Star Trek: Discovery lead Sonequa Martin-Green responded to criticism from traditional Star Trek fans. Beginning in 2017 with Discovery, CBS tapped writer-producer Alex Kurtzman to revitalize the long-running science-fiction franchise's future in television. Following Discovery's premiere, CBS introduced Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy, and its latest series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, with at least two new shows planned for the near future. In 2018, Kurtzman signed a five-year deal to focus on the franchise, extending to 2026.
Discovery follows Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) as she leads the crew of the USS Discovery on adventures through space and time. Although critics have generally praised the show (86% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes), traditional Star Trek fans have not been pleased with the direction and tone of the series (36% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes). Star Trek: Discovery's more serialized storytelling and focus on emotional, character-driven narrative arcs have caused fans to claim that the show strays too far away from what made the franchise great.
In an interview with Radio Times, Martin-Green responded to criticism from traditional Star Trek fans about Discovery. The actor understands that her series is "very different from other iterations" of Star Trek and acknowledges that the loyal fanbase's critiques are valid. But she also explains that the show will not change and that she is proud of what they've achieved. Read what Martin-Green said about the criticism below.
The fanbase for the franchise as a whole and the fanbase for Discovery in particular is a highly intellectual, loyal crowd. These are very intelligent people who have such a depth of passion and heart and loyalty to the franchise, so they have an ownership; they’ve carried it with them for years and it’s meant a lot to them.
So, because of that, their voices deserve to be heard and we appreciate their voices, even if they are in disagreement with us. Even if they’re criticizing, it’s like, ‘I get where you’re coming from though – it’s because this means a lot to you.'
Martin-Green understands where the complaints come from, acknowledging longtime fans' deep connection with the material. But the actor also explains that Discovery has come into its own, adding, "It was hard for us to be different, but I think we've really found ourselves, and I think our fanbase has really found their relationship with us as well at this point." She admits that she understands where the fans are coming from but also wants to continue with what made Discovery stand out and cultivate its core fan group in the first place. Martin-Green continues, "I get it. I hear you. But maybe you'll change your mind. And if not, then you're allowed – it's all good."
Discovery may have initially struggled to find its place within the multi-generational franchise, especially with its legions of longtime fans that grew up on different versions of the show going back to the 1960s. However, the show laid the groundwork for several new entries that have attracted a better reception. Lower Decks and Prodigy, the first animated projects in the franchise since Star Trek: The Animated Series, have had a relatively good reception from the fanbase. However, Strange New Worlds has received near-universal praise for its episodic storytelling that hearkens to the classic Star Trek structure and its powerful character-driven elements resembling Discovery's model. Perhaps, without Star Trek: Discovery leading the way, with the creators using the fans' reactions to guide their creative decision-making, these later shows would not have succeeded to the extent they had.
Source: Radio Times