Star Trek: Picard is a cause for celebration for Trekkers because it marks the first time since 2002 that a Star Trek show has moved the franchise’s story forward. Sir Patrick Stewart returns as Jean-Luc Picard in the new CBS All-Access series, which is the second of several new Star Trek shows following the success of Star Trek: Discovery. Picard won’t be returning to the final frontier alone, as many familiar faces from Star Trek: The Next Generation and even Star Trek: Voyager will join the Starfleet hero on his newest adventure.
Best of all for fans who have long been frustrated with their favorite sci-fi franchise, Star Trek: Picard finally advances the story of Star Trek after 18 years of prequel films and TV series. Star Trek: The Original Series depicted the voyages of Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in the 23rd century before Star Trek: The Next Generation brought the timeline into the 24th century. TNG’s phenomenal success spawned the spinoffs Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager, both of which occurred concurrently with TNG in the new ‘present’ of the 24th century. In 1994, The Next Generation jumped to feature films and produced four movies of varying quality and success, but the critical and financial failure of 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis was a devastating photon torpedo to the TNG movie franchise. With DS9 and Voyager ending after 7 seasons each in 1999 and 2001, respectively, Nemesis inadvertently brought the 24th-century progress of Star Trek to a full stop.
Curiously, every Star Trek movie and TV series produced in the last 18 years has been a prequel. Star Trek: Enterprise launched in 2001 and lasted 4 seasons but it was a prequel about the 22nd-century journeys of the first Starship Enterprise commanded by Captain Archer (Scott Bakula). J.J. Abrams resurrected Star Trek in 2009 with a successful big-budget, blockbuster movie but it was about the young Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) in the 23rd century - and it was set in the alternate Kelvin timeline to boot. The sequels Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond were also set in the 23rd century. Finally, Star Trek: Discovery became the flagship series on CBS All-Access in 2017 but it was also set in the 23rd century a decade before Kirk and Spock took over the Enterprise in the Prime timeline. While Abrams’ films updated Star Trek’s visual effects and Discovery brought the franchise into the Peak TV era, fans understandably grumbled that Star Trek, which was about a positive vision of the future, seemed perpetually mired in rehashing its own past (and seemingly violating Star Trek’s established canon).
But with Star Trek: Picard, the franchise is moving forward at long last (so it will be establishing new canon instead of contradicting what’s already known). Set in the final year of the 24th century, Star Trek: Picard finds Jean-Luc retired at his family vineyard in France after a tragedy that left him disillusioned with Starfleet. The new series is set 20 years after Star Trek: Nemesis, when Commander Data (Brent Spiner) sacrificed his life to save Picard, and the android’s legacy - along with Picard still mourning his friend - plays a key role in the story.
Along with the joy of seeing Patrick Stewart playing Picard once more - and he’ll be joined by TNG stalwarts Jonathan Frakes as Will Riker, Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi, Jeri Ryan as Star Trek: Voyager’s Seven of Nine, and Spiner returning as Data, as well - Star Trek: Picard will finally update fans on the status of the Federation and the Alpha Quadrant as the timeline hones in on the 25th century. Everything from what the new Starfleet uniforms look like, the status of the Enterprise, the whereabouts of beloved characters, and the political state of the Federation and alien races like the Romulans, Klingons, Cardassians, and the Borg, are eagerly awaited by Trekkers - and these are burning questions Star Trek: Picard is poised to answer.
Star Trek: Discovery jumped to the 32nd century at the end of season 2 and is poised to explore Star Trek’s distant future, but longtime Trekkers are arguably more interested in seeing the state of Star Trek in the era they love best, which is Star Trek: Picard’s purview. Best of all, Star Trek’s 18-year era of endless prequels has finally come to an end; Star Trek is about to warp into the future and take fans along for the ride, with Star Trek: Picard fittingly leading the way.
Next: Star Trek: How Logan Inspired Patrick Stewart To Return As Picard
