Spoilers Star Trek: Picard 2x08 - "Mercy"

[Llywela]

I also suspect that, like season one, season two will play a lot more smoothly when watched as a marathon, instead of being viewed week-by-week like this. All the action so far has spanned no more than two or three days, after all, and it is easy to forget that, given that it has taken us eight weeks to get this far!

ETA:

I saw a review this past week that noted Seven using the dead guy's phone to look for clues is literally the first time this season that the plot has been moved along by a character actually investigating, rather than just getting a "hunch" - or something randomly happening because a character is in the right place at the right time.

In fairness, Raffi and Seven did a lot of investigating when they were searching for Rios earlier in the season, it's just that nothing of that particular escapade was remotely plot-related.

 

[SJGardner]

I'm going to allow for the possibility that maybe the Borg Queen had her ability to assimilate people removed from her when she was captured by the Confederation (which could have been explained away with a simple line of dialog), but that still doesn't explain why she can't just use the ship's replicator system to replicate all the things she needs to create new nanoprobes instead of that 'Jurati eating car batteries idiocy from writers who don't even seem to know that (non-Electric)car battery technology works different from cellphone battery technology.

I mean, they could have helped themselves even a bit by showing that all the cars she had taken apart were actually EV's (Electric or Hybrid cars) which use Lithium-Ion battery technology that's closer to what cellphones use - instead of all those CLEARLY gasoline-powered cars. But all that is just putting perfume on the turd of an already stupid plot-point. The Borg queen had control of a ship that has a replicator that Star Trek lore tells us can fabricate pretty much ANYTHING you need in terms of raw materials.

There are actually commercially available non-hybrid cars with an option to include a lithium ion starter battery as opposed to a lead–acid one. The Porsche 911 GT3 RS has been available with that option for 12 years, albeit for weight reasons. And California has always been ahead of the rest of the US on automobile environmental standards, even without counting that it's 1.) two years in the future and 2.) in the Star Trek universe that's demonstrably more advanced than ours. It's entirely possible that there's a federal ban on lead–acid batteries or Governor Chen issued regulations that all non-hybrid motor vehicles sold in the state of California must have lithium ion starter batteries as they are more reliable and efficient. Given it's the US we're talking about, it was probably all he could achieve from an original plan to go all-electric by 2025 like Norway. Could they have Seven bullshit some historical lecture about all cars of the time period having lithium ion starter batteries? Of course. But why would they need to break the pace just to provide dry exposition for the minority of people who want to pick apart every single detail and find real-world reasons and explanations for them?

Be careful criticizing women or how they dress is a big no no. Even in a tv show. A sign of the SJW and woke band wagon lobby.

I got warned for Raffi looking like a BLANK...

There is a difference between wondering whether a specific costume worn by a woman is symbolic for something or is an actual fashion choice, and implying that people would be justified in mistaking a woman for a sex worker based on her appearance.

And FYI, it's not a result of the oh-so-dreaded "SJW and woke band wagon lobby" that you can't tell a woman she looks like a hooker anymore. We were never okay with men policing the way we dress and appear, not now, not ever, especially not with the notion that a woman's appearance signals her promiscuity and willingness to have sex, which has been the number one bullshit reasoning used since time immaterial to blame women for being victims of sexual assault. It's just that we are allowed to call you out on that language now without society blaming and ridiculing us.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

^ Well said.

Urgh. Offer a teeny bit of critique after enjoying the season for the most part, and suddenly you get the neggers agreeing with you...

Don't let him get you down or discourage you from speaking your mind for fear that he'll glom on with his incessant negativity. Reasonable criticism is always appreciated and welcome.

 

[Lord Garth]

Absolutely spot on. These alleged Star Fleet Officers, are an absolute disgrace. Any Officer is Commissioned and to be commissioned they must demonstrate leadership, intelligence, temperament and responsibility, and absolutely none of these clowns have shown any of that.

