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Chat => Entertainment & Technology => Topic started by: neXus on January 20, 2020, 01:12:17 AM

Title: Picard
Post by: neXus on January 20, 2020, 01:12:17 AM
Starts in a few days.
Is this going to be good or?


Everyone has been itching for new Star Trek set after the others and not something like Discovery
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on January 20, 2020, 08:55:37 AM
My money is on yes. Nothing like the other series', I think this is going to be very much story and morality driven; true to Picard's character and less about in your face action. As long as they stay true to the characters they are bringing back from TNG/Voyager it should be a success. I'm very hopeful at least as Patrick Stewart wouldn't have signed up for revisting Picard again otherwise.

I never really got into Disco, too much like the JJ Abrams films.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on January 20, 2020, 12:05:20 PM
A couple of relevant events has happened recently, the agreement Bad Robot had with paramount for the Kelvin timeline films has run out, and Paramount has been rolled back into the CBS group meaning they now have full access to the original time line.

Might not seem like that much but it means they can cut Bad Robot out completely. It would actually be against their best interests to continue with them now anyway.

Seems there is a split opinion on Picard, one side thinks optimistically that it could be good, especially with the links back to the next generation. I don't see Picard doing much in the way of acrobatics.

On the other there are claims by some that it's all going to be about Trump and BR***T. Unlikely but a huge amount of Star Trek has been about present events and the political situation when it was written.

Providing you don't mind a bit of hidden modern politics it should be fine.

Much of the problem of the recent TV series and films is they were trying to create another Khan ultimate adversary, which didn't work well and inevitably they killed them off at the end.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on January 20, 2020, 13:35:38 PM
The one thing truly mirroring our current politics would be xenophobia, which has been consistent throughout TNG/Star Trek in general as the one thing that is never really overcome. I like the fact that it seems it will be grounded in realistic concepts and that the future isn't just god-like good/bad entities thrashing it out, otherwise it might as well just be Star Wars or a DC/Marvel affair. For most of TNG it was real people solving diplomatic, moral and existential problems, if they are re-capturing even just one of those for the Picard story arc then it's a win I think.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on January 20, 2020, 23:00:19 PM
Discovery is CBS isn't it? And that takes a lot of style from the Bad Robot but is under CBS so does show that sort of blend.. Hand over? kind of style as the Klingon's with no hair like in the latest movies transitioning more into the next gen style.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on January 28, 2020, 04:56:04 AM
Really enjoyed it. Thought it was great!
Looking for to the rest of it.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on February 08, 2020, 17:39:24 PM
I have watched episode 3 on Amazon. It's fast paced (if anything the first episode was too fast), good scripting, they really hit the ground running in this, and if you know Star Trek has huge numbers of "easter egg" references back to previous films, books and TV series.

It does have a film based photographic feel, different from TNG but if you don't mind that it's otherwise good.

Still some obvious script issues, but every ST has had those right back to ToS.

There is an issue with knowing things before they happen, although in some cases they are explained by events and are not precognition.

Spoiler
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Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on February 10, 2020, 00:02:28 AM
Everyone always forgets season 1 of shows. Everyone is finding their feet, settling into roles making last minute changes and finding what works.


I like a number of things so far outside the main story:


- People have moaned about the smoking but I think it is key to the whole utopia falling apart aspect. After the Dominan war and the Borg attack on the federation they wery in a bad state. One of the movies had the enterprise recruiting very early races to build back the numbers. From that I think maintaining the Utopia status is a very hard thing to do. Klingon's are in a mess, Romulus is gone and before that they had their Reman Romulan war. Then the other things that happened between the last movie and now they mention as well - Utopia is a very hard thing to keep alive after that.


- Holagram interfaces: In a number of shows like Deep space nine set in the future they fly old ships or always hint to the holographic interfaces of the future and I am glad they evolved the ship designs and interfaces. Some die hard fans moaning about that too but its a number of years later now. Things evolve.


- No clingongs yet!




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Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on February 10, 2020, 02:12:35 AM
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Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on February 10, 2020, 21:04:16 PM
I find it quite amusing that you are considering it fast-paced, Serious, most online complaints seem to be that its too slow setting up the plot (binge watch generation, tbh, buck 'em).

