“The Next Generation”

Star Trek: Picard begins its third season with a call for help from an old friend and the suggestion of a threat about to rear its head.

Season 2 of this show was generally very poor and left a lingering bad taste going into the third and final season. Bringing back the cast of The Next Generation seemed like a face-saving tactic in order to win back fans who had lost faith in the creatives behind the show’s ability to deliver. Nostalgia has been proven to be a powerful motivator so reuniting the old crew for one final adventure is a way to guarantee an audience for at least a short period of time but the questions hanging over Star Trek: Picard in its final season are whether those returning characters can be deployed in satisfying ways and whether a satisfying sendoff for Picard and his old crew can be delivered.

It’s impossible to say after only one episode, particularly when the bulk of the running time is geared towards presenting questions and mysteries that will be explored and solved over the course of the season. This is what is expected of the first episode of a serialised story and this a good example of setup with a measured buildup to its concluding moments that answer some questions while creating others. It functions as an episode of television with its own story to tell so doesn’t fall victim to being something that only serves to compliment a long-form multiple-episode story. It tells its own story and reaches a conclusion before teasing the next chapter. Even though the title card calls this the first chapter, there are enough episodic elements to give it worth in its own right.

The episode opens with Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) under attack by unknown assailants. She manages to fend them off until her ship’s warp drive is back online but knows this will be far from the last she hears about this so she decides to reach out to Picard for help. It’s a short scene that exists to pass the narrative baton to Picard while reintroducing a The Next Generation character. It works well enough in that regard despite the clumsily handled action.

Crusher’s ship is a monument to a bygone age; the computers are reminiscent of those on the Enterprise-D, one of Picard’s log entries for “The Best of Both Worlds” is playing and there are various Nik Naks dotted around for eagle-eyed viewers to spot. These combined with opening on the words “In the 25th century” displayed in the same font as the words “In the 23rd century” opening Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan strongly suggest that nostalgia is going to be a big part of the season. It’s too early to say if the referencing will be purely for the sake of fanservice with no practical purpose within the framework of the show but it all stands out from very early on and is worthy of remark. In this case, the fanservice serves no practical purpose and stands out.

This continues into Picard’s introduction with him being shown preparing to move away from his Vineyard to live elsewhere with Laris. It’s an easy excuse to break out some relics from the old days and proudly display them. The painting that hung in his Enterprise-D ready room receives special attention as does the Ressikan flute. As is common for this show, Picard is heavily reflective as he looks back on his life and career underscoring the importance of the trinkets he has amassed and the meaning they hold for him. It feels very reminiscent of the first season premiere, “Remembrance” where he was similarly nostalgic.

Nostalgia in media isn’t inherently a good or bad thing. When used well it can inform great storytelling through meaningful callbacks to the past that feed into the present-day story. In the current era of franchise media, nostalgia is often used instead of good storytelling with the assumption that endless references to things that fans like will be satisfying in their own right. Ready Player One is a particularly egregious example of this but the problem exists in almost every franchise. Picard has been guilty of this on numerous occasions but it has also used nostalgia to great effect such as the meaningful and emotionally resonant use of Data in the first season.

Picard’s introduction in this scene is a good example of using nostalgia because it exists for a purpose. Picard is reflecting on his past because he is preparing for his future with Laris. He is literally and figuratively preparing to put most of it in a box as he eagerly awaits the next adventure and acknowledges that those days are behind him but are important to remember. Laris succinctly underlines the thesis of the scene when she says “the past matters and that’s okay”. Picard is a legacy character within the Star Trek franchise and his past is important but it shouldn’t be prioritised over the present. Those past exploits are impressive and Picard has grown a lot because of what he experienced but there is a story to be told in the here and now.

Another important detail to latch onto is Picard’s insistence that he isn’t a man who needs a legacy. As people get older they often wonder about what they’ll leave behind when they pass away. Picard focused on his career and never had a family, something he occasionally regrets. Insisting that he doesn’t need a legacy suggests that he has made peace with the fact that his legacy is his place in history and the reputation he cultivated as a Starfleet officer. The mementoes he has gathered are significant to him but the substance of what they represent will likely be lost when he is no longer alive to tell the stories associated with them. His relationship with Laris is ill-defined but it’s clear they have a strong connection that makes him happy in his old age but there’s a strong sense that their current connection is as far as it will go so the Picard name is fated to die with him. He seems content with that though drawing attention to the lack of legacy suggests that this season will furnish him with one. This suggestion is reinforced later in the episode.

His planned new adventure will have to wait as an unplanned one takes priority when he receives the distress call sent by Crusher. It’s short but it’s clear she’s terrified and saw no alternative other than reaching out to Picard. She gives him a cryptic clue to lead him to her, tells him not to include Starfleet and to trust no one. It’s very high intensity and a call for help that Picard can’t ignore.

Picard’s subsequent conversation with Laris fills in the details of the current state of his relationship with Crusher. He talks about her cutting herself off from the crew and disappearing without a trace. They also discuss their failed attempts to be lovers which further hints towards the idea of Picard gaining a legacy through the events of this season. It’s a brief yet important conversation as it primes the viewer to expect friction in their reunion which has the potential to be dramatically interesting, especially when considering how close they were years prior.

