Star Trek: Picard -- Season 1 Episode 5 (Stardust City Rag)

AbsoluteCandor was an episode of Truth.  Now, we have Stardust City Rag, an episode about lies.  Or, rather, the truth being concealed.  Admiral Picard has the location of Bruce Maddox.  He has his hired sword.  Now, he just has to talk his way into a meeting with the woman holding Maddox.

Maddox is being held on a planet called Freecloud by a woman named Bjayzl.  As others have pointed out, she bears an eerie resemblance to Deanna Troi.  She and Maddox apparently had some sort of loan going.  Since Maddox is no longer in a position to repay that debt, Bjayzl is going to sell him to the Tal Shiar.

It’s up to Picard and crew to save him.  With him is Seven of Nine, former Borg drone.  She and Bjayzl seem to have a history.  The truth of their relationship doesn’t fully come out, but it’s clear by the end of the episode that Seven wanted revenge.  Why?  Our flashback this episode is of Icheb being tortured.  Fans of Voyager will remember Icheb as another former drone that Seven cared for.

Maddox is saved only to meet an untimely death by the end of the episode.  It’s a shame.  As much as I didn’t like Bruce Maddox, I don’t think he deserved what he got.  It does seem to set up a future episode, hopefully.  Apparently Bruce and Agnes had a thing going.  I would hope we find out what it’s all about.

While the show could be enjoyed by anyone, Star Trek: Picard is shaping up to be a series throwing out Easter eggs to long-time fans of the show.  On Freecloud, we see signs for Mott’s Hair Emporium and Quark’s Bar.  While neither is seen onscreen, it’s nice to see that both had a career after their respective shows ended.  There’s also a mention to Icheb’s missing cortical implant, which Seven of Nine now has.

Freecloud does seem to be a cesspool, although it does provide for some fun scenes.  Almost everyone on the ship gets their own holospam.  The captain gets an ad for ship maintenance.  Agnes gets an ad that she has to punch to get rid of.  Poor Elnor doesn’t get anything.  Of course, I would imagine little is known of him, so that’s to be expected.

It’s nice to see Seven of Nine let her hair down.  She seems a little more human than when we last saw her.  She doesn’t have her jumpsuit, looking more like an Indiana Jones disciple.  I suppose that wouldn’t be far off, as she’s working to help protect the former Neutral Zone.

I have to say I’m quickly becoming a fan of the show.  This is definitely what I might have expected from Discovery.  That’s not to speak ill of it, but there is a definite cohesion that Discovery was lacking.  I’m definitely going to continue binging.

Absolute Candor was an episode of Truth.  Now, we have Stardust City Rag, an episode about lies.  Or, rather, the truth being concealed.  Admiral Picard has the location of Bruce Maddox.  He has his hired sword.  Now, he just has to talk his way into a meeting with the woman holding Maddox.

Maddox is being held on a planet called Freecloud by a woman named Bjayzl.  As others have pointed out, she bears an eerie resemblance to Deanna Troi.  She and Maddox apparently had some sort of loan going.  Since Maddox is no longer in a position to repay that debt, Bjayzl is going to sell him to the Tal Shiar.

It’s up to Picard and crew to save him.  With him is Seven of Nine, former Borg drone.  She and Bjayzl seem to have a history.  The truth of their relationship doesn’t fully come out, but it’s clear by the end of the episode that Seven wanted revenge.  Why?  Our flashback this episode is of Icheb being tortured.  Fans of Voyager will remember Icheb as another former drone that Seven cared for.

Maddox is saved only to meet an untimely death by the end of the episode.  It’s a shame.  As much as I didn’t like Bruce Maddox, I don’t think he deserved what he got.  It does seem to set up a future episode, hopefully.  Apparently Bruce and Agnes had a thing going.  I would hope we find out what it’s all about.

While the show could be enjoyed by anyone, Star Trek: Picard is shaping up to be a series throwing out Easter eggs to long-time fans of the show.  On Freecloud, we see signs for Mott’s Hair Emporium and Quark’s Bar.  While neither is seen onscreen, it’s nice to see that both had a career after their respective shows ended.  There’s also a mention to Icheb’s missing cortical implant, which Seven of Nine now has.

Freecloud does seem to be a cesspool, although it does provide for some fun scenes.  Almost everyone on the ship gets their own holospam.  The captain gets an ad for ship maintenance.  Agnes gets an ad that she has to punch to get rid of.  Poor Elnor doesn’t get anything.  Of course, I would imagine little is known of him, so that’s to be expected.

It’s nice to see Seven of Nine let her hair down.  She seems a little more human than when we last saw her.  She doesn’t have her jumpsuit, looking more like an Indiana Jones disciple.  I suppose that wouldn’t be far off, as she’s working to help protect the former Neutral Zone.

I have to say I’m quickly becoming a fan of the show.  This is definitely what I might have expected from Discovery.  That’s not to speak ill of it, but there is a definite cohesion that Discovery was lacking.  I’m definitely going to continue binging.

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