We’re just over a month away from the return of Star Trek: Picard, set to feature the long-awaited return of the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast, and today stars Patrick Stewart, Jeri Ryan, Gates McFadden, Micahel Dorn, and Michelle Hurd joined executive producers Terry Matalas and Alex Kurtzman at the annual winter Television Critics Association event to share some updates on the impending adventure.
While we couldn’t be in the room for the panel itself, we’ve gathered up all the most-notable bits of information which made its way out through several live-tweeting social media accounts today.
While the third season of Picard has been long-planned to conclude the series, Patrick Stewart noted that there is “enormous potential” in what they’ve been doing on the show, and that there are still “doors left open” to additional story (as reported by attending TCA member Marisa Roffman) — something that showrunner Terry Matalas has been indicating in interviews going back to October’s New York Comic Con.
But should this Picard-era production continue in some capacity, would Stewart return? “If we can maintain the work that we did,” noted TCA attendee Saloni Gajjar, “then absolutely. Yes. There’s still enormous potential for narrative in what we’ve been doing.” Stewart also indicated that his views on turning Picard into a TNG reunion story as the first season story evolved, noted attendee Laura Sirikul.
Worf actor Michael Dorn didn’t initially like that Worf now has grey hair — “My little ego said, ‘I don’t want him to be old!'” noted TCA attendee KSiteTV — but came to accept the Klingon’s new look after thinking about Pai Mei from Kill Bill, reported Collider’s Carly Lane-Perry.
“Worf has always been on a journey, he’s always been looking and searching for who he is,” said Dorn (via the official Star Trek Twitter account). “You have to take a risk, you have to trust the people. I was really happy with everything that turned out with the character.”
Gates McFadden’s Dr. Beverly Crusher gets to “kick ass” in Season 3 said the actor (via Carly Lane-Perry), finding the new place in the galaxy her character occupies a much-needed improvement from her “matronly role” during the latter years of The Next Generation.
“I really loved Terry and Patrick’s ideas on where Crusher would be now,” said McFadden (via the official Star Trek Twitter); “I feel like there is a much bigger range of Crusher in this season, which I love.”
Finally, showrunner Terry Matalas indicated that Daniel Davis’ malevolent hologram Moriarty won’t be the only additional returning face we’ll see this season, with a few additional “Next Gen and Next Gen-adjascent characters” still to be revealed (per TCA attendee Kayla Cobb).
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In addition to the new comments from cast and crew, Paramount+ also released this new full-cast poster for Star Trek: Picard Season 3, which features all seven returning Next Generation actors — along with returning Picard castmates Jeri Ryan and Michelle Hurd — as the USS Titan (NCC-80102-A) warps away from the imposing Shrike vessel captained by Vadic (Amanda Plummer).
Star Trek: Picard Season 3 will debut February 16 on Paramount+ the United States, and on CTV Sci Fi Channel and Crave in Canada. Outside of North America, the series is available on Amazon’s Prime Video service in most international locations.