From the moment it was announced that Patrick Stewart would return to his iconic role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in a new series, fans of Star Trek have been eagerly anticipating its release. And now that it’s finally here, we can say with confidence that Picard is worth the wait.
The show picks up almost 20 years after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis, and finds Picard living a quiet life on Earth, having left Starfleet behind. But when a mysterious young woman named Dahj (Isa Briones) comes to him for help, he finds himself drawn back into action.
We won’t spoil too much about the plot here – suffice it to say that there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. But what really sets Picard apart from other recent revivals is how well it captures the spirit of the original series while still feeling fresh and modern.
Part of this is due to Stewart’s performance – even in his seventies, he remains one of our greatest actors, bringing both gravitas and vulnerability to every scene. But credit must also go to showrunner Michael Chabon (a Pulitzer Prize-winning author in his own right), who has crafted a script full of complex characters and moral dilemmas.
One standout among this cast is Alison Pill as Dr. Agnes Jurati, a neuroscientist who becomes embroiled in Picard’s mission. Her character brings some much-needed levity to proceedings without ever feeling like comic relief; her scenes with Stewart crackle with chemistry.
But perhaps most impressive about Picard is how it manages to be both an engaging standalone story and an essential piece of Star Trek lore at once. Fans will delight in seeing familiar faces like Jonathan Frakes’ William Riker or Brent Spiner’s Data again (the latter appearing in a surprising new form), but newcomers need not worry about being lost – everything you need to know is explained in due time.
That’s not to say that Picard doesn’t have its flaws. Some of the pacing can be a bit uneven, and there are moments where the dialogue feels a little clunky or expository. But these are minor quibbles in what is otherwise an excellent piece of television.
And while the show undoubtedly owes a debt to classic sci-fi like Blade Runner or The Terminator (there are some genuinely creepy cybernetic villains here), it also manages to say something new about our relationship with technology and how it shapes us as human beings.
Overall, Picard is a thrilling return to one of Star Trek’s greatest characters, done justice by an outstanding cast and crew. Whether you’re a die-hard Trekkie or just looking for some quality science fiction, this series is well worth your time.