In the episode The Reckoning, when Dax asks Sisko how he knows the Prophet would only kill the Pa-Raith possessing Jake, and not Jake himself, the way Sisko says, "I know" almost made me believe in the damn Prophets. Brooks is a criminally underrated actor, Sisko is a criminally underrated Captain, and DS9 remains Star Trek's most criminally underrated show.
@@victoriapappakostas9377 Not when it first came out it wasn't. Combined with a black main character and people calling it "fake" because the series was based around a space station it had quite a few hurdles from........"those" Star Trek fans we don't want to talk about. It's only until recently that's it's come from just a cult classic series into a genuine powerhouse of the Star Trek universe.
I remember the vitriol hurled at DS9. "Fans" hated that it was based on a station. They HATED the (Bajoran) religious aspect. They hated Section 31. And my God, did they hate the Dominion War: "...This is NOT Star Trek, Roddenberry is turning in his grave..., etc." 😳🤨🙄
@@auntienancy7787 Not to mention, DS9 was hard show to find on the air if you weren't in a major market or had a digital satellite dish. I was moving around a lot during the 1990's. TNG was pretty everywhere, even when it was in reruns. Voyager was on UPN. DS9 was a crapshoot. If a station had TNG, it might have DS9, but there was no guarantee. If it had TNG and Voyager, not a chance. When I did find it, it was always at odd hours on the weekend. And if it was on a Fox affiliate, the show was always being preempted by sports. At a certain point I gave up and didn't see more than a handful of episodes until it was on TNN/Spike in 2006, and then the show in its entirety until it was on Netflix in 2014.
"Do you know what the trouble is? The trouble is Earth. On Earth there is no poverty, no crime, no war. You look out the window of Starfleet Headquarters and you see paradise. It's easy to be a saint in paradise, but the Maquis do not live in paradise! Out there in the demilitarized zone all the problems haven't been solved yet. Out there, there are no saints, just people, angry, scared, determined people who are going to do whatever it takes to survive, whether it meets with Federation approval or not." The Sisko pissed off at the Admiral that just spoke to him and completely misjudged the situation. In one scene it shows that the Federation is flawed, its leadership too detached from what is happening, while at the same displaying Sisko's passion for justice and Federation ideals. I grew up on on Trek and DS9 aired in my teenage years and i couldn't of asked for a better moral compass, it was one of the first serialised tv shows i ever watched and speeches like this and episodes like In The Pale Moonlight and The Siege of AR-558 blew me away with how gritty Star Trek could be ( btw new trek this is how you do dark and gritty but keep it Trek.. you dickbags), while stuff like the The Magnificent Ferengi made me chuckle. I will never laugh harder than at Odo and Quark telling the Chief and Doctor Bashir they still look a few centimetres shorter in One Little Ship. Or just the line "I hate Ferengi" This is the thing about Trek, it could be any type of show it wanted, comedy, tragedy, gritty drama, emotional thought piece or character study piece like "It’s Only A Paper Moon" or "...Nor the Battle to the Strong" and "Waltz" and it did all of this in a serialised format..just wow. And it had The Sisko at the helm, Angry, passionate, caring, cunning, creative, thoughtful Sisko, Puncher of Q, Intimidator of Worf and he was a badass and one of many characters in this show that became a hero to a young impressionable mind.
Well said. I also loved when the Klingons were invading the station and Quark was going to defend his bar, til he found out Rom used parts of his phaser to fix the replicator...he says, "I will kill him" and Odo just smirks and says, "with what?"
I love that DS9 exposes the ivory tower that Federation was and is. Section-31 made perfect sense to me. You had to have a group of people willing to do the hard things, make the hard calls. Picard and the rest of the Federation’s ability to act like moral superiors because of people like Sisko.
I did not watch it till I was in my 30's on Netflix. It was the last series I watched on a year long mission to go through all the trek series. In hindsight, I feel like it was made even better by seeing what came before. Trek was fun and sometimes thoughtful, pre DS9. But I really feel like DS9 is the magnum opus; the show that Star Trek and TNG were building towards. It blew my mind, and made me an absolute Trek lover. Since that first time, I probably go through the series once a year. I never tire of it.
@@michaeldougherty6036 This. 1000 times this. You literally took the words out of my mouth. I watched it last, also, and like you, late in life (in my late 30's). I binge watched it all in about a month, and was absolutely blown away. DS9 is the pinnacle of the "Trek" expression. Modern day writers should be taking notes from DS9. Sadly, they seem to be taking notes from JJ Binks... Er... Sorry.. JJ Abrams, and producing mindless action films/series.
The fact that Star trek went out of its way to portray a single black man raising a child on his own while also taking his career so seriously did an amazing service to the black community. I agree hands down. As much as I love Archer from Enterprise. Ben sisko is the best Starfleet captain ever portrayed on TV that far. I would go as far to say as he is one of the best characters and definitely one of the best black characters portrayed on TV ever.
You missed a few other reasons: - Kirk's women tried to kill him. Picard's woman ran off with another man. Janeway's love was a hologram. Sisko arrested his future wife, sent her to prison and she still came back to marry him for his sweet, sweet loving. - Janeway worshiped a God, Picard was thought a God, Kirk killed a God. Sisko did all three. - Only captain to out Klingon a Klingon. The Kingons didn't have a word for surrender until they fought Sisko. - Sisko once got the Prophets to destroy 3000 Jem Hadar ships JUST BECAUSE HE ASKED THEM TOO. - Sisko routinely goes into the Badlands without getting lost on the other side of galaxy. - Kirk never knew his son and when he met him, got him killed. Sisko raised his son like a true man. - Sisko could throw a curveball. - Kirk cried when his son was killed by Klingons. When Sisko heard a Klingon had killed his friend Sisko kicked the Klingon's ass. Hard. - Only captain to fight Klingons, Jem Hadar and Cardassians in hand to hand combat and win. - Only captain to wear his "evil goatee" in the Prime Universe as the good guy.
Sisko's relationship with Jake was so real, honest, dynamic, and authentic you could not help suspend disbelief of their affection for each other as father and son.
Jake respected his father so much he abandoned his journalism and studied warp physics just to do one single experiment to try to bring his father back. Now that is real love and admiration for a father. Now a brief off the subject. Avery Brooks is an amazing actor and anyone who wants to see him at his best in addition to DS I HIGHLY recommend you look up Spencer for Hire and his character Hawk. You will not be disappointed.
His relationship with Jake and Jake’s depth as a character can’t be overstated. Try watching the two of them in even the most mundane episode and then watching Dr Crusher and Wesley on TNG to see the huge gap in understanding parental affection and care in the two shows. It is astounding. Sisko stumbling on Jake teaching Nog to read after he told Jake to stay away because Nog was a bad influence really stuck with me as a huge character moment for both of them
And he grew in that role. I don't like the first season too much for a number of reasons (though the first season of TNG has the most terrible episodes of it 7 year run, too), but Brook's overacting or not having found his inner Sisko is one of them. And still I prefer Picard, though. Wonder what they could have made of TNG if there had been more continuing story arcs...
@Leo Peridot if you know anything about Avery is he is not that type of dude. He's just as happy doing Theater work and teaching. Colm and Siddig are the only ones who really has a acting career post Trek in all Trek. Stewart only has X-men, Burton does have Reading Rainbow and Scott Bakula was known person before Trek so he doesn't count. Alot of the actor's find more success Directing. Of course Shatner has had a post Trek career.
As a guy from the American South, I was pretty excited that he was from New Orleans, great culture and food, but I'm bias, plus you got to see a Captain who was also a good parent, we all can appreciate that
@@makasete30 I don't disagree that there were a couple of episodes where he struggled at fatherhood, so there was a story purpose to Alexander existing... but Worf palmed his kid off on his elderly parents while serving on a ship filled with families and was so detatched from his life that Alexander joined the Klingon military and was serving in a time of war with Worf only finding out *way* after the fact. Whatever the writers may have intended, Worf's attempts at fatherhood were not great. He had his good moments as a dad, and then some bad years. Worf is a good character, but it seemed like he abandoned Alexander for a formative chunk of his childhood after K'Ehleyr died. He eventually came to be on good terms with him after Alexander was an adult, but that doesn't make him an adequate father imo. It's easier to be a father to an adult than to a small child or a teenager. (Arguably, though, it is interesting that he has that flaw, as it is so at odds with what I'd expect from honor-obsessed Worf. Again, though, that it is an interesting character flaw doesn't somehow morph that into not being a failing.)
Worf was pretty much the worst at everything. How he made it onto a second show is beyond me. Easier than developing another Klingon character story that fit I suppose.
well considering that alex was kind of just sprung on him when he was already grown enough to walk and talk and sisko has been in jake's life from birth, it's kind of bad comparison to make. sisko chose to be a father. worf had it forced on him.
I'd also like to add that every time Picard wound up in a parallel universe, he needed Data to explain the situation to him in painstaking detail. When Sisko went to the mirror universe (the very first time) he figured out what was going on all by himself in a matter of seconds, and then kind of went "what the heck, why not?" and proceeded to punch Bashir and sleep with both Dax and Kira. Definitely not the kind of captain to agonise over a course of action!
I noticed that re-watching TNG, how dependent Picard was on Data. The only other Captain who had something to prove was Archer and had less technology than future Captains. Archer the Son, and Siscko the father.
@@cloudatlasminer478 Archer still had crewman Daniels access to temporal mechanics to help him. like the positronic sensor array that could see cloaked ships, or insight into events that would fulfil his destiny to be a charter signing member establishing star-fleet
Kirk was a cowboy, Picard was a Diplomat, Janeway was Scientist, and Archer was an Explorer. Siscko was all of these and a Soldier; more importantly he was not scared to get his hands Dirty or Bloody if necessary.
@@cartermariano Xenophobe? Thats a fear of other species. Maybe for a short few episodes during the Xindi Arc...but no. Archer wasnt Xenophobic. He did have sone prejudices...but those were cleared up. He had Prejudices against Klingons, Suliban and Xindi. All were dealth with and Archer came out of each experience a better person after all was said and done. Peter Weller...the guy who played Robocop. Second to last episode. Dude threatened all non humans on earth lo leave by taking control of some giant gun on a moon or The moon. HE was Xenophobic. After the Xindi conflict was over, Archer and crew were back on earth. Flox, Reed and Mayweather were bullied by drunks in a bar because they didnt like the fact that Flox was there. THEY were Xenophobic. Pretty sure Hitler was a Xenophobe. Please explain how you think Jonathan Archer is also a Xenophobe edit: The episode I referenced, where Archer and T'pol and Tucker all dress up in western gunslinger attire, in a town on an alien planet, where Aliens went to earth, kidnapped a bunch of folks, brought them to said planet to be a workforce, then got taken over by the human ancestors. Time stood still. hundreds of years went by. nothing much changed. And clearly, most humans there became Xenophobic towards their former oppressors. Including the deputy. The main antagonist of the episode.
