Season three of Star Trek: Picard is bringing back the main cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation for what promises to be a “proper sendoff.” Little is known about the upcoming season, but now star Sir Patrick Stewart is talking more about bringing back his TNG co-stars for the finale season.
Stewart took convincing to bring back TNG cast for season 3
Last month Paramount+ revealed LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, and Brent Spiner will all be joining Stewart in season three of Star Trek: Picard. And in the last week, we have learned that most of the original cast of Picard is exiting the series ahead of season three. And Gates McFadden has revealed she is at least six episodes. So it is becoming clearer that the TNG cast will be the big focus for season three. Speaking to Variety, Stewart wouldn’t confirm exactly how many episodes each of his TNG co-stars would be in, but he did reveal how they will be spread throughout the season:
That is a question I can’t answer… But every single one of my leading colleagues from “Next Generation” will be in Season 3 at different times.
Before agreeing to return for Star Trek: Picard, Sir Patrick Stewart told executive producer and co-creator Alex Kurtzman he wasn’t interested in going back and recreating The Next Generation. And in his Variety interview, Stewart explains it took convincing to get him to sign on to bring back the TNG cast for the final season:
It was something which initially, I had my doubts about. It would seem to me that it would be paying too much attention to the fan appreciations of what “Next Generation” had meant to them. I know how intense the social reconnections can be. But when we talked about it, when I talk to Akiva [Goldsman] about it and my fellow producers and the other writers, I could see that it could be done without rewinding the clock. There was no reason for us to walk down memory lane in every scene. Not at all. And the brilliant thing the writers did in Season 3, is that they engaged the cast of “Next Generation.” But that’s as much as I’m allowed to say.
Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard; Jonathan Frakes as William Riker; Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi in season one
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Stewart had this to say about what it was like to be reunited with his TNG co-stars:
We have been bonded together for years and years in different ways and for different reasons. I adore them, and I love them all deeply. What they brought into my life in 1987 was rich and complex. They all are as committed as any group of actors I’ve ever worked with. And yes, we had a lot of fun, and we joked. But nevertheless, we were a serious group of actors, and I was so proud of the work that we did.
Season 3 is a perfect goodbye
The also made it clear that this was the end for him and the character, telling Variety:
I think that Picard has said his last sentence and given his last look at his colleagues. I think the way we close Season 3 is perfect. Perfect. It makes me emotional each time I think of it, but it’s great.
Patrick Stewart as Picard and Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan in the season two finale
Saying goodbyes in season 2
In his THR interview, Stewart talked about the emotion of saying goodbye to some of the actors as they wrapped up season two:
I watched the episode for the first time this morning, and I was so deeply moved by those scenes with John de Lancie and the content of those scenes because he was making himself, as a character, vulnerable. John can bring complexity to the simplest line. I mean that as a compliment. I’m envious. His whole attitude and the things he was saying and his gentleness and sensitivity, it choked me up.
And then when we came to the moment when [Borg Queen] Alison Pill took off her mask. We had this curious angle shot, rather low into her face, looking up into her eyes. I’m afraid I began to weep, it was so touching. Because, of course, it meant that I was saying goodbye to John and to Alison, who are both wonderful actors.
Executive producer Terry Matalas shared a behind-the-scenes video for de Lancie’s final scene with Stewart with de Lancie thanking (and hugging) Stewart and thanking the crew.
Curtain call for a god. @johndelancie #StarTrekPicard pic.twitter.com/nRtqcRzWBx
— Terry Matalas (@TerryMatalas) May 7, 2022
Monday chat with Jeri and Michelle
In addition to Stewart, the only other members of the season two cast who are confirmed to be back in season 3 are Michelle Hurd (Raffi) and Jeri Ryan (Seven). The pair will be doing a live Twitter Spaces event on Monday.
Need more #StarTrekPicard after that big season finale? Join @JeriLRyan and @ItsMichelleHurd right here on Twitter Spaces as they look back at Season 2, moderated by @Nerdist's @amy_geek! Monday, May 9 at 1pm PT live on Twitter Spaces. https://t.co/JZYM3IgT1E
— Star Trek on Paramount+ (@StarTrekOnPPlus) May 6, 2022
ICYMI: Season 3 cast annoncement
There is no word yet on when the third season of Star Trek: Picard will debut.
Patrick Stewart seems so hellbent on not touching nostalgia, which I understand artistically speaking, but I think his insistence on that front may have undercut some organic touchstones and assumptions of his own character. In other words, the Picard in PICARD often feels like an altogether different character. This is aside from the “revelations” of S2, or his android composition (which is being mostly ignored, apparently). Picard of TNG was a man of passion, convictions, moral clarity, wisdom, and strategic brilliance. The guy we’ve watched for the last 2 seasons is a shadow of some of those things, more of a reactive person, almost in over his head at times. I get that life changes people, but Picard wasn’t just “kind of” those things I listed above. He was the living manifestation of willpower. Being amongst the stars wasn’t a refuge, it was a truth for him. I have lost a good chunk of enthusiasm watching this series, I hope Stewart lets Matalas tell the best story possible, even if we get those good, old feelings coming back.
You very much hit upon what has given me mixed feelings about ST: Picard. In season 2, he seemed even more reactive and less wise and principled than season 1. At least then, he had left Starfleet out of principle and conviction. In season 2, there were no driving principles behind his actions, just trying to solve the puzzle more or less.
So in next generation there were both episodes where Picard principally driven and episodes where he was solving puzzles next generation one season was more episodes than season one and 2 of Picard combined I can name episodes that fit in either case with Picard from season 2
Yes! I don’t know who that guy in Season 2 was. He clearly wasn’t Mirror Picard, but maybe there’s ANOTHER alternate universe, one where Picard is tentative and clueless. Has there been an ion storm recently?
Well, he *did* get resurrected in a synthetic body, which explains why he might be more tentative in season 2. Problem is, I wish they had explored this. I thought they were going that route when Raffi expressed a lack of confidence in Picard’s command after Elnor died — but they never followed up, because Cute Kid.
I’d think it would make him less tentative and more confident to know that the brain abnormality couldn’t kill him now.
Totally agree with this. The show is always serving three masters, it seems: Stewart’s vanity/aims, Paramount+’s demands, and Secret Hideout’s story “instincts,” and the unholy Frankenstein’s monster we’ve gotten these past two seasons has been hard to watch.
In terms of vanity, that’s the power actors get when they’re the reason a project exists, so it’s not on its face a terrible thing, but he couldn’t have partnered with worse groups for his end goals. His desire to want to tell stories directly reflecting today — Brexit and the global rise in authoritarianism coupled with climate challenges — can absolutely be cycled through the world of Star Trek, but the people at Paramount these days are not the ones from the 90s, and they can only push for things that have surveyed well in their audience sampling (The Borg!) while Secret Hideout can only push for what has proven to be successful for them in the past (dumbed down stories, violence as a solution, etc.), and we’ve known since the movies that Stewart didn’t just want to sit behind a desk dispensing wisdom, but at his age he can’t be an action star anymore, either.
This hasn’t been a doomed project from the start, but it certainly hasn’t had anything beyond “audience recognition” as a thing working in its favor. Maybe Matalas and the return of the Enterprise-D/E crew can turn the ship around for the final season, but for me, there’s been nothing since the launch of Discovery to engender faith in or hope for the next new Trek project.
DISCO isn’t half as bad as PIC… With Disco it comes down to a matter of taste. Most plot points made sense, the only hard-on logical gap was the simultaneous appearance of those red lights in S2. But everything else made perfect sense even if they were bending science and tech canon in S1+2..
You may not like the outcome of The Burn ( I do!) or the slow pace prior to first contact with 10-C, you may not like the whispering, crying and melodramatic pathos, but all of that is just up to personal taste. I like most of it. There are melodramatic moments that are overdone but that’s a glas two-thirds filled.
PIC on the other hand… two seasons without a proper plot that made sense… I’m trying to give S3 another chance but they need a miracle to turn this thing around…
could be one of the reasons they didn’t touch upon, or even mention, his relationship with beverly. it is very weird to not even mention that or her since he regards her as one of his closest friend, if not the closest. i found that odd like they’re dancing around the elephant in the room.
His “friends” are not very close at all. As long as we the audience has known him we have always seen him keep his supposed “friends” at arms length. One of the few things I did like about this latest Picard season was they addressed this element of his personality.
And that’s EXACTLY the point what it was about. It was about finding a “stranger” man which is finding his way back to his self. This presumably will be the case in season 3 because people around you does have a huge influence on someone’s life, more then some people might would state. Remember before Picard new the tng crew well he was very different. From season 3 of tng he changed into another man. Now in “PIC” he was with different people, with a different “family”. So I think (Despite of being different because time went by) he will become the picard we know when he’s back with the “people of his life”.
Everything you said. But adding this gem: Can it just be good this time? Watchable?
That’s the pivotal question tony, c”Can the EPs produce something that Stewart won’t reject that’s actually watchable?”
If Patrick Stewart had ever got past his vanity and perhaps snobbery against tie-in fiction and read a sampling of the Treklit Relaunch Litverse with Picard, he would have found an incredible amount of new and challenging material was possible.
The bit problem I think you are speaking about is that Picard is just really really old. How many of us retain characteristics that we had when we were in our prime? He’s a different man, now. Personally I have no problem with that. People get weaker as they grow older. And they continue to change not always for the better. I like that Picard is no longer perfect, but that’s me I guess.
That’s so touching of John De Lancie. He really loved being on Star Trek. It’s sad we won’t see him as Q again. And Sir Patrick sharing the moment with him, that’s just wonderful.
I really can’t wait to see season 3 now. I know he’s always had trepidation about bringing back the TNG cast because he didn’t want to do a reunion show but I think it was nice of him to finally relent and say “okay” because he didn’t have to. It is Picard after all, not The Next Generation. So if the TNG cast are not in the majority of the season, except for Beverly Crusher who’s in 6 episodes, I wonder what it is that causes Picard to go on a journey looking for them?
I really think it’s the return of the Dominion. Terry Matalas did say that he would be touching on events connected to the Dominion War and it’s aftermath. The only reason to mention the Dominion War at all is if the Dominion themselves play a part in the upcoming season. Picard wouldn’t know who to trust then if he found a Changeling posing as an Admiral in Starfleet, except for his old shipmates.
Odo could’ve died and the Dominion, more than likely, hasn’t forgotten about the Federation trying to commit genocide on them so they could’ve re-infiltrated Starfleet for another attack on them. I know Terry Matalas mentioned that the villain would be a new villain but he could just be saying that so people won’t know that the Dominion are the real bad guys of season 3. He is a big DS9 fan after all and he said that there will be DS9 characters in season 3. Why bring them in unless the Dominion were gonna be involved somehow, right?
