star trek q picard

Who Is Q in 'Star Trek: Picard'?

Your Q-uintessential guide.

Since Star Trek 's premiere in 1966, audiences have seen new iterations with each passing generation. From the original series to the original cast movies, to the Berman era in the 1990s and early 2000s (known for executive producer Rick Berman ) and now, each addition to the decade-spanning franchise has been able to introduce new elements and elaborate on the old. Star Trek: Picard capitalizes on Star Trek nostalgia even more than its predecessor, Star Trek: Discovery , serving as a character study on the fan-favorite Jean-Luc Picard ( Sir Patrick Stewart ) of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Season 2 not only sees the return of Guinan ( Whoopi Goldberg ), but also the mostly omnipotent Q ( John de Lancie ) as he hurdles Picard into the next test he must face amidst reflecting over the decisions he's made throughout his life.

But Picard doesn't quite give the audience a detailed refresher of the history of Q or his relationship with Picard other than a few expository references. So, if you need a refresher on a 30-year-old show, or are a newer Star Trek fan born after 1994 but don't have the time to trek on a 178 episode binge of The Next Generation , this feature is for you.

RELATED: ‘Star Trek: Picard’s Isa Briones, Santiago Cabrera, and Evan Evagora on Season 2 and Geeking Out with Patrick Stewart

Q is a member of The Q, a race of beings who have the ability to alter matter and energy, and therefore time, at their whims. They can inhabit the dimension/reality that humanity exists in, but also have their own plane of existence called "The Q Continuum." Their society is organized, but highly reactive to change due to their powerful, almost god-like status. Many of the appearances of the Q sees minute questioning and change start a wildfire throughout the Continuum. Just like an overprotective father, they need control.

The Q also have the ability to present themselves in different forms, but Q almost always presents himself as a human male dressed in a Starfleet uniform, though he makes a point to age and matches Picard in his latest appearance -- becoming decades older and in civilian clothing with his signature snap. Q, as an individual, is boastful, emotional, and manipulative. He has an inflated ego, to say the last. Even among the Continuum, he's known for his chaotic and brash behavior and is reprimanded for it at one point.

He appears across 5 series ( The Next Generation , Deep Space 9 , Voyager , Lower Decks , and Picard ), but his first and probably most memorable appearance comes in the premiere of The Next Generation , "Encounter at Farpoint." This first encounter sets the stage for most of Q's appearance, especially much of those with Picard. When Q stops the crew of the Enterprise-D on its maiden voyage, he warns Picard and crew that humanity isn't worthy of space travel, and if they don't return to Earth they will be put on trial for confirmation. The Enterprise is able to pass Q's test, freeing a space creature captured and used for energy on a colony.

Perhaps the most relevant Q appearance comes in The Next Generation 's 3rd season episode, "Q Who," which includes many of the highlight elements returning to Star Trek via Picard. This time, instead of a trial or a game, Q requests to join the Enterprise as a guide, as he has knowledge that could help humanity as they venture to where no man has gone before. Picard unsurprisingly declines, and Q angrily transports the ship to an unknown location in the Delta quadrant where they encounter a Borg cube. The Enterprise is almost destroyed, but Picard asks Q for help in the last moment, serving Picard a harsh message about what enemies awaited them. Not only is this the first appearance of the Borg chronologically in Star Trek , but this episode also introduces a vague hostile history between Q and Guinan, both special guest stars on this season of Picard.

In addition to his fascination with Jean-Luc, Q also made quite a few appearances to Starfleet personnel and other civilizations in the 2360s and 2370s which put him on the Federation's radar. The organizations began briefing officers of his existence as a result. Q followed Vash, a woman whom he provided Q abilities, to Deep Space 9, but found Sisko boring compared to Picard. He also appears to crew members of the Cerritos, putting them through trials similarly to his antics on the Enterprise.

Q doesn't mess with only humans either, although you could say he has an affinity for humanity. When the Q Continuum doesn't allow his chaos to go unnoticed, he tries to seek asylum on Picard's Enterprise when he's punished by being made human. He doesn't say it aloud, but Picard can deduce that he's seeking protection from other civilizations Q made enemies of. This is temporary, of course, when Q shows progress and leaves the Enterprise to protect the people he torments so often. This experience also enlightens him in a profound way as he interacts with Data ( Brent Spiner ), who has a unique relationship with humanity on his own.

Q's arc on Voyager is possibly more consequential than even the introduction of the Borg to the alpha quadrant, even although he only appears in 3 episodes. When Voyager accidentally releases an imprisoned Q (known by Quinn) from a comet, Q becomes involved in a Q civil war over the idea of changing their status quo. Q became one of the leaders supporting change. To end the civil war, he has a child with a female Q -- the first Q offspring in over a millennium.

Despite the galactic scale consequences of the fate of the Q Continuum, Q has always been revered for his relationship with Picard and humanity. The last time he meets Picard in The Next Generation , it's been some time since Q has put humanity on trial. In the series finale, Picard once again passes the mind-bending test, but Q advises, "The trial never ends." That same line teases the continuation of the story between the man and the Q.

‘Star Trek: Picard’ Showrunner on Possible Spinoff, How [SPOILER] Returned for the Finale and Getting That Final Shot

By Adam B. Vary

Adam B. Vary

Senior Entertainment Writer

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SPOILER ALERT: This story discusses major plot developments in “The Last Generation,” the series finale of “ Star Trek: Picard ,” currently streaming on Paramount+.

The last time the cast of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” cast performed together on screen — in 2002’s “Star Trek: Nemesis” — it ended with a sour one-two punch: the sudden death of Data (Brent Spiner) and the financial failure of the film, which caused Paramount to stop making movies with the cast. Effectively, after a brilliantly successful seven-season run on TV, “The Next Generation” had been canceled from movie theaters.

Popular on Variety

In doing so, Matalas sought to rectify some of the perceived sins of the “TNG” movies: He resurrected Data and endowed him with a consciousness that allowed the android to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming fully human. And he brought back the Enterprise-D, the starship that had been destroyed in the climax of the first “TNG” film, 1994’s “Star Trek: Generations.” 

“In the most fanboy sense, I wanted to place the action figure set neatly and safely back on the shelf,” Matalas says. “If it’s the last we see of them, we see them in a wonderful grand moment together around the poker table. Not mourning the loss of Data. The Enterprise-D not crashed, but in a museum. Knowing that there is a bright future for ‘Star Trek’ and for their families. For me, that felt important as a fan, to feel like that’s where we left ‘The Next Generation.’”

If that wasn’t enough, in the aftermath of the battle with the Borg, the U.S.S. Titan is rechristened the U.S.S. Enterprise-G, and Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) — the “Star Trek: Voyager” character who has been on “Picard” from Season 1 — is promoted to be its captain. Jack, a new member of Starfleet, is stationed on the ship, along with Geordi’s daughter Sidney (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut). Even Q (John de Lancie) — the omnipotent being who has been a “Trek” mainstay since the “Next Generation” series premiere “Encounter at Farpoint” — shows up in a post-credits sequence in which he tells Jack that his trials “have just begun.”

