Comment Stream

Re: PIC S2: Assimilation

^ Oh, I'd say Data was definitely Data, and Seven is a naturally evolved version of Seven. Picard is a bit more subdued, except when Q brings out TNG-era annoyed fury.

Re: PIC S2: Assimilation

Perhaps we'll learn that Raffi was a collector of antique projectile weapons or something. I noticed it too, but it didn't bother me.

I did feel that Hurd overlplayed her hand a little with the grief over Elnor's (apparent) death, although I totally appreciate the view that he's filling in for her estraged biological son in a way. It just felt that the Shatner Quotient could have been dialed down a tad.

Re: PIC S2: Assimilation

Once again, I broadly agree with Jammer's sentiments. The episode did not quite reach the (high) bar set by the prior two, but it was entertaining nonetheless, providing necessary connective tissue to the next mini-arc of the season. My gut feeling is the next ~3 episodes will be set in LA: 2024 and the final 3-4 episodes will return to the early 25th century for a coda to the season.

I enjoyed Jurati's psychological quasi-assimilation and Pill's acting in this scene...once again, the Borg are menacing. As for the "smugness" of the Queen after this encounter, it could be the Queen absorbing some of Jurati's (deeply hidden) qualities locked in one of those emotional rooms. I agree with a prior commenter that Jurati and the Queen are not yet done with each other and not truly "disconnected." This would be consistent with Picard "hearing" the Borg in First Contact.

Rios has really grown on me. As the scruffy moody existentialist, it doesn't surprise me one bit that he was the only member of the away team to be arrested. ;)

I've also been impressed with how the Seven/Raffi (Reven? Saffi?) relationship is being handled in S2. Subtle yet substantive, and handled like something between adults who have experienced loss and hardship...a definite improvement over the shoehorned hand-holding scene that was just dropped into the S1 finale.

As for Elnor, I agree that he isn't really "dead." It looks like Raffi put him in a stasis chamber vs. photon torpedo casing burial, so we've not seen the last of him yet. But honestly, if it is the last we see of him, so much the better. His character is the weakest and most one dimensional, sorta the Travis Mayweather of the cast. But hey, at least he was less annoying than Narek!

Onward to Ep 4! I continue to look forward to each episode, which is a very good sign.

Re: PIC S2: Penance

Haha. That would be great. Better than Geriatric General Grampa Sisko (say *that* ten times fast). ;)

Re: PIC S2: Penance

@Lee: That's an intriguing concept.

I also recall from the trailers there are some folks following Picard and company around in 2024 Los Angeles with white eyes. Not sure if these are Q's "helpers" or more "watchers." I'm looking forward to seeing what unfolds.

Re: PIC S2: Penance

Another great episode. I agree completely with Jammer's review. This season's off to a great start! A few observations.

-I have to think that the alt-Queen's arrival and/or the temporal divergence damaged the Q Continuum somehow, leading to Q being more unstable. I'm curious to see how that plays out.

-The Borg Queen is palpably menacing again. Excellent.

-I loved that when Seven wakes up in the divergent timeline, she does the equivalent of a Borg "self test" in an attempt to ground herself. This felt right for the character. Nicely done.

Re: PIC S2: The Star Gazer

I've finally had time to digest the episode a bit, and overall I agree with Jammer's take. It pulled me in and the Borg (or alt-Borg) were scary again. The whizz-bang teaser was unnecessary and distracting. I'm looking forward to where this all goes.

Some minor observations.

-When Picard orders the self-destruct, we hear Edith Piaf's "Non, Je ne Regrette Rien," famously used in Christopher Nolan's "Inception." A reference, perhaps?
-Loved seeing corridors and bridges from Starfleet ships again. The lighting felt a little dark, but that may be more the result of me recently rewatching some TNG eps in which the sets were replete with well-lit beigeness. DS9 and VOY had darker lighting schemes.
-I loved how they handled de Lancie's aging, turning it into a little taunt of Picard. The preview for upcoming episodes makes it sound like Q is "mean" again, but I'm willing to let it play out. Q has taught Picard and humanity hard lessons before, so it's not entirely out of character.

Re: PIC S2: The Star Gazer

John said: "Picard, of all people, has said more than once, humans do not succumb to revenge or jealousy or violent rage anymore."

He says this after literally succumbing to revenge and rage against the Borg in "First Contact."

Re: PIC S1: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2

Agree 100% with Jammer's review.

This season had its flaws, but gets an overall thumbs-up from me.

I'll definitely be tuning in for Season 2.

