With Star Trek: Picard’s third and final season currently showing, now is as good a time as any for Star Trek fans who haven’t watched the show in depth to do so. Jean-Luc Picard left the Star Trek world for almost 20 years, but he came back to lead one last big battle, even though he had planned to live in peace in his farm. The show got good reviews from the people who saw it. Not surprisingly, many watchers compared it to Star Trek: Discovery, which is another new Star Trek show that is airing right now.
Fans keep talking about whether Discovery or Picard is the better Star Trek series. Each show is better in some ways, so let’s look at what each one does well. In the 21st century, it made perfect sense for showrunners to bring back Star Trek, the best science fiction TV series ever. In addition to movies and animation series, Star Trek is back as a live-action show with all of its former glory. It now has a very dramatic and pessimistic tone that reflects the world we live in. Star Trek: Discovery started streaming in 2017, and its fourth season just ended. In 2020, Star Trek: Picard came out.
It was a nostalgic look at the captain from The Next Generation, who is now an old admiral who wants to save the world and bring all species together. Both have a lot of fans because they are both very popular. But which one is the best? The answer can be found by looking at the main ideas of each show. Some of these ideas are used in both shows, but sometimes one does better than the other. Keep reading to think about how the best Paramount+ shows are different, how they are the same, and what their best features are.
Picard vs Discovery: About
Set at the end of the 24th century, 18 years after the events of “Star Trek: Nemesis,” “Star Trek: Picard” is about retired admiral Jean-Luc Picard. Sir Patrick Stewart plays his iconic part again. He is still very sad about the death of Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner) and the destruction of Romulus, but he is ready to move on to the next part of his life. In Star Trek: Discovery, Michael Burnham and the other people on the USS Discovery go to the farthest parts of space to try to find new planets and life forms.
| Criteria | Star Trek: Picard | Star Trek: Discovery |
|---|---|---|
| Based on | The Next Generation | The Original Series |
| Budget | $8 million per episode | $8-10 million per episode |
| Created by | Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon, Kirsten Beyer, and Alex Kurtzman | Bryan Fuller |
| Genre | Science fiction drama | Science fiction adventure |
| Original network | CBS All Access(2020), Paramount+ (2022–23) | CBS (2017); CBS All Access (2017–2021); Paramount+ (2021–present) |
| Original release | January 23, 2020 | September 24, 2017 |
Picard vs Discovery: Setting and Tone
Star Trek: Picard takes place 20 years after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis, in the 24th century. The Federation is falling apart, and Picard has moved to France to live on his vineyard. When a strange young woman named Dahj asks for his help, he is called back into action. Picard’s tone is more serious and inward-looking than Discovery’s. It looks at loss, sorrow, and being able to start over. Star Trek: Discovery takes place 10 years before the first Star Trek show, in the 23rd century.
| Setting | Tone |
|---|---|
| Picard: 24th century, Earth and space | Elegiac, reflective |
| Discovery: 23rd century, Earth, space, and different time periods | Optimistic, adventurous |
| Characters: More focus on established characters | More focus on new characters |
| Themes: Loss, regret, redemption | Hope, discovery, identity |
| Pace: Slower, more episodic | Faster, more serialized |
The Federation is still young, and the space is becoming more dangerous. Discovery is a show with more action and a longer story arc than Picard. It looks at themes like hope, finding out who you are, and discovering new things. Picard takes place mostly on Earth and in space, while Discovery takes place on many different worlds and in many different times. The mood of Picard is more sad and thoughtful, while the mood of Discovery is more upbeat and full of new experiences.
Picard vs Discovery: Characters and Acting
Both Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery have great acting and strong groups of characters. In this area, though, the two shows have different pros and cons. Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation will recognise many of Picard’s characters. This is a bonus for the character. This lets the show dig deeper into the relationships and pasts of the characters. Patrick Stewart is also great as Jean-Luc Picard. He gives the part a sense of seriousness and wisdom.
| Show | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Star Trek: Picard | Strong character development, returning characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Patrick Stewart’s performance | Smaller cast, can be slow-paced at times |
| Star Trek: Discovery | Larger cast, serialized storyline, explores a wider range of characters and themes | Can be confusing at times, some characters are underdeveloped |
Discovery, on the other hand, has a more varied group of people, which reflects how the show’s stories are told more in a linear way. This makes it possible for the show to cover a bigger range of ideas and themes. Sonequa Martin-Green does a great job as Michael Burnham, balancing power and vulnerability in a nuanced performance.
Overall, the characters and acting in both Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery are both very good. Your favourite show will rely on what you like to watch. Picard is a better choice if you want to watch a show with known characters and a story that builds up over time. Discovery is the better choice if you want a show with a more diverse cast and a bigger range of topics.
Picard vs Discovery: Storylines and Themes
In recent years, Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery are two of the most popular Star Trek shows. Both shows have ideas that are hard to understand and make you think, but they do so in very different ways.
