Mr. Plinkett's Star Trek Picard Review

I still can’t believe the ‘shut the fuck up’ lady is the great Ann Magnuson. Another wasted opportunity for the pile.

Leo Puppytime

Thank you, to the entire team at Red Letter Media who contributed to this. I sat through the entire series and it was a miserable experience. I could see the world that Star Trek had become and it felt like it hated people like me. It felt like optimisim, compassion, and the excitement of exploring the universe and ourselves, was actively hated by the creators of this show. After watching the humiliating, cliche, pointless, bombastic, garish, nonsensical, violent, and empty final 2 episodes, I felt angry and miserable. I felt betrayed by the one thing I held onto in the angry, turbulant, terrified world we live in right now. I felt real dispair. It's for a television show that was ultimately being made for a profit of a television studio and it's advertisers, but it gave me the hope and drive for science and space when I was young. Now it hates people like me. That eviseration and deep dive through the show gave me the laugh and comradarie that the show stripped away, but it was the ending that made the difference. Hearing Captain Sisko explain the entire point of the Federation, Starfleet, Star Trek, and why so many nerds flock to it and embarass themselves for it, broke me out of that "depression". I really needed that release and you reminded me that Star Trek may be gone, but it won't be forgotten.

You know what I would watch? Mike and Rich talking about different seasons of OLD star trek. Why not talk about like DS9 or Voyager at more length? Not the movies, but the actual shows. I like the videos on new star trek in a disaster-porn kind of way, but it's getting a little depressing IMO. Of course there's probably some trade-off between making even more star trek content and driving poor Jay completely insane. And god knows if anyone would watch a ReView for a tv show that hasn't aired in two decades - but I would!

Word on the street is that Mr. Plinkett's review somehow made its way to media execs, which then somehow caused them to pass on an upcoming Secret Hideout pitch.

Speaking for myself, I was a Star Trek fan from way back, but I only watched the shows and movies, but now I am diving hard into STO and the books and the comics., desperate to experience real Star Trek again. And that is partly because of RLM reminding me that Star Trek deserved better treatment then it is getting now.

Twisted Wishes

Mike, I'm really sorry about Star Trek. It's hard when something you love changes so much that you don't recognize it anymore. But even though you can't change what happens in Hollywood, I feel confident in saying that you have inspired a renewed interest in Star Trek for a bunch of weirdos on the internet. That's something.

Amy Hitchner

Can anyone tell me if there’s a way to listen to these I. Audio only ?

Where the hell were pizza rolls and dead wives and murder basements? Ya know Harry Plinkett stuff.

SR Hadden

This is Mirror Universe Star Trek. Nothing more.

Dan Hiestand

Yeah this is another aspect that really makes me sad - having recently become a Dad my wife and I have been looking forward to watching Trek (especially TNG) with my son when he's a bit older, not sure why they felt new Trek needs to compete with Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad, it's always been a show for the whole family up until now

Matt P

Well worth the wait! Thanks guys! I've no idea why they chose to make the new Treks so 'edgy' in such a gratuitous way. I know that I can sit my kids down in front of any episode of the old Trek without any danger of them seeing someone's eye being pulled out or people swearing. You can still deal with difficult themes without that kind of thing, just look at the later episodes of DS9. There's *no* reason whatsoever to resort to shock value to make a point. Would love to see a new Trek that combines the newer SFX (Which do generally look great, in fairness) with the quality of writing from the earlier series.... Have a feeling I'll be waiting a long time for that, though.

Trefor

Ronette. I see what you did there. ;)

Renus Dewberry

The drawings are fantastic! The review superb! No mask can hide the smile you guys have made! Be safe and thanks u awl 👍🎅🏿!

Kendel Fargo

This theory is a good one and I will choose to believe it, Picard was such a misery to watch.

That's called "precession of simulacra" and considering how much of the modern American economy is based around media product and internet content discussing said product, I doubt it's going anywhere soon.

margrave86

I watched the new Plinkett review two times, and then I realized that we humans today turn into Talosians. We're even trapped in similar cages, the cage of fantasy. What was formerly a secondary world to complement reality, becomes the primary world. Difference is that the Talosians collectively improved their mental powers considerably, while humans in the west rather don't use their brains, which in the long run leads to a similar outcome: the loss of ability to sustain material well-being and a peaceful society. I believe we need to be more scientific and explore and see which visions of the future are feasible and which ones are just fantasy.

