Sonequa Martin-Green Responds To ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Critics; Says No Endgame Planned Yet

[Quinton]

Note: I've lifted this directly from TrekMovie. There's more at the link.

In a RadioTimes interview, concerning critics of the show:

I love talking about this because let’s be real… We are very different than other iterations. And we had to find ourselves. We had to find our identity and settle into it. And the fact that we are hyper-serialized; the fact that we have sort of reinvented ourselves over and over and over again, and I have to shout out our writers for that. There are a lot of changes. Because the fan base for the franchise as a whole, and the fan base for Discovery in particular, it’s a highly intellectual loyal crowd. These are very intelligent people who have such a depth of passion and heart and loyalty to the franchise. And so they have an ownership. They’ve carried it with them for years. And it’s meant a lot to them for years. And so because of that, their voices, I think, deserve to be heard. And we appreciate their voices, even if they are in disagreement with us. Even if they’re criticizing, but I get where you’re coming from, though, because this means a lot to you.

And it’s hard to be different with something like this. And it was hard for us to be different. But I think we’ve really found ourselves and I think our fan base has really found their sort of relationship with us as well, at this point. That’s not to say that we’re robots and that we don’t care when we hear somebody being really angry about something that we’ve done. It’s like, “Oh, man, that sucks.” But at the same time, we’re like, “Yeah, but we understand where you’re coming from.” And then there are many people who are like, “But I love the changes.” There’s so many different perspectives. And isn’t that the whole point is to serve as so many perspectives. That’s, that’s the whole part of diversity and inclusion. Everybody’s got to be represented. So I get it and I hear you, but maybe you’ll change your mind. And if not, you’re allowed. It’s all good.

Regarding whether an endgame is being planned now that the show is entering its fifth year:

Well, the show is definitely rolling forward, thankfully. But, there haven’t been talks about the endgame yet. We talk a lot about things that we still want to see, or at least they share with me ideas that they have. I talk about things that I would like to see – not just with Burnham but with others and with the story as a whole. So there is forward-thinking, absolutely. And there’s foresight being applied, absolutely. But thankfully, we’re not having endgame conversations yet.

 

[Tosk]

Seems like a pretty damn reasonable answer to me.

 

[The Wormhole]

Clearly a smokescreen to cover the fact the show is in fact cancelled and Kurtzman fired.

( )

 

[Dee1891]

Clearly a smokescreen to cover the fact the show is in fact cancelled and Kurtzman fired.

( )

I think you might be referring to "Picard" . . . but without Kurtzman being fired.

 

[fireproof78]

I think you might be referring to "Picard" . . . but without Kurtzman being fired.

It's an ongoing joke based on conspiracy theory style YOUTUBE channels that insist Discovery is a failure and Kurtzman is fired but CBS is too embarrassed to announce it publicly.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

It's an ongoing joke based on conspiracy theory style YOUTUBE channels that insist Discovery is a failure and Kurtzman is fired but CBS is too embarrassed to announce it publicly.

And keeps producing more seasons to cover up the embarrassment and distract from the fact that the show is cancelled.

 

[XCV330]

They are being really cagey about Wiseman. Tilly is as integral to this show as Saru or Burnham. I really hope they get her back, somehow.

 

[Timofnine]

Discovery is the only Star Trek series that I have not been able to fully ‘connect’ with. It’s not a bad series and the cast are great, it’s just kind of…. I don’t know?! Maybe I am not it’s target audience and it is for a ‘younger’ demographic? I bought the series and only watched half of it after spending all of that money. I tried to make my way through the second half but now I’m stuck again with 4 or so more episodes left to watch of season 4. I think that it might just be *too* serialised and generic sci-fi for my liking as it kind of doesn’t hold my attention when I watch it like other Trek does? I’m not a major ‘general’ sci-fi fan you see, just Star Trek (…and Doctor Who!). I just can’t put my finger on it though as I *really* want to love Disco as much as all the other series, it is a *great* production and dramatic presentation and obviously a lot of hard work and dedication has gone in to producing it. Hopefully next season will be bit more episodic and they will lighten it up a bit. I just need to watch the rest of this season *quickly* before the next season starts… but I’m too busy watching TOS at the moment. I am not criticising the show here or trying to be negative, as there are a *lot* of positives about the Disco show, this is just my individual honest opinion ‘in a nut shell’ for what it matters. I hope that Disco doesn’t have an ‘end game’ yet as it is obviously a popular television show and I would hate for the dedicated Disco fans to suffer the same feeling I felt when Enterprise was cancelled... both the cancellations of the Enterprise TV series and the Eaglemoss Enterprise D model!

If Discovery was cancelled, I would just think ‘meh’ and shrug. But hopefully it will get 7 seasons…

 

[fireproof78]

Maybe I am not it’s target audience and it is for a ‘younger’ demographic?

