RED ALERT! This roundtable dialogue incorporates spoilers for the whole lot of Star Trek: Picard, together with the sequence finale, “The Last Generation,” out there for streaming on Paramount+ now.
Following The Beat’s midseason roundtable and the conclusive episode of Picard, “The Last Generation,” we obtained the crew again collectively for a ultimate dialog on the season and the sequence. Warp me!
What did you consider the Picard sequence finale?
Dean Simons: It was nice. Corny as hell in locations however had some nice moments. Also some irritating elements. Overall I got here out hoping to see issues proceed.
That mentioned, the precise ending itself had every kind of nonsense – one in all which has me asking: What on earth is a counselor to the ship’s captain?
Kelas Lloyd: It had some nice moments, significantly Data’s personhood being acknowledged as everybody selected to belief him; that bit with him and Geordi was actually nice. I additionally appreciated how calm the ‘away team’ was about it probably being their time to go.
On the opposite hand, Riker and Troi making enjoyable of Data, the way in which the entire leaving-the-collective was really easy, how there was no tie-in to Jurati’s borg when it will have made sense, and the way we obtained tender and/or foolish moments with all of the het {couples} however not the only homosexual couple bothered me, on prime of some different issues.
Rebecca Oliver Kaplan: Dean, don’t you’re feeling like he’s in the same position as Troi in TNG, however together with his extra-legal experience as a substitute of Betazoid talents (though we don’t know if there are lingering results from his Võx-ification). He is on Seven’s left-hand aspect simply as Troi was on his dad’s left.
Kelas, that’s a terrific level about Data. I’ve loved the exploration of personhood in Star Trek. I really like episodes like Star Trek: Voyager’s “Author, Author” that discover the authorized idea of personhood, but in addition episodes that spotlight the social facet of it as effectively. I additionally needed to see extra Seven and Raffi. I respect Matalas listening to followers and rethinking his resolution to not embody extra of their relationship this season.
George Carmona third: I really feel like they caught the touchdown and left room for the New Next Generation. It was visually gorgeous, particularly being one of many fortunate few to see it on an Imax display. Was it excellent, no, but it surely did cross the ending line higher than the final two seasons. There have been some nice performing moments that basically had me considering this was going to be the tip for a couple of of our favorites. Overall it was a satisfying and pleasant near a sequence that almost all of us thought we’d by no means get to revisit exterior of books after the poor efficiency of Nemesis.
What did you consider Picard season 3 as an entire?
Dean: A enjoyable trip, uneven at occasions. Not sure it ought to have been known as Picard season 3 although.
Also, the reveal that the large unhealthy was the Borg grated. The Changeling angle made me assume a extra complicated conspiracy was at work. When it was revealed that it was the Borg all alongside – whereas it made complete sense and was effectively constructed, felt fairly unimaginative.
Kelas: It’s a nostalgia journey crammed with missed alternatives and questionable themes and concepts. Picard reacted to virtually all the things with worry and ego, and but solely Shaw questioned him. You may really feel the absence of Raffi, Elnor, and Rios particularly right here. And sure, Raffi was on this season however didn’t actually work together with Picard in any respect. Like Dean mentioned, I don’t assume it ought to have been known as Picard season 3 when it discarded a lot of what the earlier 2 seasons had and did. It’s a TNG mini-series with Voyager cameos and a single Picard cameo.
George: I agree, it was a enjoyable nostalgia journey with some nice callbacks to the franchise, however I did miss characters like Elnor and Laris, there may have been some nice interactions between Worf and Elnor or Laris and Beverly. I did love Vadic and Shaw as a part of the ensemble.
Dean: Hell sure.
Kelas: Potentially. I’d need one thing deeper than Picard season 3, although.
Avery Kaplan: Yes, however I’d favor the continuation to be a Star Trek present as a substitute of a Star Trek film. I assume it made sense to make Picard season 3 extra cinematic, however now I’d wish to see the G on extra episodic (and at the least generally lower-stakes) missions. It can return to movie-level missions later!
Kelas: Also longer seasons, please, for the love of all the things, so there’s time for actual character, relationship, and world growth.
