As we are all told, this is a golden age of television, where the medium has the clout, money, and audience, to attract names and budgets that previously were not available to them in the same way as it was for cinema. There are many examples of quality shows, of experimental shows, but there are also plenty of examples of big budget shows that feel like they have been made because the math made sense to the investors - a statement that very much can be made of any media that needs to sell and make money of course. From the trailers Picard didn't look like it would be that; it looked like it would be a return of a very popular character, delivered by a very good actor, in a big-budget show that appeared to lean into the adult darkness more than Next Generation did. Unfortunately what we get is not so clear as to what it wants to be, and too much of it seems to have not gotten beyond the headlines of the original pitch.
The core elements are good, but the core plot is messy and a little too functional. There are attempts at character development and complexity, but they are isolated efforts and often focus on new supporting characters that we don't have any investment in. Picard himself has times of reflection and drama, but too often he is being used as the driver for the plot and there is not enough to flesh him out. This is similar in the other main character (Soji) - she goes through a lot of exploring into her own character, but it is done in a way that serves the plot rather than makes for a deeper or darker drama. In terms of story, it is fine, and it is played out with a budget big enough to look good while doing it - but I was never really sucked into it or felt like it knew what it wanted to do.
The cameos don't help this. The show feels like it is trying to be different from 'normal' Star Trek in tone, but then it regularly throws in nostalgic elements whether they add to the show or not; the brief appearance of franchise characters add less than they detract by the way they tend to have their parts feel like a "stop" in the show, where the show wants to have the show step to one side for a bit of fan service. The performances for some of these cameos feel too "cheerful" for the tone of the show. Performances generally are decent but not great. Stewart is a great presence, but doesn't have enough of substance to work with. Briones does well with what the show asks of her, although at times I felt it was asking her to do too much. Pill is good but her time limited. Hurd is a bit obvious in her character and isn't able to lift it beyond the basics. Treadaway is mostly a good villain once he settles in - alongside him List looks good but it feels like she is pushing the "sexy villain" too much (although at least her performance is bang on what she is there to do). Mostly everyone is doing good work, it is the material that doesn't give them more.
Technically the production design is good; lots of money spent, good sets and costumes, with special effects convincing. The delivery of the whole feels a bit safe and lacking in ambition, but this fits with the whole construct, because it very much feels like a 'product' designed to sell Amazon Prime - which of course it is, but it becomes a problem when it can't make you forget that for very long.
The core elements are good, but the core plot is messy and a little too functional. There are attempts at character development and complexity, but they are isolated efforts and often focus on new supporting characters that we don't have any investment in. Picard himself has times of reflection and drama, but too often he is being used as the driver for the plot and there is not enough to flesh him out. This is similar in the other main character (Soji) - she goes through a lot of exploring into her own character, but it is done in a way that serves the plot rather than makes for a deeper or darker drama. In terms of story, it is fine, and it is played out with a budget big enough to look good while doing it - but I was never really sucked into it or felt like it knew what it wanted to do.
The cameos don't help this. The show feels like it is trying to be different from 'normal' Star Trek in tone, but then it regularly throws in nostalgic elements whether they add to the show or not; the brief appearance of franchise characters add less than they detract by the way they tend to have their parts feel like a "stop" in the show, where the show wants to have the show step to one side for a bit of fan service. The performances for some of these cameos feel too "cheerful" for the tone of the show. Performances generally are decent but not great. Stewart is a great presence, but doesn't have enough of substance to work with. Briones does well with what the show asks of her, although at times I felt it was asking her to do too much. Pill is good but her time limited. Hurd is a bit obvious in her character and isn't able to lift it beyond the basics. Treadaway is mostly a good villain once he settles in - alongside him List looks good but it feels like she is pushing the "sexy villain" too much (although at least her performance is bang on what she is there to do). Mostly everyone is doing good work, it is the material that doesn't give them more.
Technically the production design is good; lots of money spent, good sets and costumes, with special effects convincing. The delivery of the whole feels a bit safe and lacking in ambition, but this fits with the whole construct, because it very much feels like a 'product' designed to sell Amazon Prime - which of course it is, but it becomes a problem when it can't make you forget that for very long.