It's definitely not something you can just write off as being all bad and totally skippable. But being a fan of the earlier series doesn't necessarily mean you'll enjoy this one as well.
If continuity and world building is something you care about, the Klingons are radically different, familiar things look a bit unfamiliar, and feels a bit like it's from a parallel universe. It does connect better in the second half, but despite its political plotlines, it never really fleshes out its own world particularly well.
If you like the vibe of the 90s shows, Discovery doesn't have it, but it does have its heart in the same place. Sometimes it's all darkness and violence, sometimes it's hugs and people discussing their trauma, but philosophically it's Star Trek.
If you like TV to be fairly grounded and realistic, Discovery might not be your thing. Despite how seriously it presents itself, it's kind of campy and ridiculous with how everything in the universe seems to revolve around the main character. Characters talk about science a lot, but problems are solved with emotions and sometimes well-choreographed fight scenes.
If you're into episodic TV, where any episode could be a goofy story about characters getting turned into children, it's not really that. It's pretty serialised, with every season about one situation that needs sorting out. Though there are some good characters in there and they do get their moments. Not the bridge crew though, they're just there to say a few lines to move the plot forward and this will never change.
Despite being cancelled it does have an ending and it does pretty much wrap everything up. Though you'll have to watch some of the Short Treks between season 1 and 2 to get the complete picture.