That certainly seems like the set up for a “Picard” spinoff series, but in his interview with Variety , Matalas says that wasn’t quite his intention. He also shares the scenes he wanted to shoot for the finale but couldn’t, and his unconventional approach to filming that poker scene.

How much of the finale did you have in your head when you were building out the season?

A very surprising amount, actually. I knew that the initial pitch to Patrick, that he would have to assimilate himself again, to face the big trauma of his life, to save his son. I knew that they would be in the Enterprise-D for the last two hours, reunited. I knew Seven of Nine would become captain of the Enterprise. That was a delightful thing to say to Jeri, who was my old friend from way back. I was like, “By the end the season, you’ll be captain of the Enterprise.” She was like, “Excuse me, what?! ” So there was quite a bit. Some of the how and why was why you need the brilliance of a talented writing room team to help you get there and figure that all out.

There was a moment in the finale where it seemed like Riker and Worf and Picard or some combination might actually die. Was that really on the table?

No, but I really wanted you to think that it might be for the drama. I don’t have it in me to kill my childhood heroes like that. I think some creators probably would. It felt like those characters would certainly feel like this is probably our last run. So I really wanted the surprise ending to be a happy ending.

Were there any other alternative endings that you considered?

There were things that we just simply didn’t have the time and money to shoot. In the very first iterations of script, we had discovered that Ro Laren had in fact survived, and had been beamed off of her shuttle and was still being used by the Changelings for information. It was already too ambitious of a schedule, so we weren’t able to be able to pull that off. We had a scene with [the Data-based android from Season 1] Soji and Data that we were also not able to shoot. We have wanted some more “Voyager” folks to come be part of Seven of Nine’s promotion to captain. It comes down to how many pennies you have left in the piggy bank after building a Borg cube and an Enterprise.

We had discussed it. We did toy with a different name, that it might be the Picard. But ultimately, it didn’t feel as genuine and as right for the legacy of “Star Trek” and Seven of Nine as the Enterprise. And certainly when you see the Titan with that name on its hull, you’re just like, yeah, it deserves that name. It just looks so right.

Did you always know you were bringing back Q after he supposedly died in Season 2 of “Picard”?

Yes. All the way from Season 2. John’s a dear friend of mine. On his last day [on Season 2], I said, “Look, I want to bring you back literally in the post-credit sequence for this final season. I will have no time and I will have no money, but I guarantee it will be one of the coolest Q scenes and it will be touching back to ‘Encounter at Farpoint.’” And he was like, “I’m in.” 

We only had 20 minutes to shoot that scene. Right after we shot the scene in which Picard tells Jack that he’s Borg, we ushered John in in that awesome new costume and we just banged out real quick.

You’ve mentioned on social media that you’d like to continue this story with a “Star Trek: Legacy” spinoff. Have you heard from Paramount or Alex Kurtzman about the possibility of doing that?

Alex and I talk all the time. If it’s something that’s going to be done, we want to make sure we don’t rush into it. We want to make sure we do it right. That’s where we’re at with it, I say coyly. At the moment, there’s nothing developed on it. But we talk all the time.

Part of why I’m asking is that I’ve rarely seen a finale set up a spinoff series more completely than you do with this one, with the scenes on the Enterprise-G. Am I right in thinking you wanted that to seed a future show?

Well, not specifically seeding for a spinoff, as lovely as that is to think about. I definitely wanted the feeling that it could go on, that it was a passing of the torch of the last generation to the next. That I really wanted. I think that’s the spirit of “Star Trek,” that they’re going to continue exploring strange new worlds. That’s a feeling of hope. So you want to get just a little taste of what that might be — for it to be a satisfying ending, it needed to be a satisfying beginning. Having said that, of course, I want to see Jack and Seven and Sidney and Raffi and everybody go on forever. But yeah, that was the creative impulse behind it.

Do you know what’s next for you?

I do not. Do you? 

I saw your tweet that you would love to work on the “Galaxy Quest” spinoff TV show .

Oh my god, “Galaxy Quest” is like my most favorite thing ever. I just literally was showing it to my kid the other day. It remains one of the most perfect movies of all time. And I just lived it! I actually just lived it in every way. So yeah, I said put me in coach. I know what that is.

Yes. To make this a little different than “All Good Things,” I wanted the audience to feel like they were really with this cast, to have a little wish fulfillment. So I actually ran the camera for 45 minutes and let them just play. Let them be themselves. I really wanted the audience to be immersed in what it’s like to hang out with Patrick, Jonathan, Marina, Gates, LeVar, Michael, Brent. So all those smiles and all those jokes are real. And so we hang on it much longer than you normally would, so that the smiles and the jokes are genuine. They were all playing a form of poker as best as they could, you know, because they like to monkey around. Maybe when the Blu-ray comes out, we’ll have a longer chunk of it so you could see more.

Do you remember who won the game?

They played so many rounds. But I think they always made sure Patrick won.

I’m laughing because I asked Patrick that question , and he said, “I think I won.”

Yeah, I think they rigged it a little bit so he would win.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

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Star Trek: Picard - Getting to Know Q

Tracking the trickster from his first appearance onwards

Curious about Q? Follow the character's legacy from The Next Generation to Star Trek: Picard .

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

Star Trek: Picard

• View history

Star Trek: Picard is the eighth main series set in the Star Trek universe, the ninth including the companion series Star Trek: Short Treks , and the eleventh Star Trek series overall. Picard is produced by CBS Studios and stars Patrick Stewart , reprising the role of Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation . [1] The new series is set twenty years after the events of Star Trek Nemesis , [2] dealing with "the new chapter in Picard's life."

The series forms part of Alex Kurtzman 's five-year deal with CBS to expand the Star Trek franchise . The first season debuted on CBS All Access , which subsequently became Paramount+ . [3] Kurtzman serves as executive producer on the series along with Stewart, as well as James Duff , Akiva Goldsman , Michael Chabon , Trevor Roth , Heather Kadin , and Rod Roddenberry . In addition, Aaron Baiers serves as co-executive producer. [4] Writer Kirsten Beyer devised the concept for the series, [5] and she features as part of the writing staff alongside Kurtzman, Duff, Goldsman, and Chabon. Chabon served as the first season's showrunner. [6]

• 1 Production history
• 2 Opening credits
• 3.1 Special guest stars
• 3.2 Recurring guest stars
• 4.1 Season 1
• 4.2 Season 2
• 4.3 Season 3
• 5.1 Production
• 5.2.1 Reception
• 5.2.2 Products
• 6 Related topics
• 8 External links

Production history

The series was announced at the Star Trek Las Vegas convention on 4 August 2018 , where Stewart appeared alongside Kurtzman to reveal his involvement. At the time of the announcement, the series was still early in pre-production, with no scripts written yet. [7] According to the actor, the possibility of Picard's return had been suggested to him about a year before, but he originally planned to reject the idea. However, upon revisiting episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and realizing the power and influence of the series, he changed his mind. [8] On making the announcement, Stewart referred to the news as "unexpected, but delightful". [9]

