On Picard, Vashti, and a very good start

The fourth episode of Picard drops tomorrow, and on this blog, I’ve posted…nothing. I keep thinking I need to produce a definitive review, a profound expression of the regard in which I already hold this series. Clearly, that’s not happening, so I’ll just go with some (pretty nifty, I think) speculation that hit me this morning, and some random, quick-and-dirty reactions.

My speculation about “Absolute Candor” and beyond:

Here’s the official episode synopsis:

“The crew’s journey to Freecloud takes a detour when Picard orders a stop at the planet Vashti, where Picard and Raffi relocated Romulan refugees 14 years earlier. Upon arrival, Picard reunites with Elnor (Evan Evagora), a young Romulan he befriended during the relocation. Meanwhile, Narek continues his attempts to learn more about Soji while Narissa’s impatience with his lack of progress grows."

Vashti. Hmmm.

Ahasuerus sends Vashti away
by Marc Chagall

In the biblical book of Esther, Vashti was the first wife of King Ahasuerus. She was banished for refusing to obey the king's command to appear at his banquet to show off her beauty. Vashti was replaced by Esther, the secret Jew who ultimately saved her people from the genocidal Haman.

So is this story, in which the fate of the Romulans features prominently, in some way a parallel to the book of Esther, about the fate of the Jews, exiled from their homeland and living as unwelcome strangers in a hostile land? It might sound farfetched, were it not for the presence of Michael Chabon. Because if there’s one thing we know about Chabon, author of The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, it’s that he knows how to weave Jewish texts and lore into amazing speculative fiction.

According to interviews with Evan Evagora, his character, Elnor, whom we'll meet in "Absolute Candor," was raised by a sect of women known for their extreme honesty and integrity. Like Vashti, they have been forced from their home world and had to settle elsewhere. Meanwhile, Soji’s true nature is hidden, Esther-like, waiting to emerge at some key moment. If this parallel is correct, she will save an entire people. The ex-Borg? The Romulans? Both? (And wouldn't it be cool for Vashti and Esther to team up?)

So if Soji is Esther, is Narek Haman, the villain with the secret plan to destroy an entire people? Or is he Mordechai, the guy who’s going to activate Soji/Esther’s secret at the key moment to save an entire people?

Or am I crazy? I tend to pick up on Old Testament references and then carry them much farther than the writers ever do. I guess we’ll find out.

But whether any of this pans out, of this I'm certain: Ever since DS9, Star Trek has been trying to do "misfits, freethinkers, and outlaws try to change a broken system from within," but it’s never quite worked. Sometimes they couldn’t really commit to telling that story; sometimes they just failed to come up with a compelling story to tell; sometimes they got bogged down in moral grey areas. I’m thinking Picard might be the one to finally do it right.

My standing-on-one-foot review of Picard thus far: 

This is the Star Trek that Patrick Stewart has always deserved. It’s still about having a strong moral compass and the courage to act despite the odds – but without TNG's hammy acting, excruciatingly dull speechifying, pollyanish world view, and mystifying portrayal of the corporate board room as a beacon of hope for the future of humanity. More to the point, a decent actor should get to deliver dialogue that isn't cringeworthy, and Picard's is far from it.

The new characters:

I’m particularly fond of the way the new characters have been introduced, with enough clarity to feel like we can get a handle on who they are, but not so simplistically as to be 2-D caricatures.

Raffi Musiker: Like a lot of fans, I fell in love with her instantly because her flaws are so relatable. She was so right, trying so hard, and got so shafted. Now she’s damaged, and it shows. Plus she ticks my biggest box: a woman over 50 not identified or limited by her age. That said, though, I would appreciate if, now and then, Star Trek's tough women weren’t characterized as formed by trauma and in need of healing. (See: Tasha Yar, Kira Nerys, B'Elanna Torres.)

Cristóbal Rios: Coming into Picard as a Santiago Cabrera fan, Rios would have had to be a colossal disaster for me not to stan him, but I’m pleased to say that so far, he’s made it easy. Rios, having obviously been through hell, has literally compartmentalized himself, consigning his vulnerable, open, hopeful, trusting side to a virtual surrogate, and I love him all the more for it. What's not to love about the loner intellectual with a mysterious past who wants nothing more than to believe in something again?

Agnes Jurati: Picard’s answer to Discovery's Tilly. She's just so likeable. Too likeable, some might say. In fact, some seem to think Raffi’s suspicions are a tip-off that something is amiss with good ol' Agnes, but I think she’s exactly what it says on the tin: brilliant and dedicated, but naïve. She's barely entered the story when she's shaken to the core by her first killing, so either she's a great liar, or we're seeing the scales fall from her eyes. 

Soji: Right now I'm betting on this Esther thing, and I won’t be surprised if she’s part of the intrepid crew by the end of the season. Picard needs his Data. But obviously there are a lot of plot twists to get through first, and I could be dead wrong, because I usually am.

Last thing:

Much as it pains me to say it, Picard has so far proven more intriguing, thought-provoking, and just plain fun than Discovery, which has gone along by fits and starts. Discovery's moral compass in season 1 was having trouble finding north, and remained wobbly in season 2. It has great characters, but they often feel weirdly detached from their story. (Why anyone is dealing with Mirror Georgiou as anything other than an existential threat is beyond me.) Being a much bigger fan of DS9 and ENT than TNG and VOY, it feels odd to prefer Picard to Discovery, but there you have it. I suspect this has everything to do with the fact that Discovery suffered from show-runner turnover in its development, while Picard benefitted from stability and -- well, Chabon.