I'm really enjoying it. Interesting theories circulating about as well, for anyone remotely into sci-fi this has to be one of the most talked about shows in ages.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on February 12, 2020, 01:29:18 AM
Not just me, quite a few of the youtube reviews I have seen mention this, especially in the first episode.

Then I do have fibromyalgia.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on February 12, 2020, 02:33:27 AM
I find it quite amusing that you are considering it fast-paced, Serious, most online complaints seem to be that its too slow setting up the plot (binge watch generation, tbh, buck 'em).

I'm really enjoying it. Interesting theories circulating about as well, for anyone remotely into sci-fi this has to be one of the most talked about shows in ages.


I think I defiantly like the fact that Star Fleet is in a state where it looks Rosey on the outside but clearly is not.
I wonder when we will see klingon's around as well.


And I just wonder the state of the alpha quadrant as a whole now they are off Earth and we get to find out. They mention some form of big incident that Picard saved the federation from in between Romulus blowing up and the last movie so he saves everyone again there. With that, the Dominan war and Borg attach (again) it must be in a bit of a state.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on February 14, 2020, 09:55:01 AM
I'm not sure we will see Klingons at all in this series, it seems heavily set around Romulan interaction (not bad thing, I always felt they were underutilised).
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on February 15, 2020, 00:42:18 AM
Episode 4, and slowing down a good bit. So much this one seemed a bit short?

The ship seems to be pointing towards the space equivalent of an executive jet. The available holograms seem to confirm this. Someone suggested smuggling but really it seems a bit small for that. Irrelevant to the plot so far but it's a nice touch.

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Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on February 17, 2020, 01:59:30 AM
Episode 4, and slowing down a good bit. So much this one seemed a bit short?

The ship seems to be pointing towards the space equivalent of an executive jet. The available holograms seem to confirm this. Someone suggested smuggling but really it seems a bit small for that. Irrelevant to the plot so far but it's a nice touch.



If you have your own ship and you got it by some means or another - Most sci fi shows where you have your rouge or Han Solo they won the ship, stole it etc and they make it their own - Never what it was originally intended for.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on February 17, 2020, 02:49:58 AM

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[/size]
[/size]I think it felt short as well because it was engaging and at the end I was proper "OOOoooh" annoyed it ended.
I still like the fact that:


- Transporters are even more instant so the tech has progressed
- They made holographic interfaces the norm and in a manner that works
- It feels star trek but they have been bold in progressing the universe and tech but not gone crazy. Tough balance, it would have been easy to keep things close to how it was despite all the years passing by.


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Been so interesting to just finally get to see where the universe is finally.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on February 17, 2020, 19:45:45 PM
Episode 4, and slowing down a good bit. So much this one seemed a bit short?

The ship seems to be pointing towards the space equivalent of an executive jet. The available holograms seem to confirm this. Someone suggested smuggling but really it seems a bit small for that. Irrelevant to the plot so far but it's a nice touch.



If you have your own ship and you got it by some means or another - Most sci fi shows where you have your rouge or Han Solo they won the ship, stole it etc and they make it their own - Never what it was originally intended for.

True, but you can often infer what they were intended for. Millennium Falcon has a lot of storage for such a small ship. Armed merchantman might be a more accurate description but it's used for carrying small high value cargo, nominally smuggling.

Most small ships in the Star Trek universe will not have a need for lots of holograms. unless you need to keep passengers or owners happy while traveling through billions of kilometers of space. Then it has a hologram specifically for this purpose that came with the ship from new.

In ToS the "ultimate computer" attacks a computer controlled cargo ship, with no crew. By this point most, if not all, such ships would be the same, or have a limited engineering crew.