It was reported that, on the day before the announcement, CBS applied for a number of trademarks in classes relating to entertainment, which could be connected with the new series. Marks applied for included " Star Trek: Reliant ", and " Star Trek: Destiny ", a title that shares its name with a post-TNG Star Trek novel trilogy . [10]

Work in the writers' room began in September 2018 , and an image of the staff with Stewart was shared by the actor at the end of that month. [11] This image featured Stewart, Duff, Goldsman, Beyer, Chabon and also Diandra Pendleton-Thompson , who had not been previously announced as one of the series' writers. Production was expected to begin in April 2019 , according to Kurtzman, [12] and the series is filmed in California. [13] In December 2018, CBS Corporation Chief Creative Officer David Nevins stated that CBS expected the series to launch late in 2019. [14]

In January 2019 , Kurtzman announced that the series would acknowledge the prime universe elements of Star Trek , stating that " Picard's life was radically altered by the dissolution of the Romulan Empire . " [15]

On 1 March 2019 , it was announced that Hanelle M. Culpepper would be directing the first two episodes of the series. [16] This marks the first time that a black woman was directing the series premiere of a Star Trek series.

On 4 March 2019 , the first two series regulars besides Stewart were announced, Santiago Cabrera and Michelle Hurd . [17] Later in March, Evan Evagora was added to the cast as a series regular. [18]

On 17 April 2019 , it was announced that Alison Pill , Harry Treadaway , and Isa Briones were joining the cast. [19]

On 22 April 2019 , production on the show began. [20] The Star Trek: Picard production is based out of Santa Clarita Studios (SCS). SCS is an independent studio production facility based in Santa Clarita, California, 35 miles north of Hollywood. Although Star Trek was returning to Hollywood, like all of the previous series save Star Trek: Discovery , it is not being shot at Star Trek 's previous home of Paramount Studios. [21] Paramount lost not only its television division, but the entire franchise as well, when the former Viacom was split in late 2005 into the new Viacom (Paramount's holding company at the time Picard began filming) and the CBS Corporation , with Star Trek ownership passing over to the latter. (The two corporations re-merged to form ViacomCBS in December 2019; ViacomCBS was rebranded as Paramount Global in February 2022.)

Shortly before filming began, Michael Chabon was appointed as showrunner. [22] However, CBS did not announce Chabon's position until 27 June 2019 . [23]

On 13 May 2019 , the announcement was made that Amazon Prime had acquired the international streaming rights for the new series, each episode to be aired 24 hours after its American premiere on CBS All Access . [24] [25] Stewart confirmed the news the same day on his Twitter account. [26]

On 15 May 2019 , the first seven-second teaser, revealing the new show's title and logo, was released. [27] This was followed on 23 May by the first live-action teaser trailer in both the CBS All Access and Amazon Prime Video variants. [28] [29] The voice of the teaser trailer's female narrator was not from any of the then-known contracted actresses, but rather from voice actress Merrin Dungey . [30] It was after the series had premiered, that it became apparent that Dungey was also given the guest-starring part of Richter .

On 20 July 2019 the first official Season 1 trailer , coming in at 130 seconds, was unveiled at the 2019 San Diego Comic Con. The trailer featured footage of former Next Generation co-star Brent Spiner , and Star Trek: Voyager star Jeri Ryan reprising her role as Seven of Nine . It was also announced that Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis would each be reprising their roles as William T. Riker and Deanna Troi , respectively.

Robert Picardo revealed on 29 July 2019 that he has been approached about a possible appearance in a second season of the show. [31]

On 31 August 2019 , Michael Chabon posted on Instagram that filming for the first season had been completed. [32]

On 17 September 2019 , Patrick Stewart told The Huddersfield Daily Examiner in his native Yorkshire that " there is ... the possibility of a second Picard series filming in March next year. " [33]

On 5 October 2019 , a second trailer debuted at New York Comic-Con, and it was announced that the first season would air on CBS All Access beginning on 23 January 2020 .

On 7 October 2019 , Kurtzman confirmed that a second season of Picard was "already in the works". [34]

An interview released on 29 November 2019 mentioned Ayelet Waldman as a member of the writing staff for Picard . [35]

On 10 December 2019 , it was announced that Michael Chabon would step down from his role as showrunner, but would remain involved in the show. [36]

On 20 December 2019 , a third teaser trailer debuted almost exactly one month ahead of the CBS All Access series premier online. The teaser revealed new pieces of footage with Jean-Luc Picard in what appears to be Ten Forward , the bar on the USS Enterprise -D , among other quick new moments with William T. Riker , Dr. Agnes Jurati, and what appears to be a Borg flashback. [37]

The renewal of Star Trek: Picard for a second season was informally revealed on 16 December 2019 , and formally announced on 12 January 2020 . [38] [39] The same day, it was announced that Terry Matalas had joined the staff of Picard , and was likely to take over as showrunner from Chabon. [40] Also joining the writing team was Marc Bernardin .

The series premiered in North America on 23 January 2020 on CBS All Access with its first episode " Remembrance ", with the rest of the world following suit the next day through Amazon Prime Video.

In August 2020 , Alex Kurtzman said that the Picard writers' room had continued to meet via Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic. [41]

Opening credits

The opening title sequence for Star Trek: Picard was meant to connect viewers to Picard's journey in a way that was "more intimate" and "more emotional", containing imagery of Château Picard , a Borg cube , chips and pieces that would culminate into Picard himself. [42]

Teaser image of Picard in Picard

• Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard
• Alison Pill as Dr. Agnes Jurati (Seasons 1-2)
• Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine (Seasons 2-3)
• Isa Briones as Soji Asha , Dahj Asha , Sutra (Season 1), and Kore Soong (Season 2)
• Evan Evagora as Elnor (Seasons 1-2)
• Michelle Hurd as Raffaela Musiker
• Orla Brady as Laris and Tallinn (Season 2)
• Ed Speleers as Jack Crusher (Season 3)
• Santiago Cabrera as Cristóbal "Chris" Rios , Emil , Emmet , Enoch , Ian , and Mister Hospitality (Seasons 1-2)
• Harry Treadaway as Narek (Season 1)
• Brent Spiner as Adam Soong (Season 2)

Special guest stars

• LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge (Season 3)
• Daniel Davis as James Moriarty (Season 3)
• John de Lancie as Q (Season 2)
• Michael Dorn as Worf (Season 3)
• Michelle Forbes as Ro Laren (Season 3)
• Jonathan Frakes as William T. Riker (Seasons 1 & 3)
• Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan (Season 2)
• Walter Koenig as Anton Chekov (voice) (Season 3)
• Alice Krige as the Borg Queen (voice) (Season 3)
• Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher (Season 3)
• Tim Russ as Tuvok , Tuvok (Season 3)
• Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine (Season 1)
• Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi (Seasons 1 & 3)
• Brent Spiner as Data and Altan Soong (Season 1); Daystrom Android M-5-10 (Season 3)

