Invader Zim Creator Jhonen Vasquez Roasts Star Trek: Picard
Invader Zim creator Jhonen Vasquez roasted CBS All Access’ Star Trek: Picard series starring Patrick Stewart.
While Vasquez indicates he finds the show entertaining, he makes it clear it’s definitely not how previous Star Trek shows use to entertain him.
Vasquez took to Twitter to roast the show shortly after the eighth episode aired on CBS All Access.
Related: Star Trek: Picard Showrunner Michael Chabon Explains The Romulans Different Facial Features
He wrote, “Any hint of charm or genuine thoughtfulness in Star Trek Picard feels weird and out of place tonally, like a party clown doing something actually funny just before he starts crying, shits himself and blows his brains out, collapses to the floor and explodes.”
Any hint of charm or genuine thoughtfulness in Star Trek Picard feels weird and out of place tonally, like a party clown doing something actually funny just before he starts crying, shits himself and blows his brains out, collapses to the floor and explodes.
— Jhonen Vasquez (@JhonenV) March 14, 2020
This has been a common concern and complaint from many fans of the franchise. Red Letter media’s Mike and Rich went so far to call the show a “dumpster fire.”
Related: Red Letter Media Explains Why Star Trek: Picard Is A Dumpster Fire
Vasquez didn’t stop there. He continued to mock the show for its flash. He sarcastically wrote, “But the explosion is crazy expensive and cool looking you forget how messy everything is.”
But the explosion is crazy expensive and cool looking you forget how messy everything is.
— Jhonen Vasquez (@JhonenV) March 14, 2020
Vasquez then does admit he finds the show entertaining comparing it to Star Trek: Discovery. He describes it as a “soap opera now.”
He elaborates describing it as a “sensationalistic and seemingly pure surface level titillation. It doesn’t matter how or why things connect so long as you’re thrilled by shocking twists and turns.”
Thing is, it’s entertaining for me, same as discovery, but in a way Trek never was to me. It’s soap opera now, sensationalistic and seemingly pure surface level titillation. It doesn’t matter how or why things connect so long as you’re thrilled by shocking twists and turns.
— Jhonen Vasquez (@JhonenV) March 14, 2020
He concludes the original thread by mocking the actual story and the show’s reliance on explosions and using curse words.
He writes, “Why does this or that happen? Who cares? Isn’t it shocking how people say f*** all the time? Isn’t that explosion huge?!”
Why does this or that happen? Who cares? Isn’t it shocking how people say fuck all the time? Isn’t that explosion huge?!
— Jhonen Vasquez (@JhonenV) March 14, 2020
He would then respond to a comment from Invader Zim voice actor Rikki Simons.
Simons states, “Picard is the only soothing factor in the show. He himself feels like an anchor to a much more enlightened time, now stuck in this awful future. I think the writers’ feel they’re being analogous to what’s happening here and now. But I’ve never liked analogy in Star Trek.”
Picard is the only soothing factor in the show. He himself feels like an anchor to a much more enlightened time, now stuck in this awful future. I think the writers’ feel they’re being analogous to what’s happing here and now. But I’ve never liked analogy in Star Trek.
— Rikki Simons (@rikkisimons) March 16, 2020
Vasquez responded, “I agree there. Star Trek was always able to tackle darker issues, but usually with alien races standing in for humanity’s throwback traits, aggression, jealousy, injustice, etc. The new show just states that the enlightened humanity thing was just a phase.”
I agree there. Star Trek was always able to tackle darker issues, but usually with alien races standing in for humanity’s throwback traits, aggression, jealousy, injustice, etc. The new show just states that the enlightened humanity thing was just a phase.
— Jhonen Vasquez (@JhonenV) March 16, 2020
Other users on Twitter thanked Vasquez for putting together the words needed to describe their issues with Star Trek:
THANK YOU. I’ve been looking for a way to word what I was feeling about the newer series’.
I enjoy watching it, but the feeling just isn’t the same anymore.
— ErinCognito (@CognitoErin) March 14, 2020
The last episode in particular had a moment that was so god-awful I had to literally stop watching and take a break and watch it to completion later. This does not feel like Star Trek at all.
— Deadpal (@deadpoolvgz) March 14, 2020
Related: Star Trek: Picard Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and IMDB Scores Announced
Another pointed to the melodrama of current Trek by comparing it to another franchise being bled dry, Star Wars.
soooo Star Wars? With cursing
— Scott (@scofisticated) March 14, 2020
For old fans such as myself, it has become a painful exercise watching Star Trek: Picard.
I want to hear from you, what do you think of Jhonen Vasquez’s take on Star Trek: Picard? Does the creator of Invader Zim have some fair points?
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