Date: June 3, 2020

Season 7, Episode 25

Musical Accompaniment: Star Trek in concert, from Prague 2016

Interstellar News: Summer has arrived in the South. Also, we watched the credits one last time.

Favorite Quotes:

Worf’s One-Two Punch: “It was…… very stimulating.”

Picard’s Poetry: “I prefer to look on the future as something which is not written in stone.”

Data’s Not Really An Android: “I found that a touch of grey adds an air of distinction.”

Riker is a Raconteur: “A face off. The question is, who’s going to move first?”

Quick Summary: Worf and Troi have a holodeck date and just as they are about to kiss Picard comes running up to them in his Big Lebowski finest and explains he’s moving through time. At various points through the episode we deal with Past, Current, and Future Picard.

The future is about 25 years from current time where Picard is tending to his grapes and has Irumodic Syndrome. La Forge, minus VISOR but add wife and kids, comes to visit and they then travel to visit Data in Cambridge where he is a professor and a crazy cat android. They decide they need a ship, which Admiral Riker denies, but the other Captain Picard (first name Beverly) allows them to tag along. They also find Governor Worf, the most honorable Klingon in politics, who goes with them to try and smooth things over as the Klingons took over the Romulan Empire and parted ways with the Federation. Troi is, apparently, dead and it caused a rift between Riker and Worf. They arrive where the anomaly should be but are attacked by Klingons and then saved by Riker and the Enterprise.

The past begins on the shuttle craft that takes him to the Enterprise for the first time with Tasha Yar as his pilot. They are on their way to Farpoint Station, are ordered to The Neutral Zone, but Picard ignores that orders and goes looking for the first time he met Q. Eventually he is back in front of Judge Q who plays “10 questions” with Picard and proclaims Picard has doomed humanity.

In the present Crusher begins with a scan but there’s communication from Admiral Nakamura that wants to send them to The Neutral Zone because… Romulans. The scan shows a defect and it’s serious enough that lead to Crusher and Picard having a tender moment. At the edge of TNZ Picard hails the Romulan warbird and he and Tomolak agree to each send one ship in to investigate the anomaly. La Forge’s eyes begin to heal and Nurse Ogawa loses her baby because of anti-time. After a lot of back and forth and a bit of nudging from Q, Picard realizes the tachyon pulses are what caused the anomaly. He eventually orders all three ships to enter the anomaly, at which point they all see each other, and one-by-one they explode. Present Picard is then back with just Q in the judge’s chambers where Q explains he’s done well and all of a sudden Picard is back to interrupting Worf and Troi. The episode ends with Picard joining the senior staff for poker night.

My Thoughts and Impressions: When Picard is first in the future and sees people jeering at him, I thought it was weird but was sure I’d find out more soon. The second time it happened I said to my husband “weird, those totally look like the people from the first episode when Q put them on trial”, and he gave a noncommittal shrug. When Q finally reveals himself, I shot my husband a look… I’m sure you know the one.

I really enjoyed seeing how the episode came together. In the past you see how the crew must have felt when Jellico took command, as Picard acts just like Jellico did. Picard makes use of his future knowledge to bring everyone to his side eventually, because he’s Jean-Luc Picard, damn it! In the future, you see how much everyone changed and still kind of stayed the same in some respects. I was thrilled to see Crusher became a captain, sad that Troi died, creeped out that La Forge may have married Leah Brahms, happy that Worf was living his best Klingon life, ecstatic that Data turned into me (a professor with a lot of cats), and not surprised that Riker turned into a jerk when he became an admiral. It was great to see how they got the band back together, it flowed in all the right ways. In the present, and I can’t say it enough, WE NEEDED MORE TOMOLAK! Q is at his best here when he takes Picard back in time to where the first amino acids bumped uglies, because he really has developed a soft spot for Picard and humanity. Q knows deep down that Picard will always make the hard choice, even if it means sacrificing himself and his crew in three different timelines. It was also wonderful that the timelines did not effect one another, it actually made a lot of sense to me.

