Nepenthe

DVD, Star Trek: Picard S1 (Nepenthe)

You will be sentenced for the rest of the natural episode to the verdant forest paradise of Nepenthe! Finally we get an episode that reunites Jean-Luc with his former crewmates - it only took seven episodes! I know we had Data in the first episode, but that was only in dreams, and Seven of Nine, but they had no prior connection. Here we have a proper reunion for the 'TNG' cast and all I'm left wondering is why it took so long? This was the best episode so far, even though it felt a bit like a collection of deleted scenes rather than an actual story, but for once they seemed to be giving us what we wanted after stringing us along all season. The downside is that you can see what might have been if they'd simply brought the 'TNG' cast back together as the whole series instead of making it about Picard. It was an ensemble, after all, and though the films lost that, this shows how great it would have been just having those familiar actors playing their familiar characters and interacting with each other. That's all you need! For instance, the episode doesn't really do a lot, but the chance to spend time with Riker and Troi and their daughter, the next next generation, was almost worth the interminable wait. The relief is that the Rikers, or the Trois, are much closer to their characters and the positive vision of the future than Seven was. They live a natural life of growing their own food, making pizza in an outdoor oven (complete with a door in the shape of a Jefferies Tube hatch - intentional?), hunting wabbit and living in a log cabin. Idyllic!

Of course it couldn't be all smiles and roses, even for the first family of 'TNG,' in the Kurtzman/Chabon world even they have to have their share of tragedy, this time the death of a son. But so much to like! Their children are named for relatives old and new: we have Kestra, the daughter, named after Deanna's deceased sister (as played by none other than Kirsten Dunst, sort of, in 'Dark Page'!), who has grown up as a tomboy roaming the woods with bow and arrows, and warpaint. And the dead son was Thaddeus, presumably from the ancestor of Will's who was helped by a member of the Q during the American Civil War - either Will became interested in family history or he retained some kind of inkling of the incident that he learned during 'Death Wish' on 'Voyager,' though Q made sure he never remembered being whisked to the Delta Quadrant I can imagine him chuckling to himself that he planted the name in Riker's mind since the Q are probably able to see the future and would know about Riker's son to come. Then again, I think Will may have known of his ancestor already, I can't remember. But for every silver lining… It was horribly contrived that Thaddeus died from 'Mendaxic Neurosclerosis' which could have been prevented if only the Federation had allowed positronic technology, but didn't because of the ban on synths. Riiiiight. I know it's meant to make it a bitter blow, a personal loss from the decision to cancel all android research, but it just didn't sound right.

Still, I can't be too down on the writing this time (even though we once again have the foulest language thrown in casually as if it's perfectly acceptable for humans of the 24th Century to speak in that way - this time it's Jurati, the 'cute, cuddly' character, so it must have been deliberately meant to shock), it does actually have the closest thing to a theme and being about something. The scene at the end when Kestra, having made friends with the untrusting Soji, who claims to believe that everything we see could just be a simulation designed to get more information out of her, was about the only sign of mature writing I've seen in Trek since it returned to series TV. Kestra talks about how they both have a tragedy in common, she losing her brother, Soji her sister, and how she was able to get through it because she had her parents. And Soji has Picard, if she wants him. It was touching and made me wish this level of sensitivity and reality had been part of the writing from the start instead of so much sensationalism and bad tropes. That scene felt like 'Star Trek.' The episode even ended beautifully as if it was the end of a 'TNG' film: Picard and Soji make their goodbyes and we see the little family of Troi-Rikers going back into their gorgeous house as the camera pans up hopefully to the sky and the film theme comes in. Wonderful, no nasty shock cliffhangers to keep us coming back, no misery to end on, a genuine, heartfelt optimism that simply isn't seen in this Trek era.

By all rights this should be the first episode I consider a success, then, yes? Sadly, as close as it comes to being what I want from Trek, it still doesn't quite make it, thanks largely to the secondary storyline back on the Borg Cube or the third plot on La Sirena. The biggest mistake is another legacy character brought to misery and untimely death for no good reason at all other than to show how evil the villains are. Trouble is, we know how evil they are, and how simplistic. We've seen the depravity of Narissa from her interactions with her brother, Narek, and although we'll eventually hear that she's essentially insane, which explains a lot, it doesn't turn her into a complex or compelling adversary in the same way that once Gul Dukat went mad, the character (the best villain in all of Trek), lost his way and became far less interesting towards the end of 'DS9.' But we can't have Trek without some martial arts combat, right? That seems to be the way Trek is written these days, perhaps it was meant to balance out the slow, pleasant reunion on Nepenthe, to provide some contrast. It certainly succeeded in that regard as the Cube is as dingy and depressing as ever, despite always looking so clean and tidy compared to the jumbled mass of technology that used to constitute a Borg vessel. It's almost like they redesigned the environment so they could do action within it more easily…

