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Futurama: How the West Was 1010001 (2023)
Its Futurama
Overall, the first episode of this new season was most certainly the weakest.
With that aside I'm enjoying these episodes mostly. However there are some things I'm not enjoying.
The animation looks cheap, and the 21st century story lines are getting a bit boring. We've made bitcoin jokes in the first episode, but now and entire bitcoin story line?
I just feel that if this is the direction the new season will go, it will struggle. Some storylines will land but others like this will only be enjoyable for the Futurama gags. The professor had me laughing
Overall, better than the first episode. Not awful like some reboots.
Star Trek: Picard: The Last Generation (2023)
The Last Generation
Troi: "Why am I sensing enjoyment", well she wasn't breaking the fourth wall, what an utter mess of a season. I was board senseless watching that, and Worf agrees. I'd of fallen asleep too.
So what happened. We had a 10 or so episode long season setting up some Borg plot. Now again, lets just draw comparisons to other trek shows.
DS9's series final was practically a 10 parter, and it was enjoyable. It had substance. It went about closing up story arcs that had been set out by fantastic writers over a 7 season long series. The final was like redemtion, or a reward for the viewer, a several year long rollercoster of a story.
And this does the same? Sort of? But, it does it in ten episodes. And I simply don't care. I don't care about these characters. They are shallow. Like, who is Rafi? Why does she exist? Why should I care? Who is Jason Bourne? Why is he Picards son? Why is Data alive, again, for the third time? How did we write not one, not two but three bad Borg endings?
Voyagers final was, eh okay. Season 2's "Ban the Bomb" borg where... Well, deplorable at best, and this Season it just seems the Borg were chosen becuase, well... Borg.
Anyway, the NPC meme was well and truly executed. The under 25s walked about looking like the stereotypical under 25s of today regurgetating nonsense, short of a vape and a Starbucks in hand you had me fooled. "Take ship" "Destroy cloak" "fire hot" "eat tide pod" etc. The Borgs linguistic department was aparently disolved, in favour of whatever this writing is.
Jason Bourne is rescued by his farther, the Enterprise does a Death Star trench run, someone screen recorded the Star Trek Amarda 3 mod and what else? I don't actually know.
Oh wait, we got an "enterprise-G" which, well looks horrific because its the Titan. And a spin off show with Raffi, Seven of 9 and Jason Bourne.
All in all, a goofy ending to a shoddy 3-part series. But oh well, its not all doom and gloom, at least they unwrote Q's death.
Curious it is, how anyone writes let alone acts out this stuff. But again, 10 years of this sorta trek, clealy the only thing that's "different is me; I've become bitter, and let's face it, crazy over the years" AROOOOOOO.
Star Trek: Picard: Võx (2023)
Bad writing held together with fan service.
This episode is ironic.
We're some 9 or so episodes in to this season. They really managed to flesh it out this much. Admitedlly a bit more rememerable than the last two seasons.
But all I can say is this. The writing is nothing special, in fact it's damn right stupid. This is most definetly the second to last time we will see our TNG heros on the screen together, and this is how it's going down.
First, recap time;
In DS9, the founders hated solids because they were "aggressive" and wherever the solids go "destruction follows". You can imagine my supprise when they team up with... The most destructive solids who literally soar through space in geometric shapes like cubes.
I mean my goodness, could you actually imagine a fleshed out story that shows us a war between the Borg and Dominion? Ya know, the sorta story we should of gotten in Voyager with Species 8472 instead of that two parter (which was still good but could have been so much more?!)
The founders are playing friendly with solids, and have infected the mind of the youth. The youth are now rebelling and have formed a collective in Star Fleet, sounds like America TikTok ADD youth vs Boomers on college campus if you ask me.
This is really where Star Trek is at. But, it's wrapped up in facade of fan service which gives it this weird feel.
It's like a fake Rolex Daytona, its got the looks and feel of a Rolex, but it's not actually a Rolex. It just looks like one, and for some people that's okay.
