Star Trek: Picard (TV Series) No Win Scenario (2023) User Reviews

Best Star Trek since Deep Space 9

[sstrudell-826-781963 · 10/10 · 10 March 2023]

This is some of the best Star Trek I've watched since Deep Space 9 ended on 1999. Jonathon Frankes should be one of the only people to direct Star Trek.

The first two seasons of Picard were rather meh, to down outright disappointing (Season 2) . But if you are only going to watch one season of Picard, you can jump right in tonSeason 3.

The look, the feel, the nostalgia, the pace, the action, the drama. It's all here. The characters are older, they act a bit differently, but time and circumstances have weighed on our Crew.

This season firmly declares that TNG is the GOAT of Star Trek. Engage!

The Magic Is Back

[gbarrett-39941 · 9/10 · 9 March 2023]

This episode brought back all of the feelings of when I first watched Star Trek The Next Generation so long ago. It truly felt like a continuation of the series during its original run. The tension was there and it was woven in masterfully. Picard and Riker continue to give the performances of their lives. From the changeling drama to the creative and thoughtful use of flashbacks, I was invested in this story from its inception. It's not to say we didn't know they would be able to be saved, but the how of the events unfolding kept you guessing what was around the next corner. Was it a perfect episode...no, but it is the best Star Trek has had to offer in a long while. Bravo to the writing and the direction of this episode. I can't wait to see what's in store for the next installment.

Best Star Trek episode ever! Well, imho.

[yadaboy · 10/10 · 11 March 2023]

I'm 71 years old. I sat on the floor about 5 feet from where I type this on Sept. 8, 1966, to watch the first episode of TOS. I've winced at many episodes, loved many more, and I've always been more than a fan. Gene's vision survives, especially in this episode of Picard, where it thrives!

The character Picard here embodies SO much of what Star Trek has always been about - the depth of what humankind is capable of. The interplay between Picard, Riker, and Seven has been fun in earlier episodes. In this episode, it becomes almost ethereal!

(I'm kinda pissed that imdb doesn't think I've typed enough words to review this episode. Yeah, this sentence seem to satisfy their threshold.)

Brilliant!

[grzegor · 10/10 · 11 March 2023]

I'm speechless on how good this episode is! Everything is perfect! The drama, interactions, nostalgia factor, visuals, storyline, writing, acting -everything just screems Star Trek. Modern Star Trek at that! It's a treat! It's so fun to watch and a heck of a proper science-fiction. Please, I beg you, stop this God-awful physically painful to watch melancholy-in-space abomination called Discovery before it lays eggs and renew Picard for the next season! I bow at you, Star Trek Picard staff - you're a perfect mix of brilliant writers, actors, director, showrunners, choreographers and it shows so much YOU CARE! Thank you!

What an amazing episode.

[alexpedersen-96773 · 10/10 · 9 March 2023]

The episode I watched was a fantastic example of everything that makes Star Trek great, and the asteroid throw was an absolute highlight of the episode. It was an exhilarating moment that showcased the crew's teamwork and ingenuity, and it had me on the edge of my seat.

Of course, the episode still had all the other elements that define Star Trek, including the complex ethical and philosophical issues that the crew faces and the depth of character development for each member of the crew. The writers did an excellent job of exploring the personal motivations and struggles of each character, adding an extra layer of depth and complexity to the story.

The special effects and set design were also impressive, creating a visually stunning and immersive environment that drew me into the story.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with this episode, and I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the season. Whether you're a die-hard fan of the series or a newcomer to the Star Trek universe, this episode is definitely worth watching, especially for the thrilling asteroid throw.

Trek of all Treks

[XweAponX · 10/10 · 10 March 2023]

The senior, senior Trekker writes...

Previously, I had "Carbon Creek" as the ultimate Star Trek episode.

This episode has officially filled that role.

Elements from all Star Trek shows are referenced, and not just as Easter eggs...

Odos BUCKET even makes an appearance.

And with that, I must say something about changelings.