Ignoring all the other reasons Sisko is awesome, I've always thought that this portrayal of a single Black father, raising his son in difficult circumstances yet always maintained as a positive, loving and caring relationship is one of the best portrayals of this type of situation in all of TV that I've seen. Its so easy to fall into the trope of a dysfunctional family, but Sisko was ALWAYS there for Jake and ALWAYS supported him without question. The Visitor remains one of the best episodes of DS9 which explored just how deeply the connection between father and son ran and just how far Jake would go to get his father back in his life. Its amazing.
Hell yes, I totally agree. I'm not black, and I grew up with both my parents, but even me, watching DS9 with my Dad, it was really special seeing the relationship with Sisko and his son. Especially the episode where they built a bajoran sailboat of sorts to travel through space as a father son trip, it was always really special to watch.
@@candycover Oh yea, I fogot about that. Work and his son on next generation were a great pair too! His son was my moms favorite in his little one piece pajamas :D
One of the first episodes in the series where you can see how much care and attention was given in the writing for his relationship with Jake is the one where most of the episode he and Quark are at odds and are trying to keep Jake and Nog from being friends. Jake misses dinner and he gets mad and goes to find and presumably lecture him on responsibility only to find Jake showing Nog what lessons he missed since being pulled out of school. The way Avery Brooks softens his expression to portray the pride he sees in his sons actions and his change of heart about his feelings on Jakes friendship with Nog is very subtle and beautifully done.
Sisko is definitely the most three-dimensionally human protagonist of any Star Trek show to date, and is the yardstick by which I have judged Trek protagonists ever since his debut. None of them have equalled him so far.
Jake was also the most three-dimensional kid on the star trek series. Wesley Crusher Brainiac prodigy. Naomi Wildmen brainiac prodigy, Nog Brainiac prodigy. Jake Sisko was a slob, with 0 interest in joining star fleet, and was way more relatable then all the rest
@@donnypark6305 Nog a brainiac prodigy? He couldn't even read until Jake taught him. And he had a deep, personal motivation for joining Starfleet, one that involved seeing how his culture stifled his father, realizing it would be the same for him, and that he didn't want to end up like his father. More importantly, as the first Ferengi in Starfleet he was going to face a lot of prejudice and doubt, and by series end he had shown that he deserved to be in Starfleet. He even gave his damn leg for the Federation and went through a disturbingly realistic arc involving the psychological trauma of losing a body part. I don't want this seen as a dig at Jake; more like I see both him AND Nog as the best examples of child characters in Trek - one who was the son of an officer but who wanted to find his own place in the world outside of Starfleet, and one who was willing to forsake his culture to find his.
If it's written and directed by those who worked on DS9, then yes absolutely. If it's done by those who did Picard and Discovery then I'll give it a miss.
As long as Kurtzman and the morons running the series are booted out and replaced by writers who actually know and love Star Trek, I'm in. Otherwise, fuck that, Trek is dead...
After DS9 The Visitor and Jakes dedication to finding his Father, I found it strange the Show ending in Ben's disappearance. I can see Jake looking for his Dad. Starfleet officially wants to change MIA to KIA, 2 years after DS9's end. Jake protests. He cites Voyager - they were MIA too. But we found them. The Starfleet Admiral sighs and explains "Jake they had a ship, a crew. Besides they gave us a message. " Jake cites the Bajoran messages. The Admiral looks forlorn. "Jake. Ben and I knew each other. Damndest officer I ever met. His duty to Starfleet, to his uniform was outmatched by one thing. You. Ben... Ben wouldn't leave you behind. Not willingly. He'd have a damned good reason. He has either died or is engaged with something. I'm with you. But officially Benjamin Sisko has died in the line of duty. I wont close the book on him. But grieve son. He's gone. Where? I don't know. He'll come back but today? Do you understand?" Jake came away from the meeting angry. He was courteous, but inside was like a... Klingon in the heat of battle. Later he reflected on what was said. Sure enough. Every vessel dispatched to the Bajoran sector to study the Wormhole has a secondary mandate. "discover the fate of Captain Benjamin Sisko" There's a prelude.
@@joegrimes9232 is this fan fiction or is this a book I misreading because this was beautiful I'm so proud of you people that love Star Trek I guess I'm a Demi-Trekkie I love reading the fanfiction I love listening to the different commentary on TH-cam every night I watch all the episodes of Star Trek come on h&i I've already watched them over and over again and yet I'm still in tree it's like a vast world they're still not explored and I'm still for surprise even though I really felt like it was just another UPN show with the Star Trek moniker and one day I will watch Picard and discovery and find the TOS cartoon version lol
Here are a few more: - When he did have a ship, it was the most powerful in the quadrant, and he was only a commander - After Kirk finished his first 5 year mission they gave him his old ship with a software upgrade. Sisko was made an Admiral and given a fleet. - He knew all the Rules Of Acquisition - Sisko's XO looked better in a tight leather bodysuit. - Convinced a Cardassian to kill a Romulan to fight the Dominion and HE CAN LIVE WITH THAT. - When he first met Q he punched him in the mouth. "I'm not Picard!" Q never came back. - He drinks Kilngon Coffee, not wimpy Earl Grey - He managed to save his son from the Klingons - if you cross him he holds a grudge and will chase you down, poison your planets until you can't hide and then kill you. Right Eddington? - Only captain to be prophesied.
One more reason: while he has endured more than most captains in Starfleet history, he doesn't let his accomplishments go to his head and doesn't dismiss the accomplishments of captains before him. Kirk was a personal hero to Sisko, even going so far as to hand Kirk a report before returning to his own time, just to get his autograph.
It’s really sad! I’m black American and have watched every episode of TNG, Voyager and Enterprise but never once watched DS9. You have inspired me to do so now.
Avery Brooks was absolutely outstanding. I remember being totally stoked when I heard he was the main character. Every character on the show has immense growth and development over the course of the series. My 13 year old daughter is totally hooked on the show. You won’t be disappointed
Don’t feel too bad. I didn’t watch it doing it’s original run, got caught up on Netflix about 3-4 years ago. It’s the series of the franchise I re-watch the most, by far. ENJOY!
" The Visitor " is a fantastic episode. Well written and very emotional, so emotional that I cannot watch it too often. It really jerks at the heart strings.
I never really liked "The Visitor". I can't quite put my finger on why, but it just never hit my "this is a great episode" button. I just keep thinking that poor girl actually never got the stories she wanted, never read the stuff that was written, and so her life was probably all messed up.
@@DragynGirl Interesting, take! Hey , everyone has a different interpretation, that's what art is all about. The girl in the episode was the real life daughter of the actor who played " Garak " , if memory serves me.
One of the more interesting things about Sisko for me was that he chose to take a lesser assignment to deal with his grief and raise his son rather than put everything into work at the cost of anything else. He was already the First Officer of the Saratoga when it was destroyed, so his prospects were very good for command, but (If I remember correctly), he was contemplating leaving Starfleet at the beginning of DS9 S1. This multi-faceted character depiction shows the struggle of working fathers who want to further a career they enjoy while also having to deal with their own personal stressors and trying to raise a family. Very good portrayal, people that don't give this character a chance are missing out. Avery Books *nails* this character, and should have won both a Golden Globe and Saturn Award for its portrayal IMHO.
Benjamin Sisko was definitely the best Star Fleet captain ever. He was the reason I primarily watched Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He was a competent and strong black man raising a young black boy by that took no mess from anyone. He was so imposing a figure that even proud Klingon warrior Worf was afraid of him. Now that’s badass!
@@nimblehealer199 I wonder if Avery Brooks would agree with you? Hell, could probably glean a little of his perspective from Far Beyond the Stars, (given that he directed that episode)...
The best breakdown of the different captains I saw somewhere: “Jonathan Archer is the explorer, James Kirk is the cowboy, Jean Luc Picard is the diplomat, Benjamin Sisko is the soldier, Katherine Janeway is the scientist.”
@@blusafe1 it encapsulates their greatest motivations though. Archer caring most about getting humans out into the galaxy. Kirk only caring about creating exciting adventures. Picard always focused on treatise over combat Sisko doing. every. damn. thing. to finish the fight. Janeway consistently searching for new methodologies, even under duress.
I've been a DS9 fan since it came out. I always felt it was the most realistic portrait of what was going on in the Trek universe. No disrespect to Roddenberry, but the future could never be pristine and peaceful without the gritty and dark events to get there
Well Picard shared a bed with and met him and met him in the afterlife, not to mention he defended humanity’s existence and ultimately won. That’s why he will Always be the best Captain.
That wasn"t a brilliant scene to be honest.Q a superbeing that could had the power to turn anyone into anything just allows a human to hit him didn't feel right.
@@makasete30Meh. He got a proverbial "stay of execution" and probation to prove that humanity deserved to live. If you don't think Sisko could have done the same, then you clearly weren't paying attention when you watched DS9. Also, Q basically cucked Picard when he convinced Picard's girlfriend to run off with him.
My mom is the one that got me into Star Trek, and the one series she always cited as having the best Captain is DS9. It took me years to ever want to watch Star Trek and after finally getting around to watching Next Gen I though there was NO ONE, that could top it.......but then I finally saw DS9......I'm on my 3rd re-watching of the series and I quoted Sisko several times in my college papers and the rest is history.
Sisko has always been my favorite captain, but I'm slightly biased because I have thought that Avery Brooks was a bad-ass actor going all the way back to his Hawk days on Spenser for Hire. Mr. Brooks, as exceptional actor that he is, he's even more of a decent human being. I had the good fortune once to meet him and for the two or three minutes that I got to talk to him, he made you feel like you were the only one in the room worth talking to. Oh, and I think it's CRIMINAL that this series was never upscaled and released on Blu-Ray!
I’m currently watching Explorers which is a fantastic episode for the solar sailer alone. But it’s also a great example of the present father of color Avery Brooks was so proud to portray. And one more cool thing Benjamin himself had a present father of color in Joseph Sisko, played excellently by Brock Peters.
Their whole family portrayal just worked so naturally and believably. Even the addition of Cassidy Yates was so well realized. Great writing, brilliant acting.
The episode "Explorers" is a classic in father son relationship where the reluctance of the son at first to join the father in the adventure the journey then having the time of their lives shows how much the two characters and the actress who played the characters are in tune with each other as a father and son anyone who wants to study the relationships between a father and son that are positive and uplifting should watch this episode Explorers Star Trek Deep Space Nine.,.
Indeed. Hells, anytime the "Who's better, Kirk or Picard?" came up, I always answered "Sisko."- and this has been the answer since DS9 was in its original run.
Agreed. Sisko is 100% my favourite Captain. I also just adore his relationship with Jake. He is such a real person. Sisko was a REAL man; complex, flexible, tough, loving, caring, harsh, strict, courageous, confident AND sometimes self-doubting - about a million other descriptions apply. The BEST.
@@Sephiroth144 .... I come from a Legacy Military Family. Officers & NCO’s should have a certain affect & way they should carry themselves. A professionalism. For instance in the Original Series they would routinely devolve into emotional rants & LACK of bearing. Routinely. I appreciate the cerebral nature of Picard ... but Captain Sisko comes across as a real Military Officer. I could honestly see myself serving behind his leadership
@@robertnewell4054 Oh, I served myself- that why I mean Sisko felt like he was someone that had any military bearing- neither Kirk nor Picard did, (except, perhaps, for Picard's dislike of fraternizing with his crew- but that could've just been standoffishness or general superiority) Sisko did seem to play the role as a military officer (and not one that would inspire a roll of the eyes coupled with "fucking West Pointers...")
