Spoilers Star Trek: Picard General Discussion Thread

[NCC-73515]

They probably wanted to see what people prefer - new characters or nostalgia. A lot of people here wrote they don't want TNG 2.0 and don't even wanna see any old characters, others wrote they wanna see Q, Bev, Worf, etc.
Nepenthe seems to have been very well received, and Data's and Riker's scenes in the other episodes seem to have been universally loved. I also got the feeling that not all new characters were found interesting or relevant (Narek, Narissa, Oh). So I guess they're more confident now to bring more TNG elements back. If the next season also has 10 episodes, and one deals with Guinan, another with the EMH, they can still add TNG people to 3 more episodes and it's still only half the season.


Edit: New video discussing Nepenthe!

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[ThreeEdgedSword]

I also got the feeling that not all new characters were found interesting or relevant (Narek, Narissa, Oh).

Well, add me in that group. I would even add one more character I don't care about. But imho, they were not badly received because they were new, but because they were poorly developed (and in some cases, acted).

And I'm not opposed to revisiting old characters, per se. (In fact, there are several from other ST shows I'd like to see back if they would fit in the story.)

I just wish they'd concentrate first and foremost on developing the characters they already have (old and new), do more justice to their relationships (e.g. the Picard/ Elnor dynamic could have used a couple more scenes in season 1) and on the story, instead of how to integrate so many legacy characters. Nepenthe was a good episode, but also very isolated from the rest of the season. I cannot imagine doing that with more episodes let alone half of a season. I mean, I can imagine them doing it, but not myself enjoying it very much.

If it is correct that initially, they wanted Clancy to lead the fleet for Coppelius, and then just chose Riker because he was on set, then I don't like their priorities in this regard. And that's a smaller thing, I just think it would have made more sense for Clancy to be there.

 

[Alexander Corrino]

Sir Patrick has been saying for quite a while that he hopes for all the main TNG characters to have appeared on the show once it ends. So this whole "more TNG characters will appear in season 2" thing is not a new idea that's "now being done for season 2" or something. It was pretty much the plan from maybe not the beginning but pretty early on.

 

[fireproof78]

I am more and more disinterested now. Characters like Elnor and Narek may get shortchanged for characters we've seen a million times.

 

[ThreeEdgedSword]

I am more and more disinterested now. Characters like Elnor and Narek may get shortchanged for characters we've seen a million times.

I'm still hesitantly optimistic.

Of course, I also hope we've seen the last of Narek. I get what they were trying to do with him, it just didn't work for me. At all.

 

[fireproof78]

I'm still hesitantly optimistic.

Of course, I also hope we've seen the last of Narek. I get what they were trying to do with him, it just didn't work for me. At all.

I guess that's my thing-I get what they are trying to do and even if it doesn't work I appreciate the effort.

But, and color me biased against TNG, but I don't want TNG 2.0 or all these characters to come back. Initially I thought I would be OK with it but I don't see it coming out in any way but fan tears.

It's frustrating because for a brief moment I was more invested in Picard than ever before. Now...

 

[Tuskin38]

I thought Patrick said the actor who played Narek isn't coming back?

 

[Alexander Corrino]

I thought Patrick said the actor who played Narek isn't coming back?

Yup. He said that. But then, these days you never know if this kind of stuff is meant seriously or if it's done to cover up a big plot twist.

 

[fireproof78]

Ok, so Narek's not coming back. I'd still rather see more of Elnor, or Raffi or even Rios!

 

[RAMA]

The idea was to not have a show with the cast on the bridge all repeating what they did before. Personally, I don't NEED them to bring these characters back, but if they are all brought back like Nepenthe, on a case-by-case basis, I'm OK with it.

RAMA

I guess that's my thing-I get what they are trying to do and even if it doesn't work I appreciate the effort.

But, and color me biased against TNG, but I don't want TNG 2.0 or all these characters to come back. Initially I thought I would be OK with it but I don't see it coming out in any way but fan tears.

It's frustrating because for a brief moment I was more invested in Picard than ever before. Now...

 

[fireproof78]

The idea was to not have a show with the cast on the bridge all repeating what they did before. Personally, I don't NEED them to bring these characters back, but if they are all brought back like Nepenthe, on a case-by-case basis, I'm OK with it.

RAMA

Obviously the execution is going to make all the difference. But, again, cynicism is showing up for me, it sounds more like a reunion show than the next adventure. And, the less it feels like "All Good things" the better.

