I continue to have a complicated relationship with Star Trek Discovery as it recently launched its latest season.
It solidly advances and challenges our cultural conversation in ways that resemble that of the original series.
I daresay that my own thoughts about LGBTQIA+ issues have been affected by the storytelling, so in that regard the show is solidly Trek.
It's not unfair to criticize aspects of the program. Some of my friends noped out the minute they saw the revised design of (for nothing more than producorial fashion, apparently) Klingons.
The serial nature of Discovery and Picard makes repeated viewings less attractive to many people. I appreciate having self-contained episodes within larger story arcs, because I can easily dip in for a quick viewing while flipping channels and dip back out again without feeling lost. Brave New Worlds should satisfy that style of storytelling more.
I am fine with having a highly diverse cast as it more closely represents the nature of the Federation of Planets than any prior version of Trek.
Discovery is one of those shows that requires me to turn on close captioning, because several of the actors talk rapidly and in a quiet, low register, notably (but NOT exclusively) the heroine, Sonequa Martin-Green. If I can't understand an actor it's more difficult to buy into their storyline.
Discovery's future technology is a lot of fun as are 800 years of changes in the cultures of former Federation member planets.
Discovery will ultimately prove a gateway to Trek for some people in the same way as every other series before it.
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