I feel like recent events in Discovery may have more to do with that…
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I haven’t seen Discovery. The bad movies put me off Trek entirely; it was only Patrick Stewart that lured me back.
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You will not be disappointed if you enjoy the modernization of Trek that Picard shows - that began in Discovery.
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I think it’s safe to say the red letter media guys are not fans of this show…
I have to say i agree with most of their criticisms, this is just another “gritty” sci-fi future with none of what made me fall in love with star trek in the first place or gave it its identity, much like discovery really. Class divide - that’s back! Money - that’s back! Smoking - that’s back! It’s all back. Though i will say the latest episode where he visits troi and riker was like slipping into a warm bath, it was bliss and both troi and riker were exactly as you would expect them to be in this stage of their lives. I read somewhere that frakes was concerned about being on screen again as he hasn’t acted in a long time but i never would have guessed from watching this.
As someone who isn’t part of the devout fandom, I’m really enjoying the show on it’s own merit. (Just like I enjoyed the Maldorlorian on its own merit, without being an actual SW fan.)
Can’t say I clicked the vid, because frankly, I’m kinda tired of hearing the opinions of a certain demographic of fanboys, regardless to what show or franchise it might be…
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On the whole i agree and i avoid the majority of such youtube videos because of exactly that but i don’t find that with red letter media. I’ve been watching them since the star wars prequels reviews and their stuff is considered and thoughtful in my opinion.
Likewise.
And while I’m not an obsessive fan, I have seen all of TOS/TNG/DS9/Voyager. And bits and pieces of the dodgy later stuff.
—
Trek has always been shaped by the politics of its day. Picard is no exception, and given the context I’m glad to see it leaning into questioning the virtue of status quo authority and self-image.
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I am a bit of a fan of the various treks - and I’m enjoying it immensely.
DS9 showed that the trek universe isn’t a utopia without problems. And how can you have any drama in a utopia?
It is bringing the franchise into brave, new worlds. Where emotional complexity exists - where people get old - where older people aren’t one dimensional or humorous- where technology doesn’t solve all human problems. But still growing old changes your role in the story - you’re vulnerable and need protecting- even if you’re leading. Where we can have stories of these characters outside of their semi military roles.
It’s Trek growing up.
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The problem has always been that “Trek fans” don’t like updated Trek. There was the same level of disdain for TNG from die-hard trek fans when it came out, after all.
Rod Roddenberry was on the post-show “Ready Room” after an episode, discussing this very fact. Star Trek needs to evolve, has always evolved, and bringing new fans into the fold is a good thing. Trek fans tend to be some of the best in fandom, as long as you don’t get them to talk Trek. 
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There’s a reason why I like various popular franchises but never consider myself “a fan”; I’m not so rigid in my esteem and admiration of any art-form that I can’t enjoy different expressions or interpretations of it.
That always seems so… limited to me.
Same here.
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I would apply the same criticism to star wars fans as well, i thought the last jedi went in some very interesting directions to shake things up a bit but star wars fandom absolutely loathed it. To the extent that i felt rise of skywalker backtracked on a lot of it in order to appease them which turned it into the convoluted mess that it was with just zero repercussions for anything.
Of course star trek has to evolve, the fans were complaining about star trek when it came back for the motion picture (the appearance of the klingons for instance) but to me picard is just another generic sci-fi future. I love the expanse so there’s a place for that but star trek always strived for a better future for humanity yet in this series we just see conflict, class division (raffi comparing her digs to chateau picard) and characters seeking profit (rios). As the red letter media guys point out, there are numerous examples of picard explaining to others that poverty is eliminated, that humanity no longer seek to obtain material things so i’m just disappointed to see them reintroduced because it’s easier then to get drama out of it.
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Yeah, this is maybe his best Trek work ever … I mean, not that that’s a high bar to clear.
That scene with Stewart and Frakes sitting by the lake with their arms around each other’s shoulders, that’s what I wanted from this show in the first place. They could have skipped the space opera really.
The writers can’t figure out if they want to frame Picard as a hero or as a kind of damaged person who annoys people. It seems like they’ll have to get off the fence about it at some point.
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It’s been said before.
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That scene was particularly lovely and there has been a few of those and when i first read about the series i was hoping it would be something like this, with picard contemplating the last act of his life while visiting some old friends.
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/whynotboth?
“Picard” has given the character a level of vulnerability not previously seen in other ST outings, which I think makes a certain class of fan uneasy. Showing Starfleet become insular and stop giving a shit about the wider galaxy when they are injured also shows a vulnerability we haven’t seen before. Then, lastly, it shows consequences of taking principled stands in a way we also haven’t seen in previous Trek.
IMHO it’s these very properties that are bringing new viewers in, but it also without a doubt makes a lot of folks uneasy who don’t want their Trek with a side of grey. I don’t think those folks have been paying attention to just how grey Trek has gone in the past, though.
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Well, we can get that grayscale lots of places. Some of us didn’t want it on our TNG Classic.
Have you seen Pandora? It’s an ST clone, like The Orville, but in tone it’s a lot like DS9 or Picard
Highlights of Episode 7
- “I just ate a Borg cube sized piece of cake”
- Picard probably didn’t think well of Riker’s winemaking skills, but was too polite to say anything
- New androids have mucus!
- On a side note, in the “bible” of the original series, Gene Roddenberry specifically stated in the future humanity would have evolved past smoking. He hated the habit. Never wanted to see it depicted on the show. (See “These are the Voyages-Vol 1” by Mark Kushmann)
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When Data has emotions - Troi could read them.
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