Let's discuss the problems with Michael Burnham...

[Yukaphile]

Think I'm finally starting to see the inherent issues in her, politically as well as structurally. Wanna discuss this? Have a debate?

[MissKittyFantastico]

You watched Disco?

[Yukaphile]

No, but I've absorbed a lot in the past few days, while reading to construct my big crossover lore.

I think the inherent problem is this. Those in charge wanna show off a black women in a secondary support role struggling against the inherent power structures that are primarily white patriarchy, which I could sympathize with. That said, they name her Michael, which... just sits WRONG with me, because it's like what I think others here have said. In trying to play it among the "trendy liberal crowd" with what they think is diversity and equality, they end up conforming to the age-old stereotypes they should hate themselves, ironically. With the way Michael seems to be written, as thoroughly unlikable, with some major shilling from the writers, and that male name, it's almost like they conform to that old stereotype that black women are uppity, dominant, and high-strung. And it may seem like it's LGBT-friendly, but it's only pandering. It's trying to present her as "no different than a man, because see? She has a MALE name!"

[MissKittyFantastico]

No,

I mean, I knew that, but I had to ask...

[Karha of Honor]

I was fine with her in season 1 but they Jedi jumped the shark in season 2.

[Mecha82]

I have already mentioned in else were on this message board but I have no issue with Micheal. Sure she isn't my favorite char (ray of sun shine that is Tilly is) from series but she doesn't annoy me either nor does way she is written to be main character of series. While I understand why some people don't like her and why some people do I don't share either opinion.

[Jonathan101]

The name is more like a Bryan Fuller "trademark". He likes to give female characters male names in all of his shows. Obviously this one stuck around after he left Discovery.

[Karha of Honor]

The name is more like a Bryan Fuller "trademark". He likes to give female characters male names in all of his shows. Obviously this one stuck around after he left Discovery.

Would have appreciated that nuance before i gave up on DISCO.

[Deledrius]

No, but I've absorbed a lot in the past few days, while reading to construct my big crossover lore.

I think the inherent problem is this. Those in charge wanna show off a black women in a secondary support role struggling against the inherent power structures that are primarily white patriarchy, which I could sympathize with. That said, they name her Michael, which... just sits WRONG with me, because it's like what I think others here have said. In trying to play it among the "trendy liberal crowd" with what they think is diversity and equality, they end up conforming to the age-old stereotypes they should hate themselves, ironically. With the way Michael seems to be written, as thoroughly unlikable, with some major shilling from the writers, and that male name, it's almost like they conform to that old stereotype that black women are uppity, dominant, and high-strung. And it may seem like it's LGBT-friendly, but it's only pandering. It's trying to present her as "no different than a man, because see? She has a MALE name!"

None of that is supported by the show. Whoever you've read that you're repeating is channeling their own biases into the show to explain its flaws. It's flawed, but this isn't it.

[CharlesPhipps]

I like Michael Burnham but I feel like her character is written as a supporting character that they keep using as a lead. The problem is that the show is full of characters who would make better leads than her like Lorca, Georgiou, and even Tilly (albeit she'd be a lower decks sort of character). Part of the issue is they keep using her for the big dramatic emotional moments when she's raised by a planet of stoics.

It's like if Data was the star of Star Trek: TNG.

It's why Season 2 was better because we did get Pike to balance her out alongside a bigger focus on the ensemble.

Even then, BOTH her families are direly important to the story.