17th February, 2023: The Next Generation.
Right … I’ve officially got dinner on the go.
Fish and chips: again.
This time last Friday … ?
Right now … ?
Dinner’s a’cooking.
Fish and chips, again.
Once that’s eaten?
I’ll be settling in to watch ‘The Next Generation’: the first episode of Star Trek Picard’s third and last series.
You’ll find out more, tomorrow: when I publish my written and video reviews.
Episode 1 — The Next Generation — opens with an intertitle: reminding us that we are in the 25th century.
Then — over the top of a version of I Don’t Want to Set the World On Fire, and a log entry from many years earlier — shows us a Federation ship called the Eleos.
A ship that’s commanded by Beverly Crusher: former Chief Medical Office of the USS Enterprise, former head of Starfleet Medical …
And currently, a woman in a lot of trouble: as her ship, and her minimal crew, are under attack by something heavily armed and extremely hostile.
She only has time to do one thing.
Send off a heavily encrypted message to the one person she feels she can trust.
Jean-Luc Picard.
Post titles?
We’re show a painting of the USS Enterprise: the by now familiar one hanging on the wall of Jean-Luc’s office at Chateau Picard in France.
A painting that he and Laris (Orla Brady) are heavily discussing: the Admiral feels it could be given a new home in Starfleet’s museum, whilst Laris feels it should stay exactly where it is … once it’s been cleaned.
About the only think the pair can agree on … ?
Is exactly what they’re going to do on Cheltok-4: where Laris is arranging security for a diplomatic meeting … whilst Jean-Luc relaxes somewhere sunny, with a halfway decent Saurian Brandy … and something to write his memoirs with.
Although, as he confesses?
He’s not a man who needs a legacy: he needs an adventure.
Little suspecting that he’s going to possibly find one … when he starts hearing a chirping sound.
A chirping sound from an old communicator badge: one he hasn’t used in years, that hasn’t gone off in years, and one that’s alerting him to a message … from a very old friend …
~≈🖖≈~
Now … what DID I make of this episode?
What did I make of ‘The Next Generation’?
I have to admit, I’ve been watching the third season of AppleTV+’s For All Mankind, just recently.
And caught the first episode, ‘Polaris,’ a couple of Sundays ago.
The video version of my review is here.
But, to put not too fine a point on it?
I walked away from ‘Polaris,’ thinking it was a good first episode: it introduced new characters, reintroduced old ones, and teased at upcoming plot points in this series arc.
‘The Next Generation’? Is equally good.
It’s hinting at the return of old characters: partly by mentioning Geordi, partly by showing us Beverly Crusher and Commander — now Captain — Riker, and partly by re-introducing Seven of Nine and Raffi.
It also does so, musically: both the introductory, and out going, themes are very familiar*.
It — like the opening episode of For All Mankind three — is also setting up plot points.
But, where ‘Polaris’ and following episode, ‘Game Changer’ tell us this season of For All Mankind is going to be an exciting race to Mars, ‘The Next Generation’ isn’t so reassuring.
It’s hinting at great danger: a vicious new alien species† is targeting Dr Crusher, Raffi‡ (Michelle Hurd) in the heart of enemy territory … and hinting at a rapidly approaching deadline, a deadline that could well spell disaster.
All that … and tells us about the unidentified Red Lady being at the heart of things.
Is ‘The Next Generation’ a good opening episode?
Is it a good advert for the rest of the final season of Star Trek Picard?
Hell, yes!
The next episode, ‘Disengage,’ is due out on Thursday, 23rd February.
You can safely bet I’ll be watching it on Friday, 24th February: and will have my written and video reviews up on the 25th.
Hopefully?
I’ll see you then!
‘The Next Generation.’★★★★
* As a minor point, there? Right at the end of the closing credits is the simple phrase, ‘For Annie’: honouring the late Annie Wersching, who died at the age of forty-five, after playing the Borg Queen in series two. My thoughts are with her family: they’ve lost one hell of a figure.
† I’m fairly sure it’s already been mentioned … but am I the only one who saw these whatever they are … and thought about the Sycorax, in ‘The Christmas Invasion,’ David Tennant’s first appearance as the Doctor? I don’t know: but do wonder. Especially as the Borg, conceptually, reminded me of the Cybermen. And lord knows what the Hierarchy — in Star Trek Voyager — looked like.
‡ It has to be said, Michelle Hurd has been the star of the first two series: as far as I’m concerned. And looks like she’s going to be stealing a few scenes in this one, as well. At any rate … ? Her character, Raffi, has figured out that ‘the Red Lady,’ she keeps hearing about … is actually a statue of Captain Rachel Garrett^, the captain of the Enterprise C: and quite possibly, the target of a terrorist attack on Frontier Day, itself.
^ The Enterprise C, and Captain Garrett, were central characters in an old episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I’m not as knowledgeable about Star Trek’s background universe: but even I recognised Captain Garrett.
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