In deep space nine we have to remember that a changeling had been pretending to be Dr Bashir for two months- he even helped Odo try to rescue a baby changeling, he acted as a de facto member of deep space nine's crew, and there was no way to know.

The same thing with General Martok...

It was Joseph Cisco, Benjamin's father, who suggested that, if a changeling really wanted to fool everybody they would absorb some unexpecting person, and use their blood to pass the blood screenings.

They are not exactly orange goo people- they have internal organs. They can become rocks, trees, and even vapor or other gases when they want to. Even fire.

But we have to remember in deep space nine they had been planning, so all of the contingencies that this Shapeshifter misses, they covered.

It was when the TNG Crew started depending on each other like they used to, was when solutions were found.

At least for the conundrums that they knew about.

We still have this mystery about the branches "spreading, connecting" in Jack Crusher's vision.

This sounds like something an entity said about its own creation in a first season next generation episode.

Think about this.

I am still recovering from this episode, a lot to think about here. Perhaps I will edit this later.

Perfect

[gy-att · 10/10 · 11 March 2023]

This episode is perfect in many ways. The story, the arc, the back story, the future and also because there was not one second of Raffi in it. Thank the makers. I really wish the whole season, much better, all the seasons would have been like this one single episode. Very well built, greatly executed and delivered with some really great acting, writing and directing. I don't know what else could write without spoilering anything. When I am watching this season, I feel that it is a brand new series. An individual story that is totally free from the previous two seasons. Not even comparable in my opinion. I am really enjoying it and I hope you do as well. Disney: watch and learn.

A new page

[Kevin-42 · 14 March 2023]

I have to come clear. I absolutely despised the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard. I consider them a vandalisation of everything I like about 'The Next Generation' and seeing my nostalgia being ripped to shreds page by page for reasons which I can only understand as complete malice really hurt.

Consequently, I was sceptical regarding the third season. I thought that there would be no way someone could 'fix it' and mend the wounds, and I was right. Fortunately, the writers here resisted any attempt at damage control and simply moved forward. Instead of hastily glueing the shreds back together they decided to add a new page to Star Trek culminating in this brilliant fourth episode.

Let's face it! Star Trek: The Next Generation had a fatal flaw. It was too unrealistic in showing human beings react to the rigors and tragedies of their lives as mandated by their duty as Star Fleet officers. By all accounts there should have been mental scars, trauma and a level of regret. They toyed a bit with Picard's Borg experiences but ST: TNG was our sci-fi 'happy place'. It never caused anything a good poker game among friends and a nice talk in 10-forward couldn't fix.

This season and this episode in particular face this flaw head-on without denigrating what fans liked about Star Trek in the first place. Our characters are fleshed out and flawed, yet hopeful and competent. They're not super-human in their resilience but find strength in eachother to overcome all odds.

I can only encourage people to watch this episode and I sincerely hope they can keep up this level of writing and story-telling.

A new page of Star Trek which makes me want to turn to the next one.

An absolutely amazing episode

[Emrys_Lee · 10/10 · 10 March 2023]

Directed by Jonathan Frakes, captain Riker himself, we finally get a true great episode of entire Picard series. I'm not saying last two seasons aren't good, but as a big fan of Star Trek franchise, I always think that last two seasons lack some basic and core signatures of Star Trek, which is dangerous space and thrill adventure, they are more like a family drama instead of hard-core sf. The entire Picard series is talking about a retired admiral's regrets. In this episode they finally manged to balance the narrative of personal drama and star fleets mission. For the first time of his entire life, Picard appeared both as a captain(admiral in fact) and a father. I have no critics for this episode. It's just amazing. I hope there will be more like this.

No Win Scenario

[Prismark10 · 9/10 · 10 March 2023]

I did groan when the episode kicked in as a flashback. I thought not an episode set in the past when the Titan was sinking into a gravity field and all hope was lost.

However a lot of the dots connected between the past and present scenes. Even having a moment where Jack Crusher felt rejected by Picard in the past.

