Babylon 5 vs Deep Space Nine

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by EmoBorg, Nov 13, 2012.

?

Babylon 5 and Deep Space Nine match up

Poll closed Dec 4, 2012.
  1. Babylon 5 has a better Plot

    46 vote(s)
    74.2%
  2. Deep Space Nine has a better Plot

    17 vote(s)
    27.4%
  3. Babylon 5 has a better Cast

    23 vote(s)
    37.1%
  4. Deep Space Nine has a better Cast

    42 vote(s)
    67.7%
  5. Babylon 5 has a better Commander (John Sheridan)

    25 vote(s)
    40.3%
  6. Deep Space Nine has a better Commander (Benjamin Sisko)

    38 vote(s)
    61.3%
  7. Babylon 5 has a better set of villains (The Shadows)

    39 vote(s)
    62.9%
  8. Deep Space Nine has a better set of villains (The Dominion)

    26 vote(s)
    41.9%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. EmoBorg

    EmoBorg Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2012
    Location:
    in the 10 dimensions of reality
    How do the 2 great 90s space station based sci fi shows match up to each other. If you feel both are equal on certain issues, then you can vote for both.
     
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2012
  2. DarthTom

    DarthTom Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2005
    Location:
    Atlanta, Georgia
    I voted DS9 straight down until I got to the villains. The shadows and the Psyche core were much better than the Dominion IMO as a villain.

    Also, the friction between Londo and Gkar being multi-dimensional good and bad throughout the series also made them as protagonists much more interesting than any villainous character on DS9
     
  3. Kelthaz

    Kelthaz Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2005
    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    Babylon 5:

    - Plot
    - Cast

    Deep Space Nine:

    - Villains
    - Commander


    I never much cared for The Shadows. Felt too much like something out of Lord of the Rings rather than a science fiction show. The Dominion worked much better.
     
  4. DarthTom

    DarthTom Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2005
    Location:
    Atlanta, Georgia
    I'd place Avery Brooks notoriously bad overacting against Bruce Boxleitner's notoriously bad overacting any day of the week. ;)
     
  5. Kelthaz

    Kelthaz Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2005
    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    Oh, definitely. I much prefer Sisko to Sheridan or Sinclair. Overacting beats bad acting any day of the week.
     
  6. OmahaStar

    OmahaStar Disrespectful of his betters Admiral

    Joined:
    May 15, 2002
    Location:
    OmahaStar
    It's the war that never ends ...
     
  7. Jim Steele

    Jim Steele Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2004
    Location:
    Bristol
    DS9:

    Cast

    B5:

    Everything else

    Pretty tough to choose as they're both honestly my favourite sci-fi shows of all time*. But I think DS9 was a more quality production, especially in terms of acting.

    Would never say one was particularly better than the other, though. Different strengths.


    * Apart from Stargate. O'Neill could take both those clowns.
     
  8. DarthTom

    DarthTom Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2005
    Location:
    Atlanta, Georgia
    At least with Brooks he got better as the series progressed whereas IMO Boxleitner was bad at the start through the finish.
     
  9. OmahaStar

    OmahaStar Disrespectful of his betters Admiral

    Joined:
    May 15, 2002
    Location:
    OmahaStar
    I have to disagree with that.

    In the beginning, he was acting as Captain Skippy. Even his voice over in the opening credits reflected this. Later, as he grew into the role, and the role grew into him, he was so much better, so much more entertaining. He was pretty awesome.

    Brooks, on the other paw, seemed more bored the longer he went on. By the time season 7 came around, he looked like he was desperate to leave every time he was on screen.
     
  10. Jan

    Jan Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2005
    Location:
    ...is insane. --JMS
    Not to mention (and I know Omaha knows this), Sheridan was deliberately written at first to work with the audience's expectations of a lightweight based on his previous roles.

    I never gave much thought to Boxleitner's acting ability until the scene with Kosh in "Interludes and Examinations". Especially considering his actin partner was a mobile shower curtain.

    Jan
     
  11. Holdfast

    Holdfast Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2000
    Location:
    17 Cherry Tree Lane
    I voted a lot of B5, but kept wanted to add a "but..."

    The thing is, at its peak, B5 captivated my attention & interest more than DS9. I thought the story was more epic & exciting (and dare I say, a fair bit higher in concept) and I was well & truly hooked. But (there it is again), it didn't sustain the peak. Neither did DS9, mind you, but it was very good for about 4/5 years and average over 2/3, whereas B5 was utterly superb for two seasons, average for a couple and pretty poor in the last series.

    I don't really like comparing them too; it's just good that we had two such fun series to watch.
     
  12. lennier1

    lennier1 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    May 3, 2004
    Location:
    Germany
    Just couldn't resist:
    [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNTxr2NJHa0[/yt]
     
  13. Morpheus 02

    Morpheus 02 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2003
    Location:
    Chicago IL
    I put down Babylon 5 for best Plot and and DS9 for best commander. The other categories, i abstained (but should have voted for both -- missed that instruction).