Well, I for one can’t wait to see season 3 of Picard now but they probably won’t release it until next winter sometime. That’s how they’ve released Picard for the last 2 seasons anyways. I think Jean-Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher are gonna be doing a lot of introspection together. I think they’re gonna touch on his love for her and why he never pursued her and, now with Laris gone, it’s more than likely that Picard may finally wind up with Beverly Crusher.
Terry Matalas also mentioned that they were gonna “break canon in a BIG way”. Maybe having Jean-Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher finally get together is what he meant? That would be a great way to end the Picard series, I think. Live long and prosper, Trekmovie 🖖.
Yeah, that’s the thing, season 3 has the potential to be the true post-Nemesis show people really wanted to see like how SNW could be the true TOS prequel people really wanted after being disappointed with Discovery.
And I WANT to be excited, I do. But the end of season 2 has just left a really bad taste in my mouth. It just soured me on this show in a way I never felt about any Trek show before. But I think the producers feel they only have one more chance to get it right and they want to go out big. It basically will be a new show altogether when you dump most of your cast two seasons in.
But thinking positively, yeah they have the chance to do so much now. They can revisit the Dominion story line in a big way. They can certainly create moments between all the characters fans have been wanting to see since Nemesis ended. They could do something very special here, but I said the same thing about seasons 1 and 2 as well. I knew season 2 was going to really feel like a true spirit of TNG; especially after those first two episodes only to drop the ball hard.
I’m just really disappointed in this show so far. So much potential squandered, especially with so little time. Let’s hope season 3 makes up for it but I’m not holding my breath yet.
If it was going to be the dominion then it only figures that most if not all of Picard’s old crew are actually replacements, not the real mccoys. That would be pretty feeble, playing a game of who is the thing? for the season, with crusher there because she will have a new test.
I don’t think it would be a direct sequel or anything. I mainly just mean how different the galaxy has changed because of the war. Sort of the same way we saw things change with the destruction of Romulous in the first season. To me, that’s what it sounds like Matalas is talking about. But yes the Dominion or Founders could still be a part of the season. I just don’t know if they want to go that far down the rabbit hole with it.
People have been wanting a look at how the war affected things since Nemesis itself. Both LDS and Prodigy are post-Nemesis shows and takes place 1-5 years after the war ended. But since LDS is a comedy and Prodigy is back in the Delta quadrant, so neither show can really portray it in the way fans want IMO.
BTW, have you watched Prodigy yet? I think I saw you wrote somewhere you watched LDS but stopped watching because you didn’t like it or maybe I’m confusing you with someone else. If you didn’t like LDS, I still think you will like Prodigy IMO.
Hey, Tiger2, Prodigy’s not in the Delta Quadrant anymore. One of the guys who makes Prodigy said that after they used the Protostar’s secret engine there, the kids landed in the Gamma Quadrant. They are gonna touch on that in the next 10 episodes which are supposed to be coming after SNW’s first season ends. They’re also gonna touch on the kids being in Dominion space now too.
So the Dominion is gonna be showing up on there soon. With this new focus on the Dominion, that’s why I think they’ll show up on Picard too. That and Terry Matalas is a huge DS9 fan. But I just wanted to tell you that the Protostar and the kids (my favorite is Rok-Tahk 🙂.) are now in the Gamma Quadrant, not the Delta anymore.
Live long and prosper, Tiger2 🖖.
So the kids are in the Gamma Quadrant now? Oh wow I didn’t know that. Cool. Yeah that will be interesting then! I wonder will Admiral Janeway follow them there too?
Now I’m starting to wonder where is that show going? Are they going to just zip around the entire galaxy the whole show? I guess it makes sense because the producers said the point was to introduce kids to every aspect of Star Trek and probably touch every major location in canon. More excited for the show to return now!
No, it’s not feeble. One, we don’t know the gist of the story. Two, if Odo did die and some fanatic is getting the Dominion all riled up again to attack the Federation as recompense for the genocide they tried to commit against them and Jean-Luc Picard is the only one who knows that Starfleet’s been infiltrated then I don’t see that as weak and that would be a pretty big story for the Next Generation crew to go out on. We’ve never seen them face the Dominion before so it would be a new threat for them.
When they were supposed to face the Dominion, they were sent to the Briar Patch instead, remember? So I don’t think it would be a weak storyline. I think it could be a great storyline because if Picard can’t trust Starfleet or anyone in it, then who can he turn to? His old shipmates.
I think that would be a great way to bring them back. Live long and prosper, kmart 🖖.
I think it will, Tiger2. Like you said it has the potential for greatness. It’s the entire TNG crew together again, not just Picard by himself. So the bar will be raised because all of those guys were great together.
I can’t wait to see Michael Dorn and Gates McFadden again. I’m excited, dude! And I really do think the thing that will get everybody back together again is the Dominion. But we’ll see, right?
Live long and prosper, Tiger2 🖖
I don’t want to give people the idea I’m not excited about the cast returning. That is a huge dream of mine as well. But I am more afraid if they will be done justice given the last two seasons.
But it sounds like Terry Matalas will be completely in charge of that one and he is definitely a TNG era guy. Like Mike McMahan, that’s the era he grew up with. So my fingers are crossed, but I do have to see or hear more first. As usual they are saying the right things, but it doesn’t always translate on screen.
“The only reason to mention the Dominion War at all is if the Dominion themselves play a role in the upcoming season.”
I can’t say I agree. One or more of the TNG alumni could talk about how Starfleet changed as a result of that war when we pick up with what their lives have been like since last we saw them.
That’s a possibility too. I’m just speculating off the top of my head about what type of scenario could cause Picard to go looking for his old shipmates. Because if you read the above article, not all of the TNG cast are in every single episode of next season. Beverly Crusher so far is the only one we know of that’s in multiple episodes.
So I’m speculating about why would a man in an android/golem body need a doctor, a human doctor, for? That’s why I think it’s the Dominion. She’s gonna be the one probably traveling with Picard taking blood tests. Terry Matalas did say that she would play a pretty significant part in next year’s storyline.
And he did also say that some characters from DS9 are gonna be in the next season as well and one of those characters will probably be Dr.Bashir and that’s why Dr.Crusher is only in 6 episodes because Bashir will take over for her sometime because of all the experience he has dealing with the Dominion. And if that is the case, then it sounds to me like the Dominion will be returning and not just as an afterthought. But this is all just me speculating. Remember too that we never got to see the TNG crew go up against the Dominion either?
So, in a way, that’s a new threat to them. When they were supposed to face the Dominion, they were sent to the Briar Patch, remember? In Insurrection? So it’s a possibility.
Live long and prosper, Quinton O’Connor 🖖.
Really? I hadn’t seen this. That’s a huge bummer. Not every story needs to be ongoing (re: The Dominion).
Why not, Tiberius Mudd? They’re a major galactic power who haven’t been touched on since DS9. So, why wouldn’t you want to know what’s going on with them? Or do you just not like the galactic powers and just want the Federation to stay in it’s own little part of the galaxy?
Sounds a little a xenophobic to me? So, if you don’t want to see the Dominion, then you probably don’t want to see the Klingons, Romulans, Vulcans, etc etc. What type of Trekkie are you if you don’t like the galactic powers in Star Trek? Live long and prosper, Tiberius Mudd 🖖.
lol xenophobic about fictional aliens good one
Yeah, I know it’s a good one. Just like your life is a joke too 😄🤣😂! Live long and prosper, loser🖖🤣😂😄.
Johnny that wasn’t necessary. He didn’t attack you, just pointing out you can’t be xenophobic over something that doesn’t actually exist.
Hey, Tiger2, his stupid answer wasn’t cool neither. If it wasn’t an attack, then why’d he respond back with such a stupid answer. He gave me a stupid answer so I responded back in kind. If you can’t leave an intelligent well-thoughtout answer, then don’t respond to my replies.
I don’t have the time for trolls or keyboard ninjas. If he wants me to be a jerk then I can be a jerk. Leaving a stupid answer that said ” not another ongoing (re: the Dominion)”. To me, that reads as though he doesn’t want to see the Borg, the Klingons, Romulans etc etc.
To me, that says xenophobe because he just wants to see humans out in space. That doesn’t sound like Star Trek to me. So he left a stupid reply, I left one for him, plain and simple. If you don’t like what I say, then don’t reply back to me.
I have the right to say what I want, remember, Tiger2? We talked about this the other day. If a person wants to be stupid, then I reply stupid. Either act like an adult when talking to me or go back to the play pen, plain and simple!
Live long and prosper, Tiger2 🖖
Warning for personal attack.
I really hope not. The Dominion was Sisko’s adversary. Bringing the Dominion on TNG would be like having Kirk square off against the Borg.
The Dominion wasn’t just Captain Sisko’s adversary. They were the Federation’s adversary. Captain Picard and his crew were supposed to be dispatched to the warfront but instead they were sent to the Briar Patch during Insurrection, remember? There are two books that detail what the Enterprise-E crew were doing during the Dominion War but they’re novels so they’re not canon.
Deanna’s home planet of Betazed was occupied by the Dominion so I think that makes them a TNG adversary now too. Also, there’s a book detailing the occupation of Betazed and how Deanna went home and helped lead a resistance cell against the Dominion. And as for what you said about if Picard faced the Dominion, well, that would be like Captain Kirk facing the Borg, you’re completely wrong about that. One, the Klingons were Captain Kirk’s enemy and they were used on TNG over and over again.
Same thing with the Borg on Voyager. The Borg were Captain Picard’s enemy and yet they used them all the time on Voyager after season 4, even taking in an ex-Borg drone while they were at it. When it comes to an enemy that threatens the entire galaxy, it doesn’t matter what show they were used for, all that matters is the story. Next time fact check yourself before you wreak yourself, bro!
I’m not a kid that doesn’t know what they’re talking about. I’ve been watching Trek since 1991. Live long and prosper, The River Temarc 🖖
I’m well aware of that, in-universe. I’m speaking *dramatically*. The Dominion and Pah-Wraiths were a foil for Sisko *as a character*.
They can’t move on from season 2 fast enough lol. Not one single wrap up interview from Matalas, Goldsman or anyone else discussing season 2 beyond a few pap words but they all know it blew. So on to season 3!
And compared to what we got for two seasons straight now, they should’ve just went ahead and do a full on TNG revival. It’s clear that only didn’t happen because of Stewart and I understand why and was fine with it, but what they came up with instead was just a badly laid premise that they couldn’t even make work past the first season.
I don’t blame any of the actors of course and they were all good. But it was clear the writers didn’t really know where to take them next. They tried to do the ragtag group of misfits story line and it just didn’t really gel after the first season and then they suddenly turned the ragtag group of misfits into Starfleet officers again in season 2. It really felt forced but same time probably a good direction to go in for the long term only to realize this was already most of their swan songs.
As excited to know the TNG characters are all back and will get the fanbase talking again I do feel bad about how the rest of the cast was basically just dumped. It’s how it goes in Hollywood but I bet most of them felt pretty cheated. And the actors who played Elnor and Soji probably thought what was even the point of bringing them back at all?
