I like that it returns to the prime timeline instead of the reboot. I don't see any little "teasers" in there about the ST/TOS characters brushing elbows with the discovery crew, but the possibility is there: in particular, Captain Pike. If I'm reading it correctly, the timeline is set about the time Kirk left the Academy.
I wonder how Nichelle Nichols is taking the news that, while not a captain, the lead is held by an African-American woman.
This will definitely be one to watch, especially since it spans the entire season on a single storyline.
What concerns me is, at 7 Million a show, will more time be spent on special effects of will they focus on the interaction of the characters. ST/TMP, did that and would have been the only film were it not for diehard fans. The following films, until the reboot, were much better.
