Has Season 2 made use of any of the background characters?

[Infern0]

I don’t know how or why this expectation that the entire bridge crew have entire episodes devoted to them came about. They’re glorified extras who are popular. Admittedly I quite like them and would love to see them more but don’t expect it. It’s like being upset that the regular Helm officers in TNG or Ayala in VOY didn’t have more to do. Don’t get it.

No other Trek series has had A-Shift senior bridge officers who get nothing to do.

Ariam, Detmer and owokusen all seem like real interesting characters and a lot of us would rather see them get their characters expanded than seeing every episode revolve around the same 2-3 characters.

If they didn't want to do that just have a revolving door of nameless extras on the show to fill those crew spots. Don't tempt me with disfigured PTSD 12 year old super pilot Detmer and freaking cyborg lady then NOT expand those characters.

 

[Infern0]

But the bridge crew aren't equivalent to Sulu, Chekov, or Uhura, who were credited as co-stars; the bridge crew in Discovery are equivalent to (maybe) Leslie or Kyle, or Gates and Jae from Next Gen. They're bit parts outside the main cast, and the main cast is the already the same size as that of The Original Series, with far fewer episodes per season.

It'd be lovely to get more from them, but this is already a big cast, with eleven-ish major roles this season.

Just to compare

Sisko Burnham
Kira Pike
Dax saru
Bashir stamets
Odo tilly
Worf Tyler
Nog georgiou
Quark Culber
Garak ??????
Dukat ??????
Weyoun ??????
Jake ??????
Damar ??????

You get my point though

There isn't "too many characters" the writers are just choosing to focus on one core bunch and ignoring the rest.

I'm team #owodetriam all the way give those cool ladies some time to show their talents

 

[MakeshiftPython]

Infern0 that's false equivalency. Characters like Garak and Nog were specifically guest characters that only appeared in a quarter of the total DS9 episodes and only when the story gave them something vital do, as opposed to just sit in Ops station every episode obeying orders. Characters like Detmer and Owo are specifically co-stars, which is what Sulu, Uhura, and Chekov were. Until they get upgraded to guest character status or become part of the main cast, it's unlikely we'll get their individual stories. Hopefully if S2 has shown any indication, we'll at least get more insight into them as personalities over time like we got with the TOS supporting cast. Or even better, one of them gets upgraded like O'Brien was where he started off as a nameless co-star, got upgraded to guest star status when production decided to make him into an actual character, and then later he became a main cast member.

 

[Succubint]

Keep an eye on any cast negotiations between seasons. Usually that's when it's decided which contracts are going to get upped in status. Depending on the quality of the actor's representation, of course. So, you might still get your wish. The best way to know, however, is where they get billed on upcoming episodes. If they are in the opening credits they are likely regulars, or guest stars. If they're still in the back end of the credits, they're still just co-stars and likely won't have much story time.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

No other Trek series has had A-Shift senior bridge officers who get nothing to do.

Ariam, Detmer and owokusen all seem like real interesting characters and a lot of us would rather see them get their characters expanded than seeing every episode revolve around the same 2-3 characters.

If they didn't want to do that just have a revolving door of nameless extras on the show to fill those crew spots. Don't tempt me with disfigured PTSD 12 year old super pilot Detmer and freaking cyborg lady then NOT expand those characters.

You say the term 'senior bridge officers' as if it has any meaning whatsoever in terms of making a character important. It doesn't.

Also, your claim is simply not true, unless your definition of 'a-shift senior bridge officers' (which honestly comes off as a bit of a bs description to begin with, considering shifts were often inconsistent and 'senior' is vague and undefined) is deliberately and exclusively focused on the main characters of each show to begin with. TOS, for instance, had Mr. Leslie who was a very regular face on the bridge and never got any significant characterization. It also had Janice Rand, who never got closer to characterization than being repeatedly victimized and having occasional mothering feelings. And of course there's the big one: Uhura, who was actually a part of the 'main ensemble' but still spent 90% of her time in the background and took a long time to actually build up any real characterization. (For comparison's sake, DSC has only had 21 episodes so far compared to 30+ for each season of TOS.)

 

[MakeshiftPython]

The only characters that got story in TOS were those listed in the main credits: Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. Everyone else were just co-stars that were only defined by their personalities and character bits, but unlike the spin-offs we never got a Sulu episode, or a Uhura episode in the same manner as a Worf episode or a Geordi episode. The closest Scotty got an episode was "Wolf in the Fold", but he wasn't even the protagonist of that story, it was still being lead by Kirk. Where TNG, DS9, VOY, and ENT could easily put aside the captain and focus on another character, TOS rarely ever did that. With extremely few exceptions like "The Tholian Web" or "The Galileo Seven", Kirk was always the protagonist.

 

[drt]

Scotty also had the "Lights of Zetar" - Bones was a title card character in the second season and still didn't get focus episides until the third season.

 

[fireproof78]

Don't tempt me with disfigured PTSD 12 year old super pilot Detmer and freaking cyborg lady then NOT expand those characters.

