wooden acting

[Discofan]

I´m with you on Bakula...he really comes across as a softie most of the time...but I never found that unfitting. He´s the first human really "out there"...there is no Federation and Starfleet is very young. So I think it´s believable that they don´t really know yet who is real "Captain material" and who´s not. And I always thought that he didn´t get the Captain´s Chair based on qualification and much more based on who his father was. That he´s very soft is also the reason why he works great with T'Pol as kind of polar oposite. Thinking about it now I wonder if he was actually cast specifically because they wanted that kind of dynamic and were actually looking for the "softie type".

The problem is not with Bakula, it's with the writers, they make him say and do the stupidest of things. Like the whole "sickbay" episode for example. I can't see no purpose to that episode except to prove that Archer is a stumbling idiot.

 

[johnnybear]

I haven't watched DS9 in over a year but when I last watched seasons 3-7 I found Bashir frustrating. Another actor who reminds me of Siddig El Fadil is the actor who played Baltar in Ron Moore's Battlestar Galactica. He has a similar British accent and a similar delivery. I found his performances convincing and his character believable. He was written and acted with intention. If that actor had any lack of conviction or shiftiness, it was consciously used to the character's advantage. He was supposed to be a worm.

I did enjoy Siddig's performance in the Mirror episodes.

They're brothers from different mothers I think the saying is! And I've always seen that resemblance enough for me to think that Siddiq had changed his name at one point!!!
I'm starting a rewatch of DS9! I've only ever seen the first season before and a couple of episodes here and there from the second and the Tribbles one and I'm finding Avery Brooks a hard slog at the moment but I don't recall that the last time I saw the show back in the 90s! I think it's just the early days and his finding his feet but we'll see I'm sure!
JB

 

[BillJ]

I thought Nana Visitor was the weakest of the DS9 bunch. Whiniest freedom fighter... ever.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I haven't watched DS9 in over a year but when I last watched seasons 3-7 I found Bashir frustrating. Another actor who reminds me of Siddig El Fadil is the actor who played Baltar in Ron Moore's Battlestar Galactica. He has a similar British accent and a similar delivery. I found his performances convincing and his character believable. He was written and acted with intention. If that actor had any lack of conviction or shiftiness, it was consciously used to the character's advantage. He was supposed to be a worm.

I did enjoy Siddig's performance in the Mirror episodes.

According to Siddig, the similarities were intentional.

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[Doc Mugatu]

Take care.

Adiós mi amigo

 

[Doc Mugatu]

I thought Nana Visitor was the weakest of the DS9 bunch. Whiniest freedom fighter... ever.

Well, yes, but that's Modern Trek for you. Being a main character they had to soften her.

 

[Armus]

Adiós mi amigo

 

[STEPhon IT]

I'm no expert on acting but as someone who appreciates good acting I notice whether the actor lives up to the character's dramatic purpose in the story or whether he or she cannot live up to it. If an actor can play the part with conviction and believability, so that character's intent is clear and his role in the narrative is clear, the actor belongs in the part. A good actor can play both emotional and quiet scenes effortlessly and carry the character's function in the story. I think Avery Brooks was satisfactory in that regard. You never got the sense that Brooks "bit off more than he could chew". For me, the character, the script, and the performance worked together. Some actors don't know their own range and they don't know how to handle those big "emotional" moments or even those qualities that the part calls for. They lack conviction and believability. The audience can see the conflict between the character, the script, and the performance. For example, Nana Vistor seemed to stumble when the script called for a big emotional moment. Scott Bakula simply couldn't project the qualities of authority that a Starship Captain demanded. He was too much of a softie to be Captain. That's not too say that he didn't have any strengths as actor but just that his range and capabilities were mismatched with the role.

Brooks first 3 season work is absolutely brilliant, representing a military personality by day and being a warm and friendly father by night. There were sparks of his (Benjamin Sisko in character) frustration and anger which he bottled up during the politics of the Bajoran/ Cardassian crisis and dealing with some top brasses from Starfleet command, but what I loved about it was Brooks was consistent with his character during those seasons. The element of a Commanding officer being way over his head on a subject matter I found interesting because the situation on DS9 in it's first 3 seasons were unique; I rallied for Sisko because he was all alone and he had to use everything he knew to resolve a situation and when DS9 was good the resolutions were not what I'd programmed to be like on TNG but the resolution was what it had to be on DS9. I don't give a f^ck about his revisionist take on the character during the 4th - 7th seasons because I found his performance and those seasons to be pure shit! Quite fitting since I thought Brooks' screen time got less as the co-stars gained more.

Critics of Brooks acting clearly hasn't seen his resume of other roles, if any of them would be open to watch his other acting assignments would understand his take on Benjamin Sisko was a choice.

 

[Nakita Akita]

Well, yes, but that's Modern Trek for you. Being a main character they had to soften her.

I thought that too. Mostly in the first two seasons though.
She was crying all the time. Give me a break.

 

[CommanderRaytas]

The problem is not with Bakula, it's with the writers, they make him say and do the stupidest of things. Like the whole "sickbay" episode for example. I can't see no purpose to that episode except to prove that Archer is a stumbling idiot.

Even though bits of that episode are juvenile, to me, it shows that Archer has character flaws he needs to overcome (he gets pouty due to lack of sleep), it shows how stressful his job is, and it shows how utterly unprepared humanity is at that point. Those are aspects that can detract from one's enjoyment or they can add to the experience. I love ENT, so instead of perceiving this as mistakes, it's part of character development for me. At least I choose to see it that way.

As for the thread's topic, I don't mind anyone's acting on DS9.