Star Trek hasn’t been very good for decades, and it got much worse in 2017, when CBS made an attempt to go woke with the series Discovery. The show had all the strong female protagonists, persons of various colors, and gay love required to reassure liberals of the show’s progressivism and their own moral righteousness. The only Kirk-like, manly man was an evil monster from a parallel universe.
Compared with the worst Star Trek to date, the new series Star Trek: Picard is a breath of fresh air—well, it’s a show full of our nostalgia for Star Trek: The Next Generation, so “fresh” isn’t the right word. And everyone is old now—Picard, Riker and Troi, even Data—so it’s not reliving the past, either.
When the show begins, a catastrophe has turned the Federation away from optimistic liberalism. A deadly android rebellion, coupled with a foreign affairs catastrophe, led to Picard’s resignation from a Starfleet he came to loathe, and to mankind’s stagnation. But the old man is about to die, and he gets one last adventure.
The key to Picard’s appeal is how child-like the senescent Patrick Stewart looks, marveling at the many wonders of the universe and of the human heart in order to rekindle for Starfleet that flame of love, curiosity, and ambition that was its defining characteristic (and which defines American liberalism in the broad sense).
Picard gets a second chance to redeem the Federation from its back-story of failure and suffering. The show turns dangerously close to tragedy at times, making the men and women crewing his new ship almost seem human. But in the world of technological liberalism, there’s no tragedy. Picard’s rhetoric and generous heart eventually solve every problem, and only the equivalent of the original series’ “Red Shirts” die.
So maybe the future isn’t really in danger. Picard rescues liberalism by getting us robots so we can download our souls into machines. After all, you can’t break a machine’s heart. But this is Star Trek—technology is often more human than the human beings, so the androids at the core of the story turn out to be very human after all.
So far are we from tragedy, we’re actually toying with eternal life and power. There you begin to see the problem. In one mood, there is sadness at our faults and failures, a sense that maybe our moralism was too arrogant, not serious enough about the limits necessity and ultimately mortality impose on us. The universe is not simply the playground of our fantasies! But in the next mood, immortal powers solving the human problem are at the tip of our fingers, instantly resurrecting the dead and turning sacrifice into a cheap stunt.
Picard is also constantly apologizing, as though Boomers were all apologizing their Zoomer successors. The character’s nobility was sacrificed to advertising a fantasy. When Picard deals with his failures, choosing mortality, and accepting the limits of human nature, the show is quite impressive, not just affecting. You get glimpses of what mid-century liberalism was like when it was confident, generous, and ambitious. We were all going to go the stars—not suffering miserable epidemics, corrupt partisanship the media sells for advertising money, and endless Twitter hatred.
But the national mood has changed since the 90s. Replaying old fantasies won’t do. This is a pleasant, but disappointing show. Maybe hard knowledge about technology and our own nature is more important than good intentions and proclaiming hippie feelings.
I hope the next season—since there is always a next season—will be better. It should show more respect for the characters who have suffered so much for their liberal idealism—and try to spare us the tenets of liberal ideology. If they tell a good story about the wonders of technology, it might be less creepy than downloading your soul into a machine while preaching tolerance.
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Less woke? Not at all, and the impact on the franchise is even worse as fans could ignore STD but they can’t ignore what has been done to Picard’s character in this attack on patriarchy and “toxic masculinity.”
W.a.y. too many women in high places. Seriously all of Star Fleet’s Admirals and leaders are women. It was distracting.
Extreme, graphic violence and foul language. That’s not the “Star Trek” I remember.
I suspect that the author is not all that familiar with Trek, nor has he watched season 2 of Discovery
1) I’ll agree that season one of Disc. was weak, and the preponderance of gays was irritating. However, Season two was much better. The assertion of there being no strong Kirk-like character in the show is patently false, if one has seen the entire series. Pike was temporary captain of the Discovery in the second season – strong, idealistic. And part of the purpose of the season was to show the evolution of Spock from the version in The Cage into the version we’ve come to love.
