What if the captain character overshadows the number one character and becomes the star?

[Jayson1]

The way the show is set up, seems to open the door to this possibility. What makes me say this is that I recall a similiar situation,years ago on "West Wing." When that show was created the Martin Sheen character wasn't going to be the lead. The show was going to focus more on the staff, I asume the Robe Lowe" character would have been the lead. I think the President would be used in small doses. Sheen though was so great he basically stole the show

On "Discovery" we have a captain who is a played by a very respected actor with more of a track record than the Number One character. Like Lowe she isn't a unknown but is she on the same level as the captain actor? I also think of "Fringe" how Walter Bishop also became the star though the difference there is he didn't become the lead. That still belonged to the female character or maybe it was shared with Joshua Jackson. Either way it didn't change the fact that Walter Bishop was the star and the main attraction.

Jason

 

[Tenacity]

Number One will have a tragic air lock accident.

 

[Jayson1]

Number One will have a tragic air lock accident.

I don't think that would happen unless the character is a flop. Rob Lowe for example was still a character people liked and I think he even got some emmy's nod's. He just wasn't the main star or lead. Same with the female lead on "Fringe" whose name I think was Ann Torve or something like that. She was also a very popular character.

Jason

 

[Dukhat]

If there's only 13 episodes, and they're already written, then there's little chance of a breakout character that no one predicted before. If anything, the guy playing Saru will be the breakout character if there even is one.

 

[Jayson1]

I asume though while filming they would start to notice things that work and things that aren't working and sort of start making changes to adapt to what they are seeing. A lot of it could also have to do with how much faith they have in Green's acting ability. If things don't work, do they shift focus to the captain or start changing how the write for the Number One character?
Jason

 

[The Lensman]

The biggest appeal of this show for me is the fact that the main character ISN'T the captain. We've had the captain as main character in Trek (and pretty much every other sci-fi) for fifty years and I have zero interest in seeing it vomited up again.

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

If that happens, then the writers didn't do their job very well.

 

[AndorianAle]

Number One will have a tragic air lock accident.

 

[Greg Cox]

"Wait. You mean the pointy-eared guy is even more popular than the captain? Who saw that coming?"

 

[Nerys Myk]

"Wait. You mean the old bald guy is even more popular than young hunk? Who saw that coming?"

 

[jamestyler]

If that happens, then the writers didn't do their job very well.

I've never been a fan of such a statement; things look very differently in that writers room. If something like this happened and an actor or character over-shined someone else, chances are it's not the writing, but the performance or even something unexpected or an audience reaction they didn't anticipate.

There was a play I did where my audience interaction was completely improved because, while the writing was good, the audience was more diverse than expected (less artsy types, more the 'common man'). It's a tiny, small thing but it wasn't the flaw of the writing or direction - just something an arty writer for an arty production didn't see coming.

 

[MarsWeeps]

What if goats grew wings but didn't know how to use them?

 

[Greg Cox]

I've never been a fan of such a statement; things look very differently in that writers room. If something like this happened and an actor or character over-shined someone else, chances are it's not the writing, but the performance or even something unexpected or an audience reaction they didn't anticipate..

Exactly. Show biz--and casting--is not an exact science. Otherwise every show would be a hit and you could always predict who the next big "breakout" character or star was going to be. It's a horse race.

That being said, the West Wing example is interesting. In some ways, it's going to be a challenge to tell the story from the POV of the person who isn't the one seated in the captain's chair, having to make the tough calls.

Then again, pretty much every cop show features a tough captain or police chief who is NOT the protagonist. So there's certainly plenty of precedent for making the authority figure a supporting character and not the star.

"Damnit, O'Roarke! I told you before: you're off the case!"

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

I've never been a fan of such a statement; things look very differently in that writers room. If something like this happened and an actor or character over-shined someone else, chances are it's not the writing, but the performance or even something unexpected or an audience reaction they didn't anticipate.

There was a play I did where my audience interaction was completely improved because, while the writing was good, the audience was more diverse than expected (less artsy types, more the 'common man'). It's a tiny, small thing but it wasn't the flaw of the writing or direction - just something an arty writer for an arty production didn't see coming.

All right, I'll give you that. My writing is constrained to novels, where you have a much higher degree of control over character development. Actors bring elements that cannot be anticipated. For instance, Geoffrey Rush in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. The focal character is Jack Sparrow, but you can't help but gravitate to Hector Barbossa. So yeah, I get what you're saying.

 

[Greg Cox]

And if Carrie Fisher has more natural chemistry with Harrison Ford than with Mark Hamill, maybe you adjust your story accordingly.

"Wait. She's my sister now?"

 

[Nerys Myk]

And if Carrie Fisher has more natural chemistry with Harrison Ford than with Mark Hamill, maybe you adjust your story accordingly.

"Wait. She's my sister now?"

Dude, spoilers.

 

[Spider]

What if goats grew wings but didn't know how to use them?

Spicy garlic goat wings? What would the chickens think?