We’re “jumping on a starship” and “going on a space trip” this week in Star Trek: Picard 3×02 “Disengage.” Even though we’ve been told to “disengage,” we are doing anything but. We’re Starfleet. We don’t back down, right? Let’s get down to the bottom of this mystery and discuss Star Trek: Picard episode 3×02 “Disengage.”
Dr. Jack Crusher, I Presume
We got a brief introduction to Jack Crusher in the last episode of Star Trek: Picard, but the opening to Star Trek: Picard 3×02 “Disengage” told us much more about the character in just a few minutes than we knew previously. He’s got some good humor. I’ve got to say, I really love the lines about the people in quarantine being “immuno-resistant to bureaucracy” and “I would never bribe you with medical equipment” in reference to the bottle of Romulan Ale. I also had to laugh at the Romulan Ale bottle, as I have one.
Also, Jack apparently has an affinity for semi-obscure southern rock bands that only released two albums in the mid-70s. Who knew folks would still be digging into that sort of thing in the 24th century? What all this does for me is tell me that Jack is the kind of guy that follows the beat of his own drum. He wants to help people in need, even if it means he has to go through improper channels to do so. He brings the same energy and humor to the screen that I get from Firefly and Guardians of the Galaxy, and that does much to endear him to me. I’m looking forward to getting to know him better this season.
Raffi’s Choice
I admire Raffi’s dedication to finding out the truth and bringing whoever stole that teleportation tech and attacked Starfleet to justice. The choice that Jay, her ex gives her in order to get information is unenviable. I also think Jay is a real jerk here for making her make that choice. I know he thinks he’s protecting his son, but in reality, he’s just hurting Raffi. Raffi understands the ramifications of her choice–choosing to protect everyone from these terrorists who stole the tech instead of protecting just her son.
Her meeting with Sneed is an interesting one. Sneed is the perfect balance of Ferengi unchecked capitalism and slimy villain, and he’s played exceptionally by Aaron Stanford. He might be better known for his work on 12 Monkeys and Westworld, but I know him from playing one of the more fun bad guys from the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Pyro in X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand. But what I like best about his defeat here is that he’s taken out by everyone’s favorite Klingon, Worf! Worf is a total badass at all times, but he’s positively magnificent in this scene. And with one line, we know exactly who he is to Raffi—her handler. “I told you…do not engage.”
Titan-sized Reveals
First up, nice rescue by the Titan! It takes precision for the helm to maneuver the ship in between the Eleos and the Shrike like that, and that means Ensign Sidney La Forge is a pilot on par with Tom Paris and Erica Ortegas. Speaking of the Shrike, Captain Vadic played by brilliant character actress, Amanda Plummer is *chef’s kiss*. She’s sinister, calculating, and just unhinged enough to make her unpredictable.
Also, the Shrike? What a great ship! It’s dang intimidating. It looks like a cross between a Shadow Vessel from Babylon 5 and Nero’s ship, the Narada, from Star Trek (2009). It’s definitely my new favorite non-Federation ship. Also, that tractor beam on it is strong enough to throw a whole ship?! I definitely did a lot of yelling at the TV when that happened. Watch this week’s episode of The Ready Room so you can learn more about how it was built.
Finally, to no one’s surprise, we learn who Jack’s father is—Jean-Luc Picard. I love that the acceptance puts him back into Captain Mode™. “He’s my son!” puts Picard back on his game and gets Shaw out of the way. Shaw did his best Pontius Pilate here, basically washing his hands of the whole thing. Good. Go drink your Malbec and sulk, you jerk.
Final Thoughts
There’s still a lot being unpacked here in Star Trek: Picard episode 3×02 “Disengage.” We’ve only gained 2 more members of our O. G. crew so far. There are still several more to go if we’re getting the band back together. How many episodes will it be until we can do that? I appreciate the nice bookends between “I told you…do not engage” and “ENGAGE!” in an episode entitled “Disengage.” As the great philosopher Kenny Rogers once said, “You gotta know when to hold ‘em,” and there’s an interesting dichotomy drawn here between the ideas of knowing when to fight and when to walk.
Also, I’ve got to know, ARE BRITISH ACCENTS GENETIC?! Because Jack Crusher might be the proof we’ve been looking for. Seriously though, I can’t wait to hear how they explain that one away.
Finally, if that opening song tripped you up as sounding familiar, but being unable to place it, I’ve got the intel you need, with some help from my classic rock-loving bestie and Sound Hound. It’s called “Starchild” by a semi-obscure southern rock group from the 70s called Baby. They released 2 albums in the mid-70s and have a Wikipedia page that’s less than a paragraph long. I learned that the internet doesn’t magically hold all the lyrics to every song ever recorded either, which is why my googling yielded nothing. You can listen to the full song on YouTube.
What did you think of Star Trek: Picard 3×02 “Disengage”? Leave me a comment and let’s talk Trek.
The next episode of Star Trek: Picard will air on March 2, 2023, on Paramount+.
