Here we are, eight episodes into the first season of “Star Trek: Picard,” and I have to ask myself this question: “Have we gotten anywhere yet?”
We’re several hours into this thing, and it’s definitely been a slow burn. We do learn new details along the way that move the overall narrative, but they typically come in dribs and drabs.
And, new information is often presented in the form of info dumps — using the principle of “tell” instead of “show.”
Some interesting background info is gleaned in Episode 8 (titled “Broken Pieces”). Most of it is presented in conversations on La Sirena.
We learn that Rios (Santiago Cabrera) and his fellow Starfleet crew members — when he served aboard the U.S.S. ibn Majid — came upon a starship of unknown design carrying two passengers on a diplomatic mission.
With Starfleet’s permission, the passengers were beamed aboard the ibn Majid. One was an ambassador named Beautiful Flower. The other was his young protege named Jana.
The captain that Rios served under — Alonzo Vandermeer — killed both of the visitors with “two quick pops of a phaser.” It was a black flag directive from Starfleet Security. Vandermeer told Rios that if he disobeyed, the ibn Majid would be destroyed, along with everyone on board.
Vandermeer committed suicide after performing the heinous act, and Rios covered the whole thing up.
Jana (the girl who was killed) looked just like android sisters Dahj and Soji Asha (Isa Briones) — a resemblance which proved distressing to Rios when Picard and Soji arrived on La Sirena.
Of all the things Picard & Co. discuss during “Broken Pieces,” this was the most significant.
Obviously, Rios has been distraught over the acts that took place during his Starfleet service, and was diagnosed with post-traumatic dysphoria as a result. The entire affair led him to where he is now.
While Rios’s past on the U.S.S. ibn Majid proved to be a fascinating revelation, it just feels a little “too coincidental and convenient” that the character suddenly has a connection to the events taking place this season.
I mean, what are the odds?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m interested in figuring out why the Romulan Zhat Vash (and their operatives in Starfleet) want synthetic life forms destroyed... and why they consider Soji to be the “Destroyer” called Sen Cheneb.
Apparently, the Destroyer first appeared thousands of years before the events chronicled in “Star Trek: Picard.”
That “mystery” is what keeps me going. That said, the fact remains that the story really hasn’t moved a whole lot since the sixth episode — and that’s a couple hours worth of narrative stuck in neutral.
Despite the fact that I loved the seventh episode of “Star Trek: Picard” featuring Riker and Troi (read my review), the writers really haven’t moved the needle. I’m just hoping the payoff at the end of the season proves to be worthwhile.
Stay tuned for my review of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 9.
“They seem to be carrying more baggage than all of you ever did.”
Jean-Luc Picard to Will Riker in “Nepenthe”
The seventh episode of “Star Trek: Picard” (titled “Nepenthe”) manages to nurse the first season back to a healthy path.
Sometimes a dose of familiar faces from the past is the best remedy in these situations.
This episode sees Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Soji (Isa Briones) transporting to the planet of Nepenthe — the current residence of William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). The two characters tied the knot in the 2002 film “Star Trek: Nemesis” and were part of Picard’s venerable crew on the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Riker and Troi have a precocious pre-teen daughter named Kestra (Lulu Wilson). She greets Picard and Soji as they are traversing the wilderness toward the family home. She is wearing a tribal-looking costume and is brandishing a bow and arrow when she surprises the pair as they beam in.
Bridget commented on how much she liked the Kestra character as the episode progressed.
I also liked the character and thought the entire family dynamic was nice. I think their interaction benefits from how well drawn Riker and Troi were in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
Their presence is (in my opinion) why this episode is so successful. Honorable characters, well drawn, are so much more interesting than edgy characters who are merely there to serve the plot.
All too often, edgy becomes synonymous with “compelling drama” in the 21st century (or the 24th century, for that matter).
Part of the reason I’ve shifted back-and-forth with my feelings regarding “Star Trek: Picard” is that the “textured” nature of the new characters sometimes feels overly manufactured — a plot device designed to appeal to modern tastes.