The number 1 point seals the deal. It is the breadth of being a father and captain that was so wonderfully portrayed. He could tenderly show his son affection and beat down a Klingon for blocking the bloodwine. No other fine actor that portrayed a captain showed such range in the series history. Well done Avery...
I've spent the last couple of weeks binge watching all the episodes of DS9 from season 1 through to season 7. So glad to that I'm not alone in thinking 'The Sisko' is the best. Avery Brooks did an amazing job!
Kind of feels a shame not to mention his role in the construction of the ‘USS Ben Sisko’s Motherf***ing Pimp Hand.’ Or the ‘Defiant’ as it ended up being called.
As far as I'm aware, Sisko played no part in the design nor construction of the Defiant. The prototype was built earlier in order to help defeat the Borg, although it had some issues and was never put into production (prior to the war with the Dominion). Sisko did _request_ the Defiant, despite its problems, so he did play a significant role in bringing it to the action.
Solid, well though out, and concisely presented. I already thought Sisko was the best captain, but this video does a great job presenting all the reasons why in far less time than I would take. Nicely done.
Great captain. Great representation of a man that juggles an incredibly important role with so much weight on his shoulders, while being a single father, and a leader/mentor/friend. Legendary 🙏
Having recently rewatched all of DS9 since the original run in the 90's, I was thrilled to re-meet Commander, then Captain, Sisko. What a fucking legend. Hands down the best captain in a Star Trek franchise. And you are spot on about Jake being his best reason. Jake was a real person just as much as his father and their relationship carried the series from the beginning to the end. It was the through line for the entire show. Such a good show, and now arguably more relevant than when it first aired.
Despite the most 1 dimensional and flat crew, Voyager has some of the best stand-alone episode of the entire franchise. Strange. Except for the Doctor, they're all kind of ho-hum. 7 of 9 is OK, but I wasn't really a great fan until the Picard series. I like Voyager a great deal. Despite such generic characters, it manages to be a lot of fun to watch.
We're still debating this? Hands down DS9 was a step above the rest. It was complicated, but not too complicated. It was gripping, but easy to join in where you could. And was the best choice to serialize the series, better growth. If I do something this week it affects next week. Respect that.
DS9 was a tiny bit ahead of its time. Well, ahead of the network execs, critics, *some* ST fans, and even the show's initial creators (fortunately Berman and Pillar quickly went to work on Voyager and eventually pretty much just left Behr, the writers, and actors handle DS9.) In retrospect, yeah, DS9 was significantly better than any other ST series. PS: I got no problem with folks who personally like some other series more. Tastes vary. But on the merits, DS9 surpasses them in pretty much every way.
You nailed almost every aspect of this complex character and yes him being a devoted, loving, human and tridimensionnel father is by far number one and transcends Star Trek and Sci Fi to be a truly examplary landmark of fathehood in any TV series I can remember. Great job and video
You made me laugh, you made me cry, you made me remember. Captain Benjamin Lafayette Sisko is the GOAT Starfleet officers. Great Video! It watched as well as a Sisko home cooked meal taste!
I just finished re-watching deep space nine and realizing how realistic the characters were and how they grew into being real people. Benjamin Sisco is a hero to all of us.
Sisko is an awesome character and CO, especially with Major Kira "Badass" Nerys by his side (easily the best character in all of Trek, and that is a hill I am prepared to die on).
@Roh Hahn I was recently told that Andrew Robinson wrote a book about Garak? Or he showed up to the set with a full on character backstory like a D&D player? Possibly both? I should bother to Google this because if there is a book I would love to read it.
Major Kira "Badass" Nerys is master class example of how to write a strong, likable "foil character" to a main protagonist. Everything TNG attempted and failed to do with the Polaski, they succeeded with the Major. Although Sisko is my personal favorite, I would stand by you on that hill for your right to say the Major is!
Astral Marmot Garak is a wonderful character (all the DS9 main and recurring characters are great), but Kira has a superb act, going from a terrorist hiding under a cloak of civility, so damaged by the life she lived to liberate her home and filled with so much rage that she has no real outlet for, and thanks to Sisko (and the other fleeters) she begins to build a new life for herself and Bajor, she is at the forefront of events that shape and mould her world (and the quadrant) but rather than use them to further her own ends she acts on the behalf of all Bajorans. She goes from hating all Cardassians to respecting a few of them (even a new father figure). Over the run of the series she matures and grows, she learns to deal with her past and also comes to accept the new invaders (The UFP) as some of her closest friends and allies. Throughout all of this she was allowed to be tough, feisty, to beat up several security guards when heavily pregnant and take down a Klingon warrior with a knife in her side, but at the same time to be vulnerable and raw, but also learn how to find a little joy and femininity and love (no way would S1 Kira wear a slinky dress for a night in the holosuites). She also isn't afraid to stand up to Sisko, a man she sees and accepts at the Emissary, having some damn good arguments with him, but grows to respect and also call a friend.
Definitely. I grew up on TNG, and then because we moved abroad when it was on, I didn’t get to see DS9 when it first ran, and when I did get around to seeing it the first time on reruns, it didn’t resonate with me, and I preferred Voyager. But as I got older, and actually watched DS9 from the beginning, it became my hands-down favorite. It has aged _extremely_ well (unlike the cringe that many TNG and VOY episodes are, from today’s perspective), and IMHO the characters are by far the best developed. (Though Seven of Nine is also top-tier.)
Q: "You hit me! Picard never hit me." Sisko: "I'm not Picard..." (Pause for dramatic effect) Edited side note: I met John de Lancie in person and he is a very nice, humble individual.
Thank you sir for this video. I appreciate your gift of time and content you provided. I loved that Benjamin Sisko was human and not a prop captain. He was a great leader and as you pointed out a caring father. Hat's off sir!
Having been able to watch just about the entire series again recently, I completely agree with this analysis. Avery Brooks is by far the best Starfleet Captain in the Star Trek universe. And this is saying a lot because all of the other Captains are all very good in their own rights. But Brooks was given a much wider story arc within which to perform and his abilities as an actor allowed him to perform in an outstanding manner in a wide variety of situations. I especially agree that having Cirroc Lofton as his son added so much to the character depth.
Absolutely! Benjamin Sisko is the best most well rounded Captain. He is a father to not only to Jake but the crew as well. Avery Brooks towers as a phenomenal actor, he presence, gravitas, compassion and humor. In short , Sisko is Brooks.
Couldn’t have said it better myself! Sisko is the GOAT. Not only would I would love to serve under him as he is a badass, he’s also the kind of guy who buys his crew a round of beers after a hard day.
A few hours?! NOW who is limiting things?!?! If he keeps coming up with more irrelevant reasons like the ones in this video I'm sure he can go for eternity...
I would watch that. I love Sisko and DS9 is my favorite series out of all of them. I wish they made movies with DS9 and Voyager instead of just TNG. I mean there were to 2 parters but I mean blockbuster films.
The writing on DS9 was exceptional. I've recently started rewatching all of Star Trek. I just finished DS9. The way his character was written was fresh and refreshing. At his core is his humanity but as the Emissary, we see that this role becomes even more important to him where he evolves to an even higher state of being, and the question as to when and if he will return is always a question mark.
Thank you for this video, I think Avery's portrayal of Sisko is fantastic but so many fans overlooked the series or often seem not to understand the tone he was going for.
I lost my wife when my son was 8, and I so much identified with that show. Watching Sisco go through all the things that go with raising a son alone gave me the confidence to do it myself. If you took away all the Star Trek stuff and watched it with an open mind, I think it would be one of the best shows ever .thank you, Avery.
Bravo to this great video and I couldn't agree more! Highlighting season 6 episode 19 in the pale moonlight (which is one of my favorite episodes) was spot on. Sisko will always be my favorite captain for all these reasons listed and DS9 is the best Star Trek series IMO. I wish we could get a blu-ray remaster for DS9 like they did with TNG but I read it would be crazy expensive unfortunately.
Sisko will always be my favourite because he is a genuine family man. I always thought family was potrayed rather awkwardly in Star Trek until Jake and Ben. When Sisko is trapped in time and reappears to Jake his first concern is for his sons happiness, family and future grand kids rather than being saved. That episode always brings me to tears, perhaps because i never had a relationship with my own father... The only thing in the same league as DS9 is BSG
I'm a longtime champion of Captain James T. Kirk, but I long ago recognized that Captain Benjamin Sisko exceeds him (not to mention the others) in nearly every way. The fact that he was a wartime Captain, with all the heroism and moral ambiguity that comes with that, and a dedicated father, pushes him forward in a way no other Star Trek Captain can match. I regret that Sisko's story came to an end with the DS9 series, he really deserved to be revisited in the movies as Kirk and Picard were. Also, Avery Brooks is a genius actor and his performances are a joy to watch.
My absolute favorite show in the franchise and my absolute favorite captain. Of course, now I will have to go ahead and watch every episode again...just cause.
I think Ben and Jake's relationship is one of my favorite parent/child relationships in all of TV and film. Also, Sisko had so much more depth as a character than almost anyone else in Trek. Great list!
Sir! I don't know you. I will probably never meet you in this lifetime. But. I love you and everything you said about the character of Benjamin L. Sisko. Thank you very deeply...
ahhhh Mr Clery - a man after my own heart. I've been into Star Trek my whole life but it wasnt until my late teens when I was ill and my mother let me borrow her Blockbuster card (yes kids.... google them) that I decided to watch one of the Star Treks from the beginning. The only season 1 that my store had was DS9. As a big fan of the Borg, I saw the opening scene and was hooked. Episodes went by and Sisko slowly started becoming my favourite captain. They could have fucked this up so badly with the religion/wormhole aliens angle but I loved every moment. Even hopscotch. I also love that he didnt start off as a Captain. We saw him grown into one. Loving the channel guys. Keep it up :)
The religious aspect really fascinated me. Not just the wormhole but with how the Vorta viewed the Founders. Watching the rogue Weyoun and Odo talk about the Vorta's beginnings was really interesting. Especially when Odo pointed out that they were engineered to think of the Founders as gods and Weyoun, without missing a beat, goes "Of course they did. That's what gods do."
Well presented. When you add all that up Sisko really is undisputed as the best captain we see. That doesn't take anything away from the others but Sisko is just all around the best.
Sisko is the most compelling captain character in the franchise. We saw everything, all the feelings that a human can experience, in all situations and *we were so damn lucky we had Avery Brooks* to portrait all that. I can't imagine anyone else in the role (and I have try many times). Brooks acting type/method is exactly what Sisko needed.-
I've been saying this for years. DS9 is the best Star Trek, and Sisko has a lot to do with that. Not just him, all Star Treks have had their share of memorable characters, but DS9 had by far the most interesting
I have to agree. Sisko was the best captain. And I credit it to his son. You were correct to put that as number 1 on the list. There's a story about the very early days on the set. 1st or 2nd day. Cirroc Lofton when he saw Avery Brooks said, "That's my dad." They both, Brooks and Lofton, are/were superb actors who became someone else rather than just pretending to be someone else.
