Sisko is the Anti-Picard

The character of Sisko is an almost perfect inversion of the character of Picard. Was that intentional?
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The limited use of the copyrighted clips and music in this video for analysis and commentary are in line with fair use principles in US copyright law.
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TK2 Films
Joseph Jonathan Marcus
"Bad Wolf Solutions"
Dominick LaLicata
Sam Williamson
Daniel Day
Music: Kevin MacLeod, Incompetech.com

[@therealEmpyre]

I had never though of that, but I think you're right, but before Sisko was the anti-Picard, Picard was the anti-Kirk.

[@deezynar]

Touche!

[@jeangentry6656]

What is Janeway then? A Distaff Counterpart to another captain? Or truly original?

[@deezynar]

I think she melds both types. She was generally aloof, personally, and was professional in her demeanor. However, she took huge risks and often violated Star Fleet guidelines. What do you think?

[@jeangentry6656]

Perhaps. She was standoff ish at first, but took on a more material role (esp w/ characters like Torres and Seven). I think she is closer to Sisko in that she did questionable things to get her crew home. That being said, she was notably reckless in several instances (such as the game of chicken into a BINARY STAR in "Scientific Method". Hell, she surprised Tuvok with that one!

[@deezynar]

Yes, very true.

[@EruditeFuzz]

TNG is how Starfleet acts when everything is fine. DS9 is how Starfleet acts when everything is fucked. That's how I've come to look at it, anyway.

[@TheddunTOSS]

I see were that point is coming from, however, I do not think that it is correct. There are also some very dangerous situations for the Enterprise & the Federation in TNG. Only think about the impending judgements by Q, the conflict with the Romulans, and the attack of the Borg. I think the main reasons for the rather different depiction of the Star Trek universe are the following: 1) DS9 shows a lot of everyday life and conflicts. It is much harder to create relatable and believable SciFi in that area. So they made it more "down to earth", meaning "more like the life of the viewers". 2) DS9 was done in a later period of the 1990s. At the beginning of the 1990s there was a lot of optimism about the future. This already started to decline in the 1990s and DS9 is a mirror of this. 3) Gene Roddenberry died in 1991 and after that the whole Star Trek franchise more and more deterred from Roddenberry's strong humanistic and utopian vision. DS9 was the first series done without his involvement and that is showing. However, not as strong as it did in ENT oder JJ.

[@c4blew]

I would say TNG is how rational, idealistic humans of the future would act, DS9 is how todays selfish humans would act in the same situation. DS9 was not more realistic as many people say, it was just less idealistic,more morally questionable and immature...a mirror of the american society of the late 90´s-today in comparison to that US of the 40´s-late 80´s that dominated Star Trek before!

[@EruditeFuzz]

TheddunTOSS The Enterprise D inarguably faced several conflicts, but the status of the surrounding Federation is what made them "fine." The Galaxy Class is a veritable luxury liner masquerading as an exploration vessel. It was a want-nothing ship that expressed the paradise of Federation Humanism life, and how that lifestyle is better than all the others. The conflicts TNG had were incidental skirmishes with sometimes immense, but ultimately short-lived conflicts that resolved in the Federation remaining utopia. DS9's perspective is more how Starfleet operates when it's acting to preserve it's very existence from overwhelming opposition. As you said, this is with more everyday conflicts and relatibility, but it's also missing the luxuries and stability of a Federation station. I personally see the whole show as a challenge to the core values of the Federation by putting them in the fray of present social politics. "It's easy to be a saint in paradise. But, this isn't paradise..." should be the tagline for the entire series.

[@thrakerzad5874]

TNG was all about peace and a golden age in the alpha quadrant, DS9 was a huge cluster fuck of hostile shit coming through the wormhole.

[@atrociousconsequences4432]

TNG "everything was fine" ? What the hell ?? The Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians, the Borg and so many other villains, nothing was "fine" !!!

[@YggdrasilMedia]

DS9 was the anti-TNG in so many ways. The Enterprise is the Federation flagship, staffed by the best of the best, always going on exciting missions, etc. In the beginning nobody really wanted to be on DS9, they just got stuck there. The Defiant is the anti-Enterprise, being a tiny warship rather than an exploratory vessel like the rest of Starfleet. It even gets hijacked by Tom Riker, the anti-Will Riker, just to really drive the point home. On the flipside it humanized many of the traditional villains of TNG (Klingons, Ferengi, Cardassians). It turned the concept of Star Trek completely on its head to see if it still holds up and worked brilliantly.

[@noahsullivan1683]

Actually Jullian Bashir wanted to be on DS9 :)

[@YggdrasilMedia]

Ok, with few exceptions ;)

[@niceguy60]

Noah Sullivan Frontier medicine.

[@spc.callahan1462]

The character O'Brien, who is my favorite in the franchise, stated he hated being on Enterprise.

[@barbarusbloodshed6347]

I always thought that DS9s purpose was to show a different "level" of the federation. Basically... NextGen shows us the "best of the best", people who are at the top... they are the best in their fields and they are high up in the federation hierarchy because of the status the Enterprise has as the flagship. And DS9 showed the more flawed individuals, I am not saying that those aboard the Enterprise didnt have flaws but maybe fewer and maybe they were more determined to overcome their flaws or not let them show (like Picard). The folks on DS9 more or less accepted their flaws and never seemed to consider themselves as "best of the best". They saw themselves as pretty much standard federation citizens thrown into special situations at times simply because of DS9s position, not because they themselves were special. And I think this shows throughout the whole show. Bashir is the outsider when his genetic modifications and his superiority become apparent... for a short time the others dont know how to deal with him, he suddenly seems "above" them with his abilities while they are "normal". And Sisko struggles for a long time to accept his special position as emissary... This is why I always thought DS9 was supposed to be the look into the "guts" of the federation, the "middle class", if you will, where people are less perfect representatives of the federation than those at the top of Starfleet...

