Star Trek: Discovery wasn't welcomed by every Star Trek fan when Paramount announced the new series was coming. And when the series debuted, there were a lot of complaints about the differences between the new Trek and the legacy Trek which aired from the 1960s through 2005.
Discovery didn't only look different from any other ship so did the Klingons and the crew. There were new alien species and redone species. There was a new way to travel with the spore drive, and fans were open about their displeasure. But the Discovery cast understood the points of view of these fans and never allowed it to discourage them, according to series star Sonequa Martin-Green in an interview with Variety.
"But this is an intelligent group of people. They are loyal, and they’re speaking from their hearts. They had issues, and rightfully so. They were justified to have their points of view," said Martin-Green. The cast played the characters that were written for them as well as the plots. They didn't have any part in shaping how the stories unfolded or the creation of new species or advances in the future. Yet, they were the ones that took the brunt of fans' discontent.
As Martin-Green said, "It’s always hard for a new iteration of “Trek.” Apparently, this is a sort of rite of passage, to have a little bit of a rocky beginning. This is what we’ve heard from other iterations, that it took a second for the audience to grab ahold of them. That was the case for us as well."
Some will say that Discovery never hit the mark for them, and there are still myriad complaints about the series. Much of the focus has been on Martin-Green who took the complaints with grace even though it had to be have been difficult to hear the negativity coming her way when it came to her acting.
There are plenty of Star Trek actors who are not fan favorites, but none who has undertaken as much grief as Martin-Green. That's, of course, due Discovery airing in the age of social media and the internet. One has to wonder if Ethan Phillips' Neelix or Wil Wheaton's Wesley Crusher would have gotten even more complaints had their series aired during the height of the social era.
One thing you can say about the Discovery cast. They kept going, kept trying, and were there until the final wrap. The series didn't have a high turnover when it came to the the cast. Those who started with the series, for the most part, stayed with the series unless their character was killed off or moved on to other adventures. And from everything I've seen and read, it's a cast that was a family. Much like Star Trek. And much like any family, we agree and disagree, but we still come together to enjoy the parts we love the best.