The part that bugged me about spacing Vadic was that we've seen Changelings not only happily exist but travel through space (Laas). Granted these Changelings were heavily modified...but still, it was a bit disappointing. They almost could have just had these Changelings be an entirely different type of shapeshifter with minimal impact (I haven't rewatched the season, but is there any reason these need to be the Founders?), which just strengthens the sense that this is just DS9 lip service rather than really appreciating that series.
3.09 "Vōx". 
out of five.
Firstly back to my sort of music, I'll say it again - whomever keeps choosing the music for Picard is on my wavelength!
Firstly I didn't realise until Beverly said so that ten years had passed since Picard season two. I'm sure you can work it out if you work out the years/numbers, but I don't think that was particularly obvious watching it.
"You're safe" said Deanna, before shrieking and running from the room. Such a professional! And the Borg is bad, but did it deserve quite that reaction and that urgency and instilling that much panic in Jack?
So of course off he trots to the Borg. We've sat through the entire season of people trying to take him, and all that for him just to go and head over there himself.
I'll be honest I know Trek is the home of technobabble but this whole episode pushed it to the max. It became very dense to the point where I'm not entirely sure what they're saying. I admit my attention may have wandered which made it harder. But it's something was put into Picard, which then went to Jack (the son that wasn't a thing at the time), and transporters, and signallers and receivers... and clearly they had signallers because Picard's heard their voices before but they need a new signaller in the form of Jack for some reason? And for some reason Picard's body has something to do with this?
I don't know entirely, and I'm not sure I care to be honest. I'll happily take verdicts on if it was technobabble bullshit or it's my fault for phasing out slightly!
It was nice to hear the voice of Alice Krige again, she is very distinctive. At least I'm assuming it's her.
But what happened to the whole new Borg with Jurati? Did they just forget season two?
It's funny I thought that Vox means voice, why call it Vox? Do the Borg love Latin? I didn't expect them to actually answer that! Seems the Queen loves Latin, for some bizarre reason.
The whole assimilating through transporters is a somewhat interesting concept, but all sounds very Machiavellian for the Borg. Can't they just throw some cubes at the situation? Where did this come from? It'd make more sense if it were Jurati in some ways. I wouldn't be happy she'd turned evil, but it would explain different tactics and the brain of a doctor at work on the problem.
Also networked ships vs non-networked ships, enemies in our midst, artificial lifeforms... they continue to ape Battlestar Galactica quite a bit this season.
Won't our crew get assimilated? Oh no only under 25s. As all races develop the same and 25 is the cut off because... *waves hand* oh don't think about viewer. BORG! Look at the Borg! They said FUTILE!
Bringing Admiral Shelby in to kill her is a cheap fucking shot. I kind of accepted what they did with Ro, but this was just dirty and cheap. Don't like it at all.
It's a good job the assimilated young people say stuff for the camera so you can get the exposition you need. They can communicate remotely, but talking out loud in the corridor is what's needed.
Forcefields are clearly of no interest now so you can have a good old fashioned phaser fight. Can't believe I was disappointed Shaw died! But I learnt over the course of my rewatch he was a good counterbalance to the old crew's mix of love fests and stupid decisions.
All in all, it just felt like a slog as they tried to articulate everything they had set up this season with great complication.
Then... our end bit. I had forgotten about this for a while, believe it or not. The Enterprise D!
Now, I didn't like this the first time around. And I still have some misgivings - that it's not the Enterprise, well only the saucer section. The saucer section they said was unsalvagable. That Geordi in restoring it decided he didn't like the side stations on the bridge so got rid of them - priorities!
But I was prepared to give it more of a go this time, and let it into my heart. And "she" (when did all the TNG crew gender their ship?) sure is lovely. It's hard to not get a bit of a buzz seeing the D again.
We all know TNG was lit like they were under sun lamps, but it does make the new D look surprisingly washed out. A bit more brightness wouldn't go amiss. Although going from the new style of ship back to the D would be like when you go out of a dark building into the bright sunlight, you may spend ages covering your eyes.