In order to figure out a plan, Picard goes to Riker who helps him decode Crusher’s transmission to figure out where they need to know. He also knows a workaround that means getting the use of a ship without involving Starfleet. Season 1’s “Nepenthe” brilliantly showed the evolution in Picard and Riker’s relationship. In many ways, it was the truest representation of what this show could deliver as it featured a familiar connection that had evolved over time as different experiences forced their friendship down a different path. It was nostalgia done right as it was easy for the audience to fill in the blanks and chart that progression. This episode extends this by having them meet as equals and working to solve a problem as old friends rather than being placed in a hierarchy where one outranks the other. Riker is shown to be sharp and using a reference to old missions as the key to decoding the message makes sense in context as it’s something Crusher could be confident that those she knows and trusts could figure out. Once again, nostalgia with purpose.

Riker’s workaround is where the episode starts to fall down as the whole scenario doesn’t hold up when scrutinised. Boarding a starship under the pretence of an official inspection -there’s that Wrath of Khan again- and then changing course to find Crusher receives little in the way of explanation. How Riker planned to explain bringing Crusher aboard and potentially getting into a dangerous situation to the Captain and crew is never covered nor is how he plans to get away with it when the mission is complete. It is quickly mentioned that chartering a ship is out of the question though it isn’t adequately explained how so this scenario seems engineered to create plot complications. A more sensible plan would have been forging orders and pretending they were on a top-secret mission for Starfleet. It would have justified their presence and left it open for the truth to be discovered at exactly the wrong moment. Instead, they meander onto the ship and hope for the best.

The ship in question is Riker’s old command, the U.S.S. Titan. It has recently received a refit so that its nacelles are on the top of the ship instead of the bottom. It has been reclassified as a Neo-Constitution Class Ship due to its resemblance to Kirk’s Enterprise. As pointless as this may seem, it links into Picard and Riker going back into space for one more mission. The Titan is an old -though not that old- ship being given new life through a refit which could serve as a metaphor for The Next Generation crew who are doing the same by reuniting for one final mission.

Captaining the Titan is one Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick); an abrasive individual who makes no secret of being less than impressed by his distinguished guests. He refers to them as irresponsible and makes it clear that their journey won’t involve them getting into a firefight, crashing or any other high-octane hijinks. This misrepresents The Next Generation crew as irresponsible and reckless which is far from an accurate reading of them. Their missions were unusual but deliberate and thoughtful was their approach to dealing with a given situation rather than what Shaw is suggesting. It’s possible that history has framed their exploits in that way and the record needs to be corrected but the intent here may be to frame them as gung-ho action heroes in order to fit an action-heavy plot where something more sedate and cerebral would fit their legacy better.

Shaw as an antagonist of sorts to Picard and Riker is heavily contrived. He’s standoffish for the sake of being standoffish and, so far, seems less than professional in his role as Captain. He reminds Picard that he’s a retired Admiral and points out that Riker is a Captain without a chair as a way to solidify his authority while diminishing theirs. He comes across as petty and possessive with a massive chip on his shoulder which is a transparent attempt to have the audience side with familiar characters by placing Shaw in a villain role. He doesn’t let Picard and Riker do what they want so that makes him the bad guy. In reality, Picard and Riker are looking to commit a crime and get away with it so Shaw is completely justified in being wary of them.

Making Shaw more personable, or at least less abrasive and focusing on traits that make him a good Captain -assuming that he is- would have made for a far more compelling introduction. It would also have signified clear trust in the audience to come to their own conclusions about Picard and Riker’s plan rather than being directed to side with them over Shaw. It was possible to create a more nuanced situation here and the episode went down the path of least resistance.

Shaw does live up to what was promised by Seven when she makes it clear she doesn’t think much of him. The fact that he forces her to go by Annika Hanson instead of Seven of Nine immediately paints him in a less than favourable light. Seven has outright rejected her given name so Shaw forcing it on her out of some misguided sense of protocol is deeply offensive. It isn’t discussed but the implication is that it’s not a hill Seven wants to die on as she’s aware her affiliation with Starfleet is tenuous. She mentioned Picard and Janeway encouraged her to join and they presumably fought her corner to make that possible. It’s likely that she feels she has to prove herself and putting up with being deadnamed by Shaw is part of that. She expresses frustration with how complicated her life feels now that she’s in Starfleet because of all the rules and hierarchy. Her life as a Fenris Ranger was far more simple because she was able to do what she felt was necessary to help people.

This contributes to her decision to help Picard and Riker. The whole setup may be narratively questionable but Seven’s decision is neatly built to. She opens up about how frustrated and trapped she feels while talking about the importance of loyalty and friendship. Her friendship with Picard means more to her than the trappings of duty that come with wearing a Starfleet uniform so she doesn’t hesitate to defy Shaw’s orders and change course. She also facilitates Picard and Riker stealing a shuttle; all of which puts her firmly in Shaw’s crosshairs. He threatens her with the end of her career but Jeri Ryan makes it clear in her performance that she has no regrets. This makes for a strong exploration of Seven’s difficulty adapting to being a commissioned Starfleet officer.

