Picard Season 3

[Ruin Explorer]

(listen to the stuff Riker says when he's not kidding around).

I did and you're reading a hell of a lot into that to see it as "absolutely miserable", which again, is a high bar.

 

[Mort]

???

Only Raffi is even arguably "miserable", and that, I will say, appears to be Raffi's default state of existence since she was introduced. She's like a weird anti-Mary-Sue, in that she's been inserted among all these better-known characters (and kind of works largely because the actor is good), but like, nobody likes her much, not even herself, she's actively self-sabotaging in her behaviour, and she's kind of an impulsive misanthrope with addiction issues. It seems like a lot of (no doubt free and available) therapy would help her but her misanthropy and self-hate have stopped her getting it. I don't remember if we know anything about her parents but good god a lot of this must be on them.

Seven is dealing with some stuff but she doesn't seem miserable. Let alone in a state of "absolute misery", which is quite a high bar. I mean, jeez, if what Seven is dealing with is "absolute misery", god knows how we describe most people in the world's lives (even in the West).

Maybe "absolute misery" was a bit much. But just miserable? Yeah, I think so.

Raffi is a given.

7 exudes it, she got what she was told she wanted and what she thought she wanted - but a terrible version of it. And every comment she makes shows she hates her situation, I'd say that's miserable.

Riker? behind the joking facade, he basically says that he was terrible to live with and that the family is glad to have him out of the house.

Time with Beverly was pretty short, but I'd say miserable is certainly a part of her current problems.

 

[MarkB]

Wasn't counting Laris as major.

We've seen Riker, Seven, Raffi and Picard. All but Picard are miserable (listen to the stuff Riker says when he's not kidding around). And Beverly will probably be a major character, she seems miserable too.

It's a lot.

Riker and Crusher haven't previously been major characters, and while Riker is dealing with some things he certainly doesn't seem utterly miserable. We really don't know what Beverley's deal is yet.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Riker? behind the joking facade, he basically says that he was terrible to live with and that the family is glad to have him out of the house.

I think you're reading in to this a bit. What he's saying is just reflective of a lot of men his age thinking "Hmmm I could have done better" - that's not misery, that's self-reflection and growing wisdom.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Riker and Crusher haven't previously been major characters, and while Riker is dealing with some things he certainly doesn't seem utterly miserable. We really don't know what Beverley's deal is yet.

Beverley was always living on the edge in a weird way. My initial reaction when they said she'd dropped off the face of the galaxy for 20 years was "Yeah, that tracks".

 

[MarkB]

Beverley was always living on the edge in a weird way. My initial reaction when they said she'd dropped off the face of the galaxy for 20 years was "Yeah, that tracks".

She did spend that year as head of Starfleet Medical during season 2 of TNG. Which, oddly enough, would track with when her son was born if the character is the same age as the actor.

 

[Mort]

I think you're reading in to this a bit. What he's saying is just reflective of a lot of men his age thinking "Hmmm I could have done better" - that's not misery, that's self-reflection and growing wisdom.

It's quite possible that I'm over reading into it - but the previous seasons of Picard have put me there. The new characters are/were a mess (except Elnor who, instead, was mostly a non-entity).

Since it's only been 1 episode of the new season (which mostly ignores the prior ones) I'll see where it goes.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

but the previous seasons of Picard have put me there

I mean, I can certainly see why the previous two seasons might lead one to see things in with er... very dark-tinted glasses.

Though I think calling Elnor a non-entity is a little unfair. Part of the problem is that Star Trek always works best with "decompressed" storytelling, but Picard just doesn't have a lot of time for characters to develop (unlike, say, Strange New Worlds).

 

[Ruin Explorer]

She did spend that year as head of Starfleet Medical during season 2 of TNG. Which, oddly enough, would track with when her son was born if the character is the same age as the actor.

Honestly if this is her and Picard's son (which seems likely), so much of Bev's weird behaviour, attitudes and strained-seeming relationships in TNG would retroactively make a lot more sense. A huge retcon, of course, but an easy one to make fit. Though it is kind of hard to see how Starfleet would have gone along with it (which they'd kind of have needed to in order to cover it up), or why she'd have covered it up.

 

[Mort]

Though I think calling Elnor a non-entity is a little unfair. Part of the problem is that Star Trek always works best with "decompressed" storytelling, but Picard just doesn't have a lot of time for characters to develop (unlike, say, Strange New Worlds).

I've enjoyed Strange New Worlds significantly more than Picard, likely for this very reason.

The fact that each Picard season is basically one LONG episode means, IMO, that there's just too much packed in and, as you say, no time at all to decompress.