Review: _Picard_

[jducoeur]

Star Trek has, as a whole, gotten a bit stuck. Much though I'm enjoying Discovery (in the middle of the second season so far), it's conspicuous that since we got to the end of ST:TNG with the movie Nemesis, most of what has happened has been prequel. The next major thing to happen in that universe was the time-loop that led to the reboot movies. (Which, yes, are canonical with Next Generation: they just take place in an alternate timeline, looping back to an alternate Kirk et al.)

The series Picard, which has run two seasons on Paramount+, is the biggest exception to date. They start more or less in "real time", thirty-some years after the beginning of ST:TNG. I just finished the second series.

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tl;dr -- a somewhat weak first season is made up for by an absolutely brilliant second. Worth watching; if you're a Star Trek fan, especially of Next Gen, it's a must-watch. Hang on, and let's get into the details...

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The two seasons are distinct novels, and each can be watched on its own. I recommend watching season one, but largely because it establishes the characters, about 2/3 of whom are new. But I should be clear: season two is the main reason why it's worth watching.

Each season is, in its way, a sequel to Star Trek canon. Season one is a very direct sequel to Nemesis, which was probably a mistake: it was a fairly bad movie, and wasn't a great basis for a series.

Around 20 years after the events of Nemesis, things aren't entirely ideal in the Federation. The Romulans, left homeless refugees in the wake of that story, are largely distrusted and benighted outcasts. (Not entirely without reason: they're still Romulans, still prone to paranoia and intrigue. But they're by no means unthinking evil.) Picard is retired, and increasingly viewed by the establishment as a probably-well-meaning but naive old man. And after the events of that movie, true artificial intelligence has been firmly outlawed, for reasons that seem a bit strange and get explored over the course of the story. In general, the Federation has gotten a little inward-looking and paranoid.

Season one is, fundamentally, all about Commander Data. (Who is, yes, dead as of the movie.) He has left a legacy behind, and this is the story of it blossoming. The concept is lovely and inspiring.

Unfortunately, the writing is -- well, let's just say Not Good. The plot is ridiculously complex and a bit shaky, involving a couple of different women who are connected to Data, Romulan scheming, a left-behind Borg cube, and of course (this is Star Trek after all) a Vast Alien Intelligence. It's a fairly fun ride, and the acting and direction aren't bad, but the plot is a mess. I don't regret watching it, but if Season one was all there was, I wouldn't be recommending it.

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Fortunately, then comes Season two. This starts a year or two later -- as I said, they are separate novels. All of our characters have had a lot of Life in the intervening time, including two failed romances among our six protagonists.

(Worth noting for some of my friends: one of those was between Seven of Nine and Raffi, one of our new characters: one of the rare lesbian romances in Star Trek canon, and it colors much of Season two. The chemistry between them is delightful.)

And then there is a sudden Borg incursion, and things get Very, Very Weird.

It's hard to say much without spoilers (and I don't want to spoil this), but Season two is classic Star Trek at its best, a story of alternate timelines, time-travel, and trying to preserve the future we know. If Season one was a sequel to Nemesis, Season two is a sequel to the much more fun First Contact. (As well as Assignment: Earth, for those who remember TOS.) Suffice it to say, much of the season takes place in the year 2024, as our heroes fight desperately to prevent the Darkest Timeline.

And it is a far more personal story than Season one. This is a tale of Jean-Luc Picard wrestling with his greatest demons: the Borg Queen, Q, his own fear of personal intimacy, and the family history that led to all of this.

Yes, I did casually toss out Q. This is the final Q story, the one that was alluded to in the final episode of Next Generation. I won't claim that it entirely makes sense, but it wouldn't be a Q story if it did, and emotionally it works quite nicely. Broadly speaking, the plot mostly makes sense, which is about the most one can usually ask of a time-travel story. (There's a pretty clear paradox involved, but handwave-handwave-Q.)

Fundamentally, Season two is the story of three old men -- all facing their mortality, trying to come to grips with their past sins, and figuring out their legacy. Each handles it differently, and the contrast is subtle and well-handled.

Both seasons are chock-a-block with cameos by familiar faces. Many of them are pretty gratuitous (eg, Riker and Troy in Season one), but suffice it to say that, Data's death aside, Brent Spiner is a constant presence in both seasons. And Seven is a core character -- frankly, she's more interesting and important here than she ever has been before, and most seriously kicks butt. But S2 uses its guests more wisely, with Guinan as a significant character, and Alexander Siddig in a magnificently bait-and-switch appearance. (Plus a glorious walk-on in the final episode that explains so much, in a deeply Wrong way.)

I'll be honest: I hope there isn't another season of Picard. There could be (there is room for more stories about him)(edited: and I learned today that yes -- there is definitely one more season coming), but this one is all closure, all the time, and it's a fine way to finish his story. IMO it's one of the best overall seasons of Star Trek to date, and more than makes up for the weak first season. If you care about the universe as a whole, and especially if you enjoyed Next Gen, it's a worthwhile finale.

(Edited to fix my goof from last night, mixing up Nemesis with Insurrection.)