First Time Watching Star Trek: Picard

[Agent Grayson]

It's been a while since I've visited these boards or watched Star Trek, but seeing the posters for Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard - with the original TNG cast - intrigued me and I decided to dive back in by watching the show from the beginning for the first time. (I also continued a first time viewing of DS9 that I started back in 2020 and will post about that in the right forum). I wanted somewhere to post my thoughts so I hope it's okay that I started a new thread...I can put these ramblings into an existing thread if there is one that suits better!

I am currently two episodes into Season 2, so most of this relates to Season 1...

What I liked:

• The majority of the new characters. I liked Rios as the roguish ship captain trying to escape his Starfleet past; Raffi as the embittered former officer who gradually softens (although I wish there had been some explanation as to why Picard never made contact with her again after they left Starfleet); Elnor as the candid Romulan warrior; Jurati as the out-of-her-depth scientist caught up in events she doesn't really understand; Soji as Data's 'daughter', coming to terms with her true nature.
• It was great to see Seven of Nine again and she was easily the highlight of the season for me. She was more human than she was at the end of VOY, avoiding the trap of making it seem like she'd stagnated in the interim, and I loved the idea of her being a space vigilante helping others less fortunate than herself. I would've enjoyed a mention of Janeway as I'm sure these two would have kept in touch.
• The action scenes were great. While the space battles were fun, I think the hand-to-hand combat was cooler, with Seven and Elnor both getting great showings. This is unusual for Star Trek, from what I've watched of the 90s series, so was a welcome surprise.
• I really liked the exploration of some different sides of the franchise, whether that be new locales, a deeper look at existing races like the Romulans and synths, or the less utopian shades of an embattled Federation. I also liked that the setting wasn't a Federation starship. It made sense to give us a fresh look at the galaxy from a different perspective and it gave a more interesting angle to Picard by forcing him to assemble a ragtag crew rather than a well-oiled unit.
• It balanced the much-needed and appreciated nostalgia - such as the appearances of Riker and Troi - well with the ongoing story.

What I didn't like:

• While I liked the cast, I didn't buy how quickly they seemed to bond. For example, Rios comparing his relationship with his former captain, who he viewed as a father figure, to his relationship with Picard seemed like overkill. I was, however, eager to see the crew fly together again when they warped away at the end of "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2", so something worked!
• The show doesn't seem to handle romance very well. Rios and Jurati came out of nowhere and then seemed to be forgotten about until the very last scene, where they came across like a happy couple. As far as I noticed, Raffi and Seven shared only a handful of scenes and one meaningful interaction before they were holding hands on La Sirena. (Seven actually had more connection with Rios, I thought.) And in what little I've watched of Season 2 so far, Jurati and Rios' bickering feels really forced.
• The Season 1 finale had a great build-up but ultimately felt like a bit of a mess. It felt like the writers had written themselves into a corner and just started to find the quickest ways out...a couple of examples: use of a device that does whatever you think into it, to the extent of creating a holographic fleet that can fool a Romulan armada, and an entire society of androids conveniently sitting around doing nothing even while their leaders are attacked directly in front of them. There were also some key elements left unresolved. What happened to Narek? The Romulans infiltrate Starfleet at the highest level - what are the consequences? It was all a bit sloppy.
• Picard's illness added nothing to the show. Even when it looked like it was going to amount to something with his revival as an android, some clunky exposition makes it clear that him being a synth doesn't actually change anything about his character. So what was the point? The time spent on that could have been better used elsewhere.

I'll update with my thoughts on Season 2 as I continue to watch. It seems a bit jumbled so far but I am enjoying the look at the alternate future Q created.

 

[Tuskin38]

As far as I noticed, Raffi and Seven shared only a handful of scenes and one meaningful interaction before they were holding hands on La Sirena.

For this one, that final scene wasn't in the script, it was suggested by the actors. That might be why it feels quick.

What happened to Narek?

He was arrested, but they deleted that scene for some reason.

 

[drt]

Picard's illness added nothing to the show.

It's because they wanted to maintain continuity with the events of "All Good Things", but I think they should have just ignored it as being part of Q's alternate future.

It doesn't add anything if he's just going to be an old robot guy who dies in a few years anyway. If they wanted to go that direction, it would have been more interesting for a man who had realized he was at the end of his life and through the events of S1 made peace with himself to be told, "oops, sorry, you're going to live forever."

 

[Tuskin38]

but I think they should have just ignored it as being part of Q's alternate future.

Some people don't think Q altered the future. All Q did was send Picard through the different time periods.

Didn't 'present day' Beverly find evidence that Picard could develop the disorder anyways?

Found it

CRUSHER: Jean-Luc, I scanned for evidence of Irumodic Syndrome, as you suggested. There wasn't any. But I did find a small structural defect in the parietal lobe.
PICARD: A defect that you hadn't noticed before?
CRUSHER: It's the kind of defect that would only show up on a level four neurographic scan. It could cause you to be susceptible to several kinds of neurological disorders including Irumodic Syndrome. Now, it's possible for you to live with this defect for the rest of your life without developing a problem. Or even if you do, many people continue to live normal lives for a long time after the onset of Irumodic Syndrome.

Which is what his doctor said in S1EP2

 

[drt]

Some people don't think Q altered the future. All Q did was send Picard through the different time periods.

Didn't 'present day' Beverly find evidence that Picard could develop the disorder anyways?

Found it

Yeah, but they left it up in the air.

The Irumodic Syndrome could have been left in the same alternate future as the three nacelle 1701-D.

 

[Jellico]

I’m pretty happy with the show. I like seeing the other cast members, not all a once and not all of the time. The show icludes tributes to DS9 that I really appreciate. My wife and I are moving so we’re saving season three for after the move.