[@ZeMole3]

you could expand this to the whole crew really .... kira is the anti riker in emotional temperament, dax is the anti data in sociability and humanness (or trillness), bashir is the anti crusher as a young pup on the search for a good time, odo is the anti worf because he doesnt follow the rulebook to get things done (until worf shows up on the station), o brien is the anti geordi in that all the engineering is hobbled together, quark is the anti guinan in that he is scheming and manipulative and nog is the anti wesley in that he was never a golden boy to begin with... However saying all that there are commonalities ... the first officers are responsible and sexually intriguing in the series stories, the science officers need to step into themselves, the security guards are lonely figures far from home, the doctors are humanitarians to the point of getting in trouble, the engineers are problem solvers who take the most pride in the ship/station, the bartenders break the rules and the hierarchies to teach the officers lessons about themselves and the wider world and the kids develop a burning need to serve and prove themselves the reason for the commonalities is because we are like the scientists, the engineers, the managers, the bartenders... trek characters are based on archetypes of our own society

[@marshallhuffer4713]

Jake was also anti-Wesley as he had no interest in joining Starfleet, but became a writer and journalist.

[@twokingz04]

Excellent commentary. I was always comparing Wesley to Jake though for some reason.

[@starfox6957]

"nog is the anti wesley in that he was never a golden boy to begin with..." And doesn't make everyone want to cause grievous bodily harm to a child

[@Phoenix-214]

And Worf was the anti-Worf because he stopped getting the shit kicked out of him every episode-

[@saniakshay12]

@@Phoenix-214 Lmao! This was so weird, suddenly Worf the guy who was thrown around like a baseball could beat the Jem'hadar! Worf got a lot better on DS9

[@patrickdodds7162]

"The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth."--Picard, ("The First Duty") "I lied, I cheated, I bribed men to cover the crimes of other men. I am an accessory to murder and the most damning part of it all is I think I can live with it."--Sisko ("In the Pale Moonlight") Yes, definitely an inversion.

[@jayclark8805]

you just took random quotes...wtf wrong with you

[@larrytipton2868]

Sisko did save the alpha quadrant though.........

[@holdtightadele8017]

@@jayclark8805 They arent random quotes... they're a contradiction of eachother. Picard is obsessed with truth, while Sisko admitted to lieing, bribing men and being an accessory to murder.

[@the_kraken6549]

Hey we bought Romulan support for the life of a Romulan official, and the self esteem of a single starfleet officer, I call that a bargen.

[@Altezza447]

@@jayclark8805 not ramdom they bithbsaid that in the show

[@youtert]

"Picard never hit me."

[@SIMPDUDE]

I ain't Picard.

[@summer20105707]

Kirk would have punched you.

[@CrazyshadowTalksFootball]

Looks like Lorca would have punched Q as soon as he steps one foot on the Discovery lol

[@TSEDLE333]

Picard NEVER needed to punch Q...thats the difference...and if it wasnt for prophet mommy, and lots of shield armor, he would have been erased from continuity all togheter...

[@Ragitsu]

Why people think Sisko losing his cool and punching Q is "badass" is beyond me. If anything, it indicates a lack of impulse control.

[@DSolymanH]

Sisko was my favorite captain. I found him to be much more real and believable. He was flawed. And I loved him. I have always loved comparing DS9 to TNG. Ignoring the death of Roddenberry and the shift that Berman made away from Gene's utopian vision of the future, I always rationalized in-universe Sisko's or DS9's cruel existence and harsher reality as being a consequence of it being a border outpost abutting the Gamma quadrant. They were more vulnerable, they were less supported, they were in a crueler section of space. Help was days away. Sisko was the cowboy captain but he had to grow into that role. "In the Pale Moonlight" shows Sisko being Sisko. He did what he had to do. He brought the Romulans into the war but had to give up (for himself) part of what Starfleet is in the process.

[@ThexGuardian]

The one thing I disagree with here is the description of Picard as prim, proper, and from a good upbringing. Picard was actually kind of a ruffian as a kid and into his academy years... in fact he almost died in a bar fight at Starfleet academy. Hardly prim. Also let's look at his family--- his brother hardly gives off the vibe of an aristocrat. Picard became the way he did because he knew he had to cut himself off from his basal attitudes if he wanted to make something of himself, due in part to Boothby, the Starfleet groundskeeper and in part to his near death injury in the bar fight.

[@Leoluvesadmira]

ThexGuardian not to mention he also has a mind meld with Sarek (Spocks dad)

[@jasoncarto]

White Guilt is currently a fad in many communities, when they see a white person acting in a proper manner they assume they were born with a silver spoon and never had a blister in their life. It's pretty much bigotry. Apparently coming from a rough backround means you cant be a civilized individual as an adult. Fucking bullshit.

[@tonlito22]

Picard does however consciously give off the image of an officer and a gentleman, his emotional distance is a partially a result of his upbringing. This isn't to say Picard is a bad character or poorly written, he is just very different.

[@kaitlyn__L]

either ww3 didn't fuck france, or ~the revolution~ decided to just leave alone every "family owned land" because of reasons. gotta wonder why the picard vineyard wasn't turned into housing or industrial replicators, such a thing seems rare and yet here's a man with his wife and child who owns and runs a huge amount of land and everyone just seems to leave him alone.

[@gbisaga]

That's a great point I never thought about before. So there's no money in the 24th century... but there is land ownership? How is that any better? All lack of money means is that, once you own land, you own it forever... sort of a built-in caste system. As much as I love the episode Family, methinks there's something amiss in the 24th century.

[@CaptainBars]

In the episode where Commander Sisko was finally promoted to Captain, the DS9 staff had a celebration party wherein Chief O’Brien made a toast to “to the newest and BEST captain in Starfleet.” This scene is significant because O'Brien served under both Captains, and so the fact that he used the word "best" when referring Sisko clearly establishes who he personally thought was better. As for Wolf, who also served under both Captains, we can observe that after serving under Picard for many years, Worf considered leaving Starfleet, but after serving under Sisko for only a very brief time, he decided to stay in Starfleet. Further to this, Worf later admitted to Jadzia that he felt intimidated by Sisko but never ever admitted, suggested, or inferred to anyone that he felt intimidated by Picard. :)

[@Mia199603]

O'Brien had a brown-nosing tendency. In the Wounded he butters up both his former (Maxwell) and current (Picard) captains. I wouldn't pay any attentions to such praises from him.

[@CaptainBars]

@@Mia199603 I noticed you you didn't have any refute for the part where I discussed Worf though. :)

[@NotHarpoGroucho]

@@CaptainBarsThat’s because Picard wasn’t best friends with his crew, they had good working relationships. In “All Good Things” the last TNG episode, Picard shows up to his first poker game. While Sisko cooked dinner once every few weeks for everyone. You also have to realize that there is likely a lot of trauma bonding on DS9.

