The truth is pretty boring: Terry Matalas had different ideas for what he wanted to do with Picard than Michael Chabon did. Matalas was the one running Season 3 and Chabon wasn't, so his ideas are what we're seeing now.
Spoilers Picard News & Reviews from Outside Sources
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Exactly this.
The Trekcore review is largely laudatory. The writer goes into more thoughtful detail on many points than most fan reviewers, though like any opinion expressed at length much of it is easily arguable. For example, the "repeated story beat" of Data and Lore challenging one another in two successive episodes is as easily seen as a deliberate building up of tension as any kind of laziness.
Chabon did write two scripts about the 25th century Confederation timeline that was pared down into 202.
Ah, yes, the Nepenthe scene in 'Surrender.' I must say, it did seem a bit out of place in the episode, almost as if it was ‘shoehorned’ in. However, I do not believe that Terry Matalas had any malicious intent behind it. Perhaps he was trying to add a bit of symbolism in to the episode in regards to the two Troi’s relationship moving forward? Regardless, it was a peculiar scene, but not necessarily a bad one or written with ill intent towards to season 2 episode of the same name, ‘Nepenthe’. The Nepenthe episode never did quite put the Troi’s in the place that I would have originally envisioned them though at this point in their lives, but unexpected ‘things’ *had* happened to them. It was almost like they were in a little bit of a ‘limbo’ as characters, but perhaps that was the point.
What’s odd is taking one paragraph from a lengthy, thoughtful review that significantly praises the episode and the people making it in order to focus on a moment that was open to interpretation regarding its subtext (and while I didn’t view it the same way while watching, I can see how the reviewer’s point is possible), in order to do…what? Make it appear as if one minor point of debatable criticism of “St. Matalas” renders all else in the review moot? Too bad that only works if no one reads the actual review. Or as fodder for clumsy schadenfreude and gatekeeping by “TruFans”. But hey, it wasn’t all for naught—I got to read some thoughtful views in the review. So thanks for that.
Who needs a Pulitzer Prize, universal acclaim for their novels, and several other major literary prizes when you could instead have the love and devotion of random YouTubers whose whole vibe is yelling that Trek isn't exactly the same as it was circa 1993.
As for Nepenthe, saying it's not liked or whatever is false. Just going on fan reaction only, it has higher user ratings and scores on most sites than several of this seasons episodes. Searching on Twitter about it brings up all kinds of love for the episode and people talking about how it's one of their favorites. Just cause you don't like it and don't like season 1 doesn't mean others don't. You can take or leave the episode for yourself, but acting like this isn't a pretty praised episode is just wrong.
I felt like both that episode and this episode fit into the story well across the seasons. From personal experience, my sister died when I was about the age their daughter was in the first season. The age difference between us was about the same as her and Thad. Riker and Deanna's reactions and the way they acted was perfectly normal and in line with how grieving parents act. My parents acted like everything was fine for years after my sister died till things broke down for a bit years later. We lived in my childhood home till I went to college and a month after I was gone, my parents moved three states away. I felt like the house and Nepenthe digs did seem a little mean spirited towards season 1 but it was also in line with where they are in their relationship. Neither episode is unrealistic.
My biggest complaint about all of the Riker and Deanna stuff this season and the last episode is that I feel like they could have added a few more lines about the daughter throughout. I've thought the hyper focus on Thad while the show is sort of disinterested in the daughter is kind of lame, but that is a minor nitpick.
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Indeed.
Akiva Goldsman has an Oscar for best (adapted!) screenplay. He also wrote BATMAN & ROBIN and showrun season 2.
Co-Showrunner
Terry didn't move off to focus on Season 3 until halfway through the season.
Ah, the shifting sands of revisionist history. I remember when the episode was praised because of how Picard, Riker and Troi interacted. I'm glad Okumura likes it because certainly others did too at the time.
Exactly. It's just ginning up controversy because the truth is boring.
Yes, but even at the beginning of the season Goldsman outranked Matalas.
No one that I remember has ever said season 2 starts off very weak and then it climbs a mountain.. it's always the season has a strong start then falls off a cliff.
FWIW, after PICARD season 3, PICARD season 2 is actually my second favorite live action NuTrek season. I dislike SNW, DISCOVERY, and PICARD season 1 that much
It's almost like some things are a success and others aren't and you never know till the finished product is out in the world! And he had a co-runner showrunner for season 2.
None of that was the point though. The point was and is that acting like Michael Chabon was some hack they picked up off the street and let run season 1 is false. He was an acclaimed author. Whether you and the YouTube sphere liked it or not, He obviously put a lot of work and I thought heart and reflectiveness into season 1. Maybe all the stuff didn't land but that happens. But again, just because you didn't like it and are happy it's being undone doesn't mean others didn't like it and that real work didn't go into those seasons.
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He set out to make a divisive season, and succeeded.
The situation reminds me a lot of THE LAST JEDI and Rian Johnson. At least I'm enjoying PICARD season 3 far more than THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, albeit I'm saying that as a casual general audience Star Wars fan.
Source
Nope.
"Devisive" is customarily hurled as accusatory, but what of it? There's nothing odd about the existence of a distancing between an audience seeking something at least somewhat fresh, smart and unexpected, and an audience that demands the familiar, trite and reassuring.
Let them be divided.
No. He set out to make a season of Picard and succeeded to varying results. Nobody, especially someone who clearly loves Trek as much as Michael Chabon does just going by his interviews and backstory for Picard, sets out to make a show with the intention of pissing off half of the fanbase.
I don't want to litigate The Last Jedi here, but same with Ryan Johnson. People trying to move a franchise forward and into modern storytelling isn't someone making something intentionally divisive. Just because half of the fanbase has a fit because it doesn't fit with exactly with what they wanted doesn't mean it was done intentionally.
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