Star Trek: Picard: Season 2

Oh, man. That was bananas. And I mean that as the highest compliment.

To be blunt I was really looking forward to the season upon hearing the premise. But as exciting as it is, it has SUCH a high risk of not only ruining this show, but ruining Star Trek TNG and that era of the franchise in hindsight. It's a very gutsy thing to try and pull off.

First episode in this new crisis? Worked like gangbusters. We had references to General Sisko, General Martok, Sarek, Gul Dukat, all gone to different ends than how we knew them. It's all fangasm worthy stuff that Star Trek: Discovery clearly cannot be bothered with.

I both love and hate Agnes Jurati. I love her because I believe she is the first Star Trek character in the 24th/25th Century to talk like a real person that possibly existed somewhere. Yes, Tilly is similar, but Discovery likes to operate outside of the normal Star Trek Universe. For Jurati to be on the same show as Jean-Luc Picard, Seven of Nine, and Q makes a statement that current Trek is trying to give humans in the 25th Century recognizable faults and flaws that we share. And while I've always loved that about Discovery, it feels more official using these characters and this premise.

What I hate about her is how much she sucks at her job. I was screaming at her to get the damn transporter working. Geez, she sucks, in the one instance she couldn't afford to suck.

Q alarms me. One of his most famous lines back in the day, didn't occur on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Q said it to Sisko on Deep Space Nine: "You HIT me! Picard never hit me!" And Q never hit Picard until now. Picard suggests Q is either unwell or dying, and his mental instability is quite clear. Q and the tagline of the season may claim the trial never ends. But I'm guessing Q's role as a judge is nearing its apex, and he's really laying it on thick in his final encounter with Picard. I can't say that Q has turned evil yet. But all of his cons before this were far more small-scale and manageable. I would argue that in most of his encounters with the Enterprise, Q wound up doing humanity a favor in his interference. Picard always brushed that off as Q doing the right thing for the wrong reasons, but I always believed Q knew exactly what he was doing. Does he here? Is this outside of his control on some level? The flashing Q effect when he snaps his finger is gone. Has he been depowered in other ways? These are all excellent questions to ponder, and I look forward to the show answering them once and for all.

The language and violence here was strictly PG-13. The episode was rated TV-14, and there are some s-bombs, but not f-bombs, and the violence is not especially gory either (at least not by classic Star Trek standards). The show is much easier to take for that reason.

What this episode has told me is that Star Trek: Picard is not the newest Star Trek series launching point for Jean-Luc Picard and that 25th Century era of the franchise. I think it's that era's swan song. Outside of the cartoons Lower Decks and Prodigy, which both probably take place before this does, I feel like this is Star Trek closing the books on this part of the franchise. And I am okay with that. I would love after Section 31 for the shows after that to be set in Discovery's timeframe. Make the rumored Starfleet Academy series be anchored by Mary Wiseman. I think Star Trek: Picard is not just a send-off for Patrick Stewart. It's a send-off for all three sequel series that Roddenberry and Berman each had hands in cocreating and showrunning. It's exciting. It's scary. And it sounds permanent, which means there is a real fear attached to them potentially messing things up. I'm here for it all the way. Until the trial finally ends. *****.

So the episode where the crew travels back in time is directed by Lea Freaking Thompson! Because the show knows what it's doing.

I'm not going to say this is a better show than Deep Space Nine yet. That had seven seasons of 20 episodes or more to breathe. What I will point out is that the scene with Rios and the lady doctor and her son is the most human scene I have ever seen in Star Trek. And previously only Deep Space Nine could claim human scenes. I think what sets it apart in awesomeness is the believability and relatability. For the first time in Star Trek, I understand the human characters. DS9 was the most human Star Trek series. But it usually used the Ferengi to explore that. This feels entirely warm and credible to people in OUR world.

When the Borg Queen is talking about the dangerous thing that Agnes did that she's going to regret, I was very much hoping the show and the episode would live up to that specific build-up. And the answer is she impressed her. And if you are talking to the Borg Queen that is literally the last thing to ever want to want to do. Because then she'll do everything in her power to OWN you. That moment was both frightening and hilarious because after all these years, I knew exactly what the Borg Queen was talking about.

