More Detailed Thoughts on Star Trek: Picard (SPOILERS ALERT!)

I recently posted my initial thoughts on the first PIC episode "Remembrance" and intentionally kept them spoiler free. Now, with episode 2 released, I thought I would give some more detailed thoughts, and in order to do that, I have to talk about what actually happened, so a spoiler alert is in effect for the rest of this article.

I find myself ever impressed with this episode and the start it gave to the series. Within 48 hours of it being released I watched the episode four times, which is a first for me. So much to take in, and I think there are many details that I might have missed, but I will talk about how the show went for me, what stood out, what might have been improved, and what the future may hold.

First off, let's talk about the fan service. There was a lot, and if you paid attention there were goldmines all over the place. Starting with the opening scene where you hear Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" (which Data sang at Troi and Riker's wedding in Star Trek: Nemesis), and then see the Enterprise D come into view. We zoom in on Ten-Forward and see Picard and Data engaged in a friendly game of poker. From there we are given so many great moments, ranging from the classic uniforms to using production photos of Picard in the introduction to his interview, it gives us healthy doses of familiarity to help us feel at home. We see Jean-Luc at his family vinyard, with his faithful dog, named "Number One". A special treat was when Picard went into the Federation archives. There we are treated to so many blasts from the past, ranging from a batleth (one can only assume it to have been Worf's), a model of the USS Stargazer, another model of the Captain's Yacht from the Enterprise E, and (my favorite) the banner from Captain Picard Day seen in the TNG episode "The Pegasus". There is reference to the events of 2009's movie "Star Trek" with the destruction of Romulus, and we see the disassembled B4. Bruce Maddox, who was seen in "The Measure of a Man" and mentioned in "Data's Day" is mentioned again, and there is a good chance that he will be seen or mentioned again. So much good stuff to look fondly back on, but thankfully it was not overwhelming or distracting from the main story. I hope that in future episodes these throwbacks will still be there, but I think they should be used with much less frequency. For the pilot episode it is good, but too much can weaken the show. Nostalgia is great, but it should not be the theme for a new series.

The acting was outstanding. Patrick Stewart, as almost always, was at his best. What struck me this time was I could see how easy it was to slip back into being Picard, as if he hadn't missed a beat. When recounting his reasons for leaving Starfleet I was mesmerized by the small nuances Stewart added, giving us a distinctly different Picard than we had previously known. He has been through so much in the last couple decades that I wanted to learn all I could about that time period. He made a familiar character fresh again. I also want to give kudos to Isa Briones, who stars as Data's daughters Dahj and Soji. While we see Dahj the most, Isa does a great job at playing up both characters, giving each of them some subtle differences. We see such range and depth in Dahj that it was shocking to see that character's fate. Brent Spiner also returns for what might be the last time as Data (albeit in dream sequences), and he is perfect. 

Dahj is one of the several new characters we are introduced to, and we truly get to care for her, especially after it is revealed that she is Data's "daughter". To have her killed so early in the series was a jaw-dropper, but in the final moments we are introduced to her twin sister Soji. We also meet Narek in that scene. He is a Romulan who has also suffered loss. It will be interesting to see how his character develops. Orla Brady and Jamie McShane are excellent as the Romulan refugees Laris and Zhaban who reside with Picard in his chateau. Finally, we meet Agnes Jurati, played by Alison Pill. She's an energetic scientist who specializes in AI and cybernetics. I look forward to what she will offer the show in upcoming episodes. 

The story is compelling. The pacing to bring us up to speed is well balanced and gives us time to digest what has happened and pay attention to what is currently transpiring. We learn that an attack by synthetics (which I believe were androids) destroyed the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards, which not only stopped the evacuation of Romulus but outlawed all synthetic lifeforms. This brings us to Dahj, who is initially unaware of her true nature. She is attacked by some unknowns who activate her suppressed programming. As she seeks out Picard, the two are sent on a journey where Picard discerns her true nature. The big surprise comes that moments after Picard discovers that she is the "daughter" of his lost friend Data, the two are ambushed again. Dahj fends them off, but is killed in the process. Picard, grief-stricken, heads to the Daystrom Institute where he not only gains more evidence to confirm his suspicions of Dahj being an android, but he learns that she has a twin sister. So much to absorb in the first episode, but it leaves us with lots of anticipation. It will be interesting to see this whole tale unravel.

