Picard’s Divisive First Season Embraced a Darker Star Trek Reality

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The last season of the show finally gave fans what they’d been hoping for since The Next Generation concluded thirty years ago. However, the show’s first season presented a troubled, somewhat unrecognizable Jean-Luc Picard, leading some to believe it barely resembled Star Trek. But, as often happens with the world Gene Roddenberry created, the show has gained relevance with time. The first season of Picard feels particularly impactful now, with its more somber take on the Star Trek universe mirroring the mood of the country today.

Before the new Star Trek movie, Section 31, comes out – a film that’s already proving quite controversial – it’s worth remembering that Star Trek has always aimed to reflect the issues of its time. However, the meaning of those reflections often becomes clearer with hindsight. This is especially true for Star Trek: Picard Season 1, which dealt with artificial intelligence facing prejudice from both the good guys and the bad. While some viewers saw this as a commentary on the current excitement around AI technology, that wasn’t the intended message.

Backlash to Season 1 of Star Trek: Picard Was Mostly Due to Fans’ Anticipation

In 2018 at the Star Trek Las Vegas convention, Patrick Stewart surprised everyone by announcing he’d be reprising his most famous role. However, a year later, the new show gave fans who were hoping for a continuation of The Next Generation some worries. Unlike Admiral Kirk in The Motion Picture, who simply missed being in command, Jean-Luc Picard had resigned from Starfleet after a devastating attack. This attack, carried out by artificial workers, wiped out a fleet sent to help the Romulans, who had lost their home planet, and Picard strongly disagreed with the decision-making that led to it.

The first season of the show centered around Soji, a woman who was actually an artificial lifeform built using the same technology as Data. Picard felt a strong connection to her, viewing her as the ‘daughter’ of an old friend, and was determined to protect her. However, a powerful group wanted Soji eliminated, and Starfleet ultimately made simply being her a crime. Many Star Trek fans didn’t enjoy the season’s darker themes and the way established characters treated Picard. This led them to miss a crucial point: the show revealed a deep corruption within Starfleet itself, with individuals who opposed its core values secretly gaining positions of authority.

The negative reaction to Picard mainly stems from it not being the Star Trek continuation fans expected. Many hoped for something similar to the Season 3 reunion of The Next Generation crew, which felt like a proper farewell after the disappointing ending of Star Trek: Nemesis. Considering this series is likely the last time we’ll see this character, fans initially struggled with its direction. However, once they’ve had time to process their disappointment, they may recognize Star Trek: Picard Season 1 as a surprisingly relevant story about marginalized groups, and ultimately appreciate how it embodies the enduring and powerful themes of Star Trek.

Picard’s Efforts to Save Soji and Her Siblings Are a Relevant Allegory (But Not an Obvious One)

As artificial intelligence becomes more widespread, it’s worth considering the lessons from shows like Star Trek. Characters like Data and Soji, or even the holographic figures in Starfleet Academy, feel truly alive – they seem to have a spirit. Star Trek often explores scenarios where machines replace people, and these stories consistently warn against the dangers of relying too heavily on non-sentient technology. While Star Trek: Picard Season 1 focuses on artificial beings, it can also be seen as a story about the struggles of immigrants and other groups who have faced discrimination. It also highlights how easily an organization can be damaged when those in power don’t share its core values.

Nationalistic policies that prioritize one group over others almost always lead to the mistreatment of those seen as different. In the first season of Picard, the synthetic beings Soji and her “siblings” represent this “other.” This kind of attitude is often rooted in fear – or xenophobia – where one group turns against another simply because they are different and seeking peaceful lives. In the show, a Romulan group fears synthetic life due to a strange prophecy about a powerful, technologically advanced race that supposedly wants to destroy all organic life. This group deliberately caused an attack, knowing it would create fear and cause Starfleet to question its own principles. Star Trek has always been known for telling stories from many different viewpoints.

I’ve always been struck by something fascinating in the first season of Picard. It really hit home when I realized Soji and the other synthetics were actually less prone to violence than many of the organic races we see, like the Romulans or Klingons. It made me think of studies showing immigrants in the U.S. are statistically less likely to commit crimes than native-born citizens. That’s core to what Starfleet should be about – discovering new life, wherever it comes from, and welcoming it into the Federation. It’s a beautiful idea, really – that being part of something bigger isn’t about where you’re from, but about shared values like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. What’s so compelling about Season 1 is how it shows the Federation failing to live up to that ideal, while Picard himself never lost sight of it.

As a Serialized Drama, Star Trek: Picard Ended by Upholding the Starfleet Ideal

Viewers of The Next Generation were accustomed to episodes that neatly wrapped up complex issues within an hour. You could see Picard as a single TNG episode expanded to fill an entire season. When Picard argues for the rights of synthetic lifeforms, the series ultimately affirms doing the right thing. Captain Riker arrives with Starfleet’s full support to defend these beings, and while the story takes more time to unfold, it delivers the kind of optimistic resolution that Star Trek fans appreciate – a resolution where problems are solved quickly and effectively.

The U.S. has always struggled with how it treats immigrants, but the situation is particularly difficult now. The show Picard reminds us that overcoming fear and embracing inclusivity is a recurring theme. A core principle of the Star Trek universe, created by Gene Roddenberry, is celebrating “infinite diversity in infinite combinations.” The repetition of “infinite” emphasizes that a truly inclusive society welcomes all kinds of differences without limits. As seen in the first season, there’s no justification for fearing or rejecting synthetic beings like Soji any more than there is for fearing any living creature with free will – flaws and all.

Real-world political problems are always more complicated than those seen in fictional stories. Shows like Star Trek aren’t meant to create laws or dictate policy. Just as there’s no perfect government in reality, Starfleet and the Federation represent aspirational ideals. Star Trek‘s stories remind us to keep striving for a better future. Even when the fictional system in Star Trek falters – as seen in Picard Season 1 – dedicated individuals can restore things. Picard Season 1 does this as well as any previous series, suggesting it might simply take more effort in today’s world to remember and uphold those core ideals.

The complete Star Trek: Picard is available on DVD, Blu-ray, digital, and streams on Paramount+.

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2026-02-16 04:37