The story went from 60 to 99.8 SO fast, and the vindication of Ro Laren, FINALLY, and, oh, it is glorious! Always thought Ro deserved better, and I'm so glad they decided to give her this official ending than the questionable bullshit they left us with on TNG.
What the hell is Jack?!?! Is he a clone? A hybrid? Did he inherit some Locutus genes? What is going on? I'm ok with it though, gimme more.
Also, loving this Raffi and Worf duo, didn't think it would work but they've both got such spirit (understatement) that it does.
10/10 - for Ro Laren, may she live on forever.
Probably my favorite episode of the season so far.
Mother. Fucking. Secret. Invasion!
This was a ride of an episode! Michelle Forbes is always a delight and I found myself tearing up at her and Picard coming to terms. Damn powerful.
What in the Reaper indoctrination is happening with Jack though!
There were a substantial amount of people calling that amazing episode last week filler. It wasn't, this came closer by every standard and still passed the mark for me as "good, but not great". Time to let us know what's Jack's deal is, it's Picard and crew we love, so let's figure his shit out and focus on the crew we care about.
MODERATION EDIT: Be respectful to other users.
It's quite a decent episode. I'm glad they found a convincing reason for connecting both storylines. I'm also glad that we don't witness another "hunter and prey" episode.
They do this wrong in every season. There's a central mystery. They have already shown us that there's more to it. We know more than the protagonists. They use this to complicate the story. They use this to build suspension. It's one big cliffhanger. We watch the next episode because we want to understand the mystery. We don't necessarily watch because they concocted an intriguing multi-dimensional story. It's a form of story telling that I don't really like. There's no reason why Jack should not have "confessed" earlier (I mean nobody pressed him either although it was obvious that he is the key). Even now, we have to wait for next week's episode to find out whether he tells Beverly that there's maybe an explanation why he's wanted by the shape shifters. I wouldn't be surprised if they milk this mystery a few more episodes though. At least we now have, thanks to Ro, a clearer idea of the objective and about what's at stake. (That's much more than we got in season 2 in which the main protagonists had no clear idea what the objective. Really was).
Apropos the return of the Ensign: I hate this pattern too. Nostalgia is fine but they can't bring back all the persons from all the earlier shows just because fans may enjoy seeing them again. That's just too much. You will never have the time to really get accustomed to them again or learn anything of substance of what they did the last 20 years. Who's next? Dominion experts like Dr. Bashir or Kira? Or another Picard lover like the archeology girl of his (that would be Picard current or ex-lover #4 in the show). It's fan service. It has to stop. I have to admit though that the Bajoran's story now had a more satisfying end than it had in TNG.
PS: funny, I watched TNG's Conspiracy just yesterday. At least there's hope that this show tells infiltration better. In Conspiracy it was too easy to stop the aliens from taking over Starfleet. These changelings seem to be much more determined. And they seem to have a plan. It's always a great idea to copy parts of DS9's story. DS9 has still the most ambitious Star Trek story and Picard will probably not change this fact.
So great to see Michelle Forbes back in the star trek saddle
In the Biblical parable of the prodigal son, a man has two sons, and the younger one demands his inheritance, which the father obligingly gives him, after which he leaves and promptly squanders it on wine, women, and debauchery. But once the money was all gone, and hard times fell upon the country, he had to hire himself out to a local farmer to feed the pigs, and eat their slop as his only food. Pondering his situation, he realized how foolish he had been and journeyed back to his homeland and begged his father for forgiveness, which his Father not only granted, but, welcomed him with open arms, bestowing upon him his finest robes, a gold ring, new sandals, and he then told his farmhands to slaughter a fatted calf for a feast. When the son who had stayed loyal returned from the fields and saw the festivities, he inquired as to what was going on, and was informed of his brothers return. He became incensed, demanding why father had NEVER given HIM a feast, when he had been loyal the whole time. The Father explained Son, you have always been with me, and all I have is yours, but now let us celebrate, because your brother was dead to us, but now is alive, he was lost, but now is found.
This episode gave me the same vibes as that story, with the "twist" that the "prodigal" in this case was someone who had indeed betrayed Picard, but had now returned to judge HIM, for his part in the preceding crisis they just escaped from. Drama and hijinks ensue when it is revealed that there be dragons, er, changelings afoot, and, no one is to be trusted. Like the dramatics between Picard and Beverly, it's never fun to see your parents argue, but more so when you realize they actually DO care for each other, but miscommunication and doubt kept them from seeing it. This was played out quite deftly, although the concluding reveal was telegraphed pretty blatantly.
