The Benny Russell ending of DS9
- Thread starter DS9forever
- Start date
But it wouldn't be a dream: Benny Russell lived in the universe that was in his imagination, the future was the character whom he created.
I'm really glad they didn't use that ending. I positively *hate* "Far Beyond the Stars" simply because when I watch a SciFi show about a Space Station, then I want to see a SciFi show about a Space Station not some stuff about a struggling minority writer int he early 20th century.
To be clear I'm not saying that a story about a struggling minority writer in the early 20th century can't be good or isn't worth watching....but when I want a story like that, then I'll be looking for a movie/show/book that's about such a story.
No need to derail a SciFi show about a Space Station into that.
And, really, when it comes down to it, there are a lot of media about civil rights that are a lot better than "Far Beyond the Stars"
To be clear I'm not saying that a story about a struggling minority writer in the early 20th century can't be good or isn't worth watching....but when I want a story like that, then I'll be looking for a movie/show/book that's about such a story.
No need to derail a SciFi show about a Space Station into that.
And, really, when it comes down to it, there are a lot of media about civil rights that are a lot better than "Far Beyond the Stars"
Some of my favorite Star Trek episodes involved a trip into a different situation than usual:
City on the Edge of Forever, Assignment: Earth, Mirror Mirror, Things Past, Past Tense, and, yes, Far Beyond the Stars. I wouldn't want every episode to be a time/dimension travel episode unrelated to the main events of their series, or it would be more Twilight Zone than Star Trek. But I'm happy with the occassional change of pace. Star Trek has always told parables about our own time, and that's one way to do them.
City on the Edge of Forever, Assignment: Earth, Mirror Mirror, Things Past, Past Tense, and, yes, Far Beyond the Stars. I wouldn't want every episode to be a time/dimension travel episode unrelated to the main events of their series, or it would be more Twilight Zone than Star Trek. But I'm happy with the occassional change of pace. Star Trek has always told parables about our own time, and that's one way to do them.
See, and (with the exception of the Mirror Universe episodes) I hate all those episodes you mentioned (and I always skip them when I watch a series), as well as all the various Holodec Episodes where it's just a character LARPing a different genre (unlike the Holodec Episodes that I like, such as Hollow Pursuits).
I, personally, don't really see the reason or appeal for "a change of pace". I mean Killing Eve doesn't have an episode where they are suddenly in Victorian Times or in a SciFi setting "to have a change of pace" so why would SciFi have a need for things like that?
While I think that "Far Beyond the Stars" is hands down the best DS9 episode, it would have been a mistake to go full Tommy Westphall and have the entire series be a creation of Benny's imagination.
The Prophets move in mysterious ways, and it is enough that there strictly might have been a person both who perceived the future and who also might have had creative power over it by his imagination.
But those aren't the only possibilities. Perhaps the visions of Benny that Sisko had only constituted an exploration of non-literal truths, but nevertheless undeniable truths about human nature. An unambiguous statement of their literal truth could easily have undermined the significance of the visions as parables.
Boxing things in by going full Tommy Westphall could also easily have had negative consequences for the other parts of the franchise.
Finally, "Shadows and Symbols" was decidedly inferior to "Far Beyond the Stars," which supports the idea that they probably should have left well enough alone.
The Prophets move in mysterious ways, and it is enough that there strictly might have been a person both who perceived the future and who also might have had creative power over it by his imagination.
But those aren't the only possibilities. Perhaps the visions of Benny that Sisko had only constituted an exploration of non-literal truths, but nevertheless undeniable truths about human nature. An unambiguous statement of their literal truth could easily have undermined the significance of the visions as parables.
Boxing things in by going full Tommy Westphall could also easily have had negative consequences for the other parts of the franchise.
Finally, "Shadows and Symbols" was decidedly inferior to "Far Beyond the Stars," which supports the idea that they probably should have left well enough alone.
I absolutely loved "Far Beyond The Stars". Some of Avery Brooks' finest acting in the entire series, you genuinely feel Benny's pain at the end: "I created it! And it's REAL!"
That being said, the dream sequence is the worst, most BS, cop out ending to any show.
I would have been absolutely infuriated if that would have been the ending to my favorite Star Trek.
That being said, the dream sequence is the worst, most BS, cop out ending to any show.
I would have been absolutely infuriated if that would have been the ending to my favorite Star Trek.
This would have been a bold move, but I probably would have hated it.
As a one off Far Beyond the Stars was fine and the episode handles race well and for me and my teenage friends at the time opened up an issue that having no contact with black people or a racially segrigated history we had never been confronted with before.
But 1 was enough and was pretty bored with Benny by the time Shadows and Symbols came round and wasnt sure what purpose it served.
Also I never saw St. Elsewhere but I just googled that ending and it sounds hilarious and what an FU to fans. Even better than Dallas or Roseanne
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