Overall, as a series, I've found Discovery to be a very mixed bag. It would have been interesting if the original vision had gone forward as planned (and I feel like we're getting elements of that now, but whether it's a good execution of that is debatable presently

), and I haven't directly commented in most threads because I'm not entirely sure of my opinion yet.
I think some of the cast are really good, but sadly some of the lead actors aren't necessarily the best (SMG's performance at times is all over the map, IMO, and may be in part due more to problems with how her character has been written). Some of the bridge crew really deserve a lot more fleshing out than they've received, and I wish Ariam had been better used in that respect. Some fans were glad she did get some development finally and even had a heroic death, and while I respect that opinion, I don't currently share it. I wish some of the development for her (which was indeed interesting and good) had happened much earlier and not just felt slapped on.
One of my big issues is how a lot of the technology is used in the series. Even as an experimental testbed,
Discovery herself seems way too advanced to me and it's weird seeing gaping holes with robots and turbolifts in the hull that don't seem to make any engineering sense. I've never liked the spore drive as a concept either, because it just seems too silly in many aspects and it's not something that ever came up in previous series as an alternative to conventional propulsion. It doesn't seem to fit, for me, and it's not enough to reach the end of a season and say "well, all of Discovery's missions and such are just classified."
That's not to say I necessarily have an issue with using organic technology or similar ideas. I'm just not convinced the show uses those elements particularly well, especially in the earlier seasons when it's supposed to be an immediate predecessor to TOS. I enjoy the game Starfinder as another series, which includes factions that use both organic/technological hybrids as their fleet base (the Xenowardens) and one (the Eoxians) whose population became mostly undead after using necromancy magic during an ancient catastrophe. Because most of their space crews are not alive and don't have to deal mortality, disease, and other such problems, their vessels are unique in not having to devote space to many of the common amenities. Many Eoxian ships do still have a few areas for living visitors, if needed, but their existence is simply different in many ways. Naturally, this gives them some advantages in a military capacity compared to some of the other races.
I have issues with a lot of the visual aesthetics as well. Some of them are really good - I like the basic design of the Discovery era uniforms and some of the future ones we've seen this season as well, even if I think the former could use a few improvements too. I understand that it wouldn't be ideal or practical to try and make everything look like it was set in the TOS era, but I wish it didn't look like it's more suited to the Kelvin timeline instead. We've seen a few occasions on other series like ENT's "In A Mirror Darkly" and DS9's "Trials" that it's possible to bridge elements of two distinct series and still make them fit together.
I have some of the books about the S1 Klingon and Fed fleets, but I admit I genuinely don't understand a lot of the design influences Bryan Fuller wanted for them. Many of them didn't look all that great on screen, and the Klingon designs didn't really seem to flow into some of their more classic designs. Some of the new Federation ships do look pretty cool and interesting, I just haven't made up my mind if they look "suitable" for the prequel era.
I can probably think of other things eventually, but these are just my own thoughts and opinions. YMMV, and I always keep an open mind as the series progresses.
