Spoilers Star Trek: Picard 2x02 - "Penance"

[The Old Mixer]

I think having the Borg Queen on La Sirena will make a huge impact on how the characters, particularly Picard and Seven, see the Borg in general. And vice versa. The Borg Queen will learn something too.

And then they'll play a song at the end.

 

[Weyoun 251]

I really liked this episode, but I felt like it was a bit inferior to the season premier. There were two main reasons for this. One is it too info-dumpy, particularly in the beginning of the episode. I understand that the needs of the cast require that everyone be given their "moment of disorientation" - but I honestly think the episode would have been stronger if they just kept to Picard and Seven's POV, and the other characters; initial arrival happened off camera. The other reason was it lacked the solid themes of the opening episode - it was a bit more straightforward than I tend to like my Trek.

That said, it was still excellent. It's amazing to juxtapose the tight pacing of this season so far to the languid pace of Discovery (or the first season). The characters were introduced to a nightmare alternate reality, managed to meet up again, and executed 90% of an escape plan (save for that last-minute cliffhanger) within an effective "hour" of television which works as a standalone episode as well as it does part of a serialized story. I appreciated that (unlike when we see the MU) they didn't go for small universe everything. Sure Picard has had run-ins with lots of famous individuals, but Seven's married to a nobody, the woman initially with Elnor is a nobody, etc. They could have gone so much further here with references, but not doing so made the timeline feel much more "real" - not stagey/hammy in the way the MU can be.

There is a ton of plot railroading going on here of course, but "a Q did it" is a pretty good explanation for everything within universe. Interesting that the Queen we see is supposedly the last Borg in her timeline as well - means my hypothesis for the season (that the Borg we saw at the end of the first episode was a refugee from this timeline) can't be 100% correct.

One little niggle involving the magistrate - I didn't buy him as Seven's husband at all. Sure she's a fish out of water at the moment, but he treated her like an obsequious functionary, not a husband. They must have a strange relationship within the timeline.

Regardless, as is the case next week, I find myself eager to watch the next episode, rather than impatient for the story to get going, which shows they're doing something quite right.

It wouldn't surprise me if, as part of her rise to power in this timeline, this was a marriage of convenience that allowed both of them to achieve their objectives.

It certainly doesn't have the "loving marriage" feel - although still more believable than 7otay (Chakeven of 9?) was in Voyager

 

[Sakonna]

I really liked this episode, but I felt like it was a bit inferior to the season premier. There were two main reasons for this. One is it too info-dumpy, particularly in the beginning of the episode. I understand that the needs of the cast require that everyone be given their "moment of disorientation" - but I honestly think the episode would have been stronger if they just kept to Picard and Seven's POV, and the other characters; initial arrival happened off camera.

This is so true. There were seriously diminishing returns with the first reactions from Rios and Elnor, particularly. I think it was that both Rios and Elnor had scene partners who ignored their disorientation so that they could instead info-dump what was happening, before conveniently flying off/getting killed.

 

[IMC Headquarters]

I can imagine Alt-Picard informing General Sisko, "I got him for you!" And dumping Dukat's bullet-ridden body at his feet.

 

[eschaton]

This is so true. There were seriously diminishing returns with the first reactions from Rios and Elnor, particularly. I think it was that both Rios and Elnor had scene partners who ignored their disorientation so that they could instead info-dump what was happening, before conveniently flying off/getting killed.

Yeah, the Rios and Elnor scenes were completely unnecessary. We established that Seven was contacting Rios, and Elnor/Raffi could have just shown up at Confederation HQ or wherever the heck it was and it would have been fine.

 

[Tuskin38]

They just won't give up that awful Discovery Klingon design. I sure hope that's a prop they had lying around and recycled. I really really liked the episode, but this is just a little middle finger.

It’s no more a middle finger than the TMP Klingons were a middle finger to the TOS Klingons.

I don’t think it was a prop they had lying around, because the teeth don’t match DSC Klingon teeth. In fact it looks like they tried to match Martok’s teeth, and vaguely JG’s face shape.

Though it would have been nice if they at least matched the ridges.

 

[eschaton]

The ridges were not Martok's, but I do concur that overall the skull looked more like a Berman Trek era Klingon.

