Martin Carr reviews the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Picard…
This feels like a circling of the wagons, a call to arms and prelude to war. Obstacles both physical and otherwise are being put in place as Picard gears up for a season finale. Just enough distrust has been instilled, just enough doubt planted and now we stand at the precipice of something monumental. Harbouring a criminal, being hounded by seemingly insurmountable odds and finding no safe haven Jean-Luc’s mismatched band of miscreants are forced to land.
What episode nine does apart from inverting plot points from Terminator 2 is introduce us to a world of synthetics. An entirely manmade colony of inorganic lifeforms who live in blissful isolation, sheltered ignorance and idyllic solitude. For a penultimate episode precious minutes are taken up with world building, soul searching and emotional blackmail. Agnes Jurati, Soji and Narek are central to this conceit whilst one Next Gen regular will come as a welcome surprise.
That is where essential character work comes to fruition as Soji encounters her doppelganger, nefarious plots are subtly hatched and Picard ties disparate plot points together. Screen time for Elnor and his cohorts is woefully lacking even though their proximity does much to lessen that impact. An observation which gains further credence as others play their part in setting up the stand-off we knew was coming. A fact that will please fans, appease new comers and fulfil dramatic intentions come those end credits.
Elsewhere conflicted emotions and clashing loyalties prepare the way for an imminent guns and ammo conclusion laced with tragedy. Friendships are consolidated and Jean-Luc still battles with diplomacy, reason and logic against enemies from within. As the threat approaches with tangible time perimeters our dishevelled group of planetary defenders stand divided. Ideologies are interpreted, visions misconstrued and wires crossed as the might of an intergalactic armada is bearing down. There are too many variables, too little time and too much room for error.
This is where Picard becomes a masterclass in dramatic intent mapped out with potent precision. A cleverly constructed cliff hanger in which audiences will invest everything without being sure of anything. Just the sort of odds you expect Jean-Luc to relish under better circumstances.
Martin Carr
