Comment Stream

Re: PIC S3: The Last Generation

Just to clarify - of course people have differing opinions on art, and what qualifies as "good writing." However, I choose to believe that Star Trek at its best is not simply "entertainment" but actually DOES approach the level of ethical and moral drama. I have been disappointed with Picard because Star Trek in this iteration more closely resembles run-of-the-mill fare on TV rather than making the bold artistic decisions that governed most of its run during TNG and DS9. Those shows eschewed pew-pew action for intricate, character-driven moral quandaries that made us root for our heroes and even feel empathy for the villains. They earned our respect - and Jean-Luc Picard - even as a fictional character, became a centerpiece of what it means to have dignity as a human being. How many people have I heard from who list Picard as one of their heroes and inspirations? How many people wonder - what would Picard do - when they confront issues in leadership, family, and life? I am not in the minority here. For a show to do this is truly a credit to the writing.
This season of Picard is not even close to those earlier shows. The acting is good - I have said this - as is the production quality. But on close examination, there is rarely anything patient, thoughtful, earned, or sublime. There were episodes of TNG where I felt I had witnessed something real of human drama, that I came away from episodes having learned something about myself: those experiences were as rich as reading the finest literature. That is the ideal to which I hold Star Trek - and what I see here is only a faint shadow of what we had before. When I cited Succession and Better Call Saul - even if these shows are not science fiction or are about a completely different scenario - those shows still have a lot in common with DS9 and TNG: they speak about real life, they are not glazed in artifice, and their characters and stories demand our attention, intelligence, empathy, and respect.

Re: PIC S3: The Last Generation

This is the equivalent of Stockholm syndrome of TV. People think they like this when we are actually being fed trash.

Music good, visuals excellent, acting is decent to quite good.

But the writing is atrocious. This is not good TV, not even close. There’s nothing fresh, surprising or artful.

Watch succession, better call Saul and then watch this: you will realize how bad this really is.

Re: PIC S3: The Last Generation

This was such a wasted opportunity.

What trash.

Imagine if they had spent Season 1 telling a thoughtful and sincere story, with each episode centered on one of our heroes (Ep 1 about Picard, Ep 2 about Riker, etc) where we caught up to where they were in life - this season wouldn't have been about them on a ship, but what their life was like in the current moment, with the central mystery of the season being how they all eventually come together for a singular purpose. Season 2 would have focused on how they embarked on that mission - perhaps on a ship - but with the story treating the material patiently, full of quiet but no less dramatic moments - and the natural tensions that are bound to occur between such long lost friends. The last season would have culminated in the climax of this mission - maybe it would be something about the fallout of the Dominion War, or a negotiation with a new, compelling enemy. This cast could have handled it; the audience would have eaten it up; the audience of Star Trek demands smarter storytelling - not this absolute drivel that we got.

One and a half stars.

Re: PIC S3: Surrender

Overall - these reviews are very thoughtful and well written - and Jammer is an excellent, incisive reviewer. However, I think the star scale is off and hyper inflated. Most of these episodes are 2-2.5 stars at best. I think as fans we WANT these episodes to be good and well-rated but watching these objectively, this is dumbed down Star Trek, uninspired and almost awkward dialogue, inconsistent and shallow characterizations, and an aimless, unimaginative plot. The "world" of Star Trek that felt uncharted and wild and full of possibility in DS9 and TNG and even Voyager has shrunk down into something commodified and machinated by the plot constraints of these lazy writers. For us - as an audience - to accept this as even near to quality is irresponsible - we need to call out bad quality for what it is.

Re: PIC S3: Surrender

I actually am shocked this should get 2.5 stars and I think It’s the equivalent of critical Stockholm syndrome. The dialogue is nauseatingly bad “you can’t rush healing” and what used to be expressed with silences and expressions is reduced to waterlogged artificial sounding dialogue. Compare this to good shows like succession or better call Saul and this is laughable. This holds no water and is not even close in tier to tng or ds9. The inability to be critical and accepting schlock like this is a plague of contemporary times and the dumbing down of what’s expected from our art today.

Re: PIC S2: Mercy

So horrid.

I was going to say - before this episode - that this show is Diet Star Trek. It offers a Diet Captain Picard with a Diet Guinan - no calories, no substance, just a sick taste after you've finished drinking it.

Now I realize I had it wrong - this is like drinking sewage.

The plot is all over the place, the dialogue atrocious ("who wants to add some biological distinctiveness to our own" was particularly offensive as a callback to what was once a threatening and frightening phrase and is now reduced to a quip) - and the acting flat and wooden.

Laughable.

Re: PIC S2: Monsters

The worst episode of Star Trek ive seen - a disgrace to the spirit of the show.

Re: PIC S2: Two of One

How dumb.

I’m shocked how far they are leaning into dumb.

What some above wrote as the highlight - Picard meeting Picard - was the poor actor subjected to cliched and overtired generalities. In the darkest of times, there is a light? Thanks gandalf

Jurati singing? Whiplash. Absolutely no sense of tone or tempo in the story’s pacing and control. Her striding through the street possessed by the Queen is ludicrous. So is the quippy Queen perched on Agnes arm - how demeaning to the once creepy and mysterious Borg.

I’m trying to be gentle in my criticism as I only wish for this show to be good - I want it to be good because I loved Star Trek.

But this is laughably horrible

Re: PIC S2: Fly Me to the Moon

This is not good.

I think I've developed a Stockholm type syndrome where I watch the show hoping that it has something to say. The smallest thing that they do well (The Borg Queen) makes me suddenly hope that they're onto something. But when I step back - and look at the writing, the plot, the dialogue, the atmosphere - I realize what a mess this is. Good shows take thoughtful writing, a sense of wonder, and loyalty to the show's characters. Picard does not of that. It's like a bunch of random people cobbled together a show out of disparate parts. I don't want to compare it to Marvel - because as much as I hate Marvel - at least Marvel cares a little bit about the writing. This show is an insult to the great Deep Space Nine and TNG; it makes Enterprise shine; it even elevates Voyager.

Sad.

Re: PIC S2: Watcher

This was not good. The show is poorly written and lacks imagination. Since this is a continuing story of Picard, I expect the leadership, strength and grace of his character, and a story that highlights his twilight years. The strongest moments of TNG were not the loudest, as this show fails to understand. What a wasted opportunity.

Re: PIC S2: The Star Gazer

Pretty good - but Guinan was not Guinan. Her character is a lot more sombre and wise - and her affection for Picard more controlled and knowing, than the way it was shown.

Re: PIC S1: Nepenthe

The emotions in this episode did not ring true. I was anticipating the reunion between Picard, troi and riker however their dialogue was overwrought. If you go back and watch TNG episodes or DS9, emotions are sold with subtlety not hitting you over the head with them. The key is restraint. Watch Odo and his unrequited feelings for Kira and you’ll see how they portray pain. Watch Picard at the end of inner light and you’ll see what it means to miss something. You don’t need musical cues and twinkly pianos constantly, you need silence. I want to like this show but they are trying too hard. The wild girl in the woods seemed fake to me. She came off as generic rather than someone who had truly experienced tragedy. While I think the actress playing Soji is not bad, rikers daughters interactions with Soji rang false.