I just cancelled my Disney+ and got back on CBSAA. I'm all set to watch the episode this evening. Kor
Yes. See bio: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103699/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t11 Anyway, I was the first person to rate the episode (albeit before I'd seen it) -- A+ -- and I stand by that! The visuals were great, though I felt it went with a very strong Dark Mirror look for the tech. That is, a "near future" motif where contemporary things are complemented by futuristic technology (which arguably goes back to Nu Battlestar Galactica too). Dahj' apartment looked like it could be someone's current pad, which adds to the charm of the show: 24th century people can have cheap furniture and be messy too. I noted there was a lack of "whoosh" sliding doors in most of the buildings, but that's OK! We saw doorknobs in TNG's Starfleet Academy. But, all I have to say it: GIVE ME MORE!!!
One could surmise that Spock's plan involved the drop of Red Matter dissipating both the supernova and itself afterward. The black holes created in ST:2009 were due to the fact that the material was not used in the manner it was intended. Though the black hole that Nero & Spock passed through seemed to have dissipated on its own anyway.
The mention of Maddox was totally unexpected. I know he "disappeared," but I wonder if he's going to reappear at some point, at least briefly.
Data likely sent Lore somewhere to be analyzed to see if his instabilities can ever be cured. Ironically, probably the Daystrom Institute (which was shown in this episode and didn't mention Lore). I do have complaints that the rogue synths attacking without much explanation is too "Terminator". Evil AI is a cliche that so far is slightly far fetched, and it's sad Trek decided to use it. It's also repetitive as we just had evil AI in Discovery. I think it's very likely the rogues were sabotaged and/or reprogrammed.
It will become clear when they all start singing Absolutely 34th St. at the same time across the galaxy.
We went through this in 2009 threads when the movie came out. It is an absolutely bonkers, half baked idea. The supernova would take years to reach Romulus and tens of thousands of years to propagate through the galaxy. Alot of evacuation time. And the idea that you are going to suck back stellar matter from light years away is crazy town. If it were that powerful it would suck whole star systems and planets from light years away. So yes, there was therefore the idea that somehow it propagates at faster than light, which is impossible. It was a pretty nutty idea all around. Simpler: someone fires a trilithium warhead into the Romulan star and destroys it. Intercepted messages make it seem like the Federation/ Section 31 did it, even though they did NOT do it. Explains why there was no time to save planet, why Nero blames the Federation and introduces a shadowy outside group that actually did it as a new villain. Instead, we got the bonkers things we got.
Trek was doing evil AI stuff long before Terminator and will likely be doing evil AI stuff long after. It's one of the franchise's main themes. Seriously, attaching new shows in the franchise to johnny come latelies is about as cliche as it gets in fandom.
There's a huge difference between the small rogue android groups Kirk fought and a full scale planetary AI uprising we're getting here (and Terminator exemplified). To the point we now have a robotics ban, something very much against the spirit of Star Trek.
I can't drink actual Earl Grey either, so I'm rather thrilled about him drinking it decaf now, just like I have to. For me it's a blood pressure issue - I assumed this kind of stuff would have been cured in the 24th century but hey, I don't care about his reasons because he's drinking Earl Grey the way I have to drink it... and that's good enough for me.
One of the choices they made here was very subtle, and really paid off, and that was showing Picard tired and out of breath as he and Dahj run from the assassins. It shows that Picard is not a superhero any longer, and he has vulnerabilities like any older human would have. It also was wise in terms of just quietly telling the audience "yes, ~20 years have gone by, and yes...we know and respect that."
I'm more surprised Picard, with as many enemies as he has (Daimon Bok, the Borg Queen, House of Duras, etc.) doesn't have a concealed carry phaser and Federation police on speed dial for his communicator...
Ten part story, we need to give it time to unwind. Though I hope they don't go the lazy route of it being evil just for the sake of it.