Sadly, though the show seems to of became selfaware. I mean, Star Trek has been a overly glossy holographic niallistic vision of the future for about 20 years now, despite the fact when we last left Star Trek, it had carpets and it was warm in colors. It felt comfortable, it was a future you wanted to be in, and Picard agrees. Damn straight I miss the carpet.
This is the sad truth. The set of TNG looks absolutely faboulous with todays camera work and lighting. It still looks futuristic, and that's just it. We could of always had a real Star Trek show that left off where Voyager left us, without retconned visuals. But instead we've been served steamy crap with a short shelf life, again and again from Star Trek 09, through Discovery up until this.
In twenty years, no one will talk about Discovery, Picard or the other shows. But today, people talk about TNG from 20+ years ago. And thats the difference. This episode was a sad reminder of where the show came from, and where it could be, instead of where it is.
Bad writing held together with fan service is not good TV.
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
Belongs in the Louvre
You already know how it is. Four movies, roughly 10 hours of watching people die and somehow it all lead up to this. Incredible world building, compounded by brilliant choreography, acting and script writing.
Every scene looks hyper real. Every gun shot, every punch, it's an art form. John Wick 4 neatly wraps up and incredible journey I didn't expect to go on. But I'm greatful I did.
It's the Die Hard of my generation and it's learned and matured so well. It's a visual spectical and I could watch it again and again. For me its a great start to cinema in 2023. It's got me excited for the next films I intend to see (Openheiner and MI).
Go see this movie and don't make the mistake I did, stay for the final scene after the credits!
Star Trek: Picard: No Win Scenario (2023)
Au contraire
Given my last review I absolutely blasted the show. This review will be slighty different.
I said I'd enter this episode hesitantly, and I did. There was some nick pitty bits. But, I'd honestly go as far as saying this may actually be the best episode, if not the only episode of Trek (eh, I can cut SNW a break) episodes of the last twenty years.
Admittedly this episode didn't walk around a story line that could be offensive. I still don't like characters swearing, but I can let it slide.
Its possible that the writers nods to TNG are activating the nostalgia recepitors in my brain, but its some damn good dopamine.
The episode was good. Did it have much content? No, and honestly had it been written 20 years ago. This would of probably passed for a single episode at best a two parter. The crews prediciment would of been established as a small self contained story that is resolved by the end. But into todays world of season long single story arcs, that can't be done.
There is two wonderful shots towards the end in that nebula. It doesn't progress the story, not that I missed Raffi and Worf. In fact, as far as the seasons concerned. Its nothing suace. But its the best nothing sauce I've had. And I suppose I can enjoy it for the same reasons I enjoy that DS9 episode where they escape cardassian jail in the final 10 parter.
So, yeah. Thats it. No real criticism. Do I like season as a whole? No. But, its not all doom and gloom. For what its worth, unlike discovery and the first two seasons of Picard, I may actually remember briefly enjoying this.
Star Trek: Picard: Seventeen Seconds (2023)
Cursed show and a cursed franchise.
I said I'd give this season a watch, and two episodes in it was "okay". But Season 2's first episodes were "okay". So how did Episode 3 go?
Well it's just a bit disapointing. I came into this season with the promise from YouTubers and critics who've seen the whole thing in previews saying "It's a return to form", "its classic trek".
My arse. The first 30 minutes of cat and mouse was, 30 minutes of cat and mouse. It was uninteresting. Sevens locked in her quaters and guy whose name I forget goes and gets her. He knocks the security officer unconcious, and out of spite she kicks his unconcious leg.
Add to this, we've got yet another dark super secret esponage Starfleet gone rouge plot line with, with female character drug addict whose name I forget pursuing some evil person whose stollen weapons of mass destruction.
The whole Worf and Rafi following some guy on a rundown city planet felt like a generic mission from some open world video game. It had this weird "not TV (let alone Star Trek)" feel to it. Then, top that off with you guessed it? Torture.
You know what was shocking in DS9? Garak torturing Odo. Why? Because its the future, torture doesn't work. Its barbaric, yet here we have Worf, respected Star Fleet officer and Klingon diplomat with crack addict torturing some guy whose name I forget.
