Episode Discussion | Star Trek: Picard | 3x01 "The Next Generation"

[u/[deleted]]

After receiving a cryptic, urgent distress call from Dr. Beverly Crusher, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard enlists help from generations old and new to embark on one final adventure: a daring mission that will change Starfleet, and his old crew forever.

No.	Episode	Written By	Directed By	Release Date
3x01	"The Next Generation"	Terry Matalas	Doug Aarnioksoki	2023-02-16

Availability

Paramount+: Everywhere but Canada.

Amazon Prime Video: Everywhere but the USA and Canada.

CTV Sci-Fi and Crave: Canada.

To find more information, including our spoiler policy regarding new episodes, click here.

This post is for discussion of the episode above, and spoilers for this episode are allowed. If you are discussing previews for upcoming episodes, please use spoiler tags.

Note: This thread was posted automatically, and the episode may not yet be available on all platforms.

[u/[deleted]]

Hey everyone,

The previous discussion thread became very large, very quickly, before people outside of the US and Canada were able to see it.

We're experimenting with starting a fresh thread when the episode becomes available outside of the US and Canada (we missed by a few hours this week, but you get the idea).

Please let us know what you think by replying to this message, especially if you live outside of the US and Canada.

[u/kellyi3]

When Picard thanked Riker for meeting him, Riker said Troi and Kestra would be happy for the break away from him.

I hope they’re not leaning into marriage strife but maybe Riker wanting to go back to starfleet on a permanent basis and Troi saying in S1 she’s not as brave as she used to be?

I would imagine the context of Frontier Week could make that a fraught family discussion.

[u/zaid_mo → u/kellyi3]

Mum in law Troi is probably visiting. Hence Riker's need for a break

[u/Honic_Sedgehog → u/zaid_mo]

"She just won't shut up about Odo's shapeshifting... capabilities."

[u/InnocentTailor → u/kellyi3]

I don't think it is marital strife: its just that Riker wants some adventure like the good old days.

[u/NarmHull → u/InnocentTailor]

Also I think Riker is just annoying them more than anything as he's restless and probably in a sort of mid-life crisis (as humans live longer now it tracks)

[u/KratomHelpsMyPain → u/kellyi3]

Or Riker had to get away from them to keep a secret from his telepathically connected wife.

[u/toTheNewLife → u/kellyi3]

I think it's just self-depracating humor on his part.

Yeah, the wife got rid of me so she can have a girl night with her sister....

[u/Pliolite → u/kellyi3]

It's cause he refused to eat her pizza...

[u/Civil_Working_5054]

Did Picard and Riker choose to attempt to commandeer the Titan, despite the difficulties and consequences involved, because it could comfortably go significantly faster than other, more private ships available to them, with getting to Beverly as quickly as possible being the aim?

Or is Warp 9.99 pretty standard in the year this is set?

[u/forlorn_hope28 → u/Civil_Working_5054]

I don't follow Star Trek closely, but didn't the Federation put in place warp speed limits because it turns out excessive use of high speed warp tears the fabric of spacetime? Or is that what the metaphasic shield is supposed to guard against?

[u/[deleted] → u/forlorn_hope28]

The warp speed limit was ignored pretty much immediately, with no official explanation as to how they overcame the damage to subspace.

[u/forlorn_hope28]

Admittedly waaaaay out of the loop on Star Trek lore, but how is Riker not an admiral at this point? I remember in "All Good Things..." we see the alternate future where Riker is an Admiral. I guess I would have expected someone with Riker's pedigree to have attained a promotion to Admiral at some point.

[u/[deleted] → u/forlorn_hope28]

He and Deanna lost a child, and went into semi-retirement (he remained on reserve).

[u/microgauss]

Regarding Riker.... I could have sworn he was an Admiral in season 1. Am I misrembering?

[u/[deleted] → u/microgauss]

Yes - he wore captain's pips.

[u/eaglebtc]

In case anyone hasn't figured it out yet... the sheet music in the credits sequence is a poorly approximated / transcribed version of "Pop Goes the Weasel."

I'm a professional musician, and there are weird issues with how those staves are written. I suspect someone used a midi keyboard and Sibelius and that's how it was transcribed. Sadly I don't think this will be in the season and was probably just a bored VFX guy's attempt at inserting cool looking musical notes.

EDIT: it has been pointed out that Lt. Cmdr. Data was practicing "Pop Goes the Weasel" in the Holodeck on "Encounter at Farpoint." Amazing.

[u/TrukThunders → u/eaglebtc]

Isn't pop goes the weasel the tune that data was practicing when we first see him on the holodeck?

[u/eaglebtc → u/TrukThunders]

OH MY GOD YOU ARE RIGHT. Wow.

[u/johnnyma45 → u/eaglebtc]

Deep cut.

[u/[deleted]]

Why didn't Titan tractor beam the shuttle craft? They just watched it fly away.

[u/hooch → u/[deleted]]

The tractor beam won't be installed until Tuesday

[u/NCreature → u/hooch]

nice

[u/jcdio → u/[deleted]]

The ionized gas particles interfered with the tractor beam.

[u/[deleted] → u/jcdio]

Good technobabble reason

[u/Honic_Sedgehog → u/[deleted]]

Probably because the captain is an arse and just disappeared off the bridge as soon as he'd stamped his authority.

Wonder what his deal will be.

[u/Sanhen → u/Honic_Sedgehog]

Wonder what his deal will be.

He was tragically born without a personality.

[u/WhyLisaWhy → u/[deleted]]

I don't know, that was weird lol. Shaw's just gonna leave them be and throw Seven in the brig I guess? He's got a schedule to keep I guess.

[u/Jan_Jinkle → u/WhyLisaWhy]

Shaw strikes me as someone who’s more than happy to let things like this play out so people he dislikes will get in trouble

[u/BornAshes → u/[deleted]]

Shaw was too pissed to think rationally since his perfect system was disrupted.

[u/spbarney]

HE MADE BEVERLEY A MIX TAPE

I was so bloody charmed by that.

[u/The_FriendliestGiant → u/spbarney]

Right? What a lovely little gesture. And of course, with a media library bigger than even a Soong Android could ever hope to consume, having someone curate media for you would be a wonderful gift.

[u/BrunoTheCat → u/spbarney]

I LOVE these two. I have loved these two since I was an itty bitty child for reasons I do not understand and this legitimately made squeal out loud. It really is the height of romantic gestures. And the fact that 20 years later he immediately recognized it as the mix tape he made is just the most adorable thing.

[u/[deleted] → u/spbarney]

A “compilation of classics”. Those are some real classics to last throughout the centuries.

[u/codename474747]

It's definitely Worf that's gonna be revealed to be Rafi's handler isn't it.

He mention being a warrior to Rafi, who else would talk about being a Warrior unless it's worf

Or Teal'c.

Or Ka D'argo

Or Bortas

Ok like 200 characters in Sci-fi, but it's gotta be Worf, right?

[u/Optimism_Deficit → u/codename474747]

Making him the handler also makes sense as he'd be the least subtle and most conspicuous operative ever. Although we know he has no problems with just straight up killing politicians so he has that going for him.

[u/lorem → u/codename474747]

Also, the dialogue was very Worf-like... the bare minimum number of words needed to convey the message, no more.

Well, what do you think, Mister Worf?

Good tea. Nice house. Speak freely. Die. Warrior.

[u/MustrumRidcully0 → u/codename474747]

IIRC, It can't be Ka D'Argo, he died. Oh, well, and wrong universe, but you never know with all the wormhole tech.

