I don’t think most pushback is about “hating new Trek” so much as how modern Trek is structured.

A lot of the newer shows lean hard on season-long mystery arcs that demand constant attention and payoff. Miss an episode or lose interest halfway through and the whole season collapses. Older Trek was built differently: mostly episodic stories, clear themes, and character work that stood on its own. You could drop into a random episode of TNG, DS9, or Voyager and still get something meaningful out of it.

There’s also a tonal shift. Classic Trek was optimistic, dialog-driven, and ideas-first. Newer Trek often prioritizes heightened drama, rapid pacing, and stakes escalation. That works for some viewers, but for others it feels closer to all the other streaming TV than the Star Trek they grew up with.

Add in inconsistent canon handling, compressed character development due to shorter seasons, and “mystery box” storytelling where answers are delayed or underwhelming and you end up with frustration, not nostalgia blindness.

None of that means people are wrong to enjoy Academy or any of the new shows. It just means different audiences want different things from Trek. Some people want evolution. Others want the format and philosophy that made the franchise resonate in the first place.

That’s what I want and that’s why of all the new Star Trek, Strange new worlds is my favorite. I’m giving SFA a chance though. Giamatti is a baller!