Actor Michael Dorn donned the Klingon mask as Worf in seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation before being done with it and hanging it up. However, he was soon called back to the makeup room for the spinoff series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which saw a completely new crew headed by Avery Brooks’ Captain Benjamin Sisko.
Dorn was among the few who had been on both sets and was in a position to compare and contrast. The actor spilled the tea on many of the differences in the sets of TNG and Deep Space Nine and how he reacted to it. According to him, the tone of the set seemed to be based around how the Captain of the show was.
Michael Dorn called the set of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine more serious than The Next Generation
For years, Michael Dorn wore the mask of Worf in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Several actors have complained about sitting in the makeup chair for hours, and Dorn too was not a fan of the chair. While he thought the films were probably the last of his time as Worf, producer Rick Berman reportedly called him to return in Deep Space Nine.
The spinoff series had a connection to TNG but quickly developed a cult following of its own. Headed by Avery Brooks’ Captain Benjamin Sisko, the series focused on the titular space station. Sisko was a different and less diplomatic leader than Patrick Stewart’s Captain Picard and apparently the difference showed in the tone of the set.
Michael Dorn spoke of how different it was for him on the sets of Deep Space Nine when he returned as Worf. He said that while he got along well with all the cast members, the TNG cast was more of a team than DS9. He said to Star Trek.com,
The TNG set was totally different. For some reason, we just really bonded with each other. I think it was our personalities just meshed. It’s not like we took each other’s personality. It was nothing like that, but the way that we were worked for us as a cast, definitely, and as people, too. Deep Space Nine, although each of the individuals are really cool people, as a cast there were definite separations. Certain actors didn’t hang out with certain actors.
Dorn mentioned that actors on DS9 were more individually connected than as a group and some actors bonded while others did not.
Michael Dorn believed that the show’s Captain established the tone of the set
While it is a bit hard to believe Sir Patrick Stewart, who once reportedly shouted at the TNG cast and crew for not taking acting seriously, was more easygoing than Avery Brooks, actor Michael Dorn certainly seems to think so. The Worf actor mentioned that he believed the reason for the difference in tone was due to the captains’ personalities.
Dorn speculated why Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s set was more serious than TNG’s. He said,
Individually they were great and I got along with everybody. I still do. But it was a very serious and quiet set when I got there. Who knows what that came from? Probably that was from the captain. The stars usually dictate the way the set is. Avery (Brooks) is a very serious guy, and so I think they just took that (tone). When I got over there, I was like, ‘Oh, my God, no. I can’t do this.’
Dorn reportedly then took a lighthearted approach on set and began making jokes and got along well with the cast members.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is available to stream on Paramount+.
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