While I understand the desire to stay on par with your contemporaries, I also know that “Star Trek” hasn’t enjoyed popularity over 50-plus years for following the herd.
In addition to the storyline involving Riker’s brood, we learn that Romulan warrior Elnor did indeed survive recent events on the Artifact (which took place at the end of the sixth episode).
We also learn more about Dr. Jurati’s (Alison Pill) conversation with Commodore Oh (Tamlyn Tomita) at the Daystrom Institute (which was teased in the third episode).
Despite the fact that those threads were also going on, the core of the “Nepenthe” episode was Picard and Soji’s interactions with Troi, Riker, and Kestra.
There’s something oddly comforting about watching William Riker make wood-fired pizza (topped with Antarean basil, fresh tomatoes, and bunnicorn sausage) in an outdoor oven.
“Soji,” says Riker as he is serving the pizza for dinner. “Welcome to our home. Guests get two (slices).”
Riker and Troi planted roots on Nepenthe because their late son Thad was suffering from a silicone-based ailment, and the soil on the planet was known for its regenerative properties.
(We also learn that an “active positronic matrix” could have helped cure the disease, but due to the ban on synthetic life, there wasn’t one available. This tidbit in the script felt a tad bit forced and convenient under the circumstances, but I’ll let it pass in this instance.)
It was neat to see the family living a rural life away from the futuristic cacophony of starships and uniform jumpsuits. I particularly liked how their son had a creative bent during his life and developed numerous pretend languages (among them, Viveen) and a fantasy home world (Ardani).
To be honest, I would watch a show called “Star Trek: Riker.” Think about how interesting a series could have been where Riker & Co. scoured the galaxy looking for an android to help cure his son’s life-threatening illness.
Bridget agreed. She mused: “Why couldn’t the show have been this from the beginning?”
Why, indeed.
Obviously, the side trip to Nepenthe was a moment of fan service, but it was a worthwhile one. It reminds you that the success of TNG was built on the “ensemble chemistry” the cast developed over seven seasons.
It also reminds you that few new characters on “Picard” (other than Soji and Dahj Asha) are particularly compelling at this point in the show’s development.
If nothing else, the episode illustrates that the kinder and gentler elements “Star Trek” has embued for decades can still make for compelling drama in the year 2020.
“I believe she’s close to discovering who she really is...”
Jean-Luc Picard in “The Impossible Box”
SPOILERS AHEAD!
Here we are… the sixth episode. We’re on the downward slide of the first season of “Star Trek: Picard.”
The episode is titled “The Impossible Box.”
In this episode, we start to see the narrative move forward a bit. Not a lot, but a bit.
Soji Asha (Isa Briones) learns she isn’t real. The initial clue is that she makes phone calls to her mother each night that last exactly 70 seconds. Digging further, she soon starts analyzing all her family photos, childhood drawings, etc.
All of those items are exactly 37 months old, suggesting her life is a fabrication.
This episode also sees her betrayed by Romulan love interest Narek (Harry Treadaway). He has been working undercover since the first episode to figure out her origin (Spoiler: she comes from a planet with two red moons that has electrical storms.)
Picard (Patrick Stewart) finally arrives at the Artifact and meets up with former Borg Hugh (Jonathan Del Arco). We get a little exposition (early in the episode) about Picard’s past experiences with the Borg (including his assimilation).
An unexpected moment in the episode finds Dr. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill) and Captain Cristobal Rios (Santiago Cabrera) kissing (apparently they’ve become romantically inclined since the last episode).
I don’t see them as a potential couple at all, and I’m not sure why the writers decided to have a romantic interlude. Whatever the outcome, this story arc feels rushed.
We apparently spent a significant chunk of episode 4 convincing the warrior Elnor (Evan Evangora) to come along on Picard’s mission just so he could sacrifice himself at the end of episode 6.
We might see him again, but he (apparently) makes the ultimate sacrifice so Picard and Soji can escape from the clutches of the Tal Shiar on the Artifact.
If this is the end, it seems like an unceremonious exit.