I do still have fundamental issues with the story. I love Generations, and for me Generations was about loss. About time stalking us, or being our companion. Picard was childless. His family were lost. (Channeling yourself here Antony?). And the Enterprise D was gone. Here they unravel all of that narrative. He has a son. The ship is back... Generations feels like it meant nothing.
Data is back too of course. And Picard died, but he didn't. For a show that has really touched on loss in its own way (like Will and Deanna's son) it's also very good at reversing it and pretending a lot of loss didn't happen.
But I do think it's the undermining of Generations that bothers me most about it all.
I'll likely watch the finale tonight...
out of five.Firstly back to my sort of music, I'll say it again - whomever keeps choosing the music for Picard is on my wavelength!
Firstly I didn't realise until Beverly said so that ten years had passed since Picard season two. I'm sure you can work it out if you work out the years/numbers, but I don't think that was particularly obvious watching it.
"You're safe" said Deanna, before shrieking and running from the room. Such a professional! And the Borg is bad, but did it deserve quite that reaction and that urgency and instilling that much panic in Jack?
So of course off he trots to the Borg. We've sat through the entire season of people trying to take him, and all that for him just to go and head over there himself.
I'll be honest I know Trek is the home of technobabble but this whole episode pushed it to the max. It became very dense to the point where I'm not entirely sure what they're saying. I admit my attention may have wandered which made it harder. But it's something was put into Picard, which then went to Jack (the son that wasn't a thing at the time), and transporters, and signallers and receivers... and clearly they had signallers because Picard's heard their voices before but they need a new signaller in the form of Jack for some reason? And for some reason Picard's body has something to do with this?
I don't know entirely, and I'm not sure I care to be honest. I'll happily take verdicts on if it was technobabble bullshit or it's my fault for phasing out slightly!
It was nice to hear the voice of Alice Krige again, she is very distinctive. At least I'm assuming it's her.
But what happened to the whole new Borg with Jurati? Did they just forget season two?
It's funny I thought that Vox means voice, why call it Vox? Do the Borg love Latin? I didn't expect them to actually answer that! Seems the Queen loves Latin, for some bizarre reason.
The whole assimilating through transporters is a somewhat interesting concept, but all sounds very Machiavellian for the Borg. Can't they just throw some cubes at the situation? Where did this come from? It'd make more sense if it were Jurati in some ways. I wouldn't be happy she'd turned evil, but it would explain different tactics and the brain of a doctor at work on the problem.
Also networked ships vs non-networked ships, enemies in our midst, artificial lifeforms... they continue to ape Battlestar Galactica quite a bit this season.
Won't our crew get assimilated? Oh no only under 25s. As all races develop the same and 25 is the cut off because... *waves hand* oh don't think about viewer. BORG! Look at the Borg! They said FUTILE!
Bringing Admiral Shelby in to kill her is a cheap fucking shot. I kind of accepted what they did with Ro, but this was just dirty and cheap. Don't like it at all.
It's a good job the assimilated young people say stuff for the camera so you can get the exposition you need. They can communicate remotely, but talking out loud in the corridor is what's needed.
Forcefields are clearly of no interest now so you can have a good old fashioned phaser fight. Can't believe I was disappointed Shaw died! But I learnt over the course of my rewatch he was a good counterbalance to the old crew's mix of love fests and stupid decisions.
All in all, it just felt like a slog as they tried to articulate everything they had set up this season with great complication.
Then... our end bit. I had forgotten about this for a while, believe it or not. The Enterprise D!
Now, I didn't like this the first time around. And I still have some misgivings - that it's not the Enterprise, well only the saucer section. The saucer section they said was unsalvagable. That Geordi in restoring it decided he didn't like the side stations on the bridge so got rid of them - priorities!
But I was prepared to give it more of a go this time, and let it into my heart. And "she" (when did all the TNG crew gender their ship?) sure is lovely. It's hard to not get a bit of a buzz seeing the D again.
We all know TNG was lit like they were under sun lamps, but it does make the new D look surprisingly washed out. A bit more brightness wouldn't go amiss. Although going from the new style of ship back to the D would be like when you go out of a dark building into the bright sunlight, you may spend ages covering your eyes.