[@Meushell]

Sisko‘s reaction whenever he deals with a baby is always fun to watch. I think we are also seeing Brook’s love of children there. I know he’s an actor and all, but he just lights up in a way that’s beyond just acting. That’s part of why Ben and Jake felt so realistic as father and son.

[@colinheimann1802]

Stoic/rational Picard was an inversion of passionate/emotional Kirk. Sisko brings a more passionate captain to the screen, but I wouldn't call him an anti-Picard in the way Picard was an anti-Kirk. And Sisko could give a morality speech that would get a nod from Picard with the hot-blooded passion of Kirk.

[@menacelurkingyet8345]

Picard: What the devil ? I am emotional enough, damn you, emotional enough !!

[@SB-vj7sz]

Consider the whole shows. TNG is a family inhabited, military or NASA like ship with a disciplined structure. Everything is done by the book, with a standard trained crew, and there is a utopian air about it. Keep in mind, this was Roddenberry's way of addressing and changing society. Unfortunately Gene died. Then enter Rick Berman, with DS9, which is more like a western frontier style. The crew is not standard, the rules are split between the Federation and Bajor with Sisco having to make a call and let the ends work themselves out. Even Odo and Kira often have certain levels of autonomy when it comes to the rules, and don't always have to follow Sisco but do mostly out of loyalty and respect. This almost ragtag team sits on the edge of a borderland where all kinds of people come and go (good, bad and ugly). The station is not as family friendly even though they make it work. Two shows, one with its bright utopian backdrop and the other with its grittier dim setting, make the depth of each show catchy in their own ways. Picard orders without explanation and Sisco explains many times because his staff are not Federation trained. Even TNG ends with "a happily ever after" but DS9 ends with Sisco sacrificing himself to save the day, leaving a pregnant girlfriend and his adult son. There are still many contrasts but you can see the opposing factors.

[@InfernosReaper]

Thought DS9 was more Ira Steven Behr than Berman. Though, I wonder how much of it was J. Michael Straczynski, since DS9 borrowed heavily his Babylon 5 pitch.

[@deadknight1402]

Also, whereas Picard would be taught lessons by Q, Sisko's first interaction with him involved punching him in the gut. He does not fear God. God fears him.

[@Kainlarsen]

I think a big difference can be found in the fact that while Sisko is a single father and widower, Picard has never had a family of his own, he's married to the job. Perhaps, having put his wilder days behind him, he feels that he has to set an example to others by being a captain first. Sisko's personality is definitely more easy-going and he believes in community first, we see him in the pilot, trying to get everyone to work together, despite their interpersonal misgivings (Quark and Odo, Kira/Bajorans and the starfleet personnel). DS9 itself sees a far more relatable cast with more emotion. I guess it had to be, a show about life on a space station is going to have far more continuity than something like TNG.

[@Mia199603]

Perhaps not having a family was a good choice. In later seasons he did have a family on Catan, but became a psycho (movies anyone...) anyway.

[@thiagoolive28]

It´s 2020 and I am still thrilled on how DS9 is terrific

[@Gootothesecond]

My favorite captain is Sisko, he added an edge to Starfleet. He was willing to face what was a hostile universe and couldn't really go anywhere when he did.

[@marileestetson737]

Gootothesecond, "In the Pale Moonlight" -- "I did all that but I can live with it. Because I CAN live with it. "

[@techlord5573]

The one thing I liked about Sisko when he seen War coming he decked out his space station with weapons and then he built his own ship how badass is that.

[@demarcusfaulkner7411]

sisko is more of the ballsy tough guy and Picard is kinda of a diplomatic professor type to me they both have there place and essentially either one is useful when the time arrives

[@ussbased-a7074]

1:49 Notice how the uniform colors are inverted too

[@Transgender-ProphetMohammed]

Sherlock confirmed

[@pittland44]

Quite True.

[@gunblade250]

They changed uniforms a few times over the course of DS9 (this was also reflected in the movies). In the first episode of DS9 both Picard and Sisko wore the same uniform.

[@PetersaberHD]

They changed the uniforms sometime during the series. The change was included in TNG movies, too, so it was chronologically universal in the franchise

[@nathanielhellerstein5871]

Q praised the change. "I like your new tailor."

[@matthewflorence8026]

I effin love both but this is spot on. If you asked me to pick a captain to work under I would most certainly pick Sisko. A leader who's not afraid to bend the rules and get dirty. My favorite all time episodes of any Star Trek have been the time travel episodes of DS9.

[@herichimoify]

One thing I like about DS9, the intrusion of reality into the high-falootin uppity-upness of federation ideals of the 24th century Federation. Right from the Get-go Sisko had to get over any federation snobbery and deal with the real world. Granted season three was a trudge through slow boring muck... The development of Sisko (and some might say the Federation) into a more in-touch-with-reality person is obvious. One of my favorite episodes, In the Pale Moonlight, has some of the greatest character growth in any Trek show prior or since.

[@MilsurpMikeChannel]

The on-ly thing I don't like a-bout Sis-ko is that he has to e-nun-ci-ate ev-e-ry sing-le syl-la-ble that he speaks.

[@audreyandremington5265]

Not as bad as Kirk tho

[@mmjahink]

@@audreyandremington5265 lol that's not saying much

[@audreyandremington5265]

@@mmjahink true

[@markhoffart622]

Duh? Sisko speaks clearly. Better than most.

[@blackjacktrial]

What could you poss-i-bly mean by his displays of frus-tra-tion by me-tic-u-lous pro-nun-ci-ation? Sisko only does that when he has no time for argument or debate.

[@kuribo1]

everyone i think always looks at this wrong, the Enterprise was the epitome of the Federation and those who lived on it lived and breathed those ideals. Picard and crew were a family who all had their backs in what ever was going on. People forget that TNG had its troubled times as well, not everything was so peachy all the time. Polaski anyone? Jellico? Worf even commented on that fact when moving to DS9. The Enterprise was a collective of like minded individuals with one goal, far different from DS9. I do not see DS9 as being more real or closer to the truth it is just different because not everyone had your back or shared your same ideals and goals. Like Q said to Sisko you are far easier to provoke, Q did not have such a high opinion of Sisko and crew, which he commented on multiple occasions.