It’s funny so many of us thought they were really prepping this cast for a Stargazer spin off. I thought they were basically just rebooting the show in a way it CAN go on longer and find a way for the characters to have a real purpose. But it looks like the producers never really saw much potential in the characters they had and pawned them off to make room for Worf and Riker instead.
And it’s a shame.
So let them do one season, then. It worked perfectly well for THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT.
You know that’s not how studios work though. They probably wanted to do this show for five seasons but agreed for three. Doing only one just isn’t worth it when you’re trying to build a library of shows.
Miniseries have been a thing on television since “Roots” — and even more so in the streaming era.
I’m quite sure that the financial analysts at Netflix ran the numbers and round a six-episode THE QUEEN’s GAMBIT to be justified from a net present value standpoint.
I’m talking about franchises. Where the entire point is to build a library on an iconic brand. Netflix isn’t making a Queens Gambit universe of shows and films. They aren’t using Roots to keep people on the hook for an entire year.
That’s the only reason we have so much Star Trek now. Discovery will go ten seasons if enough people are watching it. If they were interested in investing in stories for a year only they would’ve went with Fuller’s anthology idea.
Now Marvel is doing something like that but the difference is they have SO many characters and universes they can do a single season of a show but then use that single season to cross promote other characters or spin it off to future films and shows. When Star Trek has something as strong and flexible as MCU then they can do more one time projects.
But they have less iconic characters and want to stretch them out long as possible.
Well Tiger2, I would very much like for the Star Trek franchise on P+ get to the point where limited series of 6 or 10 episodes are possible or even made for streaming movies.
These would help round out the offerings, perhaps provide entry points for new viewers, but they’d also provide opportunities to bring in talent that might like to work in the universe but aren’t interested or available to commit to a multi-season format.
Yeah I would too. I don’t have an issue with it at all or anything, I’m just talking about the basic reality right now. The irony is when it was announced Stewart was going to do another Star Trek show, people at the time did theorize it would only be a mini-series or a one and done season. Then Kurtzman made it clear it was going to be a regular TV show like the others with multiple seasons and that was it.
But I would love to see one off stories with 6-8 episodes of a ship making first contact, an attack on a colony during the Klingon or Dominion war, what happened to a star ship out on a deep space mission when the Burn happened, etc. You can do really tight and personal stories (and not everything has to be about saving the galaxy). That’s the beauty of Star Trek, the format can be as diverse as the stories themselves.
And Akiva Goldsman did suggest there could be an anthology show in the future and so it’s possible we could get something like that some day.
But if you are a studio and you have an iconic character like Picard returning, of course you are going to want to use him as long as possible because it’s going to bring interest to your site from a wide range of fans. If Stewart wasn’t so old it would probably go on for 5+ years.
A good story worth telling. That’s the send-off he and the rest of the crew deserve.
“Joining the cast” should have read “replacing the cast.”
I’m sure everyone has their own ideas of what bringing back the TNG cast would look like. For me, I never really wanted anything more from this series (which I don’t think needed to be a series) than a couple hours to see these people get together for some low-key event; maybe the launch of a new ship or seeing the E being placed in the fleet museum; and maybe Picard and Beverly getting married. I don’t know, something nice, nothing of galactic import. That’s all. You know, like “Data’s Day” but without the Romulan plot.
But we’re already seeing Picard and Riker pointing their phasers at something, and I’m guessing they’re not on the phaser range. So… more action, eh? Well, okay. But please don’t do like before, throwing a dozen NCIS and TNG scripts into a blender and expecting us to make sense of it. Come on, it doesn’t need to be complicated.
“But every single one of my leading colleagues from “Next Generation” will be in Season 3 at different times.”
Okay, now THAT is a HUGE disappointment. Proper send-off is only possible if the crew was to be reunited as an ensemble one last time. Extended cameos… C’mon… It all depends on the narrative now and after two muddled seasons without a proper narrative thread that overall made sense, I’m inclined to assume it won’t be any different for S3…
At least DS9 won’t be my least favourite Trek show anymore… That spot is firmly held by PIC now and since S3 isn’t going to be TNG S8, there is nothing that could change that… DS9 may have been not a good Trek show but it WAS a VERY GOOD show for what is was. PIC is neither a good Trek show nor a good show at all…
Yeah this is BULLSHIT! Different times? No no no! We want them ALL TOGETHER for one last adventure send off (on the enterprise ideally!). We don’t want Picard sending off each character separately in separate episodes!!! They HAVE to show the enterprise cmon!
I think (and this is obviously just my speculation obviously) it will probably be something like what we saw in All Good Things… The timeline where everyone is older but remember how Picard first met Geordi and then Data and as the episode went they all ended up together on the Enterprise by the end. I see something like that happening. They may not all be together in the beginning but by the end they are all in the adventure together and yes probably on the Enterprise. It would be so bizarre to have them on the La Sierna or even another class Starfleet ship. I can’t imagine we won’t see them on an Enterprise since they keep saying its going to be a Starfleet based season.
This is just my thinking but yeah they all have to be together and hopefully it will happen by episode 5 the latest. Hopefully sooner.
Um, sorry, Sir Pat, but a walk down memory lane is exactly what season three will be.
I just hope they don’t do to the TNG characters what Star Wars did to its legacy characters in the newest films. Like unceremoniously killing them off. I think this is the easy way out, of course at the same time I shouldn’t probably expect anything creative or original from these group of writers.