After the mishegoss that was the last two series finales, TOS and TAS, I was so glad that this was everything I wanted it to be. There are callbacks to just enough things, a bit of the show calling itself out, and enough science fiction and Q continuum foolishness to bring us full circle on this journey and not feel like it was all for nothing. The present day crew has their futures ahead of them because that future no longer exists and, the sky is truly the limit for them. I know I’ll see the crew in some movies and Picard (if I ever get there), but I’m excited for some new faces and a different setting for a while. That’s a wrap at warp 9 for me. Tomorrow, we’ll tackle Generations.

TA Out!

Date: June 2, 2020

Season 7, Episodes 22, 23, and 24

Musical Accompaniment: Back to my iTunes mix with all the Warped Tour compilation albums, Maroon 5, Billy Joel, Linkin Park, and a few movie soundtracks.

Interstellar News: Yesterday, when I watched these episodes, I completed five loads of laundry and today we watched five episodes of Scrubs.

Favorite Quote from “Bloodlines”:

Bok: How touching. Your apology is worthless to me. I demand that you repay me for my loss.

Picard: You cannot put a price on a life.

Bok remembering he’s a Ferengi and Picard being, well, Picard.

“Bloodlines” begins with the Enterprise intercepting a probe that shows a hologram message from Bok (last seen in “The Battle“) proclaiming that “Jason Vigo is as good as dead”. Jason might be Picard’s son and Bok is still out for revenge, so they head to Camor V and beam up Jason. Turns out his mom died but Crusher’s DNA test says they’re a match. Jason is no angel and also has no interest in getting to know Picard, but Picard is determined to be there for his son and to protect him from Bok. Jason has a seizure, Crusher finds out his has a rare disorder, but then Bok transports Jason off of the ship. Picard follows and explains to the others on board that Bok lied to them, there is no profit, and Jason isn’t actually his son because Bok faked the DNA test. Bok is arrested by the other Ferengi, Jason heads back to Camor V, and Picard promises to visit sometime.

Apparently Season 7 has turned into “let’s have a lot of sad episodes and also have all the bridge crew take a turn at being parents”. Crusher and Worf we’ve seen, Troi was a parent in “The Child” and in some alternate realities, Riker in “Future Imperfect“, Data in “The Offspring“, and now Picard sort of gets his turn. Picard does all the right moves but he does it without much feeling, he’s just suuuuuper awkward. Jason plays the “mad at his dad that was never there” kind of low key and I don’t really buy either of their performances. There are some great lines between the two, like where Picard tells Jason it doesn’t matter about his criminal activities and they end joking about hairlines.

Bok is another one who is off in some way. In “The Battle”, you can tell he’s grieving and just a bit crazy. Here, Bok’s just meh, I don’t find him as compelling as a victim and the danger never seems real. The subspace transporter thing just seems to show up when needed and also doesn’t actually pose any of the threat we’re warned about. I also don’t understand why Bok mutated Jason’s genes, because if Picard ever found out (like he did) then it would just be some random person that Bok killed. I wish he had played it a little more crazy instead of the “aw shucks you caught me”. I was also a bit confused at first why there were other Ferengi on board and felt it was super in character for them to switch sides as soon as they realized there was no profit. This episode felt, just like the last few, like it could have been so much better. At least it got the parts right about being a supportive parental figure no matter what, 5 cheers for Jason and Picard.

Favorite Quote from “Emergence”:

Data: The object could have been dangerous. It may in fact, be dangerous.

Picard: And I have allowed it to go off on its merry way.

Data: Yes, sir.

Picard: The intelligence that was formed on the Enterprise didn’t just come out of the ship’s systems. It came from us.

Here’s the thing: you’re never going to know how something will turn out. The best you can do is nurture the fuck out of it and hope for the best.

“Emergence” begins with Data and Picard on the holodeck when there’s a malfunction. Later the Enterprise goes to warp speed and then stops without an order either time, though an investigation reveals they would have blown up if they didn’t move just then, curiouser and curiouser. Data and La Forge find a new node and then several others around the ship, they are strikingly similar to Data’s neural net. Worf, Riker, and Data head to the holodeck where a train program is running along with several others, but they don’t have any tickets so they leave after the engineer gets shot.

