Is Star Trek: Discovery Worth Watching?

Star Trek: Discovery wrapped up its first season as a major linchpin to CBS’ live streaming platform.

Acting as a provocateur: Sometimes it helps to make outlandish statements to drive conversations, debate and solve problems.

So here’s me being honest, opening the kimono as they say on the West Coast (this is a cliche that needs to be banned, BTW), putting the cards on the table, etc., etc.

I’ll be honest: I love TOS. I like TNG. I liked Enterprise. I am not a fan of DS9, Voyager or any of the re-boot movies. Considering Star Trek as a stock, I’d rate it as a “sell.” In other words, I’m pretty much not buying into new Star Trek products since the re-boot debacle.

Angry? A little.

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From a business standpoint, I believe CBS’ choice of Star Trek to help bolster its standalone streaming service was the right strategic move.

Cord-cutting could morph into an expensive tapas-style ala carte project as you pay a premium to design things to your tastes. I’m not in a hurry to add CBS to Netflix, Amazon, MLB.TV, etc. etc. as subscriptions. The idea is to save money by cord-cutting.

What I dislike about Discovery is that it’s butt-ugly. Everything is pointy. The ships, the uniforms, the Klingons, their uniforms, everything. For Pete’s sake, the show’s title font is pointy!

In a sick and probably minority POV-kinda-way, I would love, love, love to see someone do a Mad Men-style retro-looking Star Trek show.

If TOS chronicles the journey of Starfleet’s most successful ship and crew, what does serving on the unluckiest, most-undisciplined ship of the line feel like? What’s it like being on the all-Vulcan USS Intrepid or Matt Decker’s USS Constellation or Ron Tracey’s USS Exeter or the USS Defiant? All ships that are eventually doomed? What’s it like serving under Commodore Robert Wesley on the USS Lexington? Imagine watching a series where you know the entire beloved cast of characters is heading for inevitable disaster.

What’s cool about The Orville is that it’s a humor-packed version of TNG.

So, here’s me leveling a short phaser burst (stun setting only) at your feet:

Tell me why I should binge-watch Discovery and get hooked?

What do you like about the show?

Explain to me why the show is so bleeding ugly and how you can ignore that to get to the thick of the plot.

And look, I can bust out a collection of Twitter embeds as evidence that I’m not alone in criticizing the aesthetics.

Ready, set..convince me! Fill up the comments below…

LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 05: Producer Aaron Harberts and actors Jason Isaacs, Sonequa Martin-Green and Shazad Latif attend the ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ photocall at Millbank Tower on November 5, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)