Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 3 (CBS All Access Series)

“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’s chateau lifestyle when 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. 

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Read my review of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 4!

Previous post: Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 2 (CBS All Access Series) 

Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 2 (CBS All Access Series)

“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. 

==============================

Read my review of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 3!  

Previous post: Honored to Be Part of the “Mitch Rapp Novel” Title Reveal! 

Honored to Be Part of “Mitch Rapp Novel” Title Reveal!

Bridget and I were honored to be part of vinceflynn.com’s video title reveal for the upcoming 19th Mitch Rapp novel “Total Power” (set to be published Sept. 15, 2020). 

We are both long-time fans of Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp thrillers and were selected as “Mitch Rapp Ambassadors” for the first time in 2019. It was fun having the opportunity to promote “Lethal Agent” online leading up to the book’s release. 

Kyle Mills was charged with helming the series after Flynn’s death from prostate cancer in 2013. In the intervening years, Mills has published five Mitch Rapp novels. 

The official Vince Flynn Twitter account put out requests for fans to record themselves saying “Toe” or “Till” in January. All videos submitted by Jan. 29 (via upload form at vinceflynn.com) were eligible to be included in the title reveal video. 

Bridget and I recorded ourselves saying the words “Toe” and “Till” — both individually and together. Since we do video webinars and training courses in our business, we have a black background setup in our basement. 

We filmed on Bridget’s iPhone XR, and had our collection of Vince Flynn novels stacked on the table in front of us.  

Tech Tip: When we recorded the two of us together, Bridget used the Camera app on her Apple Watch to start her iPhone recording. Pretty handy way to handle it. 

A number of terrific Vince Flynn fans are featured in the reveal video. I follow a number of them Twitter — it is a great community of readers! The fan clips are interspersed with footage of Kyle Mills (and his wife) saying “Power.”

 

Here is the reveal video released by vinceflynn.com on Feb. 2, 2020:

If you are interested in learning more about Vince Flynn, Kyle Mills, and the world of Mitch Rapp, head over to vinceflynn.com. One of the things I enjoy about the site is that it features a considerable amount of “fan-centered” content. 

While there, be sure to signup for the Mitch Rapp Newsletter. The newsletter offers a number of giveaways, promotions, and “inside looks” at the world of Mitch Rapp throughout the year. 

Bridget and I are both looking forward to the release of “Total Power” on Sept. 15. 

Pre-order it here on Amazon: Total Power

I’ll definitely be posting more about the novel as the year progresses! Stay tuned!

Related Blog Content: 

> Book Review: Contagious Thrills in “Vince Flynn - Lethal Agent” By Kyle Mills 

> Cool to Be Part of the “What’s Your Story” Feature on VinceFlynn.com 

> Book Review: “Vince Flynn - Enemy of the State” By Kyle Mills 

> Book Review: “Vince Flynn - Order To Kill” By Kyle Mills 

> Thoughts on “The Survivor”… A Mitch Rapp Novel By Kyle Mills

> “American Assassin” Review: “It’s About the Mission, Not About You!”

Previous post: The 5 Movies I’m Most Excited About In 2020

The 5 Movies I’m Most Excited About in 2020

It’s kind of an odd feeling starting off a new year where the movies I’m most excited about don’t have the word “Marvel” or “Star Wars” in the title. 

There won’t be another “Star Wars” theatrical film until 2022. Marvel Studios is releasing two new MCU movies in 2020 - “Black Widow” and “The Eternals — and while I’m sure they’ll be solid entries, I don’t have the same sense of anticipation I did for movies like “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Endgame.” 

Without further ado, here are “The 5 Movies I’m Most Excited About in 2020”:

TOP GUN: MAVERICK

From the moment I heard Jerry Bruckheimer and Tom Cruise were making a sequel to “Top Gun,” I was in! They’ve released two trailers for the movie (as of this writing) and I couldn’t be more excited (Harold Faltermeyer’s “Top Gun Anthem” has a way of doing that). 

One of my favorite movie memories was watching “Top Gun” at the Indian Hills Theater in 1986. While the theater no longer remains (“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”), it was an Omaha icon that was originally part of the  “Cooper Cinerama” family — and the main screen was a monster. 

The aerial sequences looked amazing on that wraparound screen. Definitely looking forward to more practical aerial combat shots in “Top Gun: Maverick.”

