‘Star Trek: Picard’: Patrick Stewart on How ‘Next Gen’ Cast Fits Into Final Season
Preview
The Star Trek: Picard gang is very much all here for Jean-Luc Picard’s (Patrick Stewart) final voyage, kicking off February 16 on Paramount+.
The stalwart captain first introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation is joined by most of his main O.G. crewmates in the third and last season of Picard. After Season 2’s contemplative time-travel journey to 2024, expect a tense campaign, this time with Jonathan Frakes (Riker) and Marina Sirtis (Troi) repeating as guest stars, along with Brent Spiner now reprising his nefarious Next Gen android character, Lore.
Meanwhile, LeVar Burton (Geordi), Michael Dorn (Worf), and Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher) make their first visits to the spinoff.
Here, Stewart tells us how they fit into the farewell.
Early this coming season, Picard and his former “number one,” Riker, end up on the USS Titan and attempt to rescue Crusher after Picard receives her distress call. How is it seeing his long-lost love after all this time?
Patrick Stewart: 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.
Trae Patton/Paramount+
Is the Picard-pursuing alien captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer) Picard’s biggest enemy this season?
She does become an extremely important — and difficult — individual.
Worf also unexpectedly shows up in one storyline. Is he suddenly kinder?
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.
Was there a sense of closure having everyone together?
I’m excited about [how Season 3] deals with the Next Generation cast saying goodbye to Star Trek. I know that’s going to mean a great deal to fans.
Star Trek: Picard, Final Season Premiere, Thursday, February 16, Paramount+
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