This time Troi goes with Worf and Data into the train where they follow a man with a brick. They realize things are happening to the ship when something happens in the holodeck and that the ship is creating something and needs more vertion particles. Picard and La Forge come up with a plan to create artificial ones, which works, and the object comes to life and flies away. Data laments that it might be bad, how do they know how it’s going to turn out? Picard gives some bullshit about how the Enterprise is made up of good people and I’m sitting here staring in horror thinking about Barclay’s holodeck fantasies and Moriarty.

When Data and La Forge are traversing the Jeffries tubes, for the upteenth time, I realized that anytime people were crawling through the tubes and talking it felt a bit like The West Wing in space. I guess since Season 7 is wrapping everything up there had to be just one last holodeck malfunction, just to bring closure to those of us who clearly didn’t get enough the first several times. This could have been awesome if the crew was able to interact with the computer, but I guess the train concept was okay too. It would have been nice if there was a callback to the times we have seen the holodeck in use, like maybe one of the bad guys from Worf’s calisthenics program or something from one of Barclay’s programs. When I read the teaser (The Enterprise’s computer is showing signs of sentience) I proclaimed “If Majel Barrett herself doesn’t materialize on the bridge, I’m not interested” and I wasn’t wrong. No one seemed to give two flying fucks that their ship was CREATING LIFE, they all treated it like it’s a daily occurrence their star ship flips out and decides it wants to be a parent. Then the thing flies out into space and no one is worried in the slightest, except for Data. Oh there were parts I thought were funny, but most of this episode was a big fat flub. 3 sausage links for this episode, mild and made with tofu or something equally as gross.

“Preemptive Strike” sees the return of Lieutenant Ro, last seen in “Rascals” as a little kid and Ensign. The Enterprise is in the DMZ and defends a Cardassian ship from an attack by the rebel group known as a Maquis. Admiral Nechayev is back and wants to send Ro undercover to infiltrate the Maquis. Ro shows she has an aptitude for undercover work and gets in with the Maquis, especially after she steals medical supplies from the Enterprise. Picard wants to lay a trap and Ro is apprehensive, but understands the mission. Macius, the leader of the Maquis cell, is killed by some Cardassians and Ro starts to get cold feet, so Picard sends Riker along. Just as the Maquis are able to cross the border, Ro betrays the Federation and beams away to be with the Maquis… though she leaves Riker alone and with a message for Picard.

I really liked the character of Ro and, although I hate the decision she made it’s totally in character for her. She finally found a place she belonged and it’s hardest on Picard because it’s yet another young person he trained to drink the Starfleet Kool-Aid that just didn’t want it (I’m talking about Wes, in case anyone missed that). There wasn’t much dialog that stood out for me in this episode, hence the lack of quote, and it was mostly just there. You can see what’s happening before it happens but there’s still hope that Ro will be on the side of the Federation because they’re the good guys, right? It does prove a good point that when one group makes a decision that effects others, it doesn’t always turn out all roses and such. Listening to what happened to Macius and known what happened to Ro’s father makes her defection not so surprising, but she latched on to him much quicker than she did to Picard. Yet there’s still the guilt of what Picard did for her to even get to that place, she might still be in prison if not for him. As with the other two episodes I watched, I wish this was better… but it wasn’t awful. A phaser on setting 6 for this one.

Tomorrow we’ll end Season 7 and The Next Generation, Thursday we’ll watch Generations, and then Friday will be the start of Deep Space 9.

TA Out!

Date: May 31, 2020

Season 7, Episodes 20 and 21

Musical Accompaniment: Coccolino Deep – Life

Interstellar News: Every life matters, but check on those who are in trouble first.

Favorite Quote from “Journey’s End”:

Dr. Crusher: Maybe you should talk to him, Jean-Luc. Maybe it’s the kind of thing a boy, a man needs to discuss with another man.

Picard: I don’t think he wants either of us to talk to him right now.

Dr. Crusher: But he needs our help.

