I did not watch it but spouse seemed very pleased with the main plot and I was able to agree that that was more engaging than anything "The Mandalorian" was doing this season.
*SPOILER*
The idea of 7 of 9 having her own ship had real potential but could become Strange New Worlds Pt. 2. But this very character explored almost everything Star Trek had to say about the Borg so possibly going back to them in 2 out of 3 seasons does not say much about whether "Picard" had any new ideas.
3 out of three counting season 1 showing Icheb, Hugh, Seven, and all the scenes set on the Borg cube the Romulans were researching. Including spending most of an episode there where Picard kept having flashbacks to his time as Locutus.
There was a major Borg throughline in S2, with the show more or less beginning and ending with a Starfleet encounter with them and the Borg Queen being a factor throughout. And the season ends with a status change for them. (Which S3 goes on to summarily ignore.) "Picard" as a whole could pretty much be subtitled "Again With The Borg?".
It's not surprising for a late career act to focus on its greatest hits, but I really wish they could get away from the Borg. I hope this is it for them in the franchise for a long while.
I watched my first episode of Strange New Worlds. It was fun but it had elements of the multiverse that could be in full swing. It’s certainly different from Chris Pine’s and Bruce Greenwood’s Captain Pike. Maybe Paramount is trying to convey a message. Can’t wait till we get to the Archons.
The last Star Trek series that had ANY redeeming qualities was Enterprise. I've watched Star Trek since TOS came out when I was 8. Discovery was nothing but an ID politics grab bag of poorly written and horribly acted garbage, and Picard was an insult to the memory of TNG and DS9 both.
Just another sign of live in a declining empire, I guess--no creativity, only rehash and propaganda.
I am looking forward to the 7 of 9, Jack Crusher and Raffi led missions of the future, “The thief, the rule breaker and the spy”. Sounds like it could be fun.
I am definitely with my zoomer child, Below Decks is the best of the new franchises.
Goldsman specializes in mediocre franchise revivals/movie remakes and desperate attempts to develop moribund intellectual properties so I would put no hope in him. In fact, I suspect the most uneven and derivative parts of all the new Trek shows have something to do with him. (Take a look at his IMDB: Lost in Space [the bad film, not the so-so series revival], Starsky & Hutch, Constantine, Poseidon, The Losers, Jonah Hex, Dark Tower, etc.: I'm not sure there's a single credit where you can say 'wow, fan favorite, great job.) I assume he gets the gigs because he brings stuff in on time and under budget.
Even "Strange New Worlds" only has had one new idea, really, with the Ilyrians; the rest is highly competent revisitation of old ideas combined with a few queasy ripoffs (LeGuin's "Omelas" might count as an homage, but turning the Gorn into Xenomorphs just does not work).
I think Strange New Worlds virtues in part are counter-programming for larger trends. It provides solid episodic storytelling and combining Star Trek optimistic ideals with the of undercurrent of tragic duty, embodied in Pike.
There are parts of Discovery I've enjoyed and I was excited by the rise of arcs back in the day, but that style of storytelling is more common, so the TOS and TNG call back aspects of SNW may not be hitting the newest ideas but I've been pleased with the quality of the execution by and large.
"Nepenthe" was indeed the best thing about Season 1 even if I may have been the only person alive who nominated it for a Hugo. ("Lower Decks" episode "Wej Duj" which was nominated is an honorable entry in the canon of Star Trek hoot episodes.)
Unceremoniously dumping a new young and talented cast en masse in favor of a gang of worn-out 70 and 80- year.-olds was absurd. I never heard of this ever happening before, and with good reason. Why would anyone attempt such a stunt except for those living in Nostalgialand.
I did not watch it but spouse seemed very pleased with the main plot and I was able to agree that that was more engaging than anything "The Mandalorian" was doing this season.
*SPOILER*
The idea of 7 of 9 having her own ship had real potential but could become Strange New Worlds Pt. 2. But this very character explored almost everything Star Trek had to say about the Borg so possibly going back to them in 2 out of 3 seasons does not say much about whether "Picard" had any new ideas.
3 out of three counting season 1 showing Icheb, Hugh, Seven, and all the scenes set on the Borg cube the Romulans were researching. Including spending most of an episode there where Picard kept having flashbacks to his time as Locutus.
I meant Season 1--didn't know the Borg had anything to do with Season 2--thought it was all Q-centric
There was a major Borg throughline in S2, with the show more or less beginning and ending with a Starfleet encounter with them and the Borg Queen being a factor throughout. And the season ends with a status change for them. (Which S3 goes on to summarily ignore.) "Picard" as a whole could pretty much be subtitled "Again With The Borg?".
It's not surprising for a late career act to focus on its greatest hits, but I really wish they could get away from the Borg. I hope this is it for them in the franchise for a long while.
I watched my first episode of Strange New Worlds. It was fun but it had elements of the multiverse that could be in full swing. It’s certainly different from Chris Pine’s and Bruce Greenwood’s Captain Pike. Maybe Paramount is trying to convey a message. Can’t wait till we get to the Archons.
The last Star Trek series that had ANY redeeming qualities was Enterprise. I've watched Star Trek since TOS came out when I was 8. Discovery was nothing but an ID politics grab bag of poorly written and horribly acted garbage, and Picard was an insult to the memory of TNG and DS9 both.
Just another sign of live in a declining empire, I guess--no creativity, only rehash and propaganda.
I am looking forward to the 7 of 9, Jack Crusher and Raffi led missions of the future, “The thief, the rule breaker and the spy”. Sounds like it could be fun.
I am definitely with my zoomer child, Below Decks is the best of the new franchises.
Goldsman specializes in mediocre franchise revivals/movie remakes and desperate attempts to develop moribund intellectual properties so I would put no hope in him. In fact, I suspect the most uneven and derivative parts of all the new Trek shows have something to do with him. (Take a look at his IMDB: Lost in Space [the bad film, not the so-so series revival], Starsky & Hutch, Constantine, Poseidon, The Losers, Jonah Hex, Dark Tower, etc.: I'm not sure there's a single credit where you can say 'wow, fan favorite, great job.) I assume he gets the gigs because he brings stuff in on time and under budget.
Even "Strange New Worlds" only has had one new idea, really, with the Ilyrians; the rest is highly competent revisitation of old ideas combined with a few queasy ripoffs (LeGuin's "Omelas" might count as an homage, but turning the Gorn into Xenomorphs just does not work).
I think Strange New Worlds virtues in part are counter-programming for larger trends. It provides solid episodic storytelling and combining Star Trek optimistic ideals with the of undercurrent of tragic duty, embodied in Pike.
There are parts of Discovery I've enjoyed and I was excited by the rise of arcs back in the day, but that style of storytelling is more common, so the TOS and TNG call back aspects of SNW may not be hitting the newest ideas but I've been pleased with the quality of the execution by and large.
Yes. But I'd like it if they'd go a bit harder on the "Strange New" part of it.
"Nepenthe" was indeed the best thing about Season 1 even if I may have been the only person alive who nominated it for a Hugo. ("Lower Decks" episode "Wej Duj" which was nominated is an honorable entry in the canon of Star Trek hoot episodes.)
Unceremoniously dumping a new young and talented cast en masse in favor of a gang of worn-out 70 and 80- year.-olds was absurd. I never heard of this ever happening before, and with good reason. Why would anyone attempt such a stunt except for those living in Nostalgialand.