I do still have fundamental issues with the story. I love Generations, and for me Generations was about loss. About time stalking us, or being our companion. Picard was childless. His family were lost. (Channeling yourself here Antony?). And the Enterprise D was gone. Here they unravel all of that narrative. He has a son. The ship is back... Generations feels like it meant nothing.
Data is back too of course. And Picard died, but he didn't. For a show that has really touched on loss in its own way (like Will and Deanna's son) it's also very good at reversing it and pretending a lot of loss didn't happen.
But I do think it's the undermining of Generations that bothers me most about it all.
I'll likely watch the finale tonight...
Actually season 3 is dated about seven or eight months before season 2.
You'll need to explain that to me
Season 2 takes place end of harvest 2401 that's like October-ish time.You'll need to explain that to me
Season 3 is the 250th anniversary of the NX-01's maiden voyager making it April 2401.
It's a result of a lack of care behind the scenes.
It meant a lot to the inhabitants of Veridian IV!
You had me going for a moment and trying to do mental summersaults on that one!
(grumbles incoherently)3.09 "Vōx".
Firstly back to my sort of music, I'll say it again - whomever keeps choosing the music for Picard is on my wavelength!
Firstly I didn't realise until Beverly said so that ten years had passed since Picard season two. I'm sure you can work it out if you work out the years/numbers, but I don't think that was particularly obvious watching it.
"You're safe" said Deanna, before shrieking and running from the room. Such a professional! And the Borg is bad, but did it deserve quite that reaction and that urgency and instilling that much panic in Jack?
So of course off he trots to the Borg. We've sat through the entire season of people trying to take him, and all that for him just to go and head over there himself.
I'll be honest I know Trek is the home of technobabble but this whole episode pushed it to the max. It became very dense to the point where I'm not entirely sure what they're saying. I admit my attention may have wandered which made it harder. But it's something was put into Picard, which then went to Jack (the son that wasn't a thing at the time), and transporters, and signallers and receivers... and clearly they had signallers because Picard's heard their voices before but they need a new signaller in the form of Jack for some reason? And for some reason Picard's body has something to do with this?
I don't know entirely, and I'm not sure I care to be honest. I'll happily take verdicts on if it was technobabble bullshit or it's my fault for phasing out slightly!
It was nice to hear the voice of Alice Krige again, she is very distinctive. At least I'm assuming it's her.
But what happened to the whole new Borg with Jurati? Did they just forget season two?
It's funny I thought that Vox means voice, why call it Vox? Do the Borg love Latin? I didn't expect them to actually answer that! Seems the Queen loves Latin, for some bizarre reason.
The whole assimilating through transporters is a somewhat interesting concept, but all sounds very Machiavellian for the Borg. Can't they just throw some cubes at the situation? Where did this come from? It'd make more sense if it were Jurati in some ways. I wouldn't be happy she'd turned evil, but it would explain different tactics and the brain of a doctor at work on the problem.
Also networked ships vs non-networked ships, enemies in our midst, artificial lifeforms... they continue to ape Battlestar Galactica quite a bit this season.
Won't our crew get assimilated? Oh no only under 25s. As all races develop the same and 25 is the cut off because... *waves hand* oh don't think about viewer. BORG! Look at the Borg! They said FUTILE!
Bringing Admiral Shelby in to kill her is a cheap fucking shot. I kind of accepted what they did with Ro, but this was just dirty and cheap. Don't like it at all.
It's a good job the assimilated young people say stuff for the camera so you can get the exposition you need. They can communicate remotely, but talking out loud in the corridor is what's needed.
Forcefields are clearly of no interest now so you can have a good old fashioned phaser fight. Can't believe I was disappointed Shaw died! But I learnt over the course of my rewatch he was a good counterbalance to the old crew's mix of love fests and stupid decisions.
All in all, it just felt like a slog as they tried to articulate everything they had set up this season with great complication.
Then... our end bit. I had forgotten about this for a while, believe it or not. The Enterprise D!
