Picard 2x07 - 'Monsters' ~~ { ** Spoilers Within ** }

Johnny Storm

You'd think I'd know how to avoid a double post by now........

Johnny Storm

The bottle thing was a bit much, but my least favourite part of this ep was Picard to his Da: "It's like I never really knew you" - 🙄

On the whole, not a bad ep, not as predictable as the last 2 or 3.

Rawr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118933673#Comment_118933673

Plot twist: Picard was a Cylon all along. And so was Riker, and Data, and Troi. You know what, the only person who wasn’t a Cylon was Weasley :P

Spear

I made the mistake of watching a preview for the next episode. Don't do that. It spoils a significant character detail and callback.

Greyjoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927578#Comment_118927578

Taken on its own I enjoyed the episode as well but this whole season really feels like a story that would have been more satisfying as a TNG two-parter. We've got 3 episodes left and so many dangling plot threads to tie off it's going to be difficult not to feel rushed. I thought the revelation of Picard's mum was not as bad as it could have been. But the 'revelation' about his father's actions made it come across like Picard was still carrying around a small child's interpretation of what happened as a nearly 100 year old. I think it would have worked better if the reveal had come from Picard himself not Dad-Baltar. So that rationally Picard knew his mother suffered from mental illness but on an emotional level he still blamed his father.

pah

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118934676#Comment_118934676

Well.......yes. It did come from Picard because Dad Baltar isn't real, he's in Picards head.

Greyjoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118935907#Comment_118935907

I get that but what I really meant was for Picard to acknowledge that fact himself in the 'mindscape' rather than have Dad Baltar say it. I understand it's all part of his own mind anyway.

ixoy

I would have liked for the doctor to give out to Rios for potentially having disintegrated her and her son to beam them aboard a ship.

CastorTroy

If Jurati had locked out the systems, how were the teleporters working?

Dutch to bring Picard to Mackey to get him to talk?

Now Gaius gets to be in someone's head, Thankfully he didn't bother with the red dress.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118943448#Comment_118943448

He was always in someone's head. Caprica 6 had a "head Baltar" through out the season.

Cookie_Monster

that felt like a waste of an episode when they really dont have the time.

If I was Picard I'd be a bit pissed that in all the years he's known guinan she never bothered to mention she could summon a Q whenever

Rawr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118944872#Comment_118944872

Although it is still watachible (but it's slipping into the kind of tedium that put me off Discovery), I do agree that they seem to be waisting a lot of time, and a bit of momentum it feels. The last 3-odd episodes could have been pared down into 1 or 2 or maybe even one if you took some stuff away. If we were mid-season in an earlier Trek show, I'd have no issue. But we *know* that a modern season is barely 10 episodes, so throwing away time seems like a mistake.

I am concerned about how the season will end. Will we end up in the same situation as with Season 1, where the show was alright for the most past but was torpedoed by a rushed & piss-poor ending? I hope not.

Part of my concern is fueled by the Season 3 teaser. Until that point, I had assumed that Seasons 2 & 3 would form a single more fleshed-out story with a cliffhanger on season-break. But Season 3 feels like a separate story, meaning that they might try to finish the whole Season 2 plot in what few episodes they have left. These people are *not great* at finishing their plots in a rush.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118945288#Comment_118945288

I kinda hope they finish most of this story in season 2. I'm bored with the 21st century and would really love a season of trekking in stars rather than walking round current day streets.

The only way I could see this story continue where I would be happy is if it's about stopping Agnes/Queen in 2399 using proper spaceships like the Stargazer.

Rawr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118945320#Comment_118945320

I too would like to see a swift end to this trip the 2020s. The first 2-3 episodes of the Season were pretty enjoyable and with the exception of Lower Decks was the closest I had gotten to watching decent Trek in a while. They had finally nailed the feel of a Trek future, and I'd like them to get back to it.

CastorTroy

Now they have to get Picard out of FBI custody. If only they hadn't already staged a prison break type rescue a few episodes ago.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118945539#Comment_118945539

Unless of course that is Ducane and not an FBI guy.

