Spoilers Star Trek: Picard 3x01 - "The Next Generation"

[Midquest]

A 6 for me. It was a mostly competent episode that told parts of a potentially interesting story, but it was the least effective of the three premieres, and it had none of the prestige feel that Remembrance opened Picard with. The story teeters on the edge of committing what to me is a cardinal sin of storytelling: relying on stories told outside this particular show (that is, in TNG) to reach full gravitas. 'Teeters' because the show has introduced Riker, so we have something by which to understand his relationship with Picard. But much of the substance of the episode seems to me to be off the page, depending on the viewer to bring prior investment to the proceedings. Why should I care about Beverly? Well, because I grew up watching her on TV. Based purely on what the episode shows us, though, there's not a lot to invest in.

That said, Raffi's story is interesting. And I like Shaw as a foil. I guess we'll see what comes next. But it seems to me that this episode's glowing reception has a lot to do in many cases with giving people nostalgia rather than telling a well-defined story. I'm skeptical.

 

[The Commander]

A 6 for me. It was a mostly competent episode that told parts of a potentially interesting story, but it was the least effective of the three premieres, and it had none of the prestige feel that Remembrance opened Picard with. The story teeters on the edge of committing what to me is a cardinal sin of storytelling: relying on stories told outside this particular show (that is, in TNG) to reach full gravitas. 'Teeters' because the show has introduced Riker, so we have something by which to understand his relationship with Picard. But much of the substance of the episode seems to me to be off the page, depending on the viewer to bring prior investment to the proceedings. Why should I care about Beverly? Well, because I grew up watching her on TV. Based purely on what the episode shows us, though, there's not a lot to invest in.

That said, Raffi's story is interesting. And I like Shaw as a foil. I guess we'll see what comes next. But it seems to me that this episode's glowing reception has a lot to do in many cases with giving people nostalgia rather than telling a well-defined story. I'm skeptical.

The Episode was basically the TNG version of "The Search for Spock". But I enjoyed it. And I think the best stiff is saved for future episodes of this season.

 

[Lord Garth]

That said, Raffi's story is interesting. And I like Shaw as a foil. I guess we'll see what comes next. But it seems to me that this episode's glowing reception has a lot to do in many cases with giving people nostalgia rather than telling a well-defined story. I'm skeptical.

I already took that into account. I said it was like only rating a 10th of the story. So the rating is pretty meaningless. That's why I went for the 12 out of 10.

But seriously, though, I really do think I might like this a bit better than PIC Season 1.

 

[Romulan_spy]

However, some of it felt unnecessary - the attack at the Rachel Garrett statue building etc especially; an admiral and a fleet captain on bunk beds rather than a suitable suite; the long ship flybys and leaving space dock; etc. But the attack especially (and the "intelligence" scenes on the with Raffi preceeding it) just didn't work, although I'm trying to work out why - it just felt so contextless.

I don't think it was unnecessary at all. It was meant to tease and set up the big threat this season. Raffi is obviously chasing down leads to some terrorist plot. The attack at the Rachel Garrett statue building gives us a hint of the type of threat. My guess is that it was a small test and the villain will use a bigger weapon to do the same attack on an even larger scale. So this was a tease of a much bigger threat coming. I think it will make sense later when we get more answers. Likely, the terrorists that Raffi is chasing down are connected to Vadic and the big threat this season.

 

[ThreeEdgedSword]

missing Rios and the others - the scenes with Laris made me really miss the worldbuilding and characters, if not the issues, of past seasons. I am finding it so weird there is no follow on to the Borg things from the end of S2 (unless Shaw's borgophobia is connected with that), although I was intrigued by the many Romulan allusions in this episode - S1's work with the Romulans was actually really good, and i suddenly felt very nostalgic for seasons I had very hot and cold reactions to.

Same here. I also miss the cinematographic feel that season 1 had. With all its issues, I still wish they'd built more on what was good and promising in season 1, including the issues of the xBs and the Romulans within the Federation. When Raffi questioned the computer about the Red Lady and it mentioned a Romulan spy who got killed, I hoped that would be a plot point. Would be a perfect in for Laris, too.

 

[fireproof78]

But it seems to me that this episode's glowing reception has a lot to do in many cases with giving people nostalgia rather than telling a well-defined story.

Yup.

Though I am skeptical I also realize that this is only one part of the whole story, and not even the first full act. So, while I think nostalgia bait is high it's also setting the stage and trying to appeal to multiple segments of the audience. I am...cautious.

 

[Nenya]

I wish they'd write something refreshing and original instead of trying to do that while simultaneously cashing in on fan nostalgia. This is what Star Trek has tried to do since 2009.

 

[TRON JA307020]

It was a pretty decent start. Things I didn't like. The lighting. Good God please no more of the neon highlights. It doesn't eirk as a lighting source. If they are trying to save money by not using lighting it's wrecking the look of the show. Turn the lights on guys. I don't like Raffi. She was a terrible character the first two seasons and still is.


I liked Picard and Riker getting loads of screen time together. This is the way it should be. I really liked how picard called him number one at the end if the episode.
I also liked that Picards favorite ship is the D. It still looks great after all these years so I'm excited to see it again in the ships museum when we get to Geordi's intro ep.

Starfleet can't be trusted means someone's compromised it. I was hoping it was the aliens from the season 1 episode conspiracy. We'll see if I'm right. If not I still think its some species we've seen from the past.

So I'll give this about a 7. It would have gotten an 8 or even higher but the lighting was so poor that it deserved to be knocked down.

