Star Trek: All Things Trek

[Stavrogyn]

Yesterday evening I finished the first season of Lower Decks, and guess what happened? Q, who is also one of my favorite characters (I just ordered a t-shirt with his picture a few days ago), as well as William Riker and Deanna Troi, they all appeared, all voiced by the original actors! You can imagine how thrilled I was

I'm jumping to season 2 today.

 

[Stavrogyn]

Although I do appreciate the deep cut references to older Trek.

I finished season two yesterday evening and in the final episode, Sonya Gomez from TNG appeared - talk about deep-cut references! I loved that because I liked her in TNG, where her character appeared in only two episodes, and because now, in Lower Decks, they gave her a bit of a character arc, turning her into a captain.

After finishing the first two seasons, Lower Decks is becoming my favorite series in the franchise after the three TNG-era series. The characters, the atmosphere on the ship, the music, the intro and the credits, as well as episode titles written on the screen, all of that truly makes it feel like Star Trek to me.

By the way, the third season of Picard debuts tomorrow, and I will be watching. I've read some spoilers which are giving me hope that it will be better than the first two seasons.

 

[Cappy]

I finished season two yesterday evening and in the final episode, Sonya Gomez from TNG appeared - talk about deep-cut references! I loved that because I liked her in TNG, where her character appeared in only two episodes, and because now, in Lower Decks, they gave her a bit of a character arc, turning her into a captain.

After finishing the first two seasons, Lower Decks is becoming my favorite series in the franchise after the three TNG-era series. The characters, the atmosphere on the ship, the music, the intro and the credits, as well as episode titles written on the screen, all of that truly makes it feel like Star Trek to me.

By the way, the third season of Picard debuts tomorrow, and I will be watching. I've read some spoilers which are giving me hope that it will be better than the first two seasons.

All you had to say is “Sonya Gomez” — definitely going to give Lower Decks a second chance now!

I’m cautiously optimistic for Picard S3. I’m excited for the TNG cast reunion, but my primary motivation for tuning in will be Moriarty. I always thought his character and concept had a ton of potential.

 

[Stavrogyn]

All you had to say is “Sonya Gomez” — definitely going to give Lower Decks a second chance now!

I’m cautiously optimistic for Picard S3.

After finishing the first three seasons of Lower Decks, I can confirm that it has become my favorite modern Star Trek.

(Admittedly, I still haven't seen Discovery and Prodigy.)

By the way, is anyone watching the third season of Picard? I'm really enjoying it - it might turn out to be the best of the series. It also kind of reminds me of The Return in a way that many old characters reappear, but you never know when they'll pop up, and when they do, they feel familiar, but also different and new. The story is much darker as well, so all of it gives me those familiar nostalgia-turned-upside-down vibes.

 

[Rigpa]

By the way, is anyone watching the third season of Picard? I'm really enjoying it - it might turn out to be the best of the series. It also kind of reminds me of The Return in a way that many old characters reappear, but you never know when they'll pop up, and when they do, they feel familiar, but also different and new. The story is much darker as well, so all of it gives me those familiar nostalgia-turned-upside-down vibes.

I’m also watching Picard’s third season, and enjoying it. Episode 4 was a great ride. Amanda Plummer is fantastic as the enemy captain. Fabulous casting. I’m also impressed with how they are showing the effects of three decades of maturation on old characters.

 

[MasterMastermnd]

I know many are mixed but I've been really impressed with Picard. Season 2 was a mixed bag but I've loved seasons 1 and 3.

 

[Stavrogyn]

Fabulous casting. I’m also impressed with how they are showing the effects of three decades of maturation on old characters.

Agreed. In previous seasons, Cristóbal Rios was the only new character that I really liked, but in the new season, I find most of the new characters interesting (especially Jack Crusher and Captain Liam Shaw). I also agree about the old characters (I love what they are doing with Riker and Worf).

 

[Stavrogyn]

Season 2 was a mixed bag but I've loved seasons 1 and 3.

Season 3 is by far my favorite so far. I have no major complaints.

Season 2 was a mixed bag indeed. I loved everything they did with Q - from his introduction to the final scene with him and Picard - as well as the time traveling and the Borg, but everything with Picard as a child and his mother, the monsters, the new Guinan who doesn't look or act like Guinan at all... that was just bad. And where was Picard's brother? It makes no sense that he doesn't even get mentioned at all.

Side note #1: I'm happy that Brent Spiner is still a part of the franchise, but they should have made something different instead of just repeating evil genius Soong characters.

Side note #2: the Wesley Crusher cameo in the season 2 finale almost made up for all of the bad stuff that came before. I really hope we see him again, either in season 3 or somewhere else.

I also hope to see Lieutenant Reginald Barclay (they should have him appear in Lower Decks as well, he would be perfect for that) or Admiral Janeway (they keep referencing her a lot and she is starring in Prodigy, so...).

 

[MasterMastermnd]

I've loved how well Picard examines the theme of "losing touch." Losing touch with yourself physically, spiritually, psychologically, losing touch with your past and your loved ones, losing touch with the world, a society losing touch with itself. Season 2 did this the same as one and three but just piled on so much it started to distract.