[@msinvincible2000]

I liked Pulaski, she was badass. At first it was hard to like her because she seemed so cold, and mean to Data, but after a few episodes I started to like her. In all fairness, it was easy to prefer her to that insipid and boring Mary Sue Beverly Crusher (who was all perfect, who knew everything about everything, a superwoman with no defaults, yet so soft and lovely). Pulaski was real, she was "old-school" and quite a badass.

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

Avery Brooks hooked me into the DS9 series at the very first episode. What a great job he did.

[@Snotnarok]

I've seen a lot of comments about Picard vs Sisko in comment sections and they all seem to be fans but at the same time they don't seem to understand the differences between these characters... Picard is often criticized for being too much of a pacifist, often giving the enemy many shots at the ship when Sisko would have fired back pronto. Sisko doesn't have a Galaxy Class ship which can take a lot more punishment vs Sisko's old Miranda class and even the mighty Defiant. The other MAJOR thing is Picard was always trying to stop wars, constantly going out of his way to do so even if it meant taking a few shots to the ship. TNG takes place in a major time of peace when there's no major war going on and his personal goal is to preserve this at all costs. He's not scared to break laws or treaties though. He goes right into the Neutral Zone and when he gets ambushed, he brings up his own trap of klingon ships. He's not stupid, he's not against fighting, he's against war. Sisko tries this at the start too but then when war kicks in well, he makes sure he's got good guns. A lot of DS9 involves war (most likely due to technology being better allowing for more ships, more effects more cheap vs models) and Sisko of course is going to fight back without hesitation. It's WAR, it's not a time of peace or in a shaky treaty. They're both good at what they do in their own shows. Don't like Picard because he's a pacifist? Well we saw how well that turned out when the Federation never ended their war with the Klingons, they were LOSING. Don't like Sisko being a bit trigger happy? Well federation is at war so that federation ideal is going to have to take a back seat to the likes of the Defiant and Akira.

[@az21bob666]

enemy many shots at the ship also he was in the flag ship the most important ship, he in a lot of cases was talking to high up people, he the reason they did not go to war, more then once. and he was willing to fight with his ship, or hand to hand, even worf said he trust him to hand to hand combat. the best when he was worf chadage, you do not command here human, picard I did not come here to command, then you must come to fight, something Starfleet does not teach you, picard you can test that any time you want.

[@mrizwan7566]

Best abd rational comment, what fanboys dont realise that ots pointless to talk trash of other captains. It wont increase your favorite captain fanbase and certainly wont deter the fans of other captain. I saw people getting 5oxic calling picard names and stuff.

[@antwan1357]

I think the regular viewers never got to see a African American actor use the full spectrum of emotion before that you saw with ds9 , for so long we always saw these cardboard cutouts of human emotion before with the aliens or androids getting more in depth depictions.

[@DaveMiller2]

I always felt Picard was stuffy, stiff, elitist, snobish, distant, and emotionally bound. He made good speeches and was respected, but was pacifistic to a fault and not relatable. Sisko was more real, practical, emotionally free, and understandable. He could be mean and calculating and a bit too emotional here and there, but he was also respected and admired. A brilliant military mind and good at reading people. He was relatable. Picard is a good character, but Sisko is a better one I think. DS9 is more realistic and has aged much better than TNG. TNG was the utopian ideal, squeeky clean, like Leave it to Beaver. DS9 is more like The Wire. When idealizing Picard, remember the old saying, It's easy to be a saint in paradise.

[@david2.065]

agreed. I also hate Picard's sentiments towards religion of any kind. Picard has this elitist derision, while Sisko actually takes the time to listen.

[@FireflyFanatic3]

I always preferred Sisko and DS9 for all of these reasons. I don't think that TNG is a bad series, but in this utopian society where humans have everything sorted out, all of the conflict has to come from outside the core characters and the ship, which can become very repetitive, and doesn't lend itself very well to character development as much. DS9 takes the premise of this utopian society and flips it on its head. Are humans really any better? Can you "evolve" out of violence/greed/malice/war etc.? No, it's something that you have to constantly put effort into. Which, I believe, represents a much more realistic view of any hopeful future humanity might have. I like to believe that humans will be better one day, but not by just "evolving" or "outgrowing" our worse nature, but by continuously, actively making the choice to do the right thing over and over and over again.

[@AntwonKey]

“We’re human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands! But we can stop it. We can admit that we’re killers . . . but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! Knowing that we’re not going to kill - today!” - Captain James T. Kirk

[@marileestetson737]

Quark in "Siege of 558" " Let me tell you something about Hew-mons, Nephew. They're a wonderful, friendly people, as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working. But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those same friendly, intelligent, wonderful people... will become as nasty and as violent as the most bloodthirsty Klingon. You don't believe me? Look at those faces. Look in their eyes."

[@Mister__Jey]

but thats not what roddenberry wanted to show, how the future should be. so ds9 is not represented for star trek like tng or voyager.

[@Shattered-Realm]

Picard is a legend. Janeway makes questionable descisions but I like her spirit. Even Archer is OK. Sisko is just to familiar with everybody. He is the homeboy you go out and have a beer with. perhaps it's relatable but Picard just commands respect. He's polite and well mannered but the instant he speaks you know you he's not one to fuck with.

[@deanbrown2061]

Cisco, Kirk, made better Warriors than the diplomat like John Luke Picard

[@zoro115-s6b]

Sisko and Picard both seem to have a definite natural authority. They both command instant obedience, and they don't need to yell or threaten people with punishments to get them to obey (things I've always seen as signs of a poor leader). I actually think it's impressive though that Sisko manages this while not being aloof with his crew. Sure, he'll hang out at Quark's and share a drink and tell some jokes with you, but when he gives an order, there is absolutely no questioning it. I actually think Archer is interesting, because he really doesn't seem as natural comfortable in a position of command as Picard or Sisko or even Janeway. But I think he perfectly represents the character of starfleet at the time the show is set. He's an explorer. He wants to go out and see the galaxy. All the other captains were aware of and prepared for the possibility of having to fight. But Archer is, at the start of the series, a total optimist, who doesn't even see why the ship needs weapons. I think that he gets pushed out of his comfort zone more than any of the other captains, and I like seeing that, and how he adapts and changes his attitude as the series progresses and he learns that 90% of everything in space wants to kill you.

