Spoilers Are the first two seasons of 'Picard' unnecessary?

[Mr. Laser Beam]

No, I don't think the first two seasons were useless.

Season 1 had a perfectly valid point: the rights of sentient artificial lifeforms.

And Season 2 only was the way it was, because of covid. That severely limited the kind of filming they could do and the actors they could hire. Had the pandemic not occurred, who knows what we would have got.

 

[Citiprime]

Season 1 is necessary because of Raffi, needing to know the backstory involving Riker and Troi's kids and their family, Laris, and Picard's body. Sure you could read a summary of who these people are and the story but it works better having seen the season. Two doesn't matter at this point.

Count me in as one of those who, as we get a little distant from season 3, thinks season 1 is the better season and the best of the three. It certainly had better writing, characterization, and actually had something to say. I really enjoyed season 3 for the most part and had a good time, but it only made me appreciate season 1 more. Raffi has never done a lot for me and Elnor was kind of a flop but I thought Rios, Agnes, and Laris were good additions to Trek. I enjoyed seeing seeing a more disillusioned Picard, a hardened Seven, and a more world weary Riker and Troi. It's not 1992 anymore and I think seeing the heroes in that frame of mind and state is important and, at least for me, what I'm looking for in shows these days. I thought the goodbye to Data was really well done too. That they basically keep all the plot points but reset all the characterzation is a shame to me.

I think it's a shame Patrick Stewart, the producers, or whoever got scared off because of certain reactions and basically gave us TNG Season 8 fan fic edition. Again, I enjoyed it in the end and had a good time. I'm grateful we got a fitting goodbye for them. I just find myself wishing it had been a little more in line with season 1 than what season 3 ended up being. I certainly wish it had had more of season 1's thoughtfulness and insight. Season 3 had a lot to say about family, but not much else in the end.

I think my problem with season 1 comes down to basically it's not a fun watch.

I can see what they're going for, I don't think it's necessary for a Star Trek series centered on Picard to be based in Starfleet or have the Enterprise to be a good Picard story, but when everything is said and done about that season it doesn't leave me with a good feeling or does it feel like great character growth for Picard or Data overall.

Opinions will vary, and I understand others liked the addition, but I didn't think the new characters work all that well, and they come off awkward. The Picard character is still rooted in Patrick Stewart's ideas for where he thinks Picard should be, which arguably weren't the best choices for the TNG movies. And I've never been a fan of Android-Picard, since they neuter that decision almost from the moment it happens. There are so many interesting story implications from just that development. Are there metaphysical questions about whether this version is a copy or the real person? How does Picard deal with the idea of questioning his identity in this new form? Might there be differences for Picard in dealing with his new body and form?

But, NO, don't worry about any of those questions because they go to great lengths to tell the audience that Picard is the same person and everything is the same, and don't ask any of those questions.

Also, I don't find the quest that finds Data and Data's ultimate resolution and death satisfying. I think truth be told that's why so many fans were happy that season 3 works around it and finds a way to bring him back.

 

[Campe]

to be fair Season 1 & 2 are nowhere near the level of season 3.

Respectfully disagree on season 1. Season 2 was a mess, no doubt, albeit arguably an entertaining mess. Season 3 is a lot of fan service with a weak attempt at stringing a plot together.

Season 1 dared to do something different. It tried to tell about a fallen hero returning to grace. It told a story outside of the realms of Starfleet. You can disagree all you want as to whether or not it did that successfully but at least it tried. In my opinion, Season 3 had one fully interesting idea and that was bringing Ro back and having her and Picard deal with their joint trauma.

 

[Tuskin38]

He clearly and deliberately retconned certain plot points from 1 and 2, so I doubt he was a fan.

He didn't retcon anything, and ignoring isn't retconning.

He was a writer and showrunner on season 2.

Based on how well-received the return of the Enterprise-D was, I think the SNW Enterprise will eventually be wrecked in a battle in its next-to-last episode and turned into the TOS Enterprise.

I doubt it. Different people are running that show.

I'm pretty sure that some producers everyday curse not being able to dump Raffi.

If Terry didn't want Raffi he would have gotten rid of her. He got rid of everyone else last season.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Yet another discussion on whether seasons 1 and 2 are good is what was unnecessary.

 

[Reanok]

I liked the first 2 seasons of Picard and the Characters too.

 

[Sci]

Absolutely not. Season One especially is a work of exceptional artistic merit.

 

[Campe]

I liked the first 2 seasons of Picard and the Characters too.

I honestly missed Jurati and Rios in season 3. Not sure where they could have fit (particularly with how they were left) in but they were missed.

 

[James Cole]

Though, if Terry Matalas wanted to get rid of her, he would've found a way to come up with something. He wanted his show, and he didn't care what he had to do to get there.

I think it came down to Michelle Hurd having a three season deal.

And I've never been a fan of Android-Picard, since they neuter that decision almost from the moment it happens.

My understanding is that that was a last minute reshoot idea for season 1. And now it's the top obstacle for getting people to check out season 3.

 

[hellojane]

And I've never been a fan of Android-Picard, since they neuter that decision almost from the moment it happens. There are so many interesting story implications from just that development. Are there metaphysical questions about whether this version is a copy or the real person? How does Picard deal with the idea of questioning his identity in this new form? Might there be differences for Picard in dealing with his new body and form?