Top this off with introducing Changelings has me sitting here asking "really?". Why can't they just be stuck in the gamma quadrant where we left them? We had a peaceful ending? Why do we need to bring them back? We had an entire 7 season show about them, we don't need another plot involving them.
ReIgNiTinG thE DOMiNiOn WaR.
Shoot all the weapons at the ship we've established can open portals. It's vile, don't even get me started on the ineractions between Riker and Picard.
Thil all this just comes down to everyoens gripe with every other show being made by this team. It's dark, it's not optomistic, our heros that we grew up with have been writen as idiots, Starfleet is now this corrupt entity that can't be trusted. And, instead of developing a deep story over several seasons. We're trying to remake the dominion plot line in the space of 10 episodes.
It's not fun, it's not good trek, it barely passes as good TV. Will I watch the next episode? It's a stretch.
Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020)
Eh
This show appears okay, but I think its due to the fact that the other dribble that's been released over the years has tainted the water so much that we'd take anything that's a slight improvement.
I should preface that I don't enjoy cartoons as is, and the only cartoon that will ever score above an 8 in my books is Futurama!
With that all said, this show is for me, the antithesis of Trek. And I don't mean in the way that Discovery or Picard is (They are just bad attempts at Trek).
This show stems from ideas built in classic trek, but does a great deal to defy them and parody them. There is respect to visual and universal continuity. There is good homages to old shows. But, characters are not upstanding, and to be honest they don't convince you of the 24th century that was sold to us in TNG becuase this is a parody.
It's a low effort commedy show with bleeped out swearing because hahah funny, naughty words. (Not that swearing wasn't bad enough in Discovery).
It's just eh. And, maybe its made for someone else, and I'm not in the target audience. I think being a parody, and it also being labled "canon" is a huge problem for me.
I personally think parodys are best left to films/TV outside of the franchise, that have their own universes. Galaxy Quest and the Orville for example. Its far better, to make a parody of the show and the technicalities of that show, then it is to try and make jokes about a universe, whilst being in universe.
I can't criticise it for the same reasons as I can Picard and Discovery. So perhaps, it is enjoyable for others. It doesn't have my type of humour.
To me; Morn as a background character whose existence is a literal gag in a show that is serious? That is funny. Farnsworth making a quantum mechanics jokes on a show airing in the 2000s before mainstream science communication? That is funny.
But others may find it funny, and that's okay; Hence why I'm not scoring it very low. I can see the appeal.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: A Quality of Mercy (2022)
A Quality of Mercy
Deserving of its current raating (9.2).
This episode knocked it out the park, exceding all previous episodes. It had a very authetnic Star Trek feel to it. Especially with the ending landing us in the Captains Quarters looking back on the journey we just experienced.
We had the right amount of dark themes, and are reminded that even in dirt we find gold - This being in reference to the great acting and writing that was done with the Romulan. We didn't need to be told what this episode could be pertaining to in our real world. There was no forced message. Just a story with morals that we could all agree with.
The only negative here is Kirk, this episode would of been fine without him. It could of even been done as a nod in the same light as Scotty.
If anything this episode shows that new trek can be good, even if it took 20 years, 3 bad/terriable series and a set of mediocre films to do it. I look forward to season 2 AND I hope this sets the stage for the writers to get us out of the past and into a post DS9 Series, with a new ship, new set of characters, and a return to good episodic story telling.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Elysian Kingdom (2022)
Ehhh
So; I actually did enjoy watching this. The actors clearly had fun making it and it's reflected in the characters. Pike being so pedantic was great. The set design was brilliant.
Was this too early? Yes. I think we needed more time to establish our senior officers as being serious.
But was it bad? No, it was for all intents and purposes a fun little episode. But, the resolve is why I'm less of a fan.
In previous episodes I've expressed my interest in the father and ill daughter dynamic we had going on. I was hoping this would be a long character arc for which the father would endure self sacrifice.