Recurring guest stars

• Ito Aghayere as Guinan (Season 2)
• Orla Brady as Laris (Seasons 1 & 3)
• James Callis as Maurice Picard (Season 2)
• Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut as Sidney La Forge (Season 3)
• Stephanie Czajkowski as Lt. T'Veen (Season 3)
• Jonathan Del Arco as Hugh (Season 1)
• Steve Gutierrez as Ricardo (Season 2)
• Joseph Lee as Lt. Matthew Mura (Season 3)
• Chad Lindberg as Ensign Eli Foster (Season 3)
• Peyton List as Narissa (Season 1)
• Ann Magnuson as Admiral Kirsten Clancy (Season 1)
• Jin Maley as Ensign Kova Esmar (Season 3)
• Jamie McShane as Zhaban (Season 1)
• Penelope Mitchell as Renée Picard (Season 2)
• Amanda Plummer as Vadic (Season 3)
• Tiffany Shepis as Dr. Ohk (Season 3)
• Sol Rodriguez as Teresa Ramirez (Season 2)
• Todd Stashwick as Captain Liam Shaw (Season 3)
• Tamlyn Tomita as Commodore Oh (Season 1)
• Dylan Von Halle as Young Jean-Luc Picard (Season 2)
• Annie Wersching as The Borg Queen (Season 2)
• Madeline Wise as Yvette Picard (Season 2)
• Rebecca Wisocky as Ramdha (Season 1)

Episode list

PIC Season 1 , 10 episodes:

PIC Season 2 , 10 episodes: [43] [44] [45]

PIC Season 3 , 10 episodes: [46]

Development

Picard lead Patrick Stewart initially had no intention whatsoever to reprise his role, feeling that the role had run its course, but decided to accept the invitation for a talk with the producers, as he felt it was only courteous to explain his reasons for declining the part in person. However, during the meeting and its follow-ups, Producer Michael Chabon was able to change Stewart's mind as he was fully willing to take Stewart's vision of an older Picard into account. In the process, Chabon entirely discarded the original story treatment he had written for the opening episode, and started a new, heeding Stewart's concerns. ( TRR : " Remembrance ") Stewart himself has confirmed this (including his initial disinclination to take on the role again) during his appearance on the British talk show The Graham Norton Show (Season 26, Episode 16, 17 January 2020), shortly before the series premiered. [47]

Marina Sirtis appeared with the same wig and contact lenses that she wore in Star Trek Nemesis . She held on to them after that production finished, and informed Picard producers of this, likely saving them time and the US$10,000 it would have cost to make a new wig. [48]

In the months leading up to the premiere of the new series, a monthly prequel three-volume comic book mini-series, Star Trek: Picard - Countdown , was released by IDW Publishing , starting in November 2019. The comic book series introduced several characters, later featured in the live-action production, as well as dealing with events that led up to the ones featured on the show.

Additionally, the Star Trek: Picard Movie & TV Collection Blu-ray Disc set (which incidentally, included the exclusive sixteen-page Star Trek: Sky's the Limit comic book, likewise from IDW [49] ) saw an October/November release as an appetizer. [50] The majority of the titles included in the collection contained events referenced to in the series, which held especially true for TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds ", Star Trek: First Contact , and Star Trek Nemesis .

The London, UK, "Picardilly Circus" subway station

Aside for Patrick Stewart's own remarks on the new show, it was also revealed in the above-mentioned The Graham Norton Show episode, that the London Underground station Piccadilly Circus was temporarily dubbed "Pica r dilly Circus" in anticipation of the new series, whereas Stewart himself had related how he came across a New York City subway line map into which an imaginary subway line was incorporated, outlining the Starfleet arrowhead logo. [51] Both of these occasions had been part of the official franchise overall marketing strategy. London public transportation Head of Customer Information, Design and Partnerships at Transport for London, Julie Dixon, clarified, " We're thrilled to partner with Amazon Prime Video to create this exciting takeover of one of London's most well-known Underground stations to celebrate the launch of Star Trek: Picard . The Star Trek franchise is a global sensation and we're excited to mark this next chapter in a creative and engaging way that connects with tens of thousands of people. We hope that the out of this world activity has brought a bit of unexpected fun to our customers and that they boldly go on their commute, young or old. " [52] The New York City MTA metro company Stewart had come across, additionally dispensed Star Trek: Picard -themed cards/tickets at six pre-selected metro stations, aside from displaying the series billboards and having adjusted its subway line map where the six stations were linked to form the Starfleet arrowhead. [53] [54]

In its first season, Star Trek: Picard was nominated for five Emmy Awards , all in "technical" categories such as makeup and sound editing. It won one, "Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or Special".

FanSets debuted its first Star Trek: Picard pins in 2019.

CherryTree previewed a prototype of its Borg Cube ATX Limited Collector's Edition computer in July 2019 , [55] and the final version reached retail in January 2020 . [56] Smaller ITX builds of this cube debuted in June 2020 . In 2021, the company displayed a prototype for its forthcoming computerized Star Trek: Picard Borg Cube Record Player . [57]

In June 2019 , Eaglemoss/Hero Collector 's project manager Ben Robinson reconfirmed that the company would manufacture starship miniatures from the series, and later indicated that they would be about 150 to 250 mm in length, similar to ships from its DIS starships partwork . The first four sets of CG starship assets were received from the production in March 2020 , and the first products, models of La Sirena , the USS Zheng He , Fenris Ranger vessel , and the Romulan Bird-of-Prey were scheduled. [58] In October 2020 , the company announced that its forthcoming PIC starship line would be combined with ships from Star Trek: Discovery (after the release of issue 33 of the DIS collection) and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds into a new partwork , which was subsequently named the Star Trek Universe: The Official Starships Collection and debuted in March 2021 . [59] Robinson added, " We've got 9 or 10 Picard ships followed by the Disco season 3 fleet. " [60]

In June 2021, Eaglemoss released its first, larger XL Edition model of a "hero ship" from PIC within its Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection . Three starship classes from the series are also covered in the second edition of the company's Star Trek: Shipyards - Starfleet Ships 2294 to the Future reference book . [61]

Hallmark has scheduled the release of its La Sirena Christmas ornament for October 2021 . [62]

On 13 July 2021 , ViacomCBS Consumer Products and Playmates Toys jointly announced that the latter had acquired new licensing for " action figures, vehicles and ships, role play and other toy categories ", and slated the first of these products for retail release in 2022. Among other Star Trek series and films, this licensing encompasses Star Trek: Picard , Star Trek: Discovery , Star Trek: Lower Decks , and Star Trek: Prodigy . [63]

Related topics

• PIC directors
• PIC performers
• PIC recurring characters
• PIC studio models
• PIC writers
• Star Trek: Picard novels
• Star Trek: Picard comics
• Star Trek: Picard soundtracks
• Star Trek: Picard on DVD
• Star Trek: Picard on Blu-ray
• Star Trek: Picard - No Man's Land (audio drama)

External links

• Star Trek: Picard at Wikipedia
• Star Trek: Picard at the Internet Movie Database
• Star Trek: Picard at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 3 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

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Star Trek: Picard

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Patrick Stewart

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Geordi LaForge

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Picard says goodbye with a mysterious hint at Star Trek’s future

The finale has one of Star Trek’s only credits scenes

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Never let it be said that Paramount Plus hasn’t brought the Star Trek franchise into the modern era of interconnected television: Star Trek even has credits scenes now.

