A devastating revelation about Jack alters the course of Picard’s life forever – and uncovers a truth that threatens every soul in the Federation.

The Next Generation fan fest that is Picard Season 3 continues to reward the faithful with more of the sort of moments that have defined this year. Cynics steer clear – this is unabashed fan service… and I’m ready for every nostalgia-wringing moment.

Show runner Terry Matalas directs Sean Tretta and Kiley Rossetter’s script, which takes its time to explain what’s going on in in Jack’s mind before warping into the big action moments. We’re hours away from the whole fleet gathering in one location to celebrate Frontier Day – an opportunity to take out Starfleet in one fell swoop.

You’ll recall that the previous episode ended with Deanna Troi employing her empath skills to dig into Jack’s psyche and uncover the relevance of the red door and its vines, and it’s nice to see Marina Sirtis getting her moment to do what Troi does best.

This is the season we’ve been waiting for – and even if there’s a nagging fear that we’re getting too much of a good thing, if this truly is the TNG crew’s swansong, what a way to do it. The stakes have never been higher for the upcoming finale and I’m giddy with anticipation.

Verdict: TNG bliss. Each episode had proven to be a big Easter egg for the fans, so it’s fitting that at this time of year, we’re getting the biggest treats yet. 10/10

Nick Joy