‘Star Trek: Picard’ Season Two Leaps Through a Time-Traveling Adventure

Engage! Star Trek: Picard Season Two makes the jump to warp speed in an imaginative, time-bending adventure with the return of Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his unexpected comrades of the first installment. The story begins with an explosive confrontation aboard a Starfleet vessel then rewinds to a serene afternoon at Picard’s chateau in France. (This article contains spoilers.)

The future is looking bright following recent galaxy-shaking events. Picard celebrates a successful season’s harvest while Irma Thomas’s “Time is On My Side” dances about in the background. Elnor (Evan Evagora) has become the first fully-Romulan cadet at the Starfleet Academy; Raffi (Michelle Hurd) is back in uniform and looking distinctively more collected than her previous introduction; and Rios (Santiago Cabrera) has upgraded his captain status from La Sirena to the Stargazer. Dr. Jurati (Alison Pill) continues a journey of scientific and personal discovery while offering a few comical antics, and Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) is showcased fighting a team of bandits solo in nod to her independence from the Voyager days.

Picard reflects on an accomplished career of space exploration while hints of unresolved childhood trauma visit as flashbacks and a mysterious, repeating phrase. Laris (Orla Brady), a Romulan refugee and now close friend of Picard, suggests an opportunity for companionship that becomes an awkward fumble between the two. We understand early that the season will focus inwardly on these characters in addition intergalactic exploration.

A temporal anomaly sporting the infamous green hue reunites the cast aboard the Stargazer using an audio message calling Picard’s name. A masked figure assumes control of the ship, leaving him to make an unfathomable decision.

Picard awakens back the chateau and comes face to face with Q (John de Lancie), the inter-dimensional jokester who volleyed between menace and mentor during The Next Generation series. After a moment of spirited pleasantries, Picard discovers that Q has thrown a curveball by altering the past and shifting the galaxy into a darker timeline. A totalitarian regime known as the Confederation, with opposing principles of our well-known Federation, rules through force and oppression toward non-humans.

Picard enlists his team to remedy the timeline by traveling back to the 21st century to locate a being known as the Watcher. To make the journey, he must join forces with his greatest adversary: the Borg Queen (Annie Wersching, expertly depicting the character in this iteration), last encountered in an epic showdown with the Enterprise crew in Star Trek: First Contact.

The return to 2024 Los Angeles provides unmistakable social commentary that only Star Trek can offer. Set amongst wildfires, crime, and homelessness beneath stunning skyscrapers, Season Two’s writers no doubt chose our decade as the crew’s temporal destination to provide a meaningful examination of our society. Raffi and Seven of Nine make some of the strongest annotations on the state of today’s socioeconomic divides and environmental challenges.

While some of these themes hit close to home for viewers looking for a weekly sci-fi escape, there is truly no better enterprise to assess today’s challenges and how we may evolve beyond them. After all, the original series leapt past society’s boundaries of inclusivity and cultural acceptance when it premiered in the 1960s.

Amid our planet’s struggles, several instances of progress are highlighted. A relationship between Raffi and Seven displays an unspoken step forward by requiring no labels or explanation of preferences. A humanizing portrayal of those targeted by racial injustice is observed through a medical team persevering to help those in need. I also applaud the writers for welcoming the topic of mental health to the forefront of discussion.

The team advances through jaw-dropping reveals, Mission: Impossible-style fun, and villainous showdowns. My critique of this installment is that the momentum becomes scattered mid-season by the introduction of a few too many plot lines. Stories like an experimental geneticist pushing ethical boundaries or a shadowy quest through a tormented mind may have individually made an effective arc, but end up crowding each other’s presence told in rapid succession. Although the heart of the narrative remains intact, the lack of cohesion presents a larger threat to our galaxy-trekking heroes than any of the side characters vying for primary antagonist.

The season overcomes most of its own obstacles to deliver some noteworthy nostalgia and a revealing character piece for Picard. Looking beyond its shortcomings, long-time fans will appreciate the chance to explore the depth of this iconic starship captain and to see him grow beyond his personal expectations. What stood out most to me about this story was its focus on our present more than any futuristic setting, providing us a unique perspective within the unusual and sometimes disheartening global circumstances of which we’ve become accustomed in recent years.

Many science fiction fans adore this genre because it illuminates what is possible for humanity. Star Trek has and continues to represent a prospect of hope in the face of today’s difficulties; and make no mistake, as we’re watching this show, our world is experiencing a trying moment. The themes presented in Season Two challenge us to ask ourselves: Can we truly evolve to a society that values brotherhood above nationalism, harmony above consumerism, and exploration above greed?

I’m reminded of a quote by Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek: “The human race is a remarkable creature, one with great potential, and I hope that Star Trek has helped to show us what we can be if we believe in ourselves and our abilities.” I believe the answer to these questions is yes, if we maintain hope in our horizon and believe that our best is still to come. When the challenges of today feel daunting, Star Trek again reminds us to look up to the stars.

Season Two is available on Paramount+.

Rating: 6/10

Photo courtesy of Paramount+