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lizbeeI've spent the last week saying that Picard is not a good show, but I love it regardless. So what does it do? Give me an actually good episode.
Which only serves to increase my conviction that it's the new Voyager, and I guess I'd be a DS9 fan if I wanted consistency.
A lot of things happened in this episode, but let's focus on the really important stuff: Hugh's throwaway remark about being a Federation citizen. I HAVE QUESTIONS:
Qualifications: Former Borg drone
Experience: Borg drone, 23something to 2365-ish
References: Geordi La Forge
Equally important and pressing questions about people who were not in this episode:
Agnes sleeping with Rios was less tedious than I expected, mostly because Trek has finally started letting female characters have casual sex? (See also: Soji continuing to sleep with Narek even though she doesn't trust him, because he's attractive.) The relentless heterosexuality continues grate, though.
Rios's relationship with Raffi is about eighty billion times more interesting than his with Agnes, but that's because Raffi is the sort of character who uplifts everyone she interacts with. Even when she is a hot mess of a human being, simultaneously a functional addict and barely functioning. Picard's applause for her, uhhh, negotiation with the Starfleet captain was patronising as hell, but I'll forgive it since he's clearly one degree away from having a panic attack in these early scenes.
Narek turns out to be about as good a therapist as Sybok, but at least he's finally chosen a side. For now. I just want to point out that, had he simply pulled out a disruptor and shot Soji as soon as he had the info he needed, she'd be safely dead. But no! Like a good Romulan, he just had to hide a delayed-action weapon inside a puzzle. AND LOOK WHERE WE ARE NOW.
Speaking of ... going ... places ... NEVER MIND THE SEGUE, I am delighted to learn that the Sikarians were assimilated; they were the aliens from Voyager's first season, who had the power to send the crew home but chose not to share it. That's not why I'm happy to hear they're gone, though! They were just SO sleazy, you know? The Borg Collective was instantly 32% creepier once they had those guys in their midst.
Anyway, this whole episode was a good time, I don't expect they'll be able to maintain this level of quality, but I'm keen to see what comes next.
Which only serves to increase my conviction that it's the new Voyager, and I guess I'd be a DS9 fan if I wanted consistency.
A lot of things happened in this episode, but let's focus on the really important stuff: Hugh's throwaway remark about being a Federation citizen. I HAVE QUESTIONS:
- does he vote?
- and for whom?
- (the only acceptable answer to the first question is "yes", by the way)
- so did he apply for the position of Director - Borg Reclamation Project?
- did he have to provide a resume?
Qualifications: Former Borg drone
Experience: Borg drone, 23something to 2365-ish
References: Geordi La Forge
Equally important and pressing questions about people who were not in this episode:
- what are Laris and Zhaban's family and private names?
- what do they conceal in the puzzle boxes they definitely give each other?
- are they also Federation citizens, and if so, do they vote, or just make popcorn and watch the democracy unfold?
- when will we see them again?
Agnes sleeping with Rios was less tedious than I expected, mostly because Trek has finally started letting female characters have casual sex? (See also: Soji continuing to sleep with Narek even though she doesn't trust him, because he's attractive.) The relentless heterosexuality continues grate, though.
Rios's relationship with Raffi is about eighty billion times more interesting than his with Agnes, but that's because Raffi is the sort of character who uplifts everyone she interacts with. Even when she is a hot mess of a human being, simultaneously a functional addict and barely functioning. Picard's applause for her, uhhh, negotiation with the Starfleet captain was patronising as hell, but I'll forgive it since he's clearly one degree away from having a panic attack in these early scenes.
Narek turns out to be about as good a therapist as Sybok, but at least he's finally chosen a side. For now. I just want to point out that, had he simply pulled out a disruptor and shot Soji as soon as he had the info he needed, she'd be safely dead. But no! Like a good Romulan, he just had to hide a delayed-action weapon inside a puzzle. AND LOOK WHERE WE ARE NOW.
Speaking of ... going ... places ... NEVER MIND THE SEGUE, I am delighted to learn that the Sikarians were assimilated; they were the aliens from Voyager's first season, who had the power to send the crew home but chose not to share it. That's not why I'm happy to hear they're gone, though! They were just SO sleazy, you know? The Borg Collective was instantly 32% creepier once they had those guys in their midst.
Anyway, this whole episode was a good time, I don't expect they'll be able to maintain this level of quality, but I'm keen to see what comes next.
no subject
Date: 2020-02-27 10:08 pm (UTC)BTW, did you get a Raffi/that-Starfleet-captain vibe? Because "you only call when you're lit or feeling sentimental" sure felt that way to me, which would make two weeks in a row the show decided 2020 is apparently still not the year in which queer characters get to express that onscreen.
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Date: 2020-02-27 10:39 pm (UTC)YES. And then I wondered if I just had shipper goggles on, because it turns out some people DIDN'T think Seven/Bjayzl was completely obvious.
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Date: 2020-02-27 10:43 pm (UTC)....WHUT
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Date: 2020-02-27 10:44 pm (UTC)sigh.
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Date: 2020-02-27 10:54 pm (UTC)palsmortal enemies?no subject
Date: 2020-02-27 10:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-02-27 10:58 pm (UTC)....altho the evil gay Mirror Universe characters do seem to have way more fun than anyone else.
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Date: 2020-02-27 11:01 pm (UTC)uhhhhhhhhhhhhh
okay, then
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Date: 2020-02-27 11:01 pm (UTC)At least Georgiou gets to have dimensions beyond being Evil And Bi, ie, she's Morally Ambiguous And Pan, And Also Has Maternal Feelings.
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Date: 2020-02-27 11:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-02-27 11:03 pm (UTC)Anyway, I've realised what Raffi and that captain reminded me of: the scene with Lorca and Cornwell early in "Choose Your Pain", with the push and pull and subtext of "I know you SO well and I really shouldn't put up with your bullshit, yet here I am. Again."
AND LOOK HOW THAT WORKED OUT.
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Date: 2020-02-27 11:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-02-27 11:31 pm (UTC)no, I am not writing this, I still haven't written the Ten/Missy I wanted to start days agono subject
Date: 2020-02-27 11:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-02-28 02:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-03-01 12:42 am (UTC)This one was a lot of fun, though, with some actual genuine emotions expressed by various people. I don't want to blame Troi for Picard's obviously having not dealt with his Borg trauma, though, given how he dismisses her help repeatedly throughout the show and the movies.
I had a soft spot for Narek and it grew three sizes this week. But I do wonder whose home planet they're trying to find--the synths? Is Lore going to come up at some point? How are Riker and Troi going to feel when Picard and Soji show up with the Tal Shiar on their trail? I guess we'll find out.