 

[Ickles]

Just finished S2 of Picard. Took my sweet time getting around to it because I didn't really love S1. Little did I know S1 would seem like a masterpiece comparatively. Really did not like S2 at all, outside of maybe the first couple of episodes. Once the

Spoiler

Los Angeles stuff

kicked in I had a hard time maintaining interest. Just a lot of it was so repetitive, and frankly, poorly written. Lot of clunky exposition, some plot holes that just didn't make sense. It was a mess. I'm cautiously optimistic S3 will be better (how could it not be, really?) and I'll probably start it soon.

 

[Stavrogyn]

Once the

Spoiler

Los Angeles stuff

kicked in I had a hard time maintaining interest. Just a lot of it was so repetitive, and frankly, poorly written. Lot of clunky exposition, some plot holes that just didn't make sense. It was a mess.

Yeah, episodes 3 and 4 were especially bad, and my girlfriend and I decided to blame Lea Thompson (the director) for it, even though it obviously wasn't simply her fault. (Oh my, I just realized who Lea Thompson actually is! )

All of that illegal immigrant stuff was misplaced and handled poorly.

Season 3 also makes some stylistic changes and shifts from the previous two seasons, and while they might seem too much and even a bit funny at first, it's all for the better.

I'm very excited about episode 5 but will try to wait for a few days before seeing it because I like to rewatch the previous episode first, and I watched episode 4 only yesterday.

 

[MasterMastermnd]

Yeah, I could go on at length about the chaff I'd cut away from season 2 to focus more on it's solid core: Picard, his past, Q, Guinan. It didn't need Orla Brady or Isa Briones shoehorned in as other characters, Elnor and Raffi weren't really needed (Raffi was introduced so well in season 3 she could have skipped season 2 without missing a beat), etc. All this stuff forced into ten episodes created a few episodes with just trainwreck pacing before it started to improve at the end.

 

[Cappy]

3 episodes into STP, and I’ve gotta say that the closing credits are just stunning.

Also, great seeing Michael Dorn and his impeccable comedic delivery back in action.

 

[Stavrogyn]

Raffi was introduced so well in season 3 she could have skipped season 2 without missing a beat.

I hated her in season 2 (I kept asking myself how could someone so - for lack of a better word - cool as Seven of Nine see anything appealing in her), but suddenly, in season 3, she became interesting and now I'm glad that she's part of the show. Also, teaming her up with Worf - who's a scene-stealer - in a mystery about a Dominion conspiracy... Very exciting.

 

[Stavrogyn]

3 episodes into STP, and I’ve gotta say that the closing credits are just stunning.

Also, great seeing Michael Dorn and his impeccable comedic delivery back in action.

Agreed on both points. Worf's introduction to Raffi (camomille tea and all) is an instant classic.

 

[MasterMastermnd]

I hated her in season 2 (I kept asking myself how could someone so - for lack of a better word - cool as Seven of Nine see anything appealing in her), but suddenly, in season 3, she became interesting and now I'm glad that she's part of the show. Also, teaming her with Worf - who's a scene-stealer - in a mystery about a Dominion conspiracy... Very exciting.

Agreed, the relationship squabbling wasn't really adding much of substance. She's much better off as this person whose brilliance borders on obsession which puts her in bad situations she attempts to mediate while retaining her integrity, and how that bounces off characters like Picard and Worf.

 

[Cappy]

Currently caught up after watching ep. 5 of STP season 3.

I just gotta say wow, I’m shocked how much I love this season. Discovery and the first two seasons of STP (despite both of their respective strengths) felt very cobbled together by executives and producers for me, but this season of Picard is focused — it keeps the core group of characters tight and doesn’t jump around too much between subplots. Also, all great Trek emulates WW2 era submarine flicks: Wrath of Khan, Undiscovered Country, “Balance of Terror” from TOS, maybe DS9’s “For The Uniform”, and now the Titan vs. Shrike stuff here.

I have some thoughts, but the big thing in ep. 5 is the return of Ro Laren! It felt good to see her come back after all this time missing from the franchise, especially never once popping up during Maquis stories of DS9 and Voyager. I found it fitting for her character arc that she went out in an act that guaranteed Picard’s respect and forgiveness. I mean, it’s obviously sad that 30 years after her intro she is still struggling to prove her worth to Picard, but I think that she really got some closure here.

 

[MasterMastermnd]

I definitely agree Discovery feels cobbled together. Picard feels as much a product of Patrick Stewart as anyone else. Him using Star Trek to tell a very personal story about what it's like to keep touch with the world and continue trying to integrate your trauma and past even though people might assume you should have done so by now.

Thinking about Stewart's fraught relationship with his father, himself traumatized by the events at Dunkirk in WWII, feels very poignant in light of this show, for instance.

 

[Cappy]

I admittedly don’t know anything about Stewart’s personal life. That’s interesting about his father and Dunkirk though. I can definitely see how that might have influenced the Romulus evacuation plot point from season 1.

 

[MasterMastermnd]

Oh, good observation, I was thinking Picard's relationship with his dad in season 2 but that's good