Re: Sobering and trivial reflections on a 25th anniversary

Your secret's safe with us, Jam Man. ;)

Re: PIC S1: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2

@Booming
I always felt the Dutch also have a charming--and at times hilarious--directness as well.

Re: PIC S1: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2

I've started to think that, in general, the proliferation of reviews and opinions on virtually everything has sucked the joy out of TV and movie-watching. People need space to form their own opinions--after all, whether *you* like a show or movie is the most important thing, IMHO--without being smothered by everyone else's comments.

@Boomer
I've stopped putting high value on audience reviews on RottenTomatoes since the incident of losers trolling Captain Marvel before it was even released. People with an axe to grind like to weaponize online comments and it's a sad commentary on the state of our society, IMHO.

Re: PIC S1: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2

Finally saw the finale, and I liked it. I had serious misgivings about the concept of being given a synth/Replicant/LMD Picard, but I thought it was handled well, and to take a phrase with Jammer, "they stuck the landing." In the end, it's not any more contrived than Spock's katra being transferred into the new body that appears on the Genesis planet (Was how that happened every *really* explained? Nah.). I agree that there were some plot loose-ends and the writers seemed to cram a lot of exposition into these last two episodes and could have benefited from pacing the whole season arc a bit better (ENT did this well with the Xindi arc for S3). The closure for Data was beautifully done.

Some other thoughts.
-Captain Riker showing up to kick ass and chew bubble gum? Hell yes.
-The Rios/Jurati and Seven/Raffi(?) romances are all kinda blah, up there with Troi/Worf (ugh) and Seven/Chakotay (double ugh).
-Really wanted a scene at Starfleet Command with Picard bitch-slapping Admiral Clancy before she's demoted to captain of a garbage scow.
-Narek really annoyed me and I hope we never see him again. Narizzo's death was needed, though a part of me will miss the evil dominatrix vibe she brought (don't judge me).

Re: PIC S1: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1

I enjoyed this episode, albeit not as much as the prior three. It's hard to judge it since it was mostly setup for the payoff next week. Soong Jr (if that is who he really is) was interesting, but didn't really resonate with me.

If they mind-transfer Picard into Soong's synth body, that will be super lame, but I don't think they'll be that stupid. Perhaps Soong is dying, or it will be tied to Jurati sacrificing her organic self--I'm not sure.

I also assume there will be a properly Trekkian ending where the annihilation is averted and the seemingly monomaniacal thinking of the ancient synths will be proven false, with Picard and company finding another solution to this Kobayashi Maru scenario.

Re: PIC S1: Broken Pieces

@Dave in MN

We know the alien cataclysm happened 200,000 years ago, but not when the Romulans learned about it. They might have happened upon the planet 2000 years ago and incorporated what they learned into their mythology well after the Vulcans had decided on a pathway towards logic.

As for Clancy, she finally got her comeuppance. Yes, she dropped the F-bomb again, but basically admitted that Picard was right all along. I loved him calling her a waste of space.

Re: PIC S1: Broken Pieces

@The Dirty Mac

Yes! Thanks for nailing that for me. Would've driven me nuts trying to place it. ;)

As for the episode, I wonder if we'll get any hint about the reunification efforts Spock was involving himself with in TNG's "Reunification." They already name-dropped Spock when listing Picard's accomplishments, so I wouldn't be surprised if there's a subtle tie-in somewhere.

Re: PIC S1: Broken Pieces

A question. The musical cue when the Romulan ships all warp away from the Borg cube...we've heard it once before in PIC, but where have I heard it before? Did VOY use it as a Borg musical cue? I know I've heard it before but can't quite place it.

Re: PIC S1: Broken Pieces

I *really* liked this episode. Fantastic character moments: Picard/Soji, Raffi/Rios, Picard/Rios...and the Picard moments finally felt fully like TNG Picard, particularly in his interaction with Rios. Narissa gets some dimension (finally), and although we only get a bit of Seven, her scenes on the Borg cube are great. And my suspicion that Oh was half-Vulcan and half-Romulan is confirmed! As Spock said in the deleted scene from Wrath of Khan, the admixture is quite unpredictable.

Re: PIC S1: Nepenthe

Great episode. The character moments with RIker (who looks like the offspring of Orson Welles and William Shatner), Troi, and their daughter were top-notch. The mind-meld between Oh and Agnes was an effective way of explaining Agnes' behavior in the last couple of episodes. So, we must assume that Oh is at least part Vulcan.

I'll be really bummed if Hugh stays dead. That's different than being pissed because his death is meaningless.

Can't wait to see more Seven next week.