[@TheHumanNacho]

The Original Series was about bold faced exploration under the command of a cowboy. The Next Generation was the same exploration, but now as measured steps, under a calm and collected diplomat. But DS9 wasn't about the exploration: rather than a ship, Sisko commanded a station, and as such, most of the exploration happened inward. After all, the shiny Federation of Picard had some rotten apples, but it didn't cast shadows, let alone shadows dark enough to hide Section 31.

[@usm05065]

I wholeheartedly agree. Picard was definitely more of the stand-offish type when it can't to private loves, where Sisko rather enjoyed getting to know his crew through any means really.

[@matthewegan5281]

This video is what got me into Deep Space 9, and I must thank you for it. Sisko is a fantastic captain, the whole conflict is intriguing to watch, and you have my gratitude for showing me this series.

[@inceptionreport2869]

Kirk or Picard?: Sisko

[@JohnZ117]

Like I've typed before: Sisko Better at relationships than Picard, better at singing than Kirk.

[@Doncroft1]

You have the right answer.

[@atrociousconsequences4432]

Janeway Archer

[@PittPanthers90]

1) Kirk 2) Sisko 3) Janeway 4) Archer (could have been higher, series cut short) 5 to infinity minus 1) Everyone else except Infinitely worst captain ever) Picard

[@MatthieuStepec]

@Pittpanthers90 why?

[@arandomstartreknerd7261]

DS9 is an absolutely brilliant show and in my opinion it's the absolute best in Star Trek.

[@Trecesolotienesdos]

i like both, but picard was more relatable. many noted military officers didn't have kids, and often because their careers didn't allow it.

[@the79]

Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. This is what I love about Star Trek. There are no characters formed using "cookie cutters". Like in life, Star Trek is very diverse. Aside from STD, the writers have made it flow smoothly. I understood very well why Sisko had animosity towards Picard in the beginning. Though he was under control of the Borg at Wolf 359, I could see how all Sisko wanted to do was kill Picard. But was choosing not to allow his rage to consume him. Maybe I just didn't read as much into it. I just saw two different Starfleet Captains, each creating their own legacies on their own terms. And yes, Sisko is my favorite Captain as well. Avery Brooks did an amazing job with the character.

[@KvnDWr]

Avery Brooks was my best friend's godfather in high school, and I was fortunate enough to meet him in real life. He's a REALLY down to earth, funny guy and I was very fortunate to have that experience... especially since I was a die hard trekkie and DS9 fan

[@BigDaddy_BHJ1977]

I love sisko! Especially in pale moon light and for the uniform! He becomes a good villian is there is such a thing. Doing what Kirk and Archer would do.

[@Frizzleman]

One of my favourite running bits is when sisko is handed a random baby for whatever reason and can’t focus on anything else. He’s a great dad and a great man and he reminds me of my own father and I live that. DS9 is my favourite Star Trek for so many reasons not least of which is Captain Sisko. Great video as ever,

[@kamrudjacobson4438]

Also Picard is a scientist and Sisko is a mystic...

[@A_RyanWilson]

There's one thing between them that isn't opposite: the amount of hair on their heads

[@adamlytle2615]

Yep. DS9 zigs where every other Trek zags. Even looking at the early upbringing of the Trek Captains reveals Sisko as different than his contemporaries. Picard grew up on his family's vineyard. Janeway grew up on or near her grandfather's farm. Sisko grew up working in his father's restaurant in New Orleans. (was going to add that Kirk also grew up on a farm, but I'm realizing all I know for sure is that he was born in Iowa, which I certainly associate with farming but I don't know what his family did)

[@atrociousconsequences4432]

zig: one of the sharp turns, angles, or alterations zag: one of the sharp turns, angles, or alterations

[@aaronTNGDS9]

Excellent assessment! You covered all the bases quite well. Both Sisko and Picard were great captains, each had unique distinct admirable human characteristics, and human flaws, ideal for the role.

[@Palmerrip]

If you really analyze TNG to DS9: DS9 undos several things that TNG had established. TNG made peace with the Cardassians, DS9 broke that peace, repeatedly eventually ending up with a war with the Dominion. TNG upheld the ban on Federation ships not having cloaks (not including the final episode as the future is fluid), DS9 has a ship with a cloak assigned to it. TNG establishes not only a peaceful coexistence with the Federatiin and Klingons but a brotherhood like with Picard and Gowron; DS9 breaks that peace and the Klingons fight a war that is devastating on both sides - true it was through Dominion manipulation - still it they did that... get the idea?

[@PittPanthers90]

It was the Maqui being more realistically portrayed and the Dominion which sparked the war with Cardasia. The Romulans granted a WAIVER on the cloaked ship for the express purposes of help against the Dominion. As such that is NOT a treaty breach when the Romulan government granted the waiver. (Operating the cloak in the Alpha quadrant was a violation of that waiver though). The Klingons were DUPED by the Dominion into the war, and were easily duped as they preyed upon with their quick to war non-trusting instincts. None of this is against Gene's vision, this is just things that gene would overlook in his utopian vision, but things that should have been addressed

[@Dargonhuman]

Eh, even in TNG, the peace between Cardassia and the Federation was troubled at best, and that was long before the Maquis were even players in that arena; hell the Maquis were formed as a direct reaction to Cardassian aggression toward former Federation worlds. The open war between Cardassia and the Klingons was the natural result of the Cardassians campaign of aggressive expansionism, the same campaign that led to the treaty between Cardassia and the Federation (which was ignored by the Cardassians more often than it was observed). War with the Cardassians was inevitable, the only reason it took them so long to formally declare it was because they lacked the resources to engage in a prolonged conflict (hence the rapid, aggressive expansionism to secure those resources) until the Dominion came along and offered their support. As far as Klingon/Federation relations go, that's always been a love/hate relationship. If it hadn't been for the Praxis incident leading to the signing of the Khitomer Accords, not to mention the sacrifice of the Enterprise-C at Narendra III (and probably a whole bunch of other events), the Federation would be at war with the Klingons well into DS9's era. Even during the brief times of peace between both nations, there has always been an undercurrent of hostility and distrust on both sides. As far as the Defiant's cloak, that was one ship under special circumstances; the ban was still in effect for literally every other Starfleet ship.

