Ok. That was more like it. While Picard certainly still has some growing pains to work through (more on that later), “Absolute Candor” was the most complete episode of the series to date, managing to integrate the Narek/Soji/Rizzo piece of the story into the much more robust Picard elements to satisfying effect. I actually found myself intrigued as to just what was going to happen to our (still very much over-matched) Romulan spy Narek as he muddles his way through his increasingly difficult assignment.
I’ve been hard of Harry Treadaway in my previous reviews, as Narek spent the initial three episodes floundering for a purpose among a cast that each had very clear roles within the overall arc of the series. What I can now see was almost solely a flaw in the series writing made it appear that Treadaway wasn’t sure of his character – he didn’t have the same depth and understanding that his fellow castmates already possessed (something that was especially glaring when he worked with Isa Briones, who continues to mine the emotional depths of a character desperately trying to find the missing piece of herself). But this week, Narek’s role in the series became much clearer: He’s the scared boy who has power, but lacks the faith in himself to fully wield it. Sure, it’s a pretty common trope (young man gets a mission, has spent his life being overshadowed by much stronger/more accomplished sibling, wants to be better than sibling so makes a major play and ultimately succeeds/fails/makes things worse). All we’re missing is figuring out whether he will screw things up royally by trying to live up to his sister, if the pressure will make him crack and defect from the cause, or if he will succeed in his mission – breaking his own heart in the process. As the third option is far less interesting for the series, I’m suspecting it will be some combination of one and two.
But even though the trope is well-worn, the performance doesn’t have to be, and this is where Treadaway has finally gotten a chance to shine. Showing some of Narek’s teeth – making Soji doubt their relationship and his intentions – was a masterful choice of the writers. It lets us know that Soji isn’t as innocent as we might think (Rizzo’s comment that Soji might be playing Narek was likely just a jab to get Narek in gear rather than a hint at Soji’s current game plan, but it certainly could serve as foreshadowing) – she’s not so wrapped up in this man that she’s willing to follow him blindly. It also shows us that Narek isn’t the accomplished spy his sister expects him to be. He really is a scientist who wants to study synthetics more than he wants to destroy them. There’s more to him than just being a Romulan spy – he’s got his own agenda here. And that makes him an interesting character.
The Picard half of the story filled in some important gaps regarding our titular character’s role in the Romulan relocation process – and just how the Romulans feel about Starfleet abandoning the rescue mission once the Mars attacks occurred. It was clear that Picard wasn’t loathed by all Romulans, as he worked closely with Zhaban and Laris for years. However, his rejection of Starfleet following their abandonment of the Romulans doesn’t appear to have won over many of the relocated Romulans. Talk is cheap, after all – even if Picard is the Star Trek master of the speech (seriously: if you look back at the various Trek captains, Picard was the one most likely try to talk things out, even when action seemed to be the necessary policy – something that the series relies on here as well).
It was a nice touch to show that, despite the Qowat Milat being willing to accept him back into their presence, Picard isn’t universally beloved by those he fought to save. Picard’s decision at the end of the episode to walk into a bar he was expressly excluded from was one that could be read on several levels. There’s the lingering questions regarding Picard’s deteriorating mental state. Remember, we know that his condition makes him prone to reckless outbursts and ripping a Romulans Only sign off the bar and stepping on it would certainly qualify. We also know that he’s not the type to be spoiling for a fight – this is a man who believes diplomacy is the best course of action (as we saw from his dressing down of Elnor once they returned to the ship). But, perhaps most intriguingly, this was a clear case of a person with immense privilege (Picard has money, prestige, and power, even if he doesn’t have Starfleet’s support anymore) walking into a place he was expressly told not to go and acting as if he owned it – and then suffering the consequences of his actions. That’s a hell of a sequence for such a beloved and revered character to participate in. It was far too deliberate (director Jonathan Frakes took pains to show each moment of Picard’s process of entering that bar) for it not to evoke the idea of checking one’s privilege.
From a plot standpoint, the diversion to Vashti filled in some Picard backstory, but it also added the final regular cast member (and most recent Trek returnee guest star) to the ship’s roster in rather predictable fashion. Don’t get me wrong, a badass fighter on a suicide mission is a great addition to the team (and his addition was worth it just to see the brilliant look Allison Pill gave when Jurati learned that this mission is considered a lost cause). But I certainly hope he has more skills beyond proficiency with a sword. I’m not sure hand-to-hand combat is going to be the main means of fighting when you have phasers around. Just a hunch. As a character, Elnor is essentially a blank slate. Far more Vulcan than Romulan in how he presents to the audience (although his petulant outbursts made it clear which species he belongs to), his personality should balance well with the rest of the gang. And it doesn’t hurt that Evan Evagora is shockingly beautiful to boot (seriously – he’s absolutely stunning).
As for the episode’s button – the reveal of Seven of Nine – well, if you watched the opening credits you knew she was the mysterious pilot on the ship, so it wasn’t a shock. But I have to say, I’m far more intrigued to see her than I thought I would be. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the character when she was on Voyager (as is often the issue with Star Trek, the writers did Jeri Ryan no favors by writing a bland character with little to no emotional depth and putting her in a catsuit for her time of the series), but this new, older, more human version of the character has a chance to give the character a new lease on life. It’s already interesting to see that she’s got a personality (and jokes!), along with a normal wardrobe to boot. And she’s flying around a mysterious ship in the Beta quadrant, which suggests a lot has changed since she left Voyager at the end of that series. Ryan has proven herself to be a strong actress in her post-Trek work, so I’m excited to see what she can do with the character given a chance. Things are certainly looking up for Star Trek: Picard.
Final Thoughts:
— I mentioned growing pains in the top of the review, and there are definitely still some kinks to work out. First and foremost, the holographic characters on the ship are just plain annoying and I wish the show had nixed the entire idea. I understand the need for them – there’s a glaring plot hole if you want us to believe a single person could operate this ship – but they aren’t nearly as funny as the writers thought they would be. In fact, they pull focus away from the main actors. I wish they had opted for bland, simple holographic characters rather than asking Santiago Cabrera to come up with different (often bad) accents for each new character.
— I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never really thought about what Seven of Nine did post-Voyager, but now I’m pretty eager to find out.
— I love that Rizzo is turning into more than just a standard villain. Letting her play her little brother like a fiddle was a nice touch in further developing the character. We need to know why she’s great at her job, and this gave us a bit more information: If she’s willing to manipulate Narek to achieve her goals, then she’s willing to sacrifice whatever it takes. I assume her climactic moment in the series will come when she’s forced to go head-to-head with Narek and/or Soji, but until that happens, I’d love to see her continue to be a decidedly evil influence on the series. Peyton List is clearly having a blast in the role.
— It might just be me, but each week when I watch the previously on portion of the episode I swear I hear lines of dialogue that I didn’t hear in any of the previous episodes. Anyone else?
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Acting
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