Star Trek Picard: Initial Reaction

Here be spoilers in this quadrant or any other quadrant for Star Trek: Picard -  Remembrance.

How glorious was it to see Jean Luc Picard again?  Simply glorious I say.  

I marvel at how these actors can just into a role they last performed many years ago.  (17 years in the case of Sir Patrick and Jean Luc.)  Very impressive.  Kudos to Brent Spiner for return as, "Data" too.

Before I gone on, I just want to mention I've only seen the premier of "Picard" once so this blog entry may be a little rough around the edges.  But, I was so excited to put my thoughts to digital ink that I couldn't bear to wait.  There will be more material to follow and hopefully a podcast too.

The day of the premier itself, I Googled some of the most earliest reactions to Picard reading the headlines only so as to not spoil myself.  Most were favorable with only Entertainment Weekly as the lone dissenter.  (They called it "Grim".)

Being an unabashed fan of this Star Trek property I dismissed their criticism out of hand.  But, after watching it, I can see that some criticism is warranted as I found it a little slow and bereft exciting content.  (Something to "geek out" over.)

Fear not, I'm not here to bash Picard.  As I said to start this post, seeing Patrick Stewart as Jean Luc Picard is worth it a thousand times over.  But, I do have few nits to pick as well as some random observations.

Let's get started.

Sir Patrick Stewart

As a 79 year old man, Patrick Stewart is a little creaky.  You can see it in his gait and hear it in his voice.  But, his energy as an actor is not diminished.

In fact, he uses his advanced years to his advantage. During the "Interview" scene where Picard is well spoken, informed and impassioned.  He is also tired, frustrated and impatient.  He's a hero but he is also trapped into answering for his heroism.  To say the least, that is vexing.

That vexation is written across his face.

But, later, so is his quiet compassion.  It is the subtlety of that compassion that makes Patrick Stewart so great.  The upturn of his mouth, the brightening of his eyes, the recess of his brow.  You can see the light in him brighten for another creature that may be suffering.  It is that soul that nurtures his courage and makes Picard such a great character.

So, yes, watching Picard for the sake of Picard is worth it.

The Dahj Dodge

Those of us that have been breathlessly absorbing every scrap of information about "Picard" have been aware of a new character entering into Picard's life.  She has been compelled to search him out and she speaks of a connection to him she can't explain.

Her name is Dahj.  (Isa Briones)

And now she is gone.

So, what are we to think?  She was certainly a compelling character.  Young, bright-eyed, heading to the Daystrom Institute.  Then there is the extra-human powers when she is "activated".  The fighting capabilities, the leaping power.  Pretty impressive stuff.

More importantly, there was the connection to Data.  A human with a positronic matrix?  That's incredible.  Was she created by Data?  How was her creation kept a secret?  

After seeing the initial trailers for Picard I thought she was connected to the Borg.  I reasoned that's how she was able to sense Picard and he was to connect to her.  Their empathy must have been part of the collective hive mind since Picard was once Locutus.  Now I'm not so sure.

So the Dahj "Dodge" was that they killed her off after building so much sympathy for her.  A pretty interesting narrative choice.  Yes, we've learned she has a twin sister living aboard a Borg cube (Soji) but that was quite curve ball.

I wonder if this device is what's going to compel Picard into space.  It certainly seems so.  Will he and Soji have the same "empathetic" connection?  Is that how he will find her?  The galaxy is a pretty big place.

Naturally, so many questions.  Let me know what you think.


The Other Characters

Orla Brady alert!

Ok, I admit I love her and have ever since her stint on "Fringe".  She now plays "Laris" a Romulan housekeeper of Jean Luc's.  She's aided by Jamie McShane late of "The Passage".  ( I really wanted that show to work.  But, no.)  

Orla Brady is terrific and it's clear her character has a deep affection and respect for Picard.  I'm curious how they all came together.  Were Laris and Zhaban (McShane) one of the few Romulans Jean Luc was able to rescue from the destruction of Romulus?  I should mention IDW comics is doing a prequel series to the "Picard" series.  

Here's a panel from the first issue of "Star Trek: Picard - Countdown".  I've read the first two issues of this prequel series and I recommend it for any serious Trekkers.  Pictured above is Laris and Zabhan.  Obviously, they are deeply allied to Jean Luc but their story is yet to be filled out.  The next issue comes out January 29th.  I'm eager to see how this all plays out and whether the events of the pre-Romulus disaster are what led Picard to leave the Federation.  It should be an important aspect of this whole story.  (Spoiler alert from the comics.  Laris and Zhaban are ex-Tal Shiar.  They fell in love on Yuyat -beta!)

Let's not forget Data.  So many questions!

Here he is pictured in what is I'm assuming is 10 Forward on Enterprise D.  I've read Data's uniform is wrong here and it is really the uniform worn on the Enterprise E from Star Trek "Nemesis".  Memory and dreams are a tricky thing and it could be Picard is conflating all his recollections of Data.

"Nemesis" is also crucial to the "Picard" TV story for it is where we lose Data and why the song "Blue Skies" is featured in the first episode of "Picard".  I was saddened to learn (Spoilers for Nemesis) that B4 did not develop the way we hoped at the conclusion of Nemesis.  Now B4 lies in a drawer and apparently decommissioned.  Will the pursuit of Soji on the Borg cube lead to his resurrection? Is she truly Data's "daughter"?  If they share the same positronic origins might she be able to revive B4/Data? If true, I ask again, how the heck could Data have kept Soji and her sister a secret?

"Fascinating".

Speaking of resurrection.

Does the Borg cube count as a character?  My earliest memories of the Cube is to hear it speak.  

"We are the Borg.  You're biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own.  Resistence is futile."

It always seemed like a character.  How odd the Romulans are working on it.  Is it part of their "collective" resurrection as a species?  It has been heavily hinted on.  These Romulans seem to be nice too.  Is there a budding romance between the character of Narek (Harry Treadaway of Penny Dreadful) and Soji?  If you've followed the trailers the two characters seem destined to be separated.  Perhaps this will lead to Picard and Narek to join forces.  It has also been teased Narek is part of the Romulan faction that is separate from the Tal Shiar led Romulans.  Those were the agents that killed Dahj's boyfriend and pursued her to her death.

I wonder if the "Cube Romulans" are the same Romulans that considered Picard "A friend" at the end of Nemesis.  If so, can we please see the character of Dina Myer's Commander Donatra come back?

Lastly, and speaking of The Borg.  Supposedly, the evil Captain Janeway of "Star Trek: Discovery" committed genocide against The Borg.  We may never see them again.  Let's hope that isn't entirely true.  What I would like to see and call this a "tin foil hat theory" if you want, is to see The Borg working for the the Federation in the Delta Quadrant.  That's right, Federation Borg in their gleaming white cube replete with Star Fleet logo.  

"We are The Federation Borg.  There is no need to lower your shields and surrender your ship.  We hope to add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our United Planets.  Resistance is expected."

Ha, make it so!

Leave your comments and thoughts below and thanks for reading.