Star Trek: Discovery Fans Have A Major Gripe With The Series' Forced Drama
2017's "Star Trek: Discovery" quickly drew attention from fans of the "Star Trek" franchise — being the first new series in over a decade. Set before the original series, it follows Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) as she rises through the ranks of the USS Discovery, encountering everything from a Starfleet officer who turns out to be from the mirror universe and a Klingon agent so undercover that even he doesn't know who he is to evil artificial intelligence and a Kelpien who spends some time preparing for a death that never comes.
While some may feel this makes for good television, others feel that all this drama is forced. Redditor u/ShaunLevi1995 thinks the series comes across as melodramatic, with its characters crying far more often than they should and their dialogue being out of character for Starfleet officers. "It seems like it's solely for the benefit of saying this isn't your grandpappy's Star Trek," they wrote.
Some fans are frustrated by overly emotional moments
Emotions are a key component of the series, but many are noticing an over-the-top approach. Redditor u/nick13b pointed out what they described as "forced crying and drama" before diving into their other complaints about the sci-fi drama.
Redditor u/AmishAvenger highlighted how the series has a habit of spelling out what characters are feeling instead of trusting the viewer. "Burnham is sad? Well, she has to cry. Someone is excited? Time to yell 'F*** yeah!'" they commented. "Need to inject some urgency? The viewers can't be trusted to understand that from the dialogue — we have to spin the camera."
A since-deleted user called the first two seasons enjoyable but noted that Season 3 left them wanting more. Why? "Not enough science and exploration. Too much drama." Hopefully, things will change for fans by the time Season 5 of "Star Trek: Discovery" debuts in 2024.