SciFi Diner Pilots Ep. 403 – Picard

Star Trek: Picard is an American television series created by Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon, Kirsten Beyer, and Alex Kurtzman for the streaming service CBS All Access (later rebranded as Paramount+). It is the eighth Star Trek series and was launched in 2020 as part of Kurtzman’s expanded Star Trek Universe. The series features a retired Jean-Luc Picard who has been deeply affected by the death of Data in the film Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) and the destruction of the planet Romulus in the film Star Trek (2009).

Patrick Stewart executive produces the series and stars as Picard, reprising his role from the series Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as other Star Trek media. Alison Pill, Isa Briones, Evan Evagora, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, and Harry Treadaway also star. The series was first rumored in June 2018, and was officially announced that August. Stewart had previously said he would not return to the franchise after Nemesis. The series is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Secret Hideout, Weed Road Pictures, Escapist Fare, and Roddenberry Entertainment, and was designed to be slower and more character-focused than previous series in the franchise. Filming takes place in California, which granted the series large tax credits. Chabon served as showrunner for the first season, with Terry Matalas taking over with the second when Chabon moved on to other commitments.

Star Trek: Picard premiered on January 23, 2020, and its first season ran for 10 episodes until March 26. Second and third seasons were ordered before the first season debuted. The series was met with positive reviews from critics, who praised Stewart’s performance and the focus on character over action, though some criticized the series’ slow pace. Several tie-in projects were created for the series, including an episode of the companion series Star Trek: Short Treks that serves as a prequel to Picard.

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