For a split second, when they looked at the paper with the list of scientists, I had hope that the Discovery would fly to Denobula. That would have been so much more interesting than what we've gotten. Although I give them credit for doing a more traditional Star Trek episode with a bunch of technobabble, prime directive shenanigans and the obligatory human-like pre-warp civilization.
I liked that at no point Burhnam spoke down to the town leader dude by going "actually yes we are gods now open the door I'll explain later" even though in the short-term it would have been faster.