Sonequa Martin-Green is Your DSC Star

[Balok's Decoy]

If you're going to say "haha, I told you so," you should probably refer to something more informative than a thing you heard that you won't talk about...

Like, we can't agree with you that press releases are bullshit if we have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[wayoung]

Then I'll just assume whoever wrote the press release did a good job and stay confused!

I took a gamble and googled what I thought you might be talking about. Assuming I'm right - In honesty, I think thats a fair mistruth to put out for the same reason neither of us have posted specifics!

Yup, you've got it.

I'm not arguing that it isn't a fair mistruth, I'm saying that after mistruth after mistruth maybe people stop accepting these press releases at face value. Most of us don't, but some people still reply to posts questioning them with a blanket "Nope that's not what the press release said" .

 

[jamestyler]

Thing is, press releases are marketing materials - they are what the company wants to project. The Fuller situation is still an odd one as we have a press release, snippets of information and a loads of unsubstantiated rumours taken as gospel by many.

There's little point paying much mind to them on that front; the jobs to inform and excite, to promote. But if forced to take a release or a rumour, I'd take the release. But the issue I have is simply that a lot of rumours are just rumours, at least the press packs are from a source.

From what I recall of the one in question, it was vague enough. And no one believed it anyway but I do appreciate the effort not to spoil something like that.

 

[wayoung]

Thing is, press releases are marketing materials - they are what the company wants to project. The Fuller situation is still an odd one as we have a press release, snippets of information and a loads of unsubstantiated rumours taken as gospel by many.

There's little point paying much mind to them on that front; the jobs to inform and excite, to promote. But if forced to take a release or a rumour, I'd take the release. But the issue I have is simply that a lot of rumours are just rumours, at least the press packs are from a source.

From what I recall of the one in question, it was vague enough. And no one believed it anyway but I do appreciate the effort not to spoil something like that.

Fuller gave an interview confirming that the press release was incorrect, he has no involvement in the show at all anymore and doesn't even know if what he did write / plan out is being used. That's a pretty substantial rumour

As for this event, most didn't believe it, but there are still posts with replies which consist of "Nope, can't be, the press release said otherwise."

Same going all the way back to Cumberbatch/Khan.

 

[Sakonna]

Yeah, I'm sitting her wondering, does it need spoiler tags? It has aired, it's not about Discovery, and it's been very obvious for months this was going to happen. So I'm just going to go ahead and reference what we're all talking about, and if you want to remain unspoiled about last night's The Walking Dead, avert your eyes from the rest of this post...

Sonequa Martin-Green's character did die in the season finale. Upthread, there were many people convinced she would be doing both shows and twisting themselves into knots trying to figure out the logistics, because of the way the press release was cagily written (I'm not even sure it explicitly lied? I haven't gone back and checked the exact phrasing)

But to focus on the positive of this for Discovery: the writing this season on TWD has been remarkably terrible, and Sonequa did a really nice job with her exit arc the last few episodes. I can't overstate how bad the writing was... these terrible scripts have defeated most of the cast this year, which is no knock against them (they're actors, not magicians), but Sonequa really accomplished an impressive feat of performance, managing to extract any sort of touching moments and emotional coherence from the slop she was handed. If she can do this with the self-indulgent garbage writing of TWD season 7, I can't wait to see what she does with the (presumably better) writing of Discovery (it would be some feat if it were worse, TWD has to be the worst-written "prestige" show currently in existence... maybe "Iron Fist" is the only real competition for that title)

(If you can't tell, I'm really annoyed at myself for forcing my way through this season of TWD. I loved it until this year! It took such a dive! I kept thinking it would have to come together in the end. It did not. Lesson learned, series recording deleted.)

 

[The Wormhole]

Same going all the way back to Cumberbatch/Khan.

