‘Star Trek: Picard’ Season 3: Stewart Talks Beverly’s “Thrilling” Surprise; Showrunner Teases Final Trailer

The third and final season of Star Trek: Picard arrives in just over five weeks and both the series star and showrunner are giving us updates on what to expect. [SPOILERS]

Beverly’s Surprise

Season 3 brings back the main cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation more than two decades after the events of the final TNG movie, Star Trek Nemesis. In a new interview with TV Insider, Sir Patrick Stewart says the season starts with Picard getting a message from Dr. Beverly Crusher and talks about how that impacts his character:

He felt abandoned by Crusher—she just disappeared out of his life. He adored her and that was never resolved. [But she has a] surprise, when she appears, that thrills and then enrages him.

It has previously been revealed the season will start with an attack on the SS Eleos, a medical ship with Dr. Beverly Crusher onboard. After receiving a distress call from Crusher (shown in the recently revealed clip), Jean-Luc Picard seeks out the help of William Riker to rescue her.

Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher in episode 301

Worf’s new POV

Stewart also talked about how things have changed with Worf:

The change to his personality is one of the most delightful things this season. He becomes increasingly complex, where in Next Generation you always knew what [gruff] response you’d get from him.

In the NYCC trailer, Worf can be seen talking about how he “prefers pacifism to combat,” but he still carries a (new) sword.

Patrick Stewart and Michael Dorn in preview image

Final trailer coming

Showrunner Terry Matalas had a simple reply of “Yes” when asked on Twitter if there is going to be a final trailer for season three.

We have already seen teasers released at SDCC, Star Trek Day, and NYCC. There is a TCA event Monday where they could release a new trailer, or possibly new images.  There are no other upcoming conventions or events in January or February. However, another possible date could be January 29 during the NFL AFC Championship game, which streams on Paramount+ and airs on CBS. Paramount has used big sports events to release new promos (or edited versions of new promos) in the past.

Speaking of promos, in the last week Paramount has been running a 10-second spot for season 3 on their cable networks, including Comedy Central. The short spot (which you can watch below) is an edited version of the NYCC trailer.

 

The third and final season of Picard premieres on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., with new episodes of the 10-episode-long season available to stream weekly on Thursdays.

Picard streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S.A. It is distributed concurrently by Paramount Global Content Distribution on Amazon Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories, and in Canada it airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave.


Keep up with news about the Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com.

93 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

I think it’s a safe bet that the surprise is a now-grown up child. I can’t imagine why Crusher would hide that from Picard, but that’s why we wait to watch the episodes.

I’m sure that is spot on. Every season of Picard deals with a personal part of Picard’s life, so it would make sense S3 delves into it as well – only this time with the whole gang. I didn’t hate S1 or 2, but certainly didn’t enjoy them as much as I wanted to. S3 can’t get here soon enough.

100%. My guess is that it’s pretty simple reasoning, she wanted to keep said child out of J-L’s orbit due to the constant threat of danger. She learned from Daimon Bok hunting down Jason Vigo, and thought it was only a matter of time before he was a target.

The exact reasoning that Carol Marcus claimed to keep David away from Kirk. “It was either your world or mine. And I wanted him in mine.”

She even looks like she’s wearing the ST II field jacket in the still.

I thought that same thing when I read that theory. If that theory is true then the writers truly have no imagination. Just doing what came before. Given that this is Secret Hideout it seems reasonable that such a silly concept would be the case. But I’m foolishly holding out hope it is something more original. Yes, I know how ridiculous that is. But hope is all we have even if it is misplaced.

Yeah…but I am questioning how belivable that is. Doing “it” and then hinding the result? During Kirk´s time…already questionable…but maybe possible…but during Picards time period? I don´t think so. Well…MAYBE one of the perks if you´re head of starfleet medical…

At this point, the surprise would be if it’s NOT Bevery’s child. LOL

Maybe Worf is the father. That would thrill and enrage.

Plot twist…..it’s Shinzon’s son. She had a secret off-screen romance with him because who wouldn’t want to boink the younger version of someone you like?

Plot straight from Trekhub.

that is going to suuuuuuck.

And that’s fine: I enjoy sucky things, to be honest, regardless of what anyone would say. No need to understand why.

No, the surprise is that they hooked up once, and he now has syphilis that got into his head and was transferred to the positronic brain as well.

Computer STD

Crusher was around 55 as of Star Trek Nemesis. Unless she was actively taking 24th century fertility medication the chances of her naturally conceiving a child even if she went to bed with Picard more than a couple of times are near zero.

People live well past 100 and in good physical condition in that time, it would stand to reason that fertility is available longer.

There’s still a finite number of eggs in the ovaries. Hence “naturally conceiving” up above I guess.

Longevity or not, women are born with a finite number of eggs and release them at the same rate. By her 50s, she’d be in menopause because of basic biology, regardless of the century.

Frozen Eggs and Sperm. But then there must be a point in the Time where both of them made this decision and forgot about it as life continued

I still do not believe, that it is a Child from both of them. Sure, they are Soul buddies, since a TNG Episode where both shared their Dreams and Emotions toghter.

But, get me surprised. if this is true

There’s always the possibility of them conceiving during the events of “The Naked Now” and delivering the child during that year she was at Starfleet Medical.

So many episodes of TNG would become nonsensical if this were to happen, particularly ‘Attached’.

Exactly. Attached was the #1 Picard/Crusher ep and any relationship ever between them, even a one night stand, even a drug induced one night stand, would completely derail that.

If that’s the case, I’m out! I’ll stop there.

I’m not sure I love that idea but I suppose it would give Picard some closure to the notion of the Picard lineage ending after him from Generations. Anything that undoes plot points from that movie is ok in my book.

A January 29 date for a new trailer does not bode well for my plans of spending hours online discussing a 2 minute trailer to get me through the cold, dark days of January

I’m already feeling the pangs of Star Trek withdrawal with no new Trek until February, and it’s been less than two weeks since Prodigy wrapped. How did I survive YEARS of this!!!

It might not be that long til a trailer. The 1/29 date is speculation. Trek Movie has a good pulse on things, so I have no reason to doubt them. The final trailer for Picard season 2 was on a random Friday, so who knows. Heck, the TCA conference for upcoming shows is today and Paramount+ is featured, so we may even get some fun info today.

I say this as someone who is generally quite excited, but the writing feels like it’s on the wall here that Laris is getting sidestepped, maybe even killed or something, to help facilitate the Picard/Crusher.

As someone who was already irritated that the writers nuked Zhabon between the first two seasons to help facilitate Picard/Laris… ffs, y’all.

It’s confirmed she’s only in the first episode.And we haven’t seen so much as a image of her in any of season 3 and the actress has done zero promotion so yeah I think it basically is that.

But I agree with you. Laris, along with Zhabon, was easily one of my favorite new characters in season 1. And now both of them was pretty much ignored. I mean Laris was actually only in the first episode and in the last few minutes of the final episode in season 2. Yes the actress had more to do playing two characters but Laris already got ignored in season 2 so not a shock she’ll have even less this season.

It’s really too bad because Laris was a highlight of season 1 even if she really wasn’t in it too much. And in season 2 I thought it was kind of a cop out that the being picard was dealing with looked exactly like Laris because *reasons* but it was stil nice to have the actress there regardless.

My favorite character was Rios. Probably the only one I wouldn’t mind having a spin off show of. And of course TPTB jettison the guy. (eyeroll)

I am most excited to see Worf again. The character has had the most screen time in Star Trek history so it will be exciting to see him after 11 seasons, and four films.

And it may not be the end we see Worf either. He can always show up in whatever the new spin off will be. But yeah I doubt anyone will ever beat Worf’s record in terms of appearances.

Worf could def come back but wow it would be hard to do him as a series regular again given all the makeup and such

I am really hoping we get a spin off with Worf, because it could also mean the Niners are back. Worf having to team up with Garak as leader of Cardassia or with a returned Sisko would be awesome.

I’m NOT excited to see him embrace pacifism. Such a change just doesn’t work based on where he was at the end of DS9. They would need to create a LOT of complex back story for him. Such a change is cannot be bought with just a few lines of explanation. Given there are only 10 episodes I’m doubting there will be time to devote to Worf back story. Unless 6 of the episodes all deal with what the characters have been up to since Nemesis. But even then the change is so severe even one episode would feel rushed.

Worf looks so cool. It seems Sir Patrick is excited about his character, which makes sense.

I’m bummed that it seems Beverly hid a kid from Picard, but whatevs.

I sure hope it’s not a child. It’s so unoriginal.

It totally is. Been there done that. Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time TNG lifted from TOS (beyond the name of the ship and the basic premise, of course).

I hope it’s not a kid, I really do. There was a time when that could’ve happened, especially in the TNG films, but that time is long past. Plus, I think, with the woman in Picard’s Nexus dream not being Crusher, that that was the last word on any potential for a romantic relationship. It’s unfortunate, because that was built in right from the beginning with the Picard and Crusher characters, but the writers deliberately decided to kill it to keep Picard single so that he could have romances with other ladies, e.g. Vash. Actually, Vash having a child with Picard seems more plausible to me.

Plus, I think, with the woman in Picard’s Nexus dream not being Crusher, that that was the last word on any potential for a romantic relationship.

I have always thought that Christmas Day scene in GEN should have featured Crusher opposite Picard. *Nothing* in that movie, as it stood, remotely convinced me that PIcard was tempted to stay in the Nexus permanently. The presence of Crusher might have done that.

Right, or at least someone we might recognize Picard caring for: Vash, Commander Darren, or his wife in The Inner Light. Sorry her name escapes me.

I don’t think they are anything like that tied down to small details from past stories. They were quite happy to apparently ignore “Time’s Arrow”.

Beverleys surprise is she also died and was resurrected…I think pregnancy and having a secret child is too on the nose…although with these writers, anything is possible…

I mean, come on. It’s not like they’ve shocked us with originality and poise so far.

In fairness, pretty much all fan predictions about what the last two seasons were going to be about ended up wrong. The trend I’ve noticed with this show is that if it seems like an obvious Trek fan fiction idea, they don’t do it.

I can’t see how that would at first delight Picard tho

The surprise is that Picard has a son, but Carol Marcus is the mother…

So you guys are saying that Picard was screwing his dead best-friend’s wife and got her pregnant. That is bad form, totally breaks whatever Bro Code exists and it was better when it was just a little sexual tension, not full on doing it. I am super disappointed. I can’t even see RIker doing that to be honest, so much for honor among men.

That’s more than a little sexist of you. Doesn’t Beverly get some agency in determining whether said “Bro Code” exists and who she sleeps with?

Jack had been dead for decades at that point. I don’t think your “bro code” really applies after that much time.

From Bev’s perspective, she can screw whomever she wants, don’t point a finger at being sexist: That wasn’t the issue. The issue is Picard boning his buddy’s wife. Maybe it’s just my issue, but I can’t see doing it to any of my friends wives under any circumstances ever.

The guy died, they weren’t cheating behind his back. Beverly and Picard were into each other on TNG and in the alternate future in AGT, they actually get married. And in the novels they are married there as well, so this isn’t exactly a new thing lol.

It’s sounding ridiculously prudish. The guy has been dead for decades now, it’s weird to even care about it at this point.

She fucked a ghost. So I am sure Jack Crusher is just standing in a corner, all sparkely with Anakin and Yoda crying his eyes out while JL pulls the Picard Manuver for the third time…….

That still doesn’t change the fact he’s dead and she just moved on with life. And AFAIK we never seen him show up as a ghost for them to have a relationship, so that doesn’t work either.

Jack Crusher has been dead for decades and TNG more than covered Picard’s guilt over his feelings for Beverly. He went so far as to try and keep her off the Enterprise. After enough time goes by, its not so much about bro code as much as it is possibly 2 people finding love after years of mutual grief. It’s not like they looked up at the funeral.

No better place to advertise Star Trek than during a football game.

In the trilogy book called CODA, not only Beverlyand Piard are married bjut they also have a son.

That son’s name? Luke Skywalker.

As long as it’s not Ben Solo, I’m good.

As much as I enjoyed the novelverse and the years of stories it gave us, I am hoping that is one plot they don’t pull into canon.

Wouldn’t surprise me if it was a secret son but I hope that’s not the case…I mean, we’ve been there with Kirk. With the echoes of James Horner and Goldsmith in the music though, I won’t be surprised if there are a lot of nods to previous classic Trek plot points. We will see though. I’m hoping it’s not to fan fic’ish. Would be nice to have something really fresh.

Her coat looks like STII field jackets.

Perhaps…Wesley is his son :-O

That’s a lot of retconning, considering all of JL’s handwringing about feelings for Beverly not being right…..only to learn he was banging her the entire time.

He’s not.

Woa…actually…that makes sense! What IF they somehow “did the dance” before she go married? I can really see him beeing exited about the news at first and then beeing furious about it. “The line must drawn heareee!”-furious.

Lord I hope not, because that would be canon breaking I can’t handle. That would be Picard actually betraying Jack which he would never do and was stated as such in TNG. Beverly didn’t even know of his feelings for her till years after Jacks death.

So unless Wesley pulls some time travel hijinks to make this happen (please dear GOD no) I don’t see it.

These “what if’s” are heading to disappointment territory. Really hope this season is better than the last two.

Oh, gheez. At this point, it’s obvious Crusher had Picard’s baby. It’s such a cliche, and it’s the one thing that makes me doubt whether the season will work. Crusher getting pregnant and leaving Picard out of it is just Kirk and Marcus all over again, and it’s not that interesting.

Not only is it not that interesting, but it means she accidentally got pregnant at 55 or older. I get it’s the future, so perhaps that’s the excuse, but it still seems a bit silly.

I really hope there is a more exciting explanation for Crusher leaving Starfleet and disappearing from Picard’s life. You could very well be right – after all, there is the young man in the fight scene with Worf and Raffi who would be the right age – but I’m really hoping Terry Matalas came up with a different story.

If there is a baby daddy, I’m hoping it’s Lore.

I think that Cafe you’re in also serves alcoholic drinks and you took a few too many…

There are always possibilities.

Hmm …………… There are rumors about what character Ed Speleers will be playing. ;-)

Why do we think Beverly went back to Starfleet HQ for a year? :-)

I could see the two of them being involved and then, for whatever reason, going their separate ways, not knowing that Beverly was pregnant. I could also see her not telling Jean-Luc for various reasons.

I just don’t know, folks. I just want and need this season to be good. The people writing this new season of Picard are (I believe) the same people who brought us Season 2, and we all saw how that particular dumpster caught fire. Your mileage may vary, but to put it all into perspective: I’m a Trek fan of over 40 years, and I had never run into a Star Trek series or movie that I didn’t at least like. Season 2 of Picard was the first season of any Star Trek show that I actually HATED. The pacing was a nightmare, the storyline was flimsy at best, and the writing, in general, was atrocious.

Picard as a show is currently my least favorite show which is sad for someone who was so excited about it. I thought both seasons were bad, but yeah season 2 was one of the worst seasons of Star Trek I ever watched. Every show has bad seasons but there are still episodes in all of them that are good and even superior at times. With the exception of the first two episodes of season 2, I have no desire to watch the rest of it again.

Really really hoping season 3 changes that tide.

The worst sin PIC S2 committed was that it made no sense whatsoever. Nothing there made any sense at all. What was even the point of sending Picard and co back? It can’t just be so Picard could grow a heart. It just CAN’T! Like does this mean Khan gets created by Soong because Q decided to let Jean-Luc have a good cry?

The only praise I am able to give S2 of Picard is that this was the first time in all of Secret Hideout that the overall premise of the show was a good one. The idea of exploring why Picard lived the lonely life he did was laudable. The problem is they really went about it in a bad way. Involving Q, yet another Soong, that ludicrous alternate time line… None of it worked.

Oddly enough I didn’t even think we would get another trailer. I guess because the last trailer didn’t come out that long ago but nice to have something new to talk about until it starts.

Yes but I’m glad we are tho. I need something to hold me over and something for us to all talk about.

Despite Picard being an OK current Star Trek show and Prodigy being my #1 current Star Trek show, I’m looking forward to the former’s final season. Still, I don’t judge those who hate modern Star Trek.

What happens on Risa does not stay on Risa

Picard and Laris have little sexy time. doesn’t work out.
Laris does one. Finds out she’s preggers but knows someone is after her.
Doesn’t wanna put Picard in danger so goes to Beverley as the only person she knows Picard would truly trust and has a kid but leaves the kid with Beverley to keep HER safe.
Jump forward a few years.
Picard sitting there drinking there drinking his decaf Earl Grey when the communicator goes off.
Now Beverley being chased for the child

Roll title credits

Overall I’m still excited for this season, but I can’t help but cringe at the main villain. Way too cartoony for my taste (and usually I love Amanda Plumber, so maybe it’s just a bad choice of clips)

Feel the same way Eric. I was really getting excited about the season until it was revealed another Uber-villain is in the mix. But others are saying her role is not quite what we’re seeing in the trailer, so we’ll see I guess.

Oh wow I hope you’re right. Because her acting chops aside, she seems to one dimensional.

A suprise….
Jean Luc…..I’m….pregnant.
Christ, Beverly, not again! Who is it this time??

Maybe because the Roddenberry incarnation of Trek was generally opposed to accepting things on faith, maybe that’s why, after all we have learned this past year, that some still seem reticent to Trust Terry. But there’s another lesson of Star Trek, you cannot live purely by logic and skepticism — remember how Spock learns that in the greatest Trek film, The Motion Picture. So at this point, I am affirming the call to Trust Terry. And I humbly invite everyone else to Trust Terry as well.

Based on S2 and Secret Hideout’s track record I think trusting Terry is a very low percentage play.

I gotta say the thing that bothers me most is Worf. He was easily the most interesting character on TNG and making him a pacifist just doesn’t feel right for the character. Especially given where the character was both mentally and physically after DS9. We shall see what actually is done with him of course but like so much with Secret Hideout this doesn’t bode well at all.

With several cast members on board the cruise for episode 3, I hope we do another watch party like they did last year.

My problem is, first of all they would have perfected birth control by this point, and Beverly was already getting up there in age, making a surprise pregnancy profoundly unlikely.