The first trailer for Star Trek: Discovery is here, and it will absolutely blow you away. I, like many fans, was skeptical of the series given the many production troubles and endless delays — not to mention the Star Wars-esque first photo that was revealed earlier today — but the trailer has alleviated all my concerns and then some. It’s incredible.
First off, the production values on this series look out of this world (no pun intended). It in no way resembles the cheap special effects you’d see on any network TV sci-fi show, or even on most cable shows for that matter, and much more closely resembles a big budget movie. Seriously, it’s gorgeous. The show’s acting also looks great, with some real pathos and not a hint of the cheesiness that can sometimes bog down shows like this. And in addition to everything else that’s going on, the show is unmistakably Star Trek.
The series’ look bridges the gap between the classic series of the franchise and the modern films, and manages to find a really nice compromise between the two (without a lens flare in sight!). The aliens’ makeup looks great, the pre-Kirk era Starfleet uniforms are fantastic, the alien worlds they visit appear rich, and the ship’s set design is jaw-dropping. And while many fans are still no doubt skeptical about forking over a monthly fee to watch the show on CBS’s streaming service All Access, the trailer might convince more than a few to open their wallets.
And the best news of all? CBS has finally committed to a (admittedly loose) release date of this fall. It’s not exact, but I’ll take it. Look for it to first premiere on CBS before moving to All Access, where it will continue its 15 episode first season run.