Hugh doesn't show himself to be very intelligent - Narissa spares his life after executing various ex-Borg in front of him (including what appeared to be a Hirogen - why not bring the light levels up so we can see the quality of the makeup! Also there's a Bolian Borg, unless he's just a staff member), because of 'the treaty,' but then he gives her evidence he's broken it - I'm not sure it made much sense! Surely, even the XBs are considered people and the Federation wouldn't stand for them being killed, but I suppose they'll never know about it, while they would miss Hugh if he was to be murdered. Surely the Romulans would just concoct some plausible story about XBs gone wrong, or something along those lines? It doesn't matter anyway because Hugh is taken out in a most careless aside, Narissa tossing a tiny dagger into his neck from range as she fights Elnor. And there we go, another passing of an established character. I can't say Hugh was ever a favourite of mine, much like Icheb, in fact I didn't used to even like 'I, Borg' as I felt it defanged the Borg to give them a cutesy face, but then 'Voyager' rammed the species into the ground and I came to appreciate the former episode a bit more. Even then, Hugh was never a very well-defined character, so the loss isn't keenly felt - wonder why the Enterprise crew were never able to track down his original identity, or why hadn't himself in the decades since, so that he'd be calling himself something different now? The same reason Seven of Nine's still called Seven of Nine, probably: brand recognition. Anyway, they could have really used modern TV to delve into Hugh as a character, learn about his backstory and what he'd been doing since leading a group of isolated drones in 'Descent,' but they showed their usual disregard for such details, the bread and butter of Trek and one reason it endured so long. If characters are just a name then we don't learn anything, and that also results in their deaths being unfeeling and throwaway.

While I'm looking at what didn't work in the episode, I have to call attention to the Jurati side of it all. Not only is she quite objectionable (she either throws up or foams at the mouth three times over the course of the episode!), being this secret murderer, but she's so far gone that she actually tries to commit suicide! Humans of this period would talk to someone, they'd work out their problems (it's no 'Hard Time,' that's for sure!), and I know she killed Maddox, but even that is uncertain at the moment - was she under Commodore Oh's influence? Oh makes a good Vulcan, so it's a shame she's Romulan (I think?), and it was good to return to the scene from earlier in the season when she recruited Jurati to spy on Picard's mission. But even the details there are annoying - Jurati listening to music on earbuds; Oh's sunglasses… I thought for a moment this was going to be a case of 'The Demon Headmaster' and she took them off to hypnotise Jurati, but then she performs the mind meld so what was the point? To look more shady? Dramatic licence? The Starfleet uniform looks good and I still love that they continued the 'future' badge we expect from this era, but we're right back in 'DSC' Season 2 with the 'galaxy-ending stakes,' planets exploding and machine life taking over (I presume). This close together it wasn't a bright idea to do that, but maybe Chabon wasn't in on what 'DSC' were doing at the time? Still, Kurtzman should have flagged it up as the current Rick Berman, overseer of all Trek. That would be one of the worst story points of the season (not the worst, oh no, not the worst!).

The moral of the story is don't take sweets from strangers, as Oh gives Jurati a tasty blue triangle treat and tells her to chomp it up, they'll be able to track her from it. And then… we're supposed to assume she just asked her to kill her old boyfriend, Bruce Maddox, because otherwise the end of the galaxy is coming? It's a bit of a leap. At least if Oh had exerted some kind of mental force upon her, was controlling her, that would give her an out (they love having characters kill and then get away with it as shown by Voq/Tyler in 'DSC'). But if Oh isn't a Vulcan how can she do mind melds?Romulans have never had the same mental abilities as their Vulcan cousins because they spent the last two thousand years going their own way, not following the rigours of Surak's teachings. I wonder if the writers realise this, or are they saying Oh is a Vulcan, but one who works for Romulan interests? I can't remember, and the storytelling has often been murky and hard to follow on this series. At least Oh is a better villain, and I wish we'd had more of her instead of Narek and Narissa, perhaps because she's played by an older, more experienced actress, that may have made all the difference. But given what the others have to work with, perhaps it is all in the writing? For example, Narissa shows up the limits of Elnor's swordsmanship - he can play Batman, swooping around and taking out her Romulan henchmen, but in the end all it takes is a few blasts from a Disruptor (I assume - back to zaps instead of beams, sadly), and he has to skedaddle.

Elnor isn't in the episode enough to show himself as stupid as he usually does, except for the one moment when Narissa lures him into hand-to-hand combat by saying this isn't how Jhat Vash should fight Qowat Milat. Interestingly, she doesn't call him out or goad him about being the only male member of a female order of monks, as might have been expected, but she was reeling him in only to betray his 'honourable' approach. I assume it was meant to seem honourable that he put up his sword and went to meet her with flying fists, but it just makes him look easily manipulated, and because of that Hugh dies. Mind you, I'm not sure what the honour of his order is, anyway, since he seems to jump from quest to quest willy-nilly. He should have gone with Picard really (I can only imagine how much fun Riker would have had teasing him!), but chose to stay and help Hugh. And failed. And that was it in terms of the Cube side of the story, but the plot aboard La Sirena also didn't help matters - we're supposed to feel sorry for Jurati as Rios comes to her voicing suspicions that Raffi's being tracked, when Jurati knows it's her. And we're supposed to find it funny when 'Auntie Raffi' takes the younger woman under her wing thinking she's still shocked from Maddox' death and says she'll 'hook her up' with whatever she needs. Yeah kids, drugs are funny. In trouble? In turmoil? Turn to drugs, that'll sort you out. What a message! I know it was actually cake, but the implication was there. It certainly doesn't endear Raffi to me any more than she already hadn't been, even when we're supposed to feel sorry for her when she says she's nothing more than the wreckage of a good person. More negativity and hopelessness, what a miserable character!

While we're on that angle, we see more of Picard not receiving the respect his age and former position demand, and once again it comes mainly from the female characters he meets. Kestra, who knows who he is and what he looks like (there's a picture of him in Starfleet uniform holding baby Thad in their house), points an arrow at him, and while it was a good way of reminding the audience that he has a duritanium artificial heart (a sign of things to come, perhaps?), she shows no respect for 'the greatest Captain in Starfleet' as her Father has called him, from which you'd think she'd be excited to meet him, especially as we know how much she's heard of the old Enterprise crew and their adventures. Instead she talks almost exclusively to Soji and practically ignores Picard, who meekly follows along behind, and when referring to him, says her friend Captain Crandall (who seemed to be referenced only so as to make a quick way to narrow down where Soji's 'homeworld' is from her very basic description which could occur across the galaxy!), is even older than 'Picard.' It seemed so rude! Then later on even Riker is a bit disrespectful when he talks about 'classic Picard arrogance,' which is exactly what the Picard we knew wasn't! Okay, so they're both former Captains (even though Picard rose to Admiral), and here they're equals, which makes it seem more like the actors meeting up than the characters, in some ways, but it did smack a little of setting up some kind of trope (like Kirk was reckless and always breaking the rules), which didn't ring true.

Deanna is the one to really put the boot in, giving her friend a dressing down for how he's dealing with Soji. At least it wasn't as bad as I'd remembered and they do walk away with their arms around each other after, and I did notice Jean-Luc is pretty undiplomatic again in this episode. We've seen him be quite weak and petty across the season, perhaps the worst moment being when he pulled off the 'Romulans Only' sign and walked over it, so he's certainly demonstrated a lack of intelligence and, yes, arrogance. He's not the Picard we knew and respected and I'd like to think that's because of the degenerative illness he has in his brain except that hasn't been well shown across the season. Other than the first episode where he was having dreams, it's not really been in evidence unless you take his uncharacteristic behaviour into account and ultimately would prove to be only there to build mock tension of his death, so it was poorly handled, as has the character been. Here he accidentally drops the bombshell on Soji that she's an android as they walk to the Riker house, which sets her off in a tizzy of distrust, then when she goes to storm off after speaking with Deanna he gets in her way so she pushes him aside! So Deanna does have a point and it's distressing to see how such a once wise and great Captain can fall so far. I suppose we're meant to feel pity for his state of mind and respect that despite all these infirmities he's got the gumption to get this far, and if it had been written well that would probably have been the result.

Even his logic and motivation come into question this time as we know from earlier in the season that the reason he chose not to contact any of his former friends was because he didn't want to bring them into the danger, and instead was happy to round up people who had a grudge against him and risk them instead! But now he's shown up at the Troi-Rikers anyway and could have led the Tal Shiar to them! It was cool how Riker can activate a shield and sensors as if his rustic cabin is the Bridge of a starship, and he does say they've had trouble on the planet (from the Kzinti - a very obscure reference that dates back to 'The Animated Series,' a race by famed sci-fi author Larry Niven that he weirdly included in Trek, despite being his original creation which he wrote about outside of Trek. I'd have preferred a better reference like the Tzenkethi, perhaps). At least, in keeping with the generally better standard of writing in this particular episode, Picard does express regret at having come, saying it was a spur of the moment decision, so that's fair enough, and is one reason they don't stay long. Riker's open to helping and sets up his later appearance in the finale by dropping into conversation that he's still on active reserve - if old Dr. McCoy could be drafted back in 'The Motion Picture,' then why not an aged Will Riker? Maybe it was a bit of a clunker the way it was brought up, but the more Riker the better. He says he always thought Picard shouldn't have retired and Jean-Luc admits he was right, so is it too late to actually get them all back in uniform again for one last roundup?

I fear that will never happen, and just like the 'Star Wars' sequel trilogy in which we had original characters, but only in dribs and drabs, never all together as it should have been, I can't see them bringing all the 'TNG' cast into one episode, though I'm sure we'll eventually get each of the principle cast along the way (mind you, with Kurtzman threatening the terrible idea of a Worf comedy series, who knows?). For now, it was just lovely to have Picard among old friends and he was at his most Picard when with them as if Patrick Stewart found it easier to act the character off of his old cast members. There's a cornucopia of little details that makes this episode feel like home again, from Riker cooking and listening to jazz, to the way Kestra enthuses about Data as if she knew him, hearing all those stories firsthand from her parents as she has. Playing the violin, his love of Sherlock Holmes, how he had dreams, told jokes and learnt to ballroom dance (every one an episode!). The way he's talked about was a really beautiful way of making Data alive again, and though Kestra could have come off a little precocious and, as I said, disrespectful, I was pleased overall with the character and could see her being in Starfleet in another ten years to continue the Riker name. Sorry, Troi-Riker. The only reason I know how it's spelt is because we see the name written down in frame, but they don't make it very clear if you missed that! I always imagined Riker would become Mr. Troi (the wry aside Picard addresses him with in 'Nemesis'), since that's the Betazoid custom, the male takes the female's name, just to be different and alien. Like Seven and Hugh before him, though, they probably didn't want to lose the Riker name, and Deanna is half-human, so I suppose a double-barrelled solution was acceptable.

It was very much a Riker thing to have him leave flour all over Jean-Luc's back when he hugs him. Sure, it could be that he was so caught up in the moment, but he always did have a practical joker's sense of humour. Either way, it's wonderful to see the joy and friendship between them all, and again, it just makes me wish we could have Data there, too. And Worf, and Geordi, and Crusher… They really took the time out to enjoy these old friends' company, the episode running to the longest yet at almost an hour. Which is why I said it felt like a collection of deleted scenes - good ones, but all strung together. We get to see the beautiful house that reminded me of Kirk's log cabin in 'Generations' (perhaps alluding to Riker's Canadian heritage?), and even a candlelit meal that makes you wish you were there in the room (a bit like the scene at the start of 'Last of The Mohicans'). Interesting that we actually see rabbit was killed and eaten. For one thing I wonder how they came to be on this planet. If they aren't native (could be with talk of venom sacs!), then it might not have been a good idea since they'll breed you out of house and home, but if they're using them as a food source then it would help keep the local population down (not that they need fear too much losing their crops with the size of those tomatoes!). For another thing, it was somehow a relief that showed people eating meat as it's becoming a dirty word in today's society, people claiming it harms the environment, that sort of thing, and meat-eating was implied as being of the past in 'TNG,' I believe. While I'm against the smoking (Rios lights up again), I can get onboard with carnivorous behaviour!

I'm not sure it was as healthy to keep Thad's room as it had been. From Deanna's position as a counsellor you'd think she'd be more aware of such behaviour. But then I doubt they have many guests so it would make sense that they hadn't changed things in there and I don't think we even heard how long it had been since the death of their son. Great to hear he was born and raised on starships, it makes me wish even more we had got to see that period of their lives, and of the Alpha Quadrant, its races and its places. Perhaps one reason they keep so many details vague or don't talk about them, other than major events like the attack on Mars, is so they can potentially fill in the details with flashbacks or another series? Maybe, but if so they need to hurry up as we've already lost some of the great actors from that era (Rene Auberjonois and Aron Eisenberg to name two). We're reminded how long Picard and Riker have known each other as the latter actually says it's been thirty-five years. Also good to be reminded of Deanna's abilities and that she can't read Soji because she's an android, but has the girl done that head tilt before? It came across as a bit forced as I don't get the impression she's been acting like Data at all, really, she's far too naturalistic, so that didn't make sense there.

