Star Trek: Picard 3.01

[selenak]

Last season, one hears. I never fell in love with Picard the way I did with Discovery, and I do think it's the less original series, but I have enjoyed watching the first two seasons, and I will be very surprised should I not enjoy the third one as well.



One of the reasons why I think Disco is the more original show is that while both ST: Picard and ST: Discovery started out by tapping the nostalgia well in some of their premises - self evident in the case of Picard, with Disco it was the original pre TOS setting and Michael's family connections -, Discovery with its third season boldly ventured where no ST series or movie had gone before and left even the post Voyager era behind by moving 900 years into the future, with all the characters and situations now its own thing. Meanwhile, Picard, which had started out firmly declaring it wasn't meant to be ST: TNG, the sequel, ditched more and more of its original characters per season, so that now when we start this third season, only Raffi and Seven are left of the non TNG characters - okay, and Laris, but somehow I doubt we'll see much of Laris this season -, and Seven whlie not TNG in origin is a previously established character. Otoh, this season has promised to bring back the entire TNG cast. This very much looks like conceding the characters who were originally supposed to be the focus of the series didn't really take.

Otoh: Agnes Jurati's season 2 story was so good, and came to a great conclusion, that I can see why she's not on board anymore. (Also, the Agnes/Queen amalgan is so powerful that they probably can't have her around because she'd solve the problem du jour in no time flat, though I hope there'll be a Watsonian explanation provided at some point why our heroes don't ask her for help. Soj's season 1 story was flawed but had a consistent arc that was concluded within that season (despite her return cameo in the s2 opener), so, again, I can see why she's not around. I liked both Santiago and Elnor the space elf, but I can't say I ever cared about either of them the way I do about the TNG cast, so you won't hear me complain on that count beyond these opening musings.

Now, on to the episode proper. Let's face it, ever since TNG the series ended and the cast moved on to making movies, Beverly Crusher has been the character consistently screwed over neglected. I'm trying to think of any memorable scenes she had in any of the movies, and the only one I can think of was her activating the Enterprise EMH in First Contact, which was a good gag because of the Robert Picardo cameo, not because of something about Beverly. Then there was the suspicious not-mention of her by anyone during the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard, even in situations where it would have been natural to mention her, such as last season's discussions of Picard's emotional life with its hang-ups. For this reason alone, I'm glad that a) she seems to have an important role to play in this season, and b) the writers seem to have realized they somehow should explain why none of Beverly's old crewmates and friends mentioned her for the last two seasons. I do hope the explanation isn't simply the reveal near the end of this episode which is classic space soap, but okay, would work as part of the reason why Beverly suddenly withdrew and fell out of contact with everyone. TNG rather avoided exploring or even just establishing the mother-son relatoinship between Beverly and Wesley (this became especially noticable once DS9 started and we got the Siskos). but between Beverly losing her first husband in a space battle and Wesley to him becoming a Traveller after years of hero worshipping Picard and joining Starfleet, I could see her deciding this unexpected late child would definitely NOT grow up somewhere where joining Starfleet is seen as the best thing ever, and not wanting to bring her friends in a situation where they have to lie for her. B'ut I can't buy this as the only reason, and so I hope the fact that the opening sequence showing Beverly in a Sarah Connor like emergency situation that's probably not just alien of the week but conspiracy within Starfleet related is more typical for her role in the season than the last minute reveal.

Meanwihle, colour me amused that Picard's version of that old ST chestnut, the visiting annoying and/or evil Admiral, is instead the jerk regular Captain with team (Admiral) Picard and (Captain) Riker as the well intended visitors. The episode quickly establishes just how much of a jerk Liam Shaw is by his behavior towards Seven (the insistence that she goes by Annika Hansen) , even before he rudely has started eating before punctual Picard and Riker join him for dinner and disses their service record. Given that much build up to a boo-hiss figure, I would be very surprised if he's actual evil to boot, and I bet you anything he'll end up as another Jellico (of TNG's Chain of Command fame), i.e. a jerk but one who gets results, and might surprise us by not joning Team Evil when everyone expects him to due to his sheer jerkness.

The chemistry between TNG veterans is as powerful as ever, and so the Picard and Riker scenes are just lovely, as in s1, and I can't wait for more of the old gang to show up in the same scene with either or both, regardless to what I said above.

Meanwhile, Raffi is undercover for Starfleet Intelligence and has a mysterious handler who won't show their face, which means it's someone the audience (and Raffi?) knows - presumably another old timer. Geordi? Worf? I'm also assuming that "I split up with my girlfriend" is part of her cover story, since she tells it to her mark by way of explanation as to why she's off the wagon and supposedly desperate. Raffi is tracking down stolen weapons of mass desctruction, so it's likely connected to whatever made Beverly beg Picard not to tell anyone in Starfleet in her message. I must say, since Raffi's original specialty was being an intelligence officer, I do like she's getting a spy plot this season, but, llike I said, this break up be better part of her cover. Also, I'm assuming the llittle girl she watches a recording of is her granddaughter, so I hope for a reconciliation with her son before the season is over.

Bits and pieces: Seven mentioning that Janeway and Picard convinced her to reapply to Starfleet tells us she's in contact with Kathryn J. again, which is good to know.

Geordi's daughter the navigator: I hope she'll have more to do in the season than Demora Sulu, daughter of Hikaru, in Generations. The title of this episode - The Next Generation - evidently relates not just to the returning TNG cast but also Geordi's daughter and Beverly's second son. And we already know about Kestra, daughter of Will and Deanna, from s1. Since Worf has Alexander, and Data has/had Doj, Soj and the other s1 androids, that means a literal next generation for the entire cast. (If, that is, Beverly's surprise! son is also Picard's son, which due to soap opera rules I assume to be the case. )

I'm easy. The TNG theme mixed with the Picard theme did make me mellow inside.

Comments

[lynnenne]

I enjoyed it, and I always love Picard and River together. Also happy to hear that Seven keeps in touch with Janeway. That relationship was my favourite thing about Voyager (I was unhappy to hear that the actors didn’t get along, but I blame the show executives for that more than anyone).

[selenak]

That relationship was my favourite thing about Voyager

Same here. A Janeway cameo before this season wraps up would be great not only but also for that reason!

[lynnenne]

RIKER, not River. Duh.

[selenak]

Now you‘re making me wonder how Picard would get along with River Song and River Tam. :)

[lynnenne]

LOL

[watervole]

River Song would run rings around Picard, but she'd swing round to support him near the end of the plot.

River Tam would out-think them both...

[bimo]

I bet you anything he'll end up as another Jellico (of TNG's Chain of Command fame), i.e. a jerk but one who gets results, and might surprise us by not joning Team Evil when everyone expects him to due to his sheer jerkness.

Given the fact that Shaw is played by Todd Stashwick, who used to play a major supporting character on Terry Matalas's hugely undervalued time travel show Twelve Monkeys, I'd clearly agree with you. (Decidedly not going into any details here, just in case anyone reading this is planning to watch Twelve Monkeys.)

[lightofdaye]

I enjoyed it mostly on the strength of the performances rather than the plot or concepts.

I agree that we've once again written Laris out after episode 1 which is frustrating because not only would her meeting Beverly would be interesting (but maybe new/old love interest contrast is too cliche) but she's an ex-Tal Shiar agent he trusts absolutely and he needs to help someone without Starfleet assistance. I mean she seems custom made for the job.

I'm definitely hoping that Raffi and Seven's break up is part of their cover. And yeah, I hope the reference to Janeway was meant as in they are currently in contact rather than her talking about her original Starfleet stint.

The disconnect between 1 and 2 as their own thing and 3 as full on TNG reunion is weird, especially considering that 2 and 3 were written/filmed at the same time iirc. (which is presumably why we're getting it before Disco S5.)

I get evil AI vibes from her control I don't know why.

[selenak]

re: Laris, just reminds me of the way in s1 the show first established her and her spouse had been Romulan intelligence and are loyal to Picard and then let them stay on Earth in a situation where knowing someone who knows their way around Romulan intelligence would have been a key asset. In this case, I suppose they want to free more screentime for the TNG veterans and thus send her off after this first episode, and on the one hand, I haven't forgotten how in ST: First Contact Lily was a great character (and Alfe Woodard was wonderful, of course), but that conversation about the need to abondon ship should have been between Picard and Beverly. But on the other hand, why first establish the character and then not use her! (Laris, not Lily, of course.)