Review of Star Trek: Picard, Season 3

“I don’t want to set the world on fire…” — The Ink Spots, playing on the SS Eleos in S03 opening scene

Season 3 of “Picard” is over and done with as of nearly three weeks ago (from when I post this), and I actually finished watching it a couple days later. But, I couldn’t gather my thoughts sufficiently to put a review together last week, especially after having just finished a review on the third season of “The Mandalorian”. In other words, I needed some space, or time. Well, we’ll see how it goes this week…

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!

I have to begin with commenting on how great it was to see (most of) the old crew… I mean, senior crew… well, both of those fit in more ways than one… the senior officers from the Enterprise D and E together again. And while they weren’t all there from episode 1, the organic way that each one was added to the story and joined the adventure worked well.

I remember when news of the “Picard” series was first announced, and there was concern that it would just be an excuse to throw all of the old crew back together again. I had my concerns, too. But, while Riker and Troi did have parts to play in the first season, and Guinan showed up along the way, I think it was indeed better to wait to gather them (along with Seven) for the series finale, especially as the plot hearkened back to previous events from TNG and VOY.

The opening scene and subsequent revelations about Dr. Crusher’s activities and 20-year estrangement from her friends was surprising but, I think, added some interesting “notes” to her character development — not to mention Picard’s. The whole situation with Picard discovering Jack’s existence and the two of them trying to work it out was understandably awkward and poignant for both, considering what we know of both of their lives (including Picard’s issues with his father).

On a side note, I had a bit of a hard time buying Ed Speleers (who played Jack) as only 20 years old. Sure, he played the part well enough. But, even aside from the fact that he was already in his mid-30s when “Picard” S03 filmed, the character was unusually mature (and knowledgeable) for his age. I guess living on the frontier as a thief and “underground” provider of medical supplies will force a lad to grow up quickly.

Back to our main cast… Yes, Picard’s story continued as expected. But, we got to see/hear some interesting twists regarding Riker’s existential questions and his and Troi’s marital issues — thankfully ending on a good note. We saw a somewhat transformed Worf — now a “pacifist” yet still deadly warrior. We found out what Geordi was up to these days and discovered that he is married with two grown daughters in Starfleet, one of which (serving on the Titan/Enterprise) decided to be a pilot rather than engineer. But, perhaps the biggest character development was that of Data.

Shaw & Seven (Todd Stashwick & Jeri Ryan)

Can we still call him “Data”, since his personality and memories are now a mix of Data, Lore, B4, and various Soongs? (And Lal?) But, Data and Lore did appear to be the most dominant minds in there, and Data even managed to subsume, or even eradicate, Lore in the end. But, not before a great “virtual battle” between them to see who would control the android body and save (or not) the Titan. This was “classic Trek”, and it was wonderful to see Spiner revisit those characters and associated TNG memories.

Both Seven and Raffi had significant roles again this season, as well as significant revelations and movement in their character arcs. They were mostly apart this time, but they found other “partners” to bicker with — Capt. Shaw and Worf, respectively. To be honest, much as I like Seven, I was a little dubious about her inclusion amongst the TNG crew in “Picard”, sharing in their story. But, I like what she brought to the show, and this season in particular was also her story. In the end, I approve of the character arcs that both Seven and Raffi had — as individuals, not as a “couple” (season 2) — and where they ended up.

Speaking of Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick), I was going to include him among the season’s antagonists, but that isn’t quite fair. Yes, he was a hardass jerk and antagonistic toward Seven, Riker, and especially Picard. But, getting some of his backstory helped to explain that, making him a more sympathetic character. And, of course, as the plot progressed and he found himself working alongside our heroes and perhaps recognizing the necessity of taking “dangerous” actions in dire situations, he seemed to soften just a bit toward them. And, in the end, Shaw was himself quite the hero. I find myself wishing he could show up again, somewhere, somehow.

