Johnny Ringo said:
I took it to be a case of "we're trying something different here so don't get upset when it doesn't feel like your beloved TNG". But then that's probably just me.

Actually, that is not a bad explanation for it. I can imagine enraged fans in an alternative universe screaming at their TVs, "How dare you put the Star Trek name on this pile of crap." Meanwhile in our universe fans get upset because the title was dropped. We fans are a discontent bunch. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.