Amac Productions

Is there anyone out there who likes him? I don’t even like him as a villain. Sure, he’s well written and annoyingly evil as a villain, but I can’t even respect that because he’s such a jackass.

Everything he does is a lie.

He says humans are barbaric, but he proves himself no better.

He lies at every turn and doesn’t want them to succeed because he’s already made up his mind about how this should go. Regardless of what the humans offer or bring to the table.

He’s made up his mind. He knows them.

A test. A trail. A conversation. None of it matters to him. He will still do as he pleases and carry out a punishment that has no bearing on anything happening today.

Seriously? How can you punish a group of people for the sins of their species?

But oh, would I like to live in a world where humans left those terrible tendencies in the past. The terrible truth of who we are staring me in the face in a show made nearly 40 years ago. If only we could reach the stage Picard talks about. The version of humans I wish we were.

Alas, wishful thinking aside, let’s discuss the episode itself.

Aside from glimpses in my childhood, I’ve never sat and watched Star Trek in any real manner before. My parents both enjoyed the show and the movies and such. I think I saw a bit of an episode and got terrified because some terrifying creatures were operating on Picard and I was out.

From there, I was never really interested in it.

While I was working myself to death in my early 20s, I tried watching the Chris Pine movie. The first one and I fell asleep I was so tired. In the days before everything was available to stream so easily, I just forgot about it, and never tried again.

However, not so long ago, I found myself fiddling with a sci-fi world I created. Going through some ideas for the world I created, and I wondered how others have done it before.

While there are hundreds of books that do the process justice as well, I have not been able to sit and read a book since that’s what I was doing the night I lost my house to a fire. It keeps bringing me back to that moment. While I’m sure one day I’ll get over it, I have not yet worked that out.

So I thought TV.

Well, Star Trek popped into mind and I pestered my parents about where to start.

After all, this is an incredible world beloved across the world and built really well. I tend towards more fantasy shows and worlds, so I have plenty to draw from there.

However, I wanted a non-dystopian future world.

Star Trek fit the bill well and my parents agreed that First Generation is made wildly better than the original series if I wanted something that was well done and written.

Thus, I logged into Paramount Plus and started up the first episode. Which is two episodes combined for a movie of sorts, where we meet all the characters, and deal with the mysterious Q.

Who I hate.

I love Riker though.

Captain Picard starts off the episode with his log. He’s still getting used to the incredibly large ship Starfleet has put him in charge of. Which includes a whole host of families and people just living aboard the Enterprise.

Which, like, we’re going to encounter some dangerous stuff out here. Aren’t we?

Should we just be carrying around a bunch of people for the fun of it? Is that safe?

I mean, the show goes out of its way to show you that they can protect the people in the saucer part of the ship by sending that away while they stay on the part of the ship with the guns and such. But still. What if you’re just going along and get attacked?

I doubt everything in space is nice.

See Q for example.

He’s horrible.

The Enterprise and all the people were just heading to Farpoint to discuss their new base, minding their own business when Q just pops in. Unwelcome and threatening.

But sure – they’re the bad guys.

Right.

Despite Q’s best efforts to hang them for crimes they did not commit and Yar trying to get herself killed, Picard manages to get out of the sentencing by asking for a test. The test will be Farpoint.

Which we meet, by meeting Riker who is a bit puzzled by this place.

Something doesn’t seem right about how they were able to construct it so perfectly so quickly. He asks the guy in charge about it and he offers the specs to the place which is nice, but then he offers him fruit. Riker wants an apple.

There are no apples.

Until there’s a bowl full.

Riker and I are certain that freaking bowl was not there a moment ago.

And we’re right because the moment Riker is gone, the guy starts shouting at the ceiling not to do things like that or they will be punished. I’m not quite sure who he’s yelling at, but it’s revealed that the base in a jellyfish type of being he’s holding hostage essentially by barely keeping it alive to do his bidding.

Well, isn’t he nice.

No wonder the mate of the space jellyfish tries to murder them all.

They were kind of asking for it.

Truth be told, plot aside, I really enjoyed Riker and Picard’s dynamic most of all.

I loved that when Geordi arrived to tell Riker – a friend – about important business, Riker asked for it formally. Clearly asserting himself without being an ass about it. He was kind and confident, because things are supposed to be a certain way.

Such as when he waited for the captain to formerly welcome him aboard. He likes the rules and the order and the chain of command. There’s a great respect for those things. And it’s such a refreshing change of pace from TV now, where everything is freaking power struggle all the time.

Or that everyone is suspicious until they get to know each other.

