Way too many women bickering about politics and doing nothing, in a TV series about super soldiers vs Aliens.
Before I'm being lynched to death, hear me out. Out of the 55 minute show, there's around 40 minutes of dialogue, and 30 minutes of it is done by unarmed, unenhanced, civilian women. There's nothing wrong with the gender, it's just very strange seeing this same stereotype appearing over and over in the show, especially about a show about super soldiers killing aliens. There's really a lot of women, a lot of talking and not a lot of action. This is numerical. This is objective. I didn't make these numbers.
Off the top of my head, recurring characters Kwan, the Alien-adopted human, the Indian Politician, the black science lady and Halsey. Then there's one guy, Master Chief. All they do is talk about funds, and argue about politics. It is a very strange obsession with the show to create women characters with a lot of talking and very little real work done. You don't see male characters do that in the show.
In the video game, Halsey handles all the politics with a bunch of inadequate faceless dudes in the UNSC, her voice is heard not because she's loud, but because she got a lot of science done, (aka. real work)
Halsey shields John from politics, and manipulates him at the same time. Not unlike James Bond and M. If Halo is a 007 film, you'll see 4,5 Ms arguing with each other, and 007 doesn't even use his gadgets or firearms. What kind of spy film is that?
I'm not being misogynist, I'm more than happy to see more about the 2 women from Blue team, Commander Sarah Palmer, Kat from Halo Reach, Miranda Keyes (Halo 2 Ship captain) or the AI from pillar of autumn. Again, they have character, they have skills, they bring something to the UNSC, and the franchise itself. The ones in the show do not.
Politics is the background of Halo. The main focus is action, but the show doesn't understand the priority. Imagine a meal to the restaurant, the human-covenant conflict is the main dish and the discussion about morality is the drink. Drinks are always welcome. It brings depth to the meal and preparing it can be just as expensive and as difficult as the main course, but you cannot give me cheap booze and a tiny piece of bread on the side and call it dinner. That's what you're doing, Paramount.
Then again, maybe it's my fault for having high hopes. When the director admits in public they never played the game, there's no way the show can keep the soul and spirit of the original material. I simply assumed, when they hire someone to direct a Halo show, the first question they'd ask is whether they played the Halo game. How presumptuous of me.