# Star Trek: Picard discussion thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529 "2019-06-14T22:58:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/361 "2020-02-16T11:40:29Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > The XO skipper’s holographic pal made me wonder: are all AIs beyond a certain level now banned in the Federation, making even sentient holograms illegal, or are only Data-type androids using “positronic brains” verboten? Seems like a hacked/rogue AI could still do a lot of damage even without an android body. What about Korby-type and other known android technologies? (I guess all those are obviously banned now too, though it doesn’t seem like the Federation was ever able to recover that tech, especially with that Romulan cabal that “operate without regard for treaty or jurisdiction” in their mission to purge the galaxy of all synthetic life.) What about non- or only semi-intelligent robots on assembly lines and such? All automated factories suddenly getting shut down sounds like a catastrophic disaster, I’ve been wondering about these issues, too. The (IMO unnecessarily proliferated, but well) holographic helpers of various kinds are clearly pretty sophisticated AIs, and there doesn’t seem to be any great hindrance to having them control robot bodies, so what’s the difference between them and the synths? Is it just that they still have to be connected to some huge ship computer, thus lacking the autonomy of data-type androids? It just seems kinda incongruous that, on the one hand, the Federation now seems to operate on a general ‘AI bad’ policy, while there’s like five sophisticated AIs running around on Broody Beardguy’s ship alone. What’s the salient difference between synths and holos? Seems like this is something that needs to be addressed. ---
**Author:** ![Sandwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@Sandwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandwood)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/362 "2020-02-16T20:14:59Z")
I’m starting to think what they actually mean is Intelligent Artificial _Life_ and not just Artificial Intelligence per se. I think that we can agree that one definition of artificial intelligence would probably include sentience and self-awareness, and an ability to learn and to change. I never watched any of the newer series after Voyager, mind you, but the only holograms of that level that I know of were Moriarty and the Holo-Doc, and both were very much unique if for different reasons. And yet they weren’t even granted the status of personhood despite obviously being sentient and self-aware, and mostly this seems to be because they lack a permanent physical body. On the other hand, those synths on Mars seemed very basic to me. Their communication skills were at a minimal level and not geared towards even learning how to interact more naturally, and it looks like they were barely more than worker drones, not capable of performing much more than just the work they were created for. If they possessed any self-awareness, it was probably rudimentary at best. And yet their going rogue led to the “ban of AIs”. The one thing they did have that even the most sentient of holograms doesn’t is a real actual body. So could it be just that? There isn’t just one biological definition of what life is, but many of the common definitions start with the fact that it’s about _physical entities_. (Sorry, energy beings, we’re totally ignoring you here.) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/363 "2020-02-17T00:05:15Z")
> [@Sandwood](#): > > I never watched any of the newer series after Voyager, mind you, but the only holograms of that level that I know of were Moriarty and the Holo-Doc, and both were very much unique if for different reasons. And yet they weren’t even granted the status of personhood despite obviously being sentient and self-aware, and mostly this seems to be because they lack a permanent physical body. Wasn’t the Doctor granted personhood after _Voyager_ returned to the Alpha Quadrant? At least in the first time line in which it took 23 years for _Voyager_ to return, he was married and named himself Joe, after his wife’s grandfather. And he had his holographic emitter, which allowed him to move about freely. This timeline was erased by Janeway, however, but it’s reasonable to assume the Doctor’s petition for personhood was granted. Also, the holographic Las Vegas singer Vic Fontaine was sentient, although his status after _Deep Space Nine_ is unknown. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/364 "2020-02-17T03:09:33Z")
WOW ep 4 addressed two of my complaints of Kurtz Trek. Stewart seemed much more like the old Picard we knew AND HOLY SHIT a space battle with both narrative cohesion and strong Sound and special FX!! No more of that Abrams vipvipvipvipvip that sounded no more deadly then flies. The Romulan beams had a very strong bass quality to them. Loved it. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/365 "2020-02-17T16:45:07Z")
I loved the wing getting sliced off of the Bird of Prey, nice detail improvement over the simple pew pew pew boom of previous series. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/366 "2020-02-17T17:25:42Z")
