Star Trek Picard — Series 3 Episode 7 — Dominion — A Review

31st March, 2023: ‘Dominion’.

It’s Friday, again.

You can tell, can’t you … ?

The eternal mystery of why we’re supposed to have fish on a Friday is playing itself in front of me — or, at least, to my immediate right — as I write.

Or, at least, I’ve got fish and chips — and some vegetables — on the go as I speak.

Why … ?

Why not?

~≈🖖≈~

At any rate, there’s something else I’ll be thinking about.

Yesterday?

I had a one hour appeal hearing: about whether I qualified for extra financial help from the Department of Work and Pensions.

Hopefully, I will: but … ?

Until I hear — by post, by the 7th April — I won’t know for sure.

It’s both a mystery … and a mildly frustrating case of wait and see.

~≈🖖≈~

At any rate … ?

And I’ll say it, again … it’s Friday.

Which means simply this.

Once I’ve had dinner, I’ll be watching ‘Dominion’, the next episode of Star Trek Picard’s third and final season.

I’ll have my review up, tomorrow.

See you then!

~≈🖖≈~

Episode 7 — Dominion — opens with the usual summary of earlier episodes.

Then shifts: showing us that the USS Titan is in hiding in Chin’toka Scrapyard: whilst Seven of Nine (Jerry Ryan) talks to her old friend, Captain Tuvok (Tim Russ), to see what he knows about the captured Captain Riker.

To no avail: as Seven soon realises that the man she thinks is her old Voyager crew-mate … is yet another Changeling plant.

It’s only then that Geordi (LeVar Burton) reveals the Titan has problems.

Their communications signal is being traced.

As Admiral Picard (Patrick Stewart) puts it … ?

“We’re on our own.”

~≈🖖≈~

Now … 

What DID I make of this episode?

What did I make of ‘Dominion’?

I have to say, I do have one — possibly minor — quibble: but that’s something I can come too, later.

‘Dominon’ is weaving its plotlines together, rather well.

One thread?   Shows us Jack (Ed Speleers) and Sidney (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) capturing Vadic (Amanda ‘Honey Bunny’ Plummer) … which develops nicely into a connected second thread: Vadic’s confrontation with Admiral Picard and Doctor Crusher.

The third … ?

Is Geordi’s effect’s to try and resurrect his old friend Data: trapped in an ‘new’ shiny, upgraded body … with his evil twin Lore.

With Amanda Plummer and Brent Spiner putting in some superb performances?

This is one hell of an episode.

About my only complaint … ?

Is that there’s a distinct lack of both Raffi: and Michelle Hurd*, the woman that plays her.

I know this episode — indeed, this third series — has been about the returning cast: giving them a chance to shine, and us a chance to see what some very old friends have been up to.

But … ?

The character whose story arc was a key part of the first two series, seems to be rather undervalued in this third one.

I hate to mark an episode down: but, for me, that’s a flaw.

We’ll have to see what happens in next week’s episode!

~≈🖖≈~

At any rate … ?

I’ll be watching the next episode of AppleTV+’s For All Mankind, ‘Coming Home’, on Sunday, 2nd April: and have my written and video reviews of it up on Monday, 3rd April.

I’ll be watching ‘Surrender’, the next episode of Star Trek Picard, on 7th April: and have my written and video reviews of that up, on Saturday, 8th April.

Hopefully … ?

I’ll see you then.

‘Dominion’.

★★★☆

*        As a very minor point … ?   I have a fascinating exchange of comments on YouTube, earlier.   That reminded me we’ve not seen Jeffrey Combs in this series.   The Re-Animator star was a latex covered mainstay of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and Enterprise.