2) “After all, you can’t break a machine’s heart”? Obviously he’s never seen Requiem for Methuselah
3) The swipe at downloading a mind into an android? Remember I, Mudd, where that was the promise made to Uhura? Or The Schizoid Man, where Ira Graves downloaded his mind into Data (“To know him is to love him, and to love him is to know him”)
4) The reason Picard is dying is because of the brain abnormality first mentioned in the TNG series finale. So, it’s tying things up, but they want the series to continue. And, the new body is one that was made by Dr. Inigo Soong – son of Data’s creator, and played by Brent Spiner. The body is actually engineered so that Picard would just have the normal life span that he would’ve had without the brain abnormality. So, it’s not talking about immortality.
Some objection to the foul language.
I would remind people of
1) In Wrath of Khan – McCoy’s “Who’s been holding up the d***ed elevator?”
2) Picard’s occasional use of the French equivalent of “sh*t” in the TNG
Now, there are some valid criticisms, but I don’t believe he touched on them beyond Season One of Discovery (which, as I’ve said, was much improved in Season Two).
One is the implicit denial of an eternal soul – I wonder how they’d get around the Vulcan Katra? And, as always in Trek, the acceptance of sexual libertinism.
Excellent, knowledgable points, Mr. Pizzuti. As you note, the reviewer has little command of the (admittedly quite large) Trek background and episodes that were earlier, salient attempts to address the major issues in Picard. And yes, Discovery Season Two, largely on the talents of Anson Mount as Pike and Ethan Peck as Spock, was much better. Here’s hoping for a solid future.
From the Internet a person typed:
“This Dream I had back in 2002 about The Deep Space Nine episode
“Trials and Tribble-ations” which was based on the Original Series episode
“The Trouble with Tribbles” early in this DS9 episode “Trials and Tribble-ations” after the Defiant is thrown back in time from the 24th Century to the 23rd Century,
Sisko says to Chief O’Brien
“Chief, I need that Viewscreen”
O’Brien replies “I think I’ve got it” then the static on the Viewscreen clears and we see the Popular Image of the face a Male Jewish Rabbi
33 Years of Age, The Crew is filled with Shock,Joy & Awe at what they are seeing,
Jadzia Dax says “That’s”
Sisko Replies “Jesus”
In this Dream The Lord Jesus Christ appears to the Defiant Crew”
Christ was Eternity appearing in Time
Ah yes, but the chance to watch Patrick Stewart, OBE, on the screen, be it Star Trek, Excalibur, X-Men, or as Charles Dicken’s Scrooge is certainly worth the price of admission.
From the Internet someone typed
“On YouTube there is a cool video
Titled
“Leaving Drydock (REMASTERED)| Star Trek: The Motion Picture” uploaded
December 23, 2021 by
Pavel M. Mihalik , in this video clip from the 1979 film ,
At 2:10 to 2:21 in the YouTube video we see a beautiful view of the Enterprise passing by Earth as the Sun Rises & Shines. A beautiful scene that makes me think of the Bible verse
John 3:16 which starts with
Jesus saying the Words
“For God so loved the world..” and also the Bible verse
John 8:12 where
Jesus says
“I am the light of the world” “
1. From the website cheatsheet.com an article titled
“Lies You’ve Been Told About
‘Star Trek'” by Katherine Webb
On January 10, 2018 &
2. From the website
Trekmovie.com an article titled
“The Myth of the Star Trek Fan” by
John Tenuto on
September 24, 2006
The
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode titled
“Far Beyond The Stars” at the end of this DS9 episode
Captain Benjamin Sisko and his Father Joseph Sisko are speaking
Joseph Sisko says to Benjamin
“I’ve got to get back to the restaurant. My customers have never gone this long without me. The Question is what are you going to do ?
Ben Sisko replies “The only thing I can do. Stay here and finish the job I started. And if I fail.”
Joseph: I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.
Ben Sisko: I’ve Never Known you to Quote from the Bible
Joseph : I’m full of surprises, aren’t I ? And so are you, sounds like that dream you had helped you sort things out.
Ben Sisko: I suppose it did, But I have begun to wonder. What if it wasn’t a dream? What if this life we’re leading, all of this, you and me, everything. What if all this is the illusion?
