Star Trek: Picard

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baxter
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Star Trek: Picard

Post by baxter »

Anyone else watching it? I saw some fans of TNG crop up in one of the recent TV show threads.

It's slow and satisfying in my view. Lots of fan service (particularly in this weeks episode), and slightly cheesy in places, but both of these are consistent with the original show.

It's actually not a bad comparison with TP in the sense that it is a 90s show being revived with a much older cast.
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Melong
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Melong »

Why, oh why did they drop the ball so hard with episode 7? I thought Picard was fine until then. Episode 8 not much of an improvement. :(
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Hester Prynne »

Just finished watching this and thought it was very well done. Some fan service here and there, but a big departure in tone from STNG. A lot darker and depressing at times - mortality being a big theme reminded me of TR and its overall mood. Interested to see where they’re going to take it in Season 2. Read a rumor online that John de Lancie might make an appearance. I always loved his and Stewart’s scenes together in the original run.
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Cappy
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Cappy »

I'm generally a Star Trek fan (love DS9/TNG, I like TOS + movies), but I've had some trouble getting into ST: Picard. I really can't quite put my finger on it -- I'm sure part of it is its break with the form and tone of TNG -- but around ep. 7 it hit a weird speed bump for me and I got disengaged.

I do genuinely like the characters in it though.
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Stavrogyn
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Stavrogyn »

I just started watching Star Trek this year, and I can already say I consider myself a fan. I have seen the entirety of The Next Generation, as well as the four TNG films, so naturally, after that, I watched the first season of Picard. I liked it very much! There were things that could have been better (it was nowhere close to neither Twin Peaks nor the rest of my favourite series, to be clear), but it was better than I expected, and I'm actually planning to see it again before the second season debuts.

I didn't think it was slow. I thought it was quite fast, actually. And I very much enjoyed episode 7, because of William Riker and Deanna Troi :)

Overall, I love that they are continuing the story of the TNG cast, and I'm very hyped about season 2. Q is about to reappear, indeed, and the premise seems great!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUhBOmt ... amountPlus
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Annie »

Wow! That trailer looks like a movie that I want to see. Congrats to Stavrogyn for becoming a TNG fan. Better late than never...
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Stavrogyn »

Annie wrote: Sun Nov 14, 2021 9:01 pm Congrats to Stavrogyn for becoming a TNG fan. Better late than never...
Thanks! :) I just want to make one thing clear though: I've become a fan of Star Trek in general and not just TNG :wink: For example, even though the TNG characters are still closest to my heart, I'm currently at the end of season 3 of Deep Space Nine, and I already consider that series even better. Tomorrow I'll probably start watching Discovery too, in order to be up to date when the new season finishes (it premieres tomorrow).

I've liked TNG since I was a child, but never actually watched it properly. Then back in January, I started from the pilot, and now I want to see everything Star Trek-related, including the three animated series, Short Treks etc.
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Stavrogyn
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Stavrogyn »

A reminder: Star Trek: Picard season 2 debuts in less than a week, on March 3rd! Looking forward to discussing every single detail of each episode with other enthusiasts here :)
All those years living the life of someone I didn't even know - Knight of Cups (2015)
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Jonah
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Jonah »

Recently I was drawn to watch half a dozen episodes of TNG on Netflix having never been a Star Trek (or sci-fi in general) fan at all. I had seen bits of TNG when I was younger so it seemed more accessible to me. I quite enjoyed them. I'm interested in watching a few more (but perhaps not all of it as it is 7 seasons and I'm currently rewatching a lot of other old showers - China Beach, Due South, Northern Exposure, etc. - and have several more shows and movies on my To Watch list), a couple of the TNG movies, and perhaps eventually Picard too. Interesting to see this thread. I still haven't seen Star Wars! I'm not big into sci-fi at all, but TNG did pull me in a bit. I love the ship and the ideas of stories set there and the holodeck, etc. Not sure I'd ever become a bonafide Trekkie but I definitely do have some interest. I think I would've liked it even more had I gotten into it younger, though.
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Hester Prynne »

Watched the first episode tonight - feels weird disconnecting and enjoying a show right now, but I really did enjoy it for those that haven’t watched it yet.
Spoiler:
Q!!!! Was looking forward to seeing John de Lancie reprise that role. The cgi of making him look younger was a surprise - had only seen him in the trailers as his current age so wasn’t expecting that.
Love to everyone, and hope everybody is staying safe wherever you are.
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Stavrogyn
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Stavrogyn »

