Let's talk about Ben Sisko
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1. I thought his role as Emissary set him apart from the other captains. I enjoyed how uncomfortable the role was to him initially but how he eventually learned to embrace it and Bajor.
2. I liked Sisko better without hair. It seemed that Avery Brooks loosened up when he went bald and it translated on screen.
3. I liked Brooks better in the later seasons. At first he seemed drab and uncomfortable and that's how he played Sisko. Sisko was too remote, and I don't think the writers did him any favors by sometimes having him sometimes do almost a cameo on the show and then focus on other characters. There were also some weird facial gestures and sounds, particularly in "Emissary" that threw me off. But after he went bald, his performance got better. Brooks seemed more settled and really expanded in the role. At times he was even inspiring.
4. I definitely think Sisko was the best choice for main character. He had a very good character arc, perhaps the best of any captain. He also was a good POV character, taking us from the familiar Starfleet to the unfamiliar territory of Bajor, Bajoran mysticism and culture, and Bajoran-Cardassian relations. Being the captain, he had the opportunity to be more at the center in political, religious, and science storylines than some of the other characters.
5. I really liked Sisko. Though he's my third favorite captain after Picard and Kirk, Sisko is perhaps the most developed, which I especially enjoy because I think there's a serious case of undevelopment of black characters in TV and movies, a pet peeve of mine. Sisko is one of the most well written black characters in sci-fi. I also think his relationship with Jake was different and touching, as was his marriage to Kasidy. He's the only Trek captain to be have been married and then remarried. There was a tenderness and vulnerability where his son, and his friends was concerned. But at the same time Sisko kicked ass. I used to love whenever he charged the Klingons or the Jem'Hadar.
Loved his role as Emissary. DS9 dared to give religion a scientific basis. The ambiguity surrounding Sisko's role and the prophets/wormhole aliens was pure genius.
Loved him without hair.
Loved his acting style. I used to be critical of the "stilting", but I realize now that that's simply Avery Brooks' genuine communication style. It's genuine and it's him.
He was great in the "main" role. The perfect leader for the space station. He commanded respect from everyone, including the jem h'adar and vorta.
The Sisko in general is one of Star Trek's greatest characters. Not to be underestimated was his devotion to his son Jake, his African-Americanness, and his soft sensitive side (which set him apart from Picard). Sisko is probably trek's emotionally healthiest, most well-balanced captain.
* What do you think about his role as the Emissary?
I can hear the writers now: This guy is super boring--what can we do to make him more interesting? Hey, let’s make him Jesus!
* Was he better with hair or without??
Writers: People are going out to watch their grass grow while he‘s on air. How can we make him more interesting? How about shaving his head and giving him a goatee--cool and “bad ass,” huh?
* Did you like Avery Brooks' acting?
It…was…Drudging. Monotonous. Affected. Wooden. I could go on and on and on and on…. But then what would that be called?
* Was he good in the "main" role on DS9??
It is a tribute to the Deep Space Nine that it survived in spite of him.
* What do you think of The Sis-ko in general?
The Cisco Kid he was not. He was not even Poncho. At least Poncho was humorous. Sisco was more like The Colorless Kid, or maybe The Characterless Kid.
I can hear the writers now: This guy is super boring--what can we do to make him more interesting? Hey, let’s make him Jesus!
* Was he better with hair or without??
Writers: People are going out to watch their grass grow while he‘s on air. How can we make him more interesting? How about shaving his head and giving him a goatee--cool and “bad ass,” huh?
* Did you like Avery Brooks' acting?
It…was…Drudging. Monotonous. Affected. Wooden. I could go on and on and on and on…. But then what would that be called?
* Was he good in the "main" role on DS9??
It is a tribute to the Deep Space Nine that it survived in spite of him.
* What do you think of The Sis-ko in general?
The Cisco Kid he was not. He was not even Poncho. At least Poncho was humorous. Sisco was more like The Colorless Kid, or maybe The Characterless Kid.
Sisko without hair-definately!!
That was Avery Brooks' natural hairstyle, but the legend goes that the producers told him he had to have hair in case the audience mistook him for Picard.
When Ira Behr took control of the show Brooks asked if he could shave his head and grow the goatee, and it was agreed that he should do it in stages, hence the beard at the end of season 3 and the shaved head at the beginning of season 4.
As we all know, Sisko was the network executives’ way of trying to lure black people into space. They wanted them all to go, but especially the hoodlums, hence the shaved head and goatee.
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* What do you think about his role as the Emissary?
It was definitely different, and it was interesting watching him grapple with it and eventually come to terms with it.
* Was he better with hair or without??
I think the balding/goatee look is a much sharper look for him.
* Did you like Avery Brooks' acting?
Yes, definitely.
* Was he good in the "main" role on DS9??
I think so. Sisko was one of the show's strongest characters, and rightly so. He was a good leader, but he was also short-tempered, and at times outspoken. He was the most 'human' leading man in Trek to me.
* What do you think of The Sis-ko in general?
He's one of the reasons I love DS9. He punches Q, he captains one of the coolest ships ever, and he just...is a great main.
It was definitely different, and it was interesting watching him grapple with it and eventually come to terms with it.
* Was he better with hair or without??
I think the balding/goatee look is a much sharper look for him.
* Did you like Avery Brooks' acting?
Yes, definitely.
* Was he good in the "main" role on DS9??