Now, I didn't like this the first time around. And I still have some misgivings - that it's not the Enterprise, well only the saucer section. The saucer section they said was unsalvagable. That Geordi in restoring it decided he didn't like the side stations on the bridge so got rid of them - priorities!
But I was prepared to give it more of a go this time, and let it into my heart. And "she" (when did all the TNG crew gender their ship?) sure is lovely. It's hard to not get a bit of a buzz seeing the D again.
We all know TNG was lit like they were under sun lamps, but it does make the new D look surprisingly washed out. A bit more brightness wouldn't go amiss. Although going from the new style of ship back to the D would be like when you go out of a dark building into the bright sunlight, you may spend ages covering your eyes.
I do still have fundamental issues with the story. I love Generations, and for me Generations was about loss. About time stalking us, or being our companion. Picard was childless. His family were lost. (Channeling yourself here Antony?). And the Enterprise D was gone. Here they unravel all of that narrative. He has a son. The ship is back... Generations feels like it meant nothing.
Data is back too of course. And Picard died, but he didn't. For a show that has really touched on loss in its own way (like Will and Deanna's son) it's also very good at reversing it and pretending a lot of loss didn't happen.
But I do think it's the undermining of Generations that bothers me most about it all.
I'll likely watch the finale tonight...
Sorry; that's all I've got. I miss S1, when they were boldly going and trying new things, even if sometimes those things didn't pan out.
And I still think an alliance between the Borg and the Changelings was just...blech.
It was an unconfirmed idea at the time that they just swapped out the bridge module we saw for 7 years on TV for a new one with the extra stations. Or else those wall panels were just covering up places to plug in new stations.
Either way, I'd buy that Geordi went old-school during the restoration.
Well it makes sense they'd show us the bridge we knew for years, not the one we saw briefly in Generations. So I get it... but I just find it funny the thought of him fussing on this smashed up saucer, giving it a bit of elbow polish to wipe out the dents - and then with all that he wanted to restore the bridge to what he knew previously.
3.10 "The Last Generation". out of 5
Well, here I am. The finale. And if I had to describe my feeling most it was "relief". Season three felt solid when viewed piece by piece but by the end it felt a bit of a slog with very little variety tonally or in story.
I liked the nod to the TNG credits with the space sequence, then we're straight into fan wank with Chekov. I'm sure they see this as lovely with the voice of Walter Koenig, but my first reaction is it that it gives a vibe of dynastic republics. It's still the Chekovs, and the Picards etc. that remain in control of the Federation forever. Go back centuries and Picards were involved in space travel and they still have their grip on the Federation. I guess I'm particularly sensitive to it now given world politics and it's not a great look.
Seven takes over the Titan with her transporter phasers - I seem to recall that was a weapon in Elite Force, IIRC. Which seems appropriate if so. It does add to the feeling that the Titan is just basically people taking it over, then losing it, then taking it over again. I think everyone has had a stab this season.
I admit the whole Jack thing for me is the weakest element, which is a problem as it's sort of the spine of the episode. Putting him immediately in a Borg outfit just felt like cosplay, it didn't feel dramatic for me. I think him not looking properly Borgified added to that cosplay feeling.
The Borg Queen meanwhile is just CGI with an obvious voiceover. I've never felt that sort of 'monster' type very compelling in any media. The Borg Queen was great as she could wander around and be menacing - here she just feels like a prop in a haunted house.
None of this lands for me.
The scenes with Picard and Jack were meant to be moving I'm sure, but I just don't care I'm sorry to say.
It's a quickly contrived finale arc but seeing Seven take command and try to motivate the troops was nice - and importantly it felt right. We have seen her take shape, from being unplugged in that alcove to where she is today. It's a rare privilege as a fan to see such a clear narrative arc. Even if Picard may have wobbled at times with her, it ended up where she needed to be.
Worf continues to have some great one liners, although I would argue too many. After a while it's just "Oh Worf is being funny again". Less is more? How many times have I said about restraint with Picard.