I feel like all of this is leading to a point where we discover that the android Data (Brent Spiner) is still alive. If so, it feels like we’ve invested a lot of time and money to make what is essentially a sequel to 2002’s “Star Trek: Nemesis.”
I was listening to “The John Campea Show” a few days ago, and Robert Meyer Burnett had some thoughts on “Star Trek: Picard.”
Burnett edited, wrote, and produced all the special features for the Blu-ray release of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” series boxed set.
Burnett has been tepid regarding “Star Trek: Picard,” and questions whether it is the forward-thinking vision the franchise needs.
“It’s so steeped in ‘Star Trek’ lore… I mean, you’ve got ‘7 of 9,’ and you’ve got the Borg, and you’ve got Hugh,” said Burnett. “If you’ve never watched ‘Star Trek’ before, ‘Picard’ is not a great place for you to jump on — because it’s so locked into what’s come before.”
I tend to agree.
What made “Star Trek: The Next Generation” compelling when it debuted in 1987 was that you didn’t need to have watched a previous episode or movie in the franchise to understand what was going on. Sure, there were nods to the original series, but it was far enough in the future that it was its own living thing.
So far, I feel like the first season of “Star Trek: Picard” is an interesting idea that could have been executed better. From a story perspective, it seems like the entire thing could have been a two-hour movie instead of a multi-episode series.
We’ll see what happens in the final four episodes of this season. Maybe I’ll be eating my words by the end… ;-)
“Murder is not justice. There is no solace in revenge.”
Jean-Luc Picard in “Stardust City Rag”
SPOILERS AHEAD!
Welp, here we are at the midway point of the first season of “Star Trek: Picard.”
The fifth episode is titled “Stardust City Rag” and it finds our heroes visiting a place called Freecloud as they search for scientist Bruce Maddox (John Ales) — the man behind twin android sisters Dahj and Soji Asha.
They’ve teased Freecloud the past couple of episodes. Freecloud’s look is sort of a cross between the casino planet Canto Bight in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (read my review) and the “Oasis” in the movie “Ready Player One” (read my review).
I enjoyed the holographic “ads” that appeared on the bridge of La Sirena when it came into orbit of Freecloud. They were kind of a fun little detail…
We find out that “7 of 9” (Jeri Ryan) is a Fenris Ranger and that the rangers keep their money on Freecloud — so it was sort of serendipitous that they ran into her in the last episode.
This isn’t the first time they’ve mentioned “Fenris Rangers” in “Star Trek: Picard,” so I looked them up.
Fenris Rangers (according to the first season press kit) are “an independent group of peacekeepers who try to maintain a semblance of law and order on both sides of the former Neutral Zone.”
In a nutshell, they are vigilantes.
Raffi (Michelle Hurd) has been trying to make her way to Freecloud throughout the first half of the season — hence the reason she decided to hitch a ride on Picard’s mission. Her Freecloud aspirations were wrapped in mystery until this episode. It turns out she wanted to reunite with her estranged son Gabriel (Mason Gooding). She finds out her son is about to have a baby with his Romulan wife.
As is the case with estranged children in TV dramas like this, Gabriel rejects his mother’s overtures and doesn’t believe she is a changed woman. Spurned and rejected, Raffi returns to La Sirena by the end of the episode. The whole sequence felt a bit contrived. As I mentioned, it is a fairly common narrative technique to have an estranged child reject a parent in an ambivalent manner. The technique is often employed to stir up feelings of sympathy for a character with an icy demeanor.
Picard (Patrick Stewart), Rios (Santiago Cabrera), Elnor (Evan Evagora), Jurati (Alison Pill), Raffi, and “7 of 9” hatch a plan to snatch Bruce Maddox from the grip of a Freecloud crime boss named Bjayzl (Necar Zadegan).
While the plan is somewhat ridiculous, there are some fun moments as our heroes try to bargain with Bjayzl to hand over Maddox (the ruse is built around a scenario involving a trade of “7 of 9” for the scientist).
We learned in the season premiere of “Star Trek: Picard” that Agnes Jurati had a professional relationship with Dr. Maddox. In this episode, we find out that their relationship veered into the romantic along the way.