Joseph: That’s a Scary Thought
Ben Sisko: I know, I know, but maybe, just maybe. Benny isn’t the dream, we are. Maybe we’re nothing more than figments of his imagination. For all we know, at this very moment, somewhere far beyond those distant stars, Benny Russell is dreaming of us (we then see Benny Russell as Sisko’s reflection in the window)
The Bible verse Quoted by
Joseph Sisko is from the New Testament
2 Timothy 4:7 Second Timothy Chapter 4 verse 7 , which was written by Saint Paul, and the book of Second Timothy is one of the Pastoral Epistles .. “Far Beyond The Stars” was a great episode !!!
From the Internet someone typed
“Now, Myself and other Christian Trek Fans, when we think of what Life after Death, is like, what Heaven/The Afterlife is like, we are
Reminded of this Famous Scene from the 1982 Film
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
The Famous Genesis Cave Scene, in the Regula I Cavern
Carol Marcus says to Kirk
“Let me show you something … that’ll make you feel young as when the world was new”
Kirk and Carol Marcus walk together, holding hands and see the Results of Project Genesis, how beautiful it is
Kirk says “You did all this in a day ?”
Carol – The matrix formed in a day. The lifeforms grew later at a .. substantially accelerated rate..
Leonard “Bones” McCoy says to Kirk “Jim This is Incredible, Have you ever seen the like?” Saavik is also standing in the Genesis cave , Carol says “Can I cook or can’t I ?”
This Famous Scene and Dialogue from
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was also brilliantly spoofed line for line in the episode of “Family Guy” Titled “We Love You, Conrad” which aired on May 3, 2009, it had an animated Lauren Conrad, star of
“The Hills” Brian Griffin the talking dog and Lauren Conrad were walking together just like Kirk and Carol Marcus were in The Wrath of Khan
See, the book Heaven: By Randy Alcorn”
Some Christian Star Trek Fans have said that the Music in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is very sad, moving & Epic, that it reminds them of the Nazi Holocaust of World War II, the sadness & Tragedy of the Holocaust, It was Truly Satanic, Hitler and the Nazi’s tried to Eliminate a entire race of People from the Face of the Earth, the sad Music in the Opening of the Movie where we see the Opening Credits then the words
“In the 23rd Century…” appear on the Screen, other sad Music in
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan that reminds people of the Holocaust is near the end of the film where
Kirk lures the Reliant into the Mutara Nebula
Spock:They are reducing speed
Kirk says to Uhura –
“Uhura,patch me in ”
Uhura: Aye Sir, Your’e on Admiral
Kirk then says to Khan
“This is Admiral Kirk, we tried it once your way Khan are you game for a rematch? Khan! I’m laughing at the superior intellect” In Total 11 Million people were killed in the Holocaust
Everyone should click on this
link https://youtu.be/jxSc3kx2wp8?si=Q8eRYAR8jdQ1CeH2 about Christianity and the
Star Trek: Original Series episode “Bread and Circuses”
I love this scene of dialogue at the end of the Star Trek: The Original Series episode
“Bread and Circuses”
“KIRK: Gentlemen.
MCCOY: Captain, I see on your report Flavius was killed. I am sorry. I liked that huge sun worshiper.
SPOCK: I wish we could have examined that belief of his more closely. It seems illogical for a sun worshiper to develop a philosophy of total brotherhood. Sun worship is usually a primitive superstition religion.
UHURA: I’m afraid you have it all wrong, Mister Spock, all of you. I’ve been monitoring some of their old-style radio waves, the empire spokesman trying to ridicule their religion. But he couldn’t. Don’t you understand? It’s not the sun up in the sky. It’s the Son of God.
KIRK: Caesar and Christ. They had them both. And the word is spreading only now.
MCCOY: A philosophy of total love and total brotherhood.
SPOCK: It will replace their imperial Rome, but it will happen in their twentieth century.
KIRK: Wouldn’t it be something to watch, to be a part of? To see it happen all over again? Mister Chekov, take us out of orbit. Ahead warp factor one.
CHEKOV: Aye, sir.”
Also about Star Trek and Catholicism
The Virgin Mary and Saint Anne were depicted in the Leonardo da Vinci painting The Virgin and Child with St. Anne, which was found among the relics in Kathryn Janeway’s da Vinci holodeck program. (VOY: “Scorpion”, “The Raven”, “Scientific Method”, “Concerning Flight”)
Also about Star Trek: Voyager and Catholicism
In 2376, The Doctor portrayed a Catholic priest in Tom Paris’s Fair Haven holoprogram, a simulation of a 19th century Irish village. The Voyager episode “Fair Haven”
Also about Star Trek & Catholicism , the Star Trek: Enterprise episode
“Cold Front” which takes place in the year 2151 has this exchange of words between
Captain Jonathan Archer
& Dr.Phlox
“ARCHER: I didn’t realise you were familiar with Earth religions, Doctor.