I grew up watching TNG in the UK (since discovered it was airing here on Terrestial TV several years after it was aired in the US so my experience of watching it on BBC 2 doesn't line up with when other people watched it) Then DS9 came out, I was a teenager by then. The way I view it, TNG was my Star Trek that I grew up with, it's the one I return to the most, but DS9, that's the best damn Star Trek. I've got a younger friend who is convinced Voyager was better, I imagine because that is what he grew up with. There is something I can't quite find words for that makes DS9 the greater series. Maybe because as a white kid, I could see someone of a different skin colour raising to the top, and that it was an inspiration of unity. But it is not just Sisko that makes DS9 so great. Miles O'Brian, beloved engineer from the Enterprise, stepping up to fill in the chief engineer's role on the space station. There was also the added bonus that on a space station, we got to see the development of a single planet over time, it's one of the few planets the whole greater series visit's time and again. There is that stable continuity. Unlike visiting Earth, Vulcan, and Q'ronos which happens only a few times and usually only for single plot points of that week's episode. Here we get to see Bajor and learn how all the different parts weave together for the greater story while also rebuilding a post-war world. We learn more about Bajor in a half dozen episodes of DS9 than we learn about any of the other re-visited planets in the whole show cannon.
I grew up with voyager and used to think it was the best star trek. Until I went back and watched DS9 properly. It just had so much more depth to it, along with the best characters. Garak, Sisko, O'Brian and Quark could carry that show even if the writing or plot had been terrible and luckily they weren't.
Damn, that was AMAZINGLY well written. This is a masterpiece of writing, and it's dedicated to Benjamin Sisko. I gotta find your other masterpieces about everything else. You've totally blown my mind with how detailed and yet entertaining this was.
I was on side with your thesis from the word go, because DS9 is my favorite ST series, but I must pick one bone here: your point about wartime service isn't entirely fair to Janeway, given she led her crew through the Year of Hell. Granted, it was only one two-part episode from our perspective, and it happened in a defunct alternate timeline, but still: if that isn't war, I don't know what is.
Benjamin Sisko has ALWAYS been my favorite Star Trek Captain and I have to say that this video is so accurate its scary! He's just an overall better built character that's believable and human! Avery Brooks did a phenomenal job!
Avery Brook's Sisko is the best Star Trek character ever. Hands down. Two episodes stand out overall and seal the deal for this assessment as far as I'm concerned. The first being The Visitor and second In the Pale Moonlight. The Visitor never, NEVER, fails to bring on the waterworks and I've seen the episode too many times to count. There are not many episodes in Star Trek that focus on family, But the Visitor does and does it in spades. My literal personal favorite episode. I watch it every Father's Day. In the Pale Moonlight shifted what I think we collectively think of Starfleet captains. And set the tone for Deep Space Nine for the rest of the series run.
Sisko was a single father sent to a place few wanted to go. He’s a widow who really wants to be closer to home. He’s sent to a place where Starfleet isn’t wanted. He’s only a Commander though he should have been a Captain from he’d start. When he gets to DS9 he’s “The Emissary to the Prophets, much to his, and starfleet’s chagrin. He realized that it wasn’t so bad when it’s taken from him with disastrous results. That’s depth
I Concur 111% as I was immediately sold on Sisko day one when he (a Commander) spoke freely and had the balls to dress down Picard, essentially cuttin him down to size where he sat. Avery Brooks voice made for a Commanding Commander then more than a convincing Captain...He kicked all sorts of ass...even Q's 🤣
@@candycover "Realistically"? Its a Sci-Fi show/genre that now makes Cadets Captains overnight and Ensigns 1st Officers. Obviously Sisco had a lot of misplaced anger due the death of his wife at the hands Borg. Unfortunately Lucuitus/Picard was the face of Jennifer Sisco's killer so surely one could afford Sisco the ability to vent a bit, as then Commander Sisco was given permission to speak freely. I just admire the fact that Captain Sisco never backed down from larger than life icons to express his strong views with a commanding presence.
@@candycoveryes&it also happened where Tilly was made 1st Officer as a mere Ensign during Discovery Season 3. And who cares whether or not it happened in the Kelvin timeline or not? It still happened&was absolutely the most far fetched unbelievable thing i've ever witnessed as a Trekker. Continuity should matter a lot more than it has in recent years&besides there is NO way even as well renowned as Picard was. Where he would ever have the authority to reduce Sisco's assigned role on DS9. It was a decision that was slightly above his pay grade at the time.
@@candycover hey I'm not the one who started to argue with an opinion I stated over 5 months ago, by you stating another opinion about what should have happened but didn't. Sorry but as much as you think Captain Picard would have demoted then Commander Sisco to a rank of 1st Officer on DS9, simply for having permission to speak freely then dressing him down....wasn't written that way at the time.
@@candycover obviously I too know 1st Officer isn't a rank. You were implying that Sisco would be busted down a rank by a Captain. Only way that would happen is if Picard convinced a friend who was an Admiral to demote Sisco? But I highly doubt a Star Fleet Officer would be or had ever been demoted for such an action. Disciplined, yes...demoted, no. But let's say for arguments sake he were demoted for insubordination like you suggest? Sisco would have left Star Fleet as he was already one step away from doing so at the time. And I just don't see Picard being that vindictive especially given the situation.
Sisko was an unmatched leader.. In war, in peace, religiously, politically, as a captain, as a father, as a friend, as a civil rights activist who he replaced when he accidentally went back in time.
I could sing DS9's praises all day long, but if you want a more in-depth look, have a read at the AVClub's DS9 reviews; they sum up most of the shows successes quite nicely.
Greatest Captain Ever is Captain Sisko. He punched Q... HE PUNCHED Q.. and received an autograph from Captain Kirk during a time travel mission... LOG THAT
Benjamin Sisko was also the greatest father ever portrayed on television. In "Emissary", when a barefoot Jake walks with Sisko back from their holographic fishing hole, I've always seen it as a reference to "The Andy Griffith Show", where a barefoot Opie walks with Sheriff Taylor from their fishing spot. Both men were single fathers and the respected authority figures of their communities. My favorite moment is when Ben meets up with Jake after discovering he's been secretly tutoring Nog and teaching him to read: Jake is apprehensive because he didn't meet with his father as planned, but Ben hugs and kisses Jake and tells him what a good son he is. I can't think of any father on any TV show or movie who was more loving, understanding, or all-around better as a father than Benjamin Sisko!
DS9, and especially 1st season, is in many ways "The Rifleman" in space. The Rifleman was a old B&W western where the protagonist was a single father (widower) with a son trying to build a life on the frontier.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
![ลองสุ่มไอโฟน 990 โกงมั้ย? [ โกงมั้ยครับ ep.101 ] | DOM](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bfsWe0j492k/mqdefault.jpg)
In the episode The Reckoning, when Dax asks Sisko how he knows the Prophet would only kill the Pa-Raith possessing Jake, and not Jake himself, the way Sisko says, "I know" almost made me believe in the damn Prophets. Brooks is a criminally underrated actor, Sisko is a criminally underrated Captain, and DS9 remains Star Trek's most criminally underrated show.
Deep space 9 go Benjamin.
DS9 is the most highly rated Star Trek series
@@victoriapappakostas9377 Not when it first came out it wasn't.
Combined with a black main character and people calling it "fake" because the series was based around a space station it had quite a few hurdles from........"those" Star Trek fans we don't want to talk about.
It's only until recently that's it's come from just a cult classic series into a genuine powerhouse of the Star Trek universe.
I remember the vitriol hurled at DS9. "Fans" hated that it was based on a station. They HATED the (Bajoran) religious aspect. They hated Section 31. And my God, did they hate the Dominion War:
"...This is NOT Star Trek, Roddenberry is turning in his grave..., etc." 😳🤨🙄
@@auntienancy7787 Not to mention, DS9 was hard show to find on the air if you weren't in a major market or had a digital satellite dish. I was moving around a lot during the 1990's. TNG was pretty everywhere, even when it was in reruns. Voyager was on UPN. DS9 was a crapshoot. If a station had TNG, it might have DS9, but there was no guarantee. If it had TNG and Voyager, not a chance. When I did find it, it was always at odd hours on the weekend. And if it was on a Fox affiliate, the show was always being preempted by sports. At a certain point I gave up and didn't see more than a handful of episodes until it was on TNN/Spike in 2006, and then the show in its entirety until it was on Netflix in 2014.
"Do you know what the trouble is? The trouble is Earth. On Earth there is no poverty, no crime, no war. You look out the window of Starfleet Headquarters and you see paradise. It's easy to be a saint in paradise, but the Maquis do not live in paradise! Out there in the demilitarized zone all the problems haven't been solved yet. Out there, there are no saints, just people, angry, scared, determined people who are going to do whatever it takes to survive, whether it meets with Federation approval or not."
The Sisko pissed off at the Admiral that just spoke to him and completely misjudged the situation. In one scene it shows that the Federation is flawed, its leadership too detached from what is happening, while at the same displaying Sisko's passion for justice and Federation ideals.
I grew up on on Trek and DS9 aired in my teenage years and i couldn't of asked for a better moral compass, it was one of the first serialised tv shows i ever watched and speeches like this and episodes like In The Pale Moonlight and
The Siege of AR-558 blew me away with how gritty Star Trek could be ( btw new trek this is how you do dark and gritty but keep it Trek.. you dickbags), while stuff like the The Magnificent Ferengi made me chuckle. I will never laugh harder than at Odo and Quark telling the Chief and Doctor Bashir they still look a few centimetres shorter in One Little Ship. Or just the line "I hate Ferengi"
This is the thing about Trek, it could be any type of show it wanted, comedy, tragedy, gritty drama, emotional thought piece or character study piece like "It’s Only A Paper Moon" or "...Nor the Battle to the Strong" and "Waltz" and it did all of this in a serialised format..just wow. And it had The Sisko at the helm, Angry, passionate, caring, cunning, creative, thoughtful Sisko, Puncher of Q, Intimidator of Worf and he was a badass and one of many characters in this show that became a hero to a young impressionable mind.
Well said. I also loved when the Klingons were invading the station and Quark was going to defend his bar, til he found out Rom used parts of his phaser to fix the replicator...he says, "I will kill him" and Odo just smirks and says, "with what?"
I love that DS9 exposes the ivory tower that Federation was and is. Section-31 made perfect sense to me. You had to have a group of people willing to do the hard things, make the hard calls. Picard and the rest of the Federation’s ability to act like moral superiors because of people like Sisko.
@@ace448 and let's not forget the classic Root Beer Speech. Good to see how the Federation is viewed from outside.
I did not watch it till I was in my 30's on Netflix. It was the last series I watched on a year long mission to go through all the trek series. In hindsight, I feel like it was made even better by seeing what came before. Trek was fun and sometimes thoughtful, pre DS9. But I really feel like DS9 is the magnum opus; the show that Star Trek and TNG were building towards. It blew my mind, and made me an absolute Trek lover. Since that first time, I probably go through the series once a year. I never tire of it.