Being able to see the D up close and into windows is a real treat. Then seeing it bomb around the Borg ship is also a delight. We never got to see the Enterprise D with moves like this due to model work, so it's nice to see. Then the moment where Troi grabs the helm, didn't crash it and instead parked the Enterprise right above their location for beam up was epic. I whooped. I rewound so I could watch it again!
The world is saved again, and we go into wrap up. I love how they just grab a changeling and his face starts shifting about. Who knew the changelings were ticklish. Just go and grab everyone, give them a tickle and there's your changeling detector!
Also Tuvok is alive! Who knew these evil changelings who were experimented on and resentful and wanted death to the Federation would kindly be storing our solids. When Seven was looking to the changeling's pot (no not cannabis ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha) she may as well have just found the people themselves stored in a cupboard somewhere.
The Shaw scene was nice with Seven, he even stopped dead naming her. Was it a bit trite? Yes. Did I love it? Also yes. Tuvok doing the honours felt fitting too. It could have worked with him or Janeway.
Everything is fixed for Raffi with her family just like that. Is it trite? Yes. Did I like it? Yes. She deserves some happiness. Worf has been wonderful with her too, and these two having a show would be interesting.
I know it's meant to be a bit of fun, Deanna looking at beach holidays while counselling Data but it does make her look a bit of a dick.
Then the D is put to rest in the museum... farewell my friend.
Renaming the Titan to Enterprise... is an interesting choice. An old, tiny ship doesn't give the flagship vibe. But Picard seems happy. I'm surprised they didn't name it the USS Picard TBH, and it would have kind of fit.
Talking of naming that reminds me - one of the ships in the fleet was the USS Pulaski! People who read my musings will know I'm a big fan, so this is some fanwank I can get behind!
Seven is captain. Again this would have made more sense on a Titan or Picard, but a new captain as captain of the flagship seems a bit far fetched. But I'm happy for her.
Raffi as her number one? The rather unstable Raffi who bumps around in her career? Well... I guess. It's just happy ending.
The suddenly ensigned Jack as her counsellor? Dear lord. Know when to quit, writers...
It's also said that Jack is straight into the Starfleet uniform as I thought Picard was at times trying to make a good point that Starfleet isn't everything.
Then we have the final scenes. "There was a young lady from venus..." was silly but a fun callback. And the warmth between the cast is lovely.
I still don't get a strong 'wow' moment from the Poker as that's largely because that's how my beloved TNG ended. Last time and this time it just make me think "Do I even need this show? I've already seen a fantastic ending..."
I suspect my ratings will overall skew higher for season three, as many episodes were entertaining and generally kept continuity throughout the season. But... I did find by the end it was all just very samey samey. It felt a bit of a slog in those last few episodes. Particularly as the Borg/body/signal/receiver stuff got very dense for my old addled brain.
And that. Is. That.
Oh apart from the coda. Q is alive again. So Q didn't die. The Borg didn't change... should we have even bothered watching season two? It's amazing how with such a young show it can't even keep its internal continuity in check.
out of 5Well, here I am. The finale. And if I had to describe my feeling most it was "relief". Season three felt solid when viewed piece by piece but by the end it felt a bit of a slog with very little variety tonally or in story.
I liked the nod to the TNG credits with the space sequence, then we're straight into fan wank with Chekov. I'm sure they see this as lovely with the voice of Walter Koenig, but my first reaction is it that it gives a vibe of dynastic republics. It's still the Chekovs, and the Picards etc. that remain in control of the Federation forever. Go back centuries and Picards were involved in space travel and they still have their grip on the Federation. I guess I'm particularly sensitive to it now given world politics and it's not a great look.
Seven takes over the Titan with her transporter phasers - I seem to recall that was a weapon in Elite Force, IIRC. Which seems appropriate if so. It does add to the feeling that the Titan is just basically people taking it over, then losing it, then taking it over again. I think everyone has had a stab this season.
I admit the whole Jack thing for me is the weakest element, which is a problem as it's sort of the spine of the episode. Putting him immediately in a Borg outfit just felt like cosplay, it didn't feel dramatic for me. I think him not looking properly Borgified added to that cosplay feeling.