Picard and Riker meet Beverly Crusher’s son, Jack (Ed Speelers) when boarding her ship. The episode very clearly points towards the strong possibility that he is Picard’s son and even has a small amount of fun with it through Riker pointing out the resemblance. Previous mention of legacy and the look Picard gives when meeting him contribute to that possibility but there’s no time to explore it due to the urgency of the situation. The escalating danger at the end of the episode makes for a striking cliffhanger ending even if the events leading to it are contrived.

Elsewhere, Raffi is working for Starfleet Intelligence and undercover while investigating the theft of weapons and technology. There’s a fake-out early on where it’s suggested she has fallen off the rails, been kicked out of Starfleet in disgrace and is looking for drugs to numb the pain. That turns out to be an act to allow her to infiltrate the seedy criminal element. This role is a good fit for Raffi and the idea of her being surrounded by the temptation to take drugs makes for a compelling internal conflict for her to wrestle with. Even though her mind is on the job it’s presently unclear whether she is struggling with addiction once again or if it is all an act. Either way, she navigates this world well and is believably a part of it.

Current live-action Star Trek consistently struggles with depicting the settings of the seedy underbelly of the galaxy. The locations all look the same and there’s no depth to the depiction of them. Michelle Hurd carries her scenes nicely but there’s no personality to her surroundings which makes the scenes feel tedious on some level. The idea that the Federation exists separate from criminal elements that operate in the shadows and that divisions exist within the Federation to navigate them when needed is a good one but the whole thing needs to be better fleshed out in any iteration of the franchise.

The attack on the Starfleet Recruitment facility using a device that creates a portal that makes the building fall from the sky is memorable and Michelle Hurd creates a strong emotional connection with her performance of Raffi’s reaction. She was too late and the consequences of that are massive. Between this and the mystery surrounding Crusher’s call for help, there’s a sense that there is a large-scale coordinated plot that needs to be solved or far worse will happen. The attack on the recruitment centre feels like a statement that this is only the beginning.

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Verdict

A solid start to the season that starts to develop a compelling mystery and delivers some thoughtful fanservice. Beverly Crusher’s introduction is an example of poor fanservice as the references dotted around her ship serve no practical story purpose. It’s a short scene that exists to pass the narrative baton to Picard while reintroducing a The Next Generation character. It accomplishes this well despite some clumsily handled action. Picard is introduced preparing to move away from his Vineyard to live elsewhere with Laris. It’s an easy excuse to break out some relics to encourage Picard to reflect. The relics are important to him and he’s nostalgic for the memories they represent. This is a good example of using nostalgia as it exists for a purpose. Picard is reflecting on his past because he is preparing for his future with Laris. He is literally and figuratively preparing to put most of it in a box as he prepares for his next adventure. Another important detail is Picard’s insistence that he doesn’t need a legacy. This suggests that the season will furnish him with one, as is reinforced later in the episode. Picard’s conversation with Laris about Crusher outlines the current status of their relationship before he goes off on his unexpected adventure. He enlists Riker to help him and some time is spent establishing how their relationship has evolved. They meet as equals and old friends with no concept of a hierarchy. RIker’s workaround that gets them on the Titan is where the episode starts to fall down as the scenario doesn’t hold up when scrutinised. The Titan itself is an old ship being given new life through a refit which could sercve as a metaphor for the Next Generation crew.

The Titan’s Captain, Liam Shaw is an abrasive individual who makes no secret of being less than impressed by his distinguished guests. He refers to them as irresponsible and reckless which misrepresents The Next Generation crew. The intent may be to frame them as action heroes in order to fit into an action-heavy plot. Shaw as an antagonist of sorts is heavily contrived. His standoffish nature is a transparent attempt to have the audience side with familiar characters by placing Shaw in a villain role. This extends to his treatment of Seven. She is forced to go by Annika Hanson even though she has outright rejected that name. Being forced to identify with a name that doesn’t represent her identity leads naturally to the idea that her affiliation with Starfleet is tenuous and neatly builds to her decision to help Picard and Riker. She opens up about her frustrations and talks about the importance of loyalty and friendship before disobeying Shaw’s orders by facilitating Picard and Riker stealing a shuttle. This puts her in Shaw’s crosshairs. He threatens her with the end of her career but Jeri Ryan makes it clear in her performance that she has no regrets. The episode very clearly points towards the strong possibility that Jack is Picard’s son and even has a small amount of fun with it. The escalating danger at the end of the episode makes for a striking cliffhanger ending even if the events leading to it are contrived. Raffi working with Starfleet Intelligence is a position that suits her and surrounding her with the temptation of drugs when knowing she is a former addict is an interesting prospect. The seedy surroundings are far from interesting which makes Raffi’s scenes feel tedious on some level. The attack on the Starfleet Recruitment facility using a device that creates a portal that makes the building fall from the sky is memorable and Michelle Hurd creates a strong emotional connection with her performance of Raffi’s reaction. It feels like a statement that this is only the beginning.

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