@@michaeldougherty6036 This. 1000 times this. You literally took the words out of my mouth. I watched it last, also, and like you, late in life (in my late 30's). I binge watched it all in about a month, and was absolutely blown away. DS9 is the pinnacle of the "Trek" expression. Modern day writers should be taking notes from DS9. Sadly, they seem to be taking notes from JJ Binks... Er... Sorry.. JJ Abrams, and producing mindless action films/series.
The fact that Star trek went out of its way to portray a single black man raising a child on his own while also taking his career so seriously did an amazing service to the black community. I agree hands down. As much as I love Archer from Enterprise. Ben sisko is the best Starfleet captain ever portrayed on TV that far. I would go as far to say as he is one of the best characters and definitely one of the best black characters portrayed on TV ever.
As a Black man born in 81' I concur. It was such a refreshing and amazing thing to see on tv back then and still yet has to be replicated on tv.
Agree wholeheartedly.
Captain Sisko, Roc Nation, Parent Hood.. underrated black heroes of the 90's
@@kamenwaticlients And the last part is a godsdamned shame.
@@Sephiroth144 Indeed
You missed a few other reasons:
- Kirk's women tried to kill him. Picard's woman ran off with another man. Janeway's love was a hologram. Sisko arrested his future wife, sent her to prison and she still came back to marry him for his sweet, sweet loving.
- Janeway worshiped a God, Picard was thought a God, Kirk killed a God. Sisko did all three.
- Only captain to out Klingon a Klingon. The Kingons didn't have a word for surrender until they fought Sisko.
- Sisko once got the Prophets to destroy 3000 Jem Hadar ships JUST BECAUSE HE ASKED THEM TOO.
- Sisko routinely goes into the Badlands without getting lost on the other side of galaxy.
- Kirk never knew his son and when he met him, got him killed. Sisko raised his son like a true man.
- Sisko could throw a curveball.
- Kirk cried when his son was killed by Klingons. When Sisko heard a Klingon had killed his friend Sisko kicked the Klingon's ass. Hard.
- Only captain to fight Klingons, Jem Hadar and Cardassians in hand to hand combat and win.
- Only captain to wear his "evil goatee" in the Prime Universe as the good guy.
When I read this I laughed and then saved it on my PC so I would have it forever. Thank you!
He also out Ferengied a Ferengi.
Couldn't have said better myself. Sisko is easily the best Star Trek Captain, hands down.
He also punched Q!
@@05017351 Yep, that was in the latest list below.
Sisko's relationship with Jake was so real, honest, dynamic, and authentic you could not help suspend disbelief of their affection for each other as father and son.
Thats true. I think all of the Star Trek captains are prone to over-acting at times, but the interactions between those two felt really genuine.
Avery Brooks treated him like he was his son in real life. He grew up with his children. He spent many holidays and vacations with them.
Jake respected his father so much he abandoned his journalism and studied warp physics just to do one single experiment to try to bring his father back. Now that is real love and admiration for a father. Now a brief off the subject. Avery Brooks is an amazing actor and anyone who wants to see him at his best in addition to DS I HIGHLY recommend you look up Spencer for Hire and his character Hawk. You will not be disappointed.
That's because it was real. He really introduced him to people IRL as his son.
His relationship with Jake and Jake’s depth as a character can’t be overstated. Try watching the two of them in even the most mundane episode and then watching Dr Crusher and Wesley on TNG to see the huge gap in understanding parental affection and care in the two shows. It is astounding. Sisko stumbling on Jake teaching Nog to read after he told Jake to stay away because Nog was a bad influence really stuck with me as a huge character moment for both of them
Avery Brooks is an amazing actor. No one else could have brought the depth to Sisko that made him such a great captain.
Alexander Siddig almost got the role of Ben Sisko
And he grew in that role. I don't like the first season too much for a number of reasons (though the first season of TNG has the most terrible episodes of it 7 year run, too), but Brook's overacting or not having found his inner Sisko is one of them. And still I prefer Picard, though. Wonder what they could have made of TNG if there had been more continuing story arcs...
@Leo Peridot He has been doing more stage work than film stuff. He is a classically trained Shakespearean actor.
@Leo Peridot maybe he didnt want to, smh also look up his work as Hawk, in "A Man Called Hawk"
@Leo Peridot if you know anything about Avery is he is not that type of dude. He's just as happy doing Theater work and teaching. Colm and Siddig are the only ones who really has a acting career post Trek in all Trek. Stewart only has X-men, Burton does have Reading Rainbow and Scott Bakula was known person before Trek so he doesn't count. Alot of the actor's find more success Directing. Of course Shatner has had a post Trek career.
As a guy from the American South, I was pretty excited that he was from New Orleans, great culture and food, but I'm bias, plus you got to see a Captain who was also a good parent, we all can appreciate that
Yeah i totally agree but it is annoying when ben's dumb father mispronounces boudin and new orleans
Finally...someone has recognized Captain Sisko's chops! I have been a co-signer of this thinking for decades!
Sisko the best captain?
“I can live with it.....
.....I CAN live with it”
This is a victory for the good guys!
Qwilliams Christ almighty, what a towering performance. I’m picturing him toasting the camera and proclaiming that line
catchy.;-)
His relationship with his son is great, especially when you contrast it against Worf, the worst father in Star Fleet.
The point was to show Worf struggling but ultimately learning to be a father, which he did.
@@makasete30 I don't disagree that there were a couple of episodes where he struggled at fatherhood, so there was a story purpose to Alexander existing... but Worf palmed his kid off on his elderly parents while serving on a ship filled with families and was so detatched from his life that Alexander joined the Klingon military and was serving in a time of war with Worf only finding out *way* after the fact. Whatever the writers may have intended, Worf's attempts at fatherhood were not great. He had his good moments as a dad, and then some bad years.
Worf is a good character, but it seemed like he abandoned Alexander for a formative chunk of his childhood after K'Ehleyr died. He eventually came to be on good terms with him after Alexander was an adult, but that doesn't make him an adequate father imo. It's easier to be a father to an adult than to a small child or a teenager. (Arguably, though, it is interesting that he has that flaw, as it is so at odds with what I'd expect from honor-obsessed Worf. Again, though, that it is an interesting character flaw doesn't somehow morph that into not being a failing.)
Worf was pretty much the worst at everything. How he made it onto a second show is beyond me. Easier than developing another Klingon character story that fit I suppose.
Worf did become a father to an extent. He wasn't great, but he did grow in that role.
well considering that alex was kind of just sprung on him when he was already grown enough to walk and talk and sisko has been in jake's life from birth, it's kind of bad comparison to make.
sisko chose to be a father. worf had it forced on him.
I'd also like to add that every time Picard wound up in a parallel universe, he needed Data to explain the situation to him in painstaking detail. When Sisko went to the mirror universe (the very first time) he figured out what was going on all by himself in a matter of seconds, and then kind of went "what the heck, why not?" and proceeded to punch Bashir and sleep with both Dax and Kira. Definitely not the kind of captain to agonise over a course of action!
James T. Kirk would approve.
I noticed that re-watching TNG, how dependent Picard was on Data. The only other Captain who had something to prove was Archer and had less technology than future Captains. Archer the Son, and Siscko the father.
That was more for the audience, not Picard!
Sure, but clunky exposition is still clunky exposition.
@@cloudatlasminer478 Archer still had crewman Daniels access to temporal mechanics to help him. like the positronic sensor array that could see cloaked ships, or insight into events that would fulfil his destiny to be a charter signing member establishing star-fleet
Kirk was a cowboy, Picard was a Diplomat, Janeway was Scientist, and Archer was an Explorer. Siscko was all of these and a Soldier; more importantly he was not scared to get his hands Dirty or Bloody if necessary.
COWBOYYYY
I'd say not only because he was a soldier, but because his character was probably the most complex, more human than any Starfleet captain.
Cant say that Archer isnt a cowboy.
He was gonna Breed Bluehorns down south!!
@@killwalker Archer was the xenophobe one.
@@cartermariano Xenophobe? Thats a fear of other species. Maybe for a short few episodes during the Xindi Arc...but no. Archer wasnt Xenophobic. He did have sone prejudices...but those were cleared up. He had Prejudices against Klingons, Suliban and Xindi. All were dealth with and Archer came out of each experience a better person after all was said and done.
Peter Weller...the guy who played Robocop. Second to last episode. Dude threatened all non humans on earth lo leave by taking control of some giant gun on a moon or The moon. HE was Xenophobic.
After the Xindi conflict was over, Archer and crew were back on earth. Flox, Reed and Mayweather were bullied by drunks in a bar because they didnt like the fact that Flox was there. THEY were Xenophobic. Pretty sure Hitler was a Xenophobe.
Please explain how you think Jonathan Archer is also a Xenophobe
edit: The episode I referenced, where Archer and T'pol and Tucker all dress up in western gunslinger attire, in a town on an alien planet, where Aliens went to earth, kidnapped a bunch of folks, brought them to said planet to be a workforce, then got taken over by the human ancestors. Time stood still. hundreds of years went by. nothing much changed. And clearly, most humans there became Xenophobic towards their former oppressors. Including the deputy. The main antagonist of the episode.
Ignoring all the other reasons Sisko is awesome, I've always thought that this portrayal of a single Black father, raising his son in difficult circumstances yet always maintained as a positive, loving and caring relationship is one of the best portrayals of this type of situation in all of TV that I've seen. Its so easy to fall into the trope of a dysfunctional family, but Sisko was ALWAYS there for Jake and ALWAYS supported him without question. The Visitor remains one of the best episodes of DS9 which explored just how deeply the connection between father and son ran and just how far Jake would go to get his father back in his life. Its amazing.
Hell yes, I totally agree.
I'm not black, and I grew up with both my parents, but even me, watching DS9 with my Dad, it was really special seeing the relationship with Sisko and his son. Especially the episode where they built a bajoran sailboat of sorts to travel through space as a father son trip, it was always really special to watch.
@@candycover Oh yea, I fogot about that. Work and his son on next generation were a great pair too! His son was my moms favorite in his little one piece pajamas :D
One of the first episodes in the series where you can see how much care and attention was given in the writing for his relationship with Jake is the one where most of the episode he and Quark are at odds and are trying to keep Jake and Nog from being friends. Jake misses dinner and he gets mad and goes to find and presumably lecture him on responsibility only to find Jake showing Nog what lessons he missed since being pulled out of school. The way Avery Brooks softens his expression to portray the pride he sees in his sons actions and his change of heart about his feelings on Jakes friendship with Nog is very subtle and beautifully done.
Sisko is definitely the most three-dimensionally human protagonist of any Star Trek show to date, and is the yardstick by which I have judged Trek protagonists ever since his debut. None of them have equalled him so far.
Have you seen the character roles Picard made? makes Sisko look like a reality TV chump!
Gul-Dukat was likewise the ultimate antagonist.
Jake was also the most three-dimensional kid on the star trek series. Wesley Crusher Brainiac prodigy. Naomi Wildmen brainiac prodigy, Nog Brainiac prodigy. Jake Sisko was a slob, with 0 interest in joining star fleet, and was way more relatable then all the rest
Yes!
@@donnypark6305 Nog a brainiac prodigy? He couldn't even read until Jake taught him. And he had a deep, personal motivation for joining Starfleet, one that involved seeing how his culture stifled his father, realizing it would be the same for him, and that he didn't want to end up like his father. More importantly, as the first Ferengi in Starfleet he was going to face a lot of prejudice and doubt, and by series end he had shown that he deserved to be in Starfleet. He even gave his damn leg for the Federation and went through a disturbingly realistic arc involving the psychological trauma of losing a body part.
I don't want this seen as a dig at Jake; more like I see both him AND Nog as the best examples of child characters in Trek - one who was the son of an officer but who wanted to find his own place in the world outside of Starfleet, and one who was willing to forsake his culture to find his.
People keep saying that Sisko needs a cameo in Star Trek: Picard.
I say that Picard needs a cameo in Star Trek: The SISKO.
If it's written and directed by those who worked on DS9, then yes absolutely. If it's done by those who did Picard and Discovery then I'll give it a miss.
As long as Kurtzman and the morons running the series are booted out and replaced by writers who actually know and love Star Trek, I'm in.
Otherwise, fuck that, Trek is dead...
It's weird that he's not mentioned in any of the other series... as far as I know...
After DS9 The Visitor and Jakes dedication to finding his Father, I found it strange the Show ending in Ben's disappearance. I can see Jake looking for his Dad. Starfleet officially wants to change MIA to KIA, 2 years after DS9's end. Jake protests. He cites Voyager - they were MIA too. But we found them. The Starfleet Admiral sighs and explains "Jake they had a ship, a crew. Besides they gave us a message. " Jake cites the Bajoran messages. The Admiral looks forlorn. "Jake. Ben and I knew each other. Damndest officer I ever met. His duty to Starfleet, to his uniform was outmatched by one thing. You. Ben... Ben wouldn't leave you behind. Not willingly. He'd have a damned good reason. He has either died or is engaged with something. I'm with you. But officially Benjamin Sisko has died in the line of duty. I wont close the book on him. But grieve son. He's gone. Where? I don't know. He'll come back but today? Do you understand?"
Jake came away from the meeting angry. He was courteous, but inside was like a... Klingon in the heat of battle. Later he reflected on what was said. Sure enough. Every vessel dispatched to the Bajoran sector to study the Wormhole has a secondary mandate. "discover the fate of Captain Benjamin Sisko"
There's a prelude.
@@joegrimes9232 is this fan fiction or is this a book I misreading because this was beautiful I'm so proud of you people that love Star Trek I guess I'm a Demi-Trekkie
I love reading the fanfiction I love listening to the different commentary on TH-cam every night I watch all the episodes of Star Trek come on h&i I've already watched them over and over again and yet I'm still in tree it's like a vast world they're still not explored and I'm still for surprise even though I really felt like it was just another UPN show with the Star Trek moniker and one day I will watch Picard and discovery and find the TOS cartoon version lol
Sisko's character arc over DS9 is just one of the many reasons that DS9 is my personal favorite Trek. It just had so many different layers...
Right? Picard is a wonderful character, and he does grow, a bit. However, nothing like the path of The Sisko.
100% bro. Not enough love for the Sisko.
Pretty much all of the characters had so much more development than the other shows, which is a big factor why DS9 is my favorite
Agreed. Gul Dukat is a great example.
Here are a few more:
- When he did have a ship, it was the most powerful in the quadrant, and he was only a commander
- After Kirk finished his first 5 year mission they gave him his old ship with a software upgrade. Sisko was made an Admiral and given a fleet.
- He knew all the Rules Of Acquisition
- Sisko's XO looked better in a tight leather bodysuit.
- Convinced a Cardassian to kill a Romulan to fight the Dominion and HE CAN LIVE WITH THAT.
- When he first met Q he punched him in the mouth. "I'm not Picard!" Q never came back.
- He drinks Kilngon Coffee, not wimpy Earl Grey
- He managed to save his son from the Klingons
- if you cross him he holds a grudge and will chase you down, poison your planets until you can't hide and then kill you. Right Eddington?
- Only captain to be prophesied.
One more reason: while he has endured more than most captains in Starfleet history, he doesn't let his accomplishments go to his head and doesn't dismiss the accomplishments of captains before him. Kirk was a personal hero to Sisko, even going so far as to hand Kirk a report before returning to his own time, just to get his autograph.
Know all 285 rules of Acquisition alone makes him the best. The rest is just icing on the cake.
I’m glad someone agrees with me
Sisko was the man
It’s really sad! I’m black American and have watched every episode of TNG, Voyager and Enterprise but never once watched DS9. You have inspired me to do so now.
Avery Brooks was absolutely outstanding. I remember being totally stoked when I heard he was the main character. Every character on the show has immense growth and development over the course of the series. My 13 year old daughter is totally hooked on the show. You won’t be disappointed
What are you doing checking TH-cam... Go watch DS9 ;)
It's the best, enjoy.
Don’t feel too bad. I didn’t watch it doing it’s original run, got caught up on Netflix about 3-4 years ago. It’s the series of the franchise I re-watch the most, by far. ENJOY!
DO EEEEEET! DO EEET NOWWWWW!
" The Visitor " is a fantastic episode. Well written and very emotional, so emotional that I cannot watch it too often. It really jerks at the heart strings.
First time I watched it I wanted to hug everyone in my family forever
@@hyhena-gaming9986 No doubt, it made me realize how fortunate that I am in life that I have people who love me.
I never really liked "The Visitor". I can't quite put my finger on why, but it just never hit my "this is a great episode" button. I just keep thinking that poor girl actually never got the stories she wanted, never read the stuff that was written, and so her life was probably all messed up.
@@DragynGirl Interesting, take! Hey , everyone has a different interpretation, that's what art is all about. The girl in the episode was the real life daughter of the actor who played " Garak " , if memory serves me.
funzjag same
One of the more interesting things about Sisko for me was that he chose to take a lesser assignment to deal with his grief and raise his son rather than put everything into work at the cost of anything else. He was already the First Officer of the Saratoga when it was destroyed, so his prospects were very good for command, but (If I remember correctly), he was contemplating leaving Starfleet at the beginning of DS9 S1.
This multi-faceted character depiction shows the struggle of working fathers who want to further a career they enjoy while also having to deal with their own personal stressors and trying to raise a family. Very good portrayal, people that don't give this character a chance are missing out.
Avery Books *nails* this character, and should have won both a Golden Globe and Saturn Award for its portrayal IMHO.
Benjamin Sisko was definitely the best Star Fleet captain ever. He was the reason I primarily watched Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He was a competent and strong black man raising a young black boy by that took no mess from anyone. He was so imposing a figure that even proud Klingon warrior Worf was afraid of him. Now that’s badass!
He's not black. He's a Brown man. Never forget that.
Well, occasionally took some mess from Dax- but Dax earned the right to give it to him.
Wait, he was black? good job you mentioned it, I am colour blind, so I don't care or notice what colour people are, it's how shiny is their aura 😎
@@nimblehealer199 I wonder if Avery Brooks would agree with you? Hell, could probably glean a little of his perspective from Far Beyond the Stars, (given that he directed that episode)...
@@Sephiroth144 he will because I used to have a special book from TV Guide and in the interview he said that he was brown.
The best breakdown of the different captains I saw somewhere:
“Jonathan Archer is the explorer,
James Kirk is the cowboy,
Jean Luc Picard is the diplomat,
Benjamin Sisko is the soldier,
Katherine Janeway is the scientist.”
That's a boring reduction. All of them were all five at different times.
@@blusafe1 it encapsulates their greatest motivations though.
Archer caring most about getting humans out into the galaxy.
Kirk only caring about creating exciting adventures.
Picard always focused on treatise over combat
Sisko doing. every. damn. thing. to finish the fight.
Janeway consistently searching for new methodologies, even under duress.
Thank you
I've been a DS9 fan since it came out. I always felt it was the most realistic portrait of what was going on in the Trek universe. No disrespect to Roddenberry, but the future could never be pristine and peaceful without the gritty and dark events to get there
1 Reason Benjamin Sisko is the best Starfleet Captain: He knocked "Q" on his ass!!
Well Picard shared a bed with and met him and met him in the afterlife, not to mention he defended humanity’s existence and ultimately won. That’s why he will Always be the best Captain.
That wasn"t a brilliant scene to be honest.Q a superbeing that could had the power to turn anyone into anything just allows a human to hit him didn't feel right.
@@BrianSmith-lj6ug Maybe Q knew that Sisko wasn't just a human being...
@@makasete30Meh. He got a proverbial "stay of execution" and probation to prove that humanity deserved to live. If you don't think Sisko could have done the same, then you clearly weren't paying attention when you watched DS9.
Also, Q basically cucked Picard when he convinced Picard's girlfriend to run off with him.
Afterwards, Q left DS9, never to return.
My mom is the one that got me into Star Trek, and the one series she always cited as having the best Captain is DS9.
It took me years to ever want to watch Star Trek and after finally getting around to watching Next Gen I though there was NO ONE, that could top it.......but then I finally saw DS9......I'm on my 3rd re-watching of the series and I quoted Sisko several times in my college papers and the rest is history.
Sisko has always been my favorite captain, but I'm slightly biased because I have thought that Avery Brooks was a bad-ass actor going all the way back to his Hawk days on Spenser for Hire.
Mr. Brooks, as exceptional actor that he is, he's even more of a decent human being. I had the good fortune once to meet him and for the two or three minutes that I got to talk to him, he made you feel like you were the only one in the room worth talking to.
Oh, and I think it's CRIMINAL that this series was never upscaled and released on Blu-Ray!
I was team Picard going into this video. But you convinced me. Sisco really is the best. Well done. Great video
I must still say Picard sorry 🖖
Yeh, like it's anything more than emotive and subjective anyway..
Picard is The Negotiator
Sisko is The General
@@benwillems8584 Well i would rather have negotiations than brash tactics. Sisko is great too though! 🖖
He has been awakened
I’m currently watching Explorers which is a fantastic episode for the solar sailer alone. But it’s also a great example of the present father of color Avery Brooks was so proud to portray. And one more cool thing Benjamin himself had a present father of color in Joseph Sisko, played excellently by Brock Peters.
Their whole family portrayal just worked so naturally and believably. Even the addition of Cassidy Yates was so well realized. Great writing, brilliant acting.
The episode "Explorers" is a classic in father son relationship where the reluctance of the son at first to join the father in the adventure the journey then having the time of their lives shows how much the two characters and the actress who played the characters are in tune with each other as a father and son anyone who wants to study the relationships between a father and son that are positive and uplifting should watch this episode Explorers Star Trek Deep Space Nine.,.
Indeed.
Hells, anytime the "Who's better, Kirk or Picard?" came up, I always answered "Sisko."- and this has been the answer since DS9 was in its original run.
Agreed. Sisko is 100% my favourite Captain. I also just adore his relationship with Jake. He is such a real person. Sisko was a REAL man; complex, flexible, tough, loving, caring, harsh, strict, courageous, confident AND sometimes self-doubting - about a million other descriptions apply. The BEST.
Between the two of you, it’s summed up. My only addition would be his superior Military Bearing.