[@twicetwotimes45]

Palmerrip Thw federation got cloaking tech from the Romulans and Klingons, during the Dominion War. The Cardassians and Federation had a treaty to not invade each other's space, similar to the Romulans. However, it was Gul Dukat who broke the treaty and allied with the Dominion, after the Federation was at war with the Dominion. Technically the DS9 crew didn't really do anything except guarantee Bajor's protection during reconstruction.

[@DrTHasanJohnson]

I don’t think that DS9 disrupts what TNG sets up, I think it concluded each issue. The war with the Cardassians is brought to its conclusion, the Maqui, etc. actually, each is sort of resolved. The difference to me was that the resolution was messier than what TNG established, which was more smooth (probably too much so).

[@AtopLeap]

I absolutely agree, especially recently. Though I still really like Picard, over time, I have come to see him more as a kind of strict and uptight father figure who seems, as you said, really distant. Whereas Sisko is the kind of person you just want to sit down and have a drink and a chat with, who you can really get to know. If I had to choose between either of them as a father, I would definitely choose Sisko. I suppose it is kind of that dynamic between the two kinds of fathers: Picard: the strict kind who believes in discipline and strong maturity, believing that rules will keep you on the right track. Sisko: the gentle kind who believes in maturity through the freedom to be yourself, trusting you to make the right call, and guiding you along the way. Both are fully capable of being loving parents, but only one really feels like the more fatherly figure.

[@solarisone1082]

That might be influenced by the fact that Sisko had to basically fulfill the role of both father and mother, after Jennifer died.

[@Forcemaster2000]

A great look at the similarities and differences between these two characters! I loved DS9, I wish television would dip back into that "well" for inspiration on a new Star Trek series!

[@Kaboom-du7ys]

i have always said "i think Picard might technically be the better star fleet captain, but Sisko will always be my favorite." i can't help it, hes more relatable. more than that, i like how he deals with problems more. he has no problem getting his hands dirty, which they make sure to make a very blunt point of in the very first episode when he meets Kira. its not that Picard is afraid, but you get the feeling he tolerates it, whereas in some cases you could say Sisko downright enjoys it. that, and yes, his love of his family, & home cooking. to me, life is not worth much without family & good, hearty food :)

[@gbisaga]

One of my favorite quotes: "I'm not Picard."

[@terranempire2]

1000% agree. Sisco Represents as far from picard as possible. Even Janeway became in my view a sort of Fem-Picard on many occasions. And Kirk became a proto-picard in some moments of the movies. It's not that I Dislike Picard. He's a very interesting Captain and Character, yet at the same time I think his character profile became an overused Trope For TNG Captains. With Sisco you have a more Alpha male type captain who even impresses the Klingons. in Some ways He's more like the TOS Kirk.

[@ECHenry]

To add to your point about Janeway, I also felt that while DS9 was a radical departure from TNG, Voyager only pretended to do something new, while most of its stories and presentation were TNG in nature. So that fits with Janeway being more of a return to Picard-style captains.

[@90lancaster]

Don't sell Kathern short she's a homicidal loon too.

[@terranempire2]

I did say on many occasions, She fits the latter the rest of the time.

[@Gootothesecond]

+EC Henry I think a big reason for that is the fundamental difference in the shows, TNG and VOY take place on ships that are, more or less, exploring. They may find trouble anywhere so they have to be careful not to provoke. DS9 takes place on a station so there has to be a bit of "strength" show to stand their ground.

[@whiskeyfur]

Picard, Janeway = "We're just strolling through, nevermind us.." Sisko = "This is MY F--king neighborhood and if you got a problem with it, bring it..." and he certainly does.

[@VELVETPERSON]

Can't believe i found this channel only on 2023

[@MetisRose95]

And Kirk is somewhere in between the two extremes...that's why I love Captain Kirk

[@rebelalien5523]

Sisko/DS9 are by far my fav of the post Original Series captains/shows.

[@scootersaintjames]

People fail to realize that Sisko blamed Picard for his wife's death at Wolf 359...

[@mistycat1]

I completely agree. Deep Space 9 was my favorite and Sisco was my favorite character.

[@OBIONEBARRONI]

I think Benjamin Sisko was the best too. Gul Dukat had to be one of the best bad guys ever.. I'm just bummed that they are doing "ANOTHER" stupid prequel. Are they ever going to make a continuation... I wanna see the new tech and crew..Explore the beta quadrant!

[@StephenGillie]

This video is on a completely different set of KZbin domains - actually on the old GoogleVideo domain. Not sure why, but it freaked me out because those weren't in my adblocker, and it looked like your video got pulled. Thanks for the great videos!

[@Snowwie88]

Picard & Worf: Worf : Romulan Warbird decloaking 5,000 km of our bow sir!!!!!!!! Picard : Hail them mr. Worf Worf : No response, they are raising their shields Picard : Hail them again mr. Worf Worf : Their firing a torpedo captain Picard : Warn them we will return fire Worf : Shields are at 40% captain Picard : Hail them again Worf : They fire disruptors and torpedo's Picard : Seal all decks, place forcefield, Geordi can we get out of here? Worf : Contact with engineering is gone sir Picard : Helm, steer us into the nebulae Worf : Shall I return fire sir? Picard : How many shields do we have left mr. Worf? Worf : Forward shields are gone sir, aft shield are at 20%, half of the ship is depressurized Picard : To the nebulae helm Helm : Which nebulae sir? Picard : I don't care, find one. Worf : Torpedo's are armed and ready sir Picard : Hold mr Worf, they stopped firing Worf : But sir, these are Romulans Picard : Ask them if the have any Romulan Ale? Worf : They fire 10 torpedo's at our warp core sir!!!! Picard : Damn gonna miss my tea too BOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Sisko & Worf: Worf : Romulan Warbird decloaking 5,000 km of our bow sir!!!!!!!! Sisko : Fire at will until they are complete disabled. Worf : Ai sir. Firing quantum torpedo's, phasers and tea cups. Warbird disabled Sisko : Toe the damn thing with the Defiant to Starfleet HQ, lots of goodies in there. Worf : YES SIR !!!

[@TheRayvolution]

Snowwie88 Spot on. 🤣

[@stormydavis8546]

Excellent video and you're right on point on the differences, although one thing they do have in common is to shy away from the spotlight, for different reasons, but still in common.

