Maybe the problem with Star Trek: Discovery is the lack of Captain Kirk

Star Trek: Discovery is really hit or miss week after week, and maybe the problem is that there is no Captain Kirk-like character onboard the Discovery.

When it comes to a Star Trek series, there is a certain feel the show has to have. And right now, Discovery just doesn’t have it. It’s not that the show isn’t entertaining, but rather that it isn’t consistent.

If you recall, last week we said that the show finally had that Trek feel you come to love from this series. This week, not so much. It was a mission episode, which had all the chances to be a real Star Trek episode and it was lacking. Why? Because they don’t have a Kirk like character.

Now, to be fair, I think Ash is supposed to end up their Kirk-like character, with Michael being Spock. The problem is that Michael is a lot more aggressive about the rules of Starfleet than Spock ever was.

The shows and movies work so well because of the character dynamics. This show hasn’t exactly figured out how to get the right kind of balance between its characters to make the jokes hit while still trying to show the stakes of a situation.

Yes, there is a Klingon war brewing, but there can still be light moments. And this week’s episode featured a kiss while on mission which, to me, is not very Trek like. Kiss all you want onboard but once you’re off, it is time to get to work.

So will this show ever figure itself out and be the Star Trek show we want it to be? I think so. It has the potential to set itself straight. We saw that last week. But until we find that balance, it just feels like a space drama.

Next: Star Trek: Discovery finally felt like the Star Trek show we needed

Check back here on Culturess every week for more Star Trek: Discovery news and recaps after the episode airs.