Out of every Star Trek show, Deep Space Nine is frequently mentioned as the one most ahead of its time, narratively speaking. While the series might’ve hit the nail on the head with its prediction of what social issues and hot-button topics we’d be discussing in 2024, the ’90s series may have missed the mark somewhat when predicting where fashion was heading. Showrunner Ira Steven Behr himself addressed that element after jokes were made online, and shared a response.
As the new year begins and fans get excited for any and all upcoming Star Trek shows, Ira Steven Behr rang in 2024 by defending an arguable fashion faux pas made in Deep Space Nine‘s iconic two-part episode “Past Tense,” in which Sisko and some of the crew were accidentally transported to San Francisco in 2024, days before the Bell Riots. Now that we’re in the year in question, anyone wondering if the showrunner still thinks humans are destined to start dressed as they did in the ep, here’s what he thinks (albeit jokingly):
Some pretty crazy trends have become style norms in recent years, but I’m not sure it’s in line with what Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had in mind when they designed the abovementioned outfits. In 2024, I feel like many are more focused on comfort, and even when Brie Larson dressed to the nines for Disneyland, she looked more like a queen than someone trying to force business formal clothing in a casual setting.
Even so, Ira Steven Behr said this is coming, and who am I to dispute that? The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine showrunner was on the ball when he helped make episodes like “Far Beyond The Stars” that still resonate with fans today, so maybe later this year, we’ll see people wearing ties that closely resemble chokers and muted colors.
While I can’t say I’d welcome the Deep Space Nine fashion sense in 2024, I would love to hear about any version of the series returning. Star Trek top brass Alex Kurtzman gave promising news about DS9 updates coming in 2022, but we haven’t heard much since then. Hopefully, the Lower Decks crossover that featured former actors reprising their roles in a comedic light won’t be the only time we see new content tied to that series in the near future.
2024 will be another big year for Star Trek content, albeit not as much as previously planned, due to the writer and actor strikes of 2023. Fortunately, we’ll still see the final season of Discovery in Spring 2024, and Season 2 of Prodigy will arrive at its new home, Netflix, at some point that year as well. It’s possible a Deep Space Nine reference could arrive in the latter, especially with the Prodigy showrunners teasing more legacy actors.
In the meantime, you’ll need a Paramount+ subscription to watch Star Trek: Deep Space Nine on streaming and experience what many believe is one of the best shows of the entire franchise.