https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/2/11/16994072/star-trek-discovery-finale-recap-will-you-take-my-hand

The CBS All Access series showed that dark, gritty reboots of beloved franchises can have a purpose, says Todd VanDerWerff. "It has the eye-rolling stabs at 'adult content' (here a visit to an alien sex club, with plenty of bare flesh all around), the occasionally ridiculous attempts to bring stories full circle, and the genuinely thoughtful consideration of what it would mean to try to truly live by Starfleet’s principles ... The series feels as if it’s earned its deconstruction of the Trek mythos, no matter how many weird missteps it took along the way."

ALSO:

Executive producer Alex Kurtzman explains the season finale (http://www.tvguide.com/news/star-trek-discovery-finale-alex-kurtzman-mary-chieffo/)
Producers see the finale as an opportunity to say, “This is exactly how Discovery fits into the timeline" (http://tvline.com/2018/02/11/star-trek-discovery-spoilers-season-2-enterprise-christopher-pike-spock/)
Star Trek: Discovery composer says it's been "mind-blowing" to work for a franchise he's loved since he was a kid (https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/composer-jeff-russo-on-his-star-trek-discovery-season-1-finale-score/)
It seems like Discovery's creative team hasn't figured out what the show is about (http://uproxx.com/sepinwall/star-trek-discovery-recap-spoilers-review-finale-will-you-take-my-hand/)
The season finale gave hope to the Discovery skeptics (https://www.avclub.com/star-trek-discovery-ends-its-first-season-with-a-promi-1822911143)