Hester Prynne wrote: Fri Mar 04, 2022 7:41 pm Watched the first episode tonight - feels weird disconnecting and enjoying a show right now, but I really did enjoy it for those that haven’t watched it yet.
Spoiler:
Q!!!! Was looking forward to seeing John de Lancie reprise that role. The cgi of making him look younger was a surprise - had only seen him in the trailers as his current age so wasn’t expecting that.
Love to everyone, and hope everybody is staying safe wherever you are.
The scene you mention was the best part; I can hardly wait for the next episode! It's going to be an exciting season of Star Trek :)

I knew what was going to happen, because I couldn't resist and had to watch one of the trailers, but my girlfriend didn't know, so she was quite surprised! She only knew that I was very excited about something we were going to see. I had to keep this secret for months!
Spoiler:
The CGI was a surprise to me too, and it looked great.
All those years living the life of someone I didn't even know - Knight of Cups (2015)
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Hester Prynne »

I’ve made it through Episode 4. I’m not really sure where it’s going right now. I feel like we’re being hit over the head too hard with political issues, and while I agree with what they’re trying to show and say, I think they’re trying to tackle too much at once, and the story is getting lost in commentary about current social issues. I’m usually the last person to be critical of something like this because an artist should feel free to create what they want — whether there’s a message they’re trying to convey or not. I just don’t think the execution in this instance is working — at least at this point in the series, but maybe my feelings will change after a few more episodes. Also:
Spoiler:
I was confused by the interaction with Guinan — are they retconning the episode of TNG where Picard and Guinan met in the past? I think it was Time’s Arrow. Shouldn’t she already know who he is? Or maybe since the future has changed, they never end up meeting in the past? Also, are we glossing over the fact that Picard’s now essentially an android ? There are little jokes here and there about that, but I feel like it’s just being ignored, and there’s so much there a storyteller could do with that.
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Stavrogyn
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Stavrogyn »

Hester Prynne wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 6:20 am I feel like we’re being hit over the head too hard with political issues, and while I agree with what they’re trying to show and say, I think they’re trying to tackle too much at once, and the story is getting lost in commentary about current social issues.
I concur; we've had two episodes in a row that were, to me, overly political. As you say, I agree with the message, but the story and the science fiction aspect are being a bit lost along the way.

The first two episodes were much better.
Spoiler:
However, I'm hopeful that we will see an improvement tonight because episode 5 was directed by Jonathan Frakes :)
Hester Prynne wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 6:20 am
Spoiler:
I was confused by the interaction with Guinan — are they retconning the episode of TNG where Picard and Guinan met in the past? I think it was Time’s Arrow. Shouldn’t she already know who he is? Or maybe since the future has changed, they never end up meeting in the past?
Spoiler:
I didn't even think of Time’s Arrow while watching episode 4, but you're right, and I think that you're right about the explanation too: since Q made changes to the timeline in 2024, our Picard never existed and therefore never went to the past and met Guinan there; basically, Time’s Arrow never happened.

What bothered me a bit was that the new Guinan didn't feel like Guinan to me. It was probably because recasts are often hard to get used to, but the new actress seemed much more passionate and volatile than Guinan that we know, who was always sort of a calm sage.
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Stavrogyn
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Stavrogyn »

As I have suspected, yesterday's episode was an improvement and a shift in tone. I guess they're giving two episodes in a row to each director, and so far, the differences have been quite obvious - but I guess the writers are playing a large part in this too.
Spoiler:
I feel like there's a lot of retconning going on in this season - and the series in general - but I don't mind it that much.

Brent Spiner is back! And there was so much interaction between him and John de Lancie! I just love the fact that Frakes was on the set directing the two of them and, of course, Patrick Stewart :)
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Re: Star Trek: Picard

Post by Hester Prynne »

Stavrogyn wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 2:15 am As I have suspected, yesterday's episode was an improvement and a shift in tone. I guess they're giving two episodes in a row to each director, and so far, the differences have been quite obvious - but I guess the writers are playing a large part in this too.
Spoiler:
I feel like there's a lot of retconning going on in this season - and the series in general - but I don't mind it that much.

Brent Spiner is back! And there was so much interaction between him and John de Lancie! I just love the fact that Frakes was on the set directing the two of them and, of course, Patrick Stewart :)
Yes - I think Number One saved the season from going completely off the rails - at least at this point. Much better episode. Wish they’d let him direct the whole season! My only complaint was that I felt they packed too much in this episode — wish they had more of a build-up and let it simmer a little bit. They could have easily done that by eliminating the unnecessary stuff in Ep. 3 and 4.
Spoiler:
Yes! Give Brent Spiner some love! Such a great actor. Data’s Day has always been one of my favorite episodes from TNG. His scenes with de Lancie were my favorite. Also loved Q’s dialogue about being a butterfly, death, etc. Great summation of this character that’s so hard to define/explain. Also never heard Q come across as introspective in his previous appearances — at least not that I can remember. It struck me as turning a new page for the character.
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