YES! Finally someone is calling me young! After being guessed at 65 earlier this week by a client it is nice.

More on topic, Discovery *is* different. That's the design of it, especially in Season 1. So, I don't fault you with it not connecting. I would not recommend forcing it either. It is strongly serialized which is nice for people like me, but those who prefer more episodic formatting is a little much to do in one go.

 

[Danja]

It is strongly serialized which is nice for people like me, but those who prefer more episodic formatting is a little much to do in one go.

Episodic Trek has its faults (See Janeway and Tom evolve into salamanders! See Troi being turned into a cake!)

 

[plynch]

Having grown up on TOS and Adam 12, I just found it too emo, but I sure wish it and the ppl well, and all those who like it. Tilly annoyed me, but I rly liked the Saru relationship, and she seemed to have grown up. She was good to have on the show though she annoyed me. It was def less colorful/distinctive without her.

 

[fireproof78]

Episodic Trek has its faults (See Janeway and Tom evolve into salamanders! See Troi being turned into a cake!)

Everything has it's faults (controversial statement I know). More my point is that each one has it's ups and downs and I don't expect everyone to like those differences.

Having grown up on TOS and Adam 12, I just found it too emo, but I sure wish it and the ppl well, and all those who like it. Tilly annoyed me, but I rly liked the Saru relationship, and she seemed to have grown up. She was good to have on the show though she annoyed me. It was def less colorful/distinctive without her.

An excellent example of diversity. I grew up with the same shows yet really enjoy it

 

[dupersuper]

Episodic Trek has its faults (See Janeway and Tom evolve into salamanders! See Troi being turned into a cake!)

A) neither of those had anything to do with the shows being episodic
B) cellular peptide cake with mint frosting is delicious

 

[Agony_Boothb]

They are being really cagey about Wiseman. Tilly is as integral to this show as Saru or Burnham. I really hope they get her back, somehow.

I think they are being intentionally cagey because a 32nd Century Starfleet academy series is one of the two new shows Kurtzman confirmed is currently being worked on and Wiseman is going to be the lead.

 

[Danja]

I think they are being intentionally cagey because a 32nd Century Starfleet academy series is one of the two new shows Kurtzman confirmed is currently being worked on and Wiseman is going to be the lead.

I was wondering where they were going to set the thing.

 

[Timofnine]

I think they are being intentionally cagey because a 32nd Century Starfleet academy series is one of the two new shows Kurtzman confirmed is currently being worked on and Wiseman is going to be the lead.

I’d rather have a Section 31 series than this, and I don’t particularly want a Section 31 show either. I’m happy to try anything that the studio throws at us though within reason. We are after all at the mercy of the shows producers and their whims.

There has already been a successful Discovery spin-off anyway in Strange New World’s, I doubt that the TPTB could catch lightning in a bottle twice with a Tilly spin-off though, but who knows. I’m sure that the kids would love it, it might even be being made for them?

I think that an Academy series would be a great live action ‘Prodigy’ spin-off, with some of the Prodigy gang visualized ‘in the flesh’ if not CGI along with some new faces. They could be put through their paces at Starfleet Academy in the 25th century, complete with special guest Trek alumni cameo lecturers and speakers from the Berman era.

 

[Lord Garth]

On a related note: I consider the 25th Century to be the "Present" in the Star Trek Universe, like the people who make Picard. I'll still think of the 32nd Century as the "Future" until they have a second series that takes place in it.

 

[Sci]

On a related note: I consider the 25th Century to be the "Present" in the Star Trek Universe, like the people who make Picard. I'll still think of the 32nd Century as the "Future" until they have a second series that takes place in it.

I don't really see why you would consider the franchise to have a "present" at this point. SNW is set in 2259; PIC is set in 2401; DIS is set in 3190; LD is set in 2380; PRO is set in 2384. So they're all set at different times, same way TNG was set in the 2360s but the TOS movies were set in the 2280s-90s back in 1989-1991. No one of these shows has any "authority" or "anchor point" over the others. They're all equally the present.

 

[F. King Daniel]

On a related note: I consider the 25th Century to be the "Present" in the Star Trek Universe, like the people who make Picard. I'll still think of the 32nd Century as the "Future" until they have a second series that takes place in it.

Pfft. I'm tired of these 25th century prequels

 

[Lord Garth]

I don't really see why you would consider the franchise to have a "present" at this point. SNW is set in 2259; PIC is set in 2401; DIS is set in 3190; LD is set in 2380; PRO is set in 2384. So they're all set at different times, same way TNG was set in the 2360s but the TOS movies were set in the 2280s-90s back in 1989-1991. No one of these shows has any "authority" or "anchor point" over the others. They're all equally the present.

Real simple: if a series is promoted as a prequel, it's the "past". If it's not, it's the "present". And live-action trumps animation in my view.

I see SNW as the past, PIC as the present, and DSC as the future. Some people don't have an anchor point, I do.