The Borg Queen meanwhile is just CGI with an obvious voiceover. I've never felt that sort of 'monster' type very compelling in any media. The Borg Queen was great as she could wander around and be menacing - here she just feels like a prop in a haunted house.
None of this lands for me.
The scenes with Picard and Jack were meant to be moving I'm sure, but I just don't care I'm sorry to say.
It's a quickly contrived finale arc but seeing Seven take command and try to motivate the troops was nice - and importantly it felt right. We have seen her take shape, from being unplugged in that alcove to where she is today. It's a rare privilege as a fan to see such a clear narrative arc. Even if Picard may have wobbled at times with her, it ended up where she needed to be.
Worf continues to have some great one liners, although I would argue too many. After a while it's just "Oh Worf is being funny again". Less is more? How many times have I said about restraint with Picard.
Being able to see the D up close and into windows is a real treat. Then seeing it bomb around the Borg ship is also a delight. We never got to see the Enterprise D with moves like this due to model work, so it's nice to see. Then the moment where Troi grabs the helm, didn't crash it and instead parked the Enterprise right above their location for beam up was epic. I whooped. I rewound so I could watch it again!
The world is saved again, and we go into wrap up. I love how they just grab a changeling and his face starts shifting about. Who knew the changelings were ticklish. Just go and grab everyone, give them a tickle and there's your changeling detector!
Also Tuvok is alive! Who knew these evil changelings who were experimented on and resentful and wanted death to the Federation would kindly be storing our solids. When Seven was looking to the changeling's pot (no not cannabis ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha) she may as well have just found the people themselves stored in a cupboard somewhere.
The Shaw scene was nice with Seven, he even stopped dead naming her. Was it a bit trite? Yes. Did I love it? Also yes. Tuvok doing the honours felt fitting too. It could have worked with him or Janeway.
Everything is fixed for Raffi with her family just like that. Is it trite? Yes. Did I like it? Yes. She deserves some happiness. Worf has been wonderful with her too, and these two having a show would be interesting.
I know it's meant to be a bit of fun, Deanna looking at beach holidays while counselling Data but it does make her look a bit of a dick.
Then the D is put to rest in the museum... farewell my friend.
Renaming the Titan to Enterprise... is an interesting choice. An old, tiny ship doesn't give the flagship vibe. But Picard seems happy. I'm surprised they didn't name it the USS Picard TBH, and it would have kind of fit.
Talking of naming that reminds me - one of the ships in the fleet was the USS Pulaski! People who read my musings will know I'm a big fan, so this is some fanwank I can get behind!
Seven is captain. Again this would have made more sense on a Titan or Picard, but a new captain as captain of the flagship seems a bit far fetched. But I'm happy for her.
Raffi as her number one? The rather unstable Raffi who bumps around in her career? Well... I guess. It's just happy ending.
The suddenly ensigned Jack as her counsellor? Dear lord. Know when to quit, writers...
It's also said that Jack is straight into the Starfleet uniform as I thought Picard was at times trying to make a good point that Starfleet isn't everything.
Then we have the final scenes. "There was a young lady from venus..." was silly but a fun callback. And the warmth between the cast is lovely.
I still don't get a strong 'wow' moment from the Poker as that's largely because that's how my beloved TNG ended. Last time and this time it just make me think "Do I even need this show? I've already seen a fantastic ending..."
I suspect my ratings will overall skew higher for season three, as many episodes were entertaining and generally kept continuity throughout the season. But... I did find by the end it was all just very samey samey. It felt a bit of a slog in those last few episodes. Particularly as the Borg/body/signal/receiver stuff got very dense for my old addled brain.
And that. Is. That.
Oh apart from the coda. Q is alive again. So Q didn't die. The Borg didn't change... should we have even bothered watching season two? It's amazing how with such a young show it can't even keep its internal continuity in check.
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DEBRIEF
Firstly thank you to everyone who has chatted, given a like and just been part of this. It did help make it feel more purposeful. And by writing down my thoughts after each episode (even if they were sometimes stream of thought, not a review as I warned) really did help me stop and think about my perceptions and my prejudices to this show.
