Star Trek: Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Patrick Stewart
William Riker
Jonathan Frakes
Data
Brent Spiner
Geordi La Forge
LeVar Burton
Worf
Michael Dorn
Beverly Crusher
Gates McFadden
Guinan
Whoopi Goldberg
Q
John de Lancie
Wesley Crusher
Wil Wheaton
Of all the Star Trek series, Star Trek: Picard may be the one that is the most divisive. It is the eighth series in the Star Trek Universe and one that sees the return of one of Star Trek’s most beloved characters, Jean-Luc Picard.
Star Trek: Picard Was Not Well-Received To Start
From the get-go, fans immediately had visions of Star Trek: The Next Generation, as evidenced by the record-breaking numbers seen by CBS All Access (the precursor to Paramount+). What they got, instead, was something they never expected – a series that arrived at a snail’s pace and, unlike The Next Generation, its story was serialized.
Star Trek: Picard was created by the foursome of Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon, Kirsten Beyer, and Alex Kurtzman for Kurtzman’s Star Trek Universe. Since 2009, Kurtzman has been a large part of Star Trek, starting with being the writer for the 2009 Star Trek feature film, then the 2013 feature Star Trek Into Darkness.
He was then given the keys to the Star Trek car in 2018 when CBS Television Studios presented him with a new five-year contract to oversee everything related to Star Trek on television. From that new contract, Kurtzman hit the ground running with Star Trek: Discovery, followed by Star Trek: Short Treks, rolling right on into Star Trek: Picard.
The First Season Saw A Controversial Outcome For Jean-Luc Picard
Star Trek: Picard’s first season consisted of 10 episodes and was released on January 23, 2020. Kurtzman had a mandate that the show was to be more of a Picard character study that had Goldsman and Chabon echoing those same sentiments.
According to Chabon, Picard is a “show with a nearly 80-year-old actor playing a 94-year-old man who is if not in the final stages of his career, in the latter stages of his career, who has a period of great dismay and disillusionment in his immediate rear view, who has allowed himself to let ties that were formerly very important to him slip or fade away, and who has now re-engaged with the greatly changed world in which he finds himself… It was not ever going to be The Next Generation Part Two.” It’s funny how fans can turn that thinking around.
The series finds a retired Jean-Luc Picard living a quiet life on his family’s vineyard, still grieving and affected by the death of Data. It isn’t until Picard gets a visit from one of Data’s daughters. Picard then takes up the fight for the synths to exist, ultimately giving his life to save theirs.
Yes, this is one of the divisive moments that had Trekkies talking. When Picard dies, his consciousness is then passed on to a synthetic body. Now, Picard is no longer human and this decision did not sit well. Season 2 begins with a 2-year jump and the return of one of Picard’s greatest foes, Q.
With Q now wreaking havoc, Picard and crew must travel back in time to the 21st Century so they can save the future. Season 3 sees Picard having to face down a brand-new enemy who has started to hunt down Picard’s former USS Enterprise crew. Guess who’s coming for dinner in season 3?
Star Trek: Picard Has Brought Back Many The Next Generation Cast Members
The title says it all – Star Trek: Picard. After an 18-year year absence playing Jean-Luc Picard (he was last seen in 2002’s feature, Star Trek: Nemesis), Patrick Stewart returned to the role that made him famous. Although fans welcomed Picard’s return with open arms, it was the storylines that had fans questioning the series.
Joining Stewart in the first two seasons was Alison Pill, who played Agnes Jurati and eventually the Borg Queen. Isa Briones played numerous characters, these being Soji Asha, Dahj Asha, Sutra, and Kore Soong.
Michelle Hurd arrived as Raffi Musiker, Picard’s former Starfleet first officer who continues to struggle with a substance abuse issue. Also joining Stewart the first two seasons are Santiago Cabrera as Chris Rios, Evan Evagora as Elnor, Orta Brady as Laris, and harry Treadway as Narek.
Fans want what fans want and even though Star Trek: Picard enjoyed a wonderful critical reception, fans were actually looking forward to a Star Trek: The Next Generation “sequel.”
The show’s first season teased fans as Brent Spiner made an appearance as Data, Marina Sirtis appeared as Deanna Troi, and Jonathan Frakes reprised his William Riker role. They even brought in Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine from Star Trek: Voyager as another familiar face.
Season 2 backed off a bit on The Next Generation characters as Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan) and Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) appeared. Season 3, though, is a much different story. The storyline has focused mainly on Picard’s USS Enterprise crew and we saw many of them return.