[@becauseitscurrentyear8397]

Its a common theme in star trek that station commanders are flamboyant and social characters its not surprising that Sisko was written the way he is. Just as star ship captains are boxed off as isolated. They overtly state this in the show many times.

[@craigcampbell5590]

I think you're spot on. It would've been cool if we could've seen the two meet again at the end of DS9, to see of everything Sisco had been through, and having his own command and Captaincy, might've altered the way he sees Picard at all? I'd love it if we got a glimpse of that in the new Picard series.

[@bonetower]

I love DS9 over the rest of star trek simply for its more down to earth/human traits. It's the day to day running of a space station with all the faults and troubles that can and would come with it. It has a lot of the usual Trek flavour inserted but comes out as something rather unique in its own way.

[@chrisd2051]

Kirk and Sisko were basically the American style officers where as Picard was a more British style officer. Being Kirk and Sisko were more flexible and able to find common ground with their men but still had their respect where as Picard had a more aristocratic mentality that drove success.

[@erojerisiz1571]

1:09 O'brien rocking that hat like there's no tomorrow

[@LCTesla]

the good thing about Sisko and DS9, though, is that they broadened the color palette of Star Trek without coloring outside of the lines of what defined it as genuine Star Trek. Not like Discovery and Picard, which try to "subvert expectations" by urinating on everything Star Trek stood for.

[@dochoskinsjr9807]

Sisko is my ALL TIME Favorite Star Trek character, barely eeking out Uhura. He was fully fleshed out along with his show that fully fleshed out the Star Trek Universe.

[@TieDef]

Yeah, well Picard would never have used a weapon of mass destruction, so I guess you're right.

[@deanbrown2061]

John Luke Picard character is a diplomat Cisco Kirk those are warriors And in a war you want a warrior not a . Diplomat commanding the fight..

[@marcuswoody2485]

America used one so do u dislike America stop it he knew the man he knew what would make him surrender sisko was a strategist rewatch show during the retaking of ds9 he commanded the fleet chess young fella

[@H4hT53]

You are completely right - and still they are both my favourite Star Trek shows and captains.

[@Atom.Storm.]

DS9 was the best ST for me. But with Picard, he ws destined to be the man who led the Federation and humanity onto something greater. He truly was the only man capable of doing this. Sisko ws a total badass but if it wasn't for the war he would have lived out his entire life as a just another good Starfleet captain. The war made Sisko the great man he was. Picard was always destined to be so.

[@Voitan]

One is an explorer/diplomat, the other is a governor. They have very different priorities.

[@scottythegreat1]

Q came on for one episode, and the only thing he seemed to like is Kira's ambition and temper as well as the new uniforms. There was no intellectual stimulation, and Sisko wouldnt be afraid to punch Q if Sisko was angered. That basically sums up the whole series and why Q never came back

[@TheN9nth]

Or Q realised that he couldn't manipulate the DS9 crew the same way he manipulated the Enterprise over and over again?

[@JoeNasr123]

Sisko is my favorite Captain too. I'd follow him into battle any day.

[@breotan]

Sisko was addicted to Ambien and Prozac.

[@nuno.picado]

You mean the opioid crisis will last until at least 2375?

[@90lancaster]

Sisko Socialising with his Minions is one of the element that to me seem more outrageous Science fiction than Faster than Light Travel or wormhole aliens.

[@bensisko4651]

Your right on point, great observations! I seem to remember one of the selling points (for lack of a better term) for DS9 was it wasn't going to be the kinder, gentler Startrek TNG was so, DS9 as a whole was the anti TNG.

[@TheAFB09]

Sisko also had a good relationship with his father where Picard did not.

[@DrTHasanJohnson]

It’s interesting to also consider the show’s set. TNG members remarked how dark and dreary DS9’s set was. That said, I think that might’ve been a symptom of Star Trek using DS9 to ask new questions about humanity. Here you had a situation where you didn’t have the same scenario as on and Enterprise ship, where everyone shared an outlook and a mission. DS9 sat at a wormhole that had omnipotent aliens in it while being connected to a quadrant of the universe with beings malevolent to the alpha quadrant-while sitting amidst a Cold War between discontent nations (Israel/Bajor(sp?), Germany/Cardassia, and China/Romulus). In other words, they had to sit and wait on a station to be approached or attacked from either the alpha or gamma quadrants, something different from explorative ships that had a say with whom they chose to interact.

[@Cathrac]

Still, I like Picard better.

[@nigelmurphy6761]

Same here dude.

[@rich1051414]

Yep. Sisko got the job done, but I never felt like I could trust him further than both of our interests align. I could see him opening an airlock on half his crew to save the other half without even contemplating a secondary option...

[@SectorZeroOne]

LOL!!!

[@Timrath]

Indeed, Sisko is too emotional, impulsive even, to be a good leader. Not to mention that his childish need to socialise with his crew is very unbecoming for a captain.

[@notatthistime3867]

Picard was a beta male wuss. I'd follow Sisko into battle anytime because I know he's got a pair on him. Do you think Worf was ever intimidated by Picard? If Picard accidentally stepped on a space cockroach, he would need 6 months of intensive therapy with Troi "because all life is sacred." I guarantee you Picard never would have done what Sisko did in order to bring the Romulans into the Dominion War. Because in his warped mind, "it would be better to see the entire Federation destroyed rather than compromise Federation principals." Then he'd probably give some lame speech on humanity as he watches Jem'hadar soldiers execute Federation personnel one by one in front of him.

[@alexanderward5286]

The only complaint I got is that this video is not longer and goes deeper into this fascinating concept

[@bbee8829]

The essence of the portrayals of Starfleet Captains is always analogous to American foreign policy of the period. Kirk was representative of the Gunboat diplomacy the post WW2 years. Picard, the maturation of the U.N. negotiation / post cold war phase. And Sisko is the Re emergence of the US political relations in the frontier. Not with the absolute supremacy of military power rather with the uncertainty of waning influence coupled with the nation building phase. Sisko is the president we wish we had: intelligent, practical, bold but wisely conservative with words and force. He's the evolution of Picard and Kirk, the inevitable center of the scale, the balance of force and diplomacy, the perfect king David, the poet General.