Raffi wouldn't have made it through the screening process let along pass the academy. She certainly wouldn't have lasted very long if she did because her fitness reports would have shown her to be a terrible officer. There's no way she would have been commissioned let alone risen to the rank of Commander. It's clear that the writers are absolutely ignorant when it comes to anything to do with Star Fleet, or Star Trek, or leadership qualities.


They're also completely ignorant about science. Lead Acid Batteries are nothing like lithium batteries and anyone eating lead and or acid would be in the ER, and likely the morgue, in very short order. What on earth are they thinking?! Furthermore, who is this show aimed at? People without logic or any basic understanding of science or Star Trek cannon? I mean they have to be aiming this at children, (but why the swearing?) or childish morons, or drooling fans who are willing to throw out everything Trek stood for just to see a com badge and a couple of their old favorite characters on the screen, even if they act like cartoon character versions of themselves and the writers have them doing South Park impersonations. I just don't get it..

I realize a lot of these actors are well past their prime and feel lucky to have jobs, but if they cared about the legacy of the characters they portrayed in the past they'd run from this show like their hair was on fire.. Patrick Stewart has lost his marbles and the writers never had any.

My guess is they sit around the offices getting stoned on mushrooms to come up with some of this, then forget what they've written, but by the time they've sobered up and figured it out the director's have shot the episode already.. Either that, or this is one massive inside joke like when Joaquin Phoenix said he was giving up acting to be a rap artist. Maybe they just want to see how stupid the "new" fans are while at the same time giving the middle finger to the "traditional" fans... Whatever it is, it's bloody offensive..

I think you don't believe most of what you're typing. You don't like the show and I believe that. But the rest is just played up for reactions. Therefore, I'm going to deprive you of anything more than what I gave you just now.

I've been a Star Trek fan for 31 years, by the way. So, unless you were a fan back in 1966, I'm not a "new" fan.

 

[Tosk]

I also suspect that, like season one, season two will play a lot more smoothly when watched as a marathon, instead of being viewed week-by-week like this.

Quite probably. But it may also highlight the "problem of the week" approach, where not a lot actually gets done. They just spend time getting out of some new, more immediate problem. It can sometimes feel like time-wasting on the way to the big finale if not done well, as opposed to interesting short stories.

 

[Tuskin38]

I'm going to allow for the possibility that maybe the Borg Queen had her ability to assimilate people removed from her when she was captured by the Confederation (which could have been explained away with a simple line of dialog),

It was explained, rewatch Episode 2.

 

[Lord Garth]

It was explained, rewatch Episode 2.

Should read, "It was explained, actually really watch Episode 2 this time instead of complaining over it non-stop and not paying much attention."

 

[gvn2fly]

Not needed. We got enough info to explain that from what we were shown.

Wasn't the boy looking for his dog or something or did I just make that up LOL? I agree we don't need to specifically know why the Vulcans were there. I mean would a scene on the Vulcan ship explaining their survey mission was interrupted by a young human really be necessary? And lets add in a few minutes to explain why a mind meld was used just to make everyone happy (then those same people would complain that the scene was irrelevant to the overall plot LOL)

 

[SJGardner]

Wasn't the boy looking for his dog or something or did I just make that up LOL? I agree we don't need to specifically know why the Vulcans were there. I mean would a scene on the Vulcan ship explaining their survey mission was interrupted by a young human really be necessary? And lets add in a few minutes to explain why a mind meld was used just to make everyone happy (then those same people would complain that the scene was irrelevant to the overall plot LOL)

Nah, the dog obviously belonged to the Laughing Vulcan.

 

[cooleddie74]

I realize a lot of these actors are well past their prime and feel lucky to have jobs, but if they cared about the legacy of the characters they portrayed in the past they'd run from this show like their hair was on fire.. Patrick Stewart has lost his marbles and the writers never had any.

