Spoilers Star Trek: Picard 1x09 - "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1"

[Doc Mugatu]

Rated episode 9 a "9."

Upfront … not really thrilled with where this looks to be going. Star Trek's appeal, for me, has been in it's leaning towards utopia rather than dystopia. So far both All-Access Trek series see to borrow heavily from the Terminator franchise than it's own roots. Before folks try and say that "Star Trek was never a utopia." That's true … to a very limited point. Star Trek was always rooted in optimism with regards to our humanity and things were always portrayed to utopian-ish with spots of human evil. In these dark times I personally am not looking for 3 seasons of cynical pessimism.

Having said that, this was a very good episode.

The opening battle between Picard's and Narek's did kind of remind me of other things. Narek's projection seemed like an update of the "Picard Maneuver" and his ship itself, in some shots, looked similar to a Cylon raider.

The scene between Dr. Jurati and Altan Soong reminded me of TOS episode "What Little Girls Are Made Of."

Sutra seemed more Romulan than Vulcan (or more like Lore than Data) then again maybe that's not so accidental as the narrative appears to be saying that once again the opposing sides are more the same than different.

The highlight, as I see it, was the scene where Dr. Soong puts Picard under house arrest. The chemistry between Spiner and Stewart was electric.

The key to the next episodes appears to lay in the word "imagination" as it is repeated in both this episode and the next. Then again the future always begins in our imaginations.

My fear is that this season will end on a cliffhanger and we will have to endure an unspecified period of time before we get to see a season 2 whereby momentum will be lost (like Netflix and their Lost In Space reboot and CBS with Star Trek Discovery).

 

[Noname Given]

Something I noticed on the rewatch:

When they first meet the androids Arcana says they have 10 orchids but can make more. Shortly later Sutra says they have 23 orchids. So they can make these pretty fast and it may help with the Romulan battle. The preview for next episode does show orchids in action.

btw, giant orchids as a defensive weapon is pretty clever and a fantastic visual effect. Props to whoever thought of it.

It was the granddaughter of whoever came up with a big green hand for TOS S2 "Who Mourns for Adonias"

 

[SolarisOne]

It’s funny how offended you guys get by this. As if my not liking or acknowledging part of the franchise is going to make it disappear. Again, it’s entertainment. Chill out.

I'm not offended. I'm amused. That's far worse.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Is Sutra wearing body paint, and contacts to cosplay Data?

It's a statement?

Sage,Arcana and others are also Data-types.

 

[Doc Mugatu]

It’s funny how offended you guys get by this. As if my not liking or acknowledging part of the franchise is going to make it disappear. Again, it’s entertainment. Chill out.

On one hand, to each their own. On the other, what is expressed in the TV series and Movies is the top tier of canon so it seems funnier that you choose to reject the highest order of canon which defines and sets the framework. Sure, folks can "choose" to believe the Earth is flat, it doesn't really affect anyone else, however, it does put a stink on whatever they say and undermines their credibility.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Well, this episode adds more evidence to the idea Jurati is a medical doctor.

 

[fireproof78]

Let's take Picard out of the equation. Let's see how this works in practicality.

Random Poster: When did they ever travel back to the 1960s?

Lord Garth: In "Tomorrow Is Yesterday" and "Assignment: Earth", through the Slingshot Effect.

Random Poster: The Slingshot Effect is so stupid I don't acknowledge it! They never traveled to the 1960s!

Lord Garth: They did. I cited two episodes where they did.

Random Poster: I don't acknowledge it! I don't like it! It didn't happen. Your evidence is null and void.

Lord Garth: Okay...

Random Poster: I also don't like that they eat food that looks like real food in TNG.

Lord Garth: Why not?

Random Poster: Because in TOS they had colored cubes with celery! That's what they eat in Star Trek! It doesn't feel like Star Trek unless they do!

Lord Garth: So you ignored "Tomorrow Is Yesterday" and "Assignment: Earth" but not colored cubes on a tray?

Random Poster: That's right! I like them! They remind me of Starbursts!

Lord Garth: So what about when Picard orders "Tea, Earl Grey, Hot!" in TNG? That's one of the staples of the show.

Random Poster: And does he ever have Starbursts with his tea?

Lord Garth: No...

Random Poster: So I don't acknowledge it! I don't acknowledge tea in Star Trek!

Lord Garth: I'm going to have to drop out of this discussion.

Random Poster: Why? What's wrong? You can't take the heat.

Lord Garth: No, it's not that. But as Spock said in Star Trek IV, "It would be impossible to discuss the subject without a common frame of reference."

Random Poster: Star Trek IV? As far as I'm concerned they only made one Star Trek movie. Back in 1979.

Lord Garth: Someone please shoot me...

Sounds about right. It makes discussion extremely difficult if there isn't even a consensus of what is part of the Trek franchise.