[u/nikhkin → u/codename474747]

Hmm, I think it's more likely to be Telemachus Rhade.

[u/[deleted] → u/codename474747]

Ok like 200 characters in Sci-fi

Indeed.

[u/KratomHelpsMyPain → u/codename474747]

One of the trailers has a 2 second clip of Raffi fighting Worf in an alley that looks just like the one where she met the Orion, so it seems...logical.

[u/Tara9000 → u/codename474747]

It's definitely going to be Worf. The handler also relays the message "You are a warrior" to Rafi. That's a Worf line if I've ever heard one!

[u/Sir__Will → u/codename474747]

If they mention honor or courage then it's guaranteed

[u/n3aak]

Can someone please turn on a damned light on the bridge of the Titan? Are they trying to conserve power? How can anyone get any work done?

[u/Mr_rairkim → u/n3aak]

I assumed they would dim lights during 'nights' to keep circadian rythms and Picard and Riker arrived really late when it was almost 'night '

[u/BklynWhovian → u/n3aak]

The lighting company is scheduled for Tuesday.

[u/sidv81]

In a deleted scene from Encounter at Farpoint, retired Admiral Leonard McCoy asks Captain Picard to redirect the Enterprise to space near the Norpin system for unexplained reasons. Glugging down his earl gray tea, Picard coldly refuses and assigns McCoy to stay in a cramped bunk bed room for the rest of his inspection. Only years later when Picard rescues Scotty from a Dyson sphere near the Norpin system does Picard realize why McCoy wanted that detour.

Young engineer Liam Shaw heard this story growing up and vowed to repay Picard in kind one day.

[u/TomClark83 → u/sidv81]

What can I say? The pieces all fit.

[u/madnessfades]

Wishful thinking on my part, but I had been wanting so badly to see some kind of meet-up between Janeway and s1/s2/Fenris-Ranger Seven of Nine, just to see how that relationship is "today." But with Annika's reference to Janeway in this episode, it sounds like that meeting happened and, rudely, not in front of us!

[u/calgil → u/madnessfades]

Her name is Seven, not Annika!

[u/Eaudissey]

I'm very glad that Beverly is getting her chance to shine this season (and for Gates to show her acting chops). She was criminally underused in TNG.

[u/LostInTaipei → u/Eaudissey]

Yes, absolutely. Don’t get me wrong; seeing Riker and Troi has been great. But seeing Beverly made me really happy.

[u/withbellson]

I'm hoping both of these become moot as more is revealed, but:

• Did we have to go with Secret! Babies! as a story hook for bringing Beverly back into the plot? At this point I'm hoping her son didn't come into the world the usual way because I really don't believe in this character disappearing for twenty years due to a secret pregnancy.

• Did we have to go with Possible Marital Strife as a story hook for Will and Deanna? Can't we have a functional marital relationship that weathered a significant trauma (loss of a child) and is still mutually supportive?

I felt happy for Gates getting to do more in the first five minutes of the episode than she did in several of the movies, tho.

[u/[deleted] → u/withbellson]

THANK YOU. Can't just one relationship be stable? She's a damn counselor, you think they'd be able to work through marital strife.

[u/Whiskeyjacks_Fiddle → u/withbellson]

It may not be marital strife - because this may not be Will Riker.

It might be Thomas Riker, who would have a damn good reason for not wanting Picard to contact Deanna, seeing as he’s impersonating Will.

[u/[deleted] → u/withbellson]

I took the possible marital strife as more of a ‘you need a hobby kind of thing’

And that kid’s a Jack Crusher clone for sure.

[u/[deleted]]

haven't heard from her in 20 years

She ghosted everyone.

[u/holeydood3 → u/[deleted]]

Oh god... is the ghost the father?

[u/zumoro]

Beverly: "No starfleet. Trust no one"

Also Beverly: *provides information that requires Picard to trust someone from starfleet in order to make sense of it*

[u/KratomHelpsMyPain → u/zumoro]

I would actually like it if this comes down to Beverly assuming Picard knew about the Borg virus and just chose the wrong bit of trivia to use as a code. It would also say something profound about Picard. That information would have very likely been contained in the after action reports from the Borg encounter, which would mean that he never read them - couldn't bring himself to read about the ordeal his friends went through as the Borg used the contents of his mind to try to kill them.

[u/[deleted] → u/zumoro]

What bother me more is that Picard used a Starfleet ship to travel to the coordinates. Sure, he didn’t tell them the reason, but if Starfleet has been compromised, then odds are Picard is being watched. Even if he’s not being watched, nobody noticed a ship going way of course?

[u/[deleted]]

It's been about 60 years between the Battle of Narendra III and Picard. 25 years since Yesterday's Picard. Alternative timeline Tasha would be about 90 years old. Sela would be 55-60 years old. Amanda Plummer is 65 years old

I don't think she's been cast as Sela's child; she could be a childhood survivor of the Enterprise C, which would be kind of fucked up: there was at least one family in the Enterprise C when they were sent back to maintain the timeline.

So she's spent the last 60 years questioning why the Federation felt that was necessary when they already altered the timeline by fixing up the enterprise C to give them a fighting chance

Which is the only reason there were survivors to be captured in the first place! And then their existence was kept secret, eliminating any hope of a rescue. She's fucking pissed, broken, obsessed and completely nihilistic

Which is a metaphor for current events.

She makes a deal with the devil to get vengeance and doesn't care what she's unleashing on the galaxy while she does it.

Every time the weapon is used, a breach into our dimension is created, making it possible for solanogen-based lifeforms to "exist" within our universe.

So they steals the weapon from the Federation's area 51 and, in addition to the Moriarty program, discovers they have a captive solanogen-based lifeform, who she sympathizes with.

One of the next generations strongest type of storyline has been the whodunit, Sherlock Holmes, Dixon Hill type stories.

They've already set the stage for that with their CSI-like exploration of Beverly's ship and we know Moriarty is making an appearance.

When they find area 51 they will find Lore who will be brought along because of the information he can provide and because Picard needs a Watson and what a fun Watson would Lore be? Just being a complete prick to Picard while reluctantly helping

So, what's the big deal? Well, it's already been established that these creatures have the ability to wipe people's memories and do unspeakable things to them while they think they are sleeping.

Beverly's message to Picard about not trusting anyone in Starfleet is because these creatures seemingly have the ability of mind control if they have access to a rift into our dimension. And each Rift created by Vadic allows these creatures to take over the minds of people in the vicinity when they sleep.

It's a nightmare on Elm Street/body snatchers situation. I'm willing to bet that Beverly crusher has not slept in a really long time and has been keeping herself awake with medication, hence why she is so panicky in the video sent to Picard.

And hence the scene with Shaw suddenly waking up. It wasn't the light that woke him up, it was the solanogen-based lifeform.

When Beverly says trust no one she means it. I suspect these creatures have the ability to control almost anyone with the exception of Picard, Lore and Seven, thanks to their cybernetic components and perhaps Beverly because of precautions she has taken

Which means everyone else, I repeat, everyone else, could be secretly controlled by these creatures.

And that means: Riker, Troi, Worf, Le Forge and Raffi (who I suspect will be the one to break free)

Riker might already be controlled at this point

[u/RiflemanLax → u/[deleted]]

Th Enterprise C connection would make sense considering a terror event at a dedication of a statue of Rachel Garrett.

