Spoilers Star Trek: Picard 3x07 - "Dominion"

[cal888]

Probably the weakest episode of the season so far... and the only one I'd place below "The Star Gazer" from season 2, but still I'd say 8.5/10. I can understand why an advance reviewer was basically saying wait to watch it back to back with 308.

• The most bottle show, constrained budget episode yet of the season.
• Great to see Tim Russ again, but damn did they go freelance on his ear makeup. For that I'll round down to 8 instead of rounding up.
• No Riker, Troi, Worf, Raffi...
• Was expecting something a little more for Vadic's backstory, like not even originally being a Changeling, but at the same time it makes sense Section 31 would have needed prisoners to create the original bioweapon to begin with. And at least using Section 31 here is relatively restrained.
• Almost everyone's now rocking leather jackets... congrats to season 3 costume designer Michael Crow for really improving on the initial designs from season 2
• Some great Geordi / Data--Lore interaction.
• Jack / Sidney "-ship" advances, now with some telepathy(?).

 

[tomalak301]

At least for the first 24 hours, folks should have a little bit of common courtesy to keep pic's under spoiler wraps.

I know it's exciting to be the first to post them, but it's really not fair for folks who won't get to see the episode till the next day.

This takes me back to when I first came to the board 20 years ago (Man, it's been a long time), but I remember when review threads started out as live commentary threads. You can't do that with streaming, but with shows like Doctor Who or BSG, or Enterprise, the East Coasters (At least) talked about the episode together as it was happening. Yes this is a review thread, but when the episode has only been out for like 5 minutes, common sense should prevail somewhat.

 

[DaveyNY]

Altan Soong's reasoning for forcing Lore into Data's head to "help him be human" is nonsensical. Everyone apparently forgot that Data got an emotions chip in the movies, although he had it deactivated in the last 2.

The chip was vaporized with Data in Nemesis.

 

[Yistaan]

Vadic said Jack was not really for them either... was he created by a changeling who took Picard's place?

Changelings don't have telepathic abilities and Vadic's boss is very obviously not a changeling.

At this point, Jack may well have the DNA of Professor Xavier, and thus the telepathic abilities, because Picard in a random transporter accident got his DNA mixed up with Xavier's, who's his counterpart in a parallel universe. And Vadic's boss is Magneto. Hey, it fits!

 

[cooleddie74]

Yep. And the computer memories and remnants of Data from Season 1 did not express emotions.

 

[Ronin'sCreamyCandle]

Heh ... Beverly certainly isn't adverse to screwing around with non-human entities.

Did you give me a shout out?

 

[tenmei]

Not out on regular Paramount Plus in the UK, or on Prime either, seems to be some loophole where the P+ sub kn Prime depends on the US dates, but the other two depend on the UK one

 

[Harpsichord]

"We're the most wanted fugitives in the quadrant but Worf and Raffi took a Titan shuttlecraft(?) and flew off with it to do ???"

Oh. OK.

 

[Tiberius Jim]

"We're the most wanted fugitives in the quadrant but Worf and Raffi took a Titan shuttlecraft(?) and flew off with it to do ???"

Oh. OK.

I was under the impression they were aboard La Sirena.

 

[NCC-73515]

When Jack mind-talked to Sydney, her eyes glowed red as well

 

[firehawk12]

I need to think about this episode some more. Initially I had a positive reaction to it, but then I read @firehawk12's post and I find a lot of agreement there. This probably would have more resonance if it was Doctor Bashir and not Doctor Crusher. I mean when the Dominion War was happening the TNG crew were in the Briar Patch dealing with the Son'a. I did appreciate we finally have Vadic's motivation though, and I really liked the intercutting scene between Geordie/Data and Crusher,Picard/Vadic and the musical score was on point in so many great ways.

Specifically Crusher talking about the ethics of using a bioweapon just feels kind of hollow when we, as the audience, know how much Bashir wrestled with that over the course of DS9 with both the Jem'Hadar and of course the Changelings themselves.
It feels like the writers throwing a bone to Bashir, but obviously it made more sense for Bashir to have said it.

That said, if there was going to be a moment for fanservice, Crusher could have at least referenced Hugh and how they almost wiped out the Borg.

Sounds like Tuvok is alive, but probably really unhappy with his current circumstances. The Changelings probably keep the really important figures around in case they need to extract information from them later - it's just the scrubs that get picked off as needed.

Yeah, I'm sure he's not dead. I just think it'd be funny if they found his body and the only way they could save him was to splice some of Neelix's hair into his DNA and make Tuvix. Then Janeway can finally apologize to him for murdering him. lol

 

[Ronin'sCreamyCandle]

So Jack is a Cylon and is revealing the final 5? What's going on here.

 

[Harpsichord]

I was under the impression they were aboard La Sirena.

I suppose that makes a little more sense. Still incredibly clumsy.

 

[DaveyNY]

Changelings don't have telepathic abilities and Vadic's boss is very obviously not a changeling.

At this point, Jack may well have the DNA of Professor Xavier, and thus the telepathic abilities, because Picard in a random transporter accident got his DNA mixed up with Xavier's, who's his counterpart in a parallel universe. And Vadic's boss is Magneto. Hey, it fits!

They could toss Kess into the pot at this point as the Big Bad, with all the Trek characters they've already included.

 

[Lakenheath 72]

I'm in the minority here, maybe it's because I am in a bad shape in the real world. I am not enjoying this show. The conspiracy, the mystery box, etc. Then to top if off, the Starfleet crew loses their ship to a homicidal lifeform. Just wonderful. smh

If you are going to bait a loose screw like Vadic, don't use your damn ship as the setting, and keep the unstable android, who you know from past experience can seize control away from you, locked away for the duration of the entrapment.

This episode is frustrating, this series is maddening, and I don't need this in my life right now. I need escapism.

 

[Yistaan]

So Vadic hates solids, says that solids ruin every planet they touch, yet takes orders from, is threatened by and, works for someone who not only is seemingly a solid, but openly mocks changelings?

 

[tomalak301]

That said, if there was going to be a moment for fanservice, Crusher could have at least referenced Hugh and how they almost wiped out the Borg.

I'm surprised they didn't go there. That's a close connection to the TNG crew, especially when Nachayav chewed out Picard later on.

 

[DaveyNY]

So Vadic hates solids, says that solids ruin every planet they touch, yet takes orders from, is threatened by and, works for someone who not only is seemingly a solid, but openly mocks changelings?

What if it's Dr. Bashir?

(not serious)

 

[cooleddie74]

I kept expecting the Hugh situation from TNG to be brought up. It's a shame they didn't, in part since Hugh returned for Season 1 of PIC and his death and departure from the franchise still feels too quick and unsatisfying.

 

[trek.]

what a huge let down compared to last week. that was terrible.