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WONDER WOMAN 1984

I liked Gal Gadot’s turn as the lasso wielding superhero in 2017’s “Wonder Woman.” The trailer for the sequel — “Wonder Woman 1984” — is terrific. I’m a sucker for anything that takes place in the 1980s, and “Blue Monday” (by New Order) was a perfect song for the spot. 

I’m also excited to see what “The Mandalorian’s” Pedro Pascal does with the character of Max Lord. 

BTW… is it just me, or does the shopping mall featured in the trailer look a lot like Starcourt Mall in the most recent season of “Stranger Things”…? 😉 

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TENET

I have no idea what exactly “Tenet” is about, and I don’t care. As far as Bridget and I are concerned, Christopher Nolan “doesn’t make a bad movie.” 

That's why I'm excited. It isn’t a sequel (which is always welcome during the summer box office season). Plus, the cast includes acting stalwarts Kenneth Branagh and Michael Caine.  

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GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE

They might have finally found the right way to reboot the “Ghostbusters” franchise. If you’re going to make what is essentially “Ghostbusters: The Next Generation” it makes sense to bring one of the kids from Netflix’s “Stranger Things” along for the ride (Finn Wolfhard just looks like he’ll play the perfect grandson of Egon Spengler). 

I was impressed when I saw the first teaser trailer in December. I think writer/director Jason Reitman (he’s the son of “Ghostbusters” director Ivan Reitman) has what looks to be a promising sequel/reboot on his hands. The trailer manages to bring the feels without featuring any of the original cast.  

Plus, it has the eternally affable Paul Rudd (who is brilliant in Marvel’s “Ant-Man” franchise). 

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NO TIME TO DIE

I reviewed the first teaser trailer for “No Time To Die” on this blog back in December. I think the movie looks terrific. As I said in December: “If this is Craig’s last outing as Bond, I hope the filmmakers send him off with a bang.” 

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And those are “The 5 Movies I’m Most Excited About in 2020.” While they might not turn out to be the best movies of 2020 — or even the most successful at the box office — they’re the movies that I am looking forward to seeing at the theater this year. 

What do you think? Head down to the comment section below and let me know your thoughts.

Previous post: Does General Mills “Mermaid Cereal” Taste Like Real Mermaids?

Does General Mills “Mermaid Cereal” Taste Like Real Mermaids?

It’s time to dive into General Mills Mermaid Cereal. 

In 2018, I reviewed the limited edition Unicorn Cereal Kellogg’s trotted out to grocery stores across the nation (a move that likely caused a magical glut of impulse purchases when daughters begged parents for it as they rolled through the breakfast aisle). 

The Unicorn Cereal featured circular, sugary “Os” similar to those found in the Kellogg’s Fruit Loops brand (albeit, different colors). 

I described the taste of Unicorn Cereal as this: “Imagine — if you will — that a glazed donut and a Fruit Loop decide to have a baby. The resulting offspring is sort of like a fusion of both parents, but is ultimately unremarkable on its own.”  

When I saw the colorful General Mills Mermaid Cereal box at our local Hy-Vee store, I knew I had to check it out. This is the sort of hard-hitting content I like to bring you on this blog. 😉 

I’m a big fan of novelty breakfast cereals, but my experience with Kellogg’s Unicorn Cereal left me wary of its aquatic counterpart. 

First of all, I don’t understand why General Mills doesn’t include marshmallows in their Mermaid Cereal. It makes no sense whatsoever. If you’re going to market an ultra-colorful/ultra-sugary cereal to kids, please throw in a few cups of marshmallows. Please!

The Mermaid Cereal tastes like a “subdued” version of General Mills Frankenberry (a cereal that features marshmallows). It is rather bland — not memorable at all. Marshmallows would have helped. 

The cereal’s official description is: “Naturally Fruit Flavored Sweetened Corn Puffs With Other Natural Flavors.”

I dunno about any of you, but the “star” and “fish” shaped pieces kind of look like dry cat food. 

The good news is that it doesn’t taste like seafood. So there’s that. 

There is a game on the back of the Mermaid box that you can play… if you want. Spoiler Alert: Your “treasure” is “jewels”… and there are 11 treasure chests in the picture. 

I’ve gotta say, I was pretty underwhelmed by General Mills Mermaid Cereal. I mean, I didn’t have a lot of hope going in. If they’d just tossed in some marshmallows, I might have been able to recommend this. 

