Star Trek: Picard is a spin-off/sequel to at least half of the Berman-era Star Trek shows. Set twenty years after the events depicted in Star Trek: Nemesis and alluded to in Star Trek, PIC tells the story of Jean-Luc Picard’s retirement. The show premiered on CBS All-Access (now known as Paramount+) on January 23, 2020.
Note, given when this show was produced, it really is meant to be “binged” season-by-season, even though CBS/Paramount released the episodes in the traditional weekly time and date release schedule.
Lastly, episodes that are “essential” are indicated with an * in the Ep. No. column. Essential episodes are selected on a number of factors including character development, other cannon connections, and cultural impact. In other words, these often are the best of the best of each season.
All episodes are listed for each season. Each episode is indicated with either a “W” for watch or an “S” for skip. I also opted to order my viewing in “chronological order” as best determined by the initial stardate given in the episode. If there isn’t a stardate, I placed it where it made the most sense relative to the other episodes. Eventually, each title will link to a post that discusses the reasoning for seeing or skipping an episode.
Season 1
At the end of the 24th century, a young woman seeks out former Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, now fourteen years retired from Starfleet at his family vineyard, in search of help after her boyfriend is murdered and she nearly killed during a home invasion. After turning her away, he is troubled by dreams of his departed friend, Commander Data, which sends him back out into the world on a new mission to aid this mysterious woman.
The first season of the show is littered with wonderful call-backs and updates to characters and events from both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager. If you haven’t watched every episode of Star Trek like I have, you are in luck! I’ve put together a three-part list of essential episodes in my “Prelude to Picard” series of posts. Read (then watch) Parts One, Two and Three, before jumping into Season 1.
Given the “chapters in a book” approach to this series, it is a bit difficult to pull out any one episode on its own. Further, the first season, while aired weekly during its original run, really works best binged. To make it manageable, I suggest viewing episodes one through three together, then episodes four and five, episodes six, seven and eight, then the two-part finale episodes nine and ten (or spend a Saturday on a mini-marathon!).
| Ep. No. | Title | Stardate | See/Skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01×01* | Remembrance | 2399. | W |
| 01×02 | Maps and Legends | 2399. | W |
| 01×03 | The End is the Beginning | 2399. | W |
| 01×04 | Absolute Candor | 2399. | W |
| 01×05 | Stardust City Rag | 2399. | W |
| 01×06* | The Impossible Box | 2399. | W |
| 01×07* | Nepenthe | 2399. | W |
| 01×08 | Broken Pieces | 2399. | W |
| 01×09* | Et in Arcadia Ego | Part One | 2399. | W |
| 01×10* | Et in Arcadia Ego | Part Two | 2399. | W |
Season 2
In the second season, Jean-Luc Picard must face some of the greatest demons from his past, quite literally, in the past, in Los Angeles, in 2024. Due to some parallel reality, time travel, omnipotent interference, his new friends and associates from the 25th century are along for the ride.
As with Season One, Season Two works better binged, so I suggest the following viewing approach. Watch episodes one through three together, then episodes four, five and six, then seven and eight together, leaving episodes nine and ten for a finale.
| Ep. No. | Title | Stardate | See/Skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02×01* | The Star Gazer | 2401 | W |
| 02×02* | Penance | 2401 | W |
| 02×03* | Assimilation | 2401 & 2024.04.12 | W |
| 02×04 | Watcher | 2024.04.12 | W |
| 02×05 | Fly Me to the Moon | 2024.04.12 | W |
| 02×06 | Two of One | 2024.04.12 | W |
| 02×07 | Monsters | 2024.04.13 | W |
| 02×08 | Mercy | 2024.04.14 | W |
| 02×09* | Hide and Seek | 2024.04.14 | W |
| 02×10* | Farewell | 2024 & 2401 | W |
SEASON 3
Watch every episode on the biggest screen you can find and with the sound turned up, then watch each episode twice. That is it, this is all you need to know about the last season of Star Trek: Picard.
| Ep. No. | Title | Stardate | See/Skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03×01 | The Next Generation | 2401 | W |
| 03×02 | Disengage | 2401 | W |
| 03×03 | Seventeen Seconds | 2401 | W |
| 03×04 | No Win Scenario | 2401 | W |
| 03×05 | Imposter | 2401 | W |
| 03×06 | The Bounty | 2401 | W |
| 03×07 | Dominion | 2401.04 | W |
| 03×08 | Surrender | 2401.04 | W |
| 03×09 | Võx | 2401.04.16 | W |
| 03×10 | The Last Generation | 2401.04.16/2402.04 | W |
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