 

[Doc Mugatu]

Well, this episode adds more evidence to the idea Jurati is a medical doctor.

Was that in doubt? My assumption was she had to be fully qualified in humanoid anatomy and processes and illnesses before she could begin to try and synthesize a lifeform.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Was that in doubt? My assumption was she had to be fully qualified in humanoid anatomy and processes and illnesses before she could begin to try and synthesize a lifeform.

There were a few posters who seemed to doubt it. Couldn't wrap their brains around the idea that a person could have a medical degree and a degree in cybernetics.

 

[Noname Given]

Rated episode 9 a "9."

Upfront … not really thrilled with where this looks to be going. Star Trek's appeal, for me, has been in it's leaning towards utopia rather than dystopia. So far both All-Access Trek series see to borrow heavily from the Terminator franchise than it's own roots. Before folks try and say that "Star Trek was never a utopia." That's true … to a very limited point. Star Trek was always rooted in optimism with regards to our humanity and things were always portrayed to utopian-ish with spots of human evil. In these dark times I personally am not looking for 3 seasons of cynical pessimism.

Sorry, but as someone has been watching Star Trek first run since TOS; I seriously disagree with your statement that Star Trek Discovery ignores Star Trek's roots.

If anything ST: D Season 2 was the closest that "Modern Star Trek" (including the TNG, DS9, VOY and ENT era) came to the original TOS. Many times in the S2 story there wasn't one "Right" solution and that was often a cornerstone of many TOS episode.

That contrasts greatly with TNG in particular; as often we saw Jean-Luc Picard emphatically state and show via a emphatic speech, that his way or The Federation way, was always "the right way".

I do think it's very fair to say that Star Trek Picard definitely does not stick to TNG's roots; but in all honesty, I think TNG fans have to accept the fact that this is because of Patrick Stewart, who emphatically stated that he didn't want to do "TNG Redux", and when Kurtzman & Co first approach to him, he said no; and he only acquiesced, an agreed to reprise his role as Jean-Luc Picard; when his initial suggestions were taken into account, Andy was promised a big voice in the writing room to shape the story.

So if TNG fans have anyone to blame for "Star Trek Picard" not going back to TNG's roots; blame Sir Patrick Stewart.

 

[Alexander Corrino]

So if TNG fans have anyone to blame for "Star Trek Picard" not going back to TNG's roots; blame Sir Patrick Stewart.

Nah, I'd still blame the writers - they so desperately wanted for Sir Patrick to play Jean-Luc again that they agreed to all the changes he suggested. They could always have said "okay, you don't like our initial ideas, okay, we're gonna do something else without you, we want for this to be closer to what TNG was, sorry this one won't work out". They knew that getting him to do the show would be a difficult task, but they were basically willing to agree to anything.

It's also a bit of a myth that people assume Sir Patrick basically wrote this show - the writers built it around the initial changes that he suggested, yes, but he only supplied the basics. He was in the writers' room a few times and he watched the writers throw around some ideas and he answered when they asked "would Picard say this and that", but that's it. He himself has said so - he said it was a fascinating experience to sit in the room and watch the ideas flying around. He wasn't sitting there giving storyline orders. The way the story turned out is still on the writers. I get that some angry and disappointed people are looking for a scapegoat because the show isn't like their beloved TNG (I honestly don't know what they expected, Sir Patrick said it a ZILLION times that the show wouldn't be like TNG, didn't they listen???), but a show is still written by writers, not the lead actor.

 

[fireproof78]

So if TNG fans have anyone to blame for "Star Trek Picard" not going back to TNG's roots; blame Sir Patrick Stewart.

What a dilemma lol

 

[Anters]

I've got a sneaking suspicion that the writers aren't even going to bother explaining how Data drew a painting of Dahj, how Ramdha recognised Soji, and how Data appears in a vision. If they don't then their storyline is half-baked...
p.s. note: Ramdha's brain was fried during the Admonition 14 years earlier..that's 5 years before First Contact with Jana, and 11 years before Soji was created.

 

[thribs]

Who would have guessed the Romulans were right. I’m on their side now.

 

[Rahul]

I've got a sneaking suspicion that the writers aren't even going to bother explaining how Data drew a painting of Dahj, how Ramdha recognised Soji, and how Data appears in a vision. If they don't then their storyline is half-baked...
p.s. note: Ramdha's brain was fried during the Admonition 14 years earlier..that's 5 years before First Contact with Jana, and 11 years before Soji was created.

Maddox created Soji in a reference to Data's painting (which he knew about). That was already answered, even if the answer isn't exactly satisfying. Picard's "vision" of Data was just an old man dreaming. Ramdha's backstory is a whole different nightmare, that works only out through extreme coincidence/small universe same people-syndrome. Yes, that's a bit "half-baked" - things were presented as "mysteries" that never actually were mysteries.