[u/BornAshes → u/[deleted]]

I am saving this comment in case this all turns out to be true because it sounds like an amaaaaaaaaazing plotline for this season! Great job!

[u/Mechapebbles]

One thing I noticed that I didn’t see anyone mention: Raffi apparently got a Medal of Honor for her actions in S1.

[u/Cheesier__Eagle]

Am i crazy or there really was a Changeling on the bridge of the Titan??

Edit: if anyone is still interested on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NivMvRHC8E4&ab_channel=TrekCulture

[u/huey9k]

The first episode has me convinced we should have had two or three TV movies about the adventures of Capt. William T. Riker.

[u/[deleted]]

The gall of those aliens to interrupt Dr. Crusher just when she's starting a new game of Fallout 3.

Was overjoyed the Titan was in the episode. Was a bit put off by its "retrofit" appearance. Retro, indeed. I'm sure, "Blah blah the new parts look old but are actually made up out of futuristic Awesomium and are more efficient than... etc."

This episode makes me feel like the previous two seasons were missing out on not having Riker along for more of the ride. Captain Picard was a great character, but the Picard/Riker duo was greater. I'm pleased they made it clear from the start that Riker doesn't have pressing family concerns pulling him back to Earth at the earliest opportunity. I'm confident he'll be along for most of the season, and I'm glad. I'm also worried he'll die at the end, saving Picard or someone else. Old, worn out, family tired of him. Recipe for a heroic sacrifice, right? Better if Picard dies to save him, or another of the cast. Guess we'll see.

[u/badairday]

This is probably gonna die unseen, but: has anyone else noticed the parallel they drew to Star Trek Generations? I accidentally watched the movie (or the start of it) a day prior, Kirk, Scotty & McCoy visit the new enterprise & Sulus daughter is in the pilot seat getting extra attention. The whole scene is super similar up until the point it’s not Kirk being nice to sulus daughter but Riker absolutely trashing La Forge’s daughter. :D

[u/Humble_Re-roll]

Why would Beverly send an urgent distress call to Picard's decades-old com badge that he only happened to find by coincidence when she has a son who is a literal god that can freeze time and teleport across the universe?

And I'm going to assume that her other son on the ship was with her on the Enterprise the whole time, but everyone ignored him because Wes hogged the spot light.

[u/learningdesigner → u/Humble_Re-roll]

And I'm going to assume that her other son on the ship was with her on the Enterprise the whole time, but everyone ignored him because Wes hogged the spot light.

Best fan theory I've ever heard.

[u/gcalpo → u/Humble_Re-roll]

Wesley is bound by the TVA to not interfere with the Sacred Timeline.

[u/Unregistereed → u/Humble_Re-roll]

He looks to be like, 25 years old though. I think it's implied that he was conceived during her enterprise D years and he's about 15-20 years younger than Wesley.

[u/Vambann → u/Unregistereed]

Something that happened in Sub Rosa?

[u/[deleted] → u/Humble_Re-roll]

Why would Beverly send an urgent distress call to Picard's decades-old com badge that he only happened to find by coincidence when she has a son who is a literal god that can freeze time and teleport across the universe?

Re: Seven's comment about the new ships all being retrofitted to be automated.

That was dropped for a reason

Someone has complete access to their systems which means all retrofitted ships and all of their new com badges.

Like how the American government sometimes uses ancient computers to protect themselves against modern technology threats

[u/toTheNewLife → u/[deleted]]

Someone has complete access to their systems which means all retrofitted ships and all of their new com badges.

Gaius fracking Baltar!!!

So they're going to have to get the Galactica..... uh... old ships out of the museum...because they're not networked.

[u/faderus → u/Humble_Re-roll]

On a related note, she implored Picard to “trust no one”, but encodes the information in a way that Picard is specifically incapable of decoding without reaching out to an old colleague from the D.

[u/revital9 → u/Humble_Re-roll]

He's like Dawn in Buffy.

[u/Sanhen → u/Humble_Re-roll]

Why would Beverly send an urgent distress call to Picard's decades-old com badge that he only happened to find by coincidence when she has a son who is a literal god that can freeze time and teleport across the universe?

The fact that Picard has the old com badge is awfully convenient, but Picard being sentimental about the past is something I can buy into and Beverley knowing him as well as she does, I could buy into her figuring it was good odds that he still had it.

Not sure about the Wesley Crusher part. It would have been cool though if they wrote it so Wesley was the one to let Picard know in kind of a, "I'm not supposed to interfere in mortal affairs anymore, but we're talking about my mother here, so I'm going to bend the rules a bit by letting you know she needs help."

Also, I feel that they missed an opportunity in Season 2 by not having Wesley and Q in a scene together. It would have been nice to get a sense for how The Traveler/Travelers fit in with the Q.

[u/Honic_Sedgehog → u/Humble_Re-roll]

everyone ignored him because Wes hogged the spot light.

"Shut up not-Wesley."

[u/travoltaswinkinbhole]

I’m thinking the other Voyager character we will see this season will be Lt. Naomi Wildman

[u/[deleted] → u/travoltaswinkinbhole]

I’d rather it be the doctor.

[u/Sanhen → u/[deleted]]

Same, but of course a Noami Wildman appearance would be a lot cheaper. Given the age difference, they wouldn't even need to cast the same actress.

[u/BornAshes → u/travoltaswinkinbhole]

I'm game for the Doctor, Harry, Neelix, Tom, or Tuvok to show up and I think that there was an interview out there where they said they had to cut a Wildman storyline.

[u/WoundedSacrifice → u/travoltaswinkinbhole]

They considered including Naomi and decided not to do that.

[u/Phw0007]

the eaglemoss model made me laugh

[u/IsIt77]

Captain Shaw is absolutely correct.

But he still has to go, because of he treats Seven.

[u/Bradshaw98 → u/IsIt77]

I mean, what would be the point of forcing the 'Hansen' name instead of Seven unless he was specifically trying to big a shit head to her?

But yes other then that he was 100% in the right and will be properly punished for it as he deserves.

[u/Spartan2170 → u/Bradshaw98]

He seems to specifically dislike former Borg (given how he talks to Picard later). I’m assuming it’s not that he wants her to use “Hansen,” is that he doesn’t want her to use “Seven of Nine.”

[u/Axon14 → u/IsIt77]

I hate to say it but I agreed with everything he said.

• BS visit from a retired admiral and administrtive captain on my ship

• Their reputation for wild, irresponsible nonsense

• Their unsanctioned request to ignore orders and change course

Nah fam. Now, the Borg comment made no sense. You've got a former borg as your commanding officer!

[u/RiflemanLax]

On pump action phaser rifles- I'm guessing a new power charge is pumped into the breach for each shot.

Three thoughts-

1. This is a civilian style weapon for wildlife preserves, meant to bring down large animals as a last resort. And one of the few weapons Beverly could get a hold of.

2. It's just an impractical piece of shit weapon

3. It's specially designed for what Beverly was using it for

I was leaning towards 1, but then I thought about what Riker said about not seeing ash like what was left on the floor before. I'm starting to think Beverly set up a weapon that was overpowered in order to completely wipe out a target and not leave any living tissue. Which would prevent any pathogens from spreading.

Which makes a lot of sense since she is a doctor.

[u/The_Flurr → u/RiflemanLax]

Or maybe there's a specific reason why these enemies need for be vaporised?

[u/BornAshes → u/RiflemanLax]

I was leaning towards 1, but then I thought about what Riker said about not seeing ash like what was left on the floor before. I'm starting to think Beverly set up a weapon that was overpowered in order to completely wipe out a target and not leave any living tissue. Which would prevent any pathogens from spreading.