I have to say I wasn't as keen on yet more influences from 'The Lord of The Rings' - they're basically met by a young elf (Kestra), and we hear all about the invented languages she and her brother made up. It was great that Soji was able to learn all that had been written down in seconds, just as Data could take in books at a glance, but I definitely can do without the 'Rings' connections (all about real, created languages), because as much as I love the books and films I hate the attitude of this Trek era for being so derivative and concerned with referencing other pop culture icons - it looks desperate (hey, we're cool, Trek's cool, don't go away, please!). I did want to know why the Troi-Rikers chose to live on Nepenthe when you'd have expected them to end up on either Earth or Betazed. It would have been nice to have mentioned the devastation to the latter planet during the Dominion War and that even twenty years later it may not have fully recovered its occupation. But the fact they wanted to live like 'The Good Life' and grow their own, live off the land, made sense when this particular planet has soil with regenerative powers. It would be nice to have more context and reasoning on how they ended up there, but it was such an attractive location I never felt it was out of character or didn't make sense for them. I remember being surprised that Jonathan Frakes was credited in the main titles as a Special Guest Star, yet Marina Sirtis was shoved to the end credits with only a guest star billing, as all former main characters should get Special billing in my book!

Frakes wasn't returning to the franchise after such a long a time as Sirtis, since he'd been directing from the first season of 'DSC,' so he had a bond with the new era productions already. Still, there's nothing like actually bringing a character back to impress and he was terrific. Sure, Troi was good too, but Frakes, well, I feel he could still be a Captain (and I suppose he would in that odd scene at the end of the season), and really slipped back into the role with aplomb. Sadly, it would be the last time any of the main 'TNG' cast would meet Picard, at least the real one, considering what they were going to do to him in the finale. We'll get there. Unfortunately, we'll get there. If there were anything else to add it would be about the holographic situation on La Sirena. Just what is it? Because we haven't seen any since Jurati pulled the plug on the EMH when he came to save Maddox, so it would be natural to assume she's used her cybernetics training (if it's similar), to prevent the holos from activating in case the EMH revealed her secret murder. I think it was the Hospitality version that appeared this time, but there didn't seem to be any reason for him to activate other than to save Jurati's miserable life. So did she tamper with the system, or didn't she? And why did she have to replicate the hypo of poison in a bespoke 3D printer rather than simply using the Replicator? And if everything is about stopping Maddox and what he did, how likely is it that he was the only man who could do it in all the galaxy, surely there are so many worlds it's certain that other cyberneticists would have made the same breakthroughs elsewhere?

Most of the questions don't matter as we bathe in a bath of 'TNG'-scented petals and enjoy the flow of great friendship. Surprisingly, while I was so close to considering this episode the first success of the season (a hairsbreadth away, or a 'Hughsbreadth'!), even though on balance I couldn't award it that, it would actually be the very next episode which impressed the most. I don't remember what happened or why I felt well about it, though. I wondered if second viewing of this one would push it over the edge for me, because it is such a treat to have a reunion like this, but it also shows how different the majority of the series is from what I want in Trek, and that doesn't help. 'Nepenthe' is as close to being a standalone episode in the series, primarily as it's mostly in one location and is a basic reunion story, which also explores trust and tragedy - it was more interesting to me because many of my favourite Trek episodes have always been those that dealt with the uncertainty of reality. This wasn't that, except from Soji's point of view, so we all know that she's safe and among friends, even though it could be interpreted by her as a way of relaxing her guard with good food and pleasant surroundings, so that was a positive. I doubt we'll ever see the kind of stories where a character is trying to work out what's real or not in this era as that's a standalone idea and they don't like exploring an idea an episode, they prefer dragging things out. Still, after the depression of much of this season it was a relief to have this little holiday with the Troi-Rikers and I sincerely hope it isn't the last we see of their family. Frakes and Sirtis were highly fitting to be the ones that traverse the generations since they've both appeared in every post-'TOS' series to that time (except 'DSC'), so they really need to get them in 'Lower Decks,' 'Strange New Worlds' and any other Trek series that comes along. Keep the tradition alive!

**