Warning: Spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Episode 4.
We talked a little earlier about how nice it is when Star Trek borrows something from its own universe and not from someone else’s, but as with everything, moderation is the key to success. Otherwise, it feels like there was very little original thinking, and once a little nod here and there was kinda cool, this third and final season of Picard floats very close to suffering from overkill.
This fourth part, titled No Win Scenario, is another throwback to The Wrath of Khan, and we agree with all those as long as they don’t get over the top. Turns out it’s a nod to all of Star Trek, not just The Next Generation.
This episode, like last week, is also directed by Jonathan Frakes, and for a number of reasons, which we will return to in terms of money, it is, unfortunately, the weakest yet. Interestingly, though, it’s quite possible that this is Frakes’ best game in recent memory, perhaps ever. But the episode itself suffers from some very unconvincing exposition, too much cliché, and a strange, seasonal feel to the end of the action.
Related: ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Season 3 Episode 3 heats up relationship between Jean-Luc and Riker
It’s just littering in deep space, throwing away any old unwanted portal weapons because they don’t work. (Image credit: Paramount Plus)
Despite a strong opening, and even a pleasant throwback to an earlier season 3 episode, this episode contained the preposterous notion that the holodecks were controlled by a separate power source. Although it seems ridiculous, it is suggested that this is a reference to the early Voyager episode “Parallax” (S01, E03), where the crew of the USS Voyager tried to plug the holodeck into the ship’s systems as an additional power source, but it only ended. blowing up half of the relay on the ship. What’s more, we’re not entirely sure about the reasons why holodecks have separate power sources, according to Picard, and given that the Titan was bleeding, you’d think they found a way to hook that up to something. more vital.
And then there’s the issue of what is hard light and what is actually a consumable, like whiskey on ice. Okay, yes, but if all of this is possible—no doubt using replicator-based systems, etc., etc.—anyone could probably identify a hundred different ways that 25th century technology could be use to solve any problem.
The pace of development of various technologies is conveniently inconsistent, which is why we are against a Star Trek based on the distant future, and, oddly enough, why we still adamantly believe that the Enterprise is still the best Trek to appear on television. The quality of science fiction is the ability to create a universe with a believable set of rules and stick to them. However, and to be fair, at least the USS Titan doesn’t fly like the Millennium Falcon.
Jack is aging at an accelerated rate, but Seven, whatever moisturizer she uses, we want (Image credit: Paramount Plus)
This episode tries too hard to be a bit edgy, and it’s okay if it’s consistent, but that’s not what this series is about. Cannabis is mentioned for perhaps the first time in Star Trek history, Jean-Luc drops a failed bomb, there’s brotherly talk about getting laid, and suddenly it’s not Picard anymore, it’s Porky. What’s more, these Starfleet Academy cadets don’t respect their elders; it would have been much more believable if Jean-Luc had simply said in his best Roy Kent voice, “Oh.
The inclusion of the Nostromo self-destruct sound effect was. .. strange. There’s an interesting flashback to the infamous Battle of Volk 359, references to “Meeting at the Far Point” and then in the midst of it all, there’s even the opportunity to observe an unknown lifeform. It’s all put together like the leftover surprise you can make from the unidentified items found in the back of the refrigerator.
And while Ed Speleers is great as Jack Crusher, it’s hard to believe he must be in his 20s when Speleers is 35. Who knows, maybe next week we’ll find out he’s suffering from Methuselah Syndrome. (will open in a new tab). Captain Shaw (Todd Stashwick) remains the most interesting character of this season, as is Cristobal Rios in the first and second seasons.
“You had your world and I had mine. And I wanted him to be in mine, and not chasing the universe with his father. (Image credit: Paramount Plus)
Just imagine if a show like Severance was so uneven, from episode to episode, throughout the season’s storyline. It would not be as efficient as it is now. Now imagine how much “Picard” could be. And then, like Snake Plissken in Escape from L.A., the crew of the Titan ship ride surfboards to escape the nebula.
There are some very good dialogues and the scene with Dianna Troy (Marina Sirtis) is the highlight. But it’s a pity that Riker (Jonathan Frakes) has to apologize to Jean-Luc (Patrick Stewart), thereby confirming that Picard’s arrogance is justified. Instead, it would be much more interesting to see Picard struggle with the fact that he is in fact wrong.
Star Trek: Picard and every episode of every Star Trek show currently airs exclusively on Paramount Plus in the US. Internationally, the shows are available on Paramount Plus in Australia, Latin America, the UK and South Korea, and on Pluto TV in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland on the sci-fi channel Pluto TV. They also air exclusively on Paramount Plus in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In Canada, they air on Bell Media’s sci-fi channel CTV and air on Crave.
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