The fourth episode in essence wraps up a mini arc and it was a very satisfying conclusion. The only questionable and not too convincing part was the power supply to the Holodeck.

With the the lives of the crew looking doomed. Riker and Picard reconcile. However it is Dr Crusher who spots a ray of hope in the nebula.

Even Captain Shaw gets some character development and his dislike of Picard comes to the fore. Unfortunately it is a retread of the opening story of DS9.

I loved Riker giving Vadic a taste of her own medicine.

Given a poor second season. This episode of Picard was firing on all cylinders.

Oh Wowza

[guerrio · 10/10 · 9 March 2023]

We're roughly half way through season 3 of this show now, and this episode is the first to deliver exactly what I've been craving. Strange new worlds also delivered this feeling, but this is genuinely the best episode of Picard so far. If this is an indicator for the rest of the season, then I'm all in. Too bad this is the last season because this is quality content. The changlings being involved in this still is an odd choice and this episode didn't delve into that very much, so the next 6 episodes will have to make sense of that.

This episode felt out of place in comparison to the others, but in a good way. It was episodic and had the formula of Berman Era trek that consistently worked. That being of the core crew members bringing each of their specialty to the table to get themselves out of the corner. In the previous episode, almost every character was a big dummy, so this episode kinda uno reversed that. I thought within the first 10-15 minutes that Riker was a changling, and that could've explained why he unloaded torpedoes that ended up going through the portal and smacking them. The changlings were pretty lack luster actually, more like cartoon villains that posed minimal threat in this episode. However, the heights of this episode made me overlook those flaws, and not that they were a big deal to me either.

Best Picard episode so far in this series, still holding my expectations not too high since there were some very dumb things in the previous episodes that need to be solved and will come back up.

Good, but let's keep some perspective.

[infinitezer0 · 8/10 · 11 March 2023]

Some of you seem to forget just how awesome the Xindi arc, the Borg/transwarp arc, and Year of Hell were. Don't get me wrong, things are definitely looking up here and I definitely appreciate the callbacks. It's just that this has just aired. I'm not trying to downplay the efforts by the cast and crew, but let's not forget where we came from out of some recency bias. It's entirely possible that this run of 10 episodes will add up to something amazing, but so far it's been some setup and a two parter that utilized a lot of elements we've seen before. They put some nice spins on it that were fresh, but it really all depends on the layers to be added with the rest of the season. Time will be the judge if this season holds up with the best of the best of Star Trek.

How will this show be remembered?

[Badger1210 · 7/10 · 11 March 2023]

There is something to be said about making a show for modern audiences and then there is just perverting what was perhaps a little cheesy but it was optimistic. Star Trek today is a perverted version of what it used to be and although the special effects can be spectacular, the stories are depressing, mediocre and lacks remeberence. Ask yourself in ten years which Picard episode you remember fondly like many in the pre 2k universe, I would wager there will be none; even Farpoint episodes will be remembered more than any of our current selections.

So, has Picard improved from last season? They got rid of preachy stories and most of the unlikable characters. What they kept though was the worst character, Raffi and also darkness and depressing attitudes of our heroes of old. The pre 2k universe, even with the Dominion War, was a place of where humans aspired to be the best and we would love to be a part of that. Now, why would we?

Case in point, Captain Shaw. Even in TNG you had a hard nose Capt Jelico who the crew did not like his leadership style but he was competent even when barking orders. Heck, he was even very patient, diplomatic and competent dealing with the Cardsssians before he took the steps to start blowing up their secret fleet. Shaw is played as a cruel, offensive, vindictive and more things a Starfleet officer should not be, and why? So our heroes of old can take the spotlight.

Even though this episode was good, better than season 1 and 2 in its entirety, it relies on tickling you with Remember Berries. The amount of name dropping of TNG, DS9 and STV characters or events is pretty bad. Last episode I told the wife that the thing inside this nebula will be something from a TNG episode, called it!

