About New Old Star Trek
Post 1348:
I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned my fondness for Star Trek. Well, it’s complicated. I love The Next Generation. Some of the best stuff ever put on television. They set up ethical dilemmas and make you think. Scenarios are presented that constantly test notions of right and wrong against what is expedient. No, it’s not James Joyce. But pretty high brow for a science fiction TV show.
Of course, The Next Generation wasn’t flawless. They had to make a crap ton of episodes. So… there’s gonna be some crap.
That brings us to the movies. I could talk forever about the movies. My summary: We don’t need the movies.
That brings us to all the other series, besides the original. Eh. Some very good, some not so much.
Now we have several new series. Lots of action and great effects. Exciting. Dramatic. Oh so emotional. These things are okay, but you need grounded writing to undergird the structure. Airtight plots. That’s what the old series did. And now very recently, we have Picard Season Three.
I recommend you skip the first two seasons and watch the third. It is its own self-contained deal. It more or less makes sense, the characters are fun, and the plot feels a little like old Star Trek. Yeah, they have to make it “cinematic,” but the story takes its time and gives us a great deal of mature characterization. That’s more than I can say for most Star Trek they’ve been putting out the last few years.
Most important, it honors some beloved characters. Jean-Luc Picard is a frigging legend. You have to send him off right. If this is the end, so be it. I’m happy. He’s the thinking man’s hero. The diplomat. The one who can keep his head when all about are losing theirs. He knows who to trust and when to trust them. He’s a man to look up to, and he’s man enough to admit that he can and has been an occasional asshole. He keeps his emotions to himself, though you can sense he possesses a deep well. I love the character. Really enjoyed the season. Check it out. Available on one of the ninety thousand streaming deal things. Also, spaceships and stuff. Engage. Cheers and see you after.