Marvin Falz

I'm sticking with my theory that "Star Trek: Picard" happens in the Mirror Universe. It explains the frequent psychopathic behavior and general misery of the characters perfectly.

DonMac

Honestly, I find Jeri's statement reassuring. I was really worried that she didn't remember her character, just like Patrick Stuart doesn't remember who Picard is.

Yeah Rafi's character makes no sense - her hardships wouldn't exist in the real Trek future, and predictably, as is the case with all whackadoo conspiracy theorists in TV shows/Movies, her insane tin foil hat theories just turn out to be the 'answers" to the shows "mysteries" - I've not seen that actress in anything else, maybe she's better in other things, but in Picard whole performance was just fidgeting and huffing, and her dialogue/performance all feels like "I'm in an edgy one-woman off broadway play I wrote myself!" - that scene with her son at the world's most uncomfortable looking fertility clinic (it was unclear if he worked there, was a patient, or both) felt like something out of the Hallmark christmas movies my 81 year old mother in law watches.

Matt P

I saw a video on youtube of some fancon event before Picard came out, Jeri Ryan kept joking about how she panicked on set for Picard because she couldn't find Seven's voice in any of the dialogue - JR makes it sound funny, but the capital crime in hollywood is bashing the project before its released so seems like she was being clever to get this info out - - also Marina Sirtis says in another promo interview how she called the Picard producers the day before she started shooting to ask if they knew she wore a wig and contact lens as Troi... which apparently they didn't - MS says she luckily had stolen the wig and contacts when Nemesis wrapped so she still had them - - but just think if she hadn't of asked or hadn't swiped these items Picard team just wouldn't have had them... so shameful, what poor attention to even basic details

Matt P

I'm also going through Voyager currently - I was in college when it aired and missed most of it at the time because I wasn't really watching any TV - it's much better than I've heard over the years and completely agree with what you said about Seven - we were right in the thick of some of her best episodes in the 6th season when she showed up on Picard, and the damage done to her character nearly gave me whiplash - such a crappy ending for Icheb too who is a great part of Voyager

Matt P

Can someone explain to me why Rafi's life is a mess when we meet her? I get that her Starfleet career going down the drain made her spiral, but why did she lose her career? Because they rejected her and Picard's proposal to save the Romulans? That's a career-killer? Seriously? That to me is the bigger problem than any of the obvious plot-logic flubs. The forced characterizations for Rafi, Rios, and Agnes is so painfully eye-rolling I almost went blind. Mike could have just as easily put up countless (paid-for) blog headlines about how the "troubled" and "imperfect" characters in Picard make it "boldly go where no Trek has gone before" or some bullshit. But 2 seconds of scrutiny into any of their "problems" immediately reveals how little thought went into these "complicated" characters. Every time I see Rafi sobbing while taking a swig from some bottle I'm just shaking my head saying "why"?

Chris L

I'm presently watching VOY for the first time and one thing that has really upset me about Picard is that Seven of Nine actually had a character in VOY. Yeah, she was added for sex appeal, but they didn't waist the opportunity of a new character. She always stands up straight, speaks with a semi-stilted speech pattern--almost always pauses mid-sentence before giving an opinion as if weighing how objective she is being. She holds Janeway and the Doctor as role models for morality and individuality. And she was an incredible scientist. In Picard, she just seems murder crazy and nothing more. I know it's been a substantial amount of time, and her character needs to have progressed in individuality in some degree, but seeing her loss sight of the morality she was learning on Voyager and her complete abandonment of the scientific study she cared about more than anything in the world is absurd. She literally made Janeway repurpose a room on Voyager so she could have an astrometrics lab, and then she spent 95% of her time there. While I can see her becoming a vigilante of some kind, it would be in a lab, not in a fighter ship. The writers of Picard took an intelligent, complex woman and turned her into a 2D murder junkie. So much for empowerment.

Picard's cluelessness reminds me of Lemro.

Bort Ward

kurtzman is an idiot but chabon is going out of his way to annoy everyone.

Paul Celozzi

I don't think it's fair to lump Chabon in with Kurtzman, et al. He won a Pulitzer Prize and based on interviews he clearly knows his Star Trek lore. (He also diplomatically said he was told to tone down the Trek-ism for the benefit of the normies in the audience.) The fact that he's washing his hands of season two suggests he knows what a shitshow this...shit show...is.

margrave86

This was just confusing to me. I think it's impossible for Mike to make someothing about Star Trek for people who haven't watched the show. He knows too much and I know too little. I guess the show sucked. Good to know.