    The plot of Babylon 5 was essentially a 5 year arc -- something relatively new & innovative for TV, and we could really see the benefits of it over the years.

    I think Sisko was better commander -- in terms of how he was portrayed and written. For example, i REALLY appreciated the family relaitonships with his father & son. 3 different people (in terms of caeer choice, for example), but completely believable as close family who love & respect each other.

    I would add in another category: impact on Fandom. And Babylon 5 would win, IMHO. For example, the term Lurkers has gone way beyond Babylon 5 . (Also the importance/value of story arcs).

    And I still think Deep Space 9 ripped off the general CONCEPT of Babylon 5, but still created a great show in its own right, with some unique qualities of its own, and in some ways the best of the Trek series.

    Both series especially has some AMAZING actors, especially among the secondary cast.

    I am glad both existed, and wish SyFy would air both of these again on TV.
     
  14. Mage

    Mage Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2007
    As much as I love B5 and DS9 equally, B5 can get quite cheesy at time when it comes to plot, dialogue and characters.
     
  15. DonIago

    DonIago Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2001
    Location:
    Burlington, VT, USA
    Due largely to the fundamental difference is how the two shows were handled (B5 generally laid out in advance, DS9 improvising to a large degree), I don't care to compare the two in that manner.

    Cast-wise, they both had their strengths and weaknesses, so again, I don't feel there's a good basis for an overall statement. I'm gay, but a Kira-Ivanova fight would be gangbusters.

    Sheridan probably beats out Sisko for speechifying, but Sheridan may have been a bit too much of the Ideal vs. Sisko's Realistic (we're all well-aware that he was willing to get his hands dirty).

    The Shadows (well, their ships) were the major reason I got into B5 initially, but as a threat they're vaguely simplistic (EVIL!!!) compared to some of the dynamics of the Dominion...nevermind that those dynamics never got to the point of fundamentally altering the direction of the story.

    I call it too close to call.
     
  16. Mr Light

    Mr Light Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 1999
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Babylon 5 is my all time favorite television show. DS9 on the other hand hasn't aged well but at the time it was my gateway to sci-fi. The only advantage I would give to DS9 is better pilot, better production values (but I think B5 looks great!), and more personable villains, since B5 villains were usually distant non-characters.
     
  17. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2003
    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Babylon 5 had a much better plot, and stuck with it for most of the series run. DS9 felt all over the place going from the Dominion, to the Klingons, back to the Dominion, and starting with the Bajorans which they abandoned because many complained they were too boring.

    DS9 had a better everything else though: commander, cast, and Villain. I kind of wished the Shadows were more developed other than the Evil "What do you want" guys. In fact, I had wished they had used Morden more in terms of "speaking for the shadows" then they had (And I actually just saw his first episode, Signs and Portants" last night). The Dominion were well developed, and had such an array of great characters like Wayoun, the female founder, and the various Jem'Hadar.

    I love both shows, but neither are my favorite shows of all time. That honor goes to Farscape, which would wipe out this competition in all four attributes.
     
  18. EmoBorg

    EmoBorg Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2012
    Location:
    in the 10 dimensions of reality

    I agree that the Shadows were distant but B5 also had other villains like Mr Morden (sinster), Emperor Cartagia (crazy) and Alfred Bester (malevolent). They were not really distant.
     
  19. OmahaStar

    OmahaStar Disrespectful of his betters Admiral

    Joined:
    May 15, 2002
    Location:
    OmahaStar
    I have to disagree with this as well. The Shadows were far from one-dimensional, or evil. As with the Vorlons, they have a philosophy that says their way is the right way. Other races will evolve through chaos and disorder. They are helping the universe by introducing the needed chaos. Without them, other races would stagnate and, if anything, de-evolve.

    The Vorlons believe in order. They set the rules that others must follow, and are happy to manipulate other races, right down to their genetic structure, to make that happen. They have been manipulating races for millenia, creating racial images and memories that make beings see Vorlons how they want to be seen, inspiring awe and worship.

    Neither side is evil, neither side is good. They simply are. Contrast that with the Dominion, which simply wanted to destroy everything that was not like itself. Now those folks were one-dimensional. Ironic for shape shifters.
     
  20. DonIago

    DonIago Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2001
    Location:
    Burlington, VT, USA
    While my comparison of the Shadows to EVIL!!! was perhaps a simplification, my point was that while the Dominion had at least three separate races comprising it, all of which were shown on occasion as having their own dimensions and not necessarily being in accord with the whole, the Shadows were never shown as having that level of complexity.

    You never saw a Shadow speak out against the rest of its race, for instance.OTOH we saw both Jem'hadar and Vorta who disagreed with the Dominion's overall policy.