I think so. Sisko was one of the show's strongest characters, and rightly so. He was a good leader, but he was also short-tempered, and at times outspoken. He was the most 'human' leading man in Trek to me.
* What do you think of The Sis-ko in general?
He's one of the reasons I love DS9. He punches Q, he captains one of the coolest ships ever, and he just...is a great main.
Zam, I have a bald head and once sported a goatee, and I can assure you that I'm no hoodlum. What you where or how you style your hair has nothing to do with that. I'm assuming your joking, but one can never be sure.
I don't think Sisko was a hypocrite when it came to the Emissary thing. He struggled over it and it took him a lot of time to accept his destiny. I remember Sisko and the other Starfleeters making a point to call the Prophets 'wormhole aliens' early on.
Also I don't think the Federation was an atheistic organization at all. I think they let people worship the way they saw fit.
Paramount didn't want "Sisko" to look like Avery's past role, "Hawk". Hence his appearance in the first three seasons.
DarKush: Zam, I have a bald head and once sported a goatee, and I can assure you that I'm no hoodlum….
Nor am I, though I sport a goatee (which I’m afraid is turning a bit grey, now). But I do remember my parents referring to me as “you little hoodlum” a great deal when I was a child; so who knows?
DarKush: I don't think Sisko was a hypocrite when it came to the Emissary thing….
Come on; he was the very definition of a hypocrite: When you represent a bunch of gods that you don’t believe in, you’re a hypocrite. Kind of like the Pope.
DarKush: Also I don't think the Federation was an atheistic organization at all. I think they let people worship the way they saw fit.
Let’s go back to the standard bearer, the original. Captain Kirk fought against anything that smacked of godhood. (Very brave of the series considering the times.) He kept proving that there are no gods; Vaal, the Oracle, Apollo, and by extension, Yahweh. His message was as follows: Use the brains God gave you, and don’t believe in Him.
Nor am I, though I sport a goatee (which I’m afraid is turning a bit grey, now). But I do remember my parents referring to me as “you little hoodlum” a great deal when I was a child; so who knows?
DarKush: I don't think Sisko was a hypocrite when it came to the Emissary thing….
Come on; he was the very definition of a hypocrite: When you represent a bunch of gods that you don’t believe in, you’re a hypocrite. Kind of like the Pope.
DarKush: Also I don't think the Federation was an atheistic organization at all. I think they let people worship the way they saw fit.
Let’s go back to the standard bearer, the original. Captain Kirk fought against anything that smacked of godhood. (Very brave of the series considering the times.) He kept proving that there are no gods; Vaal, the Oracle, Apollo, and by extension, Yahweh. His message was as follows: Use the brains God gave you, and don’t believe in Him.
Obviously I agree with everything you wrote. But I just had to say, superlative avatar! An avatar and a trivia question all in one. OK, who can guess the four Star Trek babes in Jaespol's avatar?
I agree that his performance in "Far Beyond the Stars" is way over the top, but I could not disagree more about his performance in "In The Pale Moonlight". He really delivers the goods in "Moonlight" In some ways, Brooks reminds me of Shatner. They are both very good actors and have done some really good work on Trek, but they have not been the most consistent, particularly as compared to Patrick Stewart who comes across as an actor's actor.
I thought that Kirk invoked God's name in at least one episode. And he clearly had an idea of what he thought God looked like in Star Trek V. Just because some Star Trek shows took steps to 'debunk' religion didn't mean that religions didn't exist or were banned in the Federation.
As for Sisko, he might not have believed in the divinity of the Prophets, but he believed in them, and he listened to them. As I stated before, he didn't accept the Emissary title and struggled to reconcile his duty as a Starfleet officer and a religious icon. He slowly took to it so I didn't see that as being hypocritical at all.
Re: Brooks' acting
I can see how others found it over-the-top, but hell, I actually LOVED it when he started to chew some scenery. It may be because I find it quite... Shakespearian, a style of acting that encourages over-emphasized enunciation to sell drama. It's been a Trek staple since the show first started, in part due to Shatner setting the tone, but also because there's a LOT of dialog to get through -Trek's execution has often been a 'tell, not show' kind of performance, which definitely makes for overly dramatic acting on TV. If you don't mind it though -heck, even enjoy it- then I don't see why Brooks' acting would be a problem. I felt he fit right in once he was given meatier material.
I can see how others found it over-the-top, but hell, I actually LOVED it when he started to chew some scenery. It may be because I find it quite... Shakespearian, a style of acting that encourages over-emphasized enunciation to sell drama. It's been a Trek staple since the show first started, in part due to Shatner setting the tone, but also because there's a LOT of dialog to get through -Trek's execution has often been a 'tell, not show' kind of performance, which definitely makes for overly dramatic acting on TV. If you don't mind it though -heck, even enjoy it- then I don't see why Brooks' acting would be a problem. I felt he fit right in once he was given meatier material.
I'll take a guess. From top to bottom: Jadzia, Kes, T'Pol, and Seven of Nine. -- RR
- I thought it was a great change of pace that brought up ongoing plot devices
- With hair was better
- Horrible acting with every emotion except low-key seriousness - playing angry or upset was the worst
- Since I didn't care for his acting, I would say no, except he was not the main role in every episode
- Good character with some dumb quirks (no more ridiculous than Picard or Janway, mind you) that would have been more memorable with a different actor and better scripts
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