Spoilers. Warning. Episode 3 of Picard.

So that happened.

Yeeeeah this episode was just… the first two I had enthusiasm because it’s Star Trek! Seven is back! Raffi is back! Whoo.

Honestly what the hell was that? Like I am trying to think what was good, what was bad, and analyse but I am left with the fact that I paused it 3x to scroll social media instead as it was just not keeping my attention.

The whole “big blowout” with Picard and Crusher was everything I expected and I am just bored with it. I really hoped that there was going to be something more. Now obviously… don’t misunderstand me. Twists for the sale of twists suck – foreshadowing is good. I’m not complaining because I predicted the ‘reason’ for Crusher keeping the secret of the son. I’m complaining because it is such a “logic not found” argument. It’s a tired cliche. It’s been done. I didn’t like it then, I don’t like it now. I get it people are people and they do human things, they make mistakes and then don’t feel they can take them back. Crusher was scared etc. I get it, I understand it but just ugh.

I did make myself laugh by remembering Bones quote from the lens-flare Trek movie “If you’re going to ride in the Kentucky Derby, you don’t leave your prize stallion in the stable.” because Seven on lockdown in her quarters? Huge waste of talent. Honestly the one bright spot in the episode was baby LaForge visiting and calling her Commander SEVEN. Because damn straight. We can keep baby LaForge.

Also I might have laughed at Shaw hitting his head. I still want to throw him out the airlock but it’s a start. I jest, I jest, obviously injury is bad. Also it was such a forced way of getting Riker to have the command. It was all a setup for the conflict between Riker and Picard and that felt very unnatural, like they were trying to force this dynamic that wasn’t right. It was so choppy, like maybe the episode was badly edited and they cut some stuff they shouldn’t? Nothing really felt earned.

The whole Worf not in StarFleet and the terrorist changeling is a bit confusing as I have not seen all of DS9. I am pleased (kinda?) that the changelings are involved. They had hyped up a “DS9” continuation and I was thinking perhaps that was just Worf’s inclusion as he had done double duty being on DS9 as well.

Raffi continues to be an absolute gift. The snark and banter and the “cool” at the end, also the respect and just I don’t know everything. Worf was kinda weird like he’d turned half-Vulcan or something but I don’t mind it. I wonder if the portal creation thingy that the shrike has was what they were hiding the theft of? I mean something has to tie the two storylines together and the changelings are involved with the shrike as there is one as the saboteur.

Side note I can’t hear “the shrike” without thinking of Agents of Shield. It’s very distracting.

Also I am laughing about the portal wormholes because Stargate will forever be my first love. Something is tickling my brain about that image of the portal thingy being in the Strange New Worlds opening credits but I could be mistaken about that.

Yeah I don’t know. The vibe from this episode was just off. Maybe different filming methods too? A lot of shaky cam (which sucked) and that will give it a different feel. I think it just felt really heavy handed. Like they wanted to hit these beats (the whole 17 seconds thing) and it was just too in my face to emotionally resonate. Plus I did read somebody say about the message that biology is all that matters sucks. I think of Elnor who Picard could have had as a son but he never even visited him. Yet the whole ‘father’ thing kicks in with Jack Crusher? Big ugh again.

Seriously like the whole Picard’s mother storyline last season was an eye roll. But I had some investment because I was pissed off. For all they aesthetically tried to make it look like Picard grew up in the 1800 somethings, it was actually around 500 years later, and yet mental illness is still “lock the crazy lady in the attic?” I mean who thought that was a good idea? I thought the Federation was supposed to be better than that. Now I get the “let’s not trivialise and suggest everything has a cure” because that is also really problematic and would piss me off. I’m just saying have a little compassion and respect. Anyway I digress. My point is the storyline this season is just as eye roll ugh as the mother storyline, but not so maddening. It’s going to be a temptation to fast forward I swear. Not even the Han Solo scoundrel vibe will amuse me forever.

Not a fan. I hope episode 4 is better.

#in which I am negative and I am sorry but just ugh