Just so we're clear, I was not surprised with Agnes doing that. Really, the Borg Queen shouldn't have been either.

Jurati's performance in general during the scene where the Borg Queen is fiddling with her emotions were great. Alison Pill did a great job.

Episode title works on a couple of levels, which I love.

Raffi blaming Picard for Q's mess is the right emotional beat. Because frankly, I do too. Q's games usually do not have this level of stakes involved for other people. Picard thinking he could keep his antagonism with Q unresolved and have that be the end of it shows a real sense of irresponsibility on his end. And as Raffi noted, that's a failure of leadership.

I like that Seven is amused that strangers like her now. She's surprised, but maybe she shouldn't be. The Borg implants were the thing that made strangers uncomfortable in the 25th Century. If they're gone, and she's dropped into the shallow 21st Century, suddenly she's a hot woman. Middle-aged or not, Jeri Ryan is still a knock-out. And maybe Seven is fully appreciating that for the first time. I like Raffi suggesting that Seven seemed kind of peaceful and I hope part of her is enjoying this.

If they don't bring back Elnor after they fix things I'll be pissed.

I loved the first season. But even I will concede I loved it less and less as it went along. So far, this season is going out of its way to create relatable human situations for people who appreciate good acting and drama, and nerdy stuff for fans who love continuity. It's been a perfect balance so far this year. It's way too early to declare the season a success, but season one was already having a little trouble by its third episode. This on the other hand is exploring Star Trek in a way we haven't seen before, and on a level I think we always wanted to. It's amazing how solid this season has been. I was raving about Star Trek: Discovery's future plot twist last year, but they've done nothing but waste it. In the meantime, Star Trek: Picard is the show giving fans everything they want. ****1/2.

I liked it but I had some concerns. Not unusual, even for seasons I like.

I like the idea of a cynical and broken Guinan, but I don't like the fact that they've broken continuity. Past Guinan has already met Picard. And while it might have been too expensive to de-age Whoopi Goldberg for this episode, she played an earlier version of Guinan in the 1800's in "Time's Arrow". In which she also met Picard. Learning his name is the thing that switches off the alarm bells for her here, so it might be able to fit continuity. But she should have mentioned she met the guy before. Unless Dulmer and Luclsy went back in time after that episode and erased her memory. There are ways to explain it, but it doesn't fit comfortably.

Laris? I have no idea what's going on there, or even if that IS Laris. I suppose we'll find out next week.

Q is having trouble with his mischief. That's good. The end scene hinted at what the time change is gonna involve (a woman we've never seen before) and I'd like to learn a little more about it next week.

Seven driving the cop car was fun, and Rios has turned into one of my favorite characters in this show. His outrage at the blatant racism and corruption of ICE is great because even in OUR era, most decent people would object to it. And also be aware that it's rampant. Guinan pointing out that people in the 21st Century who looked like her never got any breaks was great too, and also another counterpoint from her cultured mannerisms and reasoned debates with Samuel Clemens in "Time's Arrow". If any era of Earth's deserved to break Guinan's spirit and faith in humanity, it should have been post-Trump and Putin America. I think her saying the hoods were transformed into business suits was spot-on for that reason.

Even if the episode broke continuity (and it might have) I'd kind of be loathe to simply dismiss it and put it out of my headcanon, because for the first time ever, the show had a serious response for why the Picard family has English accents despite being French. The Roddenberry / Berman-era sort of snidely declared French a dead language, and made fun of the French because there was no trace of that culture left in Picard. And that was a mean, bigoted joke, that should not have existed in Star Trek. And it's a big reason I think Gene Roddenberry's accolades for equality and diversity are a bit misplaced. When it came down to it, Gene's era of the show was perfectly fine at punching down at the French. And that was obnoxious, and I thought that this show had a thoughtful, powerful reason for it instead.

Learning about the Ten Forward name is on some level cool, but I'm thinking doesn't track with Next Gen. I have misplaced my Enterprise blueprints, but I believe it was named that because it was the tenth deck at the very front of the ship. It's sort of a cute joke to say it's an old favorite name of Guinan's, but it doesn't track.

Agnes's scenes with the Borg Queen are still interesting, but they make me a bit uneasy just because I don't know where they are headed. But they worry me a little bit.

