When that second episode of the first season dropped I said the same thing to a friend that’s a die hard Star Trek fan. They weren’t enjoying the new Trek, yet, but wanted the thought provoking episodes now, action later/sprinkled in

Totally agree, it’s definitely more Star Trek than any of the new Star Trek series.

It’s an alternate universe’s Star Trek. They just need some handwavium device to cross universe and they could make a crossover episode.