That’s what makes it so puzzling when Jurati murders the rescued Maddox in the La Sirena sick bay at the end of the episode.
As Maddox gasps his final breath, Jurati tearfully says, “I wish you knew what I know. I wish I didn’t know what I know. I wish they hadn’t shown me. I’m so sorry.”
I’ve been wondering if there was more to Dr. Jurati than meets the eye. I know people online have wondered whether she might be an android herself.
I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t think she’s an android, but there is definitely something odd going on with her.
“Stardust City Rag” was an entertaining episode.
It didn’t move the needle a whole lot as far as the overall narrative goes, but at least Picard learned he needs to visit “The Artifact” to find Dahj’s twin sister. Frankly, I’m glad they’re not going to spend the entire season trying to figure that out.
I still think the show relies a bit too much on easter eggs and “fan service” moments from previous “Trek” lore. I’m hopeful the second half of the season will be able to shed the nostalgia and truly evolve into its own living, breathing thing.
“I don’t have the right, but I need your help one last time.”
Jean-Luc Picard in “Absolute Candor”
SPOILERS AHEAD! The fourth episode of “Star Trek: Picard” is titled “Absolute Candor” and features our titular hero spending the episode assembling his team and revealing more Roman lore. At the end of the last episode, we saw Picard (Patrick Stewart) depart earth on the ship La Sirena with Rios (Santiago Cabrera), Raffi (Michelle Hurd), and Dr. Jurati (Alison Pill). They were headed to search for Soji Asha, twin sister of the android Dahj — who came to see Picard in the first episode of the season, and was murdered by a group of Romulan secret police called the Tal Shiar (who might also be part of an ancient cabal known as the Zhat Vash). Full disclosure: I had to look up the names “Tal Shiar” and “Zhat Vash” because I’d forgotten what the Romulan bad guys were called in the week since I wrote my last review. Anyhow, this week's episode has Picard visiting a group of Romulan warrior assassin nuns (yes, there is apparently such a thing) known as the Qowat Milat on the planet Vashti.
The nuns practice “absolute candor” — which means they say what they think unfiltered (like Jim Carrey’s character in the movie “Liar, Liar”). Picard forged a relationship with the warrior assassin nuns (I love typing that) during his Romulan relocation efforts 14 years prior. At that time, he befriended a boy who was being raised by the nuns, named Elnor (Ian Nunney).
Fast forward 14 years... Picard needs some “muscle” for his current mission, and Elnor (now an adult played by Evan Evagora) is still living on Vashti and has been trained in the warrior assassin nun methods.
They wield a special kind of sword known as the “tan qualanq.” The order can be bound to a singular cause known as the “qalankhkai.” (There is obviously some sort of “Romulan random word generator” online I don’t know about...)
Let’s face it, Elnor and the nuns are basically the “Star Trek” equivalent of the Jedi Knights. I’m totally fine with that. Their presence might make this series more appealing as the season progresses. Speaking of appealing, I am digging the clothes they wear in the 24th century. I’m so happy they've scrapped the endless array of ugly jumpsuits for clothes that look similar to the fashions of today.
There’s something comfortable and relatable about the clothes in “Star Trek: Picard.” The outfits are designed by Christine Bieselin Clark. Clark’s credits include movies like “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and Disney’s upcoming “Jungle Cruise.” You can learn more about her costume work at www.christineclarkdesign.com. We dive a little bit more into the relationship between Soji and her Romulan love interest known as Narek (Harry Treadaway). Narek is working for the nefarious Zhat Vash cabal, and is in place to try and learn from Soji where a “nest” of androids might be located.
Frankly, I don’t know what Soji sees in this guy. At this point, he just seems like narrative tool (no pun intended) designed to reveal more about Soji — and the Zhat Vash’s plan — to viewers. (I know they’re trying to play the angle that he’s conflicted about his relationship with Soji, but she seems too smart not to see through all his overtures). The Soji/Narek interactions in the fourth episode manage bring into question the veracity in Soji’s backstory. He questions her head on during the episode.
At the end of “Absolute Candor,” the former Borg drone “7 of 9” (Jeri Ryan) is beamed aboard La Sirena during a space battle with a Romulan Bird of Prey.
The “7 of 9” character was introduced in the series “Star Trek: Voyager” (during the show’s fourth season). The character was originally born Annika Hansen. She was liberated from the Borg collective by the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager. It’ll be interesting to see how her character figures into the overall storyline. I didn’t watch a lot of “Voyager,” so I’m pretty vague on “7 of 9” (even though it was a popular character). It seems like she’ll bring an interesting dynamic to the series (and should be helpful in the hunt for Soji).
Overall, I found the “Absolute Candor” episode to be the strongest since “Star Trek: Picard’s” first episode. The narrative primarily focused on Picard in this episode, and that’s always a good thing. I’ve been enjoying the assembly of Picard’s “crew” the past couple of episodes. I know some folks online have suggested that the supporting cast is bland, but I like how things are developing.
“I’m not in the habit of consulting lawyers before I do what needs to be done.”
Jean-Luc Picard in “The End is the Beginning”
SPOILERS AHEAD! The third episode of “Star Trek: Picard” answers some questions and poses more questions for viewers of the new series.
The episode is titled “The End is the Beginning.”
First of all, we get a flashback sequence at the beginning of the episode that explains a bit of the relationship between Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Raffi Mussiker (Michelle Hurd) — 14 years before the events of “Picard.” She was Picard’s first officer when he was working on saving the Romulan race from a supernova.
Some fans have found it off-putting that Raffi refers to Picard as “JL” in this sequence. It didn’t bother me.
We learn more about Picard resigning from Starfleet during this flashback (although we don’t see it happen on screen). As a result of his resignation, Raffi loses her security clearance and job.
A video on the ScreenCrush YouTube channel brought up a number of interesting points about contradictions being introduced in “Star Trek: Picard” that are antithetical to the universe that has been established.
For example, why does Raffi express disdain for Picard’schateau lifestylewhen the Federation is supposedly a utopian-type world where people no longer work for money?
Also, why are so many people smoking during “Star Trek: Picard’s” third episode? Was it done to create an edgier vibe for the show?
Something Bridget commented on were the F-bombs dropped during the second episode (a colorful expletive also heard in the CBS All Access series “Star Trek: Discovery”).
None of these things are a big deal on their own, but it brings into question whether a “Star Trek” series should take the prequel/sequel approach within existing properties, or if reboots like J.J. Abrams’s “Star Trek” movies are the better way to go.
While I’m well aware the Leonard Nimoy appeared as Spock 2009’s “Star Trek,” I also know that Abrams did something that felt fresh and unique. His movies didn’t feel hindered by the things that came before.
Anyhow, the third episode manages to get things back on track as far as the narrative goes in “Star Trek: Picard.”
Despite long-standing bitterness, Raffi helps Picard with his request to find an off-the-books pilot with an unregistered starship. The pilot is Cristobal Rios (Santiago Cabrera), the former XO of a heavy cruiser called the ibn Majid — a ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs (just kidding!)
Rios is sort of a roguish Han Solo-type. His ship is called La Sirena. Initial impressions are that I like the character and look forward to seeing more of him in action.
The plot thread involving Soji Asha (Isa Briones) on the Artifact (the former Borg Cube) continues to develop. We learn the former Borg, Hugh (Jonathan Del Arco), is running operations with the Borg Artifact Research Institute.
Bringing back the character Hugh was another tie-in to “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Picard and the crew of the Enterprise first met Hugh (referred to as Third of Five) in an episode titled “I, Borg.” Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge gave him the name Hugh.
In “I, Borg,” Hugh was a teenage Borg drone — one that exhibited individualistic traits.
The character also appears in the two-part episode of TNG called “Descent” (that covered the sixth season finale and the seventh season premiere).
I remember the character, but it’s been ages since I’ve seen those episodes.
The good news for viewers is that “Star Trek: The Next Generation” is available to stream on CBS All Access, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu. You can go back and check out these episodes.
Back to “Picard”… Hugh lets Soji interview a Romulan (who had previously been assimilated by the Borg) named Ramdha (Rebecca Wisocky) who is part of a group of Romulans referred to as “this disordered.”
Ramdha is an enigma wrapped in a mystery, and when Soji visits with her she is moving a series of triangular pixmit cards (a sort of Romulan version of tarot cards) on a table top.
The cards provide clues into the Romulan assimilation by the Borg…I think. Everything involving the Romulans is pretty vague at this point.
Ramdha tells Soji, “I remember you from tomorrow.” She refers to Soji as “Seb-Cheneb — The Destroyer.”
We’ll have to stay tuned to find out what exactly all that means since Soji replies that they’ve never met before.
Back at the vineyard, as Picard readies himself for departure, a group of Romulan Zhat Vash assassins show up.
Shortly behind is Dr. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill).
Jurati decided to visit Picard again after she was approached by Commodore Oh (Tamlyn Tomita), the Chief of Starfleet Security. Oh, a Vulcan, visited Jurati at the Daystrom Institute to inquire about Picard’s visit (which happened in the first episode).
Commodore Oh seems to be part of a grand conspiracy going on within Starfleet that is intertwined with whatever plot the Romulans have hatched. By the way... there was a bit of backlash on the interwebs regarding the pair of sunglasses Oh sports in the episode. I dunno why. I'm sure ocular melanoma is still a concern in the 24th century.
Dr. Jurati decides to join Picard on his mission to find Dahj Asha’s sister, arguing she can help since she’s “the Earth’s leading expert on synthetic life.”
In addition, Raffi decides to come along. At the end of the episode, we see Picard & Co. departing Earth on Rios’s ship.
Overall, I thought the third episode was stronger than the second.
As I mentioned in my last post, the sequences involving Picard are the show’s most compelling. Based on his past exploits, it’s awfully hard to draw the character as anything other than the “moral compass” in the series. That’s what viewers admired about him during “Star Trek: The Next Generation’s” initial run, and that’s where he stands in the new series. I’m still having a difficult time getting into the Romulan/Borg/Soji storyline, but that should get better as the episodes wear along (I had similar feelings about the Klingon storyline in the first season of “Star Trek: Discovery”).
One thing I will say is that the narrative in “Star Trek: Picard” has been relatively unpredictable. It doesn’t have any major twists or turns thus far, but it does manage to keep things interesting. I think that bodes well for this first season.
“I never really cared for science fiction. I guess I just didn’t get it.”
Jean-Luc Picard in “Maps and Legends”
SPOILERS AHEAD!
I’ve spent the last few days chewing on “Star Trek: Picard’s” second episode, titled “Maps and Legends.”
The first episode (read my review) proved to be a terrific start to the continuation of the Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) story in the “Star Trek” universe.
The second episode, on the other hand, felt like something of an “info dump.” I suppose they needed to get the information out there somehow.
As the episode begins, the story takes us back 14 years to “First Contact Day” at the Utopia Planitia Shipyards on Mars.
We get a glimpse of a team of “synthetics” — referred to as “plastic people” by a man named Pincus (Anthony R. Jones) who works on the planet.
The synths have names like “F8” and look something like the android Data (pale skin, yellow eyes). Unfortunately, all hell breaks loose when the synthetic labor units are compromised and go rogue.
These events were alluded to in the first episode of “Star Trek: Picard.”
The story then shifts to the present day. We find Picard (at his vineyard) trying to piece together the death of Dahj Asha (Isa Briones) that happened at the end of the first episode.
Picard is watching video footage of the deadly event with his Romulan companions Zhaban (Jamie McShane) and Laris (Orla Brady).
The two Romulans believe the nature of the murder looks like the work of Tal Shiar (the Romulan secret police). They also suggest that Tal Shiar might be a cover for a much older organization called the Zhat Vash (a term used to refer to the dead, “the only reliable keepers of secrets”).
Zhaban and Laris are both former members of Tal Shiar.
Both heard rumors of the ancient Zhat Vash organization (a group that has an apparent hatred of synthetics). Zhat Vash apparently operates without regard for treaty or jurisdiction — not just in Romulan worlds. The organization operates in the Klingon Empire, Gorn Hegemony, and the Federation.
