WARNING: The following review contains spoilers.
Now that we have arrived at the mid-way point of the season,
Star Trek: Picard slows things down with a heavy expository episode as it moves characters into place like pieces on a chessboard in an elaborate game of chess. Directed by
Star Trek: Next Generation veteran Jonathan Frakes, the result of these moves is to further highlight established partnerships of the show and create, at times, some strange bedfellows. This approach to this season's storytelling, in all likelihood, has come about due to the changes and restrictions placed on production by the pandemic.
One of the newest pairings formed in "Fly Me to the Moon"is that of the one between Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Tallin the Supervisor (Orla Brady). The writers/producers have wisely found a way to have Stewart and Brady, who share a fabulous on-screen connection, continue to work together in this new reality. By having Tallin be a Supervisor, first created in the second season of the original
Star Trek episode "Assignment: Earth," this character is a modern version of the Gary Seven character first portrayed by Robert Lansing. (Fun trivia fact: that episode also co-starred a young Teri Garr). Her task is to watch over and protect Picard's great aunt Renee Picard (Penelope Mitchell). Picard convinces her to collaborate with him to prevent his ancestor from committing the act that creates the time divergence and has her join the team aboard the La Siena.
The show continues the slow burn development of the relationship between Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Raffi (Michelle Hurd). This week shows them working together as they debate and execute the best way to rescue Rios (Santiago Cabrera) from the immigration bus. Seven has been the calm voice of reason, keeping the emotionally charged Raffi from acting irrationally. It has been the perfect opportunity for Ryan and Seven to explore the long-forgotten, more human side of her character now that she is free from her Borg enhancements. Sadly, the show is content, at least for the moment, with sacrificing the nicely growing relationship between Rios and Doctor Teresa Ramirez (Sol Rodriguez).
One standout partnership is the connection between Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill) and the Borg Queen (Annie Wersching). Having it revealed that Agnes and the Queen are now fully assimilated into one body is a plot twist that was so predictable that the act of Agnes shooting and killing the Queen carried neither the weight nor the shock value impact it should have. What it does do is continue the fantastic acting team up and banter between Pill and Wersching. The show has slowly and carefully laid the groundwork for this duo, then does the predictable by having the Queen, master manipulator that she is, take advantage of Agnes' greatest fear and insecurities, being alone.
The newest and most intriguing pairing of Dr. Adam Soong (Brent Spiner) and Q (John de Lancie) has created their strangest bedfellows. By pairing these two powerful actors, the show offers the potential of a remarkable story, that is if the material holds up. So far, it's off to a rocky start. Telling the story of the actual timeline of Soji (Isa Briones)'s likely lineage is a great idea. Not only does it bring Briones back onto the show as Kore, the seriously ill and compromised daughter of Dr. Soong, but it is also clearly foreshadowing that injecting Q into the picture leads to the creation of Soji, in Kore's likeness. Previous episodes, director Lea Thompson, steps from behind the camera to portray the head of the board that strips Dr. Soong of his license and funding he desperately needs to save his daughter. This puts him in a position of compromising his ethics and working with Q. Where the story loses credibility is why would Q, a being known for his disdain and distrust of humans and the human race, choose to trust Dr. Soong and need his help so badly?
Regardless, with all the characters and pieces now in place,
Star Trek: Picard can now start moving toward the dramatic conclusion of its second season. With so many questions to answer and apparent dangers to come, it will be a journey well worth taking.
What were your thoughts on Star Trek: Picard "Fly Me to the Moon"? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.
