Star Trek: Discovery Review - 6 Ups And 5 Downs From Season 1

If the powers that be intend for Michael Burnham to continue in the role of the central figure in this story for the foreseeable future, they need to do a better job in cementing one particular facet of hers to really delve into.

Bouncing around week to week between focusing on her Vulcan upbringing to her ruined reputation to her ambition as a leader and to her fledgling romance with Ash Tyler creates a scattered array of characteristics, with insufficient time spent on exploring any of them.

While the idea of a character that was raised by Vulcans is initially interesting, having her as the adopted daughter of Sarek specifically is more problematic. Putting aside the obvious question it raises in canon as to why Spock never mentioned having a human foster-sister, there seems to be little reason in attaching the protagonist to an established franchise character other than fan-service.

Still, we’re only at the end of the show’s first season yet, so there remains ample time for the writers to prove that Burnham is a more than worthy protagonist to follow throughout the show’s run. Sonequa Martin-Green gives a strong performance week in week out; she deserves more consistent material.