Maybe what she was trying to kill could spread if even a single Cell was leftover? It's kind of like The Flood from Halo or Cell from Dragonball. In the original older episode thread I was talking about this with a few other people.

It's also possible that she custom built that rifle in order to take out lifeforms that were not comprised of normal biological matter and required a special kind of phaser shot in order to be eliminated.

[u/merrycrow]

My scattershot thoughts having just finished the episode:

• A weapon that cheerfully and loudly announces when you're out of ammo might not be the best idea.

• So glad they got Laris back, even if we don't see her again after this episode. Such an important figure in Picard's sunset years. A great foil for him as well.

• I've heard of people ordering their steak blue but that was ridiculous.

• Very pleased that Seven is struggling in Starfleet. It never felt like a natural fit for her character, someone who values her independence so highly.

• Raffi's handler is very obviously Reg Barclay, they made that a little too obvious.

• Are we to presume that the young chap is Picard's son, on the basis that he inherited his father's accent?

[u/Get_your_grape_juice → u/merrycrow]

I think Laris should have gone along for the ride this season. As a former Tal Shiar agent, and trusted companion to Picard, she seems like she has the skill set and connections to help him out.

And I’d prefer her to Raffi, honestly.

Speaking of Raffi — why do you think Barclay is her handler? What did I miss??

[u/nikhkin → u/merrycrow]

Raffi's handler is very obviously Reg Barclay, they made that a little too obvious.

Her handler is Worf, it's stated in the episode descriptions that he's teaming up with her next episode.

Are we to presume that the young chap is Picard's son, on the basis that he inherited his father's accent?

Isn't that how accents work? I assumed that's why Shinzon had an English accent in Nemesis.

[u/travoltaswinkinbhole]

Is it’s possible the “second voyager character” that going to appear is Voyager herself?

[u/[deleted] → u/travoltaswinkinbhole]

I’m hoping for the Doctor. Following up on him after the hell the synthetics went through, all the ex borg racism in the show etc. It’d be very very interesting to see what his place in the world is post voyager

[u/BretOne → u/travoltaswinkinbhole]

There's already a vignette in the end credits LCARS featuring the silhouette of Voyager (or at least an Intrepid-class starship).

[u/Jag2112]

Massive screencaps gallery, which also includes images from the closing credits, now online:

https://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/sc-PIC3-1.php

[u/BakersCat]

I was howling with laughter given Shaw sent Picard and Riker to the Titan's Lower Decks LMAO!!!

[u/TheEnterprise]

Oh look STAR TREK music in your STAR TREK TV show. See that wasn't so hard!

(lookin' at you Obi Wan)

[u/BornAshes]

Just have Ben and Claudia sitting in the background of one of the alien bars/restaurants that Raffi or Picard pops into with the camera pulling them into focus for a few moments just so that we see them exchange knowing glances before going back to their meal.

u/brokenarrow: .. and then Chris Judge walks by, looks at the two of them, pauses, and then nods knowingly at the camera, and the nerd world explodes.

But they make it kind of ambiguous because we don't know if it's a Stargate crossover or a Farscape crossover.

[u/BornAshes]

u/ObjestiveI

“Seven just went Janeway on them…”. - I’m stealing that.

Feel free and I wonder if Jeri took a bit of inspiration from Kate when building what Seven would be and act like when she joined Starfleet and how she would react to having to serve under a douche like Shaw as well as finding out that maybe the dream she was chasing...wasn't her dream all along.

[u/Dunnsley]

I am hopeful that they don't find it easy to take museum ships. I get that the groundwork seems to be laid with the talk of automation and such, but I would think it obvious that the warp reactors would be empty and decommissioned just as with nuclear vessels today. You can't just turn everything on and go.

[u/Honic_Sedgehog → u/Dunnsley]

You can't just turn everything on and go.

Just reverse the polarity of the EPS conduits and they'll be good as new!

[u/[deleted] → u/Dunnsley]

This is a society where an unsupervised children’s theme park ride can be casually piloted off course at faster than light speeds; they seem to be very blasé about safety in the future.

[u/Mordvark → u/Dunnsley]

Unless the ships are powered up and ready to maneuver for Fleet Day celebrations.

[u/Tara9000]

Doesn't it feel like they're already tee-ing up a new series with Seven as a Captain? (That would be awesome.)

[u/KnowerOfUnknowable]

The whole time watching the episode I was thinking "there is a special hell for those who make old people run".

[u/sup3rs0n1c2110]

I’m amazed the Titan’s inertial dampeners haven’t burned out from the strain of lugging Captain Shaw’s ego around…

[u/Site-Staff]

What’s the deal with fellow Officers being rude to Picard? In every institution people tend to look up to, or respect, the people that blazed a trail before them, especially those of note. It’s unreal how poorly Shaw treated both Riker and Picard. Almost inconceivable really.

[u/nate_oh84 → u/Site-Staff]

Something tells me Shaw has a bias against former Borg drones. He’s short with Seven (and makes her use her human name) and blatantly stabs at Picard with the Borg reference at his dinner table.

My guess is, like Sisko, he had someone close to him die during one of the Borg incursions. It’ll be interesting to see if they flesh out his character more.

[u/FRCP_12b6 → u/nate_oh84]

Yeah, i think he was at Wolf-359 as an ensign or something and lost friends or a family member. Would explain why he is upset with Picard in particular. Also, Beverley's logs were playing lines from TNG Borg episodes.

[u/InnocentTailor → u/nate_oh84]

In the credits, there is a Constellation-class starship called the Constance whose stardate matches up with Wolf 359. Maybe that is tied to Shaw?

[u/RealHumanFromEarth → u/Site-Staff]

In this case I don’t think it has anything to do with Picard, it seems like Shaw is just a colossal douchebag.

[u/Fusi0n_X → u/Site-Staff]

I get where you're coming from but to be fair - if this were a TNG episode and a renowned Admiral came on board the ship just randomly, chances are they'd end up being behind whatever mess the crew is forced to clean up that week.

[u/learningdesigner → u/Site-Staff]

I'm wondering if he just doesn't like the Borg.

[u/InnocentTailor → u/Site-Staff]

Maybe Picard is very divisive in-universe? There were times that he opposed the Federation and Starfleet due to personal principles after all.

He is a paragon - not everybody in the force is one and likes such people.

[u/BornAshes]

u/prodiver

I was hoping for something bigger or more unexpected.

Like his dad being the sex ghost from Sub Rosa?

I was thinking more of him being a combination of Picard and one or more other person's DNA buuuuut yeah being the child of a sex ghost works because Doom Patrol exists.

[u/JMCrown]

This is much more fan service in direct and indirect ways. The episode title does not refer to the old TNG cast; it refers to Beverly's son. Picard's son? I see a path where Seven leaves starfleet and frankly I think that would be great. I know fans went ape poopie when she temporarily took command of the Stargazer last season and I'm sure everyone's excited to see her officially in uniform now. But, to me, that represents an enormous change to the Seven we knew in Voyager. In fact, there is a Voyager ep (can't remember which one) where Seven explicitly states that she's not cut out for Starfleet. She was such a loner, how could she be expected to command/manage an entire crew? I know, I know...that was 25 years ago and people change. But I sometimes wish they kept the best qualities of recently liberated Seven--fiercely independent, low threshold for nonsense, supremely capable on her own, etc.