Firstly did I enjoy it more? Yes. Quite considerably so. Having the mental space to sit and watch it I think helped in the first place. But removing the petulance also helped. I had a bee on my bonnet on Picard and it's hard to shift that without going back and actually sitting with the show, and trying to give the characters a chance and appreciate the stories they are trying to tell.
I was always okay with season one the first time around, but this time I think I enjoyed it more. Probably the key part was getting to like Raffi and Rios more.
The first time Raffi was annoying at first (she still is) and Rios I just felt was a bit try-hard with the cigars and the holograms. And those images are hard to shift.
Raffi I gave more of a chance and get to know her character and while there are a few spots that still grate me overall I think she's solid. She has a kind heart. And if anything she was the victim of writing at times that didn't know what to do with her.
Rios kind of floats around the story with unclear purpose a lot of the time, but it is a nice guy. And it was embracing him and Raffi - and adding that to my previous like of Jurati - and I think this crew isn't that bad. As I said in my season one review it'd have been a bold move to kill off Picard and let this crew carry on.
Soji was a good, solid story with a good actress. And I think overall season one is probably my favourite as it tried to tell a new story and had some good set pieces if it sometimes fumbled with them. I think if Picard season one were six episode instead of eight it'd be a lot stronger.
Season two was a mess of course, as most people say. But there are some dashes of interest there. The 'mirror universe' vibes, a Picard ancestor... and the sublime Jurati/Borg Queen pairing. But it felt like it was written in a game of Chinese whispers, with each writer getting part of what gone before.
Season three I was rating solidly, but as it went on could feel myself losing interest. It's dark literally, and when I look back I mostly see a lot of just running around with people after Jack until he just gives himself up. It creates a blur of dark running around ships as my main takeaway from that period. It felt more coherent than season two, but increasingly tiring. There were some nice moments of course, but I kind of just wanted to be planet side again and get a bit of tonal difference at times.
I also don't like how Soji got no real conclusion, and Laris was just dropped like a piece of litter with no resolution. They just wanted to do something different in season three with little regard with what came before. Even down to the Borg story being reset and Q coming back.
Shaw was the real revelation. I came in ready to not budge my opinion on him at all and I was fine with being stubborn on that - and what a surprise, he wasn't that bad.
Also I say fanwank and yes they did do it a lot, but it's not quite as prevalent as my memory probably remembers it.
It's a flawed creation, basically. But I come away much more reconciled with it, that it's not as bad as I remember and I can (mostly) accept it as part of my Trek universe.
Thanks everyone!
Firstly thank you to everyone who has chatted, given a like and just been part of this. It did help make it feel more purposeful. And by writing down my thoughts after each episode (even if they were sometimes stream of thought, not a review as I warned) really did help me stop and think about my perceptions and my prejudices to this show.
Firstly did I enjoy it more? Yes. Quite considerably so. Having the mental space to sit and watch it I think helped in the first place. But removing the petulance also helped. I had a bee on my bonnet on Picard and it's hard to shift that without going back and actually sitting with the show, and trying to give the characters a chance and appreciate the stories they are trying to tell.
I was always okay with season one the first time around, but this time I think I enjoyed it more. Probably the key part was getting to like Raffi and Rios more.
The first time Raffi was annoying at first (she still is) and Rios I just felt was a bit try-hard with the cigars and the holograms. And those images are hard to shift.
Raffi I gave more of a chance and get to know her character and while there are a few spots that still grate me overall I think she's solid. She has a kind heart. And if anything she was the victim of writing at times that didn't know what to do with her.
Rios kind of floats around the story with unclear purpose a lot of the time, but it is a nice guy. And it was embracing him and Raffi - and adding that to my previous like of Jurati - and I think this crew isn't that bad. As I said in my season one review it'd have been a bold move to kill off Picard and let this crew carry on.
Soji was a good, solid story with a good actress. And I think overall season one is probably my favourite as it tried to tell a new story and had some good set pieces if it sometimes fumbled with them. I think if Picard season one were six episode instead of eight it'd be a lot stronger.
