Star Trek Picard is a revival of an old character from a popular series. But what is it?
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Nostalgia sells
Surely, people love familiar things. From their childhood and adulthood. Or, from just anything that thrilled them. But Star Trek: The Next Generation was a wrapped up story. It had it’s 7 seasons on TV. It had its mediocre to bad movies. It had it’s time.
But now, it’s back. At least, by it’s most popular Captain, Jean-Luc Picard. Why? How did this come about?
Star Trek Picard has a 79 year old Patrick Stewart
An older Sir Patrick Stewart returns. While age isn’t an major issue in protagonists, what will it mean here? The Next Generation had a few action scenes. But nothing complex. Not even the movies had Picard doing anything terribly physical outside of ladders and jumping. Stewart can still emote and annunciate clearly. How many speeches is he going to give?
Will he be arguing peace treaties? Keeping marauders and the Klingons at bay? Negotiating passage to forbidden areas? That’s about it. I can’t see any action scenes happening. I certainly don’t need to see any. Leave the old boy alone.
What is Star Trek Picard about?
And here’s the problem; what is this show about? You’ve got Picard doing something for some girl. Is she borg? Is she an escaped lab experiment? Why is she being attacked by teleporting techno ninjas? Why would it drive the legendary Captain, now Admiral, out of retirement? How could he possibly protect her?
Apparently, in the first trailer, Picard saved some people. He sacrificed something. He lost his…faith in…something. The Federation? Friends? The Prime Directive? I’m not exactly interested here. What’s the hook?
Girl learns from Picard? Girl discovers her place in the world through old mentor? Girl becomes the destroyer of worlds but Picard cares for her out of a lack of his own family? She just likes that ex-Locutus vibe?
Is this just Logan without the…Logan?
Didn’t his family estate burn down?
Okay, future France; we have the technology. We can rebuild it. Boom, brand new winery. Fully automated flying sprinkler shuttles. Grab a pitbull. Enjoy retirement. Work on that French accent.
But only for 2 years? That’s just enough time for a rosé wine. Some kind of future fermentation method? Doesn’t that defeat the point? Picard, what is going on?
Sad to hear about the family getting killed by a freak fire accident in the 24th century. All offscreen in Star Trek: Generations.
The cameos.
- Data is back, or B4, that becomes Data.
- 7 of 9, humanized.
- Hugh, de-Borged.
- William Riker.
- Deanna Troi.
But the question under all these cameos is…why?
Sadly, we could just ask why Stewart is in another franchise. And get the same obvious answer.
Q?
This would make sense. I imagine Q’s obsession with Picard or humanity would be the point. The series started and ended with it. The trial of humanity. All for Picard to have one moment of expanded consciousness.
In All Good Things, Q mentioned he might visit time and again. Just to tease him? Does Picard need another trial? Does humanity? Which?
If so, it would make sense to be about one science fiction concept. Expanded consciousness. Evolution. The next stage in human existence. A technological singularity. Gene manipulation. Eugenics try number two. Cybernetics. Robotic slaves. Immortality. It could be any of these.
But why would a god like species like Q…care?
Vulcans with swords?
Now, Picard is old. And going on another adventure. Because of some techno ninja girl. Now, Romulans or Vulcans need carry katanas on their backs. Are we seriously going to have pacifist races melee fighting with swords in a Star Trek story? Where is this coming from?
Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek Picard
Now this is also confusing. Star Trek: Discovery, or STD, is a poorly written series, according to audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Yet, it’s been getting popular. But not because it’s a good show with good writing. So what makes it popular?
Explosions and camera work?
Has Star Trek, the longest running science fiction show, been reduced to sci-fi? Glitz and glamour? Pretty pictures? Production values?
My video response: