The pilot episode of Star Trek: Picard (which I will refer to as PIC) aired earlier this week. After many months of anticipation, we are finally given the first new adventure that occurs post-Nemesis. Sir Patrick Stewart steps into his iconic character, and we are taken on a grand journey. I thought I would give my own thoughts about the show, without giving away any spoilers (those will come later). Anything that I do touch on concerning the story I will limit to what has been already shown for months in the trailers.
Star Trek has evolved into a new feel as of late. It started with Discovery, and one can definitely sense a similar style in Picard. The shine that TNG had has been a bit tarnished a bit over the last few years, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. All things must change or risk becoming stagnant. What sets PIC apart from Discovery (DIS) is a sense of familiarity. One of the criticisms of DIS was that everything seemed to be different, from the uniforms to the ships to the technology to the look of the Klingons. While I get that some of those changes are going to have to happen (I would not have expected the Enterprise on DIS to look like the set from the 1960s), some of them seemed to be done merely for the sake of change. In PIC, we have the benefit of being a little over two decades after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis. so some changes in look and design is to be expected. The people in charge of the look of PIC seemed to have gone to great lengths to keep the looks of everything familiar, yet updated. I hope this appeases some of the critics out there, because it looks great.
Another of the changes has to do with the evolution of television in itself. PIC will definitely not be TNG 2.0. There will not be classic stand-alone episodes, but like DIS there will be an over-arching story, and the pilot episode "Remembrance" starts us on a grand journey. Unlike DIS, the build-up is a bit slower, but there is enough action to keep you excited. Again, I cannot give you more information on that without giving away the details, but the story is definitely going to be interesting. The events that lead us from "Nemesis" until today are summarized for us with enough clarity to bring us all up to speed, but not overly lengthy to seem dull. There were enough surprises to keep me wanting more, which is what good television is these days.
Jean-Luc Picard has also evolved and progressed. He is not the same man that we left at the end of Nemesis. History has affected him, and "Remembrance" does a great job at bringing us up to speed with out beloved Captain. As the back story gets fleshed out for us, we see that his past has haunted him for a long time. What has not changed about him is his sense of honor and duty. While we see him after his trauma caused him to make some big changes in his life, we see the strong moral fiber that we knew and loved for decades emerge with typical Picard passion. Kudos goes to Sir Patrick Stewart for slipping into the familiar shoes that is Jean-Luc Picard.
Kudos also goes to the rest of the cast. A special shout-out to actress Isa Briones who shows a great depth of emotion in her Trek debut. The 21 year-old London-born actor has at a young age demonstrated great range in her role of Dahj, and the mystery around her character is as enthralling as her talent. I also want to give a nod to Brent Spiner, who briefly reprises his iconic role of Data. Again, not trying to give away important plot details, but the return of our favorite android is handled the right way, and Spiner is perfect in his performance. Everything you remember about Data is brought back with the right amount of emotional punch.
As you watch "Remembrance", you cannot help but notice the many nods to TNG's (and Trek's, in general) past. What makes these nostalgic tips of the hat so wonderful is that each one is carefully chosen to be woven into the tapestry of the story. I can't think of a single bit of fan-service given that seemed forced, gratuitous, or superficial. It helps with the feeling of familiarity in a new Federation environment. Again, I will not touch on any of those here, but rest assured that more so than in DIS, PIC seems to want to stay true to what had come before.We'll see how this carries forward in future episodes and seasons, but for now take assurance that the Powers That Be are trying hard to get it right.
Some will complain that this is not the TNG they remember or grew up with. Well, that's a good thing. It's not supposed to be. Instead, it is telling an important story. While some feel that Trek should be about the exploration of space, I have felt that this approach was only a method of bringing us on a journey of the human soul. Trek has always been about commenting on our present-day society, and PIC does this without apology. Some may criticize the political commentary that Picard gives in this episode, but this is what Trek has always done. Look at episodes such as "Duet", "The Measure of a Man", and "Balance of Terror" all had political undertones. What may make the tone of "Remembrance" seem a bit more heavy-handed than normal may have a lot to do with the current political atmosphere that we are currently experiencing. Perhaps instead of dismissing some of the messages that Picard is trying to tell us as social-justice rhetoric, we should have a really good listen to what he is saying.
The episode was not perfect, but very close. One or two little things had me questioning what had just happened. Beyond that, it was very enjoyable. Most importantly, it left me excited for what was to come. We know from the trailers that Riker, Troi, Hugh, and Seven are going to show up. That alone is making me excited for what is to come. I hope that there will be some more familiar faces showing up. With only one episode seen, what I am about to say is pure speculation, but I don't think there will be a visit from Q anytime soon, and while a full TNG reunion would be great, I feel that the only way we will see Worf, Geordi, Beverly, and Wesley again will be if it fits the story. Guinan looks likely to be coming in the second season, and I think there are other familiar faces that could be shown. Based on the current situation of the Federation, there is room, I think, for the Doctor from Voyager to show up. A few other smaller characters from the past are being set up for a potential bigger return, and that just gets me more excited for what is to come.
Yes, there will be those that hate the show. There always is. PIC will likely have some growing pains. Every show does. Some people have decided to hate the show without seeing a single episode. They do it out of a desire to get clicks on their articles or a blind disdain for anything that is different. Tune them out. Just move on and don't pay them any attention. If you find things that genuinely bother you about the show, you are entitled to that. You can be a Trek fan and not like PIC. You can offer honest criticism about the show and still like it. PIC has already been renewed for a second season, so it's not going anywhere soon. If you are loving what you have seen so far then enjoy the ride. If you aren't, don't try to ruin it for the rest of us.
Until next time, may PIC live long and prosper.
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