Star Trek Picard: Ranking All 10 Episodes From Season 1
8. "The End Is The Beginning"
After a strong start in "Remembrance", it's difficult not to look at the two subsequent episodes "Maps and Legends" and "The End is the Beginning" as disappointing followups. Nevertheless, owing to its role as the conclusion to the expanded three-part premiere, "The End is the Beginning" fares a little better than "Maps and Legends", if only by virtue of having a climax.
The biggest sin of both followup episodes is misleading the audience into thinking Laris and Zhaban will be coming along for the ride, but at least the "The End is the Beginning" spares the us the heartbreak/eye roll of killing the two former Tal Shiar agents just to give Picard a little more motivation to go on his quest. The episode also spends enough of its runtime fleshing out the actual cast of Star Trek: Picard (namely Raffi and Rios) to make the episode feel less like wheel spinning and more like a proper prelude to the coming episodes.