B5 vs DS9: A fans comparison - Part 1: A Question of Captains?

It was the dawn of the third age of mankind – ten years after the Earth-Minbari War. The Babylon Project was a dream given form. Its goal: to prevent another war by creating a place where humans and aliens could work out their differences peacefully. It's a port of call – home away from home – for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs, and wanderers. Humans and aliens wrapped in two million five hundred thousand tons of spinning metal… all alone in the night. It can be a dangerous place, but it's our last best hope for peace. This is the story of the last of the Babylon stations. The year is 2258. The name of the place is Babylon 5.

Back in 1994, when I was still a fresh faced young lad in primary school, an amazing science fiction series first aired. It was an unusual idea for American television at the time, drawing on the writing styles and concepts of notable science-fiction series like Blakes 7, Dune and The Foundation series, it set out to tell a story. Laid out in a similar plot manner as that of an epic book series, it wanted to refer to actions that had happened in that universes past and draw upon them for the present plot. Such a thing had not been attempted before on television.

Its name was Babylon 5.

In a strange twist of fate, and in an action not repeated since in television history, another series emerged at exactly the same time, mere weeks apart. It told a similar story but in a wholly familiar universe already known and loved by viewers at home.

Its name was Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Over the years, there has been some debate among fans, not only of the shows, but of the genre as to which is the better series? Over the course of the next few weeks, I wish to examine the strengths and weaknesses of both in a character by character analysis.

Captain Sinclair vs Captain Sisko:

Now, before we get into the small matter that Bruce Boxleitner was not the "primary" lead for the whole of Babylon 5's run, he was the most significant, therefore he will be the one discussed. Over the course of Boxleitner's stint, a carefully crafted back story with dark and subtle tones was executed to perfection. Sheridan came to Babylon 5 as its senior officer after the stations previous senior officer, Commander Jeffrey Sinclair was sent to the Minbari homeworld as an ambassador for Earth. He brought with him a serious attitude and the weight of the grief of his wife's death, two years after she had died.

Over the course of the series, Sheridan would endear himself to the strange alien ambassador - Kosh Naranek, who would teach him to "fight legends". In time, he would come to clash with nefarious race called "The Shadows" who sought to spread their own version of evolutionary philosophy via war and conflict.

Sheridan showed his character straight from his debut in Season 2's first episode, Points of Departure. Coming face to face with a renegade Minbari battleship that wishes to die at the hands of the Human who gave the sophisticated alien race their one and only defeat during the Earth/Minbari war; he asserted his authority with a certain stern grace that tolerated little to no opposition and zero tolerance for the political game.

It was an explosive debut and, in my opinion, one of the better introductions done on television.

Things didn't quite happen like that for Benjamin Sisko.

Like his B5 counterpart, Benjamin Sisko was also a widower, he also had a strange and intimate relationship with mysterious aliens (The Prophets) and also like Sheridan he ruled with a stern hand. Yet unlike John Sheridan his debut was somewhat lacklustre and even boring at times.

The two parter pilot of DS9 had a lot of ground to cover and a lot of new characters to introduce, so some of his more memorable charateristics were unable to be brought to fuore like they were with Sheridan. Season 1 of DS9 did little for Avery Brooks' skills in terms of giving him chances to shine, I would even say that with the exception of episode 8 "Dax" and outside of interacting with already established characters such as Jean Luc Picard, Chief O'Brien and Q, Brooks' talents were not stretched in any way during the first season.

Time however proved anyone who doubted the initial impressions given in the lack lustre season 1, very, very wrong.

By the end of Season 3, Ben Sisko was established as a soft spoken commanding officer who's very presence was enough to ensure authority. If he walked into a room, he commanded it, his uniform was merely an extension of the command that his supporting officers would have given to him freely, such was Avery Brooks' masterful performance.

Brooks had stepped into Sisko's skin and walked in his shoes until the soles were paper thin, his theatre background had well and truly paid off and the Star Trek franchise was all the better for it. Brooks was able to take even the most menial of DS9 scripts and turn, at least his part, something worth watching, something waiting for.

In conclusion, while Boxleitner had the better scripts and certainly had the better story arc, Brooks had the talent, the training, the trust and the ability to turn a series around entirely and make it truly entertaining fare.

Next week - Second Officers: Commander Susan Ivanova vs Major Kira Nerys