I'll also note the Ferengi skull looked nothing like the Ferengi we've seen on Discovery Season 4, and looked just like Berman-Trek Ferengi, from the browridge to the teeth. Weird that their ears are bony though.

 

[Lord Garth]

And then they'll play a song at the end.

Just saying the way I predict it. And the end of the day, this is still TNG by another name.

 

[Paul755]

Maybe that’s part of the reason why we haven’t seen Worf. They don’t want to deal with the backlash (for lack of a better term) of redesigning (again) a fan favorite character.

 

[eschaton]

Maybe that’s part of the reason why we haven’t seen Worf. They don’t want to deal with the backlash (for lack of a better term) of redesigning (again) a fan favorite character.

IIRC it has already been confirmed if we see Worf, he will look like a Berman Trek Klingon.

I mean, we've seen Klingons on Lower Decks and Prodigy, and they look like Berman Trek Klingons.

 

[Sakonna]

The ridges were not Martok's, but I do concur that overall the skull looked more like a Berman Trek era Klingon.

I'll also note the Ferengi skull looked nothing like the Ferengi we've seen on Discovery Season 4, and looked just like Berman-Trek Ferengi, from the browridge to the teeth. Weird that their ears are bony though.

Rewatching season 1 of Picard, I noticed for the first time that there are background Andorians looking like they did on Enterprise. None of the unneeded heavy prosthetics all over their face that have been added in the terrible Discovery redesign.

I hadn't realized until just now that these shows have different makeup teams. Can we please fire the Disco people and give the Picard team franchise control?

I cannot wrap my mind around the frequency with which the Discovery makeup just fails. I could truly not even count how many times I've seen the makeup pulling off the actors face at this point. 15 times? 20?

Time's I've noticed that outside of Star Trek Discovery? Zero. Like, in all other entertainment I have ever seen in my entire life. I am not someone who notices prosthetic makeup problems, except on Disco, where technical makeup failures are shoved in your face constantly.

 

[Tuskin38]

They probably gave the Ferengi skull ears so it would be more instantly recognizable

 

[Tuskin38]

Rewatching season 1 of Picard, I noticed for the first time that there are background Andorians looking like they did on Enterprise. None of the unneeded heavy prosthetics all over their face that have been added in the terrible Discovery redesign.

I hadn't realized until just now that these shows have different makeup teams. Can we please fire the Disco people and give the Picard team franchise control?.

They used used the Discovery Tellarite design in Season 1. There was a Tellarite as part of the news crew interviewing Picard.

Discovery season 1 also had just blue painted actors as background Andorians.

The Enterprise Andorians did have prosthetics on their forehead, but it doesn’t look like they used any at all on these.

I think the only reason we haven’t seen a full on Discovery Andorian is because they’ve all been background actors. They had reference photos of the Discovery design in the makeup trailer.

 

[eschaton]

FWIW, this was the Klingon skull developed as a prop in Disco Season 1:

Doesn't look much like Martok's skull - though it also lacks the "Dunkleosteus teeth" the Klingons ended up having on Discovery.

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

Maybe that’s part of the reason why we haven’t seen Worf. They don’t want to deal with the backlash (for lack of a better term) of redesigning (again) a fan favorite character.

We did see Worf on a screen in S1

 

[Tuskin38]

Hopefully we’ll get BTS pictures next week of the various weapons and unmentioned skulls

Q said Qo’noS was hit by a biogenic weapon. Maybe that is what altered his skull.

 

[hxclespaulplayer]

Sisko is named, what do you think Janeways' alt-self is like in this timeline?

I haven't been this excited for Trek since Enterprise. Particularly the expanse and s4. Why no all episodes at once like most ventures/streaming services though...

 

[Tuskin38]

Why no all episodes at once like most ventures/streaming services though...

Money. Keeps people subscribed longer, and cheaper tiers of Paramount plus has adverts. It also airs in Canada on TV with commercials.

They also start the seasons before the later episodes are finished post production.

 

[fireproof78]

Is "damn" really a swear word ?

Yes.

 

[Anduinel]

Sisko is named, what do you think Janeways' alt-self is like in this timeline?

I haven't been this excited for Trek since Enterprise. Particularly the expanse and s4. Why no all episodes at once like most ventures/streaming services though...

My guess is it keeps people subscribed longer, plus keeps conversation around the show going on as each ep comes out.