I mentioned this in the thread for last night's episode, but I think it bears some longer-form discussion.
Discovery has, compared to earlier Trek shows, a relatively small main cast - only six individuals. There are also very few recurring characters on the show. Not only that, but the other Discovery crewmembers are basically glorified extras who seldom get more than a line or two of script per episode.
The problem is, arguably the majority of the six main characters really should not be serving on the Discovery in the second season.
Ash Tyler - Now a confirmed Klingon sleeper agent. Even if he somehow "gets better" - integrates the Tyler personality with Voq and helps broker an armistice between the Klingons and the Federation - he isn't going to be allowed to serve on a Federation ship in the future. The only way out of this is if they somehow "purge" Voq from him entirely, which would essentially destroy his character anyway.
Gabriel Lorca - May actually be from the Mirror Universe - in which case it's highly likely he's not returning with Discovery to the prime universe. Even if he does return, or if the show is giving us a red herring for once, we know that Admiral Cornwell is going to suggest he take time off for mental health, meaning he loses his command.
Paul Stamets - No longer entirely human. I do not think he's going to evolve into The Traveler or anything, I think he will "get better" in some manner. But we know that he wants to go back home to recuperate. We also know the spore drive doesn't end up being implemented by Starfleet, meaning his research will have no practical value any longer, and he'll just be a random science dude. No reason to be on Discovery any longer.
Micheal Burnham - Her special dispensation to get out of jail was granted by Lorca. Obviously if he isn't the real Lorca it's no longer binding. Even barring this, she sincerely believes that she'll be sent back to prison once the war is over - and we know the war will end in four episodes.
Sylvia Tilly - Fourth-year cadet. Should be heading back to Starfleet for graduation, and assignment to a permanent berth.
Saru - The only main cast member who doesn't have any particularly good reason to not stay on Discovery.
To make it clear, I don't think the majority of the main cast is going to leave. But I think it's all but certain one will, and I wouldn't be shocked if two do. Given the show has put so many eggs in so few baskets in terms of the characters, I worry about what this means for the continuity of the show. I know that - similar to what is done for crappy teen dramas when everyone graduates from high school - they'll find some dumb excuse to keep an actor around who they like. But I feel like by making so many of the characters have these epic plot lines (rather than just being ordinary people) whatever is done with them in the second season will seem anticlimactic.
I also wonder if a lot of the personal arc structure is basically inherited from Bryan Fuller. We know what he wanted to do with the show was to tell individual stories each season with a different cast, in different Trek eras. It sure seems like the story is heading toward what should be a final conclusion for most of our characters, rather than a more open-ended conclusion.
Unless, of course, they upend it all by not getting home. Jumping to another universe, time, or place. That's the one way they could excuse keeping the entire crew together essentially indefinitely.
Discovery has, compared to earlier Trek shows, a relatively small main cast - only six individuals. There are also very few recurring characters on the show. Not only that, but the other Discovery crewmembers are basically glorified extras who seldom get more than a line or two of script per episode.
The problem is, arguably the majority of the six main characters really should not be serving on the Discovery in the second season.
Ash Tyler - Now a confirmed Klingon sleeper agent. Even if he somehow "gets better" - integrates the Tyler personality with Voq and helps broker an armistice between the Klingons and the Federation - he isn't going to be allowed to serve on a Federation ship in the future. The only way out of this is if they somehow "purge" Voq from him entirely, which would essentially destroy his character anyway.
Gabriel Lorca - May actually be from the Mirror Universe - in which case it's highly likely he's not returning with Discovery to the prime universe. Even if he does return, or if the show is giving us a red herring for once, we know that Admiral Cornwell is going to suggest he take time off for mental health, meaning he loses his command.
Paul Stamets - No longer entirely human. I do not think he's going to evolve into The Traveler or anything, I think he will "get better" in some manner. But we know that he wants to go back home to recuperate. We also know the spore drive doesn't end up being implemented by Starfleet, meaning his research will have no practical value any longer, and he'll just be a random science dude. No reason to be on Discovery any longer.
Micheal Burnham - Her special dispensation to get out of jail was granted by Lorca. Obviously if he isn't the real Lorca it's no longer binding. Even barring this, she sincerely believes that she'll be sent back to prison once the war is over - and we know the war will end in four episodes.
Sylvia Tilly - Fourth-year cadet. Should be heading back to Starfleet for graduation, and assignment to a permanent berth.
Saru - The only main cast member who doesn't have any particularly good reason to not stay on Discovery.
To make it clear, I don't think the majority of the main cast is going to leave. But I think it's all but certain one will, and I wouldn't be shocked if two do. Given the show has put so many eggs in so few baskets in terms of the characters, I worry about what this means for the continuity of the show. I know that - similar to what is done for crappy teen dramas when everyone graduates from high school - they'll find some dumb excuse to keep an actor around who they like. But I feel like by making so many of the characters have these epic plot lines (rather than just being ordinary people) whatever is done with them in the second season will seem anticlimactic.
I also wonder if a lot of the personal arc structure is basically inherited from Bryan Fuller. We know what he wanted to do with the show was to tell individual stories each season with a different cast, in different Trek eras. It sure seems like the story is heading toward what should be a final conclusion for most of our characters, rather than a more open-ended conclusion.
Unless, of course, they upend it all by not getting home. Jumping to another universe, time, or place. That's the one way they could excuse keeping the entire crew together essentially indefinitely.