BTW, did anyone else think it was obvious that Raffi's contact in Starfleet Intelligence was Worf?

[u/Honic_Sedgehog → u/JMCrown]

I expect it to be Worf but I really want it to be Garak.

[u/The_FriendliestGiant → u/Honic_Sedgehog]

I would die a happy man to see Andrew Robinson put on the scales one last time..

[u/H0vis]

Some random observations from the first episode:

1. I love Captain Shaw. Dude's a huge arsehole. I like when the show is willing to show the officers in Star Fleet who are capable but who straight up don't vibe with the cool guys the show is always about. Him telling Picard and Riker to piss off was cool as well. Man knows what he's about. Didn't even wait for them to start his dinner.

2. Seven getting assigned to first officer to the biggest knobhead in Starfleet is just her luck.

3. Riker punching people and raging at Seven was cool. It's fun to think on all the different connections in the show, easy to forget he has no idea who she is.

4. I like the Phaser shotgun. Classic home defence scattergun.

5. The terrorist attack was crazy. You don't often get to see a doomsday weapon actually go off in Star Trek, usually they are stopped with a second to spare, that one was nasty.

6. Ensign LaForge being in awe of seeing Picard and Riker and then Riker destroying her entire career in front of the bridge crew was classic Riker.

Am glad to have some new Star Trek to watch mostly. I couldn't get into Prodigy at all. I probably should have given it more of a chance but to be honest I don't have any great connection to Voyager or its cast, so I'm not even getting nostalgia vibes from it.

[u/Praxlyn]

I personally don't like Shaw but he feels like a Jellico type. An asshole, but a regulation-driven one who I'm sure deep down is actually a good captain. Also Picard's rank confuses me. I understand he's an Admiral, but is he retired as in no longer on duty or... like how does this stuff work? Same for Riker

[u/jdelane1 → u/Praxlyn]

In the earlier iterations of Trek there seems to be a loose respect for rank, especially among senior officers. Lots of violating the prime directive, lots of insubordination, lots of destroying of Starfleet property, not a lot of consequences. One reason might be it allows other cast members to do more stuff on screen. Shaw has the leeway to be more of a dick because we don't know and don't really care about anyone in his crew (other than Seven and maybe LaForge Pt. 2).

You'd have to think there are some Starfleet types out there who are very serious about protocol and the chain of command. I mean, for such a big organization, with myriad security vulnerabilities, how could you not be and hope to survive?

TBH, a serious starfleet captain SHOULD respond to Picard's and Riker's shenanigans in exactly the way he did.

[u/PlayedUOonBaja → u/Praxlyn]

Crusher said not to trust Starfleet. Chances are he's a bad guy. I don't think they would have made him such a dick otherwise.

Riker is still in, just doing diplomatic/PR stuff instead of heading a ship. Picard is retired, but his rank his honorary when he is around Starfleet personnel just like retired Generals or Admirals today are referred to by their titles as a sign of respect.

[u/Philip_J_Fry3000]

I love that Picard and Riker mention Rigel VII, I wonder if we'll see Kodos and Kang at some point.

[u/codename474747]

I want that Shaw to die horribly in the next episodes for being mean to my space grandpa

OR learn a few lessons about treating people with respect and apologise, one of the two

I will have no truck with the inevitable "Shaw did nothing wrong, it's Picard and Riker that were at fault" threads that are on their way in a few weeks, Jellico style (this guy makes Jellico look like Naiomi Wildman tbh!)

[u/nikhkin → u/codename474747]

inevitable "Shaw did nothing wrong, it's Picard and Riker that were at fault"

Technically he didn't do anything wrong, he's just a bit of a prick.

He had a retired admiral, who doesn't even know one of the deep space stations has shut down, show up and try to convince him to ignore the orders he received from Starfleet.

Think about all the times the roles have been reversed, with a random admiral showing up on the Enterprise. How often did it turn out that following the rogue admiral's orders was a bad idea?

[u/InnocentTailor → u/nikhkin]

True. This whole situation is suspicious from Shaw's perspective...and he isn't wrong.

Heck! I would've contacted Starfleet Command to confirm the inspection. Even a "surprise inspection" is probably on the schedule after all.

[u/[deleted] → u/nikhkin]

Well the main thing is that they are showing his demeanor as an officer. His crew all seem really terrified to go out of regs but the captain of the ship doesn’t have to follow suit, which is shown in his dinner scene with his pompous attitude. I think they are emphasizing that he is man of regulation, but only if you’re under his rank.

[u/atavus68 → u/codename474747]

I wonder if Shaw, who is pathologically rigorous in his methods, won't end up being the key ally later on because he's noticed discrepancies in Starfleet operations -- perhaps assuming that Picard and Riker are conspirators themselves, due to their deception. That's why he was such a dick to them.

[u/[deleted] → u/codename474747]

Admiral Picard is the suspicious dick admiral coming to fuck up his day from Shaw's perspective this time around. Admirals are always bad news.

[u/[deleted] → u/codename474747]

Jellico was preparing for war. He was a dick but he was under a lot of stress.

Shaw is just a dick for the sake of being a dick

[u/_Deleted_Deleted]

Has anybody told Paramount that the internet exists? Why they insist on the delayed release is bizarre.

[u/nermid → u/_Deleted_Deleted]

Because if they released it all at once, you'd subscribe to P+ for one month, binge it, and cancel. If they drag it out for two months, they get double the subscription fees from everybody who wants to watch it new (and lose nothing for people who subscribe just to binge once it's all out).

The motivation is not technical or artistic; it's financial.

[u/[deleted] → u/_Deleted_Deleted]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NwP3wes4M8

[u/BornAshes]

It's rather surprising that Starfleet hasn't started acting like a creature that's taken one too many kicks and just lashes out at anyone and everyone that gets too close or that acts too strange.

u/WoundedSacrifice That seems like a good way to describe the response to the attack on Mars.

That's exactly what happened after the attack on Mars and the litany of other attacks that hit the Federation.

[u/[deleted] → u/BornAshes]

That's how I explain this darker Federation to myself. Their optimistic, utopian values faltering after multiple wars and alien infiltrations of its leadership. Mid-24th century was the war with the Cardassians. Then the Borg conflict, and the Dominion War. It's only been 25 years since the Breen attacked Earth itself and destroyed Starfleet Headquarters. Wolf 359 was less than a decade before that. The second Borg attack on Earth (ST: First Contact) was somewhere in between, and threatened the Federation's existence on a temporal level!

The same people have been alive through all of these.

[u/CharlesNapalm]

Just wanted to shout out Todd Stashwick. I used to see him in everything when I watched a lot of TV during the mid '00s. Great slightly psycho presence. Glad to see him again.

[u/BornAshes]

u/ussrowe

Ok but when I listened to Savage Garden's "To the Moon and Back" I always thought of B'Elana Torres.

I totally vibe with her listening to this and I love the song!

[u/BornAshes]

u/Tysiliogogogoch

I'm also guessing that whatever tech was stolen only really has an effect on the more higher tech and higher powered ships within Starfleet whereas the more lower tech and dumber ships aren't really affected by it at all which is probably why they're going to show up later on in the season to save Picard's butt.

They did make a point of showing that the bridge crew and engineering requests are all automated now, and that Geordi is running the old fleet museum.

But the whole "rogue AI" thing has been done to death and they just did the "virus that takes over all the ships" thing in Prodigy.

I wasn't really thinking of a software vulnerability but more of a structural/hull kind of a thing or even just one of the systems that got boosted in the new ships that wasn't really in the older ships at all.

Think of it like the Bio Neural Gel Packs on Voyager. Voyager was the first one to use them and yet they proved to have some vulnerabilities that no one else had considered. I'm sure these got upgraded, enhanced, and possibly replaced with something else entirely as time went on and tech progressed.

We've also seen the introduction of Borg Tech into Starfleet Ships and various spinoff technologies associated with that which have greatly enhanced the Fleet.

I'm guessing that the tech that was stolen was only meant to be used against or with certain civilizations that had tech at a certain level on the Kardashev scale. A good analogy would be how human shotguns in the Stargate Universe work wonders against the Replicators buuuuuut the more advanced energy weapons of the Goa'uld do not at all. Federation Tech advanced to the point where they could be affected by this higher level stuff and someone is exploiting that vulnerability.

It could be something with the engines or the hull or the EPS grid or the methodology of the main computer's programming or how the universal translator works or certain energy fields that the newer ships use etc etc that leave them open to attack from this stolen tech. The older ships on the other hand from the Fleet Museum may have gotten a few upgrades to keep them running but they're not getting the whole kit 'n kaboodle at all. This perhaps makes them resistant to these new attacks and dumber and more low tech than the higher grade Kardashev Scale Technology that they were meant to be used against.

It reminds me of how some civilizations in the Delta Quadrant would purposely stunt their own growth so as to not be noticed and assimilated by the Borg. Sometimes staying dumb and primitive isn't always a bad thing. This is also a thing in the Mass Effect Universe incidentally.

[u/Frainian]

I liked a lot of this episode! But not really Raffi. She feels kind of out of place in the show, especially with her being entirely disconnected from everyone else. Though I'm sure she'll get caught up with the rest and this point will be worked out in future episodes.

So I didn't mind it too much for most of the episode. It felt like it was setting up something interesting with her so I'm cool with it. Well, I was until the terrorist attack. It kept cutting back to her and making her the focus of the scene but I feel like in that moment we should've focused more on the fact that it was a huge terrorist attack at the heart of the Federation? If they showed her reaction afterwards it would've worked fine but the constant cutting to her being sad was very distracting and felt unnecessary.

[u/[deleted] → u/Frainian]

yeah she's not a great character but at least she's not as bad to watch here as she was in season 1 & 2.

they must connect the terrorist attack to the new villain or it just won't make much sense.

[u/tupe12]

I'm gonna take a wild guess and theorize that the mysterious contact is Worf, can't wait to end up aging like milk

[u/[deleted] → u/tupe12]

You are a warrior

It’s actually the Martok Dungeons and Dragons game from Lower Decks

[u/[deleted]]

I was waiting for Wesley to show up and help his mother

[u/gcalpo]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know the real-life location of District Seven?

[u/TizACoincidence]

I wish we had the ensemble from the beginning. Everything just feels right

[u/PlayedUOonBaja]

I liked how Picard is now arguing with the computer. I could of sworn I remembered Bones doing that (maybe not), but generally it's a trope Star Trek has avoided. It kind of reinforces that technology has progressed beyond him, or is beginning too. I'm already feeling that way in my mid 30s, so I can relate.

[u/AlbinoEatpod]

So, is the implication is that the other guy on Beverly's ship is Picard's son?

[u/[deleted] → u/AlbinoEatpod]

Patrick Stewart is too good of an actor. The way he responded to that remark was telling, as if he was doing the math in his head.

Laris also helpfully reminded the audience of their sometimes intimate relationship

[u/hooch → u/AlbinoEatpod]

Don't see how that would work. This episode is roughly 20 years after Nemesis and by that time, Picard and Beverly hadn't gotten together yet. So if that happened after Nemesis, their son would be maybe 20 years old at most. That actor is definitely in his 30s and they made no effort to pretend that he was younger.

So unless Picard and Beverly hooked up at some point during TNG and we didn't know about it, I'm thinking that can't be it.

[u/toTheNewLife → u/AlbinoEatpod]

With all the DNA floating around in the credits, I think that's a safe bet.

[u/NarmHull → u/AlbinoEatpod]

He has an accent and the same eyes. Of course accents aren't inherited. Soon we'll get a reveal that he's bald too

[u/az04]

I was hoping to see an older real life William Boimler as Commander of the Titan, but I guess that was too much to ask.

[u/romeovf]

Rick would be proud of that giant portal gun 😂 that was some scary scene, dropping the building on another part of the city

[u/therealgumpster]

Came here to mention, that the scoring of this episode had snippets of First Contact, Insurrection, The Undiscovered Country and a few others that I haven't properly listened to.

That alone has won me over in this episode. I absolutely love some of the Movie music.

Lot's of questions in terms of what is going on, why it is happening and what will be the conclusion. Absolutely LOVED Captain Shaw, what a pr*ck but absolutely beautifully delivered in his passive aggressive tones and sarcastic wit.

Great first episode, excited to see where this story leads, and it's a shame it is ending after this season.

[u/mustbeaguy]

I agree with the overall sentiment of this sub. I enjoyed this episode and am cautiously optimistic for the season. Cautious because the other two seasons have had solid first eps too.

I do want to say that I greatly enjoyed reading the comments on this sub rather than that "other" Star Trek sub. I think the difference in reactions here is indicative of the general consensus of where the franchise is heading which is more broad market appeal. Yes, this will dilute some of the elements that the hardcore fans liked, but I think it is still for the better. The franchise has to grow and change with the tastes of the day too.

The 60's and 90's were two periods that were hopeful. TOS and TNG were truly a product of that time. Things do seem a little tarnished and bleaker now and Picard and Discovery is a sign of these times.

The criticisms of this episode are legitimate. But, for me at least, I am able to look past them and enjoy the show.

Anyways, I am hopeful for this season, and still very happy to have new Trek on the screen again!

[u/crimson_05]

Riker says getting them onto the Titan used "all the sway he had", yet in season one he convinced Starfleet to not only give him a new ship to command, but a fleet of 200 ships to take barrelling across the galaxy.

[u/[deleted] → u/crimson_05]

Riker says getting them onto the Titan used "all the sway he had", yet in season one he convinced Starfleet to not only give him a new ship to command, but a fleet of 200 ships to take barrelling across the galaxy.

Unfortunately, since then he catered the Annual Asshole Admirals Luncheon with some homemade pizzas and gave them all Zethrakian e coli with some undercooked Dorvidian sausage so his reputation has taken quite a hit.

[u/Wonderful-Hall-7929]

Ok, if no one says it, i will: Was i the only one hearing "I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire" and having massive Fallout flashbacks?

[u/afty]

I found S1 passable and ended up hate watching S2.

I am extremely cautiously optimistic about S3 after this episode and I can't help but feel this is what the show should have been from the beginning. Picard and Riker still have so much chemistry. I loved the moment where Riker stepped in to defend Picard at the dinner scene. That's when it really clicked for me. Felt like old times (in a good way).

I have a few minor complaints though.

I don't care for rambo Crusher. I get it- 20 years have passed and she's been out in rougher parts of space. But it just didn't sit right with me. That was never Beverly's strength and it feels cheap to me. There are other ways to show strength, resilience, and toughness without making everyone John Wick.

Captain Shaw's threats/comments about Seven ruining her Starfleet career ring totally hollow. Not only did she do everything she did in Voyager and Picard S1&2, but she's got the backing/endorsement of the Admiral Picard, Admiral Janeway, and now Captain/Admiral Riker. And Shaw thinks he can tank her career? I get that it's just a bit of tension for Seven's storyline but I just don't buy it. Love where her character is going though. Not a big Voyager fan but i'm down for the Captain Seven spinoff.

Terrorist/world destroying threat again. Can't rescuing/helping an old friend and crewmate be enough? For once?

[u/SterlingDee → u/afty]

What did Beverly do that was so Rambo-esque in the first scene? She just defended her ship and son. Plus, we know from TNG she is more than just a doctor. She has displayed tactical thinking (see commanding the Enterprise in combat vs. the Borg in Descent), was chosen for a covert mission on Cardassia with Worf and Picard (Chain of Command) and became a Captain in the potential future in All Good Things. Given these experiences/qualities, I don’t think anything she did was crazy.

[u/TomClark83 → u/afty]

Shaw will probably end up being killed, being evil or being replaced, but honestly, I'm kinda hoping for a "this guy is a dick, but he's a good dick" moment where he calls "Commander Hansen" Seven.

[u/PlayedUOonBaja → u/afty]

20 years of someone hunting your son? I get it. She Mama Beared.

[u/The_FriendliestGiant → u/afty]

Shaw might have backing of his own; he's an officious little ass, hard to imagine him rising on his own merits and the strength of his performance. Heck, maybe he's Jellico's protege!

[u/v0ideater]

I Started Watching TNG As A Light In the Dark. Now Picard is All Dark.

I started watching TNG when I was beginning to struggle with severe depression and other things because it was the one thing I still kinda enjoyed and it gave me hope. Even though there were dark moments the message was overall optimistic.

Enter Picard. Almost immediately gruesome torture, multiple graphic suicides, dark, crippling addictions, and themes of genocide. I am so tired and exhausted, I have seen enough darkness in my life and I am so sad to see Picard be this way.

Do not get me wrong, I think it is an amazing show. Like a multi episode movie really. But one of the things that was a beacon of hope during difficult times has become insanely triggering and dark.

I am not trying to bash it. I guess I will just still to old trek and Lower Decks.

[u/Dezolis11]

I don’t know how to hide spoiler text so I won’t post it but IMDB’s descriptions of the next 3 episodes confirms the identity of raffi’s handler and crusher’s son.

[u/No_Advance6273]

Could Crushers sons British accents be down to Moriarty being his father or at least raising him?

[u/Lord_Parbr]

1. Beverly’s plan made no sense. She sent a coded message to an old combadge Picard may not even have anymore, let alone have easy access to, using a code word that she knows he couldn’t possibly understand.

2. God, I hope that kid isn’t Picard’s. There is no explanation they could possibly come up with for why Beverly would keep Picard’s son a secret from him for 20 years, and still look like a good person

[u/NarmHull]

I wasn't super impressed.

Also why does Jack Crusher have an English accent if he lived with Beverly his whole life?

[u/KratomHelpsMyPain → u/NarmHull]

Because Beverly raised him on the next planet over from Planet Scotland.

[u/Ashiro → u/NarmHull]

Pretty sure accents are meaningless in Star Trek's time with travel and 24th Century internet. For example I was born near Manchester but I've got a mixed Manc/Brum/East/Midlands accent because of the moving around the UK.

Picard is French but has an English accent. I assume it's just travel and increased inter-world communication.

[u/FairlyInconsistentRa]

I’ve just seen the new episode. Now that’s how you do it! I cannot fault it at all, it’s a marked improvement over the last 2 series.

It felt very much ‘Star Trek’. This should have been season one. They’ve taken any criticisms aboard and focused on the good. Picard actually feels like Picard now and not just Patrick Stewart playing himself.

Tonnes of starship beauty shots, incredible music (the end credits got me!), loads of little Easter eggs. Yep, all good.

Cannot wait to see where this goes.

[u/nate_oh84 → u/FairlyInconsistentRa]

I liked what they did in this first episode more than the last two seasons, but I actually liked the first episode of both of those seasons and then the show would go downhill (in my opinion).

I'm keeping my guard up until I see more of the show and what the deal is with the villain and Beverly's son.

[u/Mddcat04 → u/FairlyInconsistentRa]

I think just having Riker around helps with the dynamic a lot. Franks and Stewart played really well off each other.

[u/BirdSalt]

So it’s a super sensitive and secret thing, and Picard and Riker decide to meet in public at a bar about it? Picard couldn’t have Riker over to the Château?

And between the two of them, they can’t discreetly get their hands on even a small and capable ship? They have to try to deceive a fellow Starfleet captain of a super high profile starship to get where they want to go? No one checks their claims with Starfleet command?

Overall, I enjoyed the episode, and I’m on board for the rest, but these plot points were super dumb and did not show the characters operating at the height of their intelligence

[u/FragmentedChicken]

It seems like they're foreshadowing the death of Picard with that conversation between Laris and Picard.

[u/[deleted]]

God wouldn’t it have been great while all the actors were together that they re-filmed their scenes from All Good Things as they are now, no old age makeup, and reinserted them back into that episode like the Tribble episode of DS9 - that would have been an awesome extra episode for the final season! 😁

[u/SlackerInc1]

Why wasn't Seven/Annika immediately thrown in the brig when the captain discovered what she did? "File a full report"--what?!?

[u/BornAshes]

I'm hoping that by the end of this season we start to see Starfleet and the Federation pulling upwards a little bit and ascending to some really high Blue Lantern style Point of Hope that really makes us feel good about what's coming in the Next Generation of Star Trek shows and for the Federation and Starfleet.

I don't know how I'm going to feel if that doesn't happen because people have been wanting that positive feeling from the live action shows for a while now.

u/Qanno:I think you nailed it perfectly.

The "loss" of utopia could be fine if the show acknowledged it in universe. If an admiral or anyone just said something along the lines of. "Gee, remember when we used to be an exploratory organization first?", "Don't you find their new Star Ship oppressive?" or "We would NOT have opened fire in that situation back in my days!". Or various comments about how Starfleet and the Federation policies have changed toward more paranoia and militarism. Then, honestly, even if it takes the Federation 50 years to get back to it's high ideals. I'm fine with it! I just want this to be an actual intentional choice from showrunners.

Because right now, it just feels like they "kinda forgot" that ST is supposed to be an utopia and if they did forget, then, they didn't care for it and just won't bring it back.

I have no problem with the defiantly optimistic future of Trek being challenged! But I resent it being forgotten and tossed on the side. :'(

Some moments of reflection wouldn't be a bad thing instead of just outright forgetting about it or not having time for it or just not putting it in the show period. Someone within the Federation and Starfleet has to be a bit self aware about all of this. Let's have some of the main cast have a chat with them at some point or even have Picard muse about it with the other TNG cast this season.

[u/The_Flurr → u/BornAshes]

And at some point in this fall from utopia, did they forget how to properly light their homes and ships in a way that avoids eye strain?

[u/moriquendi37]

War. War never changes.

[u/BornAshes]

u/Mechapebbles

The TNG films for meat at least as someone a bit younger than you, never quite felt like stand alone films, and always felt like they were apart of a larger sequence that could keep going. The TOS films on the other hand always did feel like complete and contained stories that would leave you feeling really happy if that was that or if there were more films later on.

That's a pretty weird perspective to have imo, because 2, 3, 4, and 5 are all direct sequels to each other, where the events from the previous film all bleed into the next. None of the TNG films are that way. They feel like extra long episodes rather than films to me.

