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Posted in: CBS, Review, Star Trek, streaming, TV | Tagged: alison pill, John de Lancie, michelle hurd, patrick stewart, Picard, Review, star trek
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 E08 Offers Up First Contact Vibes: Review
The Star Trek: Picard episode "Mercy" draws a number of parallels to The Next Generation's greatest film First Contact (1996). There are multiple arcs to unload here concerning the latest chapter of Jean-Luc (Patrick Stewart) and company trying to save the future and escalating threats as we start to build to the climactic season finale. This is your minor spoilers warning.
The ongoing major arc begins as we start to get a slightly clearer picture about Renee Picard's (Penelope Mitchell) importance in the future that Q (John de Lancie) has a part in and by extension gets Dr. Adam Soong (Brent Spiner) involved somehow. When we last left Jean-Luc and young Guinan (Ito Aghayere), they were brought in by Agent Wells (Jay Karnes) having to explain the mysterious phenomena of future tech not known in the 21st century. Despite the pomp and circumstance, we get a bigger picture of Wells' origins and how fate in his youth molded his very life.
As you would naturally expect of those with advanced knowledge of outer space and the future, the common sci-fi trope of them being on present-day earth having to always play dumb and ignorant due to the potentially devastating effects on the immediate future is in full effect. Not to say that the current Star Trek canon is playing fast-and-loose with that boundary, but the exchange between Wells, Guinan, and Jean-Luc is actually quite satisfying considering how these interactions end up playing themselves out. Wells, while on the surface can be seen as playing the "naïve simpleton" role, is quite intuitive and the byproduct of the modern fan in all of us and how we would fit in that universe. He is like a The X-Files'/Fox Mulder-type believer who I hope we see more from this season and who could prove a valuable asset as the season closes out.
As far as the other arcs, we see more of Rios (Santiago Cabrera) bonding with Teresa (Sol Rodriguez) and Ricardo (Steve Guitierrez) on the La Sirena, Raffi (Michelle Hurd) and Seven (Jeri Ryan) on the tail of Jurati (Alison Pill) fearing a more sinister turn. I'm glad they took the time to expand on Raffi's bond with Elnor (Evan Evagora). We also see the other shoe drop on the arc between Kore (Isa Briones) and Adam. Even John de Lancie's Q worked his magic with little screen time presented showing the rare vulnerability previously seen in the memorable TNG episode "Deja Q". Directed by Joe Menendez and written by Cindy Appel and EP Kristen Beyer, "Mercy" does a great job sewing the seeds to a strong climactic finish for the final two episodes for the season. With its theme of redemption and resolving the past, it's great seeing the throwbacks to the Jonathan Frakes film allowing all to shine especially Stewart, Spiner, Briones, Pill, de Lancie, Hurd, Evagora, Karnes, and Aghayere.
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 8: "Mercy"
8/10
Star Trek: Picard S02E08 "Mercy" does a great job building up to the season's final two episodes as the crew tries to unravel threats from a number of directions. It was anchored by great performances by Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Isa Briones, Alison Pill, John de Lancie, Michelle Hurd, Evan Evagora, Jay Karnes & Ito Aghayere- all contributing to what was a truly impressive ensemble performance.
Credits
Director
Joe Menendez
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