- This episode of Nerdist News is sponsored by
Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening game.
Patrick Stewart shares new details
on Star Trek: Picard.
Pop culture and science fiction are gonna have
a pretty busy couple of years coming up,
but one thing fans definitely got on the top of their
to-watch lists is the upcoming Picard series
coming to CBS All Access that will see
Sir Patrick Stewart return to the iconic role
of Jean-Luc Picard which he last played
in 2002's Star Trek Nemesis.
In this age of reboots, remakes, sequels,
and nostalgia grabs,
the new Picard show seemed like the one
returning property that fans were on board with
right from the announcement.
To be fair, fan hype for this series was brewing
back when it was just a bunch of unfounded rumors,
and while this year's Comic-Con gave us
our best look at the series yet with this cryptic trailer,
which left multiple grown men in our office
crying by the way, (bell ringing)
the greater details of this show remain under wraps
other than the broadest story strokes.
We know that Picard has retired from Star Fleet
to his vineyard after commanding the greatest
rescue armada in history.
We take this to mean the evacuation of Romulus
we saw in Prime Spock's memories
in 2009's Star Trek film.
We also know that Picard has to put together
a rag-tag team for a mission,
and we know the Borg will be involved somehow,
but that's all we really know about it,
so that's why we're grabbing at any table scraps
of information or details we can find,
and luckily this week,
Sir Patrick Stewart delivered when he opened up
to the Examiner live about his motivations for returning
to the character and what the show could cover.
As to why Stewart is coming back to his role as Picard,
he said, "I don't regard it as going back.
"In fact, we are definitely moving the series forward,
"and that's what made the difference for me.
"It was a very difficult decision."
Honestly, it's great to hear that this level of thought
is being put into things.
This doesn't seem to just be the continuing adventures
of Jean-Luc Picard or a season eight to the Next Generation,
but rather a very specific story
that will impact Picard in a major way.
Sir Patrick went on to say, "We are looking at a new world
"with new objectives, problems, and issues that could not
"have been raised when we were making the Next Generation,
"and I found that very exciting.
"It's very exciting, and people will be surprised
"and perhaps even shocked."
Shocked, you say?
Well, sign us up!
Now obviously, this is the benefit of being
on a streaming service and not on the late 80s
and 90s broadcast television,
and while the Next Generation had its share
of shocking moments, and we're looking at you Conspiracy
aka the episode that gave us all nightmares.
Seriously, how did this air?
(lasers whining)
But overall, Next Gen was relatively tame,
so it would be interesting to see how Star Trek: Picard
will wrestle with even bigger issues.
Plus storytelling on television has changed a lot
since the Next Generation ended.
While that Star Trek series wasn't known
for much serialized storytelling
beyond some two-parters,
Deep Space Nine was when the franchise got deeper
into story arcs that last seasons long.
It sounds like Picard will give audiences the chance
to see characters dive into longer plots that develop
over seasons of television,
and this fits in line with what CBS All Access
content head Julie McNamara had to say
about the series at the TCAs.
"I would say that it is in production,
"sort of size and scope, probably more similar to Discovery.
"In terms of the characters and the nature
"of the storytelling,
"probably more like Next Generation.
"But of course, we're a number of years later now,
"so there are some shifts in the storytelling style,
"but I think it's a really nice hybrid of the two."
While Star Trek Discovery might have taken a bit
to find its footing in season one,
one thing the show has done well is juggle character moments
and big sweeping special effects action
and longer story arcs,
So if that is what is delivered in Picard,
the show is definitely in capable hands.
Plus if we needed any more proof that the show
is shaping up nicely,
in addition to Brent Spiner and Jeri Ryan
reprising their roles as Data and Seven of Nine,
Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis will show up
in Picard as Riker and Troi.
Seriously, we're hanging on to every table scrap of news
because every table scrap of news
is getting us more hyped.
Hopefully, we'll be hearing more Picard news
coming out of New York Comic-Con next month
and maybe even an official release date beyond early 2020,
but what do you folks think?
Are you excited for Picard to premiere,
or are you super excited for Picard to premiere?
What other Star Trek cast members
do you hope make an appearance?
And should Jean-Luc Picard have a new catch phrase
for this new show beyond engage and make it so?
Let's discuss.
Thanks again to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda:
Link's Awakening game for sponsoring today's episode.
Prepare to embark on an exciting adventure
after Link has been washed ashore
on the reimagined Koholint Island.
To find his way home,
Link must use all of his skills and weapons
as he fights his way past moblins,
octarocks, and even goombas?
Relive the classic story on the Nintendo Switch
and Nintendo Switch Light systems, available now.
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