@@robertnewell4054 So, ANY bearing at all?
@@Sephiroth144 .... I come from a Legacy Military Family. Officers & NCO’s should have a certain affect & way they should carry themselves. A professionalism. For instance in the Original Series they would routinely devolve into emotional rants & LACK of bearing. Routinely. I appreciate the cerebral nature of Picard ... but Captain Sisko comes across as a real Military Officer. I could honestly see myself serving behind his leadership
@@robertnewell4054 Oh, I served myself- that why I mean Sisko felt like he was someone that had any military bearing- neither Kirk nor Picard did, (except, perhaps, for Picard's dislike of fraternizing with his crew- but that could've just been standoffishness or general superiority)
Sisko did seem to play the role as a military officer (and not one that would inspire a roll of the eyes coupled with "fucking West Pointers...")
The number 1 point seals the deal. It is the breadth of being a father and captain that was so wonderfully portrayed. He could tenderly show his son affection and beat down a Klingon for blocking the bloodwine. No other fine actor that portrayed a captain showed such range in the series history. Well done Avery...
And then making Jake drink the whole bottle after catching him sneaking a taste...
I have been staunchly Team Sisko because he’s a fighting captain.
I’ve been staunchly team Picard because he only used fighting as last resort and always showed there were other better options.
I've spent the last couple of weeks binge watching all the episodes of DS9 from season 1 through to season 7.
So glad to that I'm not alone in thinking 'The Sisko' is the best. Avery Brooks did an amazing job!
Kind of feels a shame not to mention his role in the construction of the ‘USS Ben Sisko’s Motherf***ing Pimp Hand.’
Or the ‘Defiant’ as it ended up being called.
True
The pimp hand was strong too!
lol that would have been a lot to fit on the hull but I like it
As far as I'm aware, Sisko played no part in the design nor construction of the Defiant. The prototype was built earlier in order to help defeat the Borg, although it had some issues and was never put into production (prior to the war with the Dominion). Sisko did _request_ the Defiant, despite its problems, so he did play a significant role in bringing it to the action.
@@anhedonianepiphany5588 Sisko himself said he was leading the shipyards that developed it and he says he had a hand in its creation.
Sisko is by far my favorite Captain and the way you presented him was completely awesome. Thanks
Solid, well though out, and concisely presented. I already thought Sisko was the best captain, but this video does a great job presenting all the reasons why in far less time than I would take. Nicely done.
Great captain. Great representation of a man that juggles an incredibly important role with so much weight on his shoulders, while being a single father, and a leader/mentor/friend.
Legendary 🙏
Having recently rewatched all of DS9 since the original run in the 90's, I was thrilled to re-meet Commander, then Captain, Sisko. What a fucking legend. Hands down the best captain in a Star Trek franchise. And you are spot on about Jake being his best reason. Jake was a real person just as much as his father and their relationship carried the series from the beginning to the end. It was the through line for the entire show. Such a good show, and now arguably more relevant than when it first aired.
"Janeway likes coffee" yep, that's her arc alright
Albin Teer victory is life
But there's coffee in that nebulae.
Despite the most 1 dimensional and flat crew, Voyager has some of the best stand-alone episode of the entire franchise. Strange. Except for the Doctor, they're all kind of ho-hum. 7 of 9 is OK, but I wasn't really a great fan until the Picard series.
I like Voyager a great deal. Despite such generic characters, it manages to be a lot of fun to watch.
We're still debating this? Hands down DS9 was a step above the rest. It was complicated, but not too complicated. It was gripping, but easy to join in where you could. And was the best choice to serialize the series, better growth. If I do something this week it affects next week. Respect that.
DS9 was a tiny bit ahead of its time. Well, ahead of the network execs, critics, *some* ST fans, and even the show's initial creators (fortunately Berman and Pillar quickly went to work on Voyager and eventually pretty much just left Behr, the writers, and actors handle DS9.)
In retrospect, yeah, DS9 was significantly better than any other ST series.
PS: I got no problem with folks who personally like some other series more. Tastes vary. But on the merits, DS9 surpasses them in pretty much every way.
You nailed almost every aspect of this complex character and yes him being a devoted, loving, human and tridimensionnel father is by far number one and transcends Star Trek and Sci Fi to be a truly examplary landmark of fathehood in any TV series I can remember. Great job and video
You made me laugh, you made me cry, you made me remember. Captain Benjamin Lafayette Sisko is the GOAT Starfleet officers.
Great Video! It watched as well as a Sisko home cooked meal taste!
I just finished re-watching deep space nine and realizing how realistic the characters were and how they grew into being real people. Benjamin Sisco is a hero to all of us.
Sisko is an awesome character and CO, especially with Major Kira "Badass" Nerys by his side (easily the best character in all of Trek, and that is a hill I am prepared to die on).
I have generally held that position about Garak, but I would love to hear why you feel that way.
@Roh Hahn I was recently told that Andrew Robinson wrote a book about Garak? Or he showed up to the set with a full on character backstory like a D&D player? Possibly both? I should bother to Google this because if there is a book I would love to read it.
@Roh Hahn Even though he's just a humble tailor.
Major Kira "Badass" Nerys is master class example of how to write a strong, likable "foil character" to a main protagonist. Everything TNG attempted and failed to do with the Polaski, they succeeded with the Major.
Although Sisko is my personal favorite, I would stand by you on that hill for your right to say the Major is!
Astral Marmot Garak is a wonderful character (all the DS9 main and recurring characters are great), but Kira has a superb act, going from a terrorist hiding under a cloak of civility, so damaged by the life she lived to liberate her home and filled with so much rage that she has no real outlet for, and thanks to Sisko (and the other fleeters) she begins to build a new life for herself and Bajor, she is at the forefront of events that shape and mould her world (and the quadrant) but rather than use them to further her own ends she acts on the behalf of all Bajorans. She goes from hating all Cardassians to respecting a few of them (even a new father figure). Over the run of the series she matures and grows, she learns to deal with her past and also comes to accept the new invaders (The UFP) as some of her closest friends and allies. Throughout all of this she was allowed to be tough, feisty, to beat up several security guards when heavily pregnant and take down a Klingon warrior with a knife in her side, but at the same time to be vulnerable and raw, but also learn how to find a little joy and femininity and love (no way would S1 Kira wear a slinky dress for a night in the holosuites). She also isn't afraid to stand up to Sisko, a man she sees and accepts at the Emissary, having some damn good arguments with him, but grows to respect and also call a friend.
Got to love Captain Benjamin Sisko!!! New Orleans cool through and through. Superb video, really well done!
Totally agree, and he's one of the reasons why I think DS9 is the best of the shows. It's the most 'real' of all them in my mind.
Definitely. I grew up on TNG, and then because we moved abroad when it was on, I didn’t get to see DS9 when it first ran, and when I did get around to seeing it the first time on reruns, it didn’t resonate with me, and I preferred Voyager. But as I got older, and actually watched DS9 from the beginning, it became my hands-down favorite. It has aged _extremely_ well (unlike the cringe that many TNG and VOY episodes are, from today’s perspective), and IMHO the characters are by far the best developed. (Though Seven of Nine is also top-tier.)
Q: "You hit me! Picard never hit me."
Sisko: "I'm not Picard..."
(Pause for dramatic effect)
Edited side note: I met John de Lancie in person and he is a very nice, humble individual.
I love John de Lancie. I wish to meet him one day.
you forgot the rest
Q: indeed, you're easier to provoke. How fortunate for me.(Flashes a smile and disappears)
Duh, you mean a great actor?
@@KrawmKruach Q never did bother Sisko again after that. Probably because he realized, "be careful what you wish for. You may get it."
@@captainpharaoh
I also think that the Prophets or some higher power had a hand in Q not bothering Sisko anymore. Just my 2 cents.
Sisko is the GOAT and its high-time we all recognize this.
God Of All Trek?
@@markhoffart622 sure lol
I used to cheer whenever I heard the DS9 theme song ... Always my fav and Sisko was THE MAN
Just finished ds9 for the third time in 15 years. I always enjoy it every time!!!
You have me in tears because I truly understand the sacrifices he made
Yes....to everything. That’s it, that’s the comment.
Watching this reminds me of why I love DS9 and why its my favorite of all the trek shows.
The mere fact that Sisko is a single parent is why he's my favorite captain
Thank you sir for this video. I appreciate your gift of time and content you provided. I loved that Benjamin Sisko was human and not a prop captain. He was a great leader and as you pointed out a caring father. Hat's off sir!
Having been able to watch just about the entire series again recently, I completely agree with this analysis. Avery Brooks is by far the best Starfleet Captain in the Star Trek universe. And this is saying a lot because all of the other Captains are all very good in their own rights. But Brooks was given a much wider story arc within which to perform and his abilities as an actor allowed him to perform in an outstanding manner in a wide variety of situations. I especially agree that having Cirroc Lofton as his son added so much to the character depth.
Absolutely! Benjamin Sisko is the best most well rounded Captain. He is a father to not only to Jake but the crew as well. Avery Brooks towers as a phenomenal actor, he presence, gravitas, compassion and humor. In short , Sisko is Brooks.
My personal opinion after watching Next Gen, Deep Space 9, Voyager, and Enterprise is that he is THE best. Deep Space 9 is also my favorite iteration.
Couldn’t have said it better myself! Sisko is the GOAT. Not only would I would love to serve under him as he is a badass, he’s also the kind of guy who buys his crew a round of beers after a hard day.
10 reasons?
It seems you're limiting things here.
Then again, a complete list would probably be an hour.
Just an hour? Now who is limiting things? I jest but you could probably go on for a few hours if you really dug at it.
A few hours?! NOW who is limiting things?!?! If he keeps coming up with more irrelevant reasons like the ones in this video I'm sure he can go for eternity...
I think instead of watching this video, I might as well just rewatch DS9
I would watch that. I love Sisko and DS9 is my favorite series out of all of them. I wish they made movies with DS9 and Voyager instead of just TNG. I mean there were to 2 parters but I mean blockbuster films.
A complete list would take exactly 176 episodes
Sisko was always my favorite ! this video solidified that!!!
Sisko reminds me of myself and the minefield I had to traverse when I became an NCO.
Sisko was always my fave.. he is a shining example of healthy masculinity
He got carried away a couple times. Who doesn't? But he could also learn from it and even apologize. That takes class.
The writing on DS9 was exceptional. I've recently started rewatching all of Star Trek. I just finished DS9. The way his character was written was fresh and refreshing. At his core is his humanity but as the Emissary, we see that this role becomes even more important to him where he evolves to an even higher state of being, and the question as to when and if he will return is always a question mark.
He's also a damn fine jazz/classical pianist, btw.
Thank you for this video, I think Avery's portrayal of Sisko is fantastic but so many fans overlooked the series or often seem not to understand the tone he was going for.
This is exactly why I liked Sisko so much more. He was a truly complete character .
Sisko always had a spiritual connection that help him through things
I lost my wife when my son was 8, and I so much identified with that show. Watching Sisco go through all the things that go with raising a son alone gave me the confidence to do it myself. If you took away all the Star Trek stuff and watched it with an open mind, I think it would be one of the best shows ever .thank you, Avery.
