Best actor on the show?
- Thread starter BlueStuff
- Start date
…But not Javid Iqbal. It feels like forever since we last saw him.
Isaacs is stealing the show for me, I knew he was a highly regarded actor but hadn't seen him in much. Thoroughly enjoying Latif as well, I was an avid watcher of Spooks when it was on and thought he was brilliant in that at the time.
I agree with the comments re Martin - I don't think it's her fault though. Whereas with Spock, there was an emphasis placed on his alien-ness, I don't really find that in the writing of Burnham. Whilst it's been explored in episodes which specifically address it (ie the ones with Sarek) - most of the time she's just written as a reserved and quiet human and this isn't letting her character come though.
I also think re Burnham/Martin, one of the problems is that as the series went on she stopped being the focal point for me and Lorca/Isaacs became the lead. I don't know if anyone else found this? Obviously, a lot was made in the publicity for the show how it was going to be different as the Captain wasn't the lead. I definitely found this to be true in the opening episodes, but once Burnham was established on Discovery it seemed to switch from focusing on her to being in the traditional Trek mould - i.e. an ensemble cast with the Captain being the focal point. Now, I don't dislike this, indeed I prefer this approach as it definitely feels more like Trek to me, but I think Burnham as a character may have suffered from this. Unless of course, Lorca/Discovery is only temporary and Burnham goes on to be captain later down the road. I hope Isaacs is sticking around personally!
I agree with the comments re Martin - I don't think it's her fault though. Whereas with Spock, there was an emphasis placed on his alien-ness, I don't really find that in the writing of Burnham. Whilst it's been explored in episodes which specifically address it (ie the ones with Sarek) - most of the time she's just written as a reserved and quiet human and this isn't letting her character come though.
I also think re Burnham/Martin, one of the problems is that as the series went on she stopped being the focal point for me and Lorca/Isaacs became the lead. I don't know if anyone else found this? Obviously, a lot was made in the publicity for the show how it was going to be different as the Captain wasn't the lead. I definitely found this to be true in the opening episodes, but once Burnham was established on Discovery it seemed to switch from focusing on her to being in the traditional Trek mould - i.e. an ensemble cast with the Captain being the focal point. Now, I don't dislike this, indeed I prefer this approach as it definitely feels more like Trek to me, but I think Burnham as a character may have suffered from this. Unless of course, Lorca/Discovery is only temporary and Burnham goes on to be captain later down the road. I hope Isaacs is sticking around personally!
I feel bad for Sonequa. They've given the character this overly elaborate backstory, but the scripts have failed to actually establish her character. Is she a cold, stoic pseduo-Vulcan or an impulsive, highly damaged human? We're 11 episodes in and I still have no understanding of her temperament. I'd have no idea how to play it, either.
I think there is a little more too it than being "written as a reserved and quiet human". After all some people are like that it doesn't mean that the character type can't work. But perhaps the issue is in that Burnham isn't the quiet reserved type and the writters aren't doing a god enough job of exploring that inner conflict between how she wants to present herself vs her true nature.
Indeed! I should have worded it better, that's sort of what I was getting it. I also wonder if it's partly that she's introduced as this rogue - mutineer, convicted criminal etc. and indeed to begin with she definitely doesn't fit the mould of 'typical, well-behaved Starfleet officer' but since then we've been introduced to other morally dubious characters. Lorca, for example, has done questionable things and seems to believe in the philosophy that the ends justify the means. Stamets also has done something questionable in no disclosing the side effects from the spore drive. Thus, maybe, Burnham's mutiny is arguably not as major when she's on a ship with people who aren't exactly paragons of virtue. I suppose you could summarize all of that by saying that ultimately, she doesn't arguably have the most interesting character arc when compared to other characters.
Burnham on the USS Discovery is just one of many on the Island of Misfit Toys.
He was in it last night, opposite Shazad Latif.
there i still time for that to play out if you are going for the redemption arc, Lorca hypothetically could quite easily be section 31 who have a more lax inteperation of starfleets/federations morals.
Agreed. It seems like we’re meant to just remember her stoic Vulcan side rather than the writing making it possible for her to show the tension. At the moment her decision making just seems to be logical human rather than super-logical Vulcan
This is easily the best overall cast for a Trek television series ever. Don't get me wrong, I've loved all (or very nearly all) of the characters from TOS-DS9, and a few of the Voyager and Enterprise characters had their moments. But pound for pound this is the best bunch of actors we've ever had.