Rebecca Oliver: I miss the 22-episode seasons, to be trustworthy. I feel we spent a whole lot of the season getting everybody collectively, so there wasn’t actually time to name Picard on his bullshit or discover the brand new characters sufficient. I do agree in regards to the s1 & 2 forged being higher at calling Picard out, however I feel that Shaw made some effort at mentioning that almost all of Picard’s “saving the day” is after he’s endangered it. I do assume all three seasons have been deconstructing what have been considered his triumphs, and exhibiting them as faults: his failure to attach with others, his mishandling of conditions like Ro and Hugh, the fallout of Wolf 359, his incapacity to carry significant decision to the Romulan conflicts, his failure as father determine, and so forth.
I simply need my lesbian present on the Enterprise-G. I really like the thought of rewriting the principles of Starfleet. In actuality, the lads have by no means adopted the Prime Directive, and I’m able to see a girl get to be a rule breaker too.
Kelas: Shaw positively tried, however I felt like Picard couldn’t care much less what Shaw thought, and the deconstruction fell aside on the finish when he will get all the things – the large rattling hero second, his son, a brand new Enterprise, and so forth. But sure please allow us to have extra queer house issues, particularly with Discovery ending.
George: Always. This final season laid the bottom for some fascinating plot threads, like a brand new menace with the rouge Changelings to reconstructing the Fleet and the emotional restoration of a complete era of Starfleet personnel, and we nonetheless don’t totally know the total political panorama of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, the place are the Klingons and Cardassians? Or with a purpose to go to the Gamma Quadrant, new alternatives to get again to exploring.
Kelas: I’d kill for Garak to be the shadowy second of the Cardassian chief, whereas married to Bashir.
Dean: Worf. Worf. Always Worf. Seeing him turn out to be extra at peace inside himself but nonetheless be a hilarious badass made him unbelievable. And his virtually paternal partnership with Rafi added further icing to the Klingon cake.
Kelas: Worf, Geordi, Data, and Raffi, whoops. Worf grew on DS9 and it was nice to see he’s nonetheless had a journey. He felt like he’d really lived and grown within the years between. Geordi having a household and being protecting of them was neat, however I actually favored his dialogue of his relationship with Data after which being reunited. Data’s quest to turn out to be extra human reaching its endpoint was satisfying. And Raffi getting her household connection again felt good; I’m glad she’s again with Seven and I did get pleasure from her relationship with Worf as effectively.
Avery: I used to be an enormous fan of Seven, Raffi, Worf, and Data this season. Since I feel Kelas and Dean have lined the remainder fairly effectively, I’ll say I discovered Seven’s arc this season very effectively achieved. I feel it’s bullshit that she has to combat for her identify however as somebody who has needed to do the identical, I discovered it cathartic to observe her overcome the problem. I’m hoping we get to see the highlight on Captain Seven and First Officer Raffi (who I assume will get again collectively romantically as effectively) aboard the Enterprise-G.
George: Not a lot a favourite character however some favourite relationships. Shaw and Seven are on the prime, the primary time we see him, like most followers I used to be within the “F” this man camp together with his dismissal of Picard and Riker and particularly his therapy of Seven, however together with his Wolf 359 monologue, evolving relationship with Seven figuring out how one can discover the saboteur and saving the Titan, to his endorsement of her being made a captain, they have been a spotlight for me this season. I used to be additionally impressed with what they did with Riker and his interactions with virtually everybody, Frakes put in work in entrance and behind the digital camera. And in fact Worf and Raffaela, I can’t consider her as Raffi anymore, if we discover out that Legacy was a buddy trek present with these two, I’d be past ecstatic.
Was there a personality you thought was misused, underused, and/or ought to have been used extra?
Dean: Nearly the entire new characters from Picard seasons one and two i felt have been thrown to the curb. And I really feel sore about Laris not even getting a final scene.