Romulan culture doesn’t believe in AI and doesn’t have synthetic beings. Computers are only used for numerical functions.
The information on the Zhat Vash is interspersed with shots of Picard and Laris investigating Dahj’s apartment in Boston.
We get a lot of information about how the Tal Shiar can scrub all evidence of a murder. But Laris knows Romulan methods for “forensic molecular reconstruction” (which are illegal in the Federation).
While all of this exposition is interesting, it is a lot to absorb on a single viewing. It’s also very “jargon-y.”
We also learn more about the Borg Cube (being used as Romulan Reclamation Site) seen at the end of the first episode. It’s not a Borg Cube, per se. Rather, it is referred to as the Artifact — because it is “lost” and “severed” from the Borg Collective. We still don’t quite understand its purpose, but I’m sure we soon will.
The problem that “Star Trek” suffered from in the late 90s was the fact that things oftentimes felt like they were too “inside baseball.”
The “Maps and Legends” episode felt a bit bogged down in minutiae. While I don’t necessarily mind a deep dive into Romulan mythology, I felt like I wasn’t properly prepared as I watched the episode.
This feeling was further exacerbated as I watched a number of videos reviewing the show. While all of the “fan service” moments featured in the episode are impressive, they also make casual observers feel a bit lost (a sentiment Bridget expressed during the episode).
The best “Star Trek” is the “Star Trek” that is instantly relatable and understandable.
What continues to make 1960s-era “Trek” (officially referred to as “The Original Series”) so compelling is that you could jump in anywhere. The stories — which were oftentimes allegories for real-life situations — were fascinating.
There are characters introduced in “Maps and Legends” that have past relationships with Picard. Because it has been 25 years since “Star Trek: The Next Generation” left the air, I wondered if those characters had been featured in past episodes.
Two of Picard’s past colleagues — Dr. Moritz Benayoun (David Paymer) and Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) — appeared in the episode.
A cursory Google search suggests both characters are new. We learn that both characters had past relationships with Picard, although not in the previous “Star Trek” television series or movies.
Benayoun shows up at the vineyard because Picard is trying to get a “certificate for interstellar service” so he can travel off-world. Unfortunately, an abnormality in Picard’s parietal lobe makes the doctor wary of the request (a condition alluded to in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" finale episode “All Good Things...”). We learn during this episode that Benayoun was the surgeon aboard the U.S.S. Stargazer when Picard served on that ship. (The Stargazer was the ship Picard served on before the Enterprise.)
“You really want to go back out into the cold?” Benayoun asks Picard, regarding his desire to return to space.
Musiker is introduced at the end of “Maps and Legends.” Picard travels to the California desert to ask for her help in his “secret mission” to uncover the truth behind Dahj and her twin sister Soji.
Musiker is apparently featured in the “Star Trek: Picard — Countdown” series of three graphic novels (which serve as a prequel to the TV series). I apparently need to find the print versions of these...
As the episode progresses, Picard tries to convince the folks in charge of Starfleet to approve his travel into space, provide a vessel for the purpose, and assign him with a crew for the mission.
Unfortunately, Starfleet isn’t sympathetic, and denies his request.
“This is no longer your house, Jean-Luc,” says Admiral Kirsten Clancy (Ann Magnuson). "So do what you’re good at…go home.”
We learn the entire Starfleet organization is in a cynical state, and there are nefarious people operating behind the scenes. There is a greater conspiracy afoot — something our protagonists are going to have to contend with as the episodes progress.
It kind of makes you wonder if “Star Trek: Picard” is going to serve as an allegory for the political climate we find ourselves living in today.
I should also add that the character of Dr. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill) is proving herself to be a nice confidant for Picard. The connection she has working for the Daystrom Institute of Advanced Robotics provides key information in Picard’s investigation of Dahj and Soji Asha.
I’m hopeful the third episode features fewer “info dumps.” The scenes involving Picard are typically compelling. The more the show focuses on his character, the better.
