Romulans are very emotional!
Spoilers Star Trek: Picard 1x04 - "Absolute Candor"
- Thread starter Commander Richard
- Start date
Personally, I liked that. I think it was significantly better than the last two episodes, even though it was still largely setup for what is yet to come.
One of the things I liked about it was (continuing Soji subplot aside) it was a mostly self-contained, semi-serialized episode. The overall purpose of it was of course to recruit Elnor into the main cast, but it also had a thematic core, which was Picard coming to terms with the fact that he made a tremendous mistake in just abandoning the evacuation after leaving Starfleet, hurting not just individuals like Raffi, but entire communities.
Also, the character work was much, much more solid this time around. The early scenes involved a lot of banter between Rios, Jurati, and Raffi which helped to establish where the characters are beginning their relationships. I consider it a hallmark of good drama that you allow for dialogue which really doesn't solely further the plot, which this episode had in spades.
Most importantly, for the first time this season, there were no truly clunky infodumps. The episode made more use of show not tell than the last few outings. There were some monologues of course, but they tended to be more the standard "briefings onboard a ship" thing which reads fine in Star Trek, or the Romulan Senator's speech, which was structured in the way it was because he was trying to make a point to the surrounding Romulan populace.
The Soji/Narek/Artifact stuff was weaker this time around, because there was virtually no forward movement. The plot is likely in a holding pattern until Picard & Co can get to the cube. Also, I like Harry Treadaway in other things, but I'm just not sure I 100% buy how he's portraying his character.
A few nits to pick:
1. While I like the increasing use of the Romulan language, it really adds to the confusion around the Universal Translator. Should we presume every time the Romulans are speaking in English now, they're really speaking in English? Even among themselves?
2. Apparently the "Romulans only" bar had the English sign to stop humans from dining there? I didn't see any humans in the colony though.
3. I understand Evan Evagora is a young actor - and might not be great with accents - but it's jarring to have a Romulan raised by Romulans with North American accents have an Australian accent.
4. I'm kind of let down we didn't see who was captaining the Romulan Warbird. Maybe we'll get a chance next episode - it looked like it was semi-disabled, but still firing.
5. It's really weird that Picard - who just decided that the chateau was never really his home - decided to create a full holodeck recreation of his chateau to hang out in.
One of the things I liked about it was (continuing Soji subplot aside) it was a mostly self-contained, semi-serialized episode. The overall purpose of it was of course to recruit Elnor into the main cast, but it also had a thematic core, which was Picard coming to terms with the fact that he made a tremendous mistake in just abandoning the evacuation after leaving Starfleet, hurting not just individuals like Raffi, but entire communities.
Also, the character work was much, much more solid this time around. The early scenes involved a lot of banter between Rios, Jurati, and Raffi which helped to establish where the characters are beginning their relationships. I consider it a hallmark of good drama that you allow for dialogue which really doesn't solely further the plot, which this episode had in spades.
Most importantly, for the first time this season, there were no truly clunky infodumps. The episode made more use of show not tell than the last few outings. There were some monologues of course, but they tended to be more the standard "briefings onboard a ship" thing which reads fine in Star Trek, or the Romulan Senator's speech, which was structured in the way it was because he was trying to make a point to the surrounding Romulan populace.
The Soji/Narek/Artifact stuff was weaker this time around, because there was virtually no forward movement. The plot is likely in a holding pattern until Picard & Co can get to the cube. Also, I like Harry Treadaway in other things, but I'm just not sure I 100% buy how he's portraying his character.
A few nits to pick:
1. While I like the increasing use of the Romulan language, it really adds to the confusion around the Universal Translator. Should we presume every time the Romulans are speaking in English now, they're really speaking in English? Even among themselves?
2. Apparently the "Romulans only" bar had the English sign to stop humans from dining there? I didn't see any humans in the colony though.
3. I understand Evan Evagora is a young actor - and might not be great with accents - but it's jarring to have a Romulan raised by Romulans with North American accents have an Australian accent.
4. I'm kind of let down we didn't see who was captaining the Romulan Warbird. Maybe we'll get a chance next episode - it looked like it was semi-disabled, but still firing.
5. It's really weird that Picard - who just decided that the chateau was never really his home - decided to create a full holodeck recreation of his chateau to hang out in.
Last edited:
No they haven't even really paid attention since the premiere..........Some did, sure but I see a LOT of people complaining about thing that were on the scree.
Let's bring Vash or Anij to guest-star next season. That would've certainly wake him UP.
Anij can't leave her planet without aging... Which btw would make it hard to explain why she aged.
No biggie, just recast her.
FWIW, I still am not getting the "Game of Thrones" vibe from Narek and Narissa. Narissa is clearly "flirting" with her brother, but he seems totally disgusted by her doing so. Still not sure what is going on, but I'm pretty sure it's not that he no longer has the hots for his sister after falling for Soji.
Agree, though I don't really remember much about last week's. This was the best since the premiere, easily.
The "promises" theme was well handled. This episode was a strong indictment of Picard, to the point there were times when I began to question whether he really would have walked away after being so immersed with the Romulans on a personal level. What a jerk. Still, good drama there.
Picard's line about how he may not be this way again may have been my favorite moment of the show so far.
I liked Raffi here after not liking her much last week. Though she seemed to have moved past her hurt with Picard pretty quickly.
But the nuns just took him in, right? Did kid Elnor have the accent? I didn't really notice.
I thought they made that for him, rather than at his request. Wasn't there a line about how someone suggested he'd like it? Was it one of the Romulan housekeepers?
EDIT: Also, Elnor's costume looks a lot like Cumberbatch's Dr. Strange outfit, I thought.
Last edited:
I'd kinda argue this was the first episode since the premier.
I mean, if you watch episodes like Family, it's pretty clear that Jean-Luc has a prideful side to him, so this isn't that out of character. But yeah, I was pleasantly surprised that the episode actually had a mini "character-arc" of sorts for Picard (and arguably Elnor).
Kid Elnor did not have an Australian accent though.
Sounds like this has veered out of my comfort zone...
Is it just implied/off-screen? Or is it graphically portrayed? If it's the latter, I'm going to have to pass on this one. Makes me uncomfortable when violence gets out of the PG-13 zone... (And occasionally even in that zone.)
I accept that people have different opinions and desires but wow, the way some people react to this show really makes me think they're wearing some huge rose-tinted glasses. I can only imagine the ratings and comments we'd be reading if the internet was around during TNG season one!
It was. Old rec.arts.startrek and then the fan favorite alt.wesly.crusher.die.die.de.
It's fairly graphic, but with the green blood it's not visceral in the way a human beheading would be.
Huh, how did you get that idea?
It's a true Samurai beheading. The head is supposed to fall off after the blade has passed through the neck.
The twins may be quintuplets...
It’s honestly not very graphic at all, it’s out of focus and there is hardly any blood. It felt like a cartoon.
I didn’t that impression out of this episode
I actually liked that I was uncertain if he would have done it. It's in the realm of possibility. We all make bad choices, and we often spend our lives running from them. Kudos to Picard for facing up to it at the end of life.
Ahh, I see. I do enjoy the great variety of accents on display.
There was a poetry to the best moments of this episode, I thought. But I'm guessing even Chabon, if he were the show's sole writer, wouldn't be able to escape the need for the periodic infodump.
I didn't think it was much worse than what we got in Conspiracy -- maybe not even as bad -- but I wouldn't show it to children.
Last edited:
