The controversy surrounding particular elements of Star Trek: Discovery season 1 distracted from the many good things about what was the first Star Trek TV show after a 12-year hiatus. Discovery season 1 never fully recovered from the initial shock at the radical redesign of stalwart Trek aliens, the Klingons. The backlash to the new look was only exacerbated by the fact that the story arc of the entire first season revolved around the brutal war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.
While Star Trek still struggles with the ongoing problem of Klingon continuity over five years later, there is a lot to recommend about Discovery season 1. Discovery was criticized for its brutal violence and dark tone, which appeared to stand in opposition to Gene Roddenberry's original vision. However, it's worth remembering that Discovery is a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, which established that the Federation was keen to avoid another war with the Klingon Empire. Rather than reject the Star Trek creator's vision, Discovery depicted a brutal conflict that emphasized the continued need for Roddenberry's hope and optimism in the increasingly divided 21st century, which is just one of the many good things about Star Trek:Discovery season 1.
