"The challenge of putting together a television show for the first time was especially intimidating because of the traditions and the expectations for Star Trek®." -- Michael Piller, co-creator, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine It might be hard to believe, but there was a time when launching a new Star Trek series was considered a risky venture. Maybe it was just luck that Star Trek: The Next Generation® had succeeded. Could another show capture the imagination of the viewers? The creators of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine® built a cast of characters totally different from the more comfortable, familiar ones that had been seen on previous incarnations of Star Trek. One of the writers observed, "You can see right away they're not perfectly engineered humans....They seem more real....They represent a different way to tell a story." The setting for the show was a space station, a dark, almost sinister, alien place -- the diametrical opposite of a bright reassuring starship. This new Star Trek series set every expectation on its head -- and it succeeded. Deep Space Nine created some of the most visionary, emotionally charged and critically acclaimed hours of television ever made, and at the end of seven years it could boast of ranking at the top of the syndicated ratings year after year. The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion is the official guide to all 176 spectacular episodes of this revolutionary series. Detailed synopses, behind-the-scenes information, and in-depth interviews with the cast and crew are provided for each show. Hundreds of photographs and illustrations -- many never before seen -- fill the pages of this book. For the casual reader or the fan who wants to know more, this is the definitive book on this groundbreaking series. From its explosive beginning to the heartrending conclusion, relive it all and see why TV Guide called it "the best acted, written, produced, and altogether finest...Star Trek series." Read Less