As for those other antagonists, I already mentioned Lore. That leaves the two big villains: Vadic & the Changelings and the Borg. The Vadic character was, as I understand it, written specifically for Amanda Plummer. I get it. She has always seemed a bit odd to me, and while circumstances kept her from practicing much or consulting with showrunner Terry Matalas, she knocked it out of the park. Her mix of quirky and menacing made for one very intriguing and unpredictable villain. Great character, great performance! It’s just a shame that she already met her demise…

Some have complained that this was yet another Borg story, and I admit I was fine with “Picard” season 2 being the last we saw of them on screen. But, this team-up was a very creative way to bring back both the Changelings and the Borg, each of whom had been given a raw deal by Starfleet and the Federation. (In their thinking, anyway.) I have to admit, I’m even more confused than I was before about what the time-traveling events in S02 did to the Borg and the Jurati/Borg Queen. Hopefully, this is just due to my own struggle to understand the events and concepts rather than a mistake by the “Picard” writers. Regardless, the “showdown” in the Borg cube and its final destruction was rather impressive. The Borg Queen was outwitted one final time — though not easily — and got just what she deserved.

Vadic (Amanda Plummer)

I was glad to see so many cameos of returned characters and of familiar actors in new ST roles. Among the former, we saw Laris (Orla Brady), Tuvok (Tim Russ), Moriarty (Daniel Davis), Adm. Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy), Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), and Q (John de Lancie). We didn’t see but did hear Alice Krige as the voice of the Borg Queen and Walter Koenig as the voice of Pavel Chekov’s son Anton, now President of the Federation. (A nice nod to the TOS character played by Koenig and to the late Anton Yelchin that played him in the Kelvin-timeline films.)

Among the latter, we saw Thomas Dekker (“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”, “Swimming with Sharks”) playing Changeling terrorist Titus Rikka; Kirk Acevedo (“Fringe”, “Arrow”) as the Vulcan gangster Krinn; and Aaron Stanford (“Nikita”, “Traveler”) playing Ferengi crimelord/broker Sneed. Dekker once played Picard’s imaginary son, Thomas, in Star Trek Generations, as well as a guest role on “Voyager”. The aforementioned Stashwick once appeared in an episode of “Enterprise”. (Note: Matalas previously worked with Stanford, Acevedo, and Stashwick on “12 Monkeys”, which he co-developed.)

There were several new supporting characters, mostly on the bridge of the Titan, and they all did fine jobs. But there are two I want to take special note of. First, LeVar Burton’s daughter, Mica Burton, portrayed one of Geordi’s daughters, Alandra La Forge. Granted, she didn’t have a lot to do or say, but she did a decent job. The other is Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, who played Geordi’s other daughter, Ens. Sidney La Forge. She had a bigger role to play, both as a bridge crewman and in her interactions with Jack and others of the main cast. I enjoyed her performance a lot and hope to see more of her.

Lest you wonder if my review is overly rosy, there were indeed certain actions or plot points that bugged me. But, I was more successful in curbing my nitpickiness this time around. 😉

As usual, I have a few miscellaneous comments:

1) A shuttle named “Saavik”? Nice homage “easter egg”.

2) Worf sure knows how to make a dramatic, nick-of-time entrance!

3) Why wasn’t Vadic’s crew’s speech translated into Standard? Maybe they weren’t using Universal Translators but Vadic herself (and her “handler”) was actually speaking Standard? If so, why?

4) As with Patrick Stewart, I noticed that Michael Dorn’s voice isn’t as deep or strong as it once was. Age will do that, I suppose.

5) “Resigoo!” Why didn’t I think of that?

Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers)

6) Ro Laren’s final words to Picard — both in the ship’s corridor and from the shuttle — were just what we were hoping for, and secretly handing him her earring was a nice touch. A sad but satisfying way of wrapping up Ro’s story.

7) There were some very nice one-on-one scenes between certain characters (e.g., Seven and Jack, Riker and Troi, Geordi and Data).

8) There was also some greatly appreciated levity from time to time, but not overdone.

