STAR Trek: Picard has a lot to offer, whether you’re a dedicated Trekkie or newcomer to the saga.
The sci-fi series will hit Amazon Prime on Friday and in our book, it lives up to the hype that comes with such an acclaimed franchise.
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The season premiere successfully establishes a world buzzing with futuristic life, and at no point feels gimmicky or contrived.
Sir Patrick Stewart leads the charge with a touching, nuanced performance as Jean-Luc Picard.
It’s clear that despite a plush retirement in a vineyard the demons of his past continue to haunt him, which makes his call to action in the form of Dahj all the more compelling.
The show’s battle sequences are truly top notch, balancing top tier choreography and stunts with impressive CGI effects.
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These explosive scenes are well balanced with more poignant moments, such as Jean-Luc’s nostalgic dream sequences and heart-wrenching televised interviews about his past trauma.
Much of the cast are yet to be introduced in episode 1, but Isa Briones’ portrayal of Dahj offers up a heady mix of panic and unbridled power.
Meanwhile the brooding introduction of Harry Treadaway’s character Narek sets the stage for a cunning, duplicitous villain, who we can’t wait to see more of in the coming weeks.
Special mention to the show’s cinematography must be made, with a series of stunning locations and dramatic camerawork offering up a visual extravaganza.
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The drama is also peppered with moments of comedy, which serve to break up what could otherwise be a heavy-going introduction to Picard’s signs of PTSD.
If you’ve never watched previous series of Star Trek before and skipped the recent film reboots, fear not – Picard eases newbies in with a good amount of lore and context.
However, no doubt long-running fans will get more out of the comebacks of Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine and Michelle Hurd’s Raffi Musiker, which were teased in an extended preview clip.
While we still have a lot of unanswered questions, Star Trek: Picard has piqued our interests enough for us to happily persevere with this well-acted and visually-enchanting series.
Star Trek: Picard will be released on Amazon Prime on January 24.