My guess is they sit around the offices getting stoned on mushrooms to come up with some of this, then forget what they've written, but by the time they've sobered up and figured it out the director's have shot the episode already.. Either that, or this is one massive inside joke like when Joaquin Phoenix said he was giving up acting to be a rap artist. Maybe they just want to see how stupid the "new" fans are while at the same time giving the middle finger to the "traditional" fans... Whatever it is, it's bloody offensive..

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

Absolutely spot on. These alleged Star Fleet Officers, are an absolute disgrace. Any Officer is Commissioned and to be commissioned they must demonstrate leadership, intelligence, temperament and responsibility, and absolutely none of these clowns have shown any of that.

Raffi wouldn't have made it through the screening process let along pass the academy. She certainly wouldn't have lasted very long if she did because her fitness reports would have shown her to be a terrible officer. There's no way she would have been commissioned let alone risen to the rank of Commander. It's clear that the writers are absolutely ignorant when it comes to anything to do with Star Fleet, or Star Trek, or leadership qualities.


They're also completely ignorant about science. Lead Acid Batteries are nothing like lithium batteries and anyone eating lead and or acid would be in the ER, and likely the morgue, in very short order. What on earth are they thinking?! Furthermore, who is this show aimed at? People without logic or any basic understanding of science or Star Trek cannon? I mean they have to be aiming this at children, (but why the swearing?) or childish morons, or drooling fans who are willing to throw out everything Trek stood for just to see a com badge and a couple of their old favorite characters on the screen, even if they act like cartoon character versions of themselves and the writers have them doing South Park impersonations. I just don't get it..

I realize a lot of these actors are well past their prime and feel lucky to have jobs, but if they cared about the legacy of the characters they portrayed in the past they'd run from this show like their hair was on fire.. Patrick Stewart has lost his marbles and the writers never had any.

My guess is they sit around the offices getting stoned on mushrooms to come up with some of this, then forget what they've written, but by the time they've sobered up and figured it out the director's have shot the episode already.. Either that, or this is one massive inside joke like when Joaquin Phoenix said he was giving up acting to be a rap artist. Maybe they just want to see how stupid the "new" fans are while at the same time giving the middle finger to the "traditional" fans... Whatever it is, it's bloody offensive..

A fan observes: "Picard looks older than in TNG."
What not to do: "YES! Everyone agrees with me that this is the worst show ever!!! The silent majority has spoken! I'm vindicated! Take that, Kurtzman!!!!11"

 

[Tuskin38]

Wasn't the boy looking for his dog or something or did I just make that up LOL?

Wells was calling for a Maggie, most likely a dog yeah.

Coincidently, or not, Maggie was the name of a character in Carbon Creek.

 

[Jack Wolfe]

Wasn't the boy looking for his dog or something or did I just make that up?

The boy's second line was, "Here, pup!"

 

[DaveyNY]

why was the kid out there in the woods at night

He was looking for his dog.

Heh ... Well, I guess at least three of us were paying attention.

 

[gvn2fly]

The boy's second line was, "Here, pup!"

Yea, that's what I thought. Was just wondering why the earlier poster was wondering why the kid was out there then

 

[DaveyNY]

Yea, that's what I thought. Was just wondering why the earlier poster was wondering why the kid was out there then

Because that person is too busy looking for multiple things to decry about the show (so they can then come here an troll the rest of us) rather than actually paying attention to what's happening.


Addendum:
My apologies to @NCC-73515.
I got his post mixed up with TC's ravings.

 

[Jack Wolfe]

Because that person is too busy looking for multiple things to decry about the show (so they can then come here an Troll the rest of us) rather than actually paying attention to what's happening.

Thank you. I was just about to say the same thing.

 

[cooleddie74]

Wait...there's a character named Picard in a series titled Picard? And plot points often get explained in earlier episodes?

 

[Captrek]

Wait...there's a character named Picard in a series titled Picard?

At least four (Jean-Luc, Yvette, Maurice, Renee).

 

[cooleddie74]

Lazy writers all hopped up on speed and the Devil's cigarettes. Can't even write new surnames.