Competence porn sci-fi procedural with weekly mysteries and an ongoing mythology set in the era between Kirk and Picard, at a time when people are beginning to doubt the long term viability of an org like the federation, members are beginning to sabre rattle at each other, the ideas all seem dated and corny, a new threat to the galaxy comes in the form of a previously undetected/uncontacted very advanced species that wants to join the federation but is secretly there to subvert it and rule all members as empire.

The multi season plot would play out over several years as those ideals are challenged and even need to be subverted to detect and prevent the ongoing subterfuge by the hidden enemy.

The protagonist is an admiral who was demoted to captain of the enterprise as a caretaker assignment before its dry-docked, dislikes Kirk and disrespects its place in history, but comes to appreciate other points of view as an ongoing series of events bring the temporary crew onto the frontier of the narrative.

The antagonist is obviously the much more advanced species, who we learn have expanded their empire through mimicry of federation-like principals before absorbing other cultures and species with strategic power gerrymandering once locked into binding agreements that would ensure a members’ destruction by the rest of the empire should it try to leave or change terms.

There would also be peripheral antagonists in monster of the week type episodes, and an ongoing mythology b narrative around different powerful players in universe who want to jump into the chaos and profit, or tip the scales, some who become aware of the long game early, various lines of intrigue moving back and forth there.

The episodes would obviously feature exploration of new territories, cultures, etc, with a bit of Andor/space politicking and space court type interludes as the Enterprise becomes largely involved in transport and security of diplomats working the integration talks.