TV REVIEW. In sci-fi television's dark universe Star Trek Picard on Amazon Prime Video adds a speck of inner light.

by Thinus Ferreira

In an unsure, unstable world of Trump, Twitter, climate change and coronavirus outbreaks, the return of a character like Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard in Amazon Prime Video's new Star Trek: Picard understatedly underlines just how much - just like Oprah - certain people are desperately needed back on television.

Although somewhat changed by time, Patrick Stewart's measured, thoughtful Picard is still one of the characters deeply needed on television, once again embodying an inner, collective moral consciousness in a galaxy where few care to care, or to listen.

"Let's behave like civilised men," says the former-Captain-then-Admiral-now-retired "Jay-El", once again elegantly portrayed in the 10-episode, first season of Star Trek: Picard.

The new series throws the well-known, well-worn, trusted Starfleet captain - as well as viewers - back into a tumultuous, angst-riddled, scared and gridlocked galaxy where everybody is unsure of themselves and their place in the world, and therefore scared of each other.

Set in 2399, the world and galaxy of Star Trek: Picard is still the one from The Next Generation, DS9 and Voyager, but in the 18 years since the Star Trek: Nemesis film in 2002, 18 years also passed in Gene Roddenberry's universe.

In the way that our lives changed over two decades with iPhones, airport screenings and an increasingly more unstable world, so Picard's world changed with LCARS morphing into hologram displays, now drinking his tea "Earl Grey decaf", the creation and banning of "synths" (androids) after they attacked Mars, and the Roluman homeworld that got destroyed by a supernova.

"I never dreamed that Starfleet would give in to intolerance and fear," Picard remarks during the 3 first three episodes made available for review, with viewers who get to discover how and why Picard left Starfleet as he is lured back to a new space-bound adventure.

"You need a crew. Riker. Worf. LaForge," suggest a character for Picard's latest mission  - to which he says "no".

It's exactly because they would help that he can't risk asking or taking them. This isn't "All Good Things" - the final episode of The Next Generation - but a new mystery and challenge that might bring proper closure and redemption for the story of the beloved Data android character in a clever and inventive way.

While The Expanse which dropped its fourth season last month (co-incidentally on Amazon Prime Video as well) remains the very best science fiction on television in the current zeitgeist, Star Trek: Picard could move itself to second place depending on how the season's story plays itself out.

Star Trek: Picard is what Star Trek: Discovery should have been and what a lot of flim-flam so-called "genre television" these days try to do but don't because of a lack of budget, and talent behind and in front of the screen.

Star Trek: Picard feels Next Generation-ey in a way that Star Trek: Discovery has never yet felt like Star Trek except for Anson Mount as Captain Pike.

Created by executive producer Alex Kurtzman and the screenwriter and novelist Michael Chabon, Star Trek: Picard has the TNG-genes but poured into a current day mould.

There are the familiar yet slightly adapted uniforms but newly fitted around a political intrigue story, transporter technology sparkling around new questions about legacy, appearance and reality, "Borg cube reclamation", secret assassins and interplanetary spy games.

"I've never cared for science fiction. Just never got it," Jean-Luc quips in one of several in-jokes.

Longtime fans of The Next Generation will have little to complain about. Yes, it's not as brightly lit. It's not as clean. Starfleet is no longer so perfect (was it ever, Pegasus?). Yet with the growing existence and investigation of synthetic beings, Star Trek: Picard feels even more human than Gene Roddenberry's utopian world.

Eagle-eyed fans will spot several small mistakes (will aircon outlet grills at convention centres really be the 2020-style in 2399?) but it's probably to be expected from a start-up show with a smaller budget than the syndicated TNG in its 1990s heydey.

Design-wise the production could have done more to include more Next Gen familiarity, but again, they probably didn't have the budget.

With interweaving character setting, setup and the time taken to assemble the new group of travelling stargazers, the first three episodes of Star Trek: Picard might feel a bit drawn out until it gets to "engage" at the end of episode 3.

Viewers who stick around for the new setup to be established will find it worth the wait.

In an era of antihero-filled television an older, wiser, and slightly more unsure Picard is a lot of things but not disappointing and not a sell-out. With a lot of dark television around Star Trek: Picard adds a speck of inner light.


The review is based on the first 3 episodes of season 1 of Star Trek: Picard.

Star Trek: Picard is available on Amazon Prime Video.


ALSO READ: Engage! Here's everything you need to know and see before you start to watch the new Star Trek: Picard on Amazon Prime Video.

Engage! Here's everything you need to know and see before you start to watch the new Star Trek: Picard on Amazon Prime Video.

by Thinus Ferreira

Make it so! With the first episode of the new Star Trek: Picard series diving right into the action and intrigue without explanation, existing Star Trek viewers and new ones need to know the following and should watch the following 6 old episodes and 2 films to fully enjoy the story of Captain-then-Admiral-now-retired Jean-Luc Picard's next exciting chapter.

Star Trek: Picard, taking place 18 years after the final Star Trek: The Next Generation film, Nemesis (in which the android character of Data died) is becoming available on Amazon Prime Video this Friday.

The 10-episode first season, with Patrick Stewart once again reprising his iconic role, will release episodes weekly and the series has been renewed for a second season.

Episodes of Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: DS9, as well as Star Trek: Voyager are all streaming on Netflix South Africa, although the new Star Trek: Picard series is on Amazon Prime Video for South African viewers and all viewers outside of the United States and Canada.

Jean-Luc, or "Jay-El" as one of the characters now refers to him and who has been quietly living on a wine farm in France, is quickly drawn into a brand-new mystery involving a possible Starfleet conspiracy and cover-up, a nefarious Romulan plot, a strange young woman seeking his help, and a new crop of androids now called "synths".

Since Starfleet doesn't want to help him, Jean-Luc assembles a new rag-tag crew aboard a new ship (although the iconic USS Enterprise NCC-1701 D does make a surprise appearance) to boldly go and solve the latest mystery.

Former Star Trek characters Brent Spiner (Data), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine), Jonathan Del Arco (Hugh), Jonathan Frakes (William Riker) and Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi) all appear.

It's important to watch certain essential previous Star Trek episodes and films that provide all of the important background, character development and story to understand precisely who the characters are, and how they and the story fit together.

Before you zoom off at warp speed with the latest tale, watch these 6 essential episodes and 2 films:

Conspiracy (Star Trek: TNG, season 1, episode 25)
See how Captain Picard discovers that officers at Starfleet Command on Earth are acting strangely, eventually finding a big conspiracy.

The Measure of a Man (Star Trek: TNG, season 2, episode 9)
Dats is put on trial and defended by Picard when a scientist, Bruce Maddox, wants to dismantle and experiment on him to create android replicas.

The Offspring (Star Trek: TNG, season 3, episode 16)
Data creates an android daughter Lal and tries to raise her.

The Best of Both Worlds I & II (Star Trek: TNG, season 3, episode 26)
Picard battles the Borg.

I, Borg (Star Trek: TNG, season 5, episode 23)
The Enterprise crew meets the severed Borg called Hugh.

Scorpion I & II (Star Trek: Voyager, season 3, episode 26)
The introduction of the Borg character, Seven of Nine, who gets severed from the Borg collective and rejoins humanity.

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
A bad film and the movie end of The Next Generation crew but it contains important background as to what happened to Data, Picard, and the Romulans. Data sings the song "Blue Skies" that features in the new series, as well as B4 (another android version like Data) that features in the film and in the new series. Data also makes a sacrifice that echoes into the new series.

Star Trek (2009)
Not part of the "real" Star Trek but set in the so-called "Kelvin timeline", this reboot film with Chris Pine as Captain Kirk is however important to see, since it deals with a supernova destroying the planet of Romulus. While this event happened in the new Star Trek parallel universe of J.J. Abrams, it also happened in the classic Star Trek universe.
The Picard of Star Trek: Picard references and deals with this aftermath from "his/our" side and the fact that original-version Starfleet chose not to help.


ALSO READ: TV REVIEW. In sci-fi television's dark universe Star Trek: Picard on Amazon Prime Video adds a speck of inner light.

Data, Seven of Nine, return to Star Trek in Star Trek: Picard on Amazon Prime Video in new teaser trailer, as Jean-Luc helps a young woman in a Borg-inspired story.

Brent Spiner as Data, Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine, Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi and Jonathan Frakes as William Riker will all reprise their iconic Star Trek roles in the new Star Trek: Picard series that will debut on Amazon Prime Video.

The starting date of Star Trek: Picard with Sir Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role of Jean-Luc Picard made famous in Star Trek: The Next Generation, has now been pushed out to "early-2020" and no longer "late-2019" as originally announced by CBS.

A new teaser trailer was released for Star Trek: Picard at this past weekend's San Diego International Comic-Con 2019 where the upcoming series had a panel session with cast members that besides Patrick Stewart, includes Isa Briones (Dahj), Santiago Cabrera (Cristobal "Chris" Rios), Michelle Hurd (Raffi Musiker), Alison Pill (Dr Agnes Jurati), Harry Treadaway (Narek) and Evan Evagora (Elnor).

Jonathan Del Arco who played the character of the individualised Borg drone Hugh in Star Trek: The Next Generation will also be back to reprise his character role.

The series is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment and is set within the Next Generation "Prime" universe, in the year 2399.

Star Trek: Picard will be available on CBS All Access in the United States, and be distributed concurrently internationally by CBS Studios International on Amazon Prime Video.

Here is the new teaser trailer, featuring Data, Seven of Nine and the other new characters:

Here are 5 new revelations regarding Star Trek: Picard:

1. Data is/remains dead
The android character of Data remains dead following the events of the final Star Trek: The Next Generation film. It, therefore, stands to reason that Data appears as part of a holodeck creation ordered up by Jean-Luc Picard.

"Data died and he is in the show I don't want to give the idea that he is in every episode or in a lot of episodes, but he is in the show," said Brent Spiner in an interview.


2. A darker, more complicated world
In an interview Sir Patrick Stewart says "the story has become more complicated, darker, and more diverse than in the days of The Next Generation".

"The world has changed. And you know what, the world has changed. And is changing in terrifying ways right now. That is one of the things that this new series touches on. It always had that element of contemporary society that it commented on and that's what we're doing in this new show."


3. A new crew 'only in a sense'
"It's only a crew in the sense. You must not think of it as a crew like the USS Enterprise," explained Sir Patrick Stewart.

"We are not Starfleet. We are in a sense renegades. We are acting independently." Seven episodes have been filmed already, with 3 episodes left to do. Sir Patrick Stewart said he's open to do a second season of Star Trek: Picard if there were to be one.


4. There's a new 'Number One'
In Star Trek: The Next Generation Captain Jean-Luc Picard called Commander Riker "Number One". But Picard has a new number one now. The new series starts off with Picard living and working on his wine farm and he has a dog.

"The dog's real name is Dinero, and his cast name is Number One," Sir Patrick Stewart revealed.


5. Tonally different
"It's slower, more gentle, more lyrical. It is certainly more character-based," explained Akiva Goldsman, executive producer when he was asked at the panel session to explain how the new series will be different from other Star Trek series like Star Trek: Discovery.

"It also takes on the same things that the original series took on, that Star Trek: The Next Generation took on which is hope for a future that is in many ways better than the world we live in today."

"Star Trek remains aspirational and what we get to do, which is what Star Trek: DS9 got to do a little bit, is to tell serialised stories, and in serialised stories the characters can evolve in a way that makes it unique. So we think it's a new kind of Star Trek show, made by a lot of people who love the old kinds of Star Trek shows."

New Jean-Luc Picard Star Trek TV series baldly going to Amazon Prime Video globally.

Amazon Prime Video has picked up the global rights for the new as-yet-untitled Star Trek Jean-Luc Picard series, with Star Trek: Discovery that will remain on Netflix outside of the United States.

It means that South African and African viewers will continue to watch the Star Trek: Discovery on the Netflix streaming service and which has been renewed for a third season, with the upcoming series with Sir Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role that will become available on Amazon Prime Video.

CBS Studios International is the distributor of the Picard series and signed a contract with Amazon Prime Video to have the series, which doesn't have a starting date yet, on its streaming platform in 200 countries and territories outside of America.

Episodes of the Star Trek Jean-Luc Picard series will become available on Amazon Prime Video globally within 24 hours of its premiere in the United States.

The new series is set in the future, years after the last of the of Star Trek: The Next Generation films, and will revolve around the character questioning certain later life choices.

The series is being produced by CBS Television Studios together with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, with Alison Pill, Harry Treadaway, Isa Briones, Santiago Cabrera, Michelle Hurd and Evan Evagora who have already been cast.

The Picard Star Trek series is executive produced by Stewart, Alex Kurtzman, James Duff, Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon, Heather Kadin, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth, with Aaron Baiers of Secret Hideout serving as co-executive producer.

Hanelle Culpepper will direct the first two episodes of the series which will make her the first woman to direct a pilot or debut episode of a Star Trek TV series in its 53-year history.

Brad Beale, Vice President, Worldwide Content Licensing for Amazon Prime Video, says "We’re thrilled to partner with CBS to bring the newest edition of the storied Star Trek franchise to our international Amazon Prime Video customers".

"With the incredible Sir Patrick Stewart returning as the beloved Jean-Luc Picard, we’re excited we can give Trek fans both old and new the opportunity to see him back in action. It’s a terrific addition to our already robust catalogue of exclusive Amazon Prime Video content."

Armando Nuñez, president and CEO of the CBS Global Distribution Group, says "For 50 years, the Star Trek series have been a global sensation, spanning generations and audiences of all ages. It’s an honour to welcome Sir Patrick Stewart back for what is sure to be another world-class extension of the historic franchise".

"We look forward to working with the team at Amazon Prime Video to bring this next chapter of the incredible Star Trek franchise to its passionate international fan base."

Alex Kurtzman says "There’s only one word that can begin to describe Sir Patrick Stewart as Starship Commander Jean-Luc Picard, and that’s ‘legendary’. We are thrilled beyond measure to have him back in command, bringing the optimistic messages of Star Trek to audiences around the world.


ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. 'Make it (no longer) so': The trend of further content fragmentation continues as the best TV shows from CBS Studios International will no longer all necessarily be on DStv and M-Net - and that's a bad thing.

New Star Trek Jean-Luc Picard drama series adds Alison Pill, Harry Treadaway and Isa Briones.

The new as-yet-untitled Star Trek Jean-Luc Picard drama series has added Alison Pill, Harry Treadaway and Isa Briones.

They join the previously announced cast members Santiago Cabrera, Michelle Hurd and Evan Evagora.

Star Trek: Discovery, currently in its second season and renewed for a third is available on Netflix and Netflix South Africa outside of the United States and Canada, but it's becoming increasingly more likely that the Picard Star Trek series, once completed, would be seen on M-Net (DStv 101) and MultiChoice's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service.

The Picard Star Trek series, produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, similar to Star Trek: Discovery, is however going to be distributed internationally by CBS Studios International.

There's been growing rumblings that Netflix as a Star Trek: Discovery partner and that basically paid for the CBS All Access series, is allegedly unhappy about the direction, and hugely negative and dismal viewer reaction of the costly far-over-budget series and won't take and the Picard series.

The new Star Trek series featuring Patrick Stewart will see him reprising his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard which he played for seven seasons on Star Trek: Next Generation, with rumours circulating that he will be reflecting back and trying to make changes after he's been part of Starfleet's nefarious and undercover Section 31 spy unit.

So far Alex Kurtzman, James Duff, Akiva Goldsman, Patrick Stewart, Michael Chabon, Heather Kadin, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth are the executive producers, with Aaron Baiers from Secret Hideout as co-executive producer.

CBS announces yet another new spin-off Star Trek series in development focusing on the adventures of Michelle Yeoh's Captain Georgiou joining Section 31.

CBS in the United States is working on yet another new Star Trek series, the latest a spin-off from Star Trek: Discovery that will focus on the exploits of Captain Philippa Georgiou, who was played by and will continue to be played by Michelle Yeoh.

The second season of Star Trek: Discovery will start on 17 January in the United States on the CBS All Acces streaming service, with episodes that will once again roll out weekly globally outside of America and Canada on Netflix.

The Michelle Yeoh spin-off will revolve around Philippa Georgiou's adventures after the events of Star Trek: Discovery's first season, that will see her become involved in Starfleet's nefarious and secretive Section 31 intelligence division, first introduced during the 1990's spin-off series, Star Trek: DS9.

The latest series will be produced by CBS Television Studios, Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment with Bo Yeon Kim and Erika Lippoldt as writers.

"Michelle has shattered ceilings, broken boundaries, and astonished us with her grace and gravitas for decades," says Alex Kurtzman, Star Trek executive producer in a statement.

"As a human, I adore her. As an actor, I revere her. Erika and Boey are remarkable, exciting writers who bring a fresh perspective to the world of Star Trek, and we're all thrilled to explore the next wild chapter in the life of Captain Philippa Georgiou."

"I'm so excited to continue telling these rich Star Trek stories," says Michelle Yeoh. "Being a part of this universe and this character specifically has been such a joy for me to play. I can't wait to see where it all goes – certainly, I believe it will go 'where no woman has ever gone before!'"

Besides Star Trek: Discovery entering its second season on Netflix, the new as-yet-untitled Michelle Yeoh Captain Geogiou series there is also an upcoming new as-yet-untitled series featuring the later life of Captain Jean-Luc Picard after the events of the last films of Star Trek: The Next Generation, with Patrick Stewart again playing the iconic role.

There is also a planned half-hour adult animated comedy series Star Trek: Below Decks in development.

Not available on Netflix South Africa are 5 Star Trek: Short Treks episodes serving as prequel vignettes to the second season of Star Trek: Discovery.

MAKE IT SO. Patrick Stewart returning to headline a new Star Trek TV drama series as Jean-Luc Picard that will be set 20 years after the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Make it so: Patrick Stewart (78) is returning to headline a new Star Trek TV drama series as his iconic character of Jean-Luc Picard, that will be set 20 years after his last Star Trek film, Nemesis, in the Star Trek: The Next Generation universe.

The new and as yet unnamed Star Trek TV series will be produced by CBS Television Studios for the CBS All Access subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service in America, meaning that the series will very likely also become available at its debut on Netflix South Africa, similar to how the new Star Trek: Discovery starting its second season in early-2019 is available on Netflix worldwide outside of the United States.

An episode order and debut date for the new Patrick Steward-led series that will "tell the story of the next chapter of Picard's life" has not been announced and no scripts have been written yet, but it's the latest in a growing number of new Star Trek television productions from CBS Television Studios.

In June CBS Television Studios expanded its Star Trek: Discovery franchise contract with the series' co-creator and executive producer Alex Kurtzman into a new 5-year deal that will include several possible miniseries, animation and spinoffs, and Alex Kurtzman at Comic-Con 2018 in San Diego in July revealed during a Star Trek: Discovery panel that the first miniseries will be entitled Star Trek: Short Treks.

The new Jean-Luc Picard centred series will not be one of these miniseries but a fully-fledged drama series, taking place in the universe of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the USS Enterprise that ran for 7 seasons and the 4 movies that followed afterwards. The series will be set 20 years after the last film in that universe, Nemesis.

"With overwhelming joy, it's a privilege to welcome Sir Patrick Stewart back to the Star Trek fold," says Alex Kurtzman in a statement.

"For over 20 years, fans have hoped for the return of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and that day is finally here. We can't wait to forge new ground, surprise people, and honour generations both new and old."

In a statement he released on social media, Patrick Stewart says "I will always be very proud to have been a part of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but when we wrapped that final movie in the spring of 2002, I truly felt my time with Star Trek had run its natural course".

"It is, therefore, an unexpected but delightful surprise to find myself excited and invigorated to be returning to Jean-Luc Picard and to explore new dimensions within him. Seeking out new life for him, when I thought that life was over."

"During these past years, it has been humbling to hear many stories about how The Next Generation brought people comfort, saw them through difficult periods in their lives or how the example of Jean-Luc inspired so many to follow in his footsteps, pursuing science, exploration and leadership."

"I feel I'm ready to return to him for the same reason – to research and experience what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times. I look forward to working with our brilliant creative team as we endeavor to bring a fresh, unexpected and pertinent story to life once more."

It is an unexpected but delightful surprise to find myself excited and invigorated to be returning to Jean-Luc Picard and to explore new dimensions within him. Read my full statement in the photo. #StarTrek @cbsallaccess Photo: @shervinfoto pic.twitter.com/8Ynuj3RBNm

— Patrick Stewart (@SirPatStew) August 4, 2018

The new Star Trek series will be executive produced by Patrick Stewart, Alex Kurtzman, James Duff who recently joined Star Trek: Discovery as executive producer, as well as former Discovery executive producer Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon and Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry, son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.


'Something very, very different with the same passion as before'
The announcement was made to coincide with the latest Las Vegas Star Trek Convention where Patrick Stewart made a surprise appearance after which applause erupted with a standing ovation.

Patrick Stewart revealed that when he was approached to return for a new series, and took a meeting, he knew that it was an offer to which he would sadly have to say no.

Afterward the meeting with producers, he said, "I have spent a lot of time recently watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. And gradually it became clearer and clearer to me, that the power of that show, the success of that show, the benefits that it gave - I have never grown tired of people who stop me in the street or in a restaurant, who say to me 'Your show changed my life".

"Jean-Luc Picard is back. However he may not be a captain anymore. He may not be the Jean-Luc that you recognise and know so well. It may be a very different individual - someone who has been changed by his experiences."

"20 years will have passed - which is more or less exactly the time between the very last movie, Nemesis, and today."

"We have no scripts as of yet. We're just talking, talking, talking storylines. It will be - I guarantee you, something very, very different. But it will come to you with the same passion and determination and the love of the material and love of our followers and fans - exactly as we had it before."

BREAKING. O Captain, my captain . . . Jean-Luc Picard goes from starfleet captain to British knight.

The man who portrayed my favourite starfleet captain, Capt. Jean-Luc Picard just went from captain to knight.

Actor Patrick Stewart (69) who played Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation on television and in the subsequent movies, were knighted earlier today in Londen by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

After a little run-in with the Borg at Wolf 359, and that little crashlanding of the USS Enterprise 1701-D on the surface of Veridian III, he will hence be known as Sir Patrick Stewart.