Oh fun, so Jack is a sleeper agent and we’ve got the Samurai, Raffi, and the Titan coming together as one. Directed by Dan Liu once again, this is the last of his work until the airing of “Lost in Translation.” An episode that would air only a couple of months after this Star Trek: Picard’s season and “The Bounty” itself, of course. Written by, in a rare show of form from Star Trek of late, Christopher Monfette is the sole writer of a pretty good episode. Between this season and what I’ve heard recently, maybe I should go back and give Terry Matalas’ 12 Monkeys’ show a fairer shake.

Either Amanda Plumber is being paid like a sports personality and showing it, or she’s a fantastic actor when given a great monologue. After dropping the Titan’s transponder buoy, the crew of the USS Starfleet’s Most Wanted are about to drop three organization members into a top-secret black site where all of Section 31’s weapons and experiments are. Meanwhile, the good Admiral goes off to talk to Reading Rainbow and his daughter. That’s a summation in record time, maybe next week I can get “Dominion” down to a single sentence?

This is what I meant by rollercoaster/act structure metaphors, 1-4 perfectly built to that first pique, 5 sets up for 6, and 6 is setting up for all that is left to come. Not only that, but Dan Liu directs some shots like it is the nerd version of a site that will ask if you’re 18 or not. That whole bit by Geordi’s museum had me almost priapic at the shots of just about every ship, but especially NCC-2893 and NX-74205. Then you have that third act, and I’m going blind.

Have I said that I quite like Picard’s third season? Maybe it is just the new characters actually feeling like characters, or maybe it is actually setting up for something, but by jove I’m finally enjoying myself. So Vadic is out here finding the Titan’s transponder and demanding to search for everyone JL has ever loved, so cue the next cameo. The Shrike is out of the black hole and the threat is once again chasing our leads, just now with the help of the Changelings that have infiltrated Starfleet.

As a way to figure out what is actually going on, in memory of Ro after she harakiri’d herself to give the Titan a fighting chance, we get the reunion of Worf, Picard, Bill, and of course Bev. Off the top of my head, I can’t remember Worf and Seven meeting, though his pet human is in lesbians with Seven, so that’s another season 2 continuation. What’s that now, three bits from seasons 1 and 2. Oh, ring the bell of having to watch the prior two seasons.

Being snippety at things I don’t like isn’t important, what is important is that I spent so much of this episode holding back gentle tears of happiness. I’ve watched “The Bounty” three times now and it isn’t a great look to be like Shaw, having dinner, shoveling a mountain of pasta in your face as you smile and sort of cry at the heavy use of fan service. In fact, can we even call it fan service? It also services the plot quite well.

The first of which was that meeting between Picard and Worf again, with that comment about the wine making me smile. That’s what I love about this season in particular, the characters feel like themselves. I liked Kestra and that weird episode on Nepenthe, but that wasn’t Bill, that wasn’t Deanna, and that wasn’t Picard, it was something else. Having Bill figure out the notes as they shook Daystrum, having that mean something to the plot and character meant something to me, the viewer, and that’s the second point I was near sobbing over pasta.

Sending in the three best covert agents: A pacifist Klingon, an old man who’s only a Captain, and an addict who has been in and out of Starfleet more times than my fork. Meanwhile, escaping discovery (oh I wish we could) the Titan zips away to Sidney’s favorite place, the Fleet Museum by Athan Prime, commanded by Commodore La Forge… Geordi La Forge. And there I go again, wanting to cry because of stupid sexy fan service being its stupid sexy self by giving me stupid sexy storytelling that means something. However, LeVar Burton isn’t alone.

Bringing his daughter in both senses, we’ve got the joint first-best PC Gaming Show host, Mica Burton. Not only that, we get the third and final appearance of Daniel Davis as Professor James Moriarty, tormented by a tune that took us back to a far point (yes) in the timeline. I keep calling it fan service because it is there to (in the wrestling sense) pop the fans and have them feeling happy about what they are seeing. Unlike the Marvel easter eggs and such though, it means something to the plot, so is it really fan service?

Under request from Jean-Luc, Geordi comes over to the Titan and explains why the ship can still be tracked. A stupid Windows update that adds stupid features that no one ever asked for in a month of Sundays. Just stop being a budget Apple! All ships in Starfleet, at least from the Federation side, can talk to each other. Transponder buoy or not, modern technology is a waste of space that just wants to interconnect to everything else so someone, somewhere (probably the Cheyenne Mountain Complex), can somehow track you and report you to some poke-nose bastard.

So theoretically, the Titan is done, “goosed,” no way to save it from being discovered eventually and the four-person crew in Daystrum can’t be rescued. Wait, did I let it slip there is a fourth body to extract? Whoops! After a bit of exploration through the Section 31 experiments, a hologram asking Bill to whistle about a weasel, and eventually finding the core that is keeping this place secure, Raffi, Bill, and Worf find Data’s body. Data’s semi-working body at least.

At this point, yeah, I’m a near sobbing mess every time I try to watch “The Bounty.” Not only is it a great episode that understands character, motivation, and beats of the plot, but brings the whole story together to truly be the unofficial TNG season 8 release. Despite even seeing NCC-74656, with Seven reminiscing about it (rightfully), I’m still here wondering where these episodes of Picard have been for the last two seasons.

There is a heart at the core of the writing that shows not only the love for the franchise or one particular part of it, but love for the characters individually. Something that gives us something, someone to root for and care for when it hits the fan and Vadic is out here kidnapping former Captains of the Titan. When the second-best engineer (we do not betray the great Miles O’Brian in this house) is pleading with his former Captain and his daughters for their safety. I adore “The Bounty.”

Not just because Jack is out here feeling weird about being some sort of sleeper agent that took out four Changelings at the end of “Imposters,” and maybe not because he’s taken the HMS Bounty’s cloaking device. It feels like a more cohesive show and episode giving us a direction to go in from here on out. I don’t like bringing it up so much, I really don’t, but where could I say that about the prior two seasons? Better still, at this point did the prior two have one last “surprise” to unveil at this point?

Ultimately, “The Bounty” is fantastic. A brilliant coming together of not only Picard storylines but TNG storylines that feel fun, exciting, and generally heart-warming. I mean, look at me, I didn’t even mention my hatred for “Threshold” this time, that’s how good Monfette’s writing, Metalas’ show-running, B Derrick and Rossetter’s story editing, and Liu’s direction is for the episode. If it weren’t for “No Win Scenario” being so good, “The Bounty” would be fighting for the top spot on my power rankings of Picard episodes.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Star Trek: Picard "The Bounty"

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• So many ship shots.
• It is just TNG season 8, but good.
• So much character it almost makes up for seasons 1 and 2.
• That turn to Geordi makes you want to cry.
• "Jean-Luc Picard. Jean-Luc Picard. Jean-Luc Picard."

Cons

• Everyone loves awkward Lesbians.