At least what Rian Johnson did with Luke was interesting if flawed. Ultimately i think Luke had to directly confront Kylo not by a force hologram, they needed to cut the whole casino planet sidequest. And Luke needed to train Rey. He also needed a redemption arc. But there are the beginnings of a good story there. Far better a story than Filoni came up with which was empty fanservice. Even if it was great to have Mark playing Luke again in Mando. That ship has sailed. We aren’t going to get George Lucas Luke who restored democracy and the Jedi Knights. They put his treatment in a bin. They basically said there is no conflict here, no story. Lets loosely remake episodes IV, V and VI. Lets return to Jedi Vs Sith and Rebels Vs Empire. Lets have Rey be Luke and do his whole story over. JJ remade Episode IV and VI, he made Luke a worthless maguffin and mystery box.
Well, maybe the new films kinda showed that Lucas actually knew what he was doing with the Franchise even if the quality of the execution of some of the films might not have been as good as others. I honestly always liked the prequels from the start and was very happy when I first heard they were gonna bring back the original characters. However I thought all of them got the short shift. It is understandable in terms of Carrie Fisher and her tragic situation but the others? I agree with you about Luke, there should have been some sort of direct confratation with Kylo and him. I also always found the “no conflict” argument in both Trek and Star Wars to basically be an excuse by the writers who can’t make a story work. If you are creative or original enough writer I think you should be able to make a story work even if there are less conflicts.
That’s what makes this iteration of star trek so weak, it’s nothing more than “the cherry-picked space adventures of patrick stewart”
Him being part of the creative staff is all him deciding “I wanna do this, no I don’t wanna do that, no we’ve already done that before, nooo I don’t wanna bring back the TNG cast… okay maybe?”
Alright, it’s been great seeing you again, Picard, but after this, let’s give the spotlight to the actors that actually want to make some Star Trek
I get the distinct feeling that this is going to be a “murder mystery” season. Something just irks at me — I think the TNG crew are going to be hunted by a familiar enemy. Don’t know who. Perhaps it’s Arik Soong (Brent Spiner)? I think the “proper sendoff” for the TNG cast is going to be their deaths, especially for Jean-Luc. We’re not going to get anything happy and we’re definitely NOT going to get the complete cast in their former roles. I mean, the Wells/Ducane thing tells me all I need to know about what’s in store. Who said goodbye Rios – I loved Rios in season 2. He did get a proper sendoff, as far as I’m concerned. Soji/Daj/Kore – She’s my season 1 crush as Soji/Daj. She was beautiful and as Kore she was magnificent. Elnor – I think he might end up headlining STARFLEET ACADEMY if it’s a 25th century show. Would be cool to see him back but he was kind of a character that ended up not needing to be in this series for any reason. He was a filler. Jurati – She’s a Borg Queen now, and if she’s done, we know the Borg will NOT be in Season 3 Who I Predict We Will Say Goodbye To in Season 3 Picard – this will be his ultimate swan song. The credits will end either with the launch of the *official* Enterprise-F (with the track record of the showrunners, it WILL be the Odyssey-class starship and Captain S’hon will make an appearance in live action, if Riker isn’t given command, but we’ll see about him in a moment) or the launch of the first USS Picard. Either way, he’s NOT making it out of Season 3 alive. Picard’s death is almost a certainty. Crusher– I also think that Beverly is going to pass away in the upcoming season, though I feel like she could also be the LEAD. My guess is that if she is going to die, the villain will kill her in an attempt to get to Picard. If she doesn’t die, she’s going to be the lead of the season. Time will tell on this one. Riker – Will’s going to definitely kick it. I think we’re going to have a huge, heart-wrenching scene of Deanna crying over Riker’s corpse, which will anger her and “awaken a warrior within her,” for which she will take down our season villain. Either way, I’m confident that Riker isn’t going to make it out of season 3 alive, either. Deanna – Yeah, this is another 2-lister. If Deanna dies, this will give Riker a reason to go ballistic and go after our villain, who will welcome Will Riker to his doom. Arik Soong – Even though I placed him in the opening category as the villain, I don’t think he’s going to be walking out of Season 3 alive. If he is the villain (and not as predicted below, continue reading to find out), Soong is DEFINITELY a goner. If he’s not… I think the villain to be will be the one who offs Soong, trying to get to Picard. Who I Predict will be the Heroes of Season 3 Picard – Because, of course. Deanna – If Riker kicks it the way I think he will, she’s going to be the one who avenges her fallen husband and becomes the Xena of the season. That is, if she isn’t killed, first. Crusher – This marks Beverly’s second appearance in this prediction. If she doesn’t die, she will be the one to solve the entire mystery of season 3 and lead the party (what’s left of them) to victory. LaForge – I feel that Captain LaForge will play a huge role in this season, on his starship the USS Challenger (I think they’re going to keep VOY “Timeless” canon up to a point – like they did with the Borg Cube from the Beta Quadrant (STP Season 1)). LaForge will be the central focus of our hero party and all will line up to deliver one powerful, tearful farewell to our fallen heroes. Where’s Worf in This Prediction? I have a sneaking feeling that Michael Dorn is NOT playing Worf, just like Brent Spiner isn’t playing Data. Remember, in DS9, Worf’s actions during the Dominion War pretty much took him out of the running for starship command. He could become Captain but he will never be a flag officer anymore. So, he cannot be the captain of the Enterprise-E or F. IF Dorn is playing Worf, Worf doesn’t make it out of episode 2 of the season. I don’t see Dorn, who is significantly older and has lost a ton of weight to play a Klingon, IMHO (if you’ve seen him in… Read more »
No . Worf is/was the Captain of the Enterprise -E .
Explained in the official Novel that is canon and the backstory.
“Official” novels have been overruled quite often. I’m a traditionalist – if it’s not on the stage, it didn’t happen. We’ll see though – I’m not going to be upset if I’m wrong BUT… we’ll see…
I wouldn’t mind seeing the Enterprise-F under V’Kel Sh’on though. I kinda liked him as a character from STO…
My partner and I had some similarly pessimistic thoughts on Riker biting it. Especially since he’s already something of a recurring cameo on LDS. He can die and still not have it be the last we see of him. TBH, I bet we don’t see much of Deanna. Someone has to look out for Kestra, and I’m guessing it won’t be Will.
So next year we getting TNG s8 (what everyone was wanting/expecting from Pic s1/2), STXIV (possibly influenced by Marvel/DC multiverse – they’d be crazy not to) and more SNW (the TOS prequel everyone was wanting/expecting Disco to be)
So Trek should be hitting the mainstream in a big way again like the previous ‘mainstream eras’ of Trek: the 70s (TOS reruns/TMP), early/mid 80s (II/III/IV), early/mid 90s (TNG/VI/GEN/FC), and 2009/13 (JJ Treks)
I also think the movie may be influenced by multiverse as well. Although we haven’t heard anything concrete or rumor on that possibility
After literal decades, they got Q back in Star Trek to appear alongside Jean-Luc Picard…
…and this was the best they could do with it? A universe of ideas, and THIS is the one that multiple people felt was worth spending tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars to make?
Gah.
Not sure of millions of dollars… the season to me looked on the cheap side. Maybe they saved the money for season 3; I really hope so.
The production quality was dodgy at points in season one, especially the costumes.
It’s unclear what the problem was, but cost aside, it didn’t make the case that Star Trek should return to the LA area for television.
Picard has definitely looked lower budget than Discovery in both seasons and maybe it is the fact that shooting in California is more expensive. I also get the impression that they’ve took the tradition of a bottle show and expanded it for the whole season this year so that they can throw more money at the final 10 episodes. Good to see you back TG47.
I know, such a let down Bryant. Why bring Q back if you do nothing with the guy but just to manipulate people in the background? I still don’t get what he was doing posing as a psychologist and why was he helping Soong originally only to screw him later? Why not just go to Kore directly, tell her what he’s doing and give her the medicine she needed?
He was also the one to convince Soong to try and kill Renee in the first place. What would that accomplish if he wanted Picard to succeed? This season is so baffling.
Replying here since where you posted your question, the thread got closed.
No haven’t seen PRODIGY yet, and actually have read nothing about it either. And yeah, I gave LOWER DECKS maybe 15 or 20 minutes, which isn’t enough for a fair shake, but I just wasn’t feeling it (and I’m not much interested in animation at all anyway — except for the first 7 or 8 seasons of FAMILY GUY and most of the first five years of SOUTH PARK, I haven’t watched more than a couple episodes of anything outside of TAS, and that includes THE SIMPSONS.)
No worries Kmart and thanks for the reply! :)
I really like both PRO and LDS, but I get your feelings for sure. The irony is I’m not a big animation person myself. You actually watched more Family Guy and South Park then I ever have. The other irony is the rest of my family are huge animation fans. I have a brother and he watches all of them but stopped watching The Simpsons years ago now.
I don’t think I would’ve gave something like LDS or PRO a chance if they didn’t have Star Trek in the title. But man I am so happy I did. I had my doubts how much I would really like LDS but I fell in love with it after just a few episodes. It’s the only the third show I became a big fan in its first season. The other two are TOS and VOY. But I understand its not a show for everyone (and its not suppose to be). I’m still shocked it is for me but it’s great fun. I would say at least try and watch a few more episodes in the future. But if you know its not your thing, then OK! Prodigy became the fourth (and we’re STILL in its first season lol. It hasn’t finished yet so that can change but so far really enjoying it).
I’ll be very honest if it wasn’t for the animated shows I would be very cynical about modern Star Trek right now. Not as cynical as you lol, but not very happy either. I been very disappointed in Picard as you know and Discovery is still wildly up and down for me four seasons in. SNW is the last live action show they have to get right. I did like the first episode a lot but I’m not going to sing its praises until the first season is completely over and how consistent the stories will be. And with Akiva Goldsman running things I still have my doubts, put it that way. I been burned too much with the live action shows. ;)
I love both of the animated shows, and expected not to. I just wish the live-action shows had the same level of imagination and care going for them. (Although I will say, Discovery finally hooked me in the fourth season and SNW is promising. So right now, it’s really just Picard that is vexing me.)
None of it makes the slightest bit of sense. Up to and including it having been greenlit in this configuration.
Just finished Season 2… I thought it was great. I binge watched it so I didn’t find it slow … Sure there have been some issues, but doesn’t deserve all the comments I’ve read here and elsewhere about it.
Out of curiosity, how do you explain the difference between the Q of episode 2 and the Q of episode 10? One is an angry, nearly insane villain; the other is a wise-old-elf type best-friend figure. How did they get from point A to point B, as you see it?
I get, that the one thing neither Stewart nor the writers wanted to do is a TNG Season 8. And that makes sense to me. All of the cast are in their 60s or 70s and realisticly would be retired in universe or at least close to it. So it would allways have to be a very different story from the ones in TNG and making it serialized also makes sense her.
How they got form there to not even having the original cast appear in 2 out of 3 seasons and telling the most uninspired off the shelf stories, is anyones guess. It definately can’t have been, because they wanted to focus on the character of picard, because both seasons are barely about him.