I am guessing its shields and active defences generally were not in a good state of repair. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/367 "2020-02-18T05:11:15Z")
Allison Pill seems so obviously a plant (Or Oh in disguise)…im hoping there’s a rwist…like the heroes being onto her the whole time. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/368 "2020-02-18T13:01:05Z")
Who else is assuming that a Giant! Twist! will be that it is not a captain and some look-alike holograms but a hologram and some look-alike holograms? (The hidden is speculation, but _could_ end up becoming a spoiler.) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/369 "2020-02-18T13:47:40Z")
Just watched the first 4 episodes last night. I can’t be only person to make the _Blade Runner_ comparison, can I? I was practically expecting Deckard to show up at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/370 "2020-02-18T14:04:34Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Just watched the first 4 episodes last night. > > I can’t be only person to make the _Blade Runner_ comparison, can I? I was practically expecting Deckard to show up at some point. …Yes? I’m not seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/371 "2020-02-20T15:54:42Z")
Apparently they have no spam filters in the future. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/372 "2020-02-20T17:01:17Z")
I noticed how everyone in Cyberpunk City, including the lounge pianist, was rigged for emergency transport to escape at short notice, but not the evil villain. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/373 "2020-02-20T17:31:43Z")
Also, this epidode confirms that French is really dead… ---
**Author:** ![tingbudong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tingbudong/32/520_2.png) [@tingbudong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tingbudong)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/374 "2020-02-21T06:29:39Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > WOW ep 4 addressed two of my complaints of Kurtz Trek. Stewart seemed much more like the old Picard we knew AND > > HOLY SHIT a space battle with both narrative cohesion and strong Sound and special FX!! > > No more of that Abrams vipvipvipvipvip that sounded no more deadly then flies. > > The Romulan beams had a very strong bass quality to them. Loved it. Nice to see Frakes back in the director seat. The man can still put together a.great space battle. Sent from my SM-A505W using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![tingbudong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tingbudong/32/520_2.png) [@tingbudong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tingbudong)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/375 "2020-02-21T06:30:39Z")
Cool shout out to Quark on Freecloud. Looks like he’s franchising now. Sent from my SM-A505W using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/376 "2020-02-21T10:03:08Z")
> [@tingbudong](#): > > Cool shout out to Quark on Freecloud. Looks like he’s franchising now. Hey, don’t be racist–maybe “Quark” is the “Patel” of Farenginar! ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2020, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/377 "2020-02-22T06:59:03Z")
I’m begininng to suspect I’m the only person on Earth who saw first run TOS eps and who loves this show. There were a couple of YT presences who i respect who said they loves it at first…but they’ve fallen off and devolved into: “Character assasination…too obvious…not the Feds i know” BLAHBLAHBLAH I haven’t seen a GD thing that doesn’t make perfect sense to me. “7 BLAH BLAH BLAH…she ETC ETC ETC” She was perfectly motivated. Trying too hard Too gory Unnessecery cursing Yeah, ok…doesn’t bother me, but I get those complaints. But I haven’t seen any major character arcs or changes that don’t make sense. IF ANNNNNNNYTHINNNNG…the pansy-ass ‘Fed way’ of the end of S1 DISCO or when Archer decided he had crossed a line in ENT and wouldn’t do it again. THOSE are what never made sense. DS9 (IMHO) struck the right balance. You had a lead who was willing to make and live with hard decisions and the people around him would be sounding boards. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2020, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/378 "2020-02-22T07:22:03Z")
> [@tingbudong](#): > > Cool shout out to Quark on Freecloud. Looks like he’s franchising now. And Mot’s Hair Emporium as well. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/379 "2020-02-28T17:40:13Z")
No interest in the latest episode? Things are finally actually happening. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529/380 "2020-02-28T17:42:53Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > No interest in the latest episode? Things are finally actually happening. I enjoyed it - I’m confused by atleast one plot point, but will wait to see how it plays out. I’m enjoying the season overall -and I’ll bet when its all said and done, a full rewatch will be satisfying as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-picard-discussion-thread/835529.md?page=20)