Picard: Beverly, he’s got to want that help. If he doesn’t, then any efforts on our part can only push him further away. He’s got to work this out for himself.

Picard is not wrong. You can only help those willing to accept it.

“Journey’s End” has Wesley Crusher rejoining for what, I am sure, will be his last appearance given the title of the episode. Admiral Necheyev is also rejoining the Enterprise and Picard’s attempt at a welcome does not go unnoticed. The Cardassians and the Federation have finally reached an agreement and are attempting peace, but some colonies will need to be moved. One of those colonies is a Native American tribe on Dorvan V who absolutely do not want to move, again. Picard is tasked with moving them by any means necessary.

Wesley is an absolute terror and is snarky with La Forge and his mother, but runs into Lakanta who takes him on a vision quest. The vision is of his father who tells him to find his own path. As Wesley exits he incites a bit of a riot and is dressed down by Picard, to whom he announces his resignation from Starfleet. Wesley explains he’s been thinking about this for a while and he didn’t want to disappoint anyone. Meanwhile some Cardassians arrive and are taken captive by the tribe and Wes pulls out some freeze magic out of his ass. Lakanta comes out and changes into The Traveler and they’re going to embark on many an adventure. Picard and Evek get everything under control and the tribe decides to stay on planet, even if it’s under Cardassian rule.

My first thought, when the Admiral explained the problem, was “why don’t they see what colonies want to be under Cardassian rule first?” and clearly, that was the correct answer. Seemed like an awfully long way to get to there, but okay. The Admiral was also a little more tolerable this time and seemed like she was trying to work with Picard as much as possible. I guess the “more important?” story was Wesley’s part. If you’ve only ever known one way of life, then you don’t know if you’ll ever be good at anything else. Take La Forge, for example, who has both parents in Starfleet and seems happy with his life. That’s awesome for him, but clearly that was not the path for Wesley. It’s a wonderful end for Wes, but it seems like a lot of hoopla to get us there, just like with the colony. I was glad Dr. Crusher was the awesome parent who told their child “you do you, I’ll support you no matter what, just be happy.” 6 light years of travel for Wes!

Favorite Quote from “Firstborn”:

K’mtar: I may have been rude by human standards. I meant no disrespect. What is the matter, Worf? Have you been living so long among humans that you have forgotten how Klingons behave?

Worf: I have not forgotten. I am merely stating that their ways our different than ours.

Sassy K’mtar is sassy.

Worf’s One-Two Punch: “But when I die, I would like an honorable death. And the only way that is possible is for you accept yourself as you are, and stay true to what you believe. The cause of peace is a just cause. The struggle must continue.”

“Firstborn” begins with the crew of the Enterprise finding a little time on their hands. Alexander is nearing the Age of Ascension, but he doesn’t want to become a warrior… poor Worf. Picard suggests taking Alexander to a Klingon festival while Picard goes to geek out over historical artifacts. The festival is a great success and Alexander is excited about “Klingon stuff” but, as they are leaving, Worf is attacked. Luckily he is helped by the family’s advisor, K’mtar, whom Kurn has sent to protect Worf from an assassination attempt by the Duras sisters.

Riker uses his connections at Deep Space 9 to follow the trail of the sisters and, when they are eventually found, completely deny the attempt. In fact they have questions about the knife. Turns out K’mtar is really Alexander from 40 years in the future who was trying to scare his younger self into becoming a warrior so Worf wouldn’t die when Alexander became a diplomat. Worf, surprisingly, does the good parent thing and tells K’mtar that peace is worthwhile and that he will always support Alexander.

I will admit, I was super worried about Picard leaving Riker in command… but it all worked out in the end. I am super confused, however, about how K’mtar got back to his time in the end. Also, did Picard ever make it back to the ship, or did Riker find some way to flub it up? Actually, I’ll give Riker props for his awesome chemistry with Quark… that scene was pretty funny. As much as I love all things Worf, this was kind of a silly episode that totally redeemed itself at the end when Worf finally becomes the father I knew he had in him all along. I’m so glad we got two good parent episodes on a day I really needed good parents to show up. 6 bat’leths for Alexander!

TA Out!