Sadly, however she is now cured and exists as a conciousness in a nebula. I really did want the doctor to eventually cure her, but this ain't it. They could of dragged this out until her health really started deteriating and the doctor could of taken more greater sacrifices, to a point where he almost puts his career on the line.
So, it's sad to see this story come to an end.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach (2022)
Drawed me in but left me slightly confused
Firstly, it's nice to see a planet like this. It gave me Naboo vibes (if I'm thinking of the right planet from Star Wars) with royal guards and wonderful architecture.
The floating palace etc was very cool. Visually another brilliant episode. But this was by far the weakest *I think* for one reason, other than it had the Picard thing happening where too many things were occuring.
The episode had a lot of momentum but the child's death seemed unrewarding, that is to say; in any outcome of a story, the viewer/reader should stand to gain something, be it moral lesson or just plain and simple entertainmen. Here we gained nothing? Other than we've now seen a somewhat questionable planet, that has scuffed morals, in that they routinely make a child suffer to power it. They showed us, what we'd expect to exist. I expect there are many planets with horrific acts of cruelty. But just seeing them gives me nothing.
The ambiguity of this plot device, means this could be a terrible episode. But perhaps (and I think this is likely) they will revisit this in a later episode.
If that is the case, and they have foresight to this, having already developed a conclusion, then it could turn out to be terrific two part story we eventually return back to. But if they go on and neglect this plot point, it will ultimately mean this is a much worse episode than it deserves to be.
So, in this instance I reserve judgment becuase I do believe that this ending is open and we will return to it in the future
On another note, I'm still disappointed that the transport buffer is the means to which the doctor holds his child, since it detracts from the idea that Scotty first came up with it. Further another tragic story really is just a meme at this point for the franchise ofnSyar Trek, BUT besides that, on its own merits, I'm actually really enjoying this somewhat humbling story line. I really like this doctor, he seems to posses the right amoont of disconnect from Star Fleet, he sees things differently, and I look forward to this plot developing, and the eventual reunification with his daughter. In many ways, I hope this is something left until the end of the series in its entirety.
Overall, a potentially good episode but I think time will be the real judge.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
An absolute blast
An absolutely incredible film. It didn't follow other sequels, becuase this didn't fall flat on its face.
In an era of dodgy classics being revisited like Star Wars and Star Trek, it's finally a breath of fresh air to see something done so fantastically right.
This was a masterpiece. I'll definitely see it again.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Spock Amok (2022)
They are nailing this
This was yet another great episode.
The conundrum that they put Spock into is great.
There was some moments of 'I wouldn't of written that'. Such as the resolve.
But I'm genuinely not convinced this is produced by the same people as Discovery or Picard. They definitely have some Trek fans on a payroll in some dodgy behind the scenes deal. Becuase this really is above and beyond. 5 episodes in a row.
I again, look forward to the next episode. And hope this results in a new show set after Voy/Ds9.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)
Star Trek is Back!
With Discovery and Picard dividing the fan base, and season 2 of Picard being objectively hard to enjoy even for the most avid of fans...
SNW has given a glimmer of hope. I don't watch this show, and get the same feelings that I do from a good Voy, DS9 or TNG epsidode but that doesn't matter. Compared to the other shows? The is a diamond in the rough.
I am thoroughly enjoying it. Each episode seems to take a style (Some episodes feel like TNG, some feel like Enterprise even) and throw a spin on it.
You'd actually have a hard time convincing me that this show has been produced by the same people who make Picard.
We're 4 episodes in, the shows been consistent. Onwards and upwards, I hope this show lays the foundations for newer shows, heck maybe we'll get a SNW style show set after DS9 and Voy with a new set of faces?
It goes to show good Trek can still be made.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Memento Mori (2022)
A very fun episode.
I think many of us are feeling certain episodes have a certain style to them. For me, this felt like a Enterprise episode. Visually at least.
Thoroughly enjoyed this episode.
