Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart) hopes to settle down for a simple life on Earth, and maybe even find love again. But a disruptive cosmic force changes the course of Picard’s life, along with the entire universe. Can Picard and the motley crew of La Sirena save time itself?
Picard (Season 2, Episodes 1-3)
“The Star Gazer,” “Penance,” and “Assimilation”
Douglas Aarniokoski (director), Lea Thompson (director), Kirsten Beyer (writer), Akiva Goldsman (writer), Christopher Monfette (writer), Terry Matalas (writer)
Sir Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Jeri Ryan, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, Evan Evagora (cast)
March 3, 2022
Having saved the synths from extinction, and made peace with Data’s (Brent Spiner) death, Admiral Picard returns to his family home and vineyard in France. But when a mysterious distress call names Picard, the call of Starfleet duty throws a spanner in the works for Picard and his friends. Before Picard knows it, he’s sucked into a new and world-destroying adventure with ex-Borg and galactic ranger Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), Starfleet Commander Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd), troubled medical officer Dr. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill), newly appointed captain of the refurbished Stargazer Cristóbal Rios (Santiago Cabrera), and Picard’s protégé Elnor (Evan Evagora).
I had mixed feelings going into Picard Season 2. The opening season was enjoyable but left much to be desired. When it focused on established characters, like Picard and Seven of Nine, the show felt like it knew what to do. Everything else? Not so much.
Picard Season 2 is working hard to make amends. There is one clear plot and the subplots, so far, all feed into that main storyline. Season 1 was a bit too caught up with setting up numerous storylines, with the major reveal in the finale being that these separate stories were actually connected. As a result, the season felt disjointed for most of its runtime.
Of course, with an entire season of setup done and dusted, Picard Season 2 has to do little work in terms of character dynamics. Gone are the overlong, stilted monologues that were nothing more than exposition. There is some solid dialogue this season, and plenty of humour. You can see the easy chemistry between the actors — they feel like old friends once again thrust into extraordinary circumstances.
The world-building feels much more effortless this time around. The laborious explanations about ex-Borgs, Romulan cultures, and synth revolts are all in the past. Picard Season 2 takes known concepts from Star Trek and science-fiction in newer directions, alongside throwbacks and Easter eggs that will make fans sit up and take notice.
I’m relieved so many characters from Season 1 are returning. There was so much squandered character growth last season but we’re finally getting to explore the many facets of these characters. This has also made room for more character interactions and tons of witty banter. I can’t help but be excited for it. Will the new season deliver? We’ve got glimpses in the opening episodes, which makes me hopeful.
As someone who adores time travel as a plot device, Picard Season 2 is right up my alley. Terry Matalas, who joined the writers’ room for the second season, has plenty of experience with time travel — he was the showrunner on the 12 Monkeys TV series, which is one of my favourite shows of all time. I am very keen to see where this season goes with Matalas on writing duty.
I am relieved to see that the pacing of the episodes has also improved. The action scenes move swiftly, but not so fast that you can’t see who’s fighting whom. But the show also seems to know when to slow down and allow viewers the chance to live in the moment, experiencing feelings of fear, joy, or incredible sorrow.
And the viewer is definitely going to go through a gamut of emotions in Picard Season 2. Remember in Season 1 when Icheb was so unceremoniously murdered? And later, Hugh met a similar fate? Even Picard died, after all. It’s clear that the gloves are definitely off now. None of the characters are safe, even if they’re listed in the opening credits! I’m not sure I love this approach, because as much as I struggled with the debut season, I did become fond of the characters. I mean, it’s Star Trek —what would you expect?
Like Star Trek has done so many times before, Picard Season 2 feels like it’s trying to take up some relevant causes, like climate change and the treatment of marginalized communities. It’s hard to tell how well the show will handle these sensitive issues. I’m not yet sure if this season actually wants to tackle those issues or whether they’ll act as little more than a backdrop to the plot. We’ll have to wait and see.
There’s also a lot of talk about love in Picard Season 2, which I have to say is surprising. It still amazes me (okay, it annoys me) that Picard didn’t end up marrying Dr. Beverly Crusher. Their will-they-won’t-they romance throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation deserved a payoff in Picard‘s first season. But this season seems to suggest that Picard might be open to the possibility of love again.
And he’s not the only one. In the closing moments of the first season finale, the show suggested that there may be more between Raffi and Seven. The two hadn’t interacted as much so it was a surprise pairing, although a welcome one. As for Juratti and Rios, I can’t say I saw any chemistry there at all, and I’m hoping the writers of Picard have noticed the same. In all honesty, I thought Juratti had more chemistry with Picard. And Rios, who is clearly being set up as the romantic centre of Picard Season 2, had tons more chemistry with Picard, Seven, and La Sirena. Come to think of it, Sir Patrick has natural chemistry with everyone, so I don’t know what the show can do with that. It almost feels a shame to tie the man down to one person. I’ve never really been comfortable with romance in Star Trek, as it often feels shoehorned in. But a good slow-burn — like Picard and Beverly Crusher, anyone?— could work, as long as it doesn’t detract from the main plot.
I was worried as I sat down to watch the first episode of Picard Season 2, but three episodes in, I’m massively relieved by what I’ve seen. The characters are more fully-formed, the story is far stronger and developing organically, and there are some genuinely hilarious moments amongst the suspense and intrigue. I’m cautiously optimistic for a thrilling and enjoyable follow-up season. Here’s hoping the show delivers.
