10 Star Trek Movies And TV Episodes That Enhance Picard Season 2
3. Past Tense
In Star Trek mythology, 2024 is the year of the Bell Riots, named after the disenfranchised man who died a hero protecting the lives of hostages from his fellow kidnappers and the trigger-happy authorities. The riots led to national outcry, and humanity finally decided to become better. Past Tense finds Sisko, Bashir and Dax trapped in 2024 San Francisco in the run up to the riots, and due to a fatal accident, the DS9 Commander is forced to assume Bell's identity.
While it's unlikely that Picard will revisit this particular moment, it has visually referenced the story through scenes set in homeless camps and Rios being arrested by immigration officers. The fact that the DS9 story is still relevant today is shameful, and Picard's 2024 has dispensed with the dystopian sci-fi uniforms, instead dressing the authorities up in the recognisable uniforms of ICE officers.
It's clear that social injustice will be a driving force behind whatever positive changes Q has averted. Patrick Stewart returned to the role because he wanted the series to have political relevance, and Past Tense is certainly still relevant today.