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
See Star Trek’s Enterprise D Saucer Being Recovered After Crash, In A New Scene
A fan-made video portrays Starfleet’s recovery of the Enterprise-D and Spock visiting his fallen comrade James Kirk.
Picard Showrunner Confirms Whether Jack And Wesley Crusher Met
Picard showrunner Terry Matalas believes Jack and Wesley Crusher have met, and he also hinted that they could someday meet on-screen.
Patrick Stewart Reveals His Alternate Ending For Star Trek: Picard
Patrick Stewart says he was originally uncomfortable with how Star Trek: Picard ends, but that he eventually came around.
The Enterprise Was Secretly Destroyed In Star Trek: Picard And You Missed It
See enhanced screenshots showing the Enterprise’s wreckage in the episode.
Star Trek: Picard’s Ed Speleers Did Not Go In Wanting To Be Jack Crusher
Jack Crusher actor Ed Speleers says he auditioned for a different Star Trek role that he is not certain of.
Is This Star Trek’s Best Ever Space Battle Scene?
The series finale of Star Trek: Picard gave fans the greatest spaceship battle in the franchise.
Star Trek: Picard Finale Cut Out A Ton Of Stars Because Of Money
Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas admits that there were more cameos and guests planned for the show and the finale, but there wasn’t enough money for them all.
Star Trek Needs To Finally Kill The Borg
With the Borg’s final (yeah, right) destruction in the Star Trek: Picard finale, we argue that this needs to finally be the end.
Star Trek: Picard Brings Back Original Series Actor In The Best Way
Walter Koenig can be heard early in the series finale of Star Trek: Picard as Anton Chekov: President of the United Federation of Planets, and son of Pavel Chekov.
Star Trek: Picard Just Introduced The Enterprise G, Watch Her Fly
My friends, we’ve come home.
Star Trek: Picard Series Finale Review: A Glorious Cinematic Sendoff That’s Almost Perfect
Except for a couple of notable weaknesses, the Star Trek: Picard series finale proves to be one of the best conclusions in the franchise’s long history.
Worf Confirmed To Be Enterprise E’s Captain After Picard Left
The Enterprise-E was revealed in Star Trek: Picard to have been captained by Worf following Jean-Luc Picard’s promotion.
See The Enterprise D Flying Over Times Square To Promote Star Trek: Picard
The Enterprise-D appeared above New York as part of promotion for Star Trek: Picard.
Star Trek: Legacy’s Fate Revealed, And It Doesn’t Look Good
There are no plans for Star Trek: Legacy to become a reality anytime soon.
Polling Says Star Trek Fans Agree: Starships Need Carpet
A poll of Star Trek fans confirms that the audience prefers starships with carpets.
Star Trek: Picard Just Lost One Of Its Best Heroes
Todd Stashwick’s Captain Liam Shaw dies protecting the other heroes in the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Picard and he will be missed.
How Vadic’s Hand Worked In Star Trek: Picard, Revealed
Terry Matalas has Tweeted some revealing information about Vadic’s hand, stating that “The device Vadic cut her hand off on sent a subspace signal to the Collective so they could communicate.”
How Star Trek Recreated The Enterprise D Bridge For Picard
The team behind Star Trek: Picard went to painstaking lengths to make sure that the rebuild of the Enterprise D bridge was exactly like the original.
Yes The Borg Queen From Star Trek: Picard Is The Same One From First Contact
Terry Matalas confirmed the Borg Queen in Star Trek: Picard is Alice Krige.
Worf Destroyed Star Trek’s Enterprise-E?
Toward the end of the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Picard, the heroes hint that Worf may have unintentionally destroyed the Enterprise-E.
LeVar Burton Reveals Losing Jeopardy! Job Led To Star Trek: Picard
If LeVar Burton had landed his dream job on Jeopardy! he never would have been able to return as Geordie on Star Trek: Picard.
Star Trek: Picard’s Most Wasted Character Is In Season 3, But You Probably Don’t Remember
Orla Brady’s Laris is the most underutilized character in the entire run of Star Trek: Picard.
Jonathan Frakes Hints That The Picard Finale Will Have A Shocking Ending
Jonathan Frakes told an interviewer that “nobody dies” in the Star Trek: Picard series finale, but then quickly seemed to backtrack.
Star Trek: Picard Still Needs To Explain The Death Of Q
John de Lancie’s Q was killed off in Season 2 of Star Trek: Picard, his death was never truly explained, and that needs to be fixed.