Only complaint: Shuttle could withstand immense pressure when massive, comparatively advanced species shop could not. Beyond that, very good. Visually incredible. That black hole was fantastic!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Ghosts of Illyria (2022)
Not my cup of tea.
I didn't particularly enjoy this episode as well as the previous 2 but that's because I didn't follow it too well. The story had me lost in the some places.
However others have enjoyed it. Which gives me confidence that we have a good show right here.
And for what it's worth I sit through these episodes and feel as satisfied as I would with a typical DS9 or TNG. It's by far not up to their best standards but it's definitely Star Trek.
The disease was a bit weird. And the whole story was a bit weird. I liked the realisation Spock made of the lost colony, a cool bit of lore.
The Doctors secret is uncharacteristically not Star Fleet (or star trek). Why wouldn't the chief just run by his plan to save his daughter? Seems weird to keep that a secret. I really love the story behind it and the characters motivation for it. But yeah a bit weird.
Like, pioneer the technology, standardise it? Maybe even have that be the story? Not this weird disease that lodely revels this somewhat paramount fact in such a trivial way at the end.
Overall it wasn't bad and it was light years better than the other shows (The Adventures of Space Jesus and Star Trek: Pension Plan).
I really like the engineer. I like the doctor. Number one is a strong character. Pike and Spock are also great.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Children of the Comet (2022)
A critic of modern trek writes...
What a blast that was. I'm actually estatic after watching that.
There was some real trek moments here. The initial opening, the discovery of a dilemma and a wonderful, HOPEFUL resolve.
This show did, what Picard and Discovery have failed to do. It did the thing Star Trek stood for.
PLEASE KEEP THIS UP.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Strange New Worlds (2022)
A good start
I watched this after Picards season final. The best way to describe this experience was, it's like having lunch at a McDonalds in rush hour, then going to the decent chain restaurant for steak across the street
That is to say it wasn't the best steak in the world, heck you may even be able to prep a better one at home, but it was good. It was certainly better than the McDonalds.
The characters were well played. The story was good.
However. There was some sloppy writing (very reminiscent of Picard and Discovery).
There was also some odd decisions. Certain plot points could of had different explanations but yeilds the same reward.
There was also the correct amount of humour.
As it stands, I'm looking forward to the next episode and I'm praying this isn't a repeat of Picard.
I do fear, the limitation that is present due to Pikes plot armor. But beyond that, engage!
Star Trek: Picard: Farewell (2022)
If cringe was a Ph scale, this would be corrosive.
The writters really did kill three birds with one stone. That is, they made one of my favorite character dyanmics (Q and Picard), end on a less than tasteful note.
They absolute commited murder of the creative genius that once was the Borg.
The final event is from out of no where, had no context, and they brought back the awful sheild effects from last season.
I literally don't care. There is so much wrong, so much has been pulled out of the writters rear end.
Almost every prediction from the third episode came true, becuase the writters are so transparant. Q died, and in a "heoric" last act brings back Elnor, the Borg queen we saw in the begining as predicted was Jurati.
And to top that off, a show that once walked a fine line on the science, balancing fact and fiction as reasonably as possible, has now gone full psudoscience. A anomaly at the galactic centre was seen, instantly, all accross the galaxy because without it, this whole story would of been pointless.
We got another "great speach", the use of the butterfly analogy was goot the first time (Data), it was repetitive the second time and when Q said it, I realised that the writers creativity, was thoruougly dead in the water.
The Borg are now a federation ally, this franchises hullmarks have been crushed. I can't believe I'm saying it, but I'm glad this apalling season is over.
And againts every fibre in my being, because Trek has meant so much to me as a show, I hope this here, kick starts the events that gets Star Trek pulled from the TV. Its actually offensive, how low this episode, this season and the low the writers will go.
Star Trek: Picard: Hide and Seek (2022)
100 reviews an episode for a franchise this big, is anyone still watching?
I was hit with a funny dose of reality the otherday. The decline in ratings was no supprise, but the amount of raitings was.
This show is supposed to be yeiliding a huge audience, yet it isn't. What was the budget again? A few million USD per episode? Where is it going?