Chris

This video essay review is Mike Stoklasa's Masterpiece.

Isolated Thunderstorms

At the risk of sounding like a dramatic doofus... At the very end, when you played that montage, I felt very happy. I felt like going back and rewatching old Trek. Then, as soon as the montage from Picard was playing, I started to cry; not kidding. Holy fuck, what a jarring transition.

Sammy Allouba

“At least train wrecks have a purpose.” 😂

Dan Hiestand

Just watched #PlinkettPicardReview I laughed, I cried, was not really for the feels, I’m a wreck, I cannot cope, and simply wasn’t emotionally ready for that 😭😢🤧🤖

Mack Swagger

He doesn't actually believe that being gay is a choice or that racism is good. That's Mike's humorous way of saying that the show seems to be saying those things. You can call this insensitive, but that's his style and he probably will not change. However, I don't think his point is insensitive. His point is that it's ambiguous whether these characters are REALLY gay or REALLY bi. Evidence suggested that they were straight, but then later they act gay. If they had been gay or bi all along, it would have been nice if there was evidence of them being gay all along. In short, the homosexuality on display seems like a contrivance to placate an audience rather than a believable character trait. There's a fine line between fluid sexuality and lazy writing and it's not always easy to tell. Lastly, to clarify, when Mike said "being gay is a choice" he was joking. When Mike said "Make Picard gay!", he was not joking. Mike does not care which sexual orientation a character has as long as the writing makes sense and is interesting.

Jeremy

These fucks think we need Star Trek Picard in 2020, when what we really needed was Plinkett. <3

Declan

Proud of you for cancelling CBS All Access Mike. Your coverage of new Star Trek, constrasting it with the old, has been some of the richest lessons on writing that RLM has ever created. I know your search for meaning has caused you a lot of grief, but now that you've finally given up, I'd like to say that you have redeemed the nihilistic nonsense of Discovery and Picard with your own insights. Your exploration of Star Trek is complete and you have earned your own vineyard retirement.

Jeremy

This was very well done. #impressed

Edward Limoges

Someone (not me cause I couldn't be arsed) should start a petition to get kurtzman removed from star track

Tomas

Now fingers crossed for Mike to drop a secret Plinkett of Wish Upon one day later like he’s Beyoncé...

Bojac

I missed the more Plinkett aspects (dead wives, fucked cats) and wish the explanation of the story was upfront (since I wasn’t going to bother with this crapola), but it’s good to have our old psycho.

Bojac

great stuff

Mrshieldsy

wow Star Trek Picard Review. wow. best episode of series television review I have seen in a very very long time #PicardFinaleReview

Tarv

In "The Icarus Factor" Dr. Ronette Pulaski (;-)) says: "I'm just glad that humans have progressed beyond the need for barbaric display. " Troi answers that human males still engage in physically fighting each other. And Pulaski adds that it's like men never grow up, implying that women have progressed beyond barbarism. So I take it, that women have regressed within 30 years between the end of TNG and the beginning of Picard for no apparent reason.

Marvin Falz

What a great comment by a real human!

Wow! What a great and fantastic review.Episode.I'm fascinated.It was such a great action but also very emotional. I cried a lot.

Ken Hall

Mad appreciation for how long the script and editing on this one must have taken. Thank you, guys!

RetroBlasting

One of the best Plinkett reviews, still kinda wish we got a final re:View because I really liked Rich's commentary but this was awesome

Joey Hollywood

I wish they'd given Mark Hamill as much say on the Star Wars sequels as they did with Patrick Stewart on "Picard"... :(

Manuel Johnen

This is the most cathartic Mr. Pinkett since The Phantom Menace. Thank you for pouring your soul into this one, Mike.

Scott Santens

Oh good, it's Star Trek! I could use a little optimismOOOOH MY GOOOOOOOOD

Lelio Mulas

Depressing

James Murphy

Just remember, this was over 90 minutes AFTER editing. Imagine what Rich Evan's life must be like, in the pre-edit world.

David Perek

Pizza Roll is a metaphor for a nostalgia-associated high. Just like literal pizza rolls, you remember loving them as a kid but they were really garbage.

David Perek

Yeah, Picard has helped me realize how "good" Enterprise was, too.

