Sonequa Martin-Green has had a big hand in the growth and development of Star Trek: Discovery. The former Walking Dead actress came aboard Star Trek as Michael Burnham, the lead of the show. It was a huge task for Martin-Green, as not only was she taking over as the lead for the first Star Trek show in over 15 years, but she was doing as the first black female lead.
It was not something that was lost on here. Speaking to CBS, Martin-Green spoke about how she had to navigate such a monumental moment, going on to say;
""It was overwhelming at the time. And I it was heavy, but God really blessed me with it, and I learned so much from it. I learned so much about who I am as a Black woman. And I learned that I don't have to fight for my value or my worth, because I definitely felt that way""
Martin-Green deserves to be praised for her work on the show. She's brought a warmth to the captain's chair never truly seen before in Star Trek lore. While some like Benjamin Sisko and Kathryn Janeway had a more parental feel to their roles as captains, they were both more hardened or became more hardened due to their circumstances.
Her character, on the other hand, grew into a warmer personality and became a guiding force for the crew on her ship. We can complain about the direction the show has gone and the myriad of terrible ideas the show has shoehorned in, but what can't be argued is that Martin-Green was the right call for the lead of the show.
She's a dynamic actress, who can cover a variety of roles and is someone who will be able to carry many different types of projects going forward. Many fans can, rightfully, criticize Discovery, but the thing they can't criticize is the talent that the show has on it, including Martin-Green.