I'm giving that a positive grade but this was the first episode this season I had real concerns about. ****.

Over before I knew it. This show goes by so fast for me.

Didn't appreciate the return to the TV-MA language, but it's interesting that Brent Spiner is billed in the main cast instead of as a special guest star.

Love, love, LOVE the reference to Gary Seven. While Kurtzman is redoing Pike's Enterprise, is it possible he could take a second whack at the aborted spin-off Assignment: Earth? That would be SO nerdy to me.

I realize the episode was only 41 minutes long. But normally when I watch a show I'm very aware of the clock. This show is the first one since Twin Peaks: The Return that I've entirely lost myself in and totally lost track of time during. ****1/2.

Ooh! Interesting. Going back to the idea that the Soongs were interested in eugenics. It's like an origin story for the Augments and Data / Soji in one. What's especially appreciated by me about it is that the show has sort of messed up some of the continuity earlier in the season with Guinan. This is a much better continuity fit.

I like that Rios likes the 21st Century. I'm not surprised. Seven also seems to be having a good time. It's interesting that Rios thinks the food is better. That suggests the future's replicated meats, as humane as they are, are actually a lesser substitute that humanity simply tolerates because its ethics have advanced. It doesn't truly compete with the real thing. Also real cigars? Rios is in Heaven.

I don't like Raffi's role this season. She's the resident Scully, not because it's in character for her to be so, but because somebody needs to be the buzzkill, and the producers randomly gave it to her. For the record, in Star Trek history, Seven of Nine filled the role of resident skeptic / contrarian just fine. It feels a bit weird to give it to Raffi. On the other hand, the fact that it's NOT Seven is another demonstration that the lack of implants and hatred among the general public has lightened her up a bit. Plus, Raffi is grieving and a little on edge already. The problem is that helping the mission by getting Picard back also potentially helps Elnor.

I've decided they are definitely going to save Elnor at the end of the season. They wouldn't keep giving Evan Evagora the small roles and cameos they are if they were writing him out. Another reason I hate television is that you can easily tell which regular characters are actually dead by how often they pop up after their supposed deaths. Actor contractual obligations always ruin some of the surprise there.

Agnes' stuff with the Borg Queen is fun but alarming. She's a great singer. And she's strutting down the street in the red dress at the end practically screaming "Wrinkle!"

It's the red dress that is the thing that sells the danger. Star Trek is one of the few franchises that has always known the value of costuming, and that goes for humans in the 21st century too apparently.

I loved how jarred Picard was at seeing Soong. It was like seeing a ghost.

I think this episode was mislabeled when it was rated TV-MA. There are no f-bombs which is the reason any show should be rated that. S-bombs are strictly TV-14 stuff. Star Trek: Discovery was also often misrated during the first season for this reason too.

Picard's stuff with Renee reminded me why I love the character, why he is such a refreshing hero for television, and how much I value Star Trek, and Picard in particular. Yes, Patrick Stewart's performance is amazing. But it's mostly because the character is written so well and perfectly. Whatever other issues I sometimes have with the series regarding tone or continuity, I am very grateful one of the awesomest characters ever is back on television for three brief seasons. Picard's superpower is talking and relating to people, and it's a rare gift to give a hero, and I wish more projects did that. Picard's version of being a sage is one of the models I tried to use for Gilda, although I was probably nowhere NEAR as successful there. But the idea that the hero's main gift is diplomacy and talking stuff out is something my TV has sorely missed.

So yeah, I'm giving that a great review. It would be weird if I didn't. ****1/2.

I loved this show last season, but I very much felt alone in that love. This season is vindicating that love. I don't think I'll be the only person who loves it now.

James Callis is absolute perfect casting as Picard's father. Literally could not think of a finer choice. He has both gravitas AND sci-fi clout.

I love Rios' "I'm from Chile, I only work in outer space." Huge pleasurable shout-out to Captain Kirk's similar line in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. That whole plotline is the real crowdpleaser of the season.

Raffi and Seven's mission to find Agnes is also very enjoyable.