Kelas: Echoing Dean and including Lore. Elnor was Picard’s surrogate son in a means, so not having him alongside when Jack’s round feels low-cost. Laris, my beloved, obtained so freaking shortchanged between Zhaban being offed off-screen after which left behind on Earth. I’ll by no means be cool with how they deserted Rios as a substitute of bringing his new household to the longer term. Agnes may have match into s3 in a really totally different means as a substitute of the beautiful run-of-the-mill blow-it-up answer. And then Lore, oh boy. I may write issues about Lore, however briefly Data and Lore even touched on it – he by no means was given affection, a house, a household, an opportunity. I did like that he was partially the agent of his personal destruction, however I assume I kinda needed extra of Data and Co. seeing him for his wounds. Even Vadic obtained that recognition.
Avery: I need to see extra of each the La Forge sisters. While we obtained to know Sidney a bit higher than Alandra, I’d like extra of each (collectively & aside). I’m curious if Alandra was transferred to the Enterprise to fill their want for a Head of Engineering. I used to be additionally bummed to see T’Veen die so quickly, and am now hoping we’ll at the least see her on Lower Decks or Prodigy (if she doesn’t outright make a journey to the Black Mountain).
George: I feel we’re all in settlement with the sidelining of the majority of the La Sirena crew, past the potential Jack and Elnor sibling rivalry, what would Picard or Raffi have achieved if Elnor have been assimilated? Laris would have been instrumental in serving to to uncover the Changling conspiracy, and to simply have her exit stage proper with no rationalization of their standing after was simply unhealthy. And no matter occurred to Number One? We noticed this canine as soon as and that was it, did the Romulans kill him once they attacked Picard at residence?
Dean: Maybe the changelings killed them each off-screen. While season 3 had an honest sufficient plot over 2, I felt uncomfortable that they junked a whole lot of the good things from seasons one and two simply to have all-out fan service for Next Gen nostalgists. I loved the fan service however as soon as the crew was all collectively it felt like issues obtained foolish fairly shortly.
Avery: You do see Number One briefly at the start of season 2, so he survived the Romulan assault, at the least. And a doppelgänger canine in 2024 LA (within the episode “Watcher”) would possibly counsel he’s extra like Gary Seven’s cat Isis, or one thing.
Tell me all of your ideas on Q.
Dean: He exams me. And not in a great way. Especially once I form of favored that he had a little bit of an arc in season 2.
Kelas: I really like Q a lot, and I felt just like the s2 send-off was stunning. I get that this ‘return’ is simply an out-of-chronological-order factor, additionally I feel his cape is nice, but it surely nonetheless feels prefer it undermines the parting.
S2’s finish for him was bittersweet. He mentioned his goodbye, messed together with his Capitaine yet one more time, and set issues roughly proper. That being mentioned, now that it’s been undermined they higher maintain utilizing him.
Rebecca Oliver: I mainly agree with all the things. I didn’t hate it, however I didn’t find it irresistible both. Who doesn’t love John de Lancie? FYI, hearken to Marvel’s Squirrel Girl: The Unbeatable Radio Show!. He voices the Vulture. But as for the re-appearance of Q, I’d have most popular Wesley or Q’s son.
George: Not a fan. I really like de Lancie’s Q and felt they gave him a strong send-off in season 2. To backtrack and convey him again was a mistake, if something they missed a chance to usher in a brand new actor to play Q’s son or gender swap and proceed Q’s legacy alongside this new crew.
Supplementary Log
George: One of the largest nitpicks is the erasure of the Titan’s legacy to make means for the Enterprise-G. Yes, they foreshadowed a comeback when Jack mentioned he beloved the look of the Constitution class, and I really like the look of the Titan too, however I’m positive there was one other Neo-Constitution class ship they may have refit for the G.
Kelas: It kinda looks like a mirrored image of the sequence.
The Titan is not any extra, right here’s the Enterprise-G, the La Sirena crew is scattered to the wind, listed below are the TNG folks.
Dean: Picard is not any extra – it’s now Next Generation.
The entirety of Picard is out there for streaming on Paramount+ now.
Read all of The Beat’s Star Trek protection by clicking right here! Plus, keep tuned as we boldly head into Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, launching June 15th, 2023 on Paramount+.
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