Nice touch with the hologram not using it's hands on the controls, no point if it can interface directly with the systems much faster. Could have done the same for Data in Generations.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Edd on February 18, 2020, 21:18:18 PM
With regards to the smoking, I think it's a good thing. Also I think the state of medical technology in the 24th century means that any long term health risks associated with smoking can be cured, so there'd be no reason why you wouldn't smoke, apart from perhaps the social pressure from people telling you not to smoke.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on February 18, 2020, 23:22:54 PM
With regards to the smoking, I think it's a good thing. Also I think the state of medical technology in the 24th century means that any long term health risks associated with smoking can be cured, so there'd be no reason why you wouldn't smoke, apart from perhaps the social pressure from people telling you not to smoke.
For me it's them showing that the utopia concept for the federation is not true. I know the creator was very much a no in that regard but with every utopia what they show is not always the true nature of the thing and the federation has been threw it, the Romulans are clearly f***ed so big players in the galaxy are in a bit of a mess.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on February 20, 2020, 13:33:25 PM
With regards to the smoking, I think it's a good thing. Also I think the state of medical technology in the 24th century means that any long term health risks associated with smoking can be cured, so there'd be no reason why you wouldn't smoke, apart from perhaps the social pressure from people telling you not to smoke.
For me it's them showing that the utopia concept for the federation is not true. I know the creator was very much a no in that regard but with every utopia what they show is not always the true nature of the thing and the federation has been threw it, the Romulans are clearly f***ed so big players in the galaxy are in a bit of a mess.

The problem with utopias is that you have to take into account human greed, selfishness and stupidity. As so deftly portrayed by the present UK government and those that believed them.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: matt5cott on February 25, 2020, 15:28:12 PM
I watch very little TV/Movies, when I do usually it's very old by the time I get round to it (e.g I watched Blade Runner 1/2 late last year)

I'm glad I "queue jumped" This and caught up with 4 episodes today, really enjoyable so far, my only gripe is the occasional swearing as it adds nothing and just seems unnecessary, and believe me I swear a lot  :lol:
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on February 27, 2020, 00:44:01 AM
I watch very little TV/Movies, when I do usually it's very old by the time I get round to it (e.g I watched Blade Runner 1/2 late last year)

I'm glad I "queue jumped" This and caught up with 4 episodes today, really enjoyable so far, my only gripe is the occasional swearing as it adds nothing and just seems unnecessary, and believe me I swear a lot  :lol:
I think I have completely glossed over that, never even noticed. I guess it's giving this whole sense of the real galaxy has gone to pot. You had stuff happen all the time in all previous star trek's but it is within the utopia of the federation's eye. And the fact that with everything that has gone on the galaxy really has gone to pot, like with the smoking and the drug elements too.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on February 27, 2020, 08:13:22 AM
I've only just caught up on the last two episodes and still thoroughly enjoying it.

The swearing has seem mostly forced and I don't think it has been necessary or fitting except for maybe two occasions. Some characters you can understand it coming from, others not so much; especially the officers.

I am a bit sad that we seem to headed for cameos rather than some of the hyped-up returning characters joining the crew for a longer period. I hope its not a per episode trend.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on February 27, 2020, 15:26:35 PM
A lot of people swear, although the military commanders should not swear as much I know a lot of military people do. Then you have people who just do not care less. Princess Anne was observed to swear often and it was claimed worse than a trooper.

Admittedly it's not normal in Star Trek but usually that is because of the target audience including a lot of children. As with the beheading things are different, it is something that would never have happened in previous series. With Picard the kid gloves are off.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on February 27, 2020, 18:44:46 PM
Yes, a lot of people swear as that's the age we live in, where it is normalised. The audience thing is a misdirection, unless you were actively looking to write swearing into the script it would never be an issue. Eastenders copes just fine without people getting called facking caaants. But that's a small part of it, the other part of it is that these are supposed to be some of the finest people/minds in the Federation, etc and therefore you would expect higher standards and a bit more thought and eloquence. There's other American vernacular going on in the script as well which I found a bit jarring and it's all blatantly to appear contemporary. It just feels a little lazy for some of the characters, though thankfully it seems they are moving away from it since the first couple of episodes and back to more thoughtful dialogues again.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on February 28, 2020, 01:09:55 AM
Can I just say the de-aging CG stuff again continues to show how good it is!
X-men a few years ago vs 14 years ago Picard.... Night and day - Very good.



Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on February 28, 2020, 08:05:15 AM
I actually didn't even notice, but to be honest I assumed it was the other way around and that they've been ageing him to look 90-whatever he's supposed to be!
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on March 01, 2020, 23:34:00 PM
He has aged a lot recently.