Some will take issue with where the Federation is right now. In this episode, we learn that after the attack on Mars the plans to evacuate the Romulans was abandoned. Starfleet has circled the wagons and is taking a more "look after us first" mentality. This has caused Admiral Picard to leave Starfleet. He believes that Starfleet has abandoned their morals by abandoning the Romulans and by banning synthetic lifeforms, for which Jean-Luc fought to define rights for. Yes, the Federation is in a darker place than it was when Voyager returned home and Star Trek: Nemesis was in theaters. Yes, it is different, but the world is different since then. Think about what has happened since Trek was a dominant force on the small screen. While many obstacles have been overcome, new ones have sprung up. The world is more divided. Nations and groups are putting their own not only ahead of others, but in many cases in the place of others. The "Us vs. Them" mentality is morphing into "Us or Them" perspectives. As Star Trek has always done, they address the issues of the day through their story-telling, and it could not be more apparent here. As our world sees isolationism rising, Star Trek is now holding up a mirror to show the same. 

There is an exchange between Picard and Richter, the news correspondent conducting his interview, that contains not only my favorite line, but the message that we need to remember in this divided world we find ourselves in. 

"The Federation understood there were millions of lives at stake." Picard states.

"Romulan lives," Richter adds.

"No. Lives!" Picard retorts with conviction. 

Right there. As we see those in power try to divide us and push us towards labels and camps of tribalism at its worst, Jean-Luc focuses the perspective. While the Romulans had been adversaries of the Federation for centuries, Picard still saw them as people whose lives mattered. It did not matter that he had been involved in several confrontations with the Romulans over the years, Jean-Luc saw them as living, sentient beings who deserved compassion. He taught us that all lives matter. I know, that phrase has been weaponized and politicized as of late, but take a moment and look at what it means. It means that we have a moral obligation to care for those whose lives are threatened. It means that even if we are opponents or adversaries, we cannot afford to see them as less than people. The characters in Trek have often voiced what needed to be said, and Picard does so with the fire and passion that has been consistent with his character. 

I cannot express enough how wonderful this episode was, and I cannot wait to see more. There are a couple issues I had, however, and I would be remiss in not mentioning them. During the San Francisco scene where Picard and Dahj are being chased by masked assassins it seems obvious that there is a stunt double running in place of Patrick Stewart. The guy is almost 80, and I get that, but I still found it a bit odd that they would have the character running like that. I don't think it is disrespectful to point out that the character is older, and no longer as spry and fit as he was when he was on the show and previous movies. They even had the retired Admiral using a cane in his vineyard. I also thought that they could have fleshed out some of the characters a bit more. I suppose that what I really wanted was a traditional two-hour premiere episode. They used the time that they had well, but for a show like this we should have had more.

Overall, "Remembrance" is right up there with the best of series premiere episodes, not just in Trek but in television. Great acting, an enthralling story, new characters, and some fond memories gave us a great mix to start us on Jean-Luc's next journey. I am so looking forward to seeing what comes next. As he says to Data in his first scene, "I don't want the game to end".

Episode Review - The Host (Next Generation, Season 4)

For those who are new to my episode reviews, you can find the post where I establish my point criteria here.

Episode Review – The Host (Next Generation, Season 4)

Overview – Doctor Crusher has fallen in love with Odan, a Trill ambassador who is being sent to Peliar Zel to mediate a dispute between inhabitants of two of its moons. Unbeknown to anyone on the Enterprise, Odan is a joined Trill who possesses a symbiont that makes the true character of Odan. When Odan is injured in an attack by a radical faction, the true nature of the host and symbiont is revealed. Because the host body is dying, a new host must be found. Riker volunteers to serve as the new host, and when Odan is transplanted to him, he still professes feelings for Beverly. As the negotiations continue, Riker/Odan struggles with the new arrangement and Beverly wrestles with the conflicting feelings for her lover who now inhabits the body of her friend.

Score: 7/10 – “The Host” introduces us to the Trill, a species that will become important to Deep Space Nine in a few years. The Trill are very different from what they will be when we meet Jadzia Dax, but more on that later. What this story is about is the concept of love surviving a great and significant change. Does Beverly love the soul that is Odan, or is it that which is on the outside as important as what is in the inside? It is nice to give Doctor Crusher a romance (although in the real-life story of filming of the episode, it is interesting that her first love story came when the actress was in the late stages of a real-life pregnancy), and the idea of changing the outer appearance of her partner to someone who she has a great romance with is refreshing. The ending gives us yet another twist as the new host to take on the Odan symbiont is female, which proves to be too much of a change for Beverly. The basic story is fairly routine and more character-driven than anything else. There is a little bit of action, and it is interesting to see Riker and Crusher in a romantic situation. Overall, a good, but not great, episode.

