The third time is the charm. Or, rather, the third season.
"Star Trek: Picard" is now a show worth watching — and honoring. Before this, it had fits and glimmers of brilliance: the first three episodes of Season 2. Only minor changes.
The entire season of Patrick Stewart's famed program was shaped by a profound misunderstanding: that to escape the nostalgia trap of so many IP-revivals, it had to completely reinvent the wheel when it came to "Star Trek": the Next Generation. So much so, that "Picard" was defined by what it wasn't, more than what it was. "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" is set in present-day LA that no one could have ever imagined.
Here's the deal: most fans were never clamoring for a Season 8 of "Next Generation," as if we were suddenly transported back to 1994 and granted a new batch of episodes. Or to 2003, and stories set in the immediate aftermath of "Star Trek: Nemesis." Unlike most other fandoms, Trekkies are generally not as nostalgia-obsessed.
Season 3 of "Picard" has finally, thanks to a Starship bridge, achieved perfection. Even if that's the clever shorthand that'll be used to market it, it's satisfying to watch more of these iconic characters evolve and not relive their greatest moments. "Battlestar Galactica" is the most excitingly cinematic space combat on the small screen since it was first released 13 years ago.
Seasons 3 and 3 have left you reeling from the first two. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) isn't talking to any of her previous crew members from the Enterprise in over 20 years. She's now a mother. Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Riker, her husband, are all going through a difficult phase.
When Season 3 of "Picard" launches, Dr. Crusher is keeping a secret.
Trae Patton/Paramount+
With the "Next Generation," where all of the character development of, say, Worf on "Deep Space Nine," is almost gone, as well as in "Insurrection" and "Nemesis," all of which are worth the hype: He's taken the best parts of the movies, and probably undersold his achievement: every one of the first six episodes, both in a binge and week-to-week, is essential.
The new characters are equally exciting: Michelle Hurd, the one character who had an excellent run in the previous seasons, has proven to be an invaluable resource for returning legacy characters: Jeri Ryan, who has developed a great character since Season 1, who has become an MVP of the season. Sidney LaForge, who is everything you'd expect Geordie's daughter to be, and more.
Will Picard and the "Next Generation" cast receive a final look at Episode 10, the series' conclusion? Perhaps, arousing finale that leaves us wanting more just when they've finally gotten it right is the best way to go. In a landscape filled with content, this is a well-crafted event.
Season 3 of "Star Trek: Picard" will be released on Paramount+ on February 16th, 2019, with new episodes scheduled for Thursdays.