Hello and welcome to Truth OR Myth, a Star Trek web series that looks at the Truth, or canon information, to dispel the myths that have surfaced on any given topic. Today’s episode is all about Star Trek: Picard’s highly anticipated second Season Premiere, and if all its hype was truly justified.
Please note: This is merely an opinion piece. As a result, you may disagree with what my opinions are, but in no way am I suggesting you change your opinion, or that you are incorrect about that opinion.
Also, since this episode is about the Season 2 Premiere, there will be spoilers. So, if you haven’t seen the episode yet then, what are you waiting for? And you might want to stop this video right now.
After almost 2 years of waiting, Star Trek: Picard is back, and back with a vengeance. And with all the hype surrounding this Second Season the question for me was, is really going to be that good? Well, stick around as I explore that question and try desperately to put into words, how I feel about this eagerly awaited premiere.
Season 1 of Star Trek: Picard was controversial, to say the least. A while back, I released an episode as to why exactly Star Trek: Picard Season 1 meant so much to me, and a link to that video is in the description below.
In a nutshell, though, I explained to you good “Tri-Naries” that Season 1 spoke directly to me. That as I get older, I was asking the same types of questions that Picard was, Am I done? Am I played out, Am I too old to make any difference in this multiverse anymore?
And of course, Star Trek: Picard, helped me answer those questions in a positive way. As most of you fans of the channel know, I don’t really do episode reviews, at least not in the traditional sense. I prefer to tell stories and give background information rather than diving into reviewing, what so many “Treksters” have reviewed before. But for me, this episode is different…
The first season of Star Trek: Picard, wasn’t for everyone. The New Trek Haters were all over it like ticks on a Bajoran Vole, analysing and attempting to turn everyone away from the show, but ultimately failing in that quest.
One of their main arguments was, there was no real message anyone could get out of that show, that it was just mindless dribble that “True” Trek fans could never love.
And of course, the fact that I got the message out of it, many actually, like a lot of you also did, proved their entire argument to be simply invalid.
All of us fans of the show began our long wait for Season 2 to start. Unsure of exactly where the show would take us next.
For the past almost 2 years, there have been rumours, trailers, spoilers, tweets, Facebook posts etc, all about the possibilities of the show.
With the return of Doug Drexler, the Okuda’s, Whoopi Goldberg and John de Lancie to the Franchise, fandom truly began to get excited for what was to come, hopefully, a bridge to cross the divide that fandom had dug for itself.
Sitting down with Siren to watch the premiere, I was literally attempting to maintain my composure and NOT jump out of my skin. . . Would the show be a bust, a flop, would I feel the sting of disappointment as Juzel_Rix drunk messaged me talking about the episode?. . . Well, no, I wouldn’t.
Star Trek: Picard Season 2, started off with a Bang, both figuratively and literally.
There was something so magical about those first scenes, and I’m not just talking about the excitement they garnered.
Seeing those officers in uniforms, surrounded by what appeared to be more advanced yet traditional LCARS Menu screens, was enchanting. It drew me right back into a time that I was missing with all my heart.
Now I don’t want to give away much of the story of course, as it truly deserves each and every one of you out there, listening to ramblings, to check it out for yourself. But for me, so far, the story completely drew me in.
Visually, Star Trek: Picard Season 2’s premiere, is a masterpiece.
Unlike other Series of the 2nd Golden Age of Trek, there was not a single moment where a camera angle pulled me out from the story. Instead, I was invested, not willing to take my eyes off the screen for a moment, for the fear that I might miss a story element or a cleverly placed Easter Egg.
And let me tell you, there are TONS of these special little treats all throughout the episode.
I was also very impressed by 2 other things, The USS Stargazer and the Fleet sent to the Anomaly, The USS Stargazer is what I’d call an almost perfect update to the Trek we once knew.
The Influences of Dexler and the Okudas are clearly there and hark to advances in technology that seem in line with the TNG Era of Trek, the Starship design itself, well it feels like a 25th Century starship that came directly from what had come before it.
It is clear, that the Star Trek: Picard Production team, heard fandom’s concerns about Season 1 and vowed to change them for Season 2. And so far, they’ve succeeded.
As some of you might remember, Season 1 of Picard had what would become the infamous, Cut and Paste fleet. And really when it came to Season 1, that too, was my biggest issue with it.
But as if to correct this mistake, the premiere gave us the fleet we all wanted and deserved, with some special little titbits there, added in for good measure.
I really couldn’t be happier, it’s like seeing all my old friends at a high school reunion, after decades of being a part…
I’m also so happy that the fleet included so many of the great designs, and modifications to existing designs for Star Trek: Online. It was great to catch glimpses of them, and I’m sure Season 2 will provide me with YEARS of episodes about those ships, to work on!
There’s a sense of warmth, and a return to old, that the season 2 premiere garners, that wasn’t really present in the first season, and I think this is a perfect step in the right direction.
This episode also left me with a lot of thoughts and questions. . . Was the Borg Queen being honest with her desire for Peace? Is that even possible? What has happened to the Borg since we last saw them in Voyager?. . . What is Q up to? How does the Borg Queen and the Q Story tie together exactly? Why the hell is Q taking Picard to the “Road Not Travelled” storyline?
Among all these questions that are cultivating in my brain, is the sense of warmth created by most of the scenes.
Guinan and Picard’s reunion is a great example of nodding to the past, but not being buried by it.
We got the exact same type of interaction that we would have expected the 2 to have, but at the same time, it felt fresh and new. The balance for the force for this season seems to have been restored.
Now, of course, these are all my opinions thus far, and they could very well change as the season progresses. But the truth is, I highly doubt that.
The preview at the end of the episode seems to show a continuing pattern that I’m very excited about.
So, was the Season 2 premiere really that good? Was all the hype that surrounded it justified? And for me, the answer is a resounding yes.
It made me feel like a kid again, that sense of anticipation for weekly episodes, and at the same time-honoured my memories of the past, yet was different enough, for me not to be bored with it, feeling it was all things I had seen before.
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Premiere is a masterpiece, a triumph and a true gem for the franchise. And I firmly believe we a truly heading into the unknown, to explore not strange new worlds or civilizations but ourselves.
And what franchise, with 50+ years of doing it, is better equipped than Star Trek to show us who we are and who we can so easily become if we’re not careful?
I know of none other, do you?
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Thank you for watching today’s episode of Truth or Myth, what did you think of the Season 2 premiere of Star Trek: Picard? Did it bring back the same feelings for you as it did for me? What were your favourite parts? Well leave your comments in the section below and don’t forget to like the video and subscribe to the channel.
I would also just like to take a moment to thank the entire team behind Star Trek: Picard. You’ve done an amazing job, and made this Old Trekkie, a VERY happy man.
Thanks again for watching, Live long and prosper…
Picard airs on Paramount+ in the United States, and on CTV Sci-Fi Channel and Crave in Canada. Outside of North America, the series is available on Amazon Prime Video
