Yes. He's one of the best.
Do you consider Avery Brooks a good actor?
- Thread starter Wolfslice
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His overacting never bothered me, it's his underacting that's the problem - especially in the early seasons. He looks bored.
He doesn't really get the glint in the eye until we got the beard and lost the hair - he confessed he wanted to leave, and at times I genuinely think it shows. Sisko from Season 4 onwards is a different man - check out the wonderful character stuff for Sisko and Kassidy in WOTW, it looks like brooks is really enjoying himself.
He seems more focused, which I don't think you can say about him in the earlier seasons.
He doesn't really get the glint in the eye until we got the beard and lost the hair - he confessed he wanted to leave, and at times I genuinely think it shows. Sisko from Season 4 onwards is a different man - check out the wonderful character stuff for Sisko and Kassidy in WOTW, it looks like brooks is really enjoying himself.
He seems more focused, which I don't think you can say about him in the earlier seasons.
I just watched Past Tense, which was a really good episode for Brooks. I'll go with the majority of the people here and sit on the fence - he has his good moments and his bad ones. There are times when he overacts and I cringe, but every Trek I've watched has had that. DS9 would surely be a sorrier series without Brooks in the lead though. I really can't imagine what it would be like without him there. He is, simply, The Sisko.
C.E. Evans has a good point, in that Sisko has more warmth when he's around friends or Jake in particular. I love how the relationship between the two is portrayed.
C.E. Evans has a good point, in that Sisko has more warmth when he's around friends or Jake in particular. I love how the relationship between the two is portrayed.
Avery is a good actor. Nothing extraordinary, but he delivered the character superbly. Sisko...is...the...man.....THE....SISKO
I can't buy that argument, though. Lots of film and TV actors have significant stage experience and can still modulate their performances.
Look at Michael Emerson on Lost. He's primarily a stage actor too, but the subtleties in his interpretation of Ben's character are extraordinary.
I adore Avery Brooks as an actor. I think he was anything BUT the weakest link. I thought he was in fact one of the strongest actors on the show and helped shape DS9 with his performances.
I think he has a very unique style. I don't know if that might be something that doesn't sit well with everybody. But I personally really like it. IMHO he really manages to breathe life into the character.
I also like the contrast between the Sisko we saw in the beginning (quiet, reserved, with a hidden anger or rage and so much sadness) and the Sisko near the end of the show (a man with a purpose, self-confident and strong yet maybe at times too self-confident for his own good or that of other people).
I think he has a very unique style. I don't know if that might be something that doesn't sit well with everybody. But I personally really like it. IMHO he really manages to breathe life into the character.
I also like the contrast between the Sisko we saw in the beginning (quiet, reserved, with a hidden anger or rage and so much sadness) and the Sisko near the end of the show (a man with a purpose, self-confident and strong yet maybe at times too self-confident for his own good or that of other people).
I understand some of the criticisms of Brooks in regards to Sisko. There was a certain amount of overacting in some areas.
But by and large, Avery Brooks brought a power and screen presence to the franchise that would have been extremely difficult to find elsewhere. Because there seems to be a certain amount of trepidation among actors in regard to affiliating themselves with SciFi projects. Berman/Piller lucked out by landing somebody as seasoned as Avery Brooks.
I must admit though; after having read that Tony Todd auditioned for the role as well, I can't help but wonder how that would have been.
But by and large, Avery Brooks brought a power and screen presence to the franchise that would have been extremely difficult to find elsewhere. Because there seems to be a certain amount of trepidation among actors in regard to affiliating themselves with SciFi projects. Berman/Piller lucked out by landing somebody as seasoned as Avery Brooks.
I must admit though; after having read that Tony Todd auditioned for the role as well, I can't help but wonder how that would have been.
I think he's an excellent Starfleet Captain, who on some occasions delivered his lines is a distracting staccato fashion. On other notable occasions he becomes so intense that it sends a cold shiver down my spine. Sometimes displaying grief or anguish so intensely - in a way that's just too dang real, just stops the show, and is a fault of his, or the directors. It's as if I'm suffering with him. Very uncomfortable.
All in all, I have to admit that he's one of my favorite actors in all of Trekdom. He's clearly a lead actor who knows how to capture a scene even when things are whirling around him.
All in all, I have to admit that he's one of my favorite actors in all of Trekdom. He's clearly a lead actor who knows how to capture a scene even when things are whirling around him.
I hadn't heard that. That would have rocked!
Indeed. And you just know there's a recording of his audition buried somewhere on Paramount's lot. I'd love to see it.
Here's a comment from Todd;
Yeah he overacted at times, but overall excellent in the role. The fact that he got me emotional within the first 10 minutes of The Emissary in the scene where he has to be taken away from his wife's corpse is testament to that. The pilot and Sisko's story is what hooked me. There were some uneven moments in the first series, but it's still the strongest of the 1st season Trek's, I think, and in large part I credit Avery Brooks for creating a compelling character portrayal.
I enjoyed his performances, the way he could go from zero to Chuck Norris fist to the face in the space of one sentence (use any conversation with Maquis era Eddington to see what I mean), but I get the impression for the first few episodes of season 1 he was phoning it in or didn't understand the character well enough to give him the right expression.
Once he's found his feet, he gives some of the best emotional scenes of Trek. The Visitor for example, his reaction to marrying Kasidy after the Prophets tell him it will bring only sorrow, Far Beyond The Stars (obviously), etc.
I think he brought something different to what you expect from captains, there's definitely some Shatner/Kirk in there, but also something that's entirely his own. It all adds up to be a great performance.
And come on, admit it, who doesn't like it when he does the one-word-at-a-time angry thing? "LISTEN to me, if-you-have-something-to-say. SAY IT!" Priceless.
Once he's found his feet, he gives some of the best emotional scenes of Trek. The Visitor for example, his reaction to marrying Kasidy after the Prophets tell him it will bring only sorrow, Far Beyond The Stars (obviously), etc.
I think he brought something different to what you expect from captains, there's definitely some Shatner/Kirk in there, but also something that's entirely his own. It all adds up to be a great performance.
And come on, admit it, who doesn't like it when he does the one-word-at-a-time angry thing? "LISTEN to me, if-you-have-something-to-say. SAY IT!" Priceless.
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