A Complicated World
Dan Cray’s article on the last episode of “Star Trek: Deep Space 9” made an accurate observation on the show’s inability to capture the imagination of traditional “Star Trek” fans, and its difficulties of appealing to the mainstream television audience (“Space Co-Creator Plans to Keep on Trekking,” June 2).
But “DS9’s” problems stemmed from deeper, larger issues regarding the nature of modern television (and perhaps all entertainment media) audiences rather than the manner of presentation in the show itself. Relative to its “Star Trek” counterparts, “DS9” demanded that viewers learn about a place and peoples and the many problems and intricacies between and within them.
Unfortunately, that was in many ways the show’s Achilles heel. Nuances and complexities take time. But that, in this era of entertainment, is something audiences are not expected to take nor storytellers expected to give.
I will miss “Deep Space 9” deeply. It was one of few constants during my chaotic years as a graduate student.
JONATHAN NANDA LILJEBLAD
South Pasadena
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