2k ratings, and a hundredish reviews an Episode is BAD, when you consider shows like Black Mirror and the Star Wars spin offs get ten times that number.
Heck, these reviews per episode are less than the decade old shows from the same franchise, that didn't even air when IMDB was popular! (Most TNG episodes have 1000-3000 reviews!)
That and, the YouTube reviews, that yeild around 200,000 reviews, get about 20k likes, per reivew and most of these big YouTubers are giving this show bad ratings.
Heck some YouTubers just gave up watching the show all together.
It's time for this monstrosity to end, I'm just glad its only got one episode left.
With regaurds to this episode, it was bad. For all the reasons listed in other reviews. Its so unbelievable, the story now relies on cliches, which are a parody of the genre.
The quality of the writing has reached lows, to a point where; Per episode there are YouTube channels uploading 3-5 videos of continutiy errors, both within the season and the franchise alone.
Don't get me started on what they're setting up the future of the Borg to be, I thought Voyagers ending was bad, but this is beating a dead, lifeless corpse of a once amazingly written adversary that, at one point saved the franchise.
Star Trek: Picard: Mercy (2022)
Mercy - You'll be begging for it.
Better than the last two episodes BUT if this was mid season, and there wasn't only two episodes left, I'd be quiting.
Discovery Season 4 was this bad rightout the gate, and I haven't watched it since. Likewise, I imagine Star Trek: Picard will suffer the same fate.
And given these episodes only have 30ish written reivews, and less than 2000 raitings on this site, I'm gonna say with confidence that other people have done exactly this.
This show is a dying part of a already lifeless franchise.
I'm not even going to comment on how rediculous some of the plot points were. The only commendable bit of writing was Q's dialouge.
Star Trek: Picard: Monsters (2022)
"I would rather die as the man I was than live the life I just saw."
"I would rather die as the man I was than live the life I just saw." is EXACTLY how I feel about Star Trek.
This episode, like last episode has not got bad ideas at play. I think everyone can agree that the idea of exploring the Q and Guinan's speicies is a wonderful idea if written well. To which this isn't.
The episode was nothing sauce *supprise*, and once again in the last five minutes I asked myself "Oh god, the episode is about to end isn't it?". Something I've done in almost every episode because it's supprising how little the story progresses.
The writters are onto the right ideas. There was huge potential for this storyline, but it was lost way before preproduction. The stories are so compartementalised and poorly stiched together.
The show is also now bordering on fantasy, something Star Trek has never been about. Leave Sci-Fi and Fantasy to shows like Star Wars, why? For the simple reason as to why Guinan was always a better character (in my opinion) than Troi.
You see, Troi and her powers always felt out of place for Star Trek, the ability to read minds, regaurdless of the species just felt fake. That and also Troi having a limited ability meant it was like having a horoscope reader on the bridge, contributing very little.
Now, Guinan (and Q) possesed more outlandish and even more unreasonable powers, but they were wrapped in mystery. This is the same reason as to why the Iconians are a facinating concept.
Q makes the exception because, in this show and established universe, the idea of someone being god like relative to us without being a god seems reasonable (it fits perfectly with mainstream ideas like the Kardashev scale) and Guinans character wouldn't be enjoyable, if it was written in the same vein as Troi, but the mystery around her character and good writting made her character acceptable.
Now what this has to do with the new show is; We're starting to conceptualise a backstory to Q and Guinan, and I simply don't trust these writers to do so. The scene in the bar was more fantasy than it was mysterious sci-fi.
You can write sci-fi, and leave certain aspects unexplained, but in the case of Guinans character arc, it feels more like Harry Potter, than it does Star Trek. She literally opened a bottle, and the building started to shake.
It's not bad, but it's not great. This the theme i've had for this season of Picard. I'm just lost as to how writters have written themselves into a corner, in a franchise with such a large established canon, and so many aspects left unexplored.
For the last 10 years, all I can remember is people wanting a post DS9 Series. And they've not done that, and in the show where they've tried? They've made Star Wars, Discovery might aswell be in a long time a go galaxy far away.
