When I first started this show I found it to be a really awkward mix of comedy and seriousness. It had some jokes thrown it at the most inopportune times as some kind of comic relief from a really serious situation. Perhaps the first half of the first season was actually a bit rough or maybe the show just grew on me, but by season 2 I found myself loving this show.
To me it seems as every bit as comfy, intellectually interesting and even funny as some classic Star Treks while still clearly being its own thing. I wish more comfy space shows like this would get made.
What are your thoughts on The Orville? Also I miss Alara.
I thought it was the best comedic Star Trek until Lower Decks dropped. It's still the best modern Trek show as a regular Trek show, albeit a lot more goofy than it needs to be since it's made as a comedy first. I watch it because it's actually about as good in the drama and set design as TNG was, but the humor, being driven by McFarlane, is just not my thing anymore. He's just got too much shit that's all over the place and I'm tired of it, not that it's bad in and of itself.
I feel like the humor has taken a massive backseat since like near the end of season 1. It definitely was a parady at first with some hit or miss jokes but the humor feels a lot more natural in recent seasons. Imo