well with all fans. But with a season and a half still to go on The Next Generation, the producers couldn’t simply fire off another show about a crew flying around on a starship. They had to do something different. But the stationary aspect of DS9 was far from the only thing unique about the...

Emissary, Part 1 of 2. When Deep Space Nine premiered, the idea of a show set on a space station didn’t sit well with all fans. But with a season and a half still to go on The Next Generation, the producers couldn’t simply fire off another show about a crew flying around on a starship. They had to do something different. But the stationary aspect of DS9 was far from the only thing unique about the...