Thoughts on Picard S3 E7
Apr. 3rd, 2023 04:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amado1Little late here, but:
The good:
Well, almost all of it, really!
Having rewatched the first four episodes, I feel overall more positive about the show than I did on first-watch. This episode was not a disappointment. It starts with a fun cameo from Tuvok (Voyager), who's revealed to be a Changeling, and takes the form of a sick/dying Captain Riker to taunt our crew. The lighting on this episode was much better than it has been previously, so that was a plus, and the makeup for Riker was fantastic.
From there, we have a great Vadic scene, tearful and vulnerable as she faces down the mysterious Big Bad. Afterward, off-balance, Vadic decides to recklessly board the Titan and sniff out Jack Crusher for herself. This actually goes well for her. She and her men are temporarily trapped by force fields, which leads to an alright scene where Vadic reveals her tragic backstory to Picard and Beverly.
The highlight for me was A) Beverly and Picard deciding that they're willing to kill Vadic, or even embrace genocide, if it means saving their son. and B) just that Vadic is so compact and cute. She's my little man. She's my tiny guy. She's greasy.
Another highlight of the episode in general was a round-table discussion with Beverly, Picard, Shaw(?), Seven, Jack, etc., where Beverly admits she's been thinking of biological weapons she can use against the Changelings. This is a moral/ethical dilemma she's been privately struggling with. It was nice to see a female character get a good juicy scene like that.
(Vadic notwithstanding)
Another good moment: Jack's mind-reading and apparent body-snatching capabilities were smoothly revealed. His mysterious disease is expanded on a little more with each episode. Nicely done, folds into the rising tension of the episode very well.
Lore and Geordi had some good moments, and LeVar's acting was wonderful, especially when Geordi started crying. Great episode for Geordi/Data shippers. Geordi admits something broke inside him when Data died, and only the memory of Data, and the return of Data, fixed him. (Geez, Geordi, your daughter's right there!!)
Erm, finally, I liked that Vadic successfully took the Titan. I liked that we got to see Shaw crying on the floor XD I also liked that when Shaw gets trapped in the turbolift with Vadic, he orders Seven to blow the lift, and she simply doesn't have time! That was surprisingly great writing for a character who, to me, is often too petulant and irresponsible to be a believable Starfleet captain. Tight timing made it utterly believable, and DREADFUL!!, that Seven couldn't even think to follow Shaw's command before it was too late.
The bad:
Vadic, who started as the sole highlight of the show, is now too over-the-top for me. But only sometimes. For the most part, she was fine.
I'm not as familiar with DS9 as I am with TNG, but her backstory...is it the same as Odo's? A little lazy if so, but it's highly possible I just don't remember Odo's backstory well.
Although I liked Vadic taking the Titan, I was a little flummoxed by the sudden, helpful appearance of so many henchmen. Jack and Sidney dispatched so many henchmen, so skillfully, that I assumed Vadic was down to only one or two. To have them flood the bridge like that really took me by surprise and maybe could have been telegraphed better.
But that's all I can think of. This show really does get better as it goes along. I think, when it's over, I'll have to reevaluate my opinion of the first four episodes. I can sense that I'm going to end the season with a really positive view.
The good:
Well, almost all of it, really!
Having rewatched the first four episodes, I feel overall more positive about the show than I did on first-watch. This episode was not a disappointment. It starts with a fun cameo from Tuvok (Voyager), who's revealed to be a Changeling, and takes the form of a sick/dying Captain Riker to taunt our crew. The lighting on this episode was much better than it has been previously, so that was a plus, and the makeup for Riker was fantastic.
From there, we have a great Vadic scene, tearful and vulnerable as she faces down the mysterious Big Bad. Afterward, off-balance, Vadic decides to recklessly board the Titan and sniff out Jack Crusher for herself. This actually goes well for her. She and her men are temporarily trapped by force fields, which leads to an alright scene where Vadic reveals her tragic backstory to Picard and Beverly.
The highlight for me was A) Beverly and Picard deciding that they're willing to kill Vadic, or even embrace genocide, if it means saving their son. and B) just that Vadic is so compact and cute. She's my little man. She's my tiny guy. She's greasy.
Another highlight of the episode in general was a round-table discussion with Beverly, Picard, Shaw(?), Seven, Jack, etc., where Beverly admits she's been thinking of biological weapons she can use against the Changelings. This is a moral/ethical dilemma she's been privately struggling with. It was nice to see a female character get a good juicy scene like that.
(Vadic notwithstanding)
Another good moment: Jack's mind-reading and apparent body-snatching capabilities were smoothly revealed. His mysterious disease is expanded on a little more with each episode. Nicely done, folds into the rising tension of the episode very well.
Lore and Geordi had some good moments, and LeVar's acting was wonderful, especially when Geordi started crying. Great episode for Geordi/Data shippers. Geordi admits something broke inside him when Data died, and only the memory of Data, and the return of Data, fixed him. (Geez, Geordi, your daughter's right there!!)
Erm, finally, I liked that Vadic successfully took the Titan. I liked that we got to see Shaw crying on the floor XD I also liked that when Shaw gets trapped in the turbolift with Vadic, he orders Seven to blow the lift, and she simply doesn't have time! That was surprisingly great writing for a character who, to me, is often too petulant and irresponsible to be a believable Starfleet captain. Tight timing made it utterly believable, and DREADFUL!!, that Seven couldn't even think to follow Shaw's command before it was too late.
The bad:
Vadic, who started as the sole highlight of the show, is now too over-the-top for me. But only sometimes. For the most part, she was fine.
I'm not as familiar with DS9 as I am with TNG, but her backstory...is it the same as Odo's? A little lazy if so, but it's highly possible I just don't remember Odo's backstory well.
Although I liked Vadic taking the Titan, I was a little flummoxed by the sudden, helpful appearance of so many henchmen. Jack and Sidney dispatched so many henchmen, so skillfully, that I assumed Vadic was down to only one or two. To have them flood the bridge like that really took me by surprise and maybe could have been telegraphed better.
But that's all I can think of. This show really does get better as it goes along. I think, when it's over, I'll have to reevaluate my opinion of the first four episodes. I can sense that I'm going to end the season with a really positive view.