9) This season was another emotional wringer for our heroes, not to mention full of ethical challenges!

10) Cool VFX! The new ships and old ships alike were generally quite good, with the latter (especially the Enterprise D) getting nostalgia points.

11) Loved the finale end-scene with the TNG crew toasting, chatting, and playing poker at the old/new Ten-Forward. The end-credit scene with Jack and Q was fun, too.

Before I forget, I was a bit surprised that there were no opening credits this time, as they were all moved to the end of each episode, but I didn’t mind. In fact, I liked the computer screen graphics sequence (station readouts, etc.), the mix of new and old theme music, and, of course, the dedication to Annie Wersching at the end of the first episode. (Note: Matalas replaced composer Jeff Russo with Stephen Barton, Matalas’ collaborator from “12 Monkeys”.)

This third season was definitely the best “Picard” season and one of the — if not the — most old-school Trek-feeling plots in recent memory. (“Strange New Worlds” has some good stuff, too, though.) Part of this was because of the guest stars, I’m sure, but it was also the writing. In short, it was very much welcomed, enjoyable, and a fitting send-off for the majority of the TNG crew (plus a couple others). That said, I am totally in favor of a “Star Trek: Legacy” series following Captain Seven and her crew on the Enterprise G, which it sounds like the powers-that-be are seriously considering.

Make it so!

Fan-Casting ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ for Today

Allow me to say right off that I am not wishing for a ST:TNG reboot. But, I figure it’s only a matter of time before the powers-that-be start thinking (if they haven’t already) that it is time to reboot TNG, just like they did TOS. I mean, who knows if the Kelvin-universe’s Kirk & company will ever return to the big screen. So, they may decide to jump forward with a new TNG cast. (I would be equal parts excited and dreading how they might mess it up, though.) So, I figured I’d throw some names out there….

As usual, I tried to satisfy certain physical characteristics — e.g., approximate age, relative height, general appearance — using the original TNG cast/crew as standards. However, as happens on occasion, I had to ease a little here & there. I think it worked out and resulted in a darn good cast/crew.

As the leader of both cast and crew, I decided it was quite important to find a Brit with a commanding presence for Capt. Jean-Luc Picard. Of course, it would help if he was bald — or would look good that way, even if it isn’t his norm — and had a strong, baritone voice. Now, I only found one I liked for most of the other roles, but for Picard I present two candidates to you.

Colin Salmon

Linus Roache

Colin Salmon (6’4″,b.1962) you may know from “Krypton”, “Limitless”, London Has Fallen, “24: Live Another Day”, “Arrow”, “Strike Back”, or maybe even “Keen Eddie”. I made an exception to my usual rule of not changing a character’s ethnicity, just because I like him a lot and — despite being a little older than I’d prefer — I think he’d be great as a starship captain. In fact, he was the first person I thought of for the role a few years ago. However, if he doesn’t suit your fancy, how about Linus Roache (5’10”,b.1964)? He’s another talented Brit, whom you may have seen in “Homeland”, “Vikings”, “Law & Order”, “Kidnapped”, Batman Begins, The Chronicles of Riddick, or Hart’s War. Plus, he’s the same height and general build as Patrick Stewart.

Melanie Papalia

Armie Hammer

For Cmdr. Will Riker, my requirements began with “tall & (boyishly?) handsome”. The character is mostly by-the-book, but with a playful, roguish streak. And, he should be in his mid-30s. Three other actors I considered are in their 40s, but Armie Hammer (6’5″,b.1986) is a much better fit. You may recall him from The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Lone Ranger, J. Edgar, “Reaper”, etc. For Counselor Deanna Troi, I was thinking “pretty, Mediterranean/East-European/Middle-Eastern look & sound”, and she should be in her early- to mid-30s. I first noted Melanie Papalia (5’4″,b.1984) in the show “Endgame” years ago, but she has also been in “Travelers”, “Suits”, Extraterrestrial, “Painkiller Jane”, “Intelligence”. She is Canadian, but I’m pretty sure she is of Mediterranean extraction. I considered a few others, but most of them are too old. I think Miss Papalia would do a great job as Troi, as long as she has good chemistry with Hammer.

