Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Episode 1 Review: The Next Generation
Diana Keng
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There it is. Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Episode 1 trumpets the final adventure for Jean-Luc Picard and his band of merry spacefarers, and it's fanfare unlike anything we've seen before.
The premiere serves a dual purpose. It must provide some continuity to the previous two seasons, but its Prime Directive is to reward fans with the eagerly awaited reunion of the Enterprise-D crew.
While we haven't gotten the whole band together yet, it's safe to say we're well on our way, and the promise of a new and exciting adventure into the unknown is intriguing and delightful.
Let's first consider Dr. Beverly Crusher.
We learn later that she's been incommunicado for over twenty years and that she and Picard parted on unsatisfactory terms.
But the good doctor first roars back onto our screen, responding to an enemy attack with ruthless efficiency and determination.
We know nothing about the masked alien assailants, but Dr. Crusher clearly knows they are a deadly threat, and a vigorous defense is necessary.
That kill shot after bursting out from the cover of billowing gas effectively evolves our sense of Beverly from a calm, supportive healer to a badass warrior physician.
Her encoded subspace distress call carries shades of Leia's holo-message to Obi-Wan, only with a better delivery system. (No offence to R2, of course)
It bears noting that -- although Beverly left Jean-Luc behind decades ago -- when the attack is detected, she is listening to his captain's log from their first encounter with the Borg while the mix tape he made her plays in the background.
Not only that, but she is surrounded by souvenirs of her time on the Enterprise -- the drama masks, the orchids, her late husband's trunk of belongings.
This parallels Picard and Laris's discussion about his belongings at Chateau Picard.
Laris: Jean-Luc, you don’t need to prove to me how ready you are for this. How in-the-present you are. The past matters and that’s okay.
Picard: Laris, these things from my past, they are so dear to me. They’re mementos of dear friends, old and new. But they’re memories.
While I know we're supposed to root for Jean-Luc and Beverly's reunion, I have to admit I really love his relationship with Laris.
There's so much emotional and historical baggage involved in the Captain and Doctor shenanigans while he and Laris have built something new and healthy together.
And while he seems to have a type in women once married to men who he worked closely with, Laris knows the man he is now much better than Beverly could.
Of course, there is that incredible reveal that Beverly's been traveling with her son, who looks like he could be in his... oh, maybe, twenties? (Ed Speleers is 35 IRL, but I think we all know where they're going with the character.)
So, Beverly's got some 'splainin' to do. Once she revives and recovers, of course. And that'll be AFTER they escape the giant pointy scary-looking vessel that's got them cornered.
This season's shaping up nicely, I have to admit.
Riker and Picard reconnect like best friends and workmates always do.
I am intrigued by what sort of domestic issues have driven a wedge between him and Deanna. I hope that's addressed soon.
But the eagerness with which he throws in with Picard is heartwarming turned up to eleven.
Picard: I can’t ask you to put yourself in danger.
Riker: Since when?
There are a lot of references to their encroaching years, and the blunt Captain Shaw pulls no punches in pointing out that their good ol' days are very much a thing of the past.
I’m really sorry, fellas. I love you, I do. I love reading about all your wildly exciting... and equally irresponsible... adventures, but I have orders from actual officers whose paygrade are far above all of ours.
Shaw
To be fair, nothing he says is untrue or irresponsible. Borderline rude and definitely not tactful, but he is the very model of a modern Starfleet captain when it comes to knowing procedure and chain of command.
It's sobering to see where Seven and Raffi are in their lives, separate and unhappy.
Furthermore, it's not surprising that Shaw's rigid adherence to structure has Seven itching to do something insubordinate.
While she was accustomed as Borg to following directives, it was a hive mind, not hierarchical with snark. To the Borg, the collective good is the priority, whereas Shaw's mandate is to put everyone in their place according to his judgment.
Picard: I apologize, Captain, are we late?
Shaw: Hardly. It’s just your reputation preceded you so far into the room, that I started early.
Todd Stashwick is deliciously obstructive. Not a Jellico (although he may aspire to it), but also not an Esteban, I don't think. Time will tell how he'll react now that he's been dragged unwillingly into an exciting and irresponsible adventure.
Picard: Ensuring the condition of our starships would be boring?
Shaw: Well, we won’t be blowing things up. Taking or engaging in fire. Crash-landing expectedly or unexpectedly. Y’know, the usual for you boys.
Seven has the makings of being the sort of captain she dreams of becoming. It's an unfortunate reality that she'll probably face prejudice and discrimination her entire life, but her presence in Starfleet will make a huge difference to other "Others" who come later.
While Seven struggles with the manacles of bureaucracy, Raffi is in a literally and emotionally darker place where the rules are being rewritten constantly, if they're there at all.
Undercover work for a recovering addict is a dangerous and devastating setup.
You have no idea how hard it is to be in this world.
Raffi
Isolated from anyone who could support her, lying to everyone she interacts with, and left to wallow in her estrangement from her family, Raffi's only outlet is following her conspiracy theories down some twisted rabbit holes.
Seeing her efforts fall short when the terrorists' portal weapon hits the Recruitment Center can only trigger riskier endeavors and bigger gambles.
This first chapter of Season 3 is titled "The Next Generation," and it does a solid job of playing on that phrase in various ways.
Obviously, our Enterprise-D crew were the heroes of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
But Geordi's daughter, helmsperson Sidney La Forge, is actually the next biological generation. And, of course, there's Beverly's as-yet-nameless son. He may prove double next generation-al.
And if you squint a bit, Captain Shaw could be seen as an example of the next generation of captain, although I'd argue his type of captain has been around a long time.
Ultimately, it's all about Picard. Where will his story take us this time?
What will we learn about our old crew? Will the reunion be everything we've hoped for?
How did this foray suit you, Fanatics? Was it a warp core breach, or did they make it so?
Beam your comments down, and let us know how engaged you feel!
Diana Keng was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lifelong fan of smart sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond 'til she dies. Her guilty pleasures include female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and dreams big. Follow her on X.
