I think it doesn't matter how big a cast is and whether or not you can remember their names or even how developed they are in the sense the writer are trying to give them depth. It comes down to how interesting the characters are you choose to explore. Quantum Leap had two characters. So did X-Files for the most part though like a hand full of recurring and they were better than some shows that have like 10 people.
I admire Discovery's attempt to try and have characters that are more than just extras filling up the bridge crew. TOS basically did this with characters like Uhura, Sulu, Chekov,Rand and even Scotty as I think we all know the show is really just about KIrk/Spock/Bones.
None of that matters though if the characters aren't interesting or well written. I know more about Detmer than I do many old crew characters whose only lines amounted to yes sir, no sir. Sir we are detecting the thing with our sensors and so forth. It still doesn't make the show good.
The show isn't good because Burnham was never really made all that compelling. The stuff with the crying, melodramatic speeches and characters talking about how amazing she is was done badly enough it became something used for parody. Stamets is great but he often has nothing to do. Same with Suru.
Lorca went from deep Anti-hero type to cartoon baddie on a dime. Burnhams boyfriends have backgrounds that sound more interesting than they were actually depicted. Tilly was great. Made the silly mistake though of giving her arc that is exactly like your series lead.
Having her on command track makes no sense when you know Burnham is suppose to be on a path like that to becoming the Captain of the ship. Hell they could have made her Chief Engineer and fill that job spot that they have just ignored on the show for some reason.
The big issue though is everyone in the cast codes as modern day liberal. When in reality that is not good for drama. For show to work you need internal conflict within the cast to create drama. You create conflict by having characters who have opposing opinions and then those two clashing against each other.
On Quantum Leap you have Sam who is big boy scout who grew up on a farm but Al loves the ladies and having fun and was raised in a orphanage and went to Vietnam. Or go to classic TOS.
KIrk is the classic hero, Spock the brain who sees the world less through emotion but through being rational and Bones the country doctor with old school values and believes in people and sees the humanity in everything and isn't big into fancy modern tech.
People can relate to Spock and Bones basically trying to get each other goats by teasing each other in ways they know will annoy the other. Like brothers. All the conflict that is sometimes banter but also sometimes real disagreements helped make them feel like a family because families fight with each other sometimes even when they also love each other.
Discovery has always been missing this kind of dynamic thus creating a kind of sameness to every character and unlike TNG which relied heavily on bringing in interesting guest star characters to basically create conflict they have simply not done this because the show thinks it's characters are deeper than they are. To wrapped up in world ending story arcs which we don't really care about because we know their world is not going to end.
I admire Discovery's attempt to try and have characters that are more than just extras filling up the bridge crew. TOS basically did this with characters like Uhura, Sulu, Chekov,Rand and even Scotty as I think we all know the show is really just about KIrk/Spock/Bones.
None of that matters though if the characters aren't interesting or well written. I know more about Detmer than I do many old crew characters whose only lines amounted to yes sir, no sir. Sir we are detecting the thing with our sensors and so forth. It still doesn't make the show good.
The show isn't good because Burnham was never really made all that compelling. The stuff with the crying, melodramatic speeches and characters talking about how amazing she is was done badly enough it became something used for parody. Stamets is great but he often has nothing to do. Same with Suru.
Lorca went from deep Anti-hero type to cartoon baddie on a dime. Burnhams boyfriends have backgrounds that sound more interesting than they were actually depicted. Tilly was great. Made the silly mistake though of giving her arc that is exactly like your series lead.
Having her on command track makes no sense when you know Burnham is suppose to be on a path like that to becoming the Captain of the ship. Hell they could have made her Chief Engineer and fill that job spot that they have just ignored on the show for some reason.
The big issue though is everyone in the cast codes as modern day liberal. When in reality that is not good for drama. For show to work you need internal conflict within the cast to create drama. You create conflict by having characters who have opposing opinions and then those two clashing against each other.
On Quantum Leap you have Sam who is big boy scout who grew up on a farm but Al loves the ladies and having fun and was raised in a orphanage and went to Vietnam. Or go to classic TOS.
KIrk is the classic hero, Spock the brain who sees the world less through emotion but through being rational and Bones the country doctor with old school values and believes in people and sees the humanity in everything and isn't big into fancy modern tech.
People can relate to Spock and Bones basically trying to get each other goats by teasing each other in ways they know will annoy the other. Like brothers. All the conflict that is sometimes banter but also sometimes real disagreements helped make them feel like a family because families fight with each other sometimes even when they also love each other.
Discovery has always been missing this kind of dynamic thus creating a kind of sameness to every character and unlike TNG which relied heavily on bringing in interesting guest star characters to basically create conflict they have simply not done this because the show thinks it's characters are deeper than they are. To wrapped up in world ending story arcs which we don't really care about because we know their world is not going to end.
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