• No and no. I was disappointed and a bit upset, but not traumatized. Though if someone told me that the beginning of S1E5 was traumatic for them, I’d believe it.

    I do believe people when they say they enjoy S3. Even though the story was just a bunch of reheated plot elements from other Treks, there is some joy to be had viewing it as a TNG reunion special. It’s “Return to Mayberry” to the tune of BSG 2003, nothing more and nothing less.

    (In contrast, Star Trek IV is the best TV reunion special ever made. Everyone’s playing an exaggerated version of their 1960’s personas and having a blast. It too is a bunch of reheated plot elements - the probe is awfully similar to Nomad and V’Ger at first glance, and “let’s time travel to insert current year” was already the plot of two different TOS episodes. I’m trying to think of how a hypothetical good Picard season could’ve tapped into the same energy that STIV did.)