Here, the commander and the captain just believe they’re the right people for the job because Starfleet has promoted them to these ranks. They didn’t get there by accident. There’s no need to treat each other like children or be wary. They’re capable at their jobs, that’s why they have them.

I liked that Riker noticed something right away about the planet and didn’t let ego stop him from trying to inform people.

I liked that Picard asked him why he once disobeyed a command.

I loved Riker’s answer, that his duty is to protect the captain, and he will not apologize for doing so. Nor will anything stop him from doing it again. Regardless of the order.

Otherwise, he appears to be a fairly rule driven man who respects his position as well as the captain’s.

I loved how easily Picard came to respect him with that answer and then trust him with something he probably doesn’t trust to most people. He’s not good with kids. Yet he now has a ship where children are living and may come up to him to talk or greet him.

He has no interest in upsetting them, but he also does not understand how he should do that. Asking Riker to be a buffer between them.

I loved that Picard recognized that Riker is a personable man. While Riker sees that Picard is fair and just and diplomatic.

Riker being the only one to impress Q made me snort laugh. Because of course he did. Riker’s just an odd duck. A little like Picard while also being entirely himself. He’s charming and kind and he makes a good younger lead man to compliment Picard’s older, wiser ways.

Not that Riker isn’t wise, he just doesn’t have the years Picard does.

There’s a lot of people on this ship and so far the only one I don’t like is Tasha Yar who is unable to keep herself in check. Ever.

Deanna is amazing as she tries to understand the horrible pain the creatures are in and understand them better to help them. Her dynamic to Riker is interesting to me. Because what is going on there?

You two know each other?

Like brain intimately??

What happened? Why are you looking at each other like that? Why are you so worried and soft for one another? What happened? I need backstory!

Give me backstory!

Who broke up with who? Why? Were you ever together? I mean it seems that way with how she was talking in Riker’s mind!

I need to know more.

Then there’s the doctor and her son who know Picard from before because he was friends with Wesley’s father. He was with him when he died and brought the body home to them. Super tragic there.

However, all I could think about was Sheldon screaming about Will Wheaton in the Big Bang Theory every time I saw Wesley on screen.

Also, Picard is right. He’s bad with kids.

He’s even bad with the doctor.

Open mouth insert foot.

On the other hand, he’s good with puzzles and understanding when to fire on things and why things are happening the way they are. Such as having Riker bring the leader aboard the ship so they could question him.

His anger when he found out they had been essentially starving the creature to keep it under control. Horrible.

I’m not sure how Q could watch this and still think all humans are awful.

Clearly, the group aboard the Enterprise is top notch. I don’t even think that Picard had ordered the doctor to ready supplies to go down and help people. She just did it. Because that’s part of their job.

Sure, they’re out to explore and discover. But I doubt they’d refuse aid to anyone who needs it.

Geordi is hilarious and sweet. I feel terrible that he’s always in pain just to be able to see anything. I wonder if that will ever be resolved. I can’t imagine bringing it up to never try and fix it.

The doctor is tougher than you’d think.

Deanna is insightful in all the right ways and clearly has Picard’s utmost respect for what she does. I genuinely thought she was third in command until it was revealed that it was actually Data, since her seat is right next to Picard. With Riker seated on the other side.

It seemed a natural conclusion.

However, I can tell that he respects her advice, counsel, and wisdom in all matters. Often looking to her for her thoughts on the matter.

Also, fun fact, as I watched this, my dad joined me, and we noticed that several of the male officers about the Enterprise were wearing skirts like some of the women. And some of the women were wearing pants.

Of course, the skirts are still ridiculously short because of the time it was made. But seeing men wearing them too, made me feel a little better about what the creator was trying to do. Akin to what Xena’s creators were doing. Getting away with what they could, where they could.

Data is ridiculous and fun. I love how easily Riker took to him. Not mocking or ignoring. Simply offering, explaining, and being amused or understanding about Data’s inquiries. Despite being an android, he does not know everything there is to know.

I loved that Riker took to easily.

I love that Data asks questions. I love that Picard tries to answer as much as he can before his patience runs out.

I loved Picard testing Riker by having him manually link the two pieces back together. And how nervous the entire team appeared until it was over.

And the very end, when Riker hopes that not all the adventures turn out like this, and Picard hopes they’re far more interesting scares the hell out of me. Because Riker I get, I’d like more quiet too after all that. Picard – on the other hand – is like let me see what else you got!

Dude, you survived Q and saved some alien jellyfish. Take a nap now will you.

Give everyone the day off.

Overall, I did enjoy the episode, and I think I might even be convinced to watch more and tell you guys about it. What do you say?

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