(CNN) The following contains spoilers about the premiere of "Star Trek: Discovery."

Despite being outfitted with some interesting wrinkles, "Star Trek: Discovery" is an unspectacular addition to the existing fleet of "Trek"-branded series. The result, creatively, makes for an awkward liftoff, one perhaps most notable for its commercial mission, which is to entice new subscribers to CBS All Access.

Launched with a cliffhanging hour on CBS, the program's second episode and those thereafter will air on the network's fledgling streaming service, a shrewd way to attempt to hook fans and extract their hard-earned cash.

Still, if that represents a fresh approach distribution-wise, where "Discovery" feels weakest is in the fundamental qualities that have defined the best "Trek" series -- namely, the strength of the interplay among its characters. By that measure, this sixth live-action iteration feels a trifle clunky, especially in patches of dialogue during the initial episodes, three of which were previewed.

Set in 2256, roughly a decade before the original "Star Trek" embarked on its five-year mission a half-century ago, the program breaks ground by building its plot both around an African-American woman, Michael Burnham ("The Walking Dead's" Sonequa Martin-Green), and a first officer, as opposed to a starship captain.

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