As for Jack, either he got some bad "space nookie" and the voice and visions in his head are calling him to get a shot of penicillin, or he's a changeling that went off the reservation and doesn't realize it, thus the mother goo is calling him home. In any case, I'm down to follow his journey in the hopes that, whatever his "deal" is, he will stick the landing.
Remember on TNG when Ro was having casual sex with Riker?
That was so inappropriate....
That was so hot!
My first experience seeing Michelle Forbes was in the movie, "Jade," which also introduced me to the music of Loreena Mckennitt.
("What is PC, Phaedrus, and what is not? Need we ask another these things? ...Wouldn't do any good, I am at least as Pervy as my avatar -- I've had a hard-on for Ro Laren, and Dr. Crusher even before Francine Smith and Lois Griffin existed.
https://youtu.be/WKDe5-sWr8Q
Jade (1995) | The Mystic's Dream (Soundtrack) [15.]
I had lost all hope in Ep. 4, and I was blown away by the amazing save made by this episode! While not perfect, I’m not expecting that of anything, and this was actually quite a good time! They did pull the ol’ ST “spoon feed them then turn it on its head” like it’s the 90s again, but we had action and lots of solid story and old ST threads resurfaced and even getting closure on some old matters, which more than made up for any imperfections.
By far my favorite episode this season, and a standout of the entire series thus far.
8.5/10
Really Great
This phenomenal season
Has just been
Banger, after Banger,
after Banger, after Banger.
How the Hella did they get it
so damn wrong in
Season 1 and 2
to the point of unwatchable
then this 3rd and final season
They Knock It
Clean Out The Ball Park.
My my this was a tense episode, my paranoia was dialed up to 11 and so was
my anxiety especially when
Jack slipped on that uniform.
Wow so many moving parts
and I loved every single second of it. Jack does not need leaving unattended,
and my heart broke for
Picard this episode.
I'm trying really really hard
Not to like Captain Shaw,
He's a complete Dick
but I sorta buzz off him,
He's a very complex character.
Well loving the evolved changeling, shit now that's
a problem I have no clue how
to get around, at this point
Trust is out the
Airlock.
My emotions were
already running
High this episode and then
It went and hit me right in the feels.
This Outstanding
season alone
Has been and Is
Quality through and
through it's just a
crying damn
shame Season 1 and 2
were/are so
Pathetically Piss-Poor.
This Season however is
Sensational.
So, we have the changeling conspiracy, brought to Picard by Ro Laren, we have Jack Crusher being possessed by some alien creature (the same as the one who ordered that mercenary ship to attack?), and we have Worf and Raffi gaining access to the Daystrom Institute.
That was much better. Not sure about the Jack subplot, but I loved the Ro Laren guest appearance... but it would have made more sense if they had gone down the DS9-Relaunch (the novels which continue the DS9 story after What you leave behind) road instead of letting that conflict fester for 30 years. I mean, are we really meant to believe that Picard and Riker both wouldn't keep up on Ro who after all betrayed them both? But the interaction between her and Picard was touching. I really like the emotional moments, even though it's a bit of small universe syndrome just how many of the TNG characters have popped up this season. The only ones missing are Wesley and Geordi and Data... but again, Daystrom.
So, the changelings evolved so much that they're not really detectable by the old methods... but honestly, that goo that vanished into the wall last episode didn't really look good... so maybe by "evolving" into being able to mimic solids better, they actually devolved (which would also explain why they'd need android bodies which is still my hypothesis here).
The various plotthreads come together by the end. Picard et al are on the run from a changeling-infested starfleet, Jack's finally telling Beverly that something's wrong and in trying to contact their handler Ro, Worf and Raffi meet up with Picard. I hope the pacing continues like that.
Sidenote: As much as I love the FC-music at the end... the editing of the music is horrible.
How do we get a season like this, which does have its ups and downs, and Season 2 was a complete dumpster fire!?
"MAKE US WHOLE AGAIN." is what I was thinking of the entire time.
Shout by cocodavosVIP 2BlockedParent2023-03-16T18:57:34Z
The Sun, Moon and stars all aligned. This episode and season are some of the best Trek I’ve watched in a long time.