Jonathan Frakes' Star Trek: Picard Episodes Ranked

All 6 Star Trek: Picard Episodes Directed By Jonathan Frakes Ranked, Worst To Best Riker and Picard on Enterprise-D Bridge-1

By John Orquiola Published 14 minutes ago John Orquiola is a New & Classic TV Editor, Senior Writer, and Interviewer with a special focus on Star Trek. John has over 4,000 published articles at SR, and he has interviewed the biggest names in Star Trek on the red carpet and VIP events, among other beloved shows, movies, and franchises. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Jonathan Frakes directed six episodes of Star Trek: Picard, which benefited from Frakes' feature film experience, affinity for actors, and his closeness with Patrick Stewart. Along with calling the shots behind the camera, Frakes also played Captain Will Riker in two of the Star Trek: Picard episodes he directed.

After Jonathan Frakes joined Star Trek: Discovery as a director, cumulatively helming 8 episodes of what he considered his "home" Star Trek show, it was a no-brainer that Frakes would also direct Star Trek: Picard. Frakes would be a familiar creative voice for Patrick Stewart's comeback as Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.

Of course, Jonathan Frakes directed Star Trek: First Contact, the best and most successful Star Trek: The Next Generation movie, and Star Trek: Insurrection. Star Trek: Picard leaned into Frakes' movie directing chops, assigning him back-to-back episodes in all three seasons which Jonathan directed in blocks that amounted to the same as a feature film.

All three seasons of Star Trek: Picard featured two episodes directed by Jonathan Frakes. All six hours were memorable and distinctive episodes of Patrick Stewart's continuation series, including one of the best episodes in all of Star Trek: Picard.

6 "Stardust City Rag"

Star Trek: Picard Season 1, Episode 5

Picard wearing an eye patch and Seven of Nine

The midpoint of Star Trek: Picard season 1, "Stardust City Rag," was the first-ever team-up of Admiral Picard and Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). Picard and Seven lead a heist into a Freecloud nightclub run by Seven's dangerous old frenemy, a crime lord named Bjazil (Necar Zadegan), to rescue Dr. Bruce Maddox (John Ales).

The centerpiece of "Stardust City Rag" is Picard and his motley crew of La Sirena posing as outlandish and flamboyant "facers." The ruse doesn't fool Bjazil, and typically erupts into violence. With Picard in an eyepatch and speaking with a mock French accent, "Stardust City Rag" devolves into a face that doesn't quite work.

"Stardust City Rag" begins with the gruesome murder of Seven of Nine's "son," Icheb (Casey King), but Jonathan Frakes' direction makes Raffi Musiker's (Michelle Hurd) painful reunion with her estranged son, Gabriel (Mason Gooding), and Dr. Agnes Jurati's (Alison Pill) decision to murder Bruce Maddox even more devastating.

5 "Fly Me To The Moon"

Star Trek: Picard Season 2, Episode 5

Star Trek: Picard season 2's "Fly Me To The Moon" centers on the emotional distress of Jean-Luc Picard's ancestor, Renee Picard (Penelope Mitchell), the pilot of a pivotal NASA mission to Jupiter that will change the future for the better — unless the unholy alliance of Q (John de Lancie) and Dr. Adam Soong (Brent Spiner) can stop her.

"Fly Me To The Moon" is a busy part one of a two-parter set in a black-tie NASA gala where Jean-Luc's motley crew must make contact with and protect Renee Picard. The party scene is more entertaining than the chaos it takes to get there, which includes Seven of Nine and Raffi Musiker rescuing Captain Cristobal Rios (Santiago Cabrera) from US Immigration detention.

Star Trek: Picard established a connection to Star Trek: The Original Series by revealing Tallin (Orla Brady) is a Supervisor charged with protecting Renee Picard's importance to the timeline. Jonathan Frakes guides "Fly Me To The Moon" through several tonal shifts, knowing the better half of the story is still to come.

4 "Absolute Candor"

Star Trek: Picard Season 1, Episode 4

"Absolute Candor" is a genuinely surprising hour of Star Trek: Picard, showing sides of Jean-Luc audiences haven't seen before, and closing out with the surprising and gangbusters arrival of Seven of Nine into Patrick Stewart's spinoff series.

