Star Trek Picard — Series 2 Episode 1 — The Star Gazer — A Review

24th June, 2022.

Right … it’s officially a Friday night: and I’m feeling vaguely stressed.

Tonight’s intro video … ?   Took a few goes to do.

Basically?

It seems iMovie really doesn’t like — or recognise! — photos in the .webp format!

Converting the damn image so it would;

• Fit.
• Work.
• Not make me scream in frustration!

Took a while!

At any rate … ?

It’s Friday night.

And I’m continuing something of a tradition.

The past few weeks have seen me watching Star Trek Discovery’s fourth season.

And enjoying it.

Tonight?   Now my stress level’s are down?

I’m going to have dinner … 

And watch The Star Gazer, episode one of Star Trek Picard’s second season.

This post will go live, tomorrow: I’ll tell you all about it, then.

~≈🖖≈~

25th June, 2022. 

Episode 1 — The Star Gazer — opens with a flash forward: a red alert on the USS Stargazer … one that’s seems to be being invaded by something: that causes Admiral Picard to start the ship’s auto destruct sequence.

After the titles, the scene shifts back to forty-eight hours earlier.

Showing us the activities at Château Picard: home to Admiral Picard (Patrick Stewart).

As the episode opens, it’s harvest season: and the Admiral is bringing the grapes, and bottling this year’s vintage, with the aid of a horde of staff led by Laris (Orla Brady).

With the day’s work complete?   The pair put their feet up … 

Only for something to almost happen … 

~≈🖖≈~

The scene shifts … to show us Picard reliving a distant memory of his mother: and of exploring the family home.

Whilst being reminded that he’s due to give a commencement address at Starfleet Academy.

In deep space?   We see Seven of Nine (Jerry Ryan) defending her ship from invaders: and once done, finding out there’s some hefty spacial anomalies, nearby.

She manages to confirm those with Christóbal Rios (Santiago Cabrera), now Captain of the latest Federation ship to be called USS Star Gazer.   A ship who’s also temporary home to Dr Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill): travelling back from a diplomatic meeting

The Anomaly?   Is home to a massive spaceship broadcasting a single message in many languages.

“Help Us, Picard.”

It gets worse, when the Admiral arrives.

The anomaly is home to a Borg ship.

And the only way to stop the Borg Queen that’s transported aboard?

Is to trigger the ship’s Auto-destruct sequence.

It’s only when he wakes from his apparent death, back in Chateau Picard?

That Admiral Picard realises he has issues …

~≈🖖≈~

Now … 

What am I going to tell you about The Star Gazer?

Is it good, bad, indifferent?

Does it compare favourably to Kobayashi Maru, the opening episode of Star Trek Discovery’s fourth season?

Let’s take that last point, first, shall?

Yes: I think the two opening episode compare well.

The Star Gazer looks very good, stood next to Kobayashi Maru.

Better, I think.   Star Trek Discovery has a talented, but young, cast and crew: up against a bunch of comparative heavy weights in Picard.

That’s not to say Discovery’s bad: simply that — in this opening episode — age and experience has the upper hand.

As for good, bad or indifferent?

The Star Gazer is one hell of an opening episode.   From an beautifully done early scene that shows us Picard and Laris realising their feelings for each other, all the way through to the big climax: with an appearance from Q (John de Lancie), himself*.

The Star Gazer looks like the start of one hell of a series.

Frankly?

It’s 1st July, next Friday.

I’m going to be watching episode two, Penance, and telling you what I thought on Saturday 2nd July.

I’d love it if you joined me.

The Star Gazer.

★★★★

*        It has to be said, De Lancie has aged incredibly gracefully.