DIS - Brother

[Makeshift Python]

Villains becoming fan favorites is not exactly a new trend. Spike from BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. Vegeta in DRAGON BALL.

Hell, then there’s films and shows with criminals as protagonists like a plethora of mob movies (THE GODFATHER, SCARFACE, GOODFELLAS, etc)

I have no idea what’s in store for Phillipa. She may become a redeemed hero, or she may never change her stripes and Michael will have to defeat her.

[CharlesPhipps]

The only person who likes her is Michael Burnham who has attachment issues that Anakin Skywalker would call excessive. Everyone else is repulsed by her but just being excessively polite because that's what you do in the Federation when not being condescending.

I'm talking about fans.

...

Aren't you SUPPOSED to like characters in a show?

[TGLS]

The only person who likes her is Michael Burnham who has attachment issues that Anakin Skywalker would call excessive. Everyone else is repulsed by her but just being excessively polite because that's what you do in the Federation when not being condescending.

I'm talking about fans.

...

Aren't you SUPPOSED to like characters in a show?

Or at the very least, love to hate them.

[Thebestoftherest]

Loki from Avengers.

[Mecha82]

The only person who likes her is Michael Burnham who has attachment issues that Anakin Skywalker would call excessive. Everyone else is repulsed by her but just being excessively polite because that's what you do in the Federation when not being condescending.

I'm talking about fans.

...

Aren't you SUPPOSED to like characters in a show?

Or at the very least, love to hate them.

Some characters are made to be hated and Empress is one of those characters.

[CharlesPhipps]

Some characters are made to be hated and Empress is one of those characters.

Except for the part of her being awesome. Yes.

Mind you, I made dozens of "eating Saru" jokes so I may have not taken her actions there seriously.

If Kelpians weren't delicious then we wouldn't eat them.

[Worffan101]

Dukat was a nasty person, but he presented an appealing face. He may have even believed the lies he told people about why he was actually a misunderstood hero. I can see why people would accept him, even though we shouldn't.

The Emperor is a nasty person who gleefully brags about how nasty she is and she'll "do it again in just a moment just you watch" constantly. She is unapologetically evil and selfish. That self-assuredness is so appealing to some people that she can admit to being a murderous psychopath and her fans will cheer her on because...

Not only is it inappropriate in context, but it's the lowest of low bars writing- and acting-wise. Yeoh's added some nuance to a role that has none, and I think that's gone a long way, but it's also infuriatingly contradictory to the character-as-written.

And yes, she may be realistic, but that's not a realism I care for in Star Trek.

The only person who likes her is Michael Burnham who has attachment issues that Anakin Skywalker would call excessive. Everyone else is repulsed by her but just being excessively polite because that's what you do in the Federation when not being condescending.

I'm gonna be honest, I love the concept of the Empress of Terra as this cartoonishly evil moustache-twirling baby-eating monster who gleefully wallows in how evil she is but is dangerous because she has a legion of fascist minions or political connections or an advanced ship or some combination of the above, especially since that means Michelle Yeoh gets to PLAY that hilariously evil character, but the show puts that gloriously cheesy villain in the wrong production.

I appreciate that they tried to tone her down a bit and make her more serious, but they should've gone for a more, Reinhard Heydrich style "oh yeah, I planned an industrial genocide for political points, now do what I want or I will do something so unspeakable to your family that merely hearing about it will make you vomit, and I will force you to watch every second of it" all delivered in a flatly neutral, matter-of-fact tone, kinda thing. Mood whiplash of cold bastard-->casual mention of insane evil-->calmly delivered horrifying threat; THAT is a setup I think would've had more impact.

Michelle Yeoh has the raw skill to pull that character off really well, too.

[BunBun299]

https://crudereviews.net/2019/01/23/discovery-in-depth-continuity-and-the-shelby-method/

So, I thought I should share this, as it talks quite a bit about this episode, and the sloppy writing.