With its flashbacks to 2385, "Absolute Candor" reveals new facets to the Romulans, revealing that Admiral Picard relocated a group of Romulan warrior nuns called the Qowat Milat to the planet Vashti. When Picard returns in 2399, he finds Elnor (Evan Evagora), the young boy Jean-Luc befriended, now grown and pledging his sword to the Admiral's "lost cause."

Meanwhile, on the Artifact Borg Cube, the plot thickens with Romulan spies Narissa (Peyton List) and Narek (Harry Treadaway) manipulating Soji (Isa Briones), who is on the verge of learning she is synthetic. As director, Jonathan Frakes deftly handles the episode's complex emotions, especially the infamously child-hating Picard's breakthrough of affection towards Elnor.

3 "Two Of One"

Star Trek: Picard Season 2, Episode 6

Director Jonathan Frakes' thorough understanding of Star Trek: Picard's characters shines in "Two of One." The episode's centerpiece is the bond forged between Dr. Agnes Jurati and the Borg Queen (Annie Wersching), which culminates in Jurati's knockout singing performance as she and the Queen become one entity.

Meanwhile, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard meets his ancestor, Renee Picard, in a touching scene of connection and Jean-Luc encouraging the troubled young astronaut. "Two of One" is bookended by Jean-Luc being seriously injured, which sets up Star Trek: Picard season 2's deep dive into Jean-Luc's traumatic childhood.

Matching Jurati's dramatic musical number is Kore Soong's (Isa Briones) discovery of her father, Dr. Adam Soong's, nefarious deeds with genetic engineering and cloning. Thanks to Jonathan Frakes' expertise behind the camera, "Two of One" clocks in as one of the best episodes of the divisive Star Trek: Picard season 2.

2 "Seventeen Seconds"

Star Trek: Picard Season 3, Episode 3

Jonathan Frakes' expert direction helps Star Trek: Picard season 3 truly pick up steam in "Seventeen Seconds," which plunges the USS Titan-A into a desperate crisis, as the starship is hunted by Captain Vadic's (Amanda Plummer) Shrike in the Ryton Nebula.

"Seventeen Seconds" boasts powerful dramatic moments, from the emotional truth-telling between Jean-Luc Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) over their son, Jack (Ed Speleers), to Picard and Captain Will Riker's confrontational battle of wills on the bridge of the Titan.

Meanwhile, Captain Worf (Michael Dorn) enters Star Trek: Picard season 3, helping Raffi Musiker in a violent confrontation with a Ferengi broker named Sneed (Aaron Stanford). As the warm-up to the conclusion of Star Trek: Picard season 3's first narrative arc, "Seventeen Seconds" is a crackerjack hour with deep, satisfying character work.

1 "No Win Scenario"

Star Trek: Picard Season 3, Episode 4

"No Win Scenario" is a masterclass of acting, writing, and direction by Jonathan Frakes, resulting in what is arguably the best episode of Star Trek: Picard season 3, and possibly of all three seasons of Patrick Stewart's spinoff.

The USS Titan-A's escape from the Ryton Nebula and defeat of the Shrike is a fist-pumping moment showcasing Captain Riker at his best, by throwing an asteroid at the enemy's ship. The Titan's victory is enhanced by a very Star Trek moment of learning the Ryton Nebula is alive, and gave birth to a family of space squids.

However, Patrick Stewart's emotional confession as Picard to Jack Crusher, followed by the searing monologue by Todd Stashwick explaining Captain Liam Shaw's traumatic backstory and reason for hating Picard, elevate "No Win Scenario" to high art.

No one who watches the best episode of Star Trek: Picard directed by Jonathan Frakes will ever forget it.

141 8.9/10

6/10

Star Trek: Picard

10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Drama Action Science Fiction Release Date 2020 - 2023 Network CBS All Access, Paramount+ Showrunner Michael Chabon Directors Jonathan Frakes, Hanelle M. Culpepper, Akiva Goldsman, Joe Menendez, Lea Thompson, Michael Weaver, Terry Matalas, Deborah Kampmeier, Dan Liu Writers Matt Okumura, Kiley Rossetter, Christopher B. Derrick

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Patrick Stewart Jean-Luc Picard
Michelle Hurd Raffi Musiker

Franchise(s) Star Trek Genres Drama, Action, Science Fiction Powered by

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