I'm actually MORE interested in - why did Maddox send Soji to the Borg cube in the first place? What was her mission there? How did Narek knew about her to be there right from the start? (also, what happened to all the human/Andorian/Federation scientists on the both cube? I know, probably "killed", but would have been important to know by whom - I thought the Romulans only went for the XB's).

 

[Search4]

I've got a sneaking suspicion that the writers aren't even going to bother explaining how Data drew a painting of Dahj, how Ramdha recognised Soji, and how Data appears in a vision. If they don't then their storyline is half-baked...
p.s. note: Ramdha's brain was fried during the Admonition 14 years earlier..that's 5 years before First Contact with Jana, and 11 years before Soji was created.

Perhaps he drew a random girl and then they made the androids look like that painting? Why does it have to be cause and effect?

 

[Mark 2000]

I'm not offended. I'm amused. That's far worse.

You must be offended or you wouldn’t be trying to offend me.

On one hand, to each their own. On the other, what is expressed in the TV series and Movies is the top tier of canon so it seems funnier that you choose to reject the highest order of canon which defines and sets the framework. Sure, folks can "choose" to believe the Earth is flat, it doesn't really affect anyone else, however, it does put a stink on whatever they say and undermines their credibility.

Again, a tv show is not fact or even dogma. It’s odd for you compare the two. Picking and choosing what to accept is a long standing aspect of fandom. There’s thirty thousand versions of Batman and the majority of fans chuck out whole Star Wars trilogies. This is only an odd concept to you for the sake of this particular argument.

 

[AlanC9]

Do Star Wars pretend that things they don't like aren't Star Wars? That rhetorical move isn't one I see anyplace but in Trek fandom. Pretending that the prequels don't exist isn't the same move, since it's impossibke to mean that literally.

 

[Doc Mugatu]

Sorry, but as someone has been watching Star Trek first run since TOS; I seriously disagree with your statement that Star Trek Discovery ignores Star Trek's roots.

I too have been watching Star Trek since the days of TOS … so what? I see it as obvious that the writers have taken liberties with the tone and perspective. If you notice though I still gave Picard a high rating and in my ratings I generally gave Discovery in that folder good marks as well. Again, Discovery is a more flawed productions, however, I attribute that to showrunner and writer turnover.

If anything ST: D Season 2 was the closest that "Modern Star Trek" (including the TNG, DS9, VOY and ENT era) came to the original TOS. Many times in the S2 story there wasn't one "Right" solution and that was often a cornerstone of many TOS episode.

A paradox of Discovery is that in some ways it does get very TOS like and in other ways it gets a bit schizophrenic and confused. All in all, I am a fan of Discovery and often defend it.

That contrasts greatly with TNG in particular; as often we saw Jean-Luc Picard emphatically state and show via a emphatic speech, that his way or The Federation way, was always "the right way".

I do agree regarding a key difference between TOS and TNG. I will agree it is also why I lean way more towards TOS but that could be a generational thing ( ). The original series always had Kirk looking inward and learning lessons while TNG always had Picard pointing fingers. Picard for all his "open mindedness" was extremely "judgmental" and "arrogant." Ironically that difference however also serves to justify it's existence.

I've said this elsewhere: each series should be made to justify it's creation by expanding the boundaries of what has been established previously. It has to bring something new and vital and provoking to the table. TNG did that. DS9 did that. Voyager very much less so but still passed that test. Enterprise failed miserably. Both Discovery and Picard have clearly justified themselves. [all in my opinion]

I do think it's very fair to say that Star Trek Picard definitely does not stick to TNG's roots; but in all honesty, I think TNG fans have to accept the fact that this is because of Patrick Stewart, who emphatically stated that he didn't want to do "TNG Redux", ...

I so totally disagree with you on this point and your interpretation. I would say "Picard" is true to its "roots." It is an organic outgrowth of the Picard we got in TNG (both TV and film). Not wanting to do a "TNG redux" is not the same as ignoring what's come before. We are very much getting an older, wiser character whose arrogance has been recognized and very much one of his obstacles in this story. Just like Kirk grew in the episodes of TOS. Just as Spock grew over the course of the movies.

So if TNG fans have anyone to blame for "Star Trek Picard" not going back to TNG's roots; blame Sir Patrick Stewart.

I have not stated or implied there is anything either series need apologize for. I have often repeated that, for me, good to great Star Trek (whether TOS or other) must include an element of sandpaper. If there is nothing that chafes or rubs one the wrong way then it ain't doing what it should. It is not challenging us.

If you noticed I included a lot "in my opinion" or "as I see it." I am not dictating what Star Trek is or is isn't to anyone but rather, in my head anyway, sharing an opinion and POV. If folks see it as I do or not or a some unique mix of both then fantastic.[/quote][/quote]

 

[Tuskin38]

Since we didn't get to see the Tricorder opened in the actual episode, here's the concept art of it opened.