And while the award for “first credits scene in Star Trek” would go to Star Trek: Lower Decks , with its season 3 finale, “The Stars at Night,” the award for “first Star Trek credits scene to point at a mysterious future installment of the franchise” can go to Star Trek: Picard and its finale.

[ Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for the final episode of Star Trek: Picard season 3, “The Last Generation.”]

The denouement of “The Last Generation” makes sure we know exactly where our faves old and new have wound up. While the Next Generation crew largely wound up with promotions, renewed relationships, or just a return to their peaceful lives, Picard built a new future for some of its younger old characters.

Former borg drone Seven of Nine was promoted to captain of the Titan, which was renamed Enterprise. Thanks to some calculated intelligence leaks, her girlfriend Raffi’s record was cleared, freeing her up to act as Seven’s first officer, and Jack Crusher — son of Jean-Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher , interstellar adventurer, recently freed from Borg control — was fast-tracked to the rank of Starfleet ensign to serve as captain’s counselor.

The credits scene takes us right back to Jack, in his quarters on the newly christened Enterprise, as he’s visited by none other than the cosmic being known as Q (John de Lancie). Q was thought to have died at the end of Picard season 2, but when Jack points that out, Q admonishes him for thinking so linearly. The long and the short of it is: Q is eternal, and he has something in mind for the progeny of his longtime fixation, Jean-Luc Picard.

Does this mean Star Trek: Legacy is real?

About a month ago, Picard showrunner Terry Matalas tweeted that “#StarTrekLegacy is what I’d call a spin-off show from #StarTrekPicard. A 25th Century show that explores the Last Generation and the Next.” Since then, he’s been either teasing an upcoming show or just having a hearty good time retweeting coverage of his tweet and clips of veteran Star Trek actors agreeing that a nostalgic spinoff for 1990s Trek fans sounds like a good idea .

So it’s not entirely clear whether “Star Trek Legacy” is a real show or what. But it’s hard to imagine what else Picard ’s final moments could possibly be pointing to. The next Star Trek show on the Paramount Plus lineup is the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , then the fourth season of the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks , and then the second season of all-ages cartoon Star Trek: Prodigy . None of those seem like a good fit for Picard ’s hints, being set in completely different eras or produced in a completely different medium.

Paramount has also confirmed at least two more future Star Trek projects, but they also don’t seem likely as answers either — Starfleet Academy will take place the better part of a millennium after Picard , while the recently announced Section 31 film starring Michelle Yeoh just simply doesn’t seem particularly relevant.

It’s possible that Paramount is sitting on a Star Trek: Legacy show about Jack Crusher, Seven of Nine, Raffi, and Sidney La Forge (the Titan/Enterprise’s helmswoman and daughter of Geordi La Forge) going on some epic Q-uest. But we won’t know until it’s actually announced — and so far, Paramount is keeping quiet.

Update: Speaking to Entertainment Weekly , Matalas said “Jack’s got a lot to do, let me tell you.” The showrunner confirmed that Paramount does have a plan for Jack Crusher’s character moving forward, but declined to elaborate or confirm the existence of another new Star Trek show.

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Episode list

Star trek: picard.

S2.E1 ∙ The Star Gazer

S2.E2 ∙ Penance

S2.E3 ∙ Assimilation

S2.E4 ∙ Watcher

S2.E5 ∙ Fly Me to the Moon

S2.E6 ∙ Two of One

S2.E7 ∙ Monsters

S2.E8 ∙ Mercy

S2.E9 ∙ Hide and Seek

S2.E10 ∙ Farewell

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Star Trek: Picard finale post-credits scene explained: Showrunner confirms big things to come

Showrunner Terry Matalas says Ed Speleers is gonna be a busy man after Picard.

Warning: Spoilers from Star Trek: Picard 's series finale are discussed in this article.

There might be another Star Trek series coming our way — or at the very least, another home for Ed Speleers ' Jack Crusher.

The series finale of Star Trek: Picard , which dropped on Paramount+ Thursday, came with a post-credits scene that teases big things ahead for the character. Showrunner Terry Matalas confirms in an interview with EW, "Jack's got a lot to do, let me tell you."

He wouldn't tell us exactly what, of course, but the producer — who has guided the Patrick Stewart -led spin-off to break into the Nielsen Top 10 ratings for the first time with season 3 — confirms his story isn't over.

After Jean-Luc Picard (Stewart) and Beverly Crusher ( Gates McFadden ) save their son from the Borg Queen with help from their longtime comrades, the finale episode jumps forward a year to see where these characters ended up. Among the reveals is the U.S.S. Titan, which has been rechristened as the Enterprise-G in recognition of Picard and his crew's efforts.

Seven of Nine ( Jeri Ryan ) has been promoted to captain, with Raffi (Michelle Hurd) as her No. 1. A few members of the Titan join them, including Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut). Jack is now Ensign Jack Crusher, as he was placed on an accelerated track by Starfleet.

The post-credits scene cuts to Jack in his quarters on the Enterprise-G. He settles into his room when Q (John de Lancie) makes a surprise appearance.

"Young mortal, you have much ahead of you," he tells Jack.

"You told my father that humanity's trial was over," the young Crusher replies.

"It is... for him," he clarifies. "But I'm here today because of you. You see, yours, Jack, has just begun."

Matalas had the idea for this moment deep into season 2 when he was mapping out the trajectory of season 3. "Once I had the genesis of this idea and I knew it would be about Picard's son, I had envisioned a post-credit sequence in which you passed the torch to [him]."

He points to "Encounter at Farpoint," the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1. "The first major interaction is Q and Picard," he says. "Where better to end than at the beginning?"

A Star Trek: Legacy series has been rumored for some time, with a few of the Picard actors teasing how season 3 leaves the door open to continue that story with the next generation of characters. Alex Kurtzman , who's been shepherding the new golden age of Trek, had even teased during San Diego Comic-Con last year that fans should expect more shows with female leads. So, perhaps, we're getting a Seven of Nine series for Ryan, with Jack as part of her crew.

The only new Trek titles that have been formally announced so far are Star Trek: Starfleet Academy , which Matalas says is part of a different timeline than Picard ; and Star Trek: Section 31 , the event movie starring Michelle Yeoh as Emperor Philippa Georgiou from Star Trek: Discovery .

Matalas won't disclose what the plans are for Speleers as Jack moving forward, only that he knows what they are. "Oh yes. I do [know]," he says. "Oh yes."

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly 's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

• Michelle Yeoh's Star Trek: Discovery spin-off is now a Section 31 movie event
• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series will beam up a new generation of cadets
• Star Trek: Picard 's latest Next Generation cameo was all about 'doing a paranoia thriller'

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‘Star Trek: Picard’ Series Finale Recap: Saying Farewell

In the end, the final season of “Picard” was a worthy send-off for the “Next Generation” crew.

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By Sopan Deb

Season 3, Episode 10: ‘The Last Generation’

“What began over 35 years ago ends tonight,” Jean-Luc Picard says, standing on his favorite bridge and glaring at his most distasteful enemy. It recalled his “The line must be drawn here!” from “First Contact.”

This was ostensibly a reference to the Federation’s longstanding battle with the Borg, but it also applies to “The Next Generation” franchise. (The show began airing in 1987 and 35 years ago would be 1988.) And if this is the last time we see these characters, that’s OK. Not because this season of “Picard” wasn’t a strong one. Quite the opposite, in fact: It was quite good and recaptured everything that made “Next Generation” what it was.

The characters all used special skills to work together and save humankind. Some of the dialogue was campy. There were plot holes. And there were classic “Star Trek” tropes, like Jean-Luc nonsensically going to the Borg cube, when he was likely the least physically capable of the old crew in fighting off the Borg.

But overall, this season was a worthy send-off for the crew. It wasn’t perfect, but neither were the show or any of the movies. But it was worth doing. The story justified its existence, advancing each of the main characters and filling in some gaps.

And it confirmed one last time that “The Next Generation” was greater than the sum of its parts. That might have been why the first two seasons of “Picard” didn’t work as well. Jean-Luc wasn’t the best character he could be without his old friends. The chemistry wasn’t as fluid, and the story wasn’t as deep.

In the finale, we learn a bit about what the Borg have been up to, though I remain baffled that no one brings up Jurati or the whole Good Borg thing from last season . (Maybe it was for the best.) There was no collective left — only the Borg Queen remained, she claimed, though we know from last season’s events that this isn’t exactly true.

It was Jack who found the Borg Queen, at least in her telling. She speaks in a way that is contrary to what we’ve known about the Borg: She says she was lonely and that the Borg were left to starve. (This kind of undercuts the Borg’s whole message of being the perfect beings.) But now, the Borg want to evolve rather than assimilate, and Jack is the perfect partner to do that. (In order to survive, the Borg Queen, I think, resorted to Borg cannibalism. Yikes! Hope those drones won Employee of the Month or something.)

The Borg and the changelings came to an agreement in which the changelings would be the Borg’s vehicle to carry out some villainous plan to help them procreate. Aside from an ill-fated revenge that they didn’t really need the Borg for, I don’t know what the changelings really got out of this alliance.

Elsewhere, classic Star Trekking happens. Worf and Riker fight off some baddies on the cube. Beverly uses her now finely honed combat skills to fire weapons. (It’s somewhat amusing that Geordi refurbished the Enterprise D for display at the fleet museum and also included a loaded torpedo system. Thank goodness he went above and beyond!) Data shows off his lightning fast piloting skills, assisted by his newly acquired gut instinct.

Beverly is faced with an impossible decision: Blow up her son and save the galaxy, or, uh, don’t. I loved that Geordi is the one who asks her permission, because he now understands a parent’s love for a child. And when it comes time to fire on the beacon, Geordi really, really doesn’t want to do it.

Jean-Luc finds another solution. He assimilates himself so he can get in contact with Jack in the Borg collective. Jean-Luc isn’t human, of course. He is an android — apparently, he can just plug himself in to the network like a flash drive. Jean-Luc tells Jack that he is the missing part of Jean-Luc’s life. (Patrick Stewart plays this perfectly.)

Jean-Luc is finally able to admit to himself how lonely he was outside of Starfleet, and that Starfleet merely covered up that loneliness rather than filling it entirely. Jean-Luc gives his son something he’s craved his whole life: approval and unconditional love. And Jean-Luc also won’t let his son go. He offers to stay in the hole with him so they can climb out together, and Jean-Luc gets to be the father he never knew he wanted to be.

Eventually, Jean-Luc pushes Jack to unassimilate himself and turn against the Queen. And that’s that: The universe is saved again. Our thanks to the crew of the Enterprise for the umpteenth time.

The episode ends in the only appropriate way for the “Next Generation” crew: They sit around and toast one another. Jean-Luc quotes Shakespeare, and then they whoop and play cards just like at the end of “All Good Things…,” the series finale of the original “Next Generation.”

The end wasn’t perfect, but it was proper. And that’s about all you can ask from a season like this. I don’t need any more — I want the Enterprise D crew to Costanza it and leave on a high note. They’ve earned it.

Odds and ends

Somewhat amusingly, Jean-Luc does not express any concern for or otherwise mention Laris throughout this season , another example of the team behind “Picard” trying to erase the first two seasons of the show from existence. But Laris, for her part, actually appeared in the season premiere and, one could argue, help put the events of the reunion in motion.

I keep thinking about that scene early this season with Riker and Jean-Luc at the bar, when Riker has to defend the honor of the Enterprise D. We didn't know it then, but that foreshadowed the whole season.

I would have liked to hear more about what Worf has been up to since the events of “Nemesis.” At the end of “Deep Space Nine,” Worf was named an ambassador to Qo’noS. In “Nemesis,” Worf somehow just becomes a member of the Enterprise crew again with little explanation. In this season, it is implied that Worf helped destroy the Enterprise E — more detail would have been nice.

The “Worf as comic relief” thing, as when he fell asleep on the bridge immediately after he helps to save civilization, also wore thin. But there is a fun callback in the last scene of the episode: Beverly saying Worf should have another glass of prune juice. A warrior’s drink!

Pavel Chekov’s son, Anton, being president of the Federation was a nice touch. Anton is likely a reference to Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov in the rebooted feature films beginning in 2009. He died in 2016 as a result of a car accident .

When Seven and Raffi figure out a way to transport assimilated crew members off the bridge using phaser rifles, it’s quite the deus ex machina. That technology would’ve been helpful all season!

That was a funny moment when the cook is ordered to pilot the Titan. He didn’t even finish flight training, why is Seven making him take the wheel? Have Raffi do it! (Within minutes, the cook executes complicated evasive maneuvers, so that must have been some training.)

At first, I found New Data to be jarring but after a couple episodes, this version grew on me. When he says he hates the Borg, you can see the Lore side of him burst through. It’s a fresh take on Data and Brent Spiner pulls it off.

That was a nice bit of wordless acting from Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis when Riker heads down to the cube for yet another mission with Jean-Luc. The swashbuckling Riker gives the slightest of smiles, as if to say, “You know who you married. You know why I have to do this.” And Troi reluctantly agrees. Later, when Troi tells Riker he will only have a minute or so to save Jean-Luc once the Enterprise fires on the Cube, he responds again with cool confidence in a near death situation.

There will certainly be some disappointment among fans that Kate Mulgrew did not reprise her role as Admiral Janeway this season. The events in “Voyager” presumably are the reason the Borg cube was in such terrible shape when Jean-Luc beams aboard. Given the multiple references to Janeway and what was happening on Earth, it would have been nice to have gotten a glimpse of her. (And man, how gnarly does the Borg Queen look now?)

