I watched season 1 of Picard and discovery and they just didn't feel like Star Trek to me. The people complaining about how "woke" it is just distract from legitimate criticism. A lot of it for me was the sets. Their design was dark, gloomy and had an air of oppression that, while present in various forms across trek, wasn't previously baked into the design of the federation. It was all moody lighting and permenantly frowning actors. That temperament translated into the writing as well but you've already addressed part of that. And I've got a bone to pick in general with season 1 of Picard but that's a whole other rant lol