Star Trek Picard — Series 2 Episode 3 — Assimilation — A Review

8th July, 2022.

Right … It’s almost dinner time.

At least … it’s the part of the late afternoon where I’m cooking dinner!.

Fish and chips: again.

It’s Friday, after all!

At any rate?

Over the past few months, I’ve been watching TV on a Friday: catching up with Star Trek Discovery over the months.

And Star Trek Picard, more recently.

I’ve also been watching the fourth series of Stranger Things: on Tuesdays.

While you’re welcome to watch my video reviews of the series, that’s possibly something for another day.

Tuesdays, rather than Fridays … 

I’m rambling a touch, aren’t I … ?

It’s Friday.

I’m going to have dinner, then watch Assimilation, the next episode of Star Trek Picard.

Then?

By tomorrow night?

I’m going to tell you about it.

~≈🖖≈~

9th July, 2022.

Episode 3 — Assimilation — opens with the usual summary of earlier episodes.

It shows us the team — Admiral Picard, Dr Jurati, Raffi, Seven, Rios and Elnor (Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Michelle Hurd, Jerry Ryan, Santiago Cabrera, and Evan Evagora) — confronting and besting the Magistrate.

Only to lose Elnor in the process.

With him dead?

They still need to flee from the Confederacy’s ships.

The only way they can do that?

Is to let the Borg Queen (Annie Wersching) slingshot the La Sirena around the sun at warp speed.

The fact this will also travel back in time to the year 2024?

Let the team find and correct the flaw in the timeline?

Restore their universe?

Is almost providential.

Post titles?

The La Sirena has had a bumpy ride: as Admiral Picard has managed to get the ship down in the forests outside the 21st Century version of Chateau Picard.

The team is split.

Raffi?   Is angry: blaming both Picard and Q for the death of her protégé, and wants to start finding the Watcher, the figure knows how to correct the timeline

She leads a miniature mutiny: taking Seven and Rios to transport themselves out, to try and find the Watcher.

Restoring the timeline is the one thing that Raffi feels will restore Elnor’s life.

Back on the La Sirena?

Dr Jurati believes she can be of use: to both Picard, and Raffi.

By getting accurate information from the Queen.

She feels the Queen is still conscious, still capable of communicating: and that only way to do that?

Is for Doctor Jurati to be joined to the Queen, and drag the information out of her.

However?   Dr Jurati risks being assimilated, risks the Queen turning her into a Borg Drone.

Picard is concerned.   He knows perfectly well that, when you stare into the abyss, the abyss is going to be staring right back … 

~≈🖖≈~

Now … 

What did I make of Assimilation?

Is it — to borrow a tennis term? — serving the aces?

For a start?   The ensemble cast in Star Trek Picard is a superb one.   As are the writers, producers and crew.

I suspect that — as the series is now in it’s second year — all are comfortable with their jobs.

So?

With episodes one and two, that cast and crew have both opened the metaphorical show: reminding us who and where our heroes are, and showing us the Confederacy, the dire future that could be.

With episode three?   With Assimilation?

The story, itself, is now starting: we’ve got the pieces in place.

Raffi and Seven are trying to find the the mysterious Watcher: and to try find Rios, who’s facing dangers of of his own.

The Admiral, himself?   Is on La Sirena: getting information out of the Queen.

Now … ?

I talked of good performances?

Like I say, this ensemble cast are formidable.

But, for me?

The scene where Raffi — grief stricken after Elnor’s death — was a standout one: quite probably the performance of the episode … and possibly a lifetime!   Something I know I highlighted in the reviews of the first series.

Alison Pill’s scene, where she extracts needed information from the Queen?   Is another that caught my eye: chopping and changing as the Queen probes through her mind.

As was Annie Wersching’s performance as the Queen!

Combine performances like that?

With that a tautly written script, well paced editing … and equally well-paced direction, from Lea Thompson, direction that owes as much to thrillers as it does to science fiction?

Frankly, we have another very well done episode.

Yes: Assimilation is serving the aces!

~≈🖖≈~

With that said … ?

With that said, I’ll leave you with timings.

In addition to this second series of Picard?   I’ve been watching the fourth season of Stranger Things, over the past few Tuesdays.

I’ll be watching the next episode this Tuesday — 12th July — and have my review up on Wednesday 13th: you’re welcome to leave me a comment!

That’s Tuesdays.

Next Friday, 15th July?   Next Friday, I’ll be watching Watcher: the next episode of this season of Star Trek Picard.

I’ll have my reviews up, on Saturday, 16th July.

I’d love it if you joined me!

Assimilation*.

★★★★

*        My copy of Harts tells me that the title of the series should be in italics: with the titles of individual episodes in regular, roman, styles.   I might just have to do something about that … one day.