Post 2k Star Trek is a perversion of what it used to be with better CGI.

Summary: I miss pre 2k Star Trek.

An awful episode from a ploy and consistency perspective

[zbartepstein · 5/10 · 26 April 2023]

Right near the start of this episode they lost me when they showed Picard staring pensively out the window as the nebula barely moved outside. But in the very next scene we saw the outside view of the Titan tumbling out of control. Which was accurate? It can't be both.

Too many other things in this episode were simply beyond the realm of reasonableness. There was just too much handwaving.

Beverly apparently didn't tell her son about Picard until he was 18 years old when he sought out his father but then ... decided to have no relationship whatsoever with him because of an offhanded comment in a bar?

Riker was prepared to let his entire crew suffocate without making an attempt at escape from the nebula, because he wanted to leave behind a recording for his ex-wife??

The entire bridge crew was told multiple times in the previous episode that there was a biological component to the energy signature but yet nobody did even basic analysis of it, other than mommy crusher??

The Titan was able to use sub space communications to facilitate a real time video call between Riker and Troi at the end of the episode, but he could not have transmitted the message to her or just called her before hand??

The titan, while, moving on impulse power, had to make numerous course changes to avoid smashing into asteroids, but once the energy wave hit, it was able to zoom through huge amounts of an asteroid field without hitting anything?

Seven of nine shoots the changeling twice without killing it? And then let it slither into the wall?

Riker issues a few terse commands and is able to grab an asteroid and throw it at high speed while riding the energy wave?? It would have been so much easier to just tell the helmsman to use the tractor beam to grab an asteroid, wouldn't it?

And lastly, I hated the scene where Riker came to apologize to Picard for not listening to Picard's stupid plan earlier. Once they neutralized the leak, it was painfully obvious that they should have left the nebula and warped home. The writers didn't even try to explain why attacking made sense.

I thought this was the weakest episode of the season so far, but given so many other people reading this episode as nearly perfect, we obviously have different taste.

Truly excellent

[lukeissupercool · 10/10 · 9 March 2023]

This was one of the first episodes in the new star-trek series which, in my opinion, was perfect.

It tied together the past and present, plot and characters perfectly. The scene in "ten-forward" in the holodeck was heart wrenching, the crew working together to get out was simply awesome.

Captain shaw is a great addition, the ominous changeling threat is ever-present and worrying. The Sub-plot with worf and Raffi subtley tying in to the main plot in this episode was also excellent.

If they can contine this throughout the series it has excellent promise. The best episode of modern trek so far.

Also, i love all the references in the credits.

Finally

[rutger-845-637397 · 9/10 · 11 March 2023]

I got the Star Trek feeling again.

Not too much fighting, still interesting. Discovering new species, working together to get out of a nasty situation, Picard showing more power in his acting as the man he was.

Yes of course, the alien squids didn't make much sense in their appearance (please involve scientists guys when you maken a sci-fi show) and avoiding the asteroids went too easy as well as catching the shape shifter (who as I see it would actually help with getting out of there instead of more sabotage). The way the shape shifter communicated reminded me also too much of Star Wars but o well, overall I give a 9 to show the makers of the show we like this, and not the other garbage they are trying to create. Not perfect, but on the right track.

And we got to see the holodeck again. Been sooooo long.

To the other guy reviewing here who complained they kept the bar running:

1) it was not a bar it was the holodeck which Picard ordered to recreate the bar (I expected a Guinan recreation to serve at the bar but probably was too costly for the episode) 2) It is clearly said it ran on a separate power source for situations like this (the logic of that is another discussion)

So please pay attention before you criticise.

Wow, just wow...

[katsharples · 9/10 · 9 March 2023]

They managed to compress all the drama, complexities, action and emotion of a 2 hour movie into a single 1 hour episode. Absolutely amazing from beginning to end. This was Star Trek at its finest.

