We seem to share a reaction.
To be fair, I already had sense of Weir as an author was that he was limited in range, and would basically pitch the same kind of lone, MacGyvering hero, to anyone who would buy it — whether or not it was a fit for their show or strategic plan.
It’s the punching down to promote himself, while he’s riding a high, that’s earned my disrespect.
Weir’s reportedly doubled down in other interviews since, saying things along the lines that Star Trek has influenced all of modern science fiction except the more recent era of shows. I’m not going looking for that interview, but it seems that this isn’t a one-off comment on his part.