1993’s seaQuest DSV started out as Star Trek underwater and delivered some decent sci fi tales early on. But it went through constant changes and was ultimately cut short by its network.
What Is It?
This series follows the crew of the deep submergence vehicle seaQuest DSV 4600 which travels the oceans in the near future (2018 at the time the series aired) exploring the depths and also acting in the interests of the United Earth Oceans Organization (UEO).
Aired: 1993-96, NBC, 3 Seasons Totaling 57 Episodes (the final season was retitled seaQuest 2032)
Cast: Roy Scheider, Jonathan Brandis, Stephanie Beacham, Don Franklin, Michael Ironside, Stacy Haiduk, Ted Raimi
Crew: Rockne S. O’Bannon (Creator/Executive Producer), Steven Spielberg (Executive Producer)
Legacy
The submerged Star Trek series could have turned into a notable sci fi entry, but its network kept making behind-the-scenes changes, and it was ultimately cancelled too soon and relegated cult status.
A Closer Look:
By 1993, Star Trek: The Next Generation had proved itself a hit in syndication and the spin-off series Deep Space Nine was set to follow it. The broadcast networks had been given a chance at TNG, but none were willing to commit to a full first season (probably for the best because it may never have survived on those venues). So when seaQuest DSV was pitched to NBC, network execs likely saw it as a good property to tap into the same audience tuning in for Trek in the syndicated market. In many ways, seaQuest had a similar look and feel to the revived Trek franchise, the difference was that the adventures were underwater instead of in outer space. And with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment producing the show, it probably seemed like a sure thing for the network.
seaQuest DSV got off to a good start (after a somewhat shaky pilot), offering science fiction tales that were heavier on the science and also delivering a well-rounded cast that the audience could relate to. However, the show steered into rough waters pretty quickly. There were shakeups behind the scenes and network tinkering, and the young Jonathan Brandis seemed to get too much screen time when he immediately become something of a teen idol. Trek fans likely cringed as they recalled Wesley Crusher saving the day far too often early in the TNG run, and seaQuest also threw in the cutesy, intelligent dolphin Darwin to assist with those tasks. In addition, it didn’t help that the show already started to veer into Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea territory by the end of its first season delivering ghosts and sea monsters and other fantasy elements.
The second season brought changes, but those were not necessarily for the better. The science-heavy direction that the show started with was mostly dropped for more action-oriented plots and monsters/villains of the week stories. In addition, there were cast shakeups, with several people leaving or fading to the background, and several more coming onboard. That did little to help it in the ratings and after averting cancellation at the end of its second season, the show jumped forward by ten years (through a very convoluted plot) and changed up the cast again.
Michael Ironside was a good addition, but Roy Schieder was missed (he was relegated to a recurring role at his own insistence) and the show never managed to fully find itself amidst constant changes of direction. Despite all that, it is still a fun genre entry to watch when at its best (which even includes episodes from the second and third seasons) even if it does not quite count as a sci fi TV classic. Had this one launched in syndication like Star Trek: TNG and DS9, it might have gone through fewer changes and sailed for more seasons.
Cancelled Too Soon?
Yes. The show was never a ratings success and faced cancellation at the end of each season. Perhaps you can give NBC credit for sticking by it for three years, but then the network was also responsible for the changes in direction and behind-the-scenes shakeups. By its third season, the network could no longer justify the cost of the show in the face of declining ratings and it was cancelled after only thirteen episodes had been produced.
The Story Continues:
Three novels were released during the show’s first season, all of which followed that storyline before the second season changes. The first book (seaQuest DSV: The Novel) adapted the pilot episode while the other two (seaQuest DSV: Fire Below and seaQuest DSV: The Ancient) had original stories. Nemesis Comics also put out one issue of a seaQuest DSV comic which contained an original story. No additional books or comics were issued following the changes that came with Season 2 and 3.
Should It Be Rebooted?
Possibly. The show had a good concept to work with and there is plenty to explore under the ocean without having to resort to monster-of-the-week episodes. A return to the more science-heavy themes of the first season would be good, and some political stories could be weaved in as well (and less teen boy/smart dolphin save the day episodes). The best approach would be a revival, bringing back some of the original cast (sadly, Jonathan Brandis took his own life in the early 2000s). They would have to retcon the “near future” setting, but it could work. A complete reboot might also be a possibility, bringing back Rockne S. O’Bannon who was one of the casualties of the early behind-the-scenes shakeups. This one was never a big hit, though, and it did not have much of a run in syndication, so a reboot would probably not be a high priority at this time.
Interesting Facts:
Series star Roy Scheider vocally protested the show’s change in format from its first to second season when it moved from its more realistic, speculative fiction-oriented stories to action-focused plots and he claimed “it’s childish trash…not even good fantasy”. When the series went to a third season, he asked to be let out of his contract, but this was only partially granted as he stayed on in a recurring role.
To emphasize the science focus of the show in its first season, Robert Ballard of the Woods Hole Institute (who was the technical advisor for the series) would appear during the ending credits and speak about current undersea research, usually related to the content of that week’s episode.
Where Can You Watch It?
The entire series is available on Blu-ray and DVD, though the latter has gone out of print and is fetching high prices from third-party sellers. It is available for streaming for free with ads on Peacock’s free service and you can watch it without ads through Peacock’s Premium service. Note that the third season is found under its own entry as seaQuest 2032.
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