While TNG will likely always be my favourite, DS9 is definitely one my appreciation for has grown over time. I would definitely agree with that assessment about the characters/story and how it would be easier to introduce to somebody who isn't that into sci-fi.

The intentional choice to make the show take place on a static space station really helped with a more serialized approach, less 'Monster of the week' and more events having a stronger, permanent effect as they're dealing with the worm-hole that was central to the show's premise, to the very delicate political climate between the Federation and the Bajorans, and just all of the inter-personal relationships on the station itself. That you had a cast that existed largely outside of the rank-and-file Federation line-up meant you could have a lot of perspectives outside 'what would be the best for the united planets' approach, and it certainly never shied away from that.

Absolutely. It did get off to a very slow start, which is probably why I was initially a bit put off by it (and since I was still pretty young when it premiered, it probably put me outside the target demographic). But once I circled back around on it, the long-term story lines, unique setting and outstanding character development hooked me.

DS9 is my fave series even though it has a much slower start compared to TNG.

but once they got going they got GOING and they were not afraid to make the characters far darker than their TNG counterparts at times.

Like I mentioned above with Lurker, I think having a cast that weren't just Federation and having it be all walks of life, and not just specie but of all over the social strata meant you never really could tell how a situation was going to play out and what lasting effects they would have. It was great to also have actors willing to take their characters and change them for the better, worse and everywhere in between. Aron Eisenberg initially played Nog as the perfect misogynistic snot-goblin who over time changed and grew into one of the most heroic characters of the franchise, and not through any sort of arbitrary means of suddenly deciding to be better but rather seeing his own potential from the positive influences around him and in contrast to how a closed off society effected those with greater potential than what was offered to them. That it then was reflected by his father's growth really just makes you proud for the both of them taking charge of their situations and soaring because of it, and certainly in spite of their humble beginnings. Of course all of these things can be countered by the more-than-questionable actions of others who indeed did terrible things, but were they excusable for their end results?...

... well that turned into a ramble didn't it?.... Computer? Erase that ENTIRE personal log...

*File backed up and posted for all the Federation to see*

welp that backfired xD