‘Picard’: ‘Star Trek’ Bust or New Birth?

In the last decade, the entirety of the cinematic genre has changed. Marvel movies dominate box offices. Science fiction and fantasy films have moved from being nerdy and unpopular to the most prominent and successful films of the year. Hell, even “Star Wars“ is back and making millions. The silver screen is completely saturated with sci-fi.

But, as it has been for more than 50 years, “Star Trek” is still present on the small screen. In 2020, marking 53 years for the franchise, a new “The Next Generation” derivative will begin airing with the simple title “Picard,” after the famed Federation Captain Jean-Luc Picard played by Patrick Stewart, who will return in the titular role.

As series are rebooted and remade, the quality tends to suffer. A great example is the most recent iteration of the “Star Trek“ movies. With Chris Pine at the helm of the USS Enterprise, it seemed as if nothing could go wrong. The Romulans were defeated, Spock was saved, and it seemed as if The Federation was finally in time of peace. But the second iteration, and even more so the third, reused plot lines, strayed from the norms of the series, and ultimately left it without a true conclusion. Hopefully the same doesn’t happen to “Picard.”

With a fandom unlike many other shows, “Star Trek,” and specifically “The Next Generation,” brings together people across generations to enjoy what was a hit science fiction shows in the U.S. As “Picard” takes up the mantle alongside the other airing “Star Trek” shows “Discovery” and “Short Treks,” it has mighty shoes to fill. One aspect of this show stands apart from other off-shoots. This show, almost 25 years after its source material ended production, somehow managed to retain a large portion of its original cast. With some of the main roles being reprised by the original cast, and Patrick Stewart working as an Executive Producer, the show has promise and a chance to recreate what so many loved all those years ago.

“Picard” will undoubtedly challenge what many think about the “Star Trek” franchise but hopefully, with this first trailer in mind and serving as inspiration for what could be a phenomenal, exciting, and simply entertaining show, it will also serve as a new launching ground for exciting, authentic shows. Although Patrick Stewart and crew cannot make up for the creative genius of Gene Roddenberry, the newest “Star Trek” iteration rests in good hands and appears to be something to look forward to.