Yes, Star Trek: Picard brought back Frakes and Sirtis as well Gates McFadden (Beverly Crusher), Michael Dorn (Worf), and LeVar Burton (Geordi La Forge).
It was a series, but it also was a reunion.
Latest Star Trek: Picard News
Patrick Stewart Reveals Star Trek: Picard Movie On The Way, Here’s What We Know
Since the end of Star Trek: Picard, Patrick Stewart has been talking about a film that would build on what …
Continue reading “Patrick Stewart Reveals Star Trek: Picard Movie On The Way, Here’s What We Know”
Patrick Stewart Almost Ruined Star Trek: Picard Series Finale
In the vast universe of television, crafting a satisfying ending for a beloved series is akin to navigating a spaceship …
Continue reading “Patrick Stewart Almost Ruined Star Trek: Picard Series Finale”
Star Trek: Picard Killed Two Fan-Favorite Heroes Off-Screen?
Star Trek: Picard concluded its third and final season in April, but it left behind plenty of lingering questions. Chief …
Continue reading “Star Trek: Picard Killed Two Fan-Favorite Heroes Off-Screen?”
Star Trek Sneakily Sets Up Section 31 Reveal
Last week, I wrote an op-ed arguing that the reveal of a Genesis device on a Ferengi ship in Star …
Continue reading “Star Trek Sneakily Sets Up Section 31 Reveal”
Star Trek’s Most Destructive Weapon Returns And It Makes No Sense
It ruled the plot of not one but two Star Trek films, made a cameo in the final season of …
Continue reading “Star Trek’s Most Destructive Weapon Returns And It Makes No Sense”
Patrick Stewart Reveals Alternate Star Trek: Picard Ending
After two intensely rocky seasons, Star Trek: Picard managed to deliver a third season that pleased just about everyone and …
Continue reading “Patrick Stewart Reveals Alternate Star Trek: Picard Ending”
Star Trek Series Fans Begged For No Longer Possible?
Although fans felt Star Trek: Picard was a bit uneven in the early seasons, the final season brought just about …
Continue reading “Star Trek Series Fans Begged For No Longer Possible?”
Star Trek’s Hirogen: The Obsessed Hunters Of The Delta Quadrant Explained
One of Star Trek’s lesser-known but most interesting species is the Hirogen from Star Trek: Voyager. These nomadic hunters were …
Continue reading “Star Trek’s Hirogen: The Obsessed Hunters Of The Delta Quadrant Explained”
Jonathan Frakes Wants Star Trek To Be More Like Classic 70s Show
Jonathan Frakes, best known for his iconic role as William T. Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation has recently …
Continue reading “Jonathan Frakes Wants Star Trek To Be More Like Classic 70s Show”
The Most Beautiful Work Of Art In Star Trek History Just Returned For A New Voyage
Over the course of four seasons, Star Trek: Lower Decks has proven itself as the ultimate celebration of everything Star …
Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Reveals Worf’s Tragic Past, See The Video
While Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard has a lot going on, viewers missed out on a deleted scene where …
Continue reading “Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Reveals Worf’s Tragic Past, See The Video”
Best Star Trek Cameo Of The Year Wasn’t On Camera, Now We Know Why
Scheduling concerns kept Star Trek legend Walter Koenig’s appearance in Star Trek: Picard as only audio, but it still counts …
Continue reading “Best Star Trek Cameo Of The Year Wasn’t On Camera, Now We Know Why”
Star Trek’s Fuzzy And Adorable Menaces, The Tribbles, Explained
Would you believe that one of the most iconic aliens in all of Star Trek is one that has only …
Continue reading “Star Trek’s Fuzzy And Adorable Menaces, The Tribbles, Explained”
Star Trek Hero’s Funnier Death Scene That Was Cut
Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas recently revealed an alternate version of Captain Liam Shaw’s poignant death scene. Portrayed by Todd …
Continue reading “Star Trek Hero’s Funnier Death Scene That Was Cut”
Why Star Trek Is Suddenly Canceling Its Shows
Last week CBS announced they were canceling the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy. A few weeks prior, we learned that …
Continue reading “Why Star Trek Is Suddenly Canceling Its Shows”
Why Captain Kirk’s Corpse Is In Star Trek: Picard, Officially Explained
Star Trek: Picard included Kirk’s corpse to open the door for eventually retconning his death in Generations.
Data From Star Trek Reveals His Skeleton And It’s Terrifying
This fan art of Data without his human-like skin is terrifying.