Jason Isaacs VS Sonequa. Who Should Have Been The Series Lead? (Spoilers)

[Kane_Steel]

After checking out multiple audience reviews, the reception to Sonequa Martin Green as the lead of STD has been mixed and divisive at best. Even among hardcore STD fans (like on the BBS board), Sonequa/Michael Burnham is considered the weak point of the series by many.

A common criticism is that she lacks the gravitas and engaging screen presence to be a compelling series lead. Of course, the writing of Mary-Sue Burnham hasn't helped matters.

With the recent predictable revelation that Jason Isaacs is playing the villain of this season, should Jason have played the series lead instead?

Many were drawn to this show because of Jason's screen presence as Captain. It feels like all of that was thrown away by turning him into the villain, in order to elevate Sonequa's character as the hero, and likely real 'Captain' of the series.

Who should have been the Lead of this Star Trek series?

Vs.

Discuss.

 

[The Wormhole]

Not only is Lorca a more interesting character than Michael Burnham, he's probably one of the more interesting Captains in the franchise. So of course, they had to go and make him his own evil twin from the Mirror Universe. Interesting characters aren't allowed to be a thing in Star Trek anymore.

 

[Donker]

They screwed up by not making it an ensemble cast.
Should have split focus on maybe like a MACO taskforce and Several Bridge Crew members. Currently the show has like what... 4 real characters that actually have a future on the show? Tilly, Stamets, Burnham and Saru and only Saru and Stamets are the least bit interesting of this cast.

 

[CorporalClegg]

It's pretty silly to call him evil and the villain when no one knows what his endgame is. The only thing he's done so far is lie about his identity.

None the less, it's Burnhams story. It should stay her story.

Besides, the franchise doesn't need another fucking middle-aged white guy as a lead.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Who should have been the Lead of this Star Trek series?

[
Spock----------- Picard-------------Seven of Nine---Worf---------------T'Pol

 

[Lord Garth FOI]

Until this point Issac’s has really been the series lead
He’s a fabulous actor and in my opinion the most interesting captain since Sisco
Green is a bad actor, it’s not her fault per say, she’s playing a sociopath and she perhaps accidentally as a result of the inability to emote does a competent job of
portraying one
The fault is with the casting directors and producers who fell in love with a face and name associated with a hugely popular show (walking dead) when there were an infinite number of immensely talented African American actresses that could have owned the role
The weak link in the cast is clearly Green (in my opinion)
That said Issac owns this show and if/ when he departs I hope they have a plan to fill his shoes
Captain Saru could be cool. Captain Stamits would be interesting

 

[Kane_Steel]

Besides, the franchise doesn't need another fucking middle-aged white guy as a lead.

That's the wrong-headed thinking that resulted in the divisive Michael Burnham.

I get that the producers (them being Women and Gay males) want Women and Gays as the heroes of STD [Burnham, Tilly, Stamets, Saru], and clearly the straight alpha males (who would traditionally be the heroes) to be the villains [Lorca, Tyler], but pushing equity at the expense of the show's quality? I'm all for subversion, but the Lorca reveal comes across as character assassination as a result.

Though I don't think Burnham would have been as divisive if the original series lead, Rosario Dawson, had worked out. She would definitely bring more to the table than Sonequa.

 

[Tosk]

[
Spock----------- Picard-------------Seven of Nine---Worf---------------T'Pol

So DS9 would have had no lead character for three seasons? Weird.


To the topic at hand, I don't understand why the lead character just has to be the most interesting one. That's not true of any of the shows so far. So Disco is just following the tradition.

 

[Nerys Myk]

So DS9 would have had no lead character for three seasons? Weird.

It was a work progress till Worf showed up

 

[Shawnster]

If have rather seen a Captain Phillipa Georgia series.

 

[Kane_Steel]

[
Spock----------- Picard-------------Seven of Nine---Worf---------------T'Pol

I posted that picture just as a reminder of the previous series leads. They were all really well cast. Bakula is the weakest of the bunch, but he worked for what Enterprise was.

