Quora

[mako88sb]

I tried watching it for the first time a couple years ago, and . . . eh, something about the acting felt off for a lot of the characters, especially the human ones, and specially especially Commander Sinclair. So dry, it was like eating unbuttered toast. Without anything to drink.

You're not alone in that opinion.  The Sinclair character was replaced after the first season, though he did return for a couple guest appearances later in the series.  The new station commander was Captain Sheridan played by Bruce Boxleitner.  The acting improved a lot in the second season.  The third and fourth seasons I thought were by far the best.  I usually tell people they just have to endure the first season to get the background story, then they can let things build after that.

From what I've read, there was a great deal of animosity between the actors that portrayed Garibaldi and Sinclair and it got to the point were one of them would have to go. As you say, a big improvement with Captain Sheridan taking over.

[Nowhere Man]

From what I've read, there was a great deal of animosity between the actors that portrayed Garibaldi and Sinclair and it got to the point were one of them would have to go. As you say, a big improvement with Captain Sheridan taking over.

According to Michael O'Hare's WP page, it was his increasing problems with his mental health and need for extended treatment that led to his being written out.

I'd also heard, at the time, that the network execs wanted someone more action-hero-y than O'Hare, and brought in Boxleitner.

Fred

[Bob B.]

I'd also heard, at the time, that the network execs wanted someone more action-hero-y than O'Hare, and brought in Boxleitner.

That's the story I heard.

[Cat Not Included]

Never came up.  Can't see how it would have.  That one "alien" was about the only mention of them, and it was a freak show attraction.

Ok, I guess that would have been to earthy for a UFO show.

We must be talking about different shows.  Firefly is fiction.

I thought it was about UFO, my bad.

But it DOES have quite a bit about cows. 

[smartcooky]

From what I've read, there was a great deal of animosity between the actors that portrayed Garibaldi and Sinclair and it got to the point were one of them would have to go. As you say, a big improvement with Captain Sheridan taking over.

According to Michael O'Hare's WP page, it was his increasing problems with his mental health and need for extended treatment that led to his being written out.

I'd also heard, at the time, that the network execs wanted someone more action-hero-y than O'Hare, and brought in Boxleitner.

Fred

Part of that fractious relationship with Doyle was probably due to his mental illness. In the last 10 years of his life, his health went downhill until he died in 2012 aged 60.

Here is Straczynski talking about the issues with O'Hare, and how hard he fought to finish that first season. A truly sad story.

There are a number of other actors from that show who have since died.... Andreas Katsulas (G.Kar), Richard Biggs (Dr Franklin) and Jeff Conaway (Zack Allen)

[Allan F]

And most of the CGI was done on Amigas.

[Bob B.]

Here is Straczynski talking about the issues with O'Hare, and how hard he fought to finish that first season. A truly sad story.

This is the first time I've heard that story.  It really is quite sad.  I've got to give kudos to Straczynski for the way he handled the situation.

[twik]

Racism. Seriously. Light pink people found browner people did these amazing things, and, rather then change their world view that brown people couldn't do neat stuff too, nope, must be aliens/demons/what have you.

Not entirely fair. Many of them are quite willing to believe that light pink people can't build Stonehenge, design the Antikythera mechanism, etc.