But, NO, don't worry about any of those questions because they go to great lengths to tell the audience that Picard is the same person and everything is the same, and don't ask any of those questions.

I hear you, but wouldn't that be on Matalas and whoever? The android body is at the end of season 1. If they were going to address the issue in the ways you're hoping for, that would be for season 2 and 3. It's not a failing of season 1 to not address these issues. That's on Matalas and the next seasons. They're the ones that should have delved deep into it but instead hand waved it away because they went running scared. We can debate if the android body should have happened or not, but season 1 isn't who made a mess of that. It's the other seasons. Shouldn't those questions have been answered in the seasons that followed 1 and 2?

Season 1 dared to do something different. It tried to tell about a fallen hero returning to grace. It told a story outside of the realms of Starfleet.

I think telling a story outside of Starfleet was needed and a really good hook for season 1. One of my major issues with season 3 is how now of course everyone is back in Starfleet. Picard, Crusher, Riker, Raffi? All back in Starfleet by the end. I guess Data and Troi are too most likely. Seven? She's now there also. So is Ro. Jack, Sidney, Alandra, Kestra, Elnor, whatever other kids there are? They've all joined too. I really wish this franchise would get away from the idea that everybody and their mother has to be in Starfleet in order to tell a good Star Trek story. There can be a mix of both.

 

[fireproof78]

If you were trying to get someone to give Picard a try, would you tell them to skip the first 2 seasons? Is it the equivalent of seasons 1 and 2 of TNG, and something that you could write off as unnecessary?

Not a chance.

 

[Lord Garth]

I think it came down to Michelle Hurd having a three season deal.

I wonder why she had a three-season deal from the beginning and the others didn't. Back at the beginning, they had no intention of brining back the entire TNG Cast in the third season, so it had to have been some other type of factor.

 

[Firebird]

IIRC, part of the driving force of writing much of season 1's cast off the series by the end of season 2 came down to the over-the-line costs for getting the TNG cast back in season 3. I'm fine with Rios and Jurati's arcs ending in season 2, but we definitely could've used a dash of Elnor (him, Raffi, and Worf together would've been sensational) and Soji (further emphasizing the family theme of season 3).

Like others have said, the extremely brief inclusion of Laris is disappointing to me. The way they wrote that farewell scene between her and Picard made it seem like they were teeing up for a final scene of them riding off into the sunset together on Chaltok IV. Buuuut, you've already got one ending with Picard and Beverly seeing off Jack to the Enterprise, so that would've been redundant. One way they could've done it is by starting the "one year later" epilogue with a scene on Chaltok mirroring the scene at the Chateau, picking back up on them. He has to leave again, sounds like another farewell for a mission... but then we cut to Spacedock and continue from there.

 

[XCV330]

I wonder why she had a three-season deal from the beginning and the others didn't.

a really good agent? it will probably be one of those mysteries up there with what went on behind the scenes in Disco season 1.

 

[saddestmoon]

I feel it’s worth watching all three seasons of Picard.

Despite none of them being perfectly executed, each with their fair share of flaws, and connectively being disjointed from one another - I wouldn’t isolate / discard any of them from each other.

Personally - It would have been nice to have explored more of Soji and Data’s relationship, or at least have them both share some screen time together.

I also feel the parallels of Human Picard becoming android / cyborg, and Android Data becoming human, could also have been developed further - along with Jurati becoming Borg.

But, these are what these are, and I’m glad we got something rather than nothing - all quality and varying mileages aside…

 

[jackoverfull]

I know some Babylon 5 fans will argue vociferously otherwise, but you can probably throw out the entire fifth season, with the exception of the finale (which they shot at the end of season 4 when they thought it was going to be canceled), and it wouldn't alter the show all that much, since the fifth season is for all intents and purposes an epilogue to the main narrative.

I don’t think most B5 fans would disagree with you at all. Season 5 was a product of studio meddling and a lot of strange coincidences (such as losing the scripts and having to write them again in a hurry), a masterpiece it is not.

 

[Campe]

. One of my major issues with season 3 is how now of course everyone is back in Starfleet. Picard, Crusher, Riker, Raffi? All back in Starfleet by the end. I guess Data and Troi are too most likely. Seven? She's now there also. So is Ro. Jack, Sidney, Alandra, Kestra, Elnor, whatever other kids there are? They've all joined too. I really wish this franchise would get away from the idea that everybody and their mother has to be in Starfleet in order to tell a good Star Trek story. There can be a mix of both.

To be fair, this started in season two when Picard returned to be Chancellor of SFA and Raffi was reinstated and Elnor was a cadet and Rios was a captain and by the end of the season Seven was on her way to being back in Starfleet. Other than that, very accurate.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I'm pretty sure that some producers everyday curse not being able to dump Raffi.

Never understood the Raffi hate. I thought she was a great addition. I actually identified more with her right off the bat than I did any of the TNG characters.

 

[DEWLine]

I know this: that I'm not really done with any of the characters introduced in Season 1.

 

[jackoverfull]

Never understood the Raffi hate. I thought she was a great addition. I actually identified more with her right off the bat than I did any of the TNG characters.

i didn’t particularly like her characterisation in early season 1, afterwards she was fine imho.