Picard takes place 20 years after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis, in the 24th century. In the show, the former captain of the USS Enterprise, Jean-Luc Picard, comes out of retirement to look into a mysterious new threat to the world. Picard is a character study that looks at ageing, loss, and being able to start over.
| Feature | Picard | Discovery |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | 24th century | 23rd century |
| Main character | Jean-Luc Picard | Michael Burnham |
| Tone | Character-driven | Action-packed |
| Themes | Aging, loss, redemption | Social and political issues |
Discovery takes place in the 23rd century, ten years before the first Star Trek show. The show follows the crew of the USS Discovery as they explore the space and face new and dangerous threats. Discovery is more like a series than Picard, and it often deals with complicated social and political problems.
Both Picard and Discovery are great shows, and each has its own strong points. Picard is more about the people in the story, while Discovery has more action. In the end, the best show for you will depend on what you like to watch.
Picard vs Discovery: Alternate Universes
Since “Mirror, Mirror” in TOS, alternate worlds have been a big part of Star Trek. It’s a fun way to learn more about characters, like when Mirror Spock turns from a beloved hero into a cruel and evil foe. This is done by Discovery with the help of the Mirror Universe. Here, Michael Burnham and her friends are cruel killers who work for Emperor Georgiou’s Terran Empire. After the original Burnham fights to stay alive in this world, she pulls Georgiou into her own reality.
The way she interacts with the other people on the Discovery, especially Burnham, gives the shows depth and feeling. Along with the violent action, this makes these episodes some of the best in the Mirror series.
Picard hasn’t yet shown the Mirror Universe, but it has shown an alternate world created by Q in which the Earth is a xenophobic nightmare that looks down on all other planets. Picard is a cruel general, and Seven of Nine is the leader of the ship. But the characters are surprised by this because when they get to this world, their thoughts and memories of the real world are still there.
To fix this, they go back to the year 2024 to fix whatever Q did to the timeline. Our heroes see a very accurate picture of our world, filled with racism, problems with immigration, and people without homes.
Picard vs Discovery: Fan Reaction and Reviews
In recent years, Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery are two of the most popular Star Trek shows. Fans have given both shows a range of reviews, with some praising the bold stories and others criticising the way they broke from typical Star Trek tropes.
People have said that Picard is a good show because it focuses on the characters and explores the themes of ageing, loss, and second chances. People have also liked the show’s visual effects and acting, especially Patrick Stewart’s turn as Jean-Luc Picard. But some fans have complained about how the show is made and how dark it is.
| Series | Fan Reaction | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Star Trek: Picard | Praised for its character-driven storytelling, visual effects, and performances; criticized for its serialized format and dark tone | Critically acclaimed, with an IMDb score of 7.3 and a Rotten Tomatoes score of 91% |
| Star Trek: Discovery | Praised for its action and adventure sequences, diverse cast of characters, and willingness to explore new territory; criticized for its fast-paced storytelling and reliance on technobabble | Critically acclaimed, with an IMDb score of 7.0 and a Rotten Tomatoes score of 86% |
Discovery has been praised for its action and adventure scenes and for being ready to go to places in the Star Trek universe that are new and unfamiliar. People have also liked how the show has a lot of different kinds of people in it. But some fans have said that the show’s stories move too quickly and that it uses too much technobabble.
In the end, whether you like Picard or Discovery depends on your own tastes. Both shows are well-made and give Star Trek fans something different. Picard is the better choice if you want a story that focuses on travel and diplomacy and is driven by the characters. Discovery is the better choice if you want a journey with more action and a darker tone.
Picard vs Discovery: The Future of Star Trek
Star Trek has a bright future. Right now, there are two new shows, Star Trek: Picard season 3 and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Both shows have been liked by fans and reviewers, but they look at the future of the franchise in different ways.
In season 3, which takes place 18 months after season 2, Picard and his team are on a new mission to save the galaxy from an unknown threat. People have said good things about how the show develops its characters, how it explores difficult moral questions, and how beautiful it looks.
Strange New Worlds, on the other hand, is a more traditional Star Trek show. It follows the experiences of Captain Christopher Pike and the USS Enterprise. People have said that the show is funny, optimistic, and true to the spirit of the first Star Trek series. It’s too early to say which show will have more of an effect on the future of Star Trek, but fans are sure to enjoy both. Star Trek’s future is wide open because there are so many different things that could happen.
Picard vs Discovery: which one should you watch?
Picard is a more serialised show, and each episode has its own story that fits into the general arc of the season. The show takes place 20 years after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It follows Jean-Luc Picard as he faces new problems in a world after Nemesis. Picard is a show about the people in it, and Patrick Stewart and the rest of the cast do a great job with their roles.
Discovery is a more action-packed show, with a new conflict or puzzle to solve in each episode. The show takes place in the 23rd century, before what happened in the first Star Trek show. Discovery is a series, but some of the scenes can stand on their own. The show is known for its impressive visual effects and storylines.
In the end, the best Star Trek show for you will depend on what you like. If you like shows that follow the same characters over time, Picard is a better pick. Discovery is the better choice if you like shows with lots of action and amazing visuals.
FAQs
They are watching what happens to two different people who don’t have much to do with each other. But I do think you should watch ST: DIS if you want to know more about how seasons one and two fit together.
Now that Discovery is more than 900 years in the future, Picard’s time in the show is even further away. Even though the two shows are set in very different places, they are connected through technology.
It’s the best Star Trek movie in at least 20 years. Also, if the last four episodes are as good as the first six, this could be one of the best seasons in the history of this series.
