Re-writing Season 3

[Enterprise is Great]

Have Picard sacrifice himself to save his son and the Earth/Federation. Don’t rename the Titan to the Enterprise rename it to Picard to honor the man and the name of the series. I’m fine with Jack joining Starfleet but he should’ve been in the Academy.

 

[Shikarnov]

There's not much I'd re-write, but here are the highlights:

Regardless of the circumstance, I just can't imagine Riker blaming an advisor for the outcome of his own command decisions -- however insistent that advisor was. So I'd rewrite that "You killed us all" scene and other similar scenes. (Along those lines, I'd also re-write almost everybody's character to be more professional -- especially Captain Shaw).

I'd let the Enterprise F survive. I mean, we're just chewing them up and spitting them out at this point. (But if I lost that battle in the writer's room, I'd advocate for refurbishing the D before renaming the Titan).

I'd get rid of the Borg. They served no point at all, and the whole storyline was convoluted as Hell. If we really needed some kind of mass mind control to further the plot, then maybe the captured Changelings would find some of the Conspiracy aliens being "stored" at Daystrom Station and start cloning them with manipulated DNA (much like they did with the Vorta and Jem'Hadar).

I think the last change I'd make is very minor. Crushers "All systems ready, Captain" just seemed out of place. If anybody should have that line, it's Geordi or Data. Worse, she's not even at a console; just standing there with her medical tricorder. I'd at least seat her at Engineering (she learned a lot over 20 years, after all) so it looks like she's reading something relevant and informative.

 

[Visitor1982]

Bring back Dr. Pulaski and have her kill off Beverly, who was a Shapeshifter after all.

 

[Dee1891]

Either get rid of the Changelings or the Borg as the main villains. Wait . . . I would have allowed "Picard" to remain a one season, limited series. Get rid of Seasons 2 and 3.

 

[Mr J]

I really wouldn't change much at all - all I would do is increase the budget and turn the lights up a little. Oh - and make Worf's hair a little less white.

The only thing that annoyed me was the return of the "what is inside a changeling" debate, but that's been going on since DS9...

 

[Lord Garth]

I'd let the Enterprise F survive. I mean, we're just chewing them up and spitting them out at this point. (But if I lost that battle in the writer's room, I'd advocate for refurbishing the D before renaming the Titan)

I'm liking your post because I really agree with this point. To me, 20 years is the minimum believable to decommission a ship, unless something serious happened to it. I'm going to assume something happened to the E. "That was not my fault!" Yeah, yeah, we know Worf... So the F's lifespan should be at least 2386-2406. Meaning the ship should've still had at least five years left in it in PIC Season 3.

Anything less than that, it seems like they're wasting a lot of resources putting so much into building these ships, only to decommission them so soon. I've heard of Planned Obsolescence, but Starfleet's taking it a bit too far.

I never liked them decommissioning the A so soon either, but I think that was more of a political move to get Kirk out of Starfleet, and to push the Excelsior Class, than anything else.

 

[Shikarnov]

I'm liking your post because I really agree with this point. To me, 20 years is the minimum believable to decommission a ship, unless something serious happened to it. I'm going to assume something happened to the E. "That was not my fault!" Yeah, yeah, we know Worf... So the F's lifespan should be at least 2386-2406. Meaning the ship should've still had at least five years left in it in PIC Season 3.

Anything less than that, it seems like they're wasting a lot of resources putting so much into building these ships, only to decommission them so soon. I've heard of Planned Obsolescence, but Starfleet's taking it a bit too far.

I never liked them decommissioning the A so soon either, but I think that was more of a political move to get Kirk out of Starfleet, and to push the Excelsior Class, than anything else.

Agreed about the A. In my head-canon, I like to think the entire Constitution line was on its way out and that Starfleet decided to rush completion of one of the last remaining spaceframes (instead of scrapping it) to celebrate and reward the Enterprise and her crew... Hence both the problems in TFF, and the early decommissioning in TUC.

 

[El Maestro]

I'd let the Enterprise F survive. I mean, we're just chewing them up and spitting them out at this point. (But if I lost that battle in the writer's room, I'd advocate for refurbishing the D before renaming the Titan).