Instead, it’d probably be better if General Mills loaded up a harpoon and “deep-sixed” this particular brand… 

Previous post: Book Review: “The Stranger” By Harlan Coben 

Book Review: ”The Stranger” By Harlan Coben

I was introduced to mystery writer Harlan Coben years ago when I read his breakout novel “Tell No One.” 

I mentioned my fondness for that book in a review I wrote about Coben’s 2018 Netflix series “Safe” (which is terrific — read my review). 

“Tell No One” (which, at the time, was a departure from Coben’s Myron Bolitar series) became the blueprint for the author’s string of successful “suburban thrillers.” 

Coben's protagonists aren’t secret agents or highly trained special forces operatives. Instead, his novels focus on regular, relatable people like you and me.  

His thrillers (other than the occasional entry in the Bolitar series) are standalone in nature. 

It’s nice knowing you don’t have to slog through two dozen novels to get caught up. You can read his novels in any order. 

I have all of Coben’s novels resting neatly on a bookshelf in our basement. I purchased half of the books in the collection. The rest were passed along to me when my mom died of gallbladder cancer in 2013.  

The author has been spending time the past few weeks tweeting about the series adaptation of his 2015 thriller “The Stranger” — set to drop on Netflix on Jan. 30, 2020. 

I decided I wanted to read “The Stranger” before watching the series so I could compare and contrast the two.

“The Stranger” tells the story of Adam Price. Price is lawyer who lives in Cedarfield, New Jersey, with his wife Corinne and their two sons, Ryan (a 6th grader) and Thomas (a high school sophomore). 

In the opening pages of the story, Price is attending the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade boys lacrosse draft (his son Ryan plays) at the American Legion Hall. A stranger (a man described as having piercing blue eyes) comes up to Adam at the bar and tells him that his wife faked her recent pregnancy. 

The stranger informs Adam that he didn’t have to stay with Corinne when she became pregnant — and that her subsequent miscarriage was all a ruse. 

“She lied to you, Adam,” the man says. “Corinne. She was never pregnant. It was all a ruse to get you back.” 

Adam is both stunned and incensed by the man’s pointed accusations. 

He questions the stranger’s veracity and brings up the fact that he saw a sonogram. The stranger replies, “if you really need proof, check your Visa card. Look for a charge to Novelty Funsy.” 

Before he leaves the Legion Hall, the stranger twists the dagger a little more. “If I were you,” he tells Adam, “I’d probably run DNA tests on your two boys.” 

It is a classic Coben setup — a family man living an idyllic suburban life getting thrust into a swirling conspiracy that is both chilling and instantly relatable. 

It's a deceptively simple “what if” concept. 

Coben’s strength as a mystery writer is the way he is able to pose a question — a question that throws the protagonist’s life into turmoil — then spend a few hundred pages peeling back the layers as the characters work to find the answer. 

He is adept at seasoning his novels with the right dose of “MacGuffins” and “red herrings” to keep you guessing — without making the wait frustrating. 

I devoured “The Stranger” in fairly short order. The story weaves in a number of interesting characters, and has you on edge until the somber and satisfying conclusion. 

In addition to the thrilling twists Coben is known for, the author also does a nice job exploring Adam’s relationship with his two sons. 

It’s the small moments that make the story feel real... like a scene where Adam is trying to figure out what kind of pizza to order his sons for dinner — one wants pepperoni, the other wants buffalo chicken. So he tells them he’ll order the pizza half-and-half. 

Both boys worry they won’t have enough to eat, so Adam adds an order of mozzarella sticks and informs his son Ryan there are Chipwiches in the freezer for dessert.

While it might seem like an innocuous part of the plot, the interaction illustrates how much Adam (who is fairly distraught at that point in the story) cares about his sons.  

I mentioned earlier that “The Stranger” has been made into a limited series for Netflix. 

When it comes to filmed versions of Coben’s novels, the author has found a receptive audience overseas. “Tell No One” was made into a theatrical movie in 2006 by a French filmmaker. It was nominated for — and won — several Cesar Awards (France’s equivalent of the Oscars). 

“The Stranger” spans eight episodes and was filmed in Great Britain (where two other Coben series — “Safe” and “The Five” — were filmed). 

The book took place primarily in New Jersey. I look forward to seeing if a different locale brings any unique plot dynamics Netflix’s adaptation of “The Stranger.” 