 

[eschaton]

One of the issues I had with this compared to the Season 1 and 2 openers is there's not a compelling character arc for Picard - he's pretty much doing well with Laris and then the plot drags him along.

In comparison, Season 1 and 2 - even if they were poorly executed - telegraphed Jean Luc's character arc well from the first episode. Season 1 was about Picard overcoming his bitterness and isolation, and Season 2, about his fear of commitment.

 

[Jarvisimo]

Likely, the terrorists that Raffi is chasing down are connected to Vadic and the big threat this season.

Oh definitely, and I find that really silly. But my dislike was especially her ship floating over the city, it just felt so silly and with poor sense of what is actually going on (especially a sense of scale and place).

 

[Lord Garth]

I wish they'd write something refreshing and original instead of trying to do that while simultaneously cashing in on fan nostalgia. This is what Star Trek has tried to do since 2009.

You knew what Picard Season 3 was going to be heading into it, so it's not fair to fault something for being what it is.

It's not like they tried to hide it or promote as something it wasn't. You have to judge something on its own terms and this is what it is.

 

[DaveyNY]

This is what Star Trek has tried to do since 2009 1982.

FTFY

 

[Jarvisimo]

You knew what Picard Season 3 was going to be heading into it, so it's not fair to fault something for being what it is.

That is entirely fair - we can critique anything to do with it, and this has been a comment even in positive reviews of the season too. However, it's possibly better to do that at the end of the season and see where it takes us all - however nostalgic background detail is often also just nice follow-on worldbuilding, so that's nice to have.

 

[Lord Garth]

That is entirely fair - we can critique anything to do with it, and this has been a comment even in positive reviews of the season too. However, it's possibly better to do that at the end of the season and see where it takes us all - however nostalgic background detail is often also just nice follow-on worldbuilding, so that's nice to have.

Take Star Trek out of the equation. If I'm watching something that's promoting itself as being '80s, I won't trash it for being too '80s, because that's what they were going for. In this case, they did what they set out to do. It's a TNG Movie that feels like a TOS Movie with Terry Matalas' own flair thrown in. Would you criticize "Trials and Tribble-ations" for being too TOS-y?

 

[TRON JA307020]

Same here. I also miss the cinematographic feel that season 1 had. With all its issues, I still wish they'd built more on what was good and promising in season 1, including the issues of the xBs and the Romulans within the Federation. When Raffi questioned the computer about the Red Lady and it mentioned a Romulan spy who got killed, I hoped that would be a plot point. Would be a perfect in for Laris, too.

Good God no. Season one was awful. It looks like it's been more than 4 years since that mission. The farther away from it the better.

 

[Airmandan]

I'm pretty certain this is supposed to be the regular William Riker, Tom Riker wouldn't have known about the computer virus the Enterprise D crew made when Picard was assimilated.

I also wonder if some of Shaw's antipathy towards Seven is the fact that she's a relative celebrity that got put into Starfleet with a lot of help from PIcard and Janeway. She didn't have to go through the academy or spend years working her way up the chain of command, that might irritate some long time officers.

 

[Midquest]

I think the best stiff is saved for future episodes of this season.

I imagine so, and I suspect the story will grow stronger from here. This feels like a story done disservice by being seen in isolation. I wish they'd dropped two episodes at once, as I imagine many of my grievances may end up being take care of.

I said it was like only rating a 10th of the story.

It is indeed that! I think I was just hoping it would be a more complete meal by itself, while also telling the first part of a bigger tale. I think I needed more to be fully gripped. Again, we'll see. I imagine it'll play better as a full season.

I am...cautious.

I think cautious is better than my word, 'skeptical.' There's plenty to like, but I tend to look to season openers to be, at minimum, a mission statement for the season. I think what I have so far is half a mission statement. I hope, and maybe even suspect, that the next episode will fill out a sense of what the character arcs and themes are more robustly.

 

[fireproof78]

I wish they'd write something refreshing and original instead of trying to do that while simultaneously cashing in on fan nostalgia. This is what Star Trek has tried to do since 2009.

It's been doing it since TNG. Literally using a plot from TOS and having Admiral McCoy for know damn good reason except...you guess it...nostalgia.

We can't fault Star Trek when the current producers are being rewarded by people watching it!

One of the issues I had with this compared to the Season 1 and 2 openers is there's not a compelling character arc for Picard - he's pretty much doing well with Laris and then the plot drags him along.

Yup. That's going back to the TNG idea of "this adventure happens and the hero reacts" rather than a introspective journey. I expect that Picard will not learn anything and just be there with his crew.

I think cautious is better than my word, 'skeptical.' There's plenty to like, but I tend to look to season openers to be, at minimum, a mission statement for the season. I think what I have so far is half a mission statement. I hope, and maybe even suspect, that the next episode will fill out a sense of what the character arcs and themes are more robustly.

Yup. As with current streaming I'll give it the very cautious viewpoint and then watch it all the way through. It isn't warming me up thus far, but I'm also much less interested in the characters so far.

 

[TRON JA307020]

I wish they'd write something refreshing and original instead of trying to do that while simultaneously cashing in on fan nostalgia. This is what Star Trek has tried to do since 2009.

Nostalgia is fine. The first two seasons were poorly executed, boring abd the effects were trash. This first 3rd season ep whole nit perfect was moles better. I don't miss any of the first two seasons characters at all and I wish Raffi wasn't in this season. I hope her characters dies. A terrible character in my opinion. A terrible starfleet officer.

 

[fireproof78]

Terrible character. Therefore they must die!


Man, no wonder people hated me when talking Star Trek back in the 90s. I wanted Picard to die because I thought he was a terrible character!