This article is about Star Trek: Picard, my thoughts and especially my feelings for one of the few series that managed to surprise me in recent years; that is no small feat in itself. Quite possibly the second season felt a bit lacklustre, but when dealing with Q and time paradoxes, it was to be expected. The third and last instalment however just hit marvellously.
Now, I had written a couple of articles when the series first premiered and in one of them I had even expressed my concern for a degrading marketing strategy that uses nostalgia to rehash old ideas thus ruining fond memories of classic TV series. To my surprise, this was not the case. Star Trek: Picard has only three seasons (a perfect number) and for an aficionado, they are worth watching. I am still unable to tell you if it is as good as I feel it is, simply because my view might be partially conditioned by nostalgia, but I still think CBS managed to do a good job with it.
I will be honest about another thing: although I consider myself to be a fan of the franchise, I stopped it after Star Trek: The Next Generation. Probably the reason I never tried to go beyond (pun intended) TNG was out of fear; I did not think anything could quite compare with its fantastic seven seasons (even after Roddenberry’s death). The characters, the dialogues, the themes; at the time they just seemed to fit perfectly together. This is why I believe Star Trek: Picard worked so well; it built on pre-existing characters and managed to deliver a viewing experience.
So, first and foremost, let’s talk NOSTALGIA.
From the very beginning of the third season, the first episode opens with the soundtrack “I don’t want to set the world on fire”; as a viewer I immediately felt a sense of melancholy. And in my opinion the series knows how to play with this theme; it’s not an in-your-face attitude that requires you specifically to feel those moments rather than a tribute to the original work. I felt the passion of the writing as well as the passion of the actors. Seeing the entire crew of the original The Next Generation get back together for one last adventure felt well organized, fulfilling, and it gave so much more than the previous two seasons combined. The smiles, the call-backs, the winks, the quips and the characterization of the protagonists – the third instalment is in my mind without a doubt an homage to the work of Gene Roddenberry and the characters he envisioned. To be fair I cannot emphasize enough the word QUIPS; the interactions and squabbles between the characters fell on point. Furthermore, there are so many details, memorabilia and Easter eggs that may be noticed throughout the episodes that never fail to put a simple yet genuine smile on an aficionado of the franchise.
So, what is NEW?
If everything that a viewer watches is based on previously existing characters, how does Star Trek: Picard has anything to add? Well, simply put, the writers took TNG as a basis and constructed upon it. I am unsure what would be considered canonical at this point between the original and the tie-ins with the movies, but even giving Picard a son he knew nothing about does not seem forced or farfetched. Time has passed and the protagonists have evolved. Star Trek: Picard builds on this premise, without changing the core features of the main characters, but adding bits and pieces to their individual story.
It is as if Star Trek: Picard is living on borrowed time; there is a sense of something being lost or even forgotten. Partially this is a repercussion of that sense of nostalgia and sadness that I mentioned before. Take for instance the relationship between Picard and Crusher: it creates a more compelling character knowing that Picard was always focused on his work, constantly on the brink of danger and because of this Beverly never told him about his son. It makes Picard more humane. Even the smaller backstories, hearing Picard saying the F-word completes the portrait of not just the character that we know and love, but that of a man that we are able to appreciate – much is also due to Patrick Stweart being Patrick Stewart.
I would argue that the series juggles between past and future: the past of characters to which details and fragments of backstory are added to deepen their background and the future of character as we see them many years after the events of TNG.
So, what about the PLOT?
The premises seems straightforward: Starfleet is not to be trusted given that it has been infiltrated by changelings. Nothing too fancy, but it is a gimmick that provides the opportunity for the crew to save the galaxy once more. Yes, there are some minor plot points that may appear unconvincing such as the fact that if Earth falls by the hands of the borg-infested Starfleet ships, then that spells the end for the entire galaxy – but suspension of disbelief comes in handy there.
Star Trek: Picard manages to even add some layers of interpretation, exploring the blurred lines of morality. What is right or what is wrong, what is the greater good, is it just to cripple an entire race for the survival of the others in the galaxy. The episodes explore these themes leaving the viewers to make their own decisions.
The episodes, with perfectly crafted titles, create a crescendo: the stakes are high as the plot wills them to be, but they are still within the parameters of Star Trek. I almost shed a tear when I saw the Enterprise, along with several other moments. I felt compelled to write this article and express my gratitude for the work of everyone involved. So thank you Star Trek and thank you Admiral Picard for this one last adventure.
PS: I want to add a side note about other actors who made the third instalment as good as it is. Todd Stashwick and Amanda Plummer both demonstrated their acting capabilities and their worth. The former delivered a unique monologue on the horrors of war and the latter portrayed a deranged yet compelling antagonist. Bone chilling performances that without a doubt deserve their praise.
PPS: Was Worf’s meditation pose an homage to the one made by Liam Neeson? You know the one I’m talking about.
Links to the previous articles: