Spoiler

That is Jack firing on the crewmembers, who I assume are changelings but who knows.

 

Great episode this week. I will tag it since there is a big surprise and it's early.

Spoiler

I had been clued in on Michelle Forbes' return, but it was thrilling to see Ro back after so many years. Forbes consistently resisted many, many attempts to make Ro Laren a central regular character first on TNG and then when they attempted to write her into a regular role on DS9 (her refusal led to Nana Visitor being hired to play Kira instead), so it doesn't entirely surprise me that she came back to die. I wouldn't be shocked to learn that she made it a precondition of finally returning after almost 30 years. Nonetheless, it was a very solid comeback.

My lasting memory of Ro and Picard is their intimate clinch in "Preemptive Strike". The chemistry there went well behind mentor/mentee and I'm glad that was hit on in a subtle way in the dialogue between them tonight - that their connection went beyond professional.  I do wish the conversation had run a bit longer about their issues. Forbes and Stewart were still so great together.

I can't decide what Jack is supposed to be. Are his issues the result of a lingering connection to the Borg, or something else? I am impressed to see the changelings have finally solved some of their past detection issues.

 

More on today's ep. Unsurprisingly, Matalas makes it clear in what he doesn't say to the final question that it was no mean feat getting the actor back.

13 hours ago, Vee said:

Great episode this week. I will tag it since there is a big surprise and it's early.

Spoiler

I kinda guessed it was going to be her when I saw the brief episode synopsis about the prodigal crewman.

It was quite a well-written feat to explain how she ended up back in starfleet (I think they may have borrowed some elements of the non-canon Star Trek online for that), have Picard and her resolve their issues and give a heroic death to her all in one episode. I also liked that she turned out to be Worf's handler so finally the two main threads have come together.

All in all, it was a very satisfying end to the character, as opposed to the deaths of Hugh Borg and Icheb back in season 1.

 

@AdelaideCate007 Alex Kurtzman (oy) confirmed they've begun shooting Season 3 of SNW ahead of an official renewal.

Meanwhile,

Geordi

is back this week. Preview pix.

 

I wasn't aware of it, but apparently this season of Picard is half or less the budget of DSC and the first season. They have been cannibalizing a lot of the prior seasons' sets much more than I would ever have realized. It reminds me of how Paramount nickel and dimed Nicholas Meyer's Trek films (Khan and The Undiscovered Country), the best of the lot. They're making a lower budget work. But I am glad to know Paramount is still committed to Trek with SNW and very possibly a Titan spinoff.

Since they did Picard 2 & 3 together, of course they could save money. Things like having the same director doing two episodes at the same time also is a savings and they don’t seem to have a lot of sets, less remotes than earlier Picard. 
 

I am glad that we are finally seeing spoiler…miss them.

Really killer scenes between the guest last week and Picard (leaving their name out in case anyone has still not watched lol). Just such good emotion and the payoff was excellent. Nothing against the TNG cast and Jeri Ryan- all of whom are doing great work- but it was nice to see Patrick Stewart get the chance to act opposite someone who was a little more up to some serious acting. Never knew I need that pay off till now, but lad we got it all these years later.

@Vee Good to see some confirmation on what Amanda Plummer's whole deal is. I figured as much, but it'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out. Now just wondering what Jack's whole vibe is with his visions.

Thrilled that person is back this and I think we see 

Spoiler

Deanna too, judging by the show runner saying she's heavily involved in the last five of the season and that she started filming with the group with 6. Have a feeling though she's not in the previews because its part of a big spoiler. You can kind of see some of the fan theories might be right based on this week's promo.

Excited to see what they've got goin on with SNW. Not surprised about the lower budget, but they can make that work for SNW and a Titan/Legacy show for sure. I had no idea the costs for Discovery had ballooned up that much. Oof.

10 minutes ago, AdelaideCate007 said:

Really killer scenes between the guest last week and Picard (leaving their name out in case anyone has still not watched lol). Just such good emotion and the payoff was excellent. Nothing against the TNG cast and Jeri Ryan- all of whom are doing great work- but it was nice to see Patrick Stewart get the chance to act opposite someone who was a little more up to some serious acting.

I assume most of the available coin also went/will go to SNW and would also go to a new show. PIC's last cycle just got the short end.

I thought everyone last week was great including the guest I will reluctantly elide mentioning for a day or two more, but I will say I think Gates especially plus Jeri Ryan, Frakes, Dorn, etc. are all doing excellent work too. I don't think anyone is being left in the dust atm.

Edited March 21, 20232 yr by Vee

43 minutes ago, ~bl~ said:

they don’t seem to have a lot of sets

They are getting a helluva lot of use out of the Ten-Foward Los Angeles set, not that I'm complaining. It's a nice set and a logical move to have re-use it by having Picard set it up as a holodeck program on the Titan.

i'll be the one: Jack and Sidney LaForge have serious chemistry. I'm onboard with that. The Jack/Seven scenes were also wonderful. How tight and choked Jeri Ryan's delivery got when they got to Voyager moved me.

Another really excellent episode.

16 hours ago, Vee said:

How tight and choked Jeri Ryan's delivery got when they got to Voyager moved me.

Oh yes, that Voyager scene. Superb.

 

All officially renewed (Lower Decks is now renewed to Season 5).