The new season of “Picard” reunites the admiral with his old crewmates, something fans have been hoping for since the series began.
Season 3, Episode 1: ‘The Next Generation’
[Takes deep breaths]
I’m being told it is against the Times stylebook for me to yell out a scream of anticipation for this season of “Picard,” which is essentially a catch up with the “Next Generation” cast.
So I guess I’ll just write instead.
This is easily the most anticipated offering of the new era of “Trek” since, well, the first season of “Picard,” which many fans were hoping would be exactly what the third season is billing itself to be — a reunion of the old show.
But before we get to all that, some housekeeping.
The last time we saw the crew of the Enterprise all together was in “Star Trek: Nemesis” in 2002, one of the more critically reviled offerings of the “Star Trek” franchise, in part because it needlessly killed off the beloved Data. (It wasn’t disliked only by audiences: Several of the main cast members weren’t fans either, as they told me in our group interview earlier this month.) When “Picard” arrived 18 years later, we learned that our favorite captain had become a retired admiral withering away at his vineyard. Riker and Troi were also mostly retired after serving on the U.S.S. Titan, and Data was killed off again, but this time next to a classy fireplace.
The first two seasons of “Picard” have followed a similar trajectory. They’ve started off strong and tailed off as the season went on, leaning heavily into nostalgia as the basis for ambitious plot lines. That would be fine, except the writers have often opted for short-term payoffs rather than long-term storytelling.
That nostalgia has sometimes led to some odd choices — such as Picard not being human anymore after becoming an android in Season 1. The show has also sometimes seemed to forget who the characters are, as with last season’s use of Young Guinan.
So my excitement about another offering of the “Next Generation” cast is mixed with trepidation.
As expected, the season premiere is promising. It’s the 25th century (the onscreen text here is an homage to “Wrath of Khan”). The opening scene includes a large dose of fan service, such as audio of a captain’s log from way back when Picard encountered the Borg for the first time and a plaque referencing Cor Caroli V, a planet where a third season “Next Generation” episode takes place.
But the scene doesn’t feature our old friend Jean-Luc but rather our other old friend, Dr. Beverly Crusher. She appears to be on the run from some shady looking aliens. Beverly has developed skills with a phaser, which is contrary to what we saw in her younger days, as Riker points out later. She’s vaporizing enemies now! (Who says you can’t pick up new hobbies as you get older?) And she sends a message to her old captain and sort of crush, Jean-Luc, to say that she needs him — but she does so through his old comm badge using a secret code.
The fact that “Picard” gives Beverly something to do other than stand around and scan things was a big reason Gates McFadden came back to reprise the role, and it’s a welcome sight.
Meanwhile, Jean-Luc finally, after all these decades, seems content in retirement. He is in love with Laris. He might write a book. He’s ready to move to Chaltok IV, a Romulan planet, where he’ll sip Saurian brandy and wind down his life. He’s earned it. But again, he’s an android now, so he can’t die. Not really. Can he even taste brandy? See where the long-term plot issues are? (Fun reference here: Picard holding the flute from the classic “Next Generation” episode “Inner Light.”)
But Beverly needs saving. She sends Jean-Luc a coded message telling him to trust nobody. For some reason, Jean-Luc tells Laris, Beverly hasn’t spoken to members of the Enterprise crew for 20 years. (This would mean that shortly after the events of “Nemesis,” Crusher cut off her closest friends. Excited to find out why!) Props to Laris — a Romulan intelligence operative — for being totally chill with one of Jean-Luc’s exes reaching out for a secret rendezvous. True love.
Riker and Picard meet up at Guinan’s bar during Frontier Day celebrations, where Picard tells Riker about the secret message.
“I wouldn’t have asked to meet you like this if it hadn’t been very important,” Jean-Luc tells his old first officer. (At a crowded bar? Where people could easily eavesdrop? Of course, moments later, we see someone doing exactly that.)
Jonathan Frakes and Patrick Stewart have instant chemistry, borne of decades of working together. But Riker suggests to Picard that he is on the outs with his wife, Troi — another member of the old crew. (This raises a question: Troi and Crusher were close friends on the Enterprise, why wouldn’t Jean-Luc want to tell her too? Why just Riker?)
Riker instantly agrees on a scheme to hit the road to the Ryton system, like Jake and Elroy. That’s what bros do, after all. They hatch a scheme to commander the sleek looking U.S.S. Titan, Riker’s old command. Another nice traditional “Trek” moment: glamour shots of the exterior. (I hate to be that guy, but Beverly’s message specifically said not to involve Starfleet. So why would Riker and Picard center their plan on using a Starfleet ship? Surely, they can find another deep space charter. OK, I admit it: I don’t hate being that guy.)
The Titan is commanded by Captain Shaw, played by the charming Todd Stashwick. He is a magnetic presence, but Shaw’s previous post appears have been on the U.S.S. Jerkface, because he is, without explanation, rude and dismissive of two legendary Starfleet officers. He doesn’t even greet them when they arrive, instead sending Seven of Nine — er, Commander Annika Hansen. Shaw also isn’t on the bridge to greet visitors for what is apparently an inspection or giving orders when the ship leaves spacedock. (Picard gives the order to Seven to take out the ship. Why isn’t Shaw doing that?) Almost every single sentence uttered by Shaw is dripping with condescending rudeness.
“Captain Shaw prefers I use Hansen,” Seven tells Jean-Luc. Since when does a Starfleet captain in the 25th century get to decide what your name is? (We’re going to use Seven for now, since that’s what she’s known as mostly throughout the “Trek” universe.)
It’s a strange dynamic and here’s the problem: Shaw is painted as the unlikable villain of the episode. Seven even says that Shaw’s behavior is making her reconsider joining Starfleet. But Shaw’s stance is absolutely correct. When Riker says he wants to unexpectedly divert the ship to the Ryton system, Shaw says, “That’s at the edge of Federation space at the opposite direction of our intended course — twice the time.”
He’s been given no heads up on this mission. Jean-Luc may be an admiral, but he is retired. Riker doesn’t even outrank Shaw. Why would he follow this clearly suspicious order that comes out of nowhere with no real explanation other than bragging rights? Picard makes it all the more weird when he says they’ll end up at Deep Space 4, which, as Shaw notes, has been shut down. (Picard should know better. In the “Next Generation” episode “The Pegasus,” Picard defies an admiral who tries to take command of the Enterprise.) As far as Seven goes, seen through another lens, Shaw trusting her to take the ship out of spacedock without him needing to be there is an example of him having faith in her.
Seven quickly breaks Shaw’s faith by sending the ship to the Ryton section anyway. This area of space is outside the Federation’s jurisdiction and far away from Earth, so it must have taken a long time to get there, even at maximum warp. Is Shaw such a detached captain that he doesn’t notice when his ship goes in the opposite direction? Especially given his fondness for rules and regulations? Despite Shaw’s personality flaws, all his actions showed me in this episode is that he’s a competent Starfleet captain who can see through blatant lies.
The episode ends with intrigue on Beverly’s ship when Riker and Picard meet — dun, dun, dun — her son. (There is an explicit reference that Picard and Crusher actually were lovers, when Picard says that he made her a mixtape.)
All in all, a fun episode. Seeing Riker and Jean-Luc interact like the old friends that they are went down easy like a glass of Chateau Picard. My excitement — and my trepidation — remains high.
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