Season two was a mess of course, as most people say. But there are some dashes of interest there. The 'mirror universe' vibes, a Picard ancestor... and the sublime Jurati/Borg Queen pairing. But it felt like it was written in a game of Chinese whispers, with each writer getting part of what gone before.
Season three I was rating solidly, but as it went on could feel myself losing interest. It's dark literally, and when I look back I mostly see a lot of just running around with people after Jack until he just gives himself up. It creates a blur of dark running around ships as my main takeaway from that period. It felt more coherent than season two, but increasingly tiring. There were some nice moments of course, but I kind of just wanted to be planet side again and get a bit of tonal difference at times.
I also don't like how Soji got no real conclusion, and Laris was just dropped like a piece of litter with no resolution. They just wanted to do something different in season three with little regard with what came before. Even down to the Borg story being reset and Q coming back.
Shaw was the real revelation. I came in ready to not budge my opinion on him at all and I was fine with being stubborn on that - and what a surprise, he wasn't that bad.
Also I say fanwank and yes they did do it a lot, but it's not quite as prevalent as my memory probably remembers it.
It's a flawed creation, basically. But I come away much more reconciled with it, that it's not as bad as I remember and I can (mostly) accept it as part of my Trek universe.
Thanks everyone!
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The one part of the final episode which irked me the most was the Millennium Falcon-style cube attack. I've always seen the Enterprise-D as a capital ship, so not really capable of anything too dramatic, however Data trusting his gut (an early TNG callback) is just enough to give it a pass.
I think I was happy with how the show ended. The Federation seems like its getting ready for a new century of exploration again, and I hope that there aren't anymore supernovae just waiting to mess it all up again.
I think I was happy with how the show ended. The Federation seems like its getting ready for a new century of exploration again, and I hope that there aren't anymore supernovae just waiting to mess it all up again.
You're probably right. I think in my head the real world constraints of how they filmed the ships is always in my head, that they literally couldn't do much with it - and the three foot model allowed them to be a bit more fancy but not much. So when I see it whizz about... it didn't trouble me.
Voyager went from the very static shots and when you first see the CGI in Scorpion it's fantastic seeing Voyager maneuverer like no ship had done before in Trek.
Although Voyager feels more nimble, so I certainly see your point.
Yes, that's a good point. I often whizzed around my Playmates Enterprise-D as a kid, so I definitely have the capacity to imagine it happening.
Thanks for inspiring me to rewatch Picard. I agree with most of your summary. I am watching Last Generation episode as I type this, I admit a cruel part of me wanted Jack to be killed off or not so cruel, Picard gives his life to save his son, and he is dead once and for all (no transfer to a new golum).
Or give Crusher the toughest choice to make, her son or save the galaxy (too cruel perhaps?).
For me, if this was the only season of Picard I might have enjoyed it more, but I resent that the writers discarded the new characters from S1 and S2. They did not even mention getting the Jurati Borg to assist, maybe she took her Borg to another galaxy or something.
And the ending that Jack joins Starfleet so corny. I guess 24th century therapy works wonders after being the cause of so many deaths.
(BTW why does a 24th century ship need a cook? What is he cooking? They have replicators).
Or give Crusher the toughest choice to make, her son or save the galaxy (too cruel perhaps?).
For me, if this was the only season of Picard I might have enjoyed it more, but I resent that the writers discarded the new characters from S1 and S2. They did not even mention getting the Jurati Borg to assist, maybe she took her Borg to another galaxy or something.
And the ending that Jack joins Starfleet so corny. I guess 24th century therapy works wonders after being the cause of so many deaths.
(BTW why does a 24th century ship need a cook? What is he cooking? They have replicators).
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I know Ron Moore in particularly tried to put cooking back into Trek. Both for the experience of cooking itself, and the shared experience. A replicator ain't the same.
So on this and we've also seen it feature heavily in SNW, I back them.
SNW I get it since its the 23rd century, maybe Captain Shaw was eccentric and wanted to eat real food so demanded and got a cook.
Ha ha... when that's considered weird we should worry!
