barbaraallen-67981

I loved Star Trek Next Generation, loved the character of Jean Luc Picard and loved the way that series explored big ideas. From what I could tell, Data's struggles with his own evolving humanity provided the fodder for this series, Picard. All well and good, but there are so many problems with the execution of this series. The dialogue is overly complicated and delivered by many of the less seasoned actors in a breathless, strangely offhand manner. The young scientists and researchers all seem so lightweight and unlikely. Or much too intense without any apparent reason for it. Is the goal to appeal to fans of the Next Generation AND the X-Men? That might explain some of the casting choices and plot points.The massive talent that is Patrick Stewart is being wasted here.

This was quite possibly the most creative of all the episodes in Little America. I was riveted by the actors' performances. If you've ever experienced a silent retreat, you would recognize how quickly the world transforms once speaking stops. The slightest noise acquires significance. Primal instincts begin to surface, as this story tells it, with comic results. The actors had a rare opportunity to convey their characters without the use of dialogue for most of the story. This led to some of the most nuanced performances I've seen in a long time. Clearly I loved it.