Enjoyed this weeks episode again with the Borg stuff. I never liked how you were taken over by the BORG and then your 100% healed and all good when you get back like with Picard. Seven of nine was a bit more but then they messed that up when a few of the crew were assimilated yet all good after their mission was over. Now it actually shows the effort and trauma of becoming you again and its not all easy and happy times.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on March 04, 2020, 12:11:40 PM
I tend to agree with the Borg assimilation but there are caveats. Initially there would ne issues but Star Trek has had the dermal regenerator for some time now and their cosmetic surgery would be far in advance of ours. There would be fairly easy repair options including replacement eyes.

There is also the probability of Borg technology being repurposed, the nanites could conceivably lead to unlimited life spans.

Then there are some dodgy bits like the ineffective poison gas, it's almost like death was not intended.

I wonder if little Romulan spy and his sister are going to get theirs before the end of the series?
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on March 04, 2020, 23:55:48 PM
I tend to agree with the Borg assimilation but there are caveats. Initially there would ne issues but Star Trek has had the dermal regenerator for some time now and their cosmetic surgery would be far in advance of ours. There would be fairly easy repair options including replacement eyes.

There is also the probability of Borg technology being repurposed, the nanites could conceivably lead to unlimited life spans.

Then there are some dodgy bits like the ineffective poison gas, it's almost like death was not intended.

I wonder if little Romulan spy and his sister are going to get theirs before the end of the series?
Sometimes you have to gloss over the details a bit...


-Cortical nodes in the head which IS NOT SMALL is supposed to be in all Borg and thats a big chunk of the brain changed so Janeway and co for example would have that.
- Bog literally dump limbs to put on tech so you cant dermo an arm etc and picard had a different arm. Of course show wise it was just inside but borg chop that off, how did he get a new hand?
- Some parts can go others stay so why some people have borg bits on them but others do not.


Just very inconstant there and the new show has to gloss over that but I do like the new more realistic reality with that and "deborging" people being difficult and FAR from painless.

Again I love the show for bringing the universe back in a form of reality and highlighting the pain and negativity a lot more. It is why I liked Deep Space Nine and the Dominion war as it was leading more that way.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on March 05, 2020, 12:20:02 PM
Just a note on the Borg stuff as it's not really quite as inconsistent as you think.

Dr Crusher was able to remove most of Picard's Borg bits because he was only Borg for a few days and the nano-whatsits hadn't finished rewriting the DNA into anything un-salvageable, she says this herself in the TNG episode. He still has non-cosmetic implants in him.

The younger you are/the longer you've had them when you are implanted the less likelihood of them being able to be removed wholly or without the scars seen, which is why 7 has more/more visible.


Also quite disappointed we didn't get to see an ass-kicking at the end of the episode!
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on March 06, 2020, 15:27:55 PM
Which still has holes in it. We do know that Picard still has internal Borg technology, it allows him to communicate in some way with other Borg.

The only reason 7/9 still has external bits is to make it obvious she was Borg, a script ploy to remind people of her origins.

I guess they are just reserving the ass kicking, but there was plenty of options for a fight that never happened.

Still wondering if that poison gas was meant to kill or not.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on March 06, 2020, 18:59:22 PM
Still wondering if that poison gas was meant to kill or not.

It's a good one that!
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on March 09, 2020, 02:33:31 AM
Which still has holes in it. We do know that Picard still has internal Borg technology, it allows him to communicate in some way with other Borg.

The only reason 7/9 still has external bits is to make it obvious she was Borg, a script ploy to remind people of her origins.

I guess they are just reserving the ass kicking, but there was plenty of options for a fight that never happened.

Still wondering if that poison gas was meant to kill or not.


Has to be a cortical node which means thats a big chunk of brain.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on March 17, 2020, 01:05:49 AM
Another very interesting episode, last Friday, I can see myself getting addicted if they keep this up.

Plenty on the Borg, reasons why the Romulans are so concerned about both the Borg and artificial life forms.

And Picard still has the leach stuck to his exhaust port.

Everything is in motion now, forces gathering. So how will it pan out? Will Discovery turn up in the next three episodes? I hope it doesn't :/
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on March 17, 2020, 12:40:05 PM
I bloody hope not, I don't want any crossover bollocks. Keep the fan service to a few familiar faces.

But yes, its really in it's stride now!
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on March 18, 2020, 01:00:16 AM
Another very interesting episode, last Friday, I can see myself getting addicted if they keep this up.