AMKC

I think the whole oh the Borg Queen needs to get endorphins going or whatever it is to take over bit is rubbish. She is a Borg Queen and uses nanites. She should have at least half of L.A assimilated by now if not even all of it and more.

Evade

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118947548#Comment_118947548

A cool twist on assimilating in this era might be to steal be inspired by Stargate's replicators. When the replicators had to use present day Earth materials to construct themselves they were much weaker and couldn't do some of their tricks and reproduced more slowly.

CastorTroy

So any idea what happened in the bar after she smashed the window?

TheValeyard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118948080#Comment_118948080

Could make sense that Borg assimilation and replication is based on the materials they absorb. Definitely a Stargate steal, but would fit.

murpho999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118931088#Comment_118931088

Just about Steward being old. I see this said a few times.

I don't get this as they're not trying to make him younger in the show and he's playing himself as an old man which I think is actually a major part of the show.

He's not doing action or running around and does not appear out of place or struggling at all to me.

seamus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118945563#Comment_118945563

It was probably mentioned upthread, but I definitely didn't spot this.

It has to be the same character. If he actually has been cast as a Mulder-style FBI agent investigating incursions by aliens, then that would be really sloppy casting. Too close to the bone. It would be like casting Robert Picardo as a paramedic and expecting people to go, "Ah look, that's gas" and not be annoyed that there's no link.

I wonder though will be an alt-future Ducane who is trying to stop them from fixing the timeline?

CastorTroy

I won't mention this week's episode as this isn't the thread for it, but there's a big difference between a guy who appeared in 1 episode (that I don't remember myself) and a fan favourite character. Wouldn't surprise me if they go the Soong route for a Picardo appearance.

Having a guy who appeared in an episode from about 23 years ago when he was still an unknown actor play a different character isn't a big stretch. If they were that picky, Jeffrey Combs would've lost a lot of work.

Bacchus

Haven't commented on the show since maybe episode 3. For me, the whole series has dragged since first arriving in the present day. After a great re-introduction to the Queen and building back the fear of the Borg, they neutered her so quickly and now this thing with Jurati (sp?) is just OTT and not that interesting. That she needed to coerce Jurati into an episode of Glee in order to get the endorphins she needed to take over was a bit naff, the doubling down by smashing a window to get an adrenaline rush was awful. I mean if that's her plan why spend the night walking around looking for the perfect window to break. It's also just a terrible plot line they are following IMO. Rios going from "how do I explain this without breaking the timeline" to using a transporter in front of them to BEAMING THEM DIRECTLY TO HIS SPACESHIP in a handful of scenes was just a huge facepalm moment for me. Also, that he handed the 21st century doctor that piece of advanced medical equipment and was just "you'll know what to do" was lazy writing. Looks like she only had to point it to Picard anyway, so why couldn't Rios just do that. It was nice seeing Baltar cameo and the flashback/dream stuff was ok but that's all it was, ok. Do I care that Picard's mom was mentally unwell? I don't think so. I don't see where this thread is going or how it ties back to Picard never letting himself be happy. It just seems like a footnote that's being strung out across a season. Oh also, what is up with Noonian Soong's ancestor being identical to him (obviously played by the same actor) and his daughter who is played by the same actress as the android last season. It's off-putting enough with Brent playing 21st Century Soong but the same actress for the daughter is too much... unless it turns out there is some direct connection. Anyway, I'll see the show out but it's definitely sagged in the middle.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118956073#Comment_118956073

Shure the actors who played Quark and Dukat both played different Ferengi and Cardassian characters.

And Jake Sisco is Worfs brother.

Evade

Mark Lenard being cast as Sarek after playing a Romulan was unnecessarily confusing.

breezy1985

Christine Chapel going from first officer to nurse and then being revealed as not human at all but a telepathic Betazoid was pretty confusing.

breezy1985

The one that really bugged me though (despite knowing the real world answer) is cadet Locarno appearing on Voyager

Evade

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957538#Comment_118957538

Alongside Taurik's twin brother Vorik.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957628#Comment_118957628

One I didn't even know till now after a google is the Klingon chancellor in TUC is the "5 lights" Cardassian guy.