Robert Emms

Alex Diehl

Next up is Cmdr. Data, who should be kinda nerdy-looking, on the slender side but not small, and in his 30s. I came up with a few names, but he was one of the more difficult characters to find a good fit for. In the end, I actually settled on the two relatively-unknowns above. Robert Emms (5’10”,b.1986) has appeared in War Horse, Kick-Ass 2, “Atlantis”, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, “Chernobyl”, and “His Dark Materials”. Alex Diehl (6’1″,b.1993) is a bit younger but has appeared in “Antidote 15”, “Blame the Hero”, “Strange Angel”, and most recently as the android ‘F8’ in “Star Trek: Picard”. That last credit should work in his favor, as I thought he did a great job with a small-but-pivotal part.

John Boyega

Kelly Frye

You may recall that I fan-cast Kelly Frye (5’7.5″,b.1984) for something else not long ago, but I thought she could be a good choice for Dr. Beverly Crusher, too. She has roughly the same build as Gates McFadden, though she is a couple years younger than McFadden was when starting TNG. You might have seen Frye in “Criminal Minds”, or from appearances in “NCIS”, “The Flash”, “Body of Proof”, “The Mentalist”, et al. My choice for Lt. Geordi LaForge — black guy of average height/build, maybe slightly shorter; early-30s? — is John Boyega (5’9″,b.1992), known to Star Wars fans worldwide as ‘Finn’. Of course, he has also had roles in “Becoming Human”, Attack the Block, “24: Live Another Day”, Pacific Rim: Uprising, as well as done voice work for “Watership Down” and “Major Lazer”.

Winston Duke

Matt Ryan

I looked at a few for the role of Lt. Worf — beefy black guy, preferably with deep voice; over 6′; mid-30s –, but the one that fit the requirements best is Winston Duke (6’5″,b.1986). MCU fans will recognize him as ‘M’Baku’ in Black Panther and the last two Avengers movies. He has also appeared in “Person of Interest”, “The Messengers”, Nine Days, and Spenser Confidential. He definitely has the desired physical characteristics and is the right age. I think he’d make a *great* Klingon! For Miles O’Brien, I wanted someone — preferably Irish — in his mid-30s with an average-to-slightly- stocky build. Well, I didn’t find as many candidates as I’d hoped. But, by allowing for someone on the slender side and approaching forty, I decided on ‘Constantine’ himself, Matt Ryan (5’11”,b.1981). Ryan was also in “Collision”, “Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior”, Armistice, etc.

Greg Bryk

Maxwell Jenkins

Finally, I recommend Maxwell Jenkins (4’11”,b.2005) play the genius young Wesley Crusher. Genre fans can see Jenkins these days in the “Lost in Space” remake. Before that he had a regular role in “Sense8” and appeared in “Chicago Fire” and “NCIS: New Orleans”. I think he would *nail* the Wesley Crusher role. And, to round things out, how about a new ‘Q’? Though they can look like anyone/thing, I’d like to see someone who is physically similar to John deLancie, who originated the role. This means a tallish (white?) male in his late-30s to mid-40s. Sure, it would be great to get someone like Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes (too old), Neil Patrick Harris, or David Anders, for the role. But, the first two are too “big”, and I’m not sure if Harris would do another TV show. Anders could be great, but I opted instead for the versatile Greg Bryk (6’1″,b.1972). I first came across him in “ReGenesis”, but he has been in a number of other genre things — e.g., “The Dresden Files”, “XIII”, “Aaron Stone”, Immortals, a couple Saw films, “The Expanse”, “Bitten”, “Jett”, Ad Astra, and many more. Plus, I think he even looks a little like deLancie!

That about does it for our primary Enterprise crewmembers, plus their first filmed adversary. Reactions?