Star Trek: Picard season 2 premieres on Prime Video on March 4, with episodes airing weekly.
NOTE: OUR REVIEWER HAS SEEN EPISODES 1-3 OF SEASON 2. THERE ARE MILD SPOILERS BELOW FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN THE TRAILERS.
In its first season, Star Trek: Picard tip-toed a fine line between nostalgia and progression. The return of the iconic Jean-Luc Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart) and guest appearances by several of his Star Trek: The Next Generation alumni ensured long-time franchise fans would tune in. Its introspective and personal story broke new ground after nearly 75 years of episodic television garnering new fans and impressing critics.
In its first three episodes of season 2, Picard tears up its rule book and reinvents the game once again. Season 1’s serialised story was enclosed with a strong focus on the former-Admiral Picard’s mental state and his idea of fate. Season 2’s storylines are huge in scope and scale as is immediately communicated to the audience in the opening scene of first episode, “The Star Gazer”.
The episode opens in bombastic style with the series’ most action-packed and complex sequence to-date. As a stepping off point it succeeds in resetting expectations and wiping the slate clean. With the stakes unable to get any higher, “The Star Gazer” immediately pivots to reflect the shift in status for our beloved main character. Returning to Chateau Picard, showrunner Akiva Goldsman mirrors the opening scenes at this very location from season 1 but with a distinctly more hopeful tone.
Episode one comes from Nu-Trek veteran writers Goldsman and Terry Matalas and director Doug Aarniokoski. The trio deftly handles the series’ opener, balancing out intense action sequences with plenty of exposition and catch-up to bring the audience up to speed. The main cast including Alison Pill, Jeri Ryan, Michelle Hurd, Evan Evagora, Orla Brady, Isa Briones and Santiago Cabrera, have all had an upgrade. Some more than others. But by the closing moments of “The Star Gazer” the pieces are all in place for what is to come.
There’s no escaping the much publicised return of John DeLancie as the mischievous Q. His return overlaps episode one and two, titled “Penance”. The return goes far beyond the character’s impish nature and adds a surprising level of threat and unease. Q’s presence introducing much of the confusion witnessed by Picard and the former crew of La Sirena in the season’s official trailer (below). “Penance” lays it on thickly that Picard has entered “the road not travelled” and begins to indicate there are more personal undercurrents to season 2’s arc.
The episode is once again directed by Doug Aarniokoski which brings a level of consistency between the opening two chapters. The teleplay for “Penance” comes from Akiva Goldsman, Terry Matalas and Christopher Monfette based on a story by season 1 showrunner Michael Chabon, Goldsman, Matalas and Monfette. The melting pot of writers bring a number of new disturbing aspects to the plot. The multiple voices work effectively in creating an entirely new Star Trek universe.
Aarniokoski refuses to take his foot off the gas, maintaining a strong hold over the pacing of season 2. “Penance” is equally as tense and exciting as “The Star Gazer” but for very different reasons. Giving all of our characters reasons to fight for their futures. The two chapters work in tandem to setup a complex and far reaching story which really comes in to play during episode 3, “Assimilation”.
“Assimilation” builds on those first two hours and hits Picard’s serialised stride. The bread crumbs laid in hours one and two begin to cohere. But with seven more episodes, the complexities of the story are only just beginning to show themselves to the audience. With a shift in the series’ setting, “Assimilation” allows Goldsman and the writers to introduce a number of new elements to the plot. Chief amongst them is a level of social commentary which speaks to the heart of the Star Trek franchise.
In just three hours Star Trek: Picard has surpassed all expectations set by season one. The level of production has been stepped up massively. Ship designs are impressive, visual effects are inspired and the overall look of season 2 is cinematic. Despite the seismic shift in setting, these first episodes of season 2 feel much more connected to the franchise than season 1. The crutch of nostalgia has been entirely replaced by a fascinating glimpse in to events in a post-Star Trek: Nemesis future.
Verdict
Many long-time fans of the franchise will have preconceived ideas about season 2’s storyline. Under Goldsman’s watchful eye many of those ideas will have been dispelled by the end of hour three. If season 1 was the first steps in to unknown territory then season 2 is boldly going where no Trek has gone before.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Watch the official trailer for season 2 in the player below:
Star Trek: Picard season two cast members include Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Jeri Ryan, Michelle Hurd, Evan Evagora, Orla Brady, Isa Briones, Santiago Cabrera and Brent Spiner. This season’s cast also includes Annie Wersching and special guest stars Whoopi Goldberg, and John de Lancie. Star Trek: Picard is currently in production on a third season.
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