Star Trek: Picard: Two of One (2022)
Goes Nowhere, Does Nothing.
The prop department for TOS and DS9 created pipes labled GNDN, incidentally it describes this and the previous episodes.
They really do go nowhere and they really do nothing.
The story isn't bad, as a concept I like it. But this awful format (season long storyarcs) makes it unbearable. The story is too long for a movie but has the content and quality which should only last an episode.
It's like I'm watching Das Boot, with worst writing over a 7 week period with random B-roll footage and cuts to black with the timer/countdown from 24.
I like the ideas. I really do, but they've dragged it out too long.
There was a nice callback to Enterprise, Picard gives a Picard speach. Jonathan Frakes is having fun directing.
But when you consider that the ending is always blunt, and half the episode is stock footage of LA. You do just have to wonder why this story is taking a season.
It only just occured to me that we barely even have any character development for this ancestor. The only screen time we've had is her in a simulator and her in a therapy session.
I have zero care or attachment to this character, or not nearly enough given the weight that rests on her shoulders.
It's not awful, but it's far from great.
Star Trek: Picard: Fly Me to the Moon (2022)
A mixed bag.
We'll start on the bad.
The rehashed Star Trek Into Darkness storyline of; Getting through to good man by promising a cure to his sick daughter, it's just what Khan did in ITD. It would be forgivable if this was the first use, but sadly its a rehashed storyline not just from other franchise... But this franchise.
The timeline continues to be an incoherent mess; I routinely see debate about whether not this breaks continuity or if its chronologically coherent, but that's irrelevant if you're having to debate it.
A story shouldn't demand the viewer open a can of warms to make sense of it. For all intents and purposes this time travel is very patchy, and even if you can justify it, its a stretch at best.
There still persists great pacing issues. They literally summarised the stories premise in the opener before the title sequence as "ThIS cOncErnS YoUR AnCEsTor PicARD". I was actually astonished, how badly they covered that. It's not that the idea is bad, its just poorly handled.
This bloke in the 21st century has sci-fi technology making his daughter live. Not sure how that works.
Show continues to feel like day time TV action. I on occasion convince myself that half this story was written in the past, just to facilitate the film crews desires of filing in the modern day, the BRoll of LA is killing me, and the sets don't even feel real. They've somehow got a season set in the present, yet it all feels wrong. It doesn't feel like 21st century Earth.
Now for the good;
The dreadful ICE storyline was wrapped up, I haven't seen any "current issues" being mentioned for the sake of a tickbox (Seriously, if you want to do a storyline about climate change, go write a good series, that explores the issue through the lens of a future humanity seeing a species going through humanities downfalls).
Q is carrying the franchise, when they hired him for the role all them decades ago, they chose the perfect man for the job. I'venever been more convinced in a character possessing god like abilities. I have some reasons to criticise Q's current character development, but I'm reserving that judgement until the whole story line is wrapped up.
There has been nice references and also call backs to TOS, but they are just passing speech. Its not actually relevant to the story, it serves only to say "Hey, these people are canon. Moving on".
The reason franchise like Marvel etc are so successful in what they do (and indeed what Paramount/CBS is trying to do with this franchise, which is ultimately killing it) is that they actually work to link every story.
You can't do that with a franchise built without established cannon, we are calling back to a TV series written in the 1960s before they even knew that TNG would be a thing, let alone Picard.
The Borg queen story line is going well, but already you can tell how this is going to end. It's clear as day becuase the writing is so transparent.
Final note (another bad one);
This episode, ended once again in a way that links back to the pacing issues. It ends at such a random point, and I really can't follow the producers logic.
This episode was less filler, but it was by no means amazing, but it certainly wasn't awful. Again, I'm still watching this show when Star Trek: Discovery lost me in the first 9 minutes of its latest season.
Star Trek: Picard: Watcher (2022)
Strong Start... Now we're here.
Was hopeful for Season 2 of Picard, the first episode was actually enjoyable. But within 2 episodes we've gone from stomachable to outright deplorable.
I'm gonna qoute a BBC News Article discussing Discovery, in which they interview a proffesor of Pop Culture and Film.
""I find Discovery kind of insufferable," Hassler-Forest admits. "Because it sometimes feels more like a TED talk about social injustice."
And that's where we are at with Picard. In two episodes, we've had two segways about climate change, a story line about incarcinated immigrants in America, among other issues.
Yes, these are issues. Yes they should be explored creatively through mediums like Star Trek, But no this is not how you do it. But that's the problem, previous trek had modern, controversial issues. But made a good show out of exploring them through the lens of a devoloped humanity who have developed beyond the ignorance of our past.
But now Discovery, and Picards writers are insistent on using this TV show as a platform to push political agendas and remind us how bad as a people we can be. Its a show, under the IP of Star Trek; Star Trek, a show that inspired literal astronauts who went to the moon among other revolutionaries.
The Borg queen, is one of Treks worst inventions (That's an opinion but I honestly believe the Borg are far more facinating when they are a faceless decentralised species.).
Yet in this show, it's one of the only commendable aspects. I like the Queens writing I like the back and fourth, the statement about "species" and "trust" was absolutelty great. But that's it. They make her powerless later on in the episode, and she isn't scary, like the Queen should be.
I watch this show, and I have to wonder. Is this Star Trek, or a sitcom desperately trying to be politically correct.
And I'm not even going to comment on Guinan, or how people from the 24th century have 21st century terminology come naturally to them, or how they can drive. The watcher was also uninteresting. So many possibilities so many ways to write such a character, yet they chose this intro?
This whole episode was filler. No developments, nothing. Outright deplorable.
Star Trek: Picard: The Star Gazer (2022)
Poor compared to the average DS9 Episode, not bad compared to the current shows.
TLDR: A good start with some questionable execution, and leaves me worried for the future of this season. Was surprised a lot, it wasn't terrible.
The visuals were poor, very poor. The CGI honestly, had me laughing. Granted this show is probably best enjoyed on a TV at a distance, but still. I think someone following a blender tutorial on YouTube could of spat out visuals better than that.
Some of the worst editing I've seen. The shots with the planet Earth zooming in and out, and the Star Trek 2009 style "Spacial anomoly" was, repetative but I expect nothing less from Alex at this point.
Too many random scenes ending on black.
Some of the acting in the opening scene was questionable (But they were extras).
Most shots have this horriable blurring, which I doubt is an artifact of the lenses or cameras since its not present in all scenes nor is it consistent.
But... and there is a but, this episode hasn't been Disocvery levels of awful. I gave up with Discovery Season 4 after 2 minutes. This episode, however did keep me inticed.
There is now a very cliche dynamic to this "modern trek", every new story line starts with a spacial anomoly, of which the only variation is the color.
Characters with awkaward social interactions aren't good now, and they weren't good in Season 2 of Discovery. I wish that would stop. The Star Gazer looks awful for all the reasons every ship looks bad in this visual update of ships without lineage.
Ironically, however the VFX department did listen since the new fleet was spectacular.
Rios is a good character, could care less about hot takes of Whoopi and her real world antics, I enjoyed her character in TNG, and I still enjoy her now.
The Borg queen wasn't ever a good idea, and if you thought what Voyager did to the Borg was bad.... well, get ready. This episode had some moments of hope, and all in all it wasn't terriable, but the execution was poor. This is still leaps better than any episode of Discovery in recent times, but that doesn't not omit the fact that in general this average TV at best.
Really poor choices made with the Borg, granted the story could explain these poor choices, but I wont hold my breath. I'll be staying tuned to see Episode 2.
I'm scared that they are going back time, only for the season finally to bring us back to this first encounter, and have the fleet wipe out the Borg permentantly.
Voyagers season final was a disservice to the Borg, the fact they did nothing to rectifiy that saddens me, the Borg are powerful, they are the anti-human. But they are neccessery. Destroying them would be a great loss to the franchise.