The filmmakers use warm and cold filters to mute the colors, which yields a dull visual experience, as opposed to vibrant and exciting. On top of the filters, each and EVERY scene is dim. The ship's exterior is boxy and the interior is, to put mildly, uncomfortable.
The script is basic.
The character that appears to be involved with drugs does nothing for the show. Picard, Riker, Crusher and 7 of 9 are all excellent. Ensign La Forge is one of the more interesting characters, who has a grand total of 15 seconds onscreen. I liked the flute and the Romulan lady at the beginning of the episode, but Picard would just go to Crusher if she needed help. There would be no debate. Why? Because he's Captain Jean Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise. That's why. You better get it right. And it must be said, Picard and Riker would have way more gravitas than they are shown here (conspiracy or not) by some random noname Captain.
My impression is that if you don't like Star Trek, your favorite music genre is 1990's grunge, and your drugs of choice happen to be downers, you may love Picard. Picard is more like an underdeveloped version of Blade Runner masquerading as Star Trek. Watching this episode of Picard felt like listening to Alice In Chains on loop for 60 minutes. I would rather watch Spock's Brain all day for a week then to re-watch Picard Episode 1, Season 3.
I'm looking forward to the second episode.