I hope this isn’t ‘grimdark’ TNG, we’ve surely had more than enough of that in Trek over the past 5 years. Who’s going to be the drug addict, alcoholic, childhood trauma’d etc. character/s this time… Fingers crossed I have this all very wrong and it’s an intelligently written, exciting, glorious and uplifting finale for the whole TNG cast, one that leaves you feeling in a better place afterwards. That’s what Trek as its best always has done for me. In Matalas we trust (hope!).
Not sure actors should be given that much power over the story. The job of the writer and actor is quite different.
The first two seasons were a convoluted mess and were barely watchable. They totally botched Q in season 2, as well. I hope season 3 is better.
Stewart seems to have let his own unfulfilled career aspirations and self-image get in the way of what he does so very well.
It’s so disappointing that he doesn’t seem to truly understand himself what an incredible role model TNG Picard is. Kate Mulgrew has come to understand the importance of Janeway and embraced it, but Stewart just never has seemed able to bring it into focus.
While his occasional action hero episodes in TNG were fine and a stretch, and a dark arc with his experience of torture in Chain of Command is peak performance, his influence from Nemesis on has been devastating for the franchise and for the careers of other from TNG.
From the ridiculous and interminable dune buggy scene to the entire core story, Nemesis was a strong signal that he didn’t know what was good for the character or the franchise and should not be overindulged.
I don’t know if I agree with that TG47.
I think Stewart is well aware of how important Picard is to people. He’s spoken about it many times in interviews and at conventions. He knows Picard along with TNG itself has made an impact on many people’s lives, mine included.
He just wants do other things with the character too. TNG already has over 170 episodes. It will probably be the Star Trek show with the most episodes ever, especially when compared to today’s shorter seasons. But I don’t blame him for wanting to take Picard in another direction because he played him so long by that point. Yeah it wasn’t all successful but he just wanted to see Picard grow himself.
Now that said, yes I do think Stewart probably has TOO much clout on who Picard is these days. I still love Picard and I like him in the new show, but he basically is just playing Picard as Patrick Stewart and has said that. Again, I’m OK with that, but I do miss the more stoic and the strong leader Picard. He still very much believes in Federation values and all of that of course but he is very different now. Part of it is obviously age but I think he just doesn’t want to go back to that original version of the character and why some fans are disappointed too.
Season 2 was woefully inadequate and made season 1 look brilliant. Stewart lacks the gravitas he once had and the only character whose acting stood out as exceptional was the sanctimonious Q. Season 3 has the same showrunners as season 2 so don’t set expectations too high despite all the hype.
IMO, I think that PIC has been a fun ride. The story (or stories) have been very good Trek lore that keep the Trek we love, alive. While I agree that it should not and I knew it would not, be TNG the next generation reunion show.
I was always of the mind it would be all about Picard and his life after his captaincy or his reminisce about his younger days or something alone that line. We could have his meeting up with his TNG co stars now and then and that would be OK. All in all, my wife and I have thoroughly enjoyed every episode. I understand that there are those who have trouble with the show for reasons of their own. That is what makes Trek, Trek.
As for some speculation on S3 of PIC. My first thought is why would the Borg, of all “villains” we have seen over the years want to join the UFP? What makes them afraid of something or anyone that they need the help of the Federation? My guess is that Species 8472, the only race the Borg could not conquer (assimilate) is back with a vengeance. But that is only a guess on my part. We will have to wait until next to find out.
Sorry Patrick, don’t believe you ..this is a nostalgia fest…it’s what I wanted when Picard was announced….but as characters developed through two seasons I wanted to stick with the new crew he had brought together…
Although “The Star Gazer” is what I loved about season two of Star Trek: Picard, I shall give its final season a try. In the meantime, I love Strange New Worlds, Prodigy and Lower Decks more than Picard and Discovery combined, to be honest.
While I’m not so sure about the suggestion elsewhere in these comments that the antagonists of PIC:S03 will be the Dominion, I will say that – IMHO – the epic ten-part finale of DS9 is some of the best television (not just Star Trek or science fiction, television in general) ever produced; if this final season (effectively a ten-part finale itself) is half as good it’ll be great.
Season 2 was better than season one, but that’s not saying much other than how much I hated season one. I’m tired of the Soongs, as much as I like Data/Spiner, it’s time for for a Swan Soong, pun intended. If he’s back, it should be as Data (which won’t happen right), Lore or not at all.
Seasons 1 and 2 did have some good moments, but just moments, not really good episodes. I think after SNW I will drop P+ and only renew to binge seasons until the next episodic season is out (SNW s2?). I think these shows that arc across seasons probably binge better than to watch an episode a week.
Hopefully season 3 of Picard is the equivalent of Enterprise season 4 for the series…more of what it should have been from the start.
Kore didn’t “need a place to go” at the end of the season. No explanation needed, she could have walked off than lawn and kept going and never came back. Throwing Wesley in as a Traveler to explain the supervisors seemed like throwing old fans a bone. It was risky, and I’m not sure yet if I think it was worth it.
I was disappointed Rios didn’t stick around with the Stargazer. What they need is a post Voyager 25th century ship with new characters.
I don’t know why they didn’t bring back Data anyway, could have put him into the ‘gollum’ and had him as close to a real human now as possible. Brent could have then side-stepped the Data makeup entirely, and had fun exploring Data’s next step in being more human (than human!). Would have worked well with the eventual full cast ‘reunion’ in S3. I’m sure it would have made for a far better story than the forgotten between seasons fact Picard is now a synth, and the very tiresome Soongs.