Relevance – 1 point. Pretty much the only part of this episode that is relevant to the franchise as a whole is the introduction of the Trill. As a species that is symbiotic, it is quite interesting to see its origins, even though by the time we next see them they will be very different in look and details.

Continuity – 1 point. Character continuity is good here. We have never seen Beverly involved romantically before, but this one really puts her through some rigors. She is understandably conflicted when she is faced with her lover inhabiting Riker’s body. For story continuity and universe continuity, I am sadly forced to deduct their points. I get that when a show creates a new alien species, it may undergo some great changes if and when the producers decide to further develop them. If this was the only time that we see the Trill, things would have been different. However, that is not the case. For story continuity, there is the issue of nobody on the Enterprise (and presumably the Federation) knowing about the true symbiotic nature of the Trill. In DS9, however, we know that Benjamin Sisko knew about it from his association with Curzon Dax. Universe continuity takes a hit with a change in the outward appearance of the Trill, from forehead ridges to spots. I get that the species will change as the producers go from a one-and-done alien of the week to a central character, but there is little in common with the physical appearance of the host bodies. There is also the idea that the Trill is mix of the host and symbiont, being highlighted in the different personalities of Jadzia and Ezri Dax. In this episode, the symbiont seems to have full control. Riker, as the host, is still fully Odan, not a mix of Odan and Riker. I debated where to deduct this point, seeing as how in the pilot episode for DS9 is where we see the changes. I chose to deduct from this episode as it is the only time we see Trill like this, and the Trill story in DS9 as a series is consistent.

Character Development – 2 points. While Riker does get a bit of attention here, it is mostly in the fact that he volunteers to become the temporary host for Odan. Everything he does after that is Odan, not Riker. For Beverly, it is about time that she gets some romance in her life. Again, it is funny that it happens when actress Gates McFadden is feeling the absolutely least romantic with her being in the final trimester of her pregnancy. One aspect about Crusher here that has created a bit of controversy is that she rejects Odan when the symbiont is transferred to a female host. I’ll talk about that more in the Social Commentary section, but for now it suffices me to say that she shows us that there is a limit as to what she can accept in the appearance of her lover. The most significant part of this revelation is that she is completely honest about it. She does not make excuses for it nor does she try to rationalize it. She simply accepts her limitations.

Social Commentary – 2 points. Many fans criticized this episode for having a homophobic theme to it. They feel that Crusher should have accepted Odan in her female host, and the fact that she couldn’t shows intolerance and homophobia. I would disagree with that opinion. This is not homophobia, but it should be seen as being true to oneself. Let me take the criticism from a different perspective. According to the detractors Beverly should have been willing to develop romantic feelings with Odan regardless of Odan’s outward appearance. By that logic, everyone should be pansexual, falling in love with the soul regardless of the gender of the love interest. Should a person who is homosexual be expected to be attracted to someone of the opposite gender if they are attracted to the soul of the person? Some would say that in doing so it denies who they are. So why would the same not be true of those with a heterosexual orientation? Beverly Crusher is heterosexual. She admits that maybe at some time in the future people will not have those limitations, but I think that for the time being, we have to accept that for most of us there is no denying that the outward appearance does play a part in our romantic attractions. Perhaps the most important aspect of this lesson is that we should be honest with our feelings. It’s not a perfect commentary, but our world is not perfect. Facing those imperfections is the first step in overcoming them.

Cool Stuff – 1 point. A point scored for the concept of a symbiotic sentient species. The Trill is a great addition to the Star Trek pantheon. The look of the symbiont, which was one aspect that did not change too much, is quite different and at the time was quite cool.

Rank – Lieutenant (14 points). “The Host” is a good showcase of Beverly Crusher that introduces a soon to be significant alien species in the franchise. Having said that, DS9 develops the Trill far more than this episode does, and in doing so makes some significant changes that were established in this episode. Doctor Crusher fans will not want to miss this episode, while those who find canon discrepancies to be infuriating may want to avoid it. If you do miss this episode, you will miss out on an above-average episode, which might be OK. I enjoyed it, but I get how others might take issue with the abrupt changes between now and DS9.

If you would like to read other reviews from the Next Generation, click this link.

If you would like to read an episode review from any of the Trek series, click the following link to get to the series catalog. If the episode you want reviewed has not been done yet, then feel free to request it in the comments and I will see what I can do. 

Star Trek: Picard - Some Initial Thoughts (Spoiler Free)

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.