David Perek

freddie's art was so good i stopped to google it thinking there had been some kind of behind the scenes show about picard. those ideas were unironically cool and comfy like trek should be. you covered the table in peanut butter for a 1 second shot?? btw westworld s3 is as bad as picard.

Paul Celozzi

This made me very happy

Brad Clarke

Thanks, especially for bringing Roddenberry in. He was a moral reprobate in many ways but how clear a picture he and Gene Coon and a thousand other folks up to Rick Berman, etc drew of a future where morals and ethics were familiar and therefore not to be feared. And what a profound lack of imagination do we find in Chabon, Goldsman, et al. that they tell the stories they do.

Katy

Soji really was the Destroyer. She murdered what was left of Star Trek.

Aberdine Bumbledorf

Bravo!

I feel like Mike is past the “bargaining” stage of his grief about Picard and is now at “acceptance”. I don’t know if it’s the Plinkett voice or what, but he finally seems resigned about the whole thing.

Jessyca Sweeten

Well done!

After watching The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager since the first episode of Picard aired, Plinkett's review resonated with me in an interesting way. The final 8 minutes or so of the Picard review kind of summarized my feelings for "new" "Star Trek" rather poignantly. It is hard to accept how harshly Roddenberry's vision has been perverted. DS9 pushed - and in many ways, even broke - his vision. But even then, they understood what his ultimate dream for the Star Trek world was about. But now... that vision has evaporated, and Star Trek no longer exists as an optimistic dream for the future. It is just a retread of all other pessimistic, thoughtless automatonic lowest-common-demoninator 'entertainment'.

AshesBoomstick

Beautiful. I went to cancel my CBS All Access account afterwards and discovered I forgot I already canceled it last month. And that was my favorite thing about Star Trek: Picard.

Renus Dewberry

I could not wait for this vid, it did not disappoint. Thanks RLM!!! Live Long & Plinkett.

Rebecca

Did Mike make this video because no one including Rich would talk to him about the show? 😆

I'm so confused by the being gay is a choice portion of the video. Then assuming being bi is an evolutionary thing instead of just a thing that people currently are? I know you don't have bad intentions but it feels out of touch. Reminiscint of your Pixels review where you forget bi people exist.

LittleTub

I'm going to name my son Sheer Fucking Hubris

I came here to leave a comment on your webzone

AJ Garner

Thanks for taking one for the team with this whole awful Picard mess. What an wasted opportunity to make an interesting show. Nice job Plinkett, you gross hack.

Yarn From Space

I'm still waiting for my damned pizza rolls, you dick!

AshesBoomstick

Based

Dracula

Sweet!

Marvin Falz

You hack/frauds honestly just made my week...possibly month

G Fresh

Here's hoping we also get a Star Trek: Strange New Worlds review when it comes out, we enjoy watching you suffer.

I'm in the Jay camp where I've seen the films, but I'm not a fan like Mike or Rich. However, you know if Mr. Plinkett is putting out a video the shit is about to get real. Also nice to see not even coronavirus can kill Mr. Plinkett.

AllGoodNamesRGone

Today is my 20th birthday. This made my day in ways the RLM crew couldn't possibly understand. Thank you for the countless smiles and laughs over the years! Sincerely, a loyal fan -Stephen (:

Stephenn

THANK YOU

COMMENTERS: Please don't spoil whether or not he likes it!

Chris L

Haha, please tell me one of your accounts is actually blocked by Shatner and CBS.

Fancy McShane

CANNOT WAIT. Half an hour till lunchtime!

Nathan Costello

Fuck yeah an hour and a half of new RLM

Jessyca Sweeten

I knew there was a reason they were keeping us waiting

Nemo

How's it feel to live long enough to see all your favorite franchises go up in flames

Ricardo Rodriguez

Yes!!

Peter Miller

Noice! This will be my evening’s entertainment. Thank you Mr Plinkett!! Pizza Rolls are in the mail.

Mike St Louis

Aww yeah! My wife makes me go in the other room to watch when she hears Plinkett's voice.

Robert Dodrill

Oh hell yes.

Dan Hiestand

I’ve never been so ready for anything else in my life.

Smellulon-5

Bless up

He protec, he attack, but most importantly, he back!

Tina Mora

Yessss, the Review that was Promised!!!

Giancarlos Delgado-Braun

Thanks for all that you guys do. Every upload is something to look forward to.

Joshua Mannix