Star Trek: Discovery Review Roundup

Star Trek is back. The first two episodes in the highly anticipated new Discovery series, "The Vulcan Hello" and "Battle at the Binary Stars," aired tonight and fans are excited. How did the critics enjoy the two-part premiere? We're collecting excerpts from reviews here to give you an idea for how the premiere was received at GameSpot and across the board.

Discovery's first episodes ran on CBS, but going forward, new episodes will be available only on the CBS All Access streaming service (and Netflix internationally). The service costs $6/month after a free trial. For lots more on how to watch, check out GameSpot's breakdown here.

Discovery takes place 10 years before the events of Captain Kirk's mission. Like the shows that came before it, Discovery is all about the missions of the Starfleet crew, but there are all new ships and characters. The show stars Jason Isaacs as the new Captain, Gabriel Lorca.

GameSpot:

"The history of Star Trek shows is long and varied in quality, and Star Trek: Discovery's two-part premiere, 'The Vulcan Hello' and 'Battle At The Binary Stars,' wasn't perfect. Luckily, it didn't have to be; it just needed to feel like Star Trek, and in that, it succeeded." -- Michael Rougeau [Full review]

IGN

Star Trek: Discovery's debut is something of a shakedown cruise as the show works to find its rhythm. But it’s also already a strong installment in the Trek pantheon, establishing a more modern approach to telling stories in what at this point is a 51-year-old franchise. With a polished production, a complex plot, and several compelling characters already introduced, Discovery is off to a good start in transforming Trek on TV for a new era." -- Scott Collura [Full review]

Variety

"Trek has been off the air for a while, and the strategy of reviving the TV franchise via CBS All Access is not without risk. And within the world of the show, the Klingons' philosophy is dark--a new leader rises whose philosophy could be summed up as 'Make Kronos Great Again.' But the tenacious drive that Martin-Green brings to her character's quest to prove herself means no one should count out the Federation just yet." -- Maureen Ryan [Full review]

Vulture

"This is light years removed from being a perfect TV show, but it already shows signs of being a great one." -- Matt Zoller Seitz [Full review]

The Hollywood Reporter

"The first two episodes sell one show that doesn't feel like a regular series. The third episode sells a mostly different set of characters and a smaller and less impressive canvas, but it feels like a repeatable TV series. So that really puts everything on Martin-Green, at least for me, and even as great as she is, I'm not sure if she's enough." -- Daniel Fienberg [Full review]

Deadline

"Despite its often over-explanatory scripts, jittery direction, scattered plot points, silly Beatles, and Chuck Yeager and Amelia Earhart shout outs, Discovery is conventional and solidly satisfying serialized TV that speaks to our times, as war drums beat culturally and perhaps internationally." -- Dominic Patten [Full review]

Entertainment Weekly

"This feels like a show struggling to find its heart. But at least Martin-Green gives it a pulse." -- Darren Franich [Full review]

Disclosure: GameSpot is owned by CBS.