Ah, there’s Tuvok, offering Seven her own ship. As Vulcan as ever.

In the grand scheme of things, this is still only the second most successful attack by the Borg on Earth. Sure, they get to Earth, bring down the planetary defense systems and attack cities directly, all while using Starfleet ships. But in “First Contact,” they actually went back in time and assimilated all of Earth before the pesky Enterprise crew initiated a do-over. And honestly, if Jean-Luc and his merry band hasn’t been able to rescue Earth from Evil Jack, they could have just done what they did last season or in “First Contact”: Go back in time. It’s easy!

Troi gets to drive the Enterprise D again. It went better than it did last time, when she crashed it.

Beverly is an admiral now? What a promotion, considering the decades she spent out of Starfleet running a rogue operation. I wonder if Riker, Geordi or any of the others were like, “Hey, what about us?”

Ed Speleers did an admirable job as Jack Crusher. It’s not easy to go toe-to-toe with Patrick Stewart, but Speleers fits in seamlessly as Beverly and Jean-Luc’s son. (While we’re here, what’s up with Jack’s brother, Wesley?)

I hope all of you stuck around for the post-credits scene. Q is still alive! Of course he is. We don’t acknowledge last season around these parts.

Sopan Deb is a basketball writer and a contributor to the Culture section. Before joining The Times, he covered Donald J. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign for CBS News. More about Sopan Deb

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Screen Rant

Star trek: voyager's q return forgot tng's amanda rogers.

Star Trek: Voyager's season 3 episode "The Q and the Grey" forgot about Amanda Rogers, a unique Q-related character from Star Trek: TNG.

• Q forgot about TNG's Amanda Rogers in his Star Trek: Voyager return.
• Rogers disproves Q's claim that no two Q ever conceived a child before himself and Miss Q.
• However, Q may not have counted Rogers as a true Q offspring due to the unique circumstances surrounding her parents and birth.

Q's (John de Lancie) return to Star Trek: Voyager season 3 forgot about Amanda Rogers (Olivia d'Abo) from Star Trek: The Next Generation . Q is one of the most prolific characters in all the Star Trek TV shows , appearing throughout the franchise's 1990s era and even in more recent series like Star Trek: Lower Decks or Star Trek: Picard . Although Q first made a name for himself on TNG , his appearances on Voyager fleshed out more of his character and provided some never-before-seen backstory for the Q Continuum.

Much of this backstory was seen in Q's first two appearances on Voyager . In particular, season 3, episode 11, "The Q and the Grey" dealt with the consequences of the events of Q's first Voyager cameo in season 2. The episode's premise revolved around Q's attempts to get Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) to mate with him to create a child that would stop the Q Civil War. Eventually, Q ended up accomplishing this with Miss Q (Suzie Plakson), but made a mistake when he commented that two Q had never reproduced before .

Star Trek: Voyager Cast & Character Guide

Q forgot about tng’s amanda rogers in his star trek: voyager return, q met rogers on star trek: the next generation.

Amanda Rogers from Star Trek: TNG proves that Q was incorrect about no two Q having a child before "The Q and the Grey." Rogers was a female Q who became an intern on the USS Enterprise-D during TNG season 6, episode 6, "True Q." Initially, Rogers had no idea she was a Q, as she had been raised by human parents and had limited powers. However, it was Q himself who revealed her true parentage and the fact that the Continuum had been keeping an eye on Rogers since her birth.

It seems strange then that Q would forget about Rogers' existence during his appearance on Voyager . Although she was adopted by humans as a baby, Rogers was born to two Q parents, meaning that Q and Miss Q's child wasn't actually the first Continuum member to be conceived from the union of two Q . Q seemed extraordinarily proud of his child by the end of the episode, so it is possible he was simply gloating or exaggerating the baby's importance. However, there are some concrete reasons why Q might not consider Amanda Rogers a real Q child.

Why Q Doesn't Count Amanda Rogers As A Q Offspring

Amanda was a unique case in the q continuum.

Although both of Rogers' parents were fully Q, her backstory in "True Q" revealed that her parents assumed human form to live on Earth, where she was also supposedly conceived under human means. This differs from how two Q in fully Q form conceive a child, as Q and Miss Q demonstrated in "The Q and the Grey." Therefore, it is possible that Q didn't count Amanda Rogers as a child conceived by members of the Continuum because of the circumstances of her birth . Even her upbringing as a human could have excluded her from his consideration.

However, the fact that Rogers not only manifested full Q powers but also eventually chose to join the Continuum undoubtedly made her a Q. Whether Q considered her a true member of his species, he was wrong in his assessment of his son being the first Continuum member conceived by Q parents. Unfortunately, Star Trek: Voyager missed out on the opportunity for a good TNG tie-in by not directly referencing Amanda Rogers during "The Q and the Grey," which is too bad considering she was a fascinating character who might have provided some nuance to the episode.

Star Trek: Voyager is available to stream on Paramount+

Star Trek: Voyager

*Availability in US

Not available

The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they've never faced before. 

• April 26, 2024 | Michael Dorn Wanted Armin Shimerman To Play The Ferengi That Worf Killed In Star Trek Picard
• April 26, 2024 | Podcast: All Access Gets To Know The Breen In ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ 505, “Mirrors”
• April 25, 2024 | Prep Begins For ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 3 Finale; Cast And Directors Share BTS Images
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• April 25, 2024 | Recap/Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Reflects On Its Choices In “Mirrors”

Michael Dorn Wanted Armin Shimerman To Play The Ferengi That Worf Killed In Star Trek Picard

| April 26, 2024 | By: Anthony Pascale 12 comments so far

Earlier this week, TrekMovie’s All Access Star Trek podcast team spoke to  Star Trek: Deep Nine Star  Armin Shimerman along with his wife (and DS9) guest star Kitty Swink, TNG vet Jonathan Frakes, and television writer/producer Juan Carlos Coto, brother of late Enterprise  writer/producer Manny Coto. They had all gathered together to talk about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and their team Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer for the Purple Stride walk this Saturday, April 27th. During the wide-ranging chat, Shimerman told a funny story about a suggestion for him to appear in the final season of  Picard .

Armin says no to Worf chopping off his head

The subject of how other actors have played Ferengi in some of the new Star Trek shows came up, including the character Sneed in the latest season of Star Trek: Picard . Armin Shimerman had nothing but “kudos” for actor Aaron Stanford, who played Sneed:

“I was in awe. It was just astounding.”

Aaron Stanford as Sneed in  Picard ‘s “Disengage” (Paramount+)

Kitty Swink then prompted her husband to tell the “Dorny story.” Armin obliged, retelling this conversation he had with his former DS9 co-star:

“Before they cast [Sneed], [Michael] Dorn me up and said ‘I’m doing an episode of Picard where I kill off a Ferengi? Wouldn’t it be great if it were you.’ [laughs] I said, ‘No, it would not be great.’ I told him to just forget about that idea, altogether.”

TrekMovie confirmed with Swink and Shimerman that Dorn was suggesting Armin play Sneed on Picard , not that he reprise his DS9 role as Quark. After others noted the scene was rather brutal—it involved Worf cutting Sneed’s head off, Swink jumped in again:

“I got to say, for all the times I have baked bread for Michael Dorn, that was really a shitty thing for him to say.” [laughs]

Michelle Hurd as Raffi Musiker and Michael Dorn as Worf in Picard ‘s “The Bounty” (Paramount+)

Jonathan Frakes tried to be diplomatic, suggesting Dorn might have not known Worf was going to cut off Sneed’s head, but Armin said Michael was at least sure Worf was going to kill the character. Frakes (who appeared in every episode of Picard season 3 and directed 2 episodes) noted Sneed was still somewhat based on Quark, complimenting Shimerman on the layers he brought to a previously unsympathetic species:

“The tightrope you walked—all levity aside—to represent what [Gene] Roddenberry thought of as this despicable capitalist pig with huge ears. And yet the humorous, smart, charming, cleve—all the qualities that Quark had and still be an essentially a villain, and do it through rubber. It takes a special actor, which you are.”

Armin Shimerman as Quark in Deep Space Nine

High praise for return on Lower Decks

Shimerman has had a recent return to the franchise, voicing Quark for the season 3 episode “Hear All, Trust Nothing” of Star Trek: Lower Decks . During the podcast discussion, the actor talked up his experience:

“I did have fun, and I did get to ad lib. It was a great, great, great fun. And they couldn’t have been nicer. They were very sweet. And both Nana [Visitor] and I were very touched that they wanted to make it a tribute to Deep Space Nine . The opening sequence of shooting the station brought tears to both of our eyes because it was just so nostalgic. And we love working there. It was a it was a great, great experience. It couldn’t have been nicer.”

Lower Decks “Hear All, Trust Nothing”

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I think that would have been one of the most divisive moments in Trek history had it happened.

Agreed. They could have called that Ferengi ANYTHING but as soon as Worf’s blade went through his neck, it would’ve been “Worf killed Quark!” and I don’t think I could have ever forgiven him (Worf or Dorn).

It has to be a joke. Seriously.

My recommendation would be no one listen to Michael Dorn regarding casting and plot ideas.

I wish I could upvote this a thousand times.

I know I’m about to be verbally pummeled, but is there that much adoration for Quark out there? I wouldn’t have minded him having a cameo to be killed off, ala Shelby. Just imo, I don’t feel a great affinity for the character. No shade on Armin Shimerman either, by the way. He played the role to a tee.

I liked Quark, but I feel that having any main character killed off in such a fashion would be a bit shitty. Shelby only appeared in two episodes (even if the character was featured in the books more), so it would be a bit different for the fans. Just think back to the way fans reacted to the deaths of Jadzia or Trip, and they at least died in their own shows.

I can dig that. It would have certainly been an emotional punch. It did suck quite a bit when Jadzia left us.

I like Quark as much as any Star Trek character but it really has nothing to do with that. Having any character show up and do something the audience KNOWS they wouldn’t so you can generate a cameo out of it is sooooooooo lazy and apathetic about the world they’ve built. This is the kind of thing new star trek does a little too much. I’m not against writing a character out….I’m against things that suck and that would’ve.

I prefer Sneed. He was an interesting character. I don’t want to see Quark beheaded. Luckily, they didn’t go that route.

Anybody read above? Nobody was going to kill Quark, Armin would have been playing Sneed. So, uh what??

Giant Freakin Robot

Star Trek's Best Character Has A Secret Tie To James Bond

Posted: April 26, 2024 | Last updated: April 28, 2024

Star Trek’s Best Character Has A Secret Tie To James Bond

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Picard is a very serious captain, but he does have some unconventional ways of blowing off steam. For example, he was fond of the fictional 20th-century Dixon Hill novels in which the titular detective conducts investigations in one noir-style chapter after another. Picard likes to recreate the investigations in the holodeck, but that’s not the real surprise: the shocking thing is that Star Trek writers changed this detective’s name from “Dixon Steele” because they thought Picard’s detective sounded too much like Remington Steele, the successful show starring James Bond star Pierce Brosnan.

The Big Goodbye

This strange Star Trek tale goes all the way back to the first season TNG episode “The Big Goodbye.” Picard recreates a Dixon Hill investigation on the holodeck and is joined by both Dr. Crusher Data for what is meant to be a campy adventure filled with film-noir tropes. However, in what would become a major Star Trek tradition, our characters get trapped inside the holodeck with the safety protocols turned off and must play their fictional characters perfectly in what has now become a life-or-death struggle.

Homages To Film Noir

What might seem obvious (at least, if you’ve watched enough old movies) is that this episode is filled with homages to film noir, which is why it calls back to such cinematic classics as The Maltese Falcon. Originally, screenwriter Tracy Tormé wanted Trek’s fictional detective to be named “Dixon Steele” because that was the name of the lead character in his favorite Humphrey Bogart movie, In a Lonely Place. An homage to Bogart wasn’t a problem, but the Star Trek writers ultimately changed the name because it closely resembled the title of a popular show featuring future Pierce Brosnan, who would later famously play James Bond.

Remington Steele

Before he brought everyone’s favorite British spy to life on the big screen, Pierce Brosnan became a household name thanks to the success of his TV show Remington Steele. That show had a very cheeky premise: when a female private investigator had trouble finding clients due to general misogyny (it was even more abundant than cocaine back in the ‘80s), she developed a fictional male investigator named Remington Steele. You guessed it: Pierce Brosnan (who plays a con man as charming as he is conniving) embodies this persona, and he and the real investigator begin a professional partnership that eventually turns romantic.

The Name Change Made Sense

Captain Picard’s favorite fictional detective would have had the name Dixon Steele if not for the success of that other ‘80s show featuring one of the best James Bond actors. The similarities in the names Remington Steele and Dixon Steele were bad enough, but there was also the matter of the similar premise. Remington Steele was a popular show featuring a private investigator, and that show ended the same year (1987) that TNG premiered, so audience comparisons between it and the name of a private investigator on Star Trek would have been inevitable.

Our Man Bashir

While the Star Trek writers were hesitant to draw connections between Picard’s favorite detective and Pierce Brosnan’s hit show, they later had no problem heavily referencing James Bond. In the Deep Space Nine episode “Our Man Bashir,” we find out that the station’s doctor doesn’t like to play detective…instead, he enjoys a holosuite game where he is a debonair secret agent in the vein of James Bond. Less than two years after this episode premiered, Pierce Brosnan would make his debut as 007 in Goldeneye, ushering in a new golden age for a franchise that had stalled out after the disappointing box office of 1989’s Licence to Kill.

The Picard show may have ended, but weirdly enough, the franchise is very likely to channel James Bond yet again even without this Dixon Hill superfan. We don’t yet know the plot of the upcoming Section 31 movie featuring Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, but there’s a good chance we’ll see her engaging in secret agent antics as she tries to keep her activities hidden from other Starfleet personnel. If we’re really lucky, we’ll get at least one instance of Yeoh introducing herself to a character by saying “The name’s Georgiou…Philippa Georgiou.” 

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