Star Trek: Picard – Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2 Review

So, over the course of this extremely uneven debut season for Star Trek: Picard, I’ve spent a lot of time writing about ways in which the series didn’t work. And, frankly, I didn’t love doing that. What I wanted to spend these ten weeks doing was reveling in how wonderful it was to have Patrick Stewart back playing Jean-Luc Picard, watching him go on a new and exciting adventure, and explore just what it was about Picard at this stage in his life that inspired him to get back on the horse and get back in the stars. What we got instead was a series that was unable to decide on a tone or focus, perfectly capable of churning out interesting surface level looks at the essence of humanity (love, loss, pain, revenge, guilt, fear, hope, sacrifice), but all too willing to provide us with the Cliff’s Notes version of a story rather than take the time and energy to drill down into its characters and explore their reactions to the world around them.

“Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2” was, in the end, no different. The episode hit all the right notes, but without any real heart behind it. Part of that comes from the series’ failure to develop any of its new characters, but it also stems from the writers’ fear of engaging with their themes beyond a surface level. Yes, Picard says all the right things about what it means to be human (a speech that resonated particularly well in our current world), but we haven’t seen instances of that in action. He sacrifices himself – but is revived thanks to Chekhov’s golem and a real deus ex machina – and shows that the best of humanity comes in moments like that, but it’s Picard. Of course he would do that. Just like Data would absolutely do that. These are heroes. Picard was willing to put everything on the line for those in need even at the start of the season – his actions with the Romulan resettlement made that clear. This isn’t a change in the character. It’s the character doing the thing we knew he would do. It doesn’t inspire another to do the same – it just makes them all sad (and Seven’s lip service to refusing revenge in the future was disappointing – I want to see her struggle with that choice, not simply reach it because Picard died). It tugs at our heartstrings (even though we all knew he wasn’t really dead), but again, it’s nothing revelatory.

But here’s the thing, once I turn off my critic brain and revert to the Trek fan – that kid who would sit with my family each week and watch Next Generation (and DS9 and Voyager) – I loved it. It wasn’t a good episode of television, it was manipulative and lazy in its writing, it didn’t ask nearly enough of its incredibly talented cast, but I loved it. I loved watching Picard get back in the big chair. I loved watching Seven beat up Narissa and give her what she deserved (and I loved the confirmation that Seven is into the ladies – something queer women have been saying for years). I loved that Riker was in command of the Starfleet armada. And I absolutely loved everything with Data.

The series was at its best when dealing with already formed and built characters and that sequence with Data and Picard was plain brilliant. Yes, it clearly benefited from the decades-long relationship between Stewart and Brent Spiner (who is a stellar actor in his own right), but there was such a lightness to everything in Stewart’s performance within the scene that elevated it in such a special way. This was the Picard we’ve known and loved, the light back in his eyes, the relaxation on his face, the undercurrent of joy at seeing his old friend once again. This is what was missing throughout so much of the series; not the old Picard, per se, but his connection to the grief that Data’s loss brought upon him. It’s rarely mentioned within the series, but it’s clear in that moment that it was the driving factor that led Picard on this mission. I would have loved the chance to have seen him grapple with it throughout the arc rather than just mention it once in a while. More dreams with Data, more discussions about why Picard felt lost, his guilt over someone making the ultimate sacrifice for him – everything he comes to terms with in the simulation at the end. We needed this plot thread stitched more clearly throughout the season. It resonates in the end because we know and love both of these characters, but if you haven’t watched any Trek, I assume the immensely emotional sequence played quite differently.

That being said, I have higher hopes for the second season of the series. I’m not sure I love Seven not getting her own spin-off, but I’m glad we’ll get to see her continual development as a character. I’m intrigued to see who these characters are when they are given the chance to branch off into their own storylines and not be tied to such a massive central plot. And I hope we get some trips back home to the vineyard to catch-up with Number One, Zhaban, and Laris (who remains my favorite new character on the series). This is an excellent cast of actors and a great team of writers. I know things can (and hopefully will) be better in season two.

Final Thoughts:

— Showrunner Michael Chabon recently did an in-depth interview on the first season of the series that touched on various things including how he would have loved to just do a version of the series about Picard on the vineyard (which I also would have loved) and how both Seven and Raffi were queer characters (which was pretty clear with Seven, less clear – until that final, completely unearned moment between her and Seven – with Raffi, which is why you need to take time to develop characters, writers!).

— So…Narek is where, exactly?

— I hope part of season two is spent dealing with how Romulan spies were able to infiltrate the upper echelons of Starfleet. Because that’s a pretty big issue and definitely should be investigated.

— Picard was quoting from Shakespeare’s The Tempest as he took Data fully off-line, specifically one of Prospero’s most famous speeches in the play. As someone who was lucky enough to see Patrick Stewart perform the role of Prospero live on stage years ago, I can tell you Picard’s reading of the line was just as marvelous.