I actually wouldn't have brought the F in....it was too shoehorned...let the E be the one that was being decommissioned (more fans would've been happy to see it) and if we're going through all the in-and-out of universe trouble to bring back the D then I would've refitted it into some kind of Neo-Galaxy class as the F or still as the D.

 

[Paul755]

I'm liking your post because I really agree with this point. To me, 20 years is the minimum believable to decommission a ship, unless something serious happened to it. I'm going to assume something happened to the E. "That was not my fault!" Yeah, yeah, we know Worf... So the F's lifespan should be at least 2386-2406. Meaning the ship should've still had at least five years left in it in PIC Season 3.

Anything less than that, it seems like they're wasting a lot of resources putting so much into building these ships, only to decommission them so soon. I've heard of Planned Obsolescence, but Starfleet's taking it a bit too far.

I never liked them decommissioning the A so soon either, but I think that was more of a political move to get Kirk out of Starfleet, and to push the Excelsior Class, than anything else.

I would have rather not seen the F or the G. Have the E be the ship that was being retired and just show the F being built in dry dock. Maybe very little of it so we don’t know what class of ship. Or if you are going to show it…just don’t use the STO. Have Krause or Eaves or someone design something totally original.

Agreed about the A. In my head-canon, I like to think the entire Constitution line was on its way out and that Starfleet decided to rush completion of one of the last remaining spaceframes (instead of scrapping it) to celebrate and reward the Enterprise and her crew... Hence both the problems in TFF, and the early decommissioning in TUC.

The Connie’s were still intended to be in service to some degree. Spock makes it clear he was expecting the A to continue without him, Kirk and Bones at least. “This is my last voyage aboard this ship as a member of her crew…I intend for you to replace me”.

my head canon is that she was going to continue (possibly with Checkov or Uhura in command) in service after the escort run. But after the battle of Khitomer the ship was so damaged, they decided to fix it just enough for it to serve as a museum piece. Then just rechristen a nearly complete Excelsior refit as the Enterprise B.

 

[FederationHistorian]

I would have just made the Titan-A a Luna class starship from the beginning, mirroring the Ent-A succeeding the refit USS Enterprise. Then in the finale, there can be a new fleet of Neo-Constitution class ships named after the Titan, Liam Shaw and Picard at the end of the show.

Riker would have been a Changeling in the first few episodes, before we meet the real Riker.

Replace Vadic with Kira. I know fans would HATE my idea - and understandably so as the writers always default to killing the antagonists instead of something more creative - but it follows up on Kira’s story. It makes more sense if Kira is the antagonists, considering Kira’s experience with Changelings and Kira had been more a shade of grey as opposed to the black and white morality of Picard. And it make for a nice parallel to TNG and VOY regarding the fate of one of DS9's characters.

I would replace the Borg Queen with Armus. I know there are those that think it would be a stupid idea. But I think it makes sense to let their final villain be someone that the TNG crew encountered in their past. I would prefer to think that Picard would have sympathy for the Changelings and Kira for being under the control of Armus by viewing them as assimilated. And he sees the consequence of leaving Armus behind all those years ago, which would also play into Picard’s feeling of the Federation leaving the Romulans behind in the supernova.

Acknowledge a few important points with Geordi:
- he barely escape with his life when the Synths attack Mars, and it took time for him to recover from the trauma of that day
- he made the Jellyfish that Spock piloted to save the galaxy from the supernova with
- he met Sydney's and Alandra's mother sometime between INS and NEM

I would have had a brief speech from President Archer play on Frontier Day. Its from the 25th Anniversary of Frontier Day.

I would not have retired the Ent-F. I’d have Janeway run her own angle to understand why the Ent-F was decommissioned so early and find out its connected to the Frontier Day plot. Ad then it's recommissioned in the finale, with Elnor serving on board.

A nice silent toast to Picard from Sisko in a very brief cameo, after safely returning Kira home.

The Romulans come to the Federation's rescue.

 

[DarKush]

I would’ve had the big climