NPR's Eric Deggans fawned over the "triumph" of the new TV series, Star Trek: Discovery, on Monday's All Things Considered. Despite his praise for the "diversity" in this latest installment in the sci-fi franchise, Deggans still managed to jab at it from the left by noting that "it was odd as a black man to see the bad guy T'Kuvma and many of his followers were the darkest-colored Klingons we've seen yet, as if darkening their complexion makes them more menacing."

The TV critic also boosted a media talking point that connects Discovery's villain to President Donald Trump: "T'Kuvma is a charismatic populist — uniting the Klingons by manufacturing a threat from an outside culture. Make Klingons great again?"

Deggans led his segment with his praise for the new Star Trek series: "I'm happy to say, after watching the first two episodes on CBS's streaming service, All Access, Star Trek: Discovery is a triumph. It's a series that connects to the traditions of 'Trek,' while blazing a brand new story that refreshes a fifty-year-old TV franchise." The reviewer wasted little time before zeroing in on the "diversity" angle: "The first scene between the two [lead characters] is on a desert planet. It's a little stilted, but it makes history. We see an Asian captain and black first officer — both female — leading a 'Trek' TV show for the first time."

After summarizing some of the plot of the lead episode, Deggans set up his race-based critique with soundbite of the first officer rebuking a Starfleet admiral, who lectured that "considering your background, I would think you the last person to make assumptions based on race." The officer retorted, "With respect, it would be unwise to confuse race and culture." The NPR journalist underlined that "this is a 'Trek' that's aware of the history that it's making diversity-wise — though it was odd as a black man to see the bad guy T'Kuvma and many of his followers were the darkest-colored Klingons we've seen yet, as if darkening their complexion makes them more menacing."

Deggans then dropped his point about President Trump: "There's also a nod to contemporary issues. T'Kuvma is a charismatic populist — uniting the Klingons by manufacturing a threat from an outside culture. Make Klingons great again?" He closed the segment by touting that "Discovery has eye-popping effects and a contemporary feel — showing a Trek universe where complex characters are still fighting to build the Federation that Trek fans have known and loved for fifty years."

It should be pointed out that the NPR correspondent didn't mention a separate "diversity" angle regarding the new show. Back in July 2017, Entertainment Weekly profiled how Discovery would have the first openly homosexual lead character — Lt. Paul Stamets, played by actor Anthony Rapp. A liberal observor might wonder how Deggans could have left out the LGBT component, when he highlighted how the series made "history" in the areas of sex and race.

The full transcript of Eric Deggans' review segment for Star Trek: Discovery, which aired on the September 25, 2017 edition of NPR's All Things Considered: