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| “I will always be very proud to have been a part of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but when we wrapped that final movie in the spring of 2002, I truly felt my time with Star Trek had run its natural course. It is, therefore, an unexpected but delightful surprise to find myself excited and invigorated to be returning to Jean-Luc Picard and to explore new dimensions within him. Seeking out new life for him, when I thought that life was over.” |
The rumors of Stewart’s return to his iconic role from Star Trek: The Next Generation had been swirling about for a few weeks now. And it is a development that I welcome.
I have to admit I’m not a big fan of this recent propensity of re-starting old TV properties with the original actors pulling themselves out of storage to recapture some long lost rating magic. But it is hard to argue with the results. Will & Grace on NBC was a successful revival. Before Roseanne imploded in a racist rant on Twitter, her sitcom returned to some solid numbers on ABC.
In
the case of Stewart returning to play Picard in a Star Trek project, while there
is some throwback nostalgia at play here, there is actually a chance to do something
with Star Trek that hasn’t been done for a long time: move forward.
Since the abysmal showing of Star Trek: Nemesis and the end of Voyager, all the Trek properties have been about looking backward. The JJ Abrams led movie series is an alternative time line of the original series. The last two TV series, Enterprise and Discovery, have been prequels to the original series.
Since the abysmal showing of Star Trek: Nemesis and the end of Voyager, all the Trek properties have been about looking backward. The JJ Abrams led movie series is an alternative time line of the original series. The last two TV series, Enterprise and Discovery, have been prequels to the original series.
With
a Star Trek series picking up with Jean Luc Picard, we have at long last a chance
to see what happens next, to move Star Trek into its future, not just mining its
past. Yes, I imagine there will be a lot
of “Whatever happened to Worf? What’s Riker and Deanna up to?” I’m OK with that
to a certain point. I’m just enough of a geek for Next Gen to want to at least
get some quick check ins with the our old friends.
But if all it is is just Picard in a “let’s get the old gang together for some random boldly going” type of thing, I will not be impressed. I can’t imagine Patrick Stewart would be either.
But if all it is is just Picard in a “let’s get the old gang together for some random boldly going” type of thing, I will not be impressed. I can’t imagine Patrick Stewart would be either.
While
I’m glad to see Picard return and I hope we get some other old friends to pop
in once in a while, what I hope is that Picard is there to guide the way for the
next “Next Generation”, to point the way forward.
We know where we’ve been. Now let’s see where Star Trek can go next.
We know where we’ve been. Now let’s see where Star Trek can go next.
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