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Akiva Goldsman

Star Trek: Picard (series) – Beyer / Chabon / Goldsman (2020-2023)

There have been many Star Trek spin-offs. I do not really follow them. When looking for a bit of a quiet series to watch, I gave this one a try. This spin-off -of course- has Patrick Steward return to the Star Trek franchise.

There are three seasons with a variety of stories. Picard has retired and lives on a wine farm. We are in some time in the future in which several of the kinds of beings that we know from earlier Star Trek material coexist. Usually picard is asked for help, he has to talk his way back into Starfleet to obtain a ship, is confronted by missteps in his past, but manages to go on his mission.

There are references to earlier Star Trek films (and series?), old characters return and in a way “Star Trek: Picard” is a bit of a reunion.

There is more action than I remember in other Star Trek material that I know. The series are fairly predictable, but alright watching.

Titans (series) – Berlanti / Goldsman / Johns (2018-2023)

A while ago I was looking for another series to watch when I have some time to kill. On Netflix I ran into “Titans”. The series open with a beautiful lady who lost her memory. After a while she meets a group of ‘superheroes’ (the Titans) and there proves to be a Batman connection to the story. The group is led by Dick Grayson, a runaway Robin who is still somewhat in contact with Bruce Wayne.

There are other “Titans”, an emo-type girl, a boy who can change into a tiger, but also you more typical comic book heroes in fancy clothing either with just weapons or some supernatural skill.

In four seasons some heroes come and go. Every so often a new arch-villain has to be found. Needless to say that there is drama. Not all characters are very interesting and the writing is not too great either. It frequently seems as if suddenly somebody thinks there should be a plot twist and one storyline is wrapped up and another started within one episode. The Titans are always out to save the world.

The series are not boring, but they are not great either.