Then an actor like Jason Isaacs comes around and he knocks it out of the park, yet he's demoted into being a Mirror Universe villain in the series, in an attempt to push an actress with far, far less presence and gravitas forward.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Then an actor like Jason Isaacs comes around and he knocks it out of the park, yet he's demoted into being a Mirror Universe villain in the series, in an attempt to push an actress with far, far less presence and gravitas forward.

They knew who Lorca was when Issacs was cast. He wasn't demoted.

 

[fireproof78]

So DS9 would have had no lead character for three seasons? Weird.

Odo, duh.

On topic, what's wrong with both? Seriously, I see Burnham being treated as some sort of pariah Starfleet officer trying earn back her stripes.

Give me that story, not Lorca. I like Burnham and think she is a fitting lead. Or, better yet, part of duet like *gasp* Kirk and Spock!!!!

 

[Kane_Steel]

They knew who Lorca was when Issacs was cast. He wasn't demoted.

Oh I know that. I meant figuratively. He's moved from being the 'Captain' of this series, to an evil Mirror baddie. No way he'll ever be able to continue as Captain. This is obviously to elevate Sonequa to being the Captain [see my thread on that].

I have no doubt they always wanted Isaacs as the villain, and Sonequa as the hero/lead...... it was just a waste.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Oh I know that. I meant figuratively. He's moved from being the 'Captain' of this series, to an evil Mirror baddie. No way he'll ever be able to continue as Captain. This is obviously to elevate Sonequa to being the Captain [see my thread on that].

I have no doubt they always wanted Isaacs as the villain, and Sonequa as the hero/lead...... it was just a waste.

She still has to get past Saru.

 

[fireproof78]

Oh I know that. I meant figuratively. He's moved from being the 'Captain' of this series, to an evil Mirror baddie. No way he'll ever be able to continue as Captain. This is obviously to elevate Sonequa to being the Captain [see my thread on that].

I have no doubt they always wanted Isaacs as the villain, and Sonequa as the hero/lead...... it was just a waste.

Yes, because everyone knows that actors never want to play the villain. It's so beneath them...

 

[Kane_Steel]

Yes, because everyone knows that actors never want to play the villain. It's so beneath them...

I never said Isaacs is against the idea. He seems to strongly support all the political maneuvers of the producers. The cast definitely accepts Sonequa as the series lead. The question is whether audiences will. There's already a lot of division.

She still has to get past Saru.

If her rank is indeed restored by S2, she'll be ahead of Saru. From a practical point of view, they can't have her serving under Saru if they have future plans to make Sonequa the Captain. That would mean Saru getting demoted or killed off, and I doubt that would happen.

 

[fireproof78]

I never said Isaacs is against the idea. He seems to strongly support all the political maneuvers of the producers. The cast definitely accepts Sonequa as the series lead. The question is whether audiences will. There's already a lot of division.

Division isn't bad.

If her rank is indeed restored by S2, she'll be ahead of Saru. From a practical point of view, they can't have her serving under Saru if they have future plans to make Sonequa the Captain. That would mean Saru getting demoted or killed off, and I doubt that would happen.

Saru could be promoted as well.

 

[Nerys Myk]

If her rank is indeed restored by S2, she'll be ahead of Saru. From a practical point of view, they can't have her serving under Saru if they have future plans to make Sonequa the Captain. That would mean Saru getting demoted or killed off, and I doubt that would happen.

What rank is Saru right now? IIRC, he's a commander same as Burnham was.

 

[Smoked Salmon]

Sadly, Burnham is a poor lead. She is poorly written and, regrettably, poorly performed. If they were trying to make a statement about diversity then no Lorca should not have been the lead. I would have gone with an actress like Viola Davis or Octavia Spencer, made her Captain from the off and made the show more of an ensemble piece. I also would have made the show more episodic with the serialisation a background arc like the revived Doctor Who has done on and off successfully.

The show is an experiment to see if the past formula of Trek can be shaken up. I think it can, but not as much as it has been. I made a comment ion the review thread that no matter how much The West Wing tried to be about Rob Lowe & co, Martin Sheen's Bartlet become more and more the lead. I think the simple fact is that in Trek the captain/commanding officer, as the authority figure, is the natural lead both in terms of storytelling and cast dynamic.