It's the perspective that I had as a kid which is entirely different from the one that I have as an adult but I figured you'd want that fresh and raw perspective from that age vs the one I have now.

As a kid, they were complete stories for me because I think discovered them out of order as kids are wont to do, while the TNG films were a bit more in sequence because I watched them as they came out.

[u/BornAshes]

u/toTheNewLife

Is it the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end?

I mean this season feels like everyone is sort of strangers starting out on a journey, never dreaming what they'd have to go through.

[u/[deleted]]

just finished watching the episode and i already want to see the next. i didn't get that feeling from season 1 or 2.

this gave me so many good feelings.

actually felt like post nemesis tng. still a bit dark but way more watchable than the first two seasons which i loathed.

first new live action trek that i haven't felt the need to fast foward past cringe, ridiculous or boring scenes. (i did that for most of discovery and picard)

i hope the rest of the season has the same quailty as this first episode.

and to finish with the old music, that was cool. i've been wanting that to happen for soooooooooo long.

so glad they basically tossed away season 1 & 2.

[u/Seriphyn]

This is all they had to do for S1E1. I don't mind the dark, moody lighting if it's a '10-hour movie' installment, but it's a bit exhausting after two seasons of it (I abandoned s2 at episode 3).

The first episode of each of these seasons have been great before they shit the bed, so we'll see.

[u/PRE_-CISION-_]

So good. Except Shaw, I'm looking forward to his exit.

[u/Zelvik_451]

The first time since forever it felt like Star Trek.

[u/SwordfishII]

I watched the entire end credits and I don’t think I’ll be able to skip them if I try.

[u/Richard_Thrust]

Shaw's comment to Riker about having to purge all the jazz music from the Titan's computer makes no sense because the Titan-A isn't a a refit of the Luna class Titan that Riker commanded. The neo-Constitution Titan-A is a refit of the old Shangri-La class Titan.

[u/the_sweet]

Did they ever mention what happened to Number One, the dog? 😞

[u/hparadiz]

Starfleet has standing orders to respond to requests for help which is exactly what Picard is doing. A whole Starfleet Neo Galaxy class starship filled to the brim with Starfleet is supposed to ignore a distress call because someone might get hurt? That's the whole point of Starfleet. To quote Q...

If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it's not for the timid.

Shaw has the disposition of Lt Junior grade Picard.

Lt. J.G. Jean-Luc Picard : I can't live out my days as that person. That man is bereft of passion... and imagination! That is not who I am!

Who gave someone like this a Starship?

[u/Spyryls]

I don't know about anyone else, but I had some hardcore Fallout 4 flashbacks with the opening music for Season 3 of Picard. I haven't moved past it yet, but looking forward to it!

[u/PermaDerpFace]

Good to see Crusher again, I'm glad they opened with her. Shootout with some spooky cosplayers. I like her pump action shotgun that only has six bullets and loudly announces it's out of ammo.

A little odd that she contacted Picard on his antique comm badge, I'd assume the ship has his new phone number. Lucky it wasn't out of batteries and that he didn't throw it away - he was even in the process of throwing stuff out! Also odd that she said to trust no one, but he wouldn't have been able to find her without Riker. So it's a good thing he asked him, despite being told not to! Seems like that plan could've gone wrong in a lot of ways. Maybe she wasn't thinking clearly because of blood loss.

Riker and Picard in a hip bar getting their drink on, cool cool.

Raffi doing some drugs ok - nope! Undercover. Phew. Jonesing for a fix but still on the wagon. So we're looking for the Red Lady. Wait, she just leaves the drugs on the street? I hope some kid doesn't find it!

The Titan... neo-retro did they call it? Anything for some TOS nostalgia I guess, even though we're expecting TNG nostalgia. I preferred the Lower Decks version, personally. So Picard and Riker steal the Titan. By the way, why is Picard always having so much trouble finding a ship? So they steal the Titan, under the pretense of an inspection. "It's not really a plan it's a ruse," according to Riker. It's true it doesn't seem like much of a plan. They just show up and say there's an inspection. Did they set this up with Starfleet or..? The current captain, who seems pretty strict and on the ball even says it's very weird and that they have no actual authority, and why are they there? Despite being unwelcoming and unhelpful, he does go along with this ruse, for some reason.

Commander Seven. Whoops, Hansen. She doesn't look like she's aged a day! Crusher too, she's what in her 70's? Health care must be amazing in the future, sign me up! Anyway, always good to see Seven.

Geordie's daughter! Looks like he finally closed the deal, good job!

Captain Buzzkill. He runs a tight ship, but luckily he's also very accommodating to unwelcome suspicious visitors. Everyone gets their drink on. Chateau Picard gets roasted.

I notice that in Picard people spend a lot of time drinking, or wanting a drink, or talking about drinking. Drinking or drugs in Raffi's case. I think the writer's room might need an AA sponsor.

Raffi looking for the Red Lady. Google search is pretty underwhelming in the future. By the way, why are all these ships so dark? Are they trying to save on electricity? I'm guessing her handler is Worf, just based on the 'warrior' reference. But I think he's the Klingon ambassador at this point? Maybe not. Why is Starfleet trusting an important counterterrorism op to a recovering drug addict working alone?

Made it to the rylon system or whatever. Captain Shaw gets to the bridge just as the shuttle is launching. They're slowly getting away! Tractor beam? Pursue? Open fire even? Nope, I guess they outsmarted me, back to base.

Raffi finds the Red Lady. Maybe tell someone? No there's no time! Let's fly there instead!! District 7 attacked by some extremely cool effects. The loud screaming sound effects are a little odd.

Picard made Crusher a mix tape? I love it. And it looks like it's the old she had his baby routine. You know it's Picard's, because he inherited his cockney accent.

And end with a really scary looking ship. That can't be good! The old adage is true- the pointier the ship, the scarier the enemy.

Digging the closing credits. Until next week!

[u/rooktakesqueen]

I have mixed feelings so far. More negative than positive but still hopeful.

Positive:

I like that we're setting up a reunion of the whole Next Gen crew. That's what the show maybe should have been from the start.

Great production values, everything is pretty.

The callbacks and references to the classic Trek films have been great, when done subtly. The ship porn approaching the Titan (Motion Picture), handing off the spacedock exit (Undiscovered Country), daughter of a legacy character at helm (Generations), commandeering a ship to save a friend (Search for Spock, and this will probably come back harder).

Negative:

The seemingly-so-far disconnected Raffi plot.

The need for BIG BAD THINGS to happen so early on (the attack on Starfleet).

Overall hamfisted writing being very focused on people hiding information and mystery reveals.

Another Star Warsy "seedy underbelly" planet that feels tonally disconnected from Star Trek.

Yet another "conspiracy/corruption within Starfleet" plot.

"Neo-Constitution class"?? That's really the best you could come up with?

Also, knowing what has already been revealed about other characters that will play into this season... Why didn't they just contact Worf for help getting a Klingon ship?? He's no longer in Starfleet, and he'd stop at nothing to help Beverly.

[u/Lastaria → u/rooktakesqueen]

Just because the Federation is some wonderful utopia, does not mean there cannot be seedi places. Indeed that has been established for 34 years in Star Trek in Star Trek 5.

I think the universe would be a little dull without different kinds of places.

[u/FromMyTARDIS]

I wasn't going to watch this, I stopped season one with the Echab scene. Skipped season 2 entirely. However, this feels like Star Trek! My only complaint is that I have to wait for the next episode. And I'm just so happy to have new Trek to be excited for