It's not a requirement.

 

[Alan Roi]

Just to compare

Sisko Burnham
Kira Pike
Dax saru
Bashir stamets
Odo tilly
Worf Tyler
Nog georgiou
Quark Culber
Garak ??????
Dukat ??????
Weyoun ??????
Jake ??????
Damar ??????

You get my point though

There isn't "too many characters" the writers are just choosing to focus on one core bunch and ignoring the rest.

I'm team #owodetriam all the way give those cool ladies some time to show their talents

I think you are forgetting:

Sarek
Amanda
Reno
May
Cornwell
Spock (soon to be)

All these characters have popped in as often as your bottom 5 as recurring characters.of varying importance who have received development as characters..

I get that people want the bridge crew to be prominent. But to literally ignore the folk who are relatively prominent in the show to push that narrative that *no one* else is getting any development is a bit wonky.

 

[iliescu]

Am interested in what might happen with Voq/Ash Tyler duo in 1.

 

[XCV330]

Am interested in what might happen with Voq/Ash Tyler duo in 1.

There was an episode at the end of Season 1 where Detmer was REALLY willing to give AshVoq a place at the galley table. Something could happen.

 

[Infern0]

You say the term 'senior bridge officers' as if it has any meaning whatsoever in terms of making a character important. It doesn't.

Also, your claim is simply not true, unless your definition of 'a-shift senior bridge officers' (which honestly comes off as a bit of a bs description to begin with, considering shifts were often inconsistent and 'senior' is vague and undefined) is deliberately and exclusively focused on the main characters of each show to begin with. TOS, for instance, had Mr. Leslie who was a very regular face on the bridge and never got any significant characterization. It also had Janice Rand, who never got closer to characterization than being repeatedly victimized and having occasional mothering feelings. And of course there's the big one: Uhura, who was actually a part of the 'main ensemble' but still spent 90% of her time in the background and took a long time to actually build up any real characterization. (For comparison's sake, DSC has only had 21 episodes so far compared to 30+ for each season of TOS.)

Who cares man, it's an opinion.

I wanna see those characters expanded on, I love discovery, still wanna see it tho.

 

[fireproof78]

Who cares man, it's an opinion.

Apparently, you do?

 

[Infern0]

Apparently, you do?

Whenever someone has a slight critique of discovery we get 1500 words on why they are wrong.

No show is above criticism

 

[fireproof78]

Whenever someone has a slight critique of discovery we get 1500 words on why they are wrong.

No show is above criticism

No, DSC isn't above criticism, nor is my post an indication that it is...

I just don't think that because a character is on the bridge there is an obligation for them to receive character development.

Obviously, you disagree and that's ok. I just think Star Trek has done similar things before and it isn't terribly off-putting. Yes, I think it would be great if every character got their moment to shine. I would prefer lower decks perspective and less bridge crew. I like everyday activities with the crew and the like.

I just don't expect it.

 

[Infern0]

No, DSC isn't above criticism, nor is my post an indication that it is...

I just don't think that because a character is on the bridge there is an obligation for them to receive character development.

Obviously, you disagree and that's ok. I just think Star Trek has done similar things before and it isn't terribly off-putting. Yes, I think it would be great if every character got their moment to shine. I would prefer lower decks perspective and less bridge crew. I like everyday activities with the crew and the like.

I just don't expect it.

I'm probably a bit biased because I have talked with Emily coutts several times and want her to get more lines

 

[fireproof78]

I'm probably a bit biased because I have talked with Emily coutts several times and want her to get more lines

That makes more sense.

 

[MakeshiftPython]

I wouldn't have guessed that from your avatar.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Airiam is about to matter. Hopefully we'll get some background on what she is.

 

[serabine]

Infern0 that's false equivalency. Characters like Garak and Nog were specifically guest characters that only appeared in a quarter of the total DS9 episodes and only when the story gave them something vital do, as opposed to just sit in Ops station every episode obeying orders. Characters like Detmer and Owo are specifically co-stars, which is what Sulu, Uhura, and Chekov were. Until they get upgraded to guest character status or become part of the main cast, it's unlikely we'll get their individual stories. Hopefully if S2 has shown any indication, we'll at least get more insight into them as personalities over time like we got with the TOS supporting cast. Or even better, one of them gets upgraded like O'Brien was where he started off as a nameless co-star, got upgraded to guest star status when production decided to make him into an actual character, and then later he became a main cast member.

I actually made a list (I like lists, okay) after watching the season finale just to visualize how many of the recurring characters with notable screen time are gone now:

Pike, Spock, L'Rell, Tyler, Cornwell, Amanda, Sarek, Leland, (Nhan may or may not be dead).

They really cleaned house. Pretty much anyone who isn't a crew-member of the Discovery has been left behind (apart from Georgiou and Reno). That frees up a lot of screen time (granted some of it will likely go to new recurring characters), but still, there's certainly more breathing room to develop some of the background characters a bit more. So, I'm hopeful.