They could never make Discovery if they were beholden to the aesthetic of the 60s
Why? I love the 60s aesthetic! It’d get me to watch this show, anyway.
I assume the-powers-that-be want the show to appeal to demographics beyond the hardcore Trekkies who like retro kitsch.
Most people would’ve been satisfied if they recreated this:
with some modern “movie” sensibilities. Not as unnecessarily shiny-white as JJ Abrams did, but that’s the idea. You can make it look like the same in universe time period without making it look like low budget '60s TV again. The Cage didn’t even have the excessively colorful lighting the series would have so the original look of the sets translate really well to a more realistic look.
I agree.