 

[Tuskin38]

Obviously the execution is going to make all the difference. But, again, cynicism is showing up for me, it sounds more like a reunion show than the next adventure. And, the less it feels like "All Good things" the better.

Weren't you saying the same thing about Season 1 before it aired? Or was that someone else.

 

[fireproof78]

Weren't you saying the same thing about Season 1 before it aired? Or was that someone else.

I was.

 

[Gonzo]

Bringing back some of the original characters is fine as long as it is done sparingly and in a way that does not feel like it has been forced.

Its really going to boil down to the quality of the scripts and story lines, providing an organic reason for them to be introduced.

 

[Reanok]

Evan Evagora said in an interview he wants to have more backstory for Elnor in season 2. I was glad Riker was in command of the fleet of ships used to protect Copellius. I don't like the Admiral Clancy character .She reminds me of the arrogant admirals I didn't like in the original TNG shows. I don't mind bringing back TNG characters Like Guinan and Geordi and Beverley if the stories are well written and it's done like it was for Riker and Troi and their daughter Kestra in Nepenthe.

 

[eschaton]

Season 1 was attempting to tell a personal story focused on Picard. So I think it's helpful to look at each of the characters besides Jean Luc, and discern how they helped/didn't help the season arc.

Legacy characters:
Data - 100% integral to Picard's overall character arc
Riker and Troi - Not really integral to the plot, but their inclusion in Nepenthe allowed for a high level of emotional resonance.
Hugh - Argubably relates to Picard's past history with the Borg. However, I found his inclusion a bit questionable because he was Geordi's BFF, not Jean Luc's.
Seven - Added nothing to the overall plot arc whatsoever, which is why she was awkwardly shunted into the B arc for the back half of the season.

New characters:
Dahj/Soji - Due to the association with Data, central to Picard's arc for the season.
Raffi and Elnor - Arguably useful to the plot insofar as they were people Picard had a history with he withdrew from. But a single tense interaction with Beverly in the first episode would have worked just as well showing how Jean Luc went astray. And very little was done with Elnor in particular in the back half of the season which really warranted his inclusion.
Rios - No personal connection - he just owned a ship. The attempt to tie him into the main plot via Beautiful Flower was kinda contrived. Honestly a Rios with Raffi's backstory would have worked well here. Hell, they could have gone with Ro Laran as captain of an independent freighter.
Jurati - No personal connection, just included for plot purposes.
Narek, Narissa, and Oh - The antagonists were weirdly disconnected from Picard the entire show. Narissa never appeared on camera with Picard once, and Narek and Oh had barely any interactions with him, which is part of why the Zhat Vash felt really tacked on as the season progressed.

 

[fireproof78]

And very little was done with Elnor in particular in the back half of the season which really warranted his inclusion.

Which is why I want more of him involved in Season 2. He supposedly felt abandoned by Picard, and has a very personal connection by Picard. I really want to see more with him and his relationship with Picard and the rest of the Romulan remnant.

Hence my concern around more TNG in Season 2.

 

[Lord Garth]

Rios - No personal connection - he just owned a ship. The attempt to tie him into the main plot via Beautiful Flower was kinda contrived. Honestly a Rios with Raffi's backstory would have worked well here. Hell, they could have gone with Ro Laran as captain of an independent freighter.

Realistically, I think Ro went down with the Maquis. Fighting to the bitter end. Despite what the novels said, I'm inclined to think she probably died some time around "By Inferno's Light" (DS9), when Cardassia joined the Dominion. I'd be surprised if she made it to the end of DS9, let alone 2399.

 

[eschaton]

The single biggest mistake the writers made in terms of not leaning into nostalgia remains not having LaForge in the first season. I mean, Data was his best friend, not Picard's. And Geordi was very close to Hugh as well. Now two of his good friends died (one for the second time) while he was off-camera. I really hope they give him a scene where he's angry with Jean Luc for not inviting him along - or where it's implied he and Hugh kept in close contact even though Jean Luc didn't even know what was going on with Hugh until he looked it up on Future WIkipedia.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I am more and more disinterested now. Characters like Elnor and Narek may get shortchanged for characters we've seen a million times.

I assume they will be "Special Guest Stars" like Frakes and Sirtis. Done in one (or two) episodes. 'Nepenthne' worked well for Picard and Soji's characters.