[@xBINARYGODx]

Well, one thing they, and seemingly all great Starfleet Officers, have in common is know when to bend and break the rules and/or order when it is truly justifiable. Many times they put into contrast with others who did basically the same thing, but the devil is in the details - and most or all of those officers showed they could not properly pull off "the ends justify the means" because you need a little more text added to that saying in order to not fall down a hole of immorality (IOW - it was never "well, killing a few hundred right now will save millions later" for Picard, Sisko or Kirk, but many of the people they would go up against from their own side would often go that far). Some will say that Sisko's work with Garak is one example where this is not true - but given the circumstances, and that Sisko was not meaning for anyone to die (one lie to save trillions? The ends justify the means with no or barely any moral failings), I think this point still holds true. At worst, it straddles the line.

[@therearenoshortcuts9868]

If he's the anti-picard he would have a lot more hair

[@Trekspertise]

Great argument. Nice work.

[@getsufuma2597]

Picard = idealist Sisko = realist

[@telzos]

Fortunately, DS9 aired before internet commentaries. They would have hated a lot about DS9 not being TNG, Sisko not being Picard...

[@Travigameis]

Sounds interesting, that might explain why I never liked Sisko and could never get into DS9 :P

[@cliffsweeney2207]

Thank you EC! I really like your insightful and detailed analysis of all things Trek. Keep up the excellent work!!

[@vanillacokejunky]

Nice commentary. DS9 is my favorite Star Trek series and it stands out being more deeper, darker, and brings out lots of human emotions with characters you can really relate to. So instead of Picard, they needed a protagonist who is deeper, darker, and not afraid to show his emotions. It makes sense.

[@ohmydinosare]

Great video, DS9 is my favourite star trek series, it's precisely because of these elements that are opposite to their counterparts on the other series, and the sisko/picard comparison is a good illustration of that.

[@firemanjoe9491]

I would love to have this episode to go on in more in depth comparison or situational history between the two gentleman. This was a wonderful video!

[@jameswilliamson6288]

sisko is a coward he abandones ship in a battle

[@gwgux]

I agree with this video. I didn't like Sisko in the beginning, but as the series developed and as I re-watched episodes and picked up on different things I missed before, Sisko grew into one of my favorite characters of all time from any series I've watched and DS9 is one of my favorite series I've watched too.

[@BlazingOwnager]

My favorite bit is Prime Directive stuff. Picard: "We have to stand by and watch all these people die because of the prime directive." Sisko: "Eh, screw that. Also screw the temporal prime directive."

[@madjawa3058]

Of course he's the best.....He is THE SISKO!!!

[@XxTaiMTxX]

He's also got The Benjamin Sisko's Motherfuckin' Pimp Hand to back him up. A ship specifically designed to kill Borg. And he just kept upgrading it as the series went on.

[@Rich_Man101]

Once again great video! Interesting observations.

[@MasterFhyl]

Benjamin Sisko is the hero Starfleet deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him. Because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. An Emissary.

[@TheVeritas1]

+Masterfhyl Nice nod to The Dark Knight.

[@Gammatron64]

Imagine if Sisko was in First Contact and the film was about rival captains having to get over their differences. The fact that Sisko and Picard only shared the screen in one episode is one of Star Trek's greatest missed opportunities I think. I would have really, really loved to see these characters interact with each other more. Where was the Enterprise in the Dominion War? Sadly that TNG \ DS9 crossover movie will only ever exist in my head.

[@DiscoTimelordASD]

I'm still a Next Gen Girl - but I can't argue about Sisko being a very welcome addition as he added a new dimension to being a Star Trek captain - just like those before him did in their own unique ways.

[@StatusMusicDesign]

I love Sisko as a character, but I think Avery Brooks is a weak actor. And I don't throw that around loosely. He does stern well. He does love, like for his son, well. And I think he does crazy ok, like when he's Mirror Sisko. But when you need him to be lighthearted, angry, funny, and dramatic that isn't love, I find his acting to be really strange, personally. He puts the emphasis in weird spots. Has Nicholas Cage-like outbursts. And acts in ways that I don't think most humans would act. This is especially apparent when you watch with subtitles, because you see the sentence coming up, and then he says it like a person unfamiliar with standard cadence. I'm no one to talk, obviously. I'm a schlub at a desk. And I love DS9. But when you compare his acting to how many of the other actors do their thing, it's a striking contrast.

[@Dargonhuman]

I felt that way about a lot of the DS9 cast. Granted, for some characters like Quark or Odo, it works to emphasize their alien-ness and their struggle to cope with human and human-like customs, but when it's coming from someone who's supposed to be human (like Sisko or Bashir) or someone who has had extensive contact with humans (like Dax), it's uncanny valley-level off putting. Hell, even when they pulled characters from TNG like O'Brien and Worf, their actors got wonky. I get the feeling it's not the actors but the directors and editors who are at fault here; the directors weren't able to get a decent performance out of the actors, and the editors chose weird takes to cut into the episodes instead of good ones.

[@atreides213]

Personally, only Avery Brooks' acting really threw me off at first, but eventually his...unique...acting style grew on me. I'm honestly shocked that you find the other actors so immersion breaking. I struggle to think how you even came to that conclusion.

[@StatusMusicDesign]

I must have phrased something wrong. I was suggesting that Avery is immersion-breaking, but that the others generally do a good job on realism, at least with regard to the genre.

[@atreides213]

I was actually aiming my reply at Dargonhuman. Sorry for the confusion.

[@vanillacokejunky]

DS9 is my favorite series, but Sisko is far from one of my favorite characters in it. I don't think the issue is with his acting abilities exactly, I think maybe he talks / "acts" like this in real life. It's kind of like an "accent" but not really something you would attribute to a specific country or race. I know people that talk and act like this, sometimes it does seem strange but you end up accepting them as it's just who they are. Anyways, his presence is strong enough that he doesn't need to rely on his speech to command respect and authority. I think that actually makes him a good actor whether you like his speech or not. There are some actors that don't need to say a word but just them being there "makes" the scene. I think Avery Brooks can do that, but due to the context of the show, he must of course speak. There is just too much going on to leave open to interpretation - a lot of things need to be explicitly stated to make sense. Personally I like other characters more myself - Quark like a small business owner trying to make it big, Odo (and somewhat Dax) struggling with identity, the many (mis)adventures of Bashir... all fantastic characters with great actors behind them. But I do think Sisko and Avery have their place among them too.

[@RMAli23]

Excellent analysis!

[@DavidMacDowellBlue]

An excellent if brief bit of analysis.