PHLOX: Oh, yes. In fact, while I was there I made it a point to study a number of them. I spent two weeks at a Tibetan monastery where I learned to sing chords with the high lamas. I attended Mass at Saint Peter’s Square.”
A good article about
Christianity and Star Trek
https://decentfilms.com/articles/star-trek-religion
Another good article ,
https://www.ncregister.com/blog/catholic-spirit-of-star-trek
Another good article about
Christianity and Star Trek
https://13prayers.com/finding-star-trek-scripture/
Another good article
https://escapetoreality.org/2011/09/08/star-trek-and-the-great-commission/
Another Good article about Christianity and Star Trek
https://dejareviewer.com/2021/06/01/the-latent-christianity-of-star-trek/
Yet Another Good article
https://sojo.net/articles/keeping-force/beautifully-christian-vision-star-trek
Hello Mark. Trek just a little bit, do you???
Yet Another good Christian Star Trek article
https://www.deseret.com/2016/9/26/20596603/what-star-trek-teaches-us-about-faith-50-years-later
Also about Catholicism and Star Trek
In the Star Trek: Vanguard novel Harbinger, the series’ titular station has a non-denominational Christian chapel presided over by Father McKee (β), while the Pocket TNG novel Guises of the Mind portrays Catholicism as still being practiced by the 24th century.
Hello Mark. Trek just a little bit, do you???
LJ , I Trek a lot , it’s cool to be yourself
Anyone see the Discovery episode
“Jinaal” which takes place in the year 3191
In one scene near the end of this episode
Dr. Hugh Culber says to
Michael Burnham
“Makes me think of my abuela. She was a doctor, too. She filled her home with religious icons… Catholic Church, Buddhism, Santeria, all sorts of faiths. She used to tell me that it was a reminder that not everything has to have an answer.”
Any opinions on that episode ?
The Star Trek: Discovery episode
“Whistlespeak” which aired
May 2, 2024 also touched on
Important Spiritual and Religious Themes
More about the Discovery episode
“Whistlespeak” https://screenrant.com/star-trek-discovery-burnham-prime-directive-break-better-picard/
Some day, I’d like to see a science-fiction series where religion plays a key role– in other words, on board the space vessel are a Catholic priest, a Protestant minister, a Jewish rabbi, and maybe even representatives of other faiths. The crew– especially the Captain– would be asking them for sage advice and guidance on a regular basis. Of course, this would need to be produced outside of Hollywood as it would never fly there.
That is of course the one major flaw in Star Trek– generally, it tries to answer the cosmic questions of life, the universe, and everything without the very people who can best provide those answers. So we see Kirk officiating at a marriage ceremony and then offering comfort to a newly bereaved widow. We see Counselor Troi trying to do the job that often is better performed by a minister. I’m sure there are examples from the other series as well (which I admit I haven’t watched much because by that time I had given up on television).
For what it’s worth, my sister seems to like the Picard series though.
In the 1989 film
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Near the End of the Movie
The False “God” creature asks
Sybok for a Starship, Sybok said about the
said Starship that
“It will be your chariot”
Captain Kirk then asks “God”
“What does God need with a Starship?”
This scene reminds me of the
1968 book
“Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries
of the Past?” by Erich von Däniken
Being a Christian I don’t agree with the
Bogus Theories in “Chariots of the Gods?”
Yet The Final Frontier was a decent movie
About “Chariots of the Gods?”
See https://jeffshort.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/if-chariots-of-the-gods-is-true-were-in-big-trouble/
This is a good Christian article about “Chariots of the Gods?” https://jeffshort.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/if-chariots-of-the-gods-is-true-were-in-big-trouble/
Also has anyone read the book “UFO End-Time Delusion” by David Allen Lewis & Robert Shreckhise,
Or seen the 1988
CBS Storybreak episode “Grinny”