Warning: This double evaluate might comprise spoilers.
The most recent two episodes of Star Trek: Picard, episode 6, “Two of One,” and episode 7, “Monsters,” supply one of many widest contrasts between good and dangerous storytelling. The primary, “Two of One,” one other properly directed Jonathan Frakes episode, explores the present’s characters on a deeper stage but would not sacrifice the urgency of the unfolding story. “Monsters” brings that urgency to an virtually lifeless cease.
The forged work in “Two of One” is phenomenal. One superbly refined scene is between Patrick Stewart (Picard) and Penelope Mitchell as his ancestor Renee Picard. Regardless of the insistence from Watcher Tallinn (Orla Brady) that he retains his distance, Picard feels it essential to step in and assist Renee in individual when her fears are getting the perfect of her, which might put everybody’s missions in jeopardy. The beautiful, quiet speak Picard has with Renee (with out revealing his identification) about household and dealing with worry is a few of the strongest work from Stewart to this point this season.
The second standout on this episode is Isa Briones in one of many episode’s remaining scenes. Watching Kore as she breaks into her father’s recordsdata and struggles to recollect the reminiscences is heartbreaking. When the bombshell drops and the character discovers that she’s not human, simply considered one of her father’s extra profitable makes an attempt at making a clone/android, Briones shines. It is a important revelation with simply the proper response from Briones, organising what is bound to be a superb confrontation scene between her and her father, Adam (Brent Spiner).
With out query, the celebrities of this episode are as soon as once more the dynamic duo that has turn into Queen Jurati (Allison Capsule and Annie Wersching). Watching these two characters battle for the supremacy of Agnes’ thoughts and physique has turn into top-of-the-line causes to remain tuned on this season. Kudos additionally to the manufacturing workforce for retaining Wersching’s Borg Queen seen by planting her reflection on objects that Agnes stands subsequent to. The Queen takes cost when Agnes must create a diversion to assist Picard’s workforce. She faucets into all of Agnes’ fears and inhibitions and has the character reduce unfastened, triggering the endorphins that give her extra energy. It is a toss-up to resolve which was the best, watching Jurati seize Rios (Santiago Cabrera) for an enthusiastic kiss or having Agnes steal the highlight with a killer rendition of the Pat Benatar hit, “Shadows of The Night time”! Capsule deserves particular recognition for utilizing appreciable vocal expertise to belt the music out.
Whereas “Two of One” nails these characterizations with out shedding the context and integrity of their mission, “Monsters” veers to date off beam from the primary storyline that it utterly smothers the momentum of the earlier episode. The episode not solely disregards and postpones the significance of Kore’s discovery and its implications but in addition Kore would not even seem within the episode. Additionally virtually utterly ignored is Agnes (Allison Capsule) locked in a battle for supremacy with the Borg Queen (Annie Wersching).
Why was such a deep dive into Picard’s psyche needed now? Was this actually the time we would have liked to study that Picard’s mom was severely mentally sick? Revealing Watcher Tallinn as a Romulan did not require her journey into Picard’s thoughts. Because it was, the story was not advised effectively and ended up being a waste of the visitor star James Callis (of Battlestar: Galactica fame)’s skills. The episode revisits Picard household historical past with the revelation of Yvette Picard’s (Madeline Sensible) sickness, but would not embrace Picard’s older brother Robert within the story? If the purpose of this train lies within the “extra to the story” facet, then it ought to have been revealed instantly. Additionally, displaying Tallinn as a Romulan poses extra complicated questions, similar to why was there a Romulan as a Watcher on Earth throughout this time? Would not it have made extra sense for her to be a Vulcan?
With nearly all of the episode spent in Picard’s psyche, that is to not say there have been no different issues within the episode. After beaming onto the ship and discovering that the Borg Queen was making an attempt to completely assimilate Jurati and had locked them out of the ship’s working programs, should not Raffi (Michelle Hurd) and Seven (Jeri Ryan)’s first actions have been to warn the others? And if the Borg Queen had them locked out, how have been they so simply in a position to beam again right down to seek for her, a lot much less ship Rios the system he wanted for Dr. Ramirez (Sol Rodriquez) to assist Picard.
Talking of Rios and the nice Physician, all of the butterfly impact and timeline implications he was worrying about whereas determining how you can get the Physician what she wanted made his later actions perplexing. If making a medical system/process to assist Picard was going to trigger a timeline ripple, what sort of harm will probably be brought on by taking the Physician and her son Ricardo (Steve Gutierrez) onboard the La Siena?
Lastly, a rapidly recovered Picard (let’s not overlook he is now an android and heals rapidly) turns to his outdated good friend Guinan (Ito Aghayere) for assist with Q. It takes till the top of the episode for some motion within the preliminary storyline. Aghayere continues to impress as younger Guinan in a scene the place we uncover her race is extra highly effective than the Q in that in the event that they summon a Q, he should come. Each Guinan and Picard are perplexed when Q fails to reply the summons and surprise if one thing is incorrect with him. Instantly, a mysterious stranger on the bar (Jay Karnes) reveals up and divulges himself to be an FBI agent conducting a raid. He in the end arrests Picard and Guinan. Is that this one other ploy by Q or only a case of the world’s worst timing?
Hopefully, the following episode will right the errors made in “Monsters” and get again on monitor to revive the urgency of the mission that Picard and his crew launched into. What are your ideas on Star Trek: Picard episode 6 “Two of One” and episode 7 “Monsters”? Share them within the feedback under.