Bravo to this great video and I couldn't agree more! Highlighting season 6 episode 19 in the pale moonlight (which is one of my favorite episodes) was spot on. Sisko will always be my favorite captain for all these reasons listed and DS9 is the best Star Trek series IMO. I wish we could get a blu-ray remaster for DS9 like they did with TNG but I read it would be crazy expensive unfortunately.
We never gona get blu-ray as we never had a movie. The studio hate it's product... even now 27 years later :(
Sisko will always be my favourite because he is a genuine family man. I always thought family was potrayed rather awkwardly in Star Trek until Jake and Ben. When Sisko is trapped in time and reappears to Jake his first concern is for his sons happiness, family and future grand kids rather than being saved. That episode always brings me to tears, perhaps because i never had a relationship with my own father... The only thing in the same league as DS9 is BSG
Best captain ever. Best Star Trek show ever. End of story.
I'm a longtime champion of Captain James T. Kirk, but I long ago recognized that Captain Benjamin Sisko exceeds him (not to mention the others) in nearly every way. The fact that he was a wartime Captain, with all the heroism and moral ambiguity that comes with that, and a dedicated father, pushes him forward in a way no other Star Trek Captain can match. I regret that Sisko's story came to an end with the DS9 series, he really deserved to be revisited in the movies as Kirk and Picard were. Also, Avery Brooks is a genius actor and his performances are a joy to watch.
This is an empirical fact, no debate needed.
My absolute favorite show in the franchise and my absolute favorite captain. Of course, now I will have to go ahead and watch every episode again...just cause.
I think Ben and Jake's relationship is one of my favorite parent/child relationships in all of TV and film. Also, Sisko had so much more depth as a character than almost anyone else in Trek. Great list!
Sir! I don't know you. I will probably never meet you in this lifetime. But. I love you and everything you said about the character of Benjamin L. Sisko. Thank you very deeply...
ahhhh Mr Clery - a man after my own heart. I've been into Star Trek my whole life but it wasnt until my late teens when I was ill and my mother let me borrow her Blockbuster card (yes kids.... google them) that I decided to watch one of the Star Treks from the beginning. The only season 1 that my store had was DS9. As a big fan of the Borg, I saw the opening scene and was hooked. Episodes went by and Sisko slowly started becoming my favourite captain. They could have fucked this up so badly with the religion/wormhole aliens angle but I loved every moment. Even hopscotch.
I also love that he didnt start off as a Captain. We saw him grown into one. Loving the channel guys. Keep it up :)
That's right. The religion thing cold have been something awful, but they managed to do it with grace.
The religious aspect really fascinated me. Not just the wormhole but with how the Vorta viewed the Founders. Watching the rogue Weyoun and Odo talk about the Vorta's beginnings was really interesting. Especially when Odo pointed out that they were engineered to think of the Founders as gods and Weyoun, without missing a beat, goes "Of course they did. That's what gods do."
I agreed to the title even before watching this. Now you made me want to watch it all over again.
Love this video and I totally agree..DS9 is so good and people always sleep on Sisko as a character and a Captain
Well presented. When you add all that up Sisko really is undisputed as the best captain we see. That doesn't take anything away from the others but Sisko is just all around the best.
Sisko is the most compelling captain character in the franchise. We saw everything, all the feelings that a human can experience, in all situations and *we were so damn lucky we had Avery Brooks* to portrait all that. I can't imagine anyone else in the role (and I have try many times). Brooks acting type/method is exactly what Sisko needed.-
You left out the goatee. Seriously, you are 100% correct. I'm impressed you kept this list to only 10 reasons. Well done!
I've been saying this for years. DS9 is the best Star Trek, and Sisko has a lot to do with that. Not just him, all Star Treks have had their share of memorable characters, but DS9 had by far the most interesting
I have to agree. Sisko was the best captain. And I credit it to his son. You were correct to put that as number 1 on the list. There's a story about the very early days on the set. 1st or 2nd day. Cirroc Lofton when he saw Avery Brooks said, "That's my dad." They both, Brooks and Lofton, are/were superb actors who became someone else rather than just pretending to be someone else.
I grew up watching TNG in the UK (since discovered it was airing here on Terrestial TV several years after it was aired in the US so my experience of watching it on BBC 2 doesn't line up with when other people watched it) Then DS9 came out, I was a teenager by then. The way I view it, TNG was my Star Trek that I grew up with, it's the one I return to the most, but DS9, that's the best damn Star Trek. I've got a younger friend who is convinced Voyager was better, I imagine because that is what he grew up with.
There is something I can't quite find words for that makes DS9 the greater series. Maybe because as a white kid, I could see someone of a different skin colour raising to the top, and that it was an inspiration of unity. But it is not just Sisko that makes DS9 so great. Miles O'Brian, beloved engineer from the Enterprise, stepping up to fill in the chief engineer's role on the space station. There was also the added bonus that on a space station, we got to see the development of a single planet over time, it's one of the few planets the whole greater series visit's time and again. There is that stable continuity. Unlike visiting Earth, Vulcan, and Q'ronos which happens only a few times and usually only for single plot points of that week's episode. Here we get to see Bajor and learn how all the different parts weave together for the greater story while also rebuilding a post-war world. We learn more about Bajor in a half dozen episodes of DS9 than we learn about any of the other re-visited planets in the whole show cannon.
I grew up with voyager and used to think it was the best star trek. Until I went back and watched DS9 properly. It just had so much more depth to it, along with the best characters. Garak, Sisko, O'Brian and Quark could carry that show even if the writing or plot had been terrible and luckily they weren't.
Damn, that was AMAZINGLY well written. This is a masterpiece of writing, and it's dedicated to Benjamin Sisko. I gotta find your other masterpieces about everything else. You've totally blown my mind with how detailed and yet entertaining this was.
I was on side with your thesis from the word go, because DS9 is my favorite ST series, but I must pick one bone here: your point about wartime service isn't entirely fair to Janeway, given she led her crew through the Year of Hell. Granted, it was only one two-part episode from our perspective, and it happened in a defunct alternate timeline, but still: if that isn't war, I don't know what is.
What about archer? He was at the head of the Xindi war.
as to the replies: Yes, but they were still Janeway and Archer. So it just doesn't matter.
Benjamin Sisko has ALWAYS been my favorite Star Trek Captain and I have to say that this video is so accurate its scary! He's just an overall better built character that's believable and human! Avery Brooks did a phenomenal job!
Avery Brook's Sisko is the best Star Trek character ever. Hands down. Two episodes stand out overall and seal the deal for this assessment as far as I'm concerned. The first being The Visitor and second In the Pale Moonlight. The Visitor never, NEVER, fails to bring on the waterworks and I've seen the episode too many times to count. There are not many episodes in Star Trek that focus on family, But the Visitor does and does it in spades. My literal personal favorite episode. I watch it every Father's Day. In the Pale Moonlight shifted what I think we collectively think of Starfleet captains. And set the tone for Deep Space Nine for the rest of the series run.
Computer, delete that entire log entry.
Sisko was a single father sent to a place few wanted to go. He’s a widow who really wants to be closer to home. He’s sent to a place where Starfleet isn’t wanted. He’s only a Commander though he should have been a Captain from he’d start.
When he gets to DS9 he’s “The Emissary to the Prophets, much to his, and starfleet’s chagrin. He realized that it wasn’t so bad when it’s taken from him with disastrous results.
That’s depth
I Concur 111% as I was immediately sold on Sisko day one when he (a Commander) spoke freely and had the balls to dress down Picard, essentially cuttin him down to size where he sat. Avery Brooks voice made for a Commanding Commander then more than a convincing Captain...He kicked all sorts of ass...even Q's 🤣
@@candycover "Realistically"? Its a Sci-Fi show/genre that now makes Cadets Captains overnight and Ensigns 1st Officers. Obviously Sisco had a lot of misplaced anger due the death of his wife at the hands Borg. Unfortunately Lucuitus/Picard was the face of Jennifer Sisco's killer so surely one could afford Sisco the ability to vent a bit, as then Commander Sisco was given permission to speak freely. I just admire the fact that Captain Sisco never backed down from larger than life icons to express his strong views with a commanding presence.
@@candycoveryes&it also happened where Tilly was made 1st Officer as a mere Ensign during Discovery Season 3. And who cares whether or not it happened in the Kelvin timeline or not? It still happened&was absolutely the most far fetched unbelievable thing i've ever witnessed as a Trekker. Continuity should matter a lot more than it has in recent years&besides there is NO way even as well renowned as Picard was. Where he would ever have the authority to reduce Sisco's assigned role on DS9. It was a decision that was slightly above his pay grade at the time.
@@candycover well, he didn't. So it's really a mute point.
@@candycover hey I'm not the one who started to argue with an opinion I stated over 5 months ago, by you stating another opinion about what should have happened but didn't. Sorry but as much as you think Captain Picard would have demoted then Commander Sisco to a rank of 1st Officer on DS9, simply for having permission to speak freely then dressing him down....wasn't written that way at the time.
@@candycover obviously I too know 1st Officer isn't a rank. You were implying that Sisco would be busted down a rank by a Captain. Only way that would happen is if Picard convinced a friend who was an Admiral to demote Sisco? But I highly doubt a Star Fleet Officer would be or had ever been demoted for such an action. Disciplined, yes...demoted, no. But let's say for arguments sake he were demoted for insubordination like you suggest? Sisco would have left Star Fleet as he was already one step away from doing so at the time. And I just don't see Picard being that vindictive especially given the situation.
Sisko was an unmatched leader..
In war, in peace, religiously, politically, as a captain, as a father, as a friend, as a civil rights activist who he replaced when he accidentally went back in time.
I could sing DS9's praises all day long, but if you want a more in-depth look, have a read at the AVClub's DS9 reviews; they sum up most of the shows successes quite nicely.
You are ABSOLUTELY correct. This is why I use CPT Sisko character in my leadership training when training new potential military recruits.
Greatest Captain Ever is Captain Sisko. He punched Q... HE PUNCHED Q.. and received an autograph from Captain Kirk during a time travel mission... LOG THAT
Notice after that episode, Q never bothered Sisko again, even though Q thought Sisko was easier to provoke.
Benjamin Sisko was also the greatest father ever portrayed on television. In "Emissary", when a barefoot Jake walks with Sisko back from their holographic fishing hole, I've always seen it as a reference to "The Andy Griffith Show", where a barefoot Opie walks with Sheriff Taylor from their fishing spot. Both men were single fathers and the respected authority figures of their communities. My favorite moment is when Ben meets up with Jake after discovering he's been secretly tutoring Nog and teaching him to read: Jake is apprehensive because he didn't meet with his father as planned, but Ben hugs and kisses Jake and tells him what a good son he is. I can't think of any father on any TV show or movie who was more loving, understanding, or all-around better as a father than Benjamin Sisko!
DS9, and especially 1st season, is in many ways "The Rifleman" in space. The Rifleman was a old B&W western where the protagonist was a single father (widower) with a son trying to build a life on the frontier.
05:10 You forgot he's an awesome singer and pianist
Agreed. I have argued this point for years, but you nailed it. 10 times in a row. Nuff said.