Star Trek: Picard Episode #4 // Review
The whole crew finally gathered together, a visit to another planet, sword fights, and an epic battle in space; all of this, and more, in the fourth episode of Star Trek: Picard (Absolute Candor). Previously, a retired Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), years after a bitter separation from Starfleet, was approached by a mysterious young woman named Dahj (Isa Briones), who may be the daughter of his old deceased crewmate, the synthetic being known as Data. Before he could get answers, Dahj was killed by a secret Romulan organization called the Zhat Vash. After tracking down synthetic researcher Dr. Jurati (Alison Pill), he discovered that Dahj was most likely the creation of her mentor, Bruce Maddox, who also had a working relationship with Data. And, if she was a result of his work, then she would also have a “twin” out there somewhere. Determined to find Dahj’s twin before the Zhat Vash, Jean-Luc called in every favor he had left and chartered a ship. Now, he and his ragtag crew are off in search of Maddox, their only possible lead.
Just like last episode, the pacing and forward momentum of the plot seems to be picking up exponentially for this series. Not only is the entire cast finally all on the same ship, moving in the same direction, but they’re out in space, too (the defining setting of any Star Trek show). Not to say the first couple episodes were bad because it was great to be back, catching up on all that had happened in the Star Trek universe since the TNG era. Still, the nostalgia wore off quickly and left the audience wanting the familiar trappings of Picard on a ship, with a crew, trying to save the galaxy. Now that the show is firing on all cylinders, it feels more like the thing the fans wanted it to be, and it’s a more than welcome addition to the canon.
This episode also introduces Elnor (Evan Evagora), probably one of the most unique characters to come along in this franchise for quite some time. A thinly veiled samurai, he is the adopted son of a group of warrior Romulan nuns called the Qowat Milat. Having a close relationship with Picard as a child, he was left behind when Jean-Luc abandoned his mission to evacuate the Romulans before their sun went supernova. As an adult, he is one of the most dangerous people in non-phaser combat in the galaxy. This kind of character seems a bit of an anachronism amongst starships and phasers, but that’s kind of what makes him work, not to mention his father/son-like relationship with the neglectful Picard, which should invoke a bevy of interesting stories and character interactions moving forward.
The only thing not completely working about the series so far is the lack of explanation for Picard completely abandoning his mission. It’s a common theme that he hurt people, burned bridges, and even screwed over entire civilizations when he retired from Starfleet. It is especially the focus of this episode, where the audience sees that he walked away from not only the Romulans in general, but specific people he had forged connections with, and made promises to. It’s so out of character for Picard to turn his back on people in need, and while the writers have given us reasons for him leaving, it still doesn’t quite add up to his total abandonment of everyone. If the idea is that he was so disillusioned with Starfleet after their refusal to help the Romulans, and their subsequent acceptance of his threat to retire as an ultimatum, that he walked away from everything, then they haven’t really shown the audience his full emotional devastation to earn that. Hopefully, there is more character work forthcoming on this subject, because otherwise, it just seems like Picard gave up a little too easily.
This is, without a doubt, one of the more exciting episodes of Picard, so far, and if they can keep this momentum up, the show will earn its place in the upper levels of the best of the franchise. Every series takes a beat to get its bearings and define itself in the beginning, and it seems that Star Trek: Picard is finally finding its way. Given that it’s only four episodes in, it seems to be making good time.