Somehow in a seemingly hopeless situation they managed to come together to find a way out. Because that's what the crew of the Enterprise is known for. But this time it's not the Enterprise, it's the Titan. Despite their differences and past grievances toward eachother, they found a way to dig deep and trust one another to do what they do best.

We learned more about why Captain Shaw is such an asshole. He's managed to turn it into his charm. He's not just a Captain, he's an engineer who knows his ship.

We learned why Jack had decided to keep his absentee father out of his life, and it's heartbreaking when you realize why. There's more to Jack than just being the son of a hero Captain.

Admiral/Captain Picard was a hero to many during his career, but being a hero puts a target on your back. And whether they like it or not there are times when the hero falls from Grace, regardless of if it's their own fault or not. The curse of the events that occurred at WOLF 359, will haunt Picard forever and for many it made him the worst enemy of all.

Sisko was a product of that event, and now we learn that Shaw was too. There's no doubt now, why both of them were so reluctant to meet Jean-Luc Picard, the "hero" Captain/Admiral of Starfleet when he was asking for favours.

Seven was as brilliant and resourceful as ever, and despite her borg-ness, Shaw finally realized that her rank of Commander is well earned. It was nice to see them work together as a Captain and his First-Officer should. Especially where they're both comfortable working in Command and in Engineering matters.

An all around fantastic episode, and here's hoping that this wasn't the "jump the shark" moment that means the rest of the final season is dull.

Your patience is rewarded

[nategerard77 · 9/10 · 11 March 2023]

I haven't liked much newer Trek the way I loved the older shows. The last few episodes of the first season of Picard were good and at some point I'll get back to SNW. But I decided I would enjoy this season for everything it could give.

It seems that decision has been rewarded with this episode. It's almost a self contained single story (like most of the old series) and has good story, both internal and external conflict, but most of all, it has a positive message: Hope for the future based on finding those you can trust.

For me and I think many others, the optimism of Star Trek is why we've watched for all these decades and it feels like they got this one really right. No surprise that Frakes directed it.

I was ready to hate this new season

[Jagdpanzer · 9/10 · 10 March 2023]

The first episode was good, number 2 and 3 didn't quite do it for me. The villain was cartoonish. But this episode was all what TNG was about. I hate the previous seasons, with a passion. This episode won me over. I skip a 2 awkward conversation but at the end of it I was touch again by the TNG magic. If they keep it up in the 6 remaining episodes, is going to be a lovely farewell for this cast.

Don't know what else to say about this so I'm going to copy a quite from Raymond Chandler that I love.

"They just sat there looking back at me. The orange queen was clacking her typewriter. Cop talk was no more treat for her than legs to a dance director. They had the calm weathered faces of healthy men in hard condition. They had the eyes they always have, cloudy and grey like freezing water. The firm set mouth, the hard little wrinkles at the corners of the eyes, the hard hollow meaningless stare, not quite cruel and a thousand miles from kind. The dull ready-made clothes, worn without style, with a sort of contempt; the look of men who are poor and yet proud of their power, watching always for ways to make it felt, to shove it into you and twist it and grin and watch you squirm, ruthless without malice, cruel and yet not always unkind. What would you expect them to be? Civilization had no meaning for them. All they saw of it was the failures, the dirt, the dregs, the aberrations and the disgust."

A masterclass in balance!

[jackdeth_2006 · 9/10 · 17 March 2023]

Probabaly the best episode of Star Trek since Enterprise finished. And it stands up amongst some of the best of Trek.

This season continues to impress, whilst simultaneously standing as a tragic testimonial to what Picard could have been from the start, given the right team behind it.

It had heart, it made you feel but it didn't need the crew breaking down in tears every 5 minutes to remind you to feel it. It had tension, but it didn't need boatloads of exposition to produce it. It was well written, the characters have substance...it was just all round class.

That Picard Season 3 has managed to unite Trek purists and new Trek enthusiasts alike, shows that you you don't need to pick a side...if the team making the show doesn't force you to pick one.

One of the most nostalgic and amazing episodes of new trek i ever watched

[bertaniand · 10/10 · 10 March 2023]

Full of Easter eggs from old Trek, full of science and action. I couldn't asked for something better! Season 3 of Picard really had a strong start and whit episode 4 is really going the right way and i'm loving it!.

This episode had everything i could've asked for: old Star Trek items in the background, the backstory of captain Shaw in the battle of Worf 359, mention of Farpoint Station and much more! In particular i loved about this episode is how the bridge crew was behaving on the bridge which gave me old trek vibes like Strange New Worlds did or like Picard Commanding the Titan giving Course connection like old times, and how he tried to make a connection whit Jack mentioning one of his adventure on the Stargazer and Jake Crusher (Wesley's Father).

You can really see that they did a great step up from the last two seasons making it more enjoyable and fun to watch, i hope they will keep it as it is.

There are more and more things you could talk about this episode but words aren't enough.

Top 3 if not the best trek episode ever

[rlobue-1 · 10/10 · 14 March 2023]

After an extremely rocky second season I didn't have high hopes for Season 3 of Picard. I am so glad to have been proven wrong.

And it culminates - so far - with this episode. I forget I was watching a series episode half the time. It looked, felt, smelt like a feature film, the editing, but most of all, the incredible soundtrack. So much so, I have rewatched the main scene several times just to relisten.

Great to see Odo on the PADD and also great character development for the Titan captain. Especially loved the final montage of Jack and Picard 5 years ago in the bar. Actually felt emotional haha.

Great cast ... idiots plotting

[VetteRanger · 7/10 · 17 March 2023]

Okay, we have a changeling on board. Seven gets to shoot it, three times. The first two times, in a ship's passageway, it basically shrugs off the phaser blasts and then disappears into the wall. The third time, in engineering, a single phaser blast either stuns it or kills it.

Writers ... how about some consistency here?!

Oh, and you can't pull power from the holodeck in a life or death emergency requiring all available power ... because it's on a separate power supply so as many crew as can stuff themselves into a holodeck can die happy?

Really stupid.

The science office can't figure out energy pulses in a nebula, but Beverly Crusher, because she's a doctor, can recognize they're like labor pains and time the energy pulses' increasing frequency.

The displaced Captain, because he originally came from engineering, is evidently the only person who can perform the simple procedure to adjust the warp nacelles? No regular engineering officer or rating is qualified.

Again ... just stupid.

But we enjoy seeing the last hurrah for the NextGen cast so we'll keep watching ... and cringing. And that's the only reason this moronic plotting gets seven stars from me instead of three.

Episode 304

[bobcobb301 · 5/10 · 16 March 2023]

I feel like "No Win Scenario" is an appropriate title for this epsiode as the IMDB users seem to love it, but I am just not getting it. The season just feels kind of there and it is not hitting the moral quandaries and conundrums that the original Star Trek did, nor is it giving us particularly enthralling action sequences either.

This middle ground of drama and sci-fi television just feels like missed opportunity after missed opportunity. I keep waiting for Star Trek: Picard to get off the Star Trek: The Next Generation revival advertising and start advancing some actually compelling stories for the viewers.

Picard Perfection

[CousteauBob · 10/10 · 11 March 2023]

I don't normally write reviews on here (just rate) but this episode felt like the climax to a 4-hour Star Trek TNG movie that we never got. One of the BEST episodes of ST I've seen in a LONG time! Frakes has always been a perfect ST director and he doesn't disappoint here. The writing, the directing, the camerawork, it all reminded me of the First Contact movie where it finally started to feel like Star Trek was finally growing up and getting some balls... I loved the first 2 seasons of Picard, but this 3rd season really upped the ante and made me feel back at home with a grown up crew. Smart move obviously bringing back the existing crew (or most of them) and I REALLY hope that Paramount do a U-Turn and commission up another season... goosebumps, emotional man-tears all round on this one! 10/10

PLEASE GET ANOTHER SEASON COMMISSIONED!