The ending scene with Guinan was appreciated by me because the previous Guinan stuff broke continuity, and this both brings back her connection to Q, and sort of suggests and reveals the peace treaty between the El-Auriens and the Q Continuum. It's very interesting that Guinan refuses to call them Gods.

I think the ritual not working means the rest of the Continuum is extinct and Q is the last one left. No wonder he's cranky.

No way this episode deserved to be rated TV-MA. No reason whatsoever.

Friendly Romulans on Earth in the 21st Century. I love it.

The cliffhanger is very similar to the last episode's cliffhanger in that it's a wrinkle in the last place we needed it, which is what great drama can do. I thought it was great, especially because it surprised me as it was happening. But Rios' crew hasn't exactly been careful this season. It makes sense law enforcement found them out.

At first it felt like the episode was going to be a bit of a filler episode, but it didn't wind up that way at all. It was great. *****.

I had mixed feelings.

I thought the stuff with Picard and his mother was great. Patrick Stewart was amazing. And Seven's stuff was good too.

I think my problem started and ended at Jarrati trying to get the Borg Queen to embrace "A New Kind Of Collective". It was hoary and cheesy. And yeah, I know it was totally on-brand for Star Trek, and The Next Generation specifically. But that's the part of Star Trek I find dated and the part I don't believe in anymore. I was always sort of skeptical of that message deep down, but I wanted to believe it. Now it's not remotely credible or something I'm willing to shut my brain off for anymore. Last week I complimented the show for finding selling points in humanity I believed in. The idea of "A New Kind Of Collective" is just claptrap, and this show is usually better than that.

Seven tried out for Starfleet and was denied because she was a Borg? Wow, 24th Century Starfleet sucks.

I also should probably concede that even if I didn't dig this specific episode, nothing in it diminished my admiration for this season and this arc. This show is allowed an occasional dumb episode. Being infuriated when a great show gives you a bad episode is the unreasonable reaction in my mind. I can think the non-Picard stuff here is stupid. That doesn't change the fact that I love this season and this show. **1/2.

I personally loved it, but I suspect it's gonna get some blowback. Before discussing the things I love I feel like defending the thing that people will go into conniptions over.

It's the Khan foreshadowing. This takes place in 2024 and the Eugenics Wars supposedly occurred in 1996. Let me just state that Star Trek: The Original Series was WRONG to set the wars in that early timeframe and maybe this episode is wrong for suggesting the beginning of them now. But I don't feel like that is something that should be given a definitive date for since it supposedly either is about to occur or already did. And the reason TOS was wrong to set them in 1996 is that we all lived through 1996 and they never happened. The Reeves-Stevens have tried to retcon that idea in Star Trek novels that they happened and we just weren't aware of them, but the better answer is that TOS made a continuity mistake that can and should be ignored. And Soong being the genesis of them makes a TON of sense given Noonien Soong's first name and Arik Soong's history with the Augments. So I don't want to hear from canon nitpickers about this. I actually agree with you guys about how fast and loose they are playing things with Picard and Guinan's history. This however is fine.

Wil Wheaton's joy at playing Wesley as the Traveler is infectious. Literally the first time I've loved and enjoyed that character. It's very cool Star Trek managed to keep that under wraps.

I also LOVE the implication that Wesley as the Traveler was the guy Gary Seven reported to in "Assignment Earth". It's especially cool to think about because Wesley was (obnoxiously) created as a stand-in for Gene Roddenberry. It would be kind of neat if he was the dude who had actually always called the shots on the aborted spin-off Gene tried to get off the ground but couldn't.

Rios stayed in the past. Does this mean Santiago Cabrera is off the show? Depends on how many Rios holograms are still running around in the future.

The second Agnes did her whole hoary "new kind of Borg" speech at the end of the last episode I knew she was gonna be the Borg Queen we saw at the beginning of the season. I just didn't say so in case I was wrong.

But the REAL thing that made me squeal in delight was of course Picard and Q's hug at the end. How rewarding was that? And of course, it's not that Q is evil this season. He never was. He was doing Jean-Luc a favor and Picard did him one in kind as he died. That damn hug. This show is worthy to exist just for that. I just wish he and Picard interacted more this season. 

This season was amazing, and the finale really got to me. My current favorite show on the air. I will be sad to see it go after next season. *****.