Kevin's Watch

Anyone else excited??? A new ST:NG series! Hell yeah! It premiered yesterday on CBS, but I'm waiting until I can watch with my girlfriend.

Cast spoilers: it will include more than just Picard, and it will draw from more than just Next Generation.

Spoiler

From what I've seen, it will include Data, Riker, Troi, and more.

From Wikipedia:

While deciding whether to join the project, Stewart asked Kurtzman that the series be "so different" from previous Star Trek stories, "both what people remember but also not what they're expecting at all, otherwise why do it?"

Excellent!

Loved it! The premier could have been longer as I felt that it had
just gotten started when it went to credits. So much was there that ties STNG, parts of the newer movies that are still considered prime.

The interview with Picard was striking and poignant. edit - Here is a link to just the interview with Jean Luc Picard in Picard. Be aware that it is a spolier of sorts so view it at your discretion.

https://youtu.be/E9bOGpMAqLs

Spoiler

He gets ambushed by the media and finally says why he left Starfleet. I contend that by saying it outloud he realizes that just like Starfleet, he had retreated and by doing so had turned his own back on being able to make change.

Edit...just rewatched. Just as good or better on a rewatch.

I seriously hope the series will be released on DVD, and my library gets it in.

Honestly, I was disappointed.

It was good to see such familiar faces, but it's sad to see how much they have all aged. And not just their appearance, but Stewart's voice. He sounds so old. His voice was such a huge part of his persona. He has always been able to project his voice with such power, and now it wavers like an old man.

These are just symptoms. There is something deeper that is wrong here, that makes it seem like not only these actors but the entire idea is being resurrected from the dead and forced back to life when there was no more life left in it. For one thing, the show moves too fast. The pacing feels like something written for short attention span millennials, thrusting characters to a crisis point mere moments after they've been introduced. Picard, literally, can barely keep up. His old man walk as he chases after a certain young woman is just another painful reminder that his time has passed. But it's more than a reminder of age--it's all rushed. She meets Picard too fast, then leaves too fast, then finds him again too fast, and then her story is over before she has barely begun.

Now, it does seem like the show will tackle some interesting sci fi concepts and Star Trek mythology, and do it through new and interesting characters. But casting Stewart as the lead for this show seems like a mistake. It shouldn't be a show about Picard. It should be a "Next-Next Generation." We've already seen Kirk go through this stage in the movies. Old farts facing their own old age has been done in the Star Trek universe. Melding this to something "new and hip" just feels wrong. It's a thematic and stylistic contradiction. It can't decide what it wants to be and which audience it wants to attract.

Keep in mind that Patrick Stewart was born in 1940 before the end of WW2.. He is 80 years old.... how strong a voice did you think he would have at 80? How easy do you think it would be to still be running at 80? He plays a character that is 92 years old. I liked it that he couldnt keep up going up the stairs and running. It wouldnt be very realistic if he could keep up with someone that is in their early 20's.

But I get what you are saying, its not 'just' that. The pacing was faster than you would have seen in the ST series. That is why I think it should have been a 2 hour pilot so some of these origins could have been explored.

Remember how bad the first year of STNG was (and indeed how bad the first episode of STNG was). Heck for DS9 the first two seasons were horrible. Episode 2 is just two days away..... lets see what that brings.

Plan on checking E1 soon, caveats in mind.

SB: Must disagree on one thing...I thought Encounter At Farpoint was brilliant. (Although, to be fair, haven't re-watched it for many a year... )

--A

Hashi Lebwohl wrote:I was done with Star Trek--all of it--years ago so this gets a hard pass from me.

One more thing: for pity's sake, scriptwriters, quit rehashing old characters and old plots--make something new for once in your life.

You are missing out on some great Trek IMHO. Discovery took about 4 to 5 episodes to really get going but after that, it was some really really good Sci-fi Trek. Picard actually is starting better. Because both of these are part of an ongoing story line, each week is not an end to that adventure. That will make these very different than typical ST where each week is a single story line.

Avatar wrote:Plan on checking E1 soon, caveats in mind.

SB: Must disagree on one thing...I thought Encounter At Farpoint was brilliant. (Although, to be fair, haven't re-watched it for many a year... )

--A

I don't know why but that two part episode never grew on me. Troi was too much of a cry-baby and I never liked Lt Yar (sp?) as security chief. And I have to say, I know people loved some of those, but I never liked the "Q" as an antagonist. It was too much like having "Trelane" from STOS following them around.

Q did frequently annoy me, but I thought Farpoint was just a great intro...even got a saucer separation in it.

--A

For those that would like to watch the first episode but refuse to pay for CBS All Access, Pluto TV (free TV!) is going to show it for a limited time

https://www.mediaplaynews.com/pluto-tv- ... -for-free/


1/30 Star Trek Picard, 24 hour Marathon of debut episode

Avatar wrote:Plan on checking E1 soon, caveats in mind.

SB: Must disagree on one thing...I thought Encounter At Farpoint was brilliant. (Although, to be fair, haven't re-watched it for many a year... )

--A

if "Encounter at Farpoint" had been the high point of STTNG I would have quit watching after the first season. I'm with SB, not a good start, Yar was not a good character as presented (Worf was much better as Security). And frankly Wesley should never have been created.

SoulBiter wrote:You are missing out on some great Trek IMHO.

We will definitely have to disagree here, because in my opinion there is no such thing as "great Trek". Oh, sure, once upon a time I thought that, and then Babylon 5 happened.

Hashi Lebwohl wrote:

SoulBiter wrote:You are missing out on some great Trek IMHO.

We will definitely have to disagree here, because in my opinion there is no such thing as "great Trek". Oh, sure, once upon a time I thought that, and then Babylon 5 happened.

I have watched all of Babylon 5 and it was very good. But there is still some great Trek to be had out there. The first two seasons of Discovery were incredible although the first 6 episodes of season 1 were not great although good enough to keep me watching.

Episode 2 - Maps and Legends.

Everything slowed down to what might be considered more 'normal'. More backstory is revealed on what happened to Mars and who might be involved. We also find that not only did the CNC not agree with Picard on the Romulans but she is pissed at him for the interview he did in episode 1. I cant give more than that away but it appears that the Federation has been co-opted from within.

I watched the Wil Wheaton recap and in the interview one of the writers says that the entire season (1) is like one long episode. I also read in another interview site that the backstory build continues through episode 3 and it will take off more after episode 4.

I was able to watch the pilot episode on YouTube. If anyone hears of other episodes becoming available, please post where.

TIA!

I watched the first one. It was ok. I really like Patrick Stewart, but I've never been a Star Trek fan, so I should just bow out of this thread altogether, except to say that the thing that really excited me was the drummer from Sex Bob-omb was in the first episode, which made me happy.

BTW first F bomb in ST is in episode 2

Watched the first two episodes last night, and overall, I'm pretty pleased.

Yes, Picard is old, but they build his age into the story, so it's not jarring or anything, more like natural progression.

E1 was a bit fast paced, but not overwhelmingly so I felt, and it seemed to slow down a little in E2.

Happy to keep watching, does feel like "proper" Star Trek to me.

--A

AV did you notice the music they used when he beamed into the yard where ST headquarters is in San Fran?