billd91
Not your screen monkey (he/him)
Wil Wheaton hosts the actor, Todd Stashwick, on Ready Room and they provide some interesting analysis and context.
Picard Season 3
- Thread starter Henadic Theologian
- Start date
Given that it was still a bit of a fight from Janeway and Picard to get Seven into uniform, no doubt there's probably an admiral or someone in personnel that might've done it out of spite. Or even just a "this might be good for both of them" naivete.
Which, given some of Voyager's holodeck episodes, wasn't a good thing, but I'll accept the rationale here. In general I've liked how Discovery and Picard have used the holodeck. Sure, it's a cost-saving mechanism out of universe, but the in-universe uses have been good, like Picard's vineyard in S1 on La Sirena's holodeck.
I am ready for Star Trek: Shaw.
This season is taking the the best thing from the original films; mediations on mortality and the road not taken punctured by big screen space opera action. Not quite repeating the likes Khan so much as rhyming with it.
(loved the retcon-ish reason for powering a holodeck during crises)
This season is taking the the best thing from the original films; mediations on mortality and the road not taken punctured by big screen space opera action. Not quite repeating the likes Khan so much as rhyming with it.
(loved the retcon-ish reason for powering a holodeck during crises)
Ruin Explorer
Legend
Well that was a 10/10 episode of Star Trek, which it really didn't seem like it would be in the first few minutes.
It just hit basically every Star Trek TNG button systematically but in a very together way. I was also impressed by the characters actually acting like humans (you know what I mean), like people, not like, just characters. Especially the son - and the setup/payoff of Picard telling stories and stuff, absolutely genuinely well-executed. Picard saying Starfleet was the only family he needed was 100% believable in the situation, and his son leaving because of that was also felt like a thing that would happen.
I appreciated a lot of other little things too - the captain the spikey ship (sorry names are not my forte) being told off and told to go back in was fully what I expected because it seemed like she had an "Oh I naughty word up" vibe at the end of last episode. The whole changeling deal was decent and I liked that it was smart enough that it shot for its pot as soon as it had an angle. I feel like Sisko would have given them some ways to find it, but they were very low on power and I can't imagine every Starfleet ship has the phaser sweepers that they used to use sometimes in DS9, and the trap made sense. I went "What the hell?!" when the Holodeck was on, but Jack was usefully an outsider so they gave an explanation. Was it 100% believable? No. What it sufficiently plausible that I'll let them off. Absolutely.
I dunno what to say - that was just a good episode. I guess Picard took two seasons to warm up like TNG!
I guess like probably everyone I kind of love Shaw. I do feel like Starfleet may have messed up with its support Wolf-359 vets though! There are a lot of very scarred people out there!
It just hit basically every Star Trek TNG button systematically but in a very together way. I was also impressed by the characters actually acting like humans (you know what I mean), like people, not like, just characters. Especially the son - and the setup/payoff of Picard telling stories and stuff, absolutely genuinely well-executed. Picard saying Starfleet was the only family he needed was 100% believable in the situation, and his son leaving because of that was also felt like a thing that would happen.
I appreciated a lot of other little things too - the captain the spikey ship (sorry names are not my forte) being told off and told to go back in was fully what I expected because it seemed like she had an "Oh I naughty word up" vibe at the end of last episode. The whole changeling deal was decent and I liked that it was smart enough that it shot for its pot as soon as it had an angle. I feel like Sisko would have given them some ways to find it, but they were very low on power and I can't imagine every Starfleet ship has the phaser sweepers that they used to use sometimes in DS9, and the trap made sense. I went "What the hell?!" when the Holodeck was on, but Jack was usefully an outsider so they gave an explanation. Was it 100% believable? No. What it sufficiently plausible that I'll let them off. Absolutely.
I dunno what to say - that was just a good episode. I guess Picard took two seasons to warm up like TNG!
I guess like probably everyone I kind of love Shaw. I do feel like Starfleet may have messed up with its support Wolf-359 vets though! There are a lot of very scarred people out there!
Ruin Explorer
Legend
Have we ever seen a competent Starfleet admiral who wasn't either previously a lower-ranked character on a show, or up to no good?
Horwath
Hero
Admiral Ross is probably the most capable of all, with only a touch of "non-official" methods.
MarkB
Legend
I can't remember his name offhand, but the admiral Sisko served with after abandoning DS9, who basically spearheaded all of the Federation's efforts in the Dominion War, was both competent and honourable. I think we got a bit of dodginess in one Section 31 related episode, but we also had him standing up against Romulan strong-arm tactics, and refusing to toast the victory in the middle of the devastated Cardassia Prime.
Edith: Ninja'd by Horwath, who also got the name right.
Ruin Explorer
Legend
I presume them looking really creepy is just 2023 SFX vs. 1990s SFX. I was interested that the one on the ship got shot dead but didn't collapse to gel (even though it seemed like it was about to). Also in an earlier episode when Worf shot to kill, he vaporized the changeling entirely which is what I was expecting. So I'm not sure if that was just an SFX oddity or means something.
MarkB
Legend
It's a reasonable upgrade to their appearance, given both improved CGI and a more mature rating. Makes it feel like they're still living beings, even in goo form.
The bucket was a little weird. A changeling could rest in pretty much any enclosed container, such as the various drawers Seven was rummaging through, or could just replicate a bucket as needed and then return it to the mass buffer afterwards.
Yeah, them showing a "changeling" bucket and then having that be exactly what Seven finds was a bit of plot contrivance. But it moved quickly and didn't detract from the episode, IMO.
Ryujin
Legend
I figured that the bucket was just fan service.
Ruin Explorer
Legend
Indeed. If they'd had a longer episode and a lot of time to explain they could have had, say, the bucket be shielded from scans or special in some other way justifying its existence, but it wasn't totally implausible.
Ryujin
Legend
Having the "Changeling bucket" of a random Changeling look pretty much exactly like Odo's, that he got on Bejora, was a pretty blatant thing. Then again if that's the only thing I have to complain about in the episode...
MarkB
Legend
That kind-of works, the changelings all modelled their looks on Odo's, which was modelled on a Bajoran, so maybe when they need to replicate buckets out in the field, they go with the same style as his.
While its the same cause, the two are ultimately handling it in very different ways.
For Sisko, its anger and loss at the death of his wife. In a way he sees Picard as the man who killed his wife.
For Shaw, its survivor's guilt. He has more a PTSD scenario, and Picard is the trigger for his trauma.
Ultimately it works for me. Now what doesn't work, is him having Seven as a first officer. Even if an Admiral wanted it, Captains do usually get some say especially in their first officer. That pairing just makes NO sense, unless Shaw is so focused on picard as his trauma he honestly doesn't think of Seven in that way, or maybe even sees Seven in the same light as himself....someone who "survived" the Borg and was traumatized by them.
For Sisko, its anger and loss at the death of his wife. In a way he sees Picard as the man who killed his wife.
For Shaw, its survivor's guilt. He has more a PTSD scenario, and Picard is the trigger for his trauma.
Ultimately it works for me. Now what doesn't work, is him having Seven as a first officer. Even if an Admiral wanted it, Captains do usually get some say especially in their first officer. That pairing just makes NO sense, unless Shaw is so focused on picard as his trauma he honestly doesn't think of Seven in that way, or maybe even sees Seven in the same light as himself....someone who "survived" the Borg and was traumatized by them.
Mustrum_Ridcully
Hero
It probably was just a callback/easteregg for DS9 fans, but if there is a story reason for it, it might also be symbolic to the Rogue Changlings:
When Odo joined the Great Link for good, he probably also shared his experiences with the bucket. The bucket represents a time where he was arguably still the most isolated from everyone around him, and from his people. And when shapechanging was part of the job, but not a fun experience to explore or take joy in.
Only when he grew closer to the crew, and when he learned more about his people did he abandon it, started having his own room with shapeshifting "toys" to explore his ability.
The rogue Changlings are isolated from the Great Link too, and for them, shapechanging right now is a job, something they must do to accomplish their goals, not for the fun of it. Unlike Odo, they'll never make the mistake of falling in love with Solids (at least that's what they believe), but very much like Odo, they seek to return home one day, when they have done what they need to do. The Bucket is a symbol of what they are right now, but also a warning that it will be the rest of their existence if they fail.
There IS a small chance that they might explain this a bit. Maybe Odo started an "Exchange Program" for Changelings to 'live' in the Alpha Quadrant to learn more about Solids first hand. Basically "recreate" the life Odo had on DS9 and hope the Changeling would understand Solids more and maybe even befriend some. The Odo Exchange Program would teach the Changelings to use a bucket....as that is what Odo did.
It's also possible there is a Changeling Colony on or near Bajor. This again makes sense if done by Odo.
DS9 itself might even have a Changeling Visitors Center for "Changelings new to the Alpha Quadrant". Again likely set up by Odo.....or even Quark. Amazingly, Quark would be a great person to teach a Changeling about "solid social life". Buy a Bucket Bed, just like the great Odo once used, only six bars of gold pressed latinum!
Henadic Theologian
Hero
Terry, Picard Season 3 showrunner, walked right into the Lion's Den, a stream with Critical Drinker, Nerdotic, and David Cullen among a host of others. Dude has nuts of steel, but I think her earned, all but the most fanatical Kurtzmen haters respect. Nothing less then Kurtzmen head on a silver platter drench in gravy made from his own tears will appease Doomcock however so no one bothered to invite him.
Rabulias
the Incomparably Shrewd and Clever
Episode 5 continues the pattern of each episode being better than the last.
I do wonder though: they are making the Changelings so hard to detect that they seem unbeatable. Any victory without a solid (pardon the pun) rationale may seem like cheating or some deus ex machina.
Minor quibbles: So the Changeling's organs only revert to liquid form when dissected very finely, but their blood does not revert when separated from the body? That seems contradictory. Or are they producing a fake blood that is not part of them? And did Dr. Crusher say they had no DNA at all? Maybe that would be a way to detect them? Or is that only when they are dead?
And it was great to see Ro Laren again.
I do wonder though: they are making the Changelings so hard to detect that they seem unbeatable. Any victory without a solid (pardon the pun) rationale may seem like cheating or some deus ex machina.
Minor quibbles: So the Changeling's organs only revert to liquid form when dissected very finely, but their blood does not revert when separated from the body? That seems contradictory. Or are they producing a fake blood that is not part of them? And did Dr. Crusher say they had no DNA at all? Maybe that would be a way to detect them? Or is that only when they are dead?
And it was great to see Ro Laren again.
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