Heh .. It wasn't Justice that failed the Tardigrade Man. It was the goading by fans angry at CBS that failed him. But that's another topic for another thread.
Creating a new character is more preferable to me at this point in time because of the outrage and near-castigation of CBS by accusing them of maleficence towards Brophy. It's all too conspiratorial.
Like others have said: recastings have happened before. Many, MANY times for various reasons. This doesn’t bother me in the slightest. While the character of Bruce Maddox might have been mentioned several times throughout the entirety of Trek, he appeared in exactly one episode. While the episode itself is memorable, the only line I remember of Brain Brophy’s is two words, delivered over the top: “A machine!” I’m sorry that this bothers some people. I really am. But the fact that this needed an entire thread? Come on. But, I will say, some people? I think they just need to be up in arms about... something. And it gets a little exhausting.
I get wanting the original actor as it would be a nice touch. But, becoming upset to the point it ruins one's view of a show? I don't get it.
Like I said: Some just need to be up in arms about something. It’s honestly okay to just not like a show and leave it at that. It’s also okay to stop watching something if it bothers you as much as it seems to some.
It's not about his acting warranting his return (whatever that means; he wasn't bad) but the fact that the character returned. If it's between creating a new character and non-Maddox-Maddox, then a new character would have been less irksome. Why? If they could bring Brophy back, then why not? There's nothing to be "good" about creatively, since we don't know why Brophy didn't return. It sounds to me like you're just being petty for fan reasons, not creative ones. So contemporary life can be strange and kinda shitty, true. So, yeah, this. Again, my idea was if you're going to recast, at least show us a picture of the guy earlier on so we're not expecting something else for 5 episodes. I was kind of looking forward to seeing an actor I, or most, hadn't seen in a while. Tarantino famously spoke to this in his casting of Kill Bill. I don't know that it's conspiratorial or outrage-inducing, but it does warrant some discussion on a fan bulletin board, yeah.
Reading the OP indicates there is outrage there. Reading Reddit has confirmed this same emotion. Yes, I have seen the outrage and the emotional flailing about this. Discussion is one thing. But, I'm seeing emotions raging over this too. Which is more strange to me.
When I found out Jeffery Hunter wasn't playing Pike on Discovery, I cancelled my CBS subscription right away.
That's contemporary fandom. But I'm glad to hear others lament the Brophreeness of the series. I'd like to know what happened at least. ...maybe. I honestly don't even care so much as think they wasted an opportunity to include a couple familiar faces. Give me those easter eggs, not Mr. Mott's Hair Emporium.
Smart. That's the move right there. That will teach them to not have a necromancer available! Great. I don't like it at all. In a fandom about supposedly enlightened humanity and "intelligent science fiction" it would be nice if we didn't always succumb to fandom tropes.
Since Maddox and Spoiler Icheb were recast, but the rest of established Trek lore characters were not, you know what that means? 25% different.