Plenty on the Borg, reasons why the Romulans are so concerned about both the Borg and artificial life forms.

And Picard still has the leach stuck to his exhaust port.

Everything is in motion now, forces gathering. So how will it pan out? Will Discovery turn up in the next three episodes? I hope it doesn't :/


I like the fact the season has a clear outline.


1. What has happened to characters we knew. Killed some, keeping others.
2. After Data AI in android form has been a thing
3. Romulans clearly have had issues with AI


I have appreciated the structure so far.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on March 21, 2020, 19:08:26 PM
Seems to be a couple of scripting issues still going through.

Is it just me or does you know who escaping look like a scapegoat for someone else's crime? Does the escapee have the strength and knowledge to kill one of the androids?

Then why bother escaping if you have nowhere else to go?

Does this mean killing one of the new androids is effectively identical to murder? I think it would.

Fleet of Romulan warbirds on the way, that don't look like Romulan warbirds. Would have preferred the more traditional look.

Warning, to which side? Or maybe both sides get the wrong interpretation?
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on March 29, 2020, 09:15:43 AM
Managed to watch episode 10, end of series, and it was enjoyable.

Then it was also highly predictable, I mean, they tell you what is going to happen a long time before they do it. I heard some bits put forward a couple of weeks ago.

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The one disappointment was the alien machines that looked more like a bunch of mechanical worms. Then we have seen them previously. Could have been so much better.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on March 30, 2020, 00:22:57 AM
Managed to watch episode 10, end of series, and it was enjoyable.

Then it was also highly predictable, I mean, they tell you what is going to happen a long time before they do it. I heard some bits put forward a couple of weeks ago.

(click to show/hide)

The one disappointment was the alien machines that looked more like a bunch of mechanical worms. Then we have seen them previously. Could have been so much better.


(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on March 30, 2020, 12:05:31 PM
Managed to watch episode 10, end of series, and it was enjoyable.

Then it was also highly predictable, I mean, they tell you what is going to happen a long time before they do it. I heard some bits put forward a couple of weeks ago.

(click to show/hide)

The one disappointment was the alien machines that looked more like a bunch of mechanical worms. Then we have seen them previously. Could have been so much better.


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Ship design often ended up advancing fast, so you might end up with ships initially intending to be identical but each ship benefited from the lessons learned from the previous ones, so could vary a lot. On top of that you get in life updates, improvements which were done to bring ships up to date but usually done on an individual ship. That meant even if ships were identical to start off with they often quickly ended up with variants. There are also a huge number of possible different uses for a ship so you would end up with a lot of different designs anyway.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on March 30, 2020, 12:27:26 PM
Video on French pre-Dreadnaughts if anyone is interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ygXLnRAm-A
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: neXus on March 30, 2020, 23:36:02 PM
Video on French pre-Dreadnaughts if anyone is interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ygXLnRAm-A (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ygXLnRAm-A)


True, but it is still a change for the federation that built lots of different ships for different purposes. Lessons learned.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Serious on April 02, 2020, 18:50:30 PM
As with their cars the French were very odd in their designs of lots of things. Sometimes they got it right and others wrong.

The original Enterprise was a Constellation class ship and lots of them made, indeed when Enterprise was destroyed in The Search for Spock they got a new identical one in the next film. There are many times that multiple vessels of this class appeared and at least one somehow managed to take part in the battle of Wolf 359.

The fact they used many different ships at key battles was more use what you have available in an emergency rather than building different designs. Then different races would have different ideas about ship design, the Vulcan ships are obviously different from standard federation ships, and designs stuck around for a long time, getting updated and rebuilt. If you have limited models then it saves money too.

I am still wondering why they could not use a medical transporter to fix Picard, still looks like a scripting get out.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on April 07, 2020, 09:06:29 AM
Finally got round to watching the series finale. Thoroughly enjoyed it, some very satisfying conclusions. It would have been easy to pack in the fan service at this point or leave on a massive cliffhanger but they kept it true to form IMO.
Title: Re: Picard
Post by: matt5cott on April 15, 2020, 22:15:07 PM
I enjoyed it, though if you've played the mass effect series of games part of the storyline was very, very familiar ;D