Star Trek Picard — Series 1 Episode 4 — Absolute Candor — A Review

24th March, 2020.

You know, I’ in the UK: and the UK … ?

Is on lock down.

We can only go out … ?   To shop for essentials, do banking, or get medication.

It’s very frustrating.

I’m job hunting, and, at the moment?

I was due to have a meeting at the job centre in a week and a half’s time.

Which then got converted into a phonemail in a week and a half’s time.

Which then got cancelled, this morning.

The job centre’s processing a lot of new claims.

I … 

I can understand why they’re going that: there’s a lot of pole redundant, however temporarily.

But I’ve enough experience with the Department of Work and Pensions — the government departments that organise the benefits system — to try and keep a paper trail of what they’ve told me.

~≈®≈~

At any rate … ?

I’m stuck indoors: as are we all.

If nothing else?

I can catch up with another episode of the TV show I’m watching, right now: another episode of series one of Star Trek Picard.

~≈®≈~

Episode 4 — Absolute Candor — opens with a flashback: to fourteen years earlier, just before the Mars Attack.

Showing us Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) visiting the planet Vashti: a giant refugee camp for the Romulans made homeless by the Supernova.

The Man from Del Monte says yes!

Arriving specifically to meet with the Qowat Milat: a group of Romulan warrior nuns who are helping with the refugee crisis … 

And who are looking after an orphaned little boy named Elnor.

~≈®≈~

Years later?

Years later, and the Admiral and his crew — Raffi, Rios and Agnes (Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, Alison Pill) — are on their way to Freecloud: the mysterious place where They can find Bruce Maddox: believed responsible for Data’s daughter’s.

But … ?

The Admiral insists on just one detour: he needs to ask a favour of Elnor (Evan Evagora).

~≈®≈~

Meanwhile?

Meanwhile, on the Artefact, the Romulan run wrecked Borg cube, Soji (Isa Briones) is becoming more involved with Narek (Harry Treadaway) … 

And still curious about Ramdha, the former Borg drone.

Having seen interviews Ramdha had given in her pre-Borg days, Soji convinced that the mission than led to Ramdha’s capture … was more than what’s she’s being told … 

Things … ?

Are getting tricky … 

~≈®≈~

Now … 

I have to admit, I think I was right.

The last episode of Star Trek Picard I saw — The End Is the Beginning — was superb: as were the previous two!

The quality of episodes that’s being put out?   Is great.

And very much in the tradition of both Star Trek — I watched this episode thinking “Yep, She’s first officer, he’s head of security … oh my LORD, she’s Ensign Tilly!*” — and The Magnificent Seven.

Romulan spy, Narissa — Peyton List — is obviously the marauding Mexicans: whilst the crew of La Sirena are the Seven.

A Seven literally.

As Jeri Ryan makes her first appearance as a returning Seven of Nine in this episode.

Am I still interested … ?

Yes I am!

*        Star Trek Discovery’s Ensign Tilly (Mary Wiseman) always makes me want to look up the word ditzy …