 |
| Capt. Vadic receives her orders. |
Original Air Date: Mar. 9, 2023. Written by: Terry Matalas, Sean Tretta. Directed by: Jonathan Frakes.
THE PLOT:
The Titan is dead in space, sinking into the nebula and ever closer to its lethal "gravity well." The bridge crew desperately reroutes power to keep life support functional, but Riker knows that all they're doing is buying a few extra hours of life.
Picard uses that time to try to get to know Jack, if only just a little bit. Riker starts to compose a message to Deanna; but he can't find the words and leaves it unfinished. Meanwhile, Seven reluctantly turns to Capt. Shaw for help in tracking the changeling infiltrator - something they both know may not even matter as the ship keeps being rocked by the energy waves emitted from the center of the nebula.
In sick bay, Dr. Crusher notices a pattern in those waves - a pattern that just might give them a chance to escape!
CHARACTERS:
Picard: The episode has a tried-but-true frame device: Picard, at the bar Ten-Forward, is approached by eager young Starfleet recruits while sitting down to eat lunch. He's initially caught off guard at these young people turning to him for stories or advice, but he soon enjoys holding court as he shares his experiences and what they've taught him. A direct parallel to this is his attempt to bond with Jack, in a holodeck recreation of Ten-Forward, with him even sharing the same story of being caught in a (rather plot convenient) hopeless situation with the young man's namesake, Jack Crusher. When Jack asks about the name, Picard states that he would have selected the same name.
Riker: He chooses not to reinstate Seven because her current status puts her in a better position to quietly investigate the changeling. He emphasizes that the changeling's presence needs to be kept secret for the sake of the crew's already dwindling morale. The loss of his son hangs heavy on him. He recalls his son's burial, how immense the six feet into which the coffin was lowered seemed, and he urges Picard to spend the little time they have remaining getting to know Jack.
Seven of Nine: Being stripped of her rank leaves her free to show her disdain for Shaw - something he perversely responds quite well to. She doesn't like confiding in him, but he knows the ship and crew better than anyone else. His advice proves to be spot-on, and their interactions throughout the episode are enormously entertaining.
Dr. Crusher: She spends most of the episode as the designated "problem solver," counting the gaps between energy waves and figuring out the pattern. When Picard and Jack try to convince Riker of their plan, she ends up being the most persuasive voice, reminding him of the things they accomplished in the past by trusting each other.
Jack Crusher: He insists that he doesn't need to share time with Picard, but he goes along with it. He observes of the Ten-Forward holoprogram: "This fake place is as good as any to die in." For all his protests, he seems to genuinely enjoy listening to Picard describe his youthful misadventure with his namesake, and he becomes aggrieved when Capt. Shaw reminds them of Picard's past as "Locutus," with Picard having to stop Jack from responding. He and Picard work well together during the escape, with Picard trusting in Jack's instincts at a critical moment.
Ensign LaForge: Geordi's daughter, Sidney LaForge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) is the Titan's helm officer. I haven't mentioned her before because she's mostly been in the background, but both character and actress have worked well all season. She gets a bit more screen time here, playing a major role in the ship's escape and also being an important (if unwitting) part of Seven's search for the changeling.
Capt. Shaw: After a very bad start, Shaw has slowly climbed the ranks of my favorite characters this season. His interactions with Seven are fun, and I love how openly amused he is by her labeling him "a dick." His best scene comes in Ten-Forward, however, when he interrupts Picard's nostalgic tales by telling the memory that haunts him the most - of being a survivor of Wolf 359. Shaw's story is well-written, and actor Todd Stashwick sells every bit of it as he stares off into space, seemingly reliving the events as he flatly narrates them.
THOUGHTS:
"No matter how bleak or unwinnable a situation, as long as you and your crew remain steadfast in your dedication, one to another, you are never, ever without hope."
-Picard, in happier times, holds court to a group of Starfleet cadets.
No-Win Scenario is the first episode of Picard that I would label as excellent with not a single qualifier. Its script is expertly judged, balancing great character scenes with major plot advancement. The cast rises to meet the writing quality with uniformly strong performances, including Patrick Stewart's best work so far this season.
There are no wasted scenes and no "spare" characters. Unanswered questions remain for the rest of the season, but there really isn't anything here that exists purely to set up the next installment. Everything that exists in this episode is used by this episode.
A major strength is that the script remains focused on the Titan. There are no cutaways to the Worf/Raffi subplot. Save for a couple brief scenes with Vadic, which are part and parcel of this story, we spend the entire episode on the damaged ship.
The first half is dedicated to character scenes. Picard is nostalgic and occasionally humorous as he recalls his misadventures to Jack. A funereal atmosphere hangs over their interactions, with both men aware that they are likely to die soon. Riker attempts to compose a message to Deanna, only to abandon it when he can't find the words. Both of these scenes are kept generally low-key, with both script and direction choosing just one character reflection - Shaw's memory of Wolf 359 - to go all-in on. It's a good choice, with the Wolf 359 scene the highest point in an episode filled with summits.
The latter half shifts to the escape, which is also well scripted. Every character gets something to do. Dr. Crusher makes the major observation that leads to the plan and persuades Riker. Jack suggests the general course of action. Picard and Riker direct the escape, while Ensign LaForge steers the ship. Meanwhile, Seven and Shaw work together, first in the changeling hunt and then in helping with the escape. It all ends up fitting together, the different threads strengthening each other rather than competing for attention.
If it stopped there, No-Win Scenario would already be an excellent episode. The tag scenes take it just a bit further. Picard's frame ends as he makes a sudden realization, with words from his past - which have been encouraging him all episode - suddenly returning to haunt him. Then Riker's message to Deanna gets completed in a way that's entirely satisfying, while also reminding us of the many open threads.
Oh, and one more strength of this episode, one that is promising for the rest of the season: It has a real ending! The big questions remain open. We don't know what the changelings are planning, or why they are interested in Jack, nor do we know Vadic's full role - active participant or mere hired gun. But instead of dragging the Titan/Shrike standoff across ten episodes, that situation ends, with the loose threads carrying over to whatever the next Act will be. This seems likely to avoid a repeat of Season Two's midseason pacing issues.
OVERALL:
No-Win Scenario is the best episode of Picard to date. Every character is utilized. Every scene advances either the characterizations or the plot. The ending even makes use of what seemed to be a simple frame device in a way that grants additional meaning.
The end result is the first Star Trek: Picard episode to earn full marks from me. My hopes are now raised that this final season will actually end up being a worthy sendoff.
Overall Rating: 10/10.
Previous Episode: Seventeen Seconds
Next Episode: Imposters
Review Index
To receive new review updates, follow me:
On Twitter:
On Threads:
No comments:
Post a Comment