Here we are with another episode of Picard and continuing the voyages of the crew of the Enterprise-D. Jack Crusher, Picard, and Riker are faced with a bounty hunter that tries to kidnap Crusher. Seven of Nine convinces Captain Shaw to go rescue the group from their adversaries. In the nick of time the group is beamed aboard the Titan. Vadic, the hunter, reveals herself and demands Jack, and is able to hurl the Eleos at the Titan, damaging it. She gives a time frame to decide, which gives Picard time to connect with Jack though he has been thrown into the brig. As time begins to run out, Shaw is deciding to give the young Crusher up. Jack, however, escapes and seems to plan on turning himself in. Seven stops him, and Riker goes to revive the healed Dr. Crusher. Just as Shaw is about to let Jack beam over Riker and Beverley come onto the bridge, and through some very fine acting in facial expressions, it is confirmed that Jack is Picard’s son as well. The Admiral takes control of the bridge and orders the ship into the nebula to escape instead.
During this whole escapade, Raffi is still investigating the attack on the Federation. It leads her to a Ferengi named Sneed, who is onto her undercover subterfuge. It nearly results in her getting decapitated, but a Klingon intervenes while she is drugged up. The Klingon turns out to not only be her handler, but also Worf!
Here we go with our thoughts after this action packed episode.
Music
Mr. Daps: “Another very solid week for music for Star Trek: Picard. I enjoyed it all. I love the songs used. I love the new themes and also the return of some beloved themes. I also like how they are using the music both as a foundation and also to move the story forward. I can’t wait for this season’s soundtrack to be released as an album.”
Murray: “The music continues to be a stellar soundtrack (pun intended). It is picking out great classic themes of Star Trek while creating a new Picard series sound. I loved the use of the Klingon theme for Worf’s entrance. It was a nostalgic new take on it.”
Design
Mr. Daps: “This was another fun week for design. We are getting to see more of Captain Vadic’s ship, the Shrike, which was very cool. It is almost like a mix between a Klingon and Romulan ship. Th outside reminds me of the Scimitar from Star Trek: Nemesis. The inside has an almost Klingon feel to it, with dare I say it… Federation tech for the consoles? I guess time will tell. Either way, it is a very nice mix of technologies. There were other areas that were fun to see more of, like sickbay and the brig on the Titan-A, and then there are all of Raffi’s adventures in the underworld that are very well done. And finally, Worf. Need I say more? They nailed his updated look.”
Murray: “A lot of the designs are sleek and yet great in keeping a darker feel to this season. It gives it a very film-esque quality while keeping it as a great series design. It does feel a bit like Discovery season 1, though, yet in a more nostalgic way. The makeup is a huge update from Next Gen days, I will say. I notice it with Sneed’s makeup and even Worf’s. I was expecting just gray hair on the typical Worf facial features, but this seems more sleek and maybe even a nicer fit in prosthetics for Michael Dorn.”
Story
Mr. Daps: “This week’s story moved along at a fairly good clip. I like the story that is being told and I also feel a bit like Riker when he said it seemed rather obvious to him. However, that is not a bad thing. Sometimes stories don’t need to be all surprises and unexpected, then they can become unbelievable. What I am noticing in this story that is being told so far is that the characters and their motivations so far all make sense. This is a good thing. I am curious to see how this plays out and I’m also curious to see how some of the conflicts get resolved moving forward, or if they get resolved at all. Only time will tell.”
Murray: “I will say that a lot of the elements that are trying to be twists don’t come as a surprise to me. I guessed Worf was the handler. It was easy to tell they would reveal Jack as Picard’s son. But, I don’t think that’s the point of these twists. They seem to serve as the catalysts for a lot instead of the consequence of plot points. I think that’s making for a great story that really is about the characters. Shaw might be an exaggeration of a character, but he still surprises in this episode. The mystery with the attack on Starfleet and what Raffi has to do to investigate makes this an interesting evolution for the character. Overall, the story unfolds more in this episode, though it had a little slower moments than the first.”
Hit or Miss?
Mr. Daps: “This week is another hit for me. The episode was solid, exciting, and enjoyable. My only complaint was when it ended that I wanted more, which is a very good complaint to have. I really am looking forward to being able to watch the entire season straight through once it is finished. I also would like to see a release of it without breaks in a movie-like format. I am once again finding myself eagerly awaiting next week to see what happens in the moment but also how more old friends are brought in. This is shaping up to be one of the most solid seasons of Star Trek we’ve seen in a very long time and I’m all on board for this ride!”
Murray: “Well, if I haven’t tipped off what I think, it was a definite hit for me. Again, this was an episode about the characters and what they are willing to go through. The moment between Beverley and Picard at the end showed how close the crew of the Enterprise is and really capped off what this series is supposed to be about. It’s the reuniting of friends, but also how they’ve changed. It’s showing the evolution of the Federation, but also how there are some that want to keep it in the right direction. This season is shaping up to really be that long movie we’ve wanted for Enterprise-D.”