Here is the trailer for the series:

While I’m sure there will be a number of creative departures from Coben’s novel, the Netflix series looks terrific. I can’t wait to watch it. Once I do, I’ll have a review. 

If you haven’t had the opportunity to read Harlan Coben’s thrillers, I would encourage you to give novels a try. 

“The Stranger” might be a good place to start. It embodies all the elements that make Coben’s stand alone thrillers so compelling. Plus, you can check out the new Netflix series after you’re finished with the book. 

>> If you enjoyed my review of “The Stranger” by Harlan Coben, follow me on X/Twitter for more great content — @thejoncrunch 

Previous post: Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 1 (CBS All Access Series) 

Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 1 (CBS All Access Series)

“The dreams are lovely. It’s the waking up that I’m beginning to resent.” 

Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: Picard”

SPOILERS AHEAD!

It is fascinating to me how the world of pop culture continually tries to label science fiction fans as either “Star Wars” or “Star Trek” people. 

When I was growing up in the 1970s and 80s, most of my space fantasy-loving friends seemed to like both properties. I know I did. 

It was a different time back then. “Star Wars” didn’t really have a lasting halo outside of the original three movies released during that era. 

The reality is that by the time the late 80s rolled around, “Star Wars” had sort of faded from the cultural zeitgeist. 

On the other hand, the three seasons of Gene Roddenberry’s 1960s-era “Star Trek” TV series proved to be a top ratings producer in syndication. I loved watching those reruns on Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 10:30 p.m. on KMTV, and later, on KPTM when that station started broadcasting in Omaha (check out my 2016 blog post “Phasers Locked” about the original series).  

The popularity of the original series resulted in a number of novels, toys, comics, and an animated series. 

There was also the successful string of theatrical movies from Paramount Pictures featuring the original crew.  

Like many of you, I consider “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” to be one of the best science fiction movies of the 1980s (check out my 2017 blog post on the “director’s cut” of that movie — which aired on ABC in the 1980s — for more of my thoughts on “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”). 

In addition, Bridget and I consider 2009’s “Star Trek” reboot (directed by J.J. Abrams) to be among our favorite movies of the past 20 years. 

On Sept. 28, 1987, Paramount Television brought a brand new “Star Trek” series to the small screen with “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” 

Like the original series, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” is definitely a show of its time — especially as it regards the overall look and feel. The show — and its spinoffs — largely defined science fiction in the 1990s. 

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) was a departure from William Shatner’s roguish Captain Kirk. His Shakespearean sensibility was at the heart of TNG’s seven seasons and four feature films. 

Here we are — nearly 26 years after “Star Trek: The Next Generation” bid adieu to the small screen — with a brand-new “Star Trek” TV series focusing on Picard’s life after Starfleet. 

The first episode of “Star Trek: Picard” debuted on CBS All Access (in the United States) on Thursday, Jan. 23. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. 

I’ve had trouble staying invested in “Star Trek: Discovery” on CBS All Access, so I was a bit skeptical going into “Star Trek: Picard.” 

The first episode of “Star Trek: Picard” is titled “Remembrance.” A few minutes into that episode and I knew the series creators had crafted something special. 

Show runner Michael Chabon (who wrote the terrific literary novel “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Klay”) wrote a 40-page “treatment” for the series which proved to be an attractive lure to get Patrick Stewart back into the fold. Chabon talks about the process during the first episode of “Ready Room” (which gives fans behind the scenes information on the series):

The opening moments of “Remembrance” find Picard and Data playing poker in the crew lounge Ten Forward on the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D (which was destroyed in the movie “Star Trek: Generations”). The musical strands of Bing Crosby’s “Blue Skies” waft over the scene. 

The dream sequence has a nice way of tying this new series to adventures past. Picard tells Data, “I don’t want the game to end.” 

His words are both sentimental and haunting, possibly foreshadowing somber things to come. 

The episode finds Jean-Luc overseeing operations at Chateau Picard in La Barre, France. Fans of TNG won't be surprised see the character living life as a vintner in his later years. 

It is a wonderful way to start off the series, and serves as a nice juxtaposition to the typical “Star Trek” environs. 

Picard has a pet pitbull he calls “Number One” — a loyal companion in an otherwise listless life. 

The story shifts to a girl (likely in her late teens) spending time with her boyfriend in Boston. Her name is Dahj (Isa Briones) and she has just been accepted to the Daystrom Institute of Advanced Robotics. 

Dahj's world is turned upside down when three black-clad figures “beam” into her apartment, kill her boyfriend, attach some sort of electronic device to her forehead, and declare “she hasn't activated yet” as they pin her down on her coffee table. 

One of the men (through his dark mask) asks, “Where are the rest of you? Where are you from?”

Dahj is utterly confused as they put a hood over her head, but a moment later she kicks into gear and takes down her attackers with a series of martial arts heroics and gun work that would make Sydney Bristow proud. 

She has a vision of Picard, flees her apartment, and manages to track him down in France. 

Upon meeting the girl, Picard has a renewed sense of purpose in life. It’s a mystery that 1940s-era detective Dixon Hill (a character Picard liked to play on the Enterprise’s Holodeck) would have found worthy of investigation.

We soon learn (during a broadcast interview with a news reporter at the chateau) that Admiral Picard left Starfleet after the tragic events surrounding the “Romulan supernova.” 

Years before the events in “Star Trek: Picard,” Starfleet learned that the Romulan sun was going to explode. Picard called for a massive relocation of 900 million Romulans. He believed they had “a profound obligation to help.” 

Critics questioned whether the Federation should dedicate resources toward helping its oldest enemy. The rescue efforts were ultimately approved and Picard left the Enterprise to command the rescue armada — 10,000 warp-capable ferries. 

Picard compares the efforts to Dunkirk in World War II. 

Unfortunately, a group of “rogue synthetics” (androids) hacked Mars’s defense net, which wiped out the rescue armada — completely destroying the Utopia Planitia Shipyard. 

Because of the actions of the “rogue synthetics,” Starfleet has banned androids. 

The only reason I mention this information in detail is because it serves to illustrate why Picard has the life he has at the vineyard. 

Picard believes banning synthetic life forms was a mistake. 

This information ties into Picard’s past experiences with Lt. Commander Data, as well as with the girl Dahj — who we later learn is an advanced synthetic (with an uncanny resemblance to a girl in one of Data’s oil paintings, titled Daughter). 

Every so often I pull up the HD versions of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” on Apple TV and watch an episode before bed. A few weeks ago, I happened to watch the episode “The Offspring” (which first aired March 13, 1990). 

(I mainly watched it because it was next in the queue after one of my favorite episodes “Yesterday’s Enterprise”).

In “The Offspring”, Data creates an android in his own likeness — a girl named Lal. 

As I was watching “Star Trek: Picard,” I was happy that I serendipitously watched that episode from 1990. It seems like a number of the ethical and existential questions posed in that episode will be explored in the new series. 

It is nice to see Jean-Luc Picard back in fine form. A number of interesting things happen in the first episode as Picard looks into the origins of Dahj.

There is a fun sequence where Picard visits the Starfleet Archive Museum in San Francisco. While there, he looks at his “quantum archive” (only he has access to it, and it’s locked in stasis). 

Obviously, there are a lot of little “fan service” moments in his personal archive, including the “Captain Picard Day” sign that appeared in the 1994 episode “The Pegasus.” 

But the fact that he’s looking at the archives to find a possible clue regarding Dahj’s identity makes the moment of “fan service” relevant to the overall story. 

That’s the genius of the first episode of “Star Trek: Picard.” It is deftly crafted and takes a light touch approach that works brilliantly. 

Ultimately, Dahj is killed at the hands of Romulan agents at the end of “Remembrance,” but we learn she is one of a pair of twins. We briefly see the twin (Soji) at a Romulan Reclamation Site.

By the way... why the hell is the “Romulan Reclamation Site” a Borg Cube??? 

One of the questions people will inevitably ask is whether “Star Trek: Picard” can be enjoyed by people who weren’t fans of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” It’s a relevant question considering the fact that there are subtle nods to the past series and movies. 

I would say that fans of all stripes can enjoy it, but I think the show is far more layered if you have a familiarity with the characters and some of the backstory. 

I’m just happy to see Jean-Luc Picard back in action. While the character might have seemed like a “benign old codger” (as he described himself at the beginning of the first episode), he shows that he’s as dependable as a hot cup of Earl Grey tea. 

At one point in “Remembrance,” Picard’s Romulan assistant Zhaban (Jamie McShane) encourages him to “be the captain they remember.” 

Not only does he show himself to be the captain we remember, he reminds us that he’s the captain we need. 

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Read my review of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 2! 

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