A bit different there. The official studio information never said Cumberbatch wasn't Khan, they just spent nearly a year not mentioning his character's name before revealing he was "John Harrison," which still isn't a lie since that is his stated name for half of the movie. Simon Pegg and Alice Eve denied he was Khan, and Karl Urban told people he was Gary Mitchell, but they weren't authorized to say these things and indeed were spoken to afterwards. I will concede however, that whole mess could have been avoided had they not tried to build the mystery around Cumberbatch's casting.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

So a press release not spoiling the death of a character on another tv show is proof that press releases are just lies wrapped in riddles and should never be trusted?

...okay.

 

[wayoung]

So a press release not spoiling the death of a character on another tv show is proof that press releases are just lies wrapped in riddles and should never be trusted?

...okay.

Or its another press release in a chain of them that contained spin and misleading information, showing that being skeptical of the information contained within isn't automatically a negative attempt at bashing the production but a healthy attitude of scepticism based on reasonable past experience, and that blindly accepting the press releases without critical thinking shouldn't necessarily be the default position?

 

[Balok's Decoy]

Or its another press release in a chain of them that contained spin and misleading information, showing that being skeptical of the information contained within isn't automatically a negative attempt at bashing the production but a healthy attitude of scepticism based on reasonable past experience, and that blindly accepting the press releases without critical thinking shouldn't necessarily be the default position?

I don't think anyone is so naive that they don't read a corporate press release without understanding that it's written in such a way as to present a positive image of the company. When a company lays off employees or goes bankrupt, they still try to put it in positive language because why would any company write something like, "Yep, we blew it! Boy I tell ya, we sure screwed the pooch on that one!" But, while press releases are always friendly to the people writing them, they're still generally more reliable sources of information than Rumor X from Guy on the Internet.

And what if CBS or AMC had spilled the beans about Martin-Green's character's future? Then they'd be dealing with irate TWD fans. I don't see how concealing that information is somehow evidence that press releases are specifically designed to spout outright lies to people. I think that's an exaggerated point of view. Have a bit of skepticism about the sheen they put on that info, sure. That makes sense. But you know what they say about babies and bathwater.

 

[wayoung]

Speaking of exaggeration, please point out where I or anyone else said believe "Rumor X from Guy on the Internet" here, never CBS?

I specifically referenced posters in this thread and others replying to people expressing doubt of the veracity of the press releases contents with the blanket "that's not what the press release said" as proof that the scepticism were wrong. I did not in any place state that random rumours should always be beloved over official statements. Doubts which were ultimately justified, both in this case, and in Fuller's participation in the series.

 

[Morpheus 02]

Yeah, I'm sitting her wondering, does it need spoiler tags? It has aired, it's not about Discovery, and it's been very obvious for months this was going to happen. So I'm just going to go ahead and reference what we're all talking about, and if you want to remain unspoiled about last night's The Walking Dead, avert your eyes from the rest of this post...

Sonequa Martin-Green's character did die in the season finale. Upthread, there were many people convinced she would be doing both shows and twisting themselves into knots trying to figure out the logistics, because of the way the press release was cagily written (I'm not even sure it explicitly lied? I haven't gone back and checked the exact phrasing)

But to focus on the positive of this for Discovery: the writing this season on TWD has been remarkably terrible, and Sonequa did a really nice job with her exit arc the last few episodes. I can't overstate how bad the writing was... these terrible scripts have defeated most of the cast this year, which is no knock against them (they're actors, not magicians), but Sonequa really accomplished an impressive feat of performance, managing to extract any sort of touching moments and emotional coherence from the slop she was handed. If she can do this with the self-indulgent garbage writing of TWD season 7, I can't wait to see what she does with the (presumably better) writing of Discovery (it would be some feat if it were worse, TWD has to be the worst-written "prestige" show currently in existence... maybe "Iron Fist" is the only real competition for that title)

(If you can't tell, I'm really annoyed at myself for forcing my way through this season of TWD. I loved it until this year! It took such a dive! I kept thinking it would have to come together in the end. It did not. Lesson learned, series recording deleted.)

