TheStar Trekuniverse has arguably become the most famous and beloved sci-fi franchise in television history. Since the original series first aired decades ago now, the franchise has grown to encompass a library of feature films, spin-off shows, and comics. Trekkies are known for being among the most ardent fans of any franchise, a reputation punctuated by how often there are heated debates between them overwhich rendition is better.
After the massive success and popularity of the earlier shows likeNext Generation,the two modern series,Star Trek: PicardandStar Trek: Discoveryhave taken up the mantle for the universe and sparked all new debates over which of the two is the better show. While there’s no arguing that both are great shows and have distinctive traits that define them, here are some of the reasons why we feel thatPicardis better thanDiscovery.
More Nostalgia
Among ardent fans of the franchise in all its depictions, the only Captain that ever seems capable of holding a candle to the popularity of Kirk has been Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The fact that he’s played by such a brilliant actor in Patrick Stewart has made him one of the most endearing characters across the entireStar Trekworld. Stewart’s affable style, the ease and poise with which he portrays any character, and his outstanding acting range have always imbued Picard with a natural likability as a character.
Related:Star Trek: Captain Picard’s 15 Best Quotes, Ranked
The fact that he hadn’t been around for a long time beforePicardbegan only heightened the nostalgia for the character among fans when he got his own series. Throughout the years on film and television, Captain Picard and Patrick Stewart have both become fan favorites, so having such a massive character headlining the show already gave it a huge boost. The fact that the show continued to revel in nostalgia by roping in other iconic characters like Will Riker just added to its appeal.
Picardseemed to be attuned to what die-hard fans were hoping to see most. Here’s whatAV Clubhad to say about this aspect.
“More than anything, though, it’s Star Trek: Picard’s decision to finally embrace the audience’s affection for The Next Generation that helps it soar. From the use of archival clips of that show to music queues, callback characters, and visual references, this is a Picard that at long last lets itself savor the legacy of being a Star Trek series.”
There were also some interesting characters that delved into Captain Picard’s history, such asthe Borg QueenfromStar Trek: First Contact.It was these kinds of touches that definitely gavePicarda win on the nostalgia meter. WhileDiscoveryis an excellent show too,Picardalways gave fans more hits of nostalgia by bringing back favorite characters, rather than focusing on new ones asDiscoverydoes.
Better Ratings
Whether fans agree or not, there is a pretty straightforwardbarometer to measure the shows. Between IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, the most recognized film and television rating sites, both clearly rankPicardas the better show. However, it is worth noting that in a critical sense, there wasn’t much to separate them.
WhilePicardhad a better rating of 7.3 on IMDb,Discoverywasn’t far behind with a rating of 7. Similarly, whilePicardreceived a critical rating of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes,Discoveryalso had an impressive rating of 86%. Things begin to diverge a lot more when audience ratings on the aggregator site are considered though. In that sense,Picardhas a 56% rating, withDiscoverylagging behind with a paltry 36%.
Substance Over Style
Aside from their ratings, the two shows have some pretty distinctive overall traits.Discoveryprobably edges it on sheer entertainment value as it places a lot more stock in great action and better thrills. However,Star Trekis well known for being the kind of franchise whose fans appreciate a good, intelligent story more than anything else.
While action and great effects are of course cool, most hardcore Trekkies prefer great dialogue and plots, better articulation, and plots a deep-thinking person can appreciate more. In that respect,Picardmay be a slower burn, but it featuressome brilliant storylines, more complex plots, and far more intellectual storylines.
Related:How Each Season of Star Trek Picard Fared Among Die Hard Fans
A great example of this is that both shows tackled AI stories in brilliant ways. However,Picardlooked at some amazing deeper angles to this topical theme by delving into the hopes, dreams, and desires of AI, instead of just focusing solely on the negativity of it as a source of danger.
A Better World
The last barometer is something of a nuanced one. While everyone may not agree, many lifelong fans among older generations appreciate the fact that the world ofStar Trek,throughout its many iterations, has always maintained a soul. It’s not an easy metric to define, since a soul can vary by interpretation. However, if we were to put a word to the one trait that defines the soul of Star Trek as a franchise, that word be “optimistic.”
Trace the entire world from the original series to every show andall the franchise’s moviessince, and there will of course be exceptions. Dark storylines have often made for the most compelling watches over the decades. However,Star Trekhas always maintained some closely-knitted themes such as friendship, family, and an air of good and right ultimately always being triumphant.
In this sense,Discoverymay have been bold by departing from this overall air of optimism and devouring dark and calamitous storylines. However, this included interplanetary wars that decimated entire worlds and plunged the feel of the show into dystopian realms. As engaging as this was, as fans proved with their need for nostalgia, overall happier storylines are still preferred to darker ones. After all the memorable moments,Picardalso ended on a high since it featureda scintillating finale.
Our pick isPicard,but all in all, both shows are still awesome, so fans will probably always agree to disagree on which is better. What’s your take?
