History WhatCouldHaveBeen / StarTrekDeepSpaceNine

* While "[[{{Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS05E06TrialsAndTribbleations}} Trials and Tribble-ations]]" is regarded as one of the best episodes of the series and a fitting 30th Anniversary for the franchise, there were numerous other ideas which were tossed around. One was the return of EnfantTerrible Charles Evans from the TOS episode "[[{{Recap/StarTrekS1E2CharlieX}} Charlie X]]", most likely seeking revenge in a manner similar to Barry Waddle. Another was having the Deep Space Nine crew visit the mobster planet from "[[{{Recap/StarTrekS2E17APieceOfTheAction}} A Piece of the Action]]", where they find that the inhabitants have [[YouAreTheNewTrend gone on to emulate Starfleet]] as a commentary on ''Star Trek'' fandom.

* Originally, Jack, not Sarina, was the one who was going to be 'cured' in "[[{{Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E05Chrysalis}} Chrysalis]]". Behr decided that the story lacked bite, and sent a message that quirky or handicapped people need to be fixed. So Sarina underwent the treatment instead. She gains a normal life but loses the companionship of her friends, who are still 'in treatment' (imprisoned) at the Institute.

** More than that, ''In the Hands of the Prophets'' was sandwiched between ''two'' much better episodes, either of which could have held up as a solid season finale; though it wouldn't have been a cliffhanger, the penultimate episode of Season 1, ''Duet'', is generally considered one of the best episodes of the entire series, and would have been a more than adequate note to end the season on.

* The first season was only 20 episodes long, and finished with the rather disappointing ''In the Hands of the Prophets'', which featured a villain [[KarmaHoudini getting away with it]] and lacked a [[{{Anticlimax}} clear]] [[DownerEnding resolution]]. If they had filmed ''The Homecoming'' as part of season one, it would have made for an engrossing and suspensful season finale cliffhanger that could have jacked up the ratings for the entire series.

* The Borg were originally considered for the main villains of the show, hence their appearance in the pilot. But their uber-power which prevented them from regularly appearing on TNG convinced the writers to can the idea. Their appearance in the pilot is all that is left. [[Series/StarTrekVoyager VOY]] didn't get that memo: The Borg appear in mid-Season 3 and would go on to become the over-arching villain of that series, with many considering it a major example of VillainDecay.

** Alexander Siddig was also briefly considered for the role, but the producers ultimately decided he was too young, and he was instead given the role of Dr. Bashir.

* In [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E24TheCollaborator TheCollaborator]], the producers originally intended Bariel become Kai, but they decided that would seem a waste when they could have the treacherous SmugSnake Winn rise to that position and become an even more effective recurring villain for the heroes to deal with, considering now she has real power but still has to be diplomatic through clinched teeth to Sisko the Emissary.

* In Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E24TheCollaborator, the producers originally intend Bariel become Kai, but they decided that would seem a waste when they could have the treacherous SmugSnake Winn rise to that position and become an even more effective recurring villain for the heroes to deal with, considering now she has real power but still has to be diplomatic through clinched teeth to Sisko the Emissary.

* In StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E24TheCollaborator, the producers originally intend Bariel become Kai, but they decided that would seem a waste when they could have the treacherous SmugSnake Winn rise to that position and become an even more effective recurring villain for the heroes to deal with, considering now she has real power but still has to be diplomatic to Sisko the Emissary.

** Later, when they decided that the character would be black, Creator/JamesAvery, Creator/KeithDavid, Creator/LaurenceFishburne, Creator/JamesEarlJones, Creator/TonyTodd and Creator/CarlWeathers were each approached. Had Jones been cast, the character would have been an admiral, and Jake would have been his ''grand''son.

* Dax was originally envisioned as an alien from a low-gravity world forced to get around in a wheelchair and who flew around her quarters. The concept was scrapped because the "flight" cables were too difficult to rig. However, the idea was revisited for "Melora".

* In the TNG crossover "[[{{Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E15Birthright}} Birthright]]", Dax was slated to film some scenes on the ''Enterprise-D'' set with Data, but a scheduling conflict dashed that idea. Bashir went over in her place. The episode she filmed instead? The execrable "[[{{Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS01E10MoveAlongHome}} Move Along Home]]". According to Creator/TerryFarrell (a lifelong Trekkie), she "cried."

** [[https://twitter.com/trekdocs/status/949356508755656705?s=20 The list of considered actors for Sisko]] included Creator/PowersBoothe, Creator/PierceBrosnan, Creator/GaryBusey, Creator/ChrisCooper, Creator/DavidDuchovny, Creator/ColinFirth, Creator/JohnGlover, Creator/JeroenKrabbe, Creator/TedLevine, Creator/LiamNeeson, Creator/TerryOQuinn and Creator/BillPaxton. None of them were interested in a series.

* Creator/TimBlakeNelson auditioned for Quark. Creator/KurtwoodSmith was offered the roe, but turned it down, as he didn't want a role that required prosthetics. Creator/JonPolito was also considered.

* At first it wasn't certain that the captain on this show would be black, and Creator/RichardDeanAnderson was considered for the lead. (One wonders what would have happened to ''Series/StargateSG1'' if they had decided otherwise...) Creator/ClancyBrown declined, as he was undergoing back surgery. Creator/TimCurry was offered the role, but wa busy with ''Film/LoadedWeapon1''. Creator/PeterCapaldi and Creator/AnthonyStewartHead also auditioned for the role.

* The original concept for "Second Skin" involved O'Brien finding out he was (for real) a deep-cover Cardassian agent; this stalled when the writers realized they couldn't explain how a Cardassian O'Brien could have fathered the fully-human Molly. The story was therefore rewritten to feature Kira, and an additional edit changed this into a deception, with the ending revealing that she is in fact Bajoran.

* The original concept for "Second Skin" involved O'Brien finding out he was (for real) a deep-cover Cardassian agent. This hit a snag when the writers realized they couldn't explain how a Cardassian O'Brien could have fathered the fully-human Molly. The story was therefore rewritten to feature Kira, and an additional edit changed this into a deception, with the ending revealing that she is in fact Bajoran.

* The decision to ship Kira to Cardassia had a domino effect on the rest of the seventh season. Garak went along as backup, and Ira Behr didn't want to split Kira and Odo up, so Odo went, too. Originally, Odo was going to spearhead the search for a cure for the Changeling plague, culminating in a reunion with his "father" Dr. Mora [[ArchnemesisDad who was actually responsible for engineering the virus as a weapon]]. The writers knew they would never have time to do this storyline justice, so Bashir and O'Brien went looking for a cure instead.

* At first it wasn't certain that the captain on this show would be black, and Creator/RichardDeanAnderson was considered for the lead. (One wonders what would have happened to ''Series/StargateSG1'' if they had decided otherwise...) Creator/ClancyBrown declined, as he was undergoing back surgery. Creator/PeterCapaldi and Creator/AnthonyStewartHead also auditioned for the role.

** [[https://twitter.com/trekdocs/status/949356508755656705?s=20 The list of considered actors for Sisko]] included Creator/PowersBoothe, Creator/PierceBrosnan, Creator/GaryBusey, Creator/ChrisCooper, Creator/TimCurry, Creator/DavidDuchovny, Creator/ColinFirth, Creator/JohnGlover, Creator/JeroenKrabbe, Creator/TedLevine, Creator/LiamNeeson, Creator/TerryOQuinn and Creator/BillPaxton. None of them were interested in a series.

** [[https://twitter.com/trekdocs/status/949356508755656705?s=20 The list of considered actors for Sisko]] included Creator/PowersBoothe, Creator/PierceBrosnan, Creator/GaryBusey, Creator/ChrisCooper, Creator/DavidDuchovny, Creator/ColinFirth, Creator/JohnGlover, Creator/JeroenKrabbe, Creator/TedLevine, Creator/LiamNeeson, Creator/TerryOQuinn and Creator/BillPaxton. None of them were interested in a series.

* Creator/RobertPatrick was considered for Odo, but it was felt the character would be too similar to [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay the T-1000]]. Creator/JamesCromwell was considered and auditioned.

* The role of Major Kira was initially intended to be ''Next Generation'' recurrer Ro Laren, which was the entire reason for setting the show near Bajor. Creator/MichelleForbes didn't want to commit to a full television series, so the new character of Major Kira was created. Ro would end up serving as the station's chief of security in the [[Literature/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineRelaunch relaunch novels]], however.

** Creator/RobertPatrick was also considered for Odo, but it was felt the character would be too similar to [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay the T-1000]]. Creator/JamesCromwell was considered and auditioned.

** [[https://twitter.com/trekdocs/status/949356508755656705?s=20 The list of considered actors for Sisko]] included Creator/PowersBoothe, Creator/PierceBrosnan, Creator/GaryBusey, Creator/ChrisCooper, Creator/DavidDuchovny, Creator/ColinFirth, Creator/JeroenKrabbe, Creator/LiamNeeson, Creator/TerryOQuinn and Creator/BillPaxton. None of them were interested in a series.
** Creator/RobertPatrick was also considered for Odo, but it was felt the character would be too similar to [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay the T-1000]].
* Creator/TimBlakeNelson auditioned for Quark.
* The role of Jadiza Dax was originally meant for Creator/FamkeJanssen.

* At first it wasn't certain that the captain on this show would be black, and Creator/RichardDeanAnderson was considered for the lead. (One wonders what would have happened to ''Series/StargateSG1'' if they had decided otherwise...) Alexander Siddig originally tried out for the part of Sisko, but was turned down for being too young. Creator/PeterCapaldi and Creator/AnthonyStewartHead also auditioned for the role.
** Later, when they decided that the character would be black, Creator/JamesEarlJones, Creator/TonyTodd and Creator/CarlWeathers were each approached. Had Jones been cast, the character would have been an admiral, and Jake would have been his ''grand''son.
** [[https://twitter.com/trekdocs/status/949356508755656705?s=20 The list of considered actors for Sisko]].

* Tim Ransom (Jack the Augment) had previously auditioned for a number of roles in ''Star Trek'' unsuccessfully, including that of Bashir.
** Hilary Shephard Turner (Lauren) also tried out for the role of Jadzia. This is referenced in "Chrysalis" when she turns up in a Starfleet sciences uniform. Alarmingly, she is a dead ringer for the dearly departed Trill!

** Michael Dorn was to appear as mirror universe Worf in the season 2 episode 'Crossover', two seasons before Worf would become a regular on the show, but Dorn was shooting the TNG finale at the time. His lines were given to Andrew Robinson as Mirror!Garak, who was only supposed to have a minor appearance.

* Andrew Robinson tried out for the part of Odo.

* Ira Behr tried and failed to get a Vic Fontaine-like character onto the show for years. Frank Sinatra Jr. was approached first, but as he would be playing a Rat Packer jazz artist (essentially [[Music/FrankSinatra his father]]), he wasn't interested in that sort of role. Music/RobertGoulet and Music/TomJones also turned the part down.