Ok, so it's official that Sonequa is betting the farm on Discovery since she bought the farm on The Walking Dead!

I thought it might be possible for her stay on the show(for a while)... Heath is apparently still alive somewhere. I assume part of the reason was to see if 24 Legacy would be a success and he would go on to that. With Discovery, it seems like a bit more of a risk, as they won't get the ratings 24 would, and thus couldn't afford a 2nd season or more.

I certainly wouldn't say TWD has been horrible in terms of writing this season... a lot more character based, and loved seeing them grow (such as Carol & Morgan), and new characters (such as Richard and King Ezekiel). Certainly no where near as bad as Fear the Walking Dead).


But back to Sonequa...I guess she's now all in. I missed the last few minutes of the Talking Dead to see if they mentioned her new show.

Any photos of her in uniform at all? Seems like they should be filming by now,no? Or certainly SOME publicity photo?

 

[The Wormhole]

Meh, the press releases about Sonnequa Martin-Green being on Discovery seemed to be carefully telling the truth from a certain point of view anyway. I never for once doubted the news of her being on Discovery meant she'd be leaving Walking Dead anyway, despite claims made that she could do both shows.

And what if CBS or AMC had spilled the beans about Martin-Green's character's future? Then they'd be dealing with irate TWD fans.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Unless Rick or Darryl dies, no one has a right to consider a character's death on TWD "unexpected."

Any photos of her in uniform at all? Seems like they should be filming by now,no? Or certainly SOME publicity photo?

No, no photos of anyone in costume yet.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

Speaking of exaggeration, please point out where I or anyone else said believe "Rumor X from Guy on the Internet" here, never CBS?

I specifically referenced posters in this thread and others replying to people expressing doubt of the veracity of the press releases contents with the blanket "that's not what the press release said" as proof that the scepticism were wrong. I did not in any place state that random rumours should always be beloved over official statements. Doubts which were ultimately justified, both in this case, and in Fuller's participation in the series.

My point there is just that there's generally three sources of information about upcoming shows: official statements from the studio/creators, statements from unofficial/unverified sources (rumors), and leaks. And the latter are generally indistinguishable from rumors unless there's some concrete evidence or if the studio/creators verify it.

So, with those generally being our options, I tend to defer to press releases, even if they're gussied up to make the company look nice.

 

[JoeCabby]

But back to Sonequa...I guess she's now all in. I missed the last few minutes of the Talking Dead to see if they mentioned her new show.

They did. It was near the end, the host said can't wait to see you headup the new Star Trek.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

Meh, the press releases about Sonnequa Martin-Green being on Discovery seemed to be carefully telling the truth from a certain point of view anyway. I never for once doubted the news of her being on Discovery meant she'd be leaving Walking Dead anyway, despite claims made that she could do both shows.

I didn't think she be back either, but actors can do two roles on two different TV shows airing during the same season.

For example, Sarah Wayne Callies will have a recurring role the next "season" of Prison Break (which may or may not have additional seasons after this initial sequel miniseries) while still having a starring role in the TV show Colony. Ted Danson starred in the 2nd season of Fargo the same season he was in the TV sitcom The Good Place (and overlapping for a little while with his starring role in the final season of CSI: Cyber).

 

[KennyB]

From walkers to Klingons - #StarTrekDiscovery is pleased to officially welcome @SonequaMG as First Officer Michael Burnham.

Official character announcement

 

[Blooded]

So the characters first name...?

 

[MadMan1701A]

I wasn't expecting it to be Michael.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

Michael??

Maybe they want to establish a world without gender-based names? I'm sure there's an explanation. Unless they just left out an "a" at the end.

 

[tenmei]

Michael is a relatively common female name tbh, I can name two actresses of the top of my head. Michael Michelle who played Cleo in ER and Michael Hyatt who is in Crazy Ex Girlfriend.