Hate-watching (a term I had never heard of before kirk55555 had brought it up) implies that you watch something that you are determined to hate, it implies that you have decided, beforehand, that you're going to hate something. The people who do this are self-proclaimed 'Über-Trekkies that stand by Gene's vision', but preconceptions and prejudice go against everything Gene ever stood for. I know we should all be open and kind to one another here, and I believe in that and I will live by that, but man: hating something you haven't seen yet is, as Spock would say, illogical. So I really hope that even the greatest pessimist will watch the pilot with an open mind and make judgment after actually seeing it.
Come to think of it, is there a thing as 'hate-eating'; someone who goes to a restaurant, orders something he has never eaten before, and proclaims beforehand 'I am hating this!' Wouldn't the people around him ask him: why did you order something you hate? And after he says 'I've never tried this before', wouldn't they ask back: but shouldn't you try it first before claiming you hate it?' If that person would then say 'no, 'cause it's got these green things on it and it's got this weird shape, so I'm hating this!' Then (if they're patient enough) the people would ask: 'But isn't about the taste and the way it's prepared: the flavours, the aroma, the combination of spices? You should really try it!' The guy then replies with: 'No, 'cause these green things and the shape are more than enough information for me, I've made up my mind: I HATE this!' He then takes a bite, walks away and leaves... only to come back the next week and repeat this cycle. Sounds crazy?
It's almost impossible to go into a show or movie without some kind of preconception. If you see a movie that stars Larry the Cable Guy I think it's a safe bet that the movie will be bad, even before you see it. For me I usually feel this way about PG-13 Horror or most romantic comedies. You can be always be surprised but if it is bad it can still be fun as long as it's also not boring. I'm not sure why people would get this feeling from "Discovery" unless you really hated the Kelvin Universe movies. I understand why some are skeptical. That is where I am after Fuller's being fired and skeptical on another level in terms of it being part of the shared unviverse we have seen but to me that issue is less about quality and more about what place the show will have in the franchise. Something I know many don't care about, especially younger fans who I think judge the shows more on their individual quality and less on how they are part of some bigger shared universe. I think it might have to do with I think younger fans see Trek as something they like but maybe not the thing the like the most out of all their favorite genre shows. It's not necessary their first love.
Jason