That said, for me the nod for best actor clearly goes to Jason Isaacs. Yes, the writers have given him a great character to work with. But I've really loved the choices Isaacs has been making. He really sells you on the ambiguity of Lorca. A man who is both hero and monster in seemingly equal measure. He's utterly believable on both sides of the coin. And charismatic as hell. He steals every scene he's in just by sheer presence.
Honorable mentions go to two actors I've loved for quite some time, and who are doing fantastic work on DISCO: Doug Jones and Shazad Latif. I'm not crazy about Saru as a character, but Jones knocks the role out of the park. The way he manages to work with his physicality under the makeup, and really make the character feel alien even as he brings a kind of humanity to the role is astounding. Reminds me a great deal of his work as Abe Sapien in the Hellboy films. (He's far and away the best part of Hellboy 2.) And Latif finally gets to play Jekyll and Hyde, after Penny Dreadful ended too soon and denied him the chance. His scenes in the last few episodes, as he's gone from PTSD Tyler to realizing what truly happened, and finally awakening as his true self have been fantastic. I'm really hoping they don't just have him chew scenery as a villain for the rest of the season, but even if that's what the writers go for, you can be sure he'll give it one hell of a go.
Mary Wiseman and Anthony Rapp have been really solid without too much to work with. I liked grumpy Stamets better than hippy Stamets, but Rapp looks like he's enjoying himself either way. And Tilly is probably my favorite non-Lorca character in the show, largely due to the charm and conviction Wiseman projects into the role.
Martin-Green remains the weak link. By rather a large margin. I'm not convinced it's her fault (I've never seen her in anything else, so I have no frame of reference). But Burnham feels too inconsistent, too stilted. Could be the writing or directing choices as opposed to the acting. I'm really hoping we get Mirror-Burnham just so we can see the actress put to the test. But, and I've said this before, Burnham remains the least interesting character on the whole show, either way.
That said, for me the nod for best actor clearly goes to Jason Isaacs. Yes, the writers have given him a great character to work with. But I've really loved the choices Isaacs has been making. He really sells you on the ambiguity of Lorca. A man who is both hero and monster in seemingly equal measure. He's utterly believable on both sides of the coin. And charismatic as hell. He steals every scene he's in just by sheer presence.
Honorable mentions go to two actors I've loved for quite some time, and who are doing fantastic work on DISCO: Doug Jones and Shazad Latif. I'm not crazy about Saru as a character, but Jones knocks the role out of the park. The way he manages to work with his physicality under the makeup, and really make the character feel alien even as he brings a kind of humanity to the role is astounding. Reminds me a great deal of his work as Abe Sapien in the Hellboy films. (He's far and away the best part of Hellboy 2.) And Latif finally gets to play Jekyll and Hyde, after Penny Dreadful ended too soon and denied him the chance. His scenes in the last few episodes, as he's gone from PTSD Tyler to realizing what truly happened, and finally awakening as his true self have been fantastic. I'm really hoping they don't just have him chew scenery as a villain for the rest of the season, but even if that's what the writers go for, you can be sure he'll give it one hell of a go.
Mary Wiseman and Anthony Rapp have been really solid without too much to work with. I liked grumpy Stamets better than hippy Stamets, but Rapp looks like he's enjoying himself either way. And Tilly is probably my favorite non-Lorca character in the show, largely due to the charm and conviction Wiseman projects into the role.
Martin-Green remains the weak link. By rather a large margin. I'm not convinced it's her fault (I've never seen her in anything else, so I have no frame of reference). But Burnham feels too inconsistent, too stilted. Could be the writing or directing choices as opposed to the acting. I'm really hoping we get Mirror-Burnham just so we can see the actress put to the test. But, and I've said this before, Burnham remains the least interesting character on the whole show, either way.
I have seen Martin Green in both Once Upon a Time and Walking Dead.
Acting wise this is her standard.
Anyone on here a big fan of DJones I have a hunch that 5th passenger is going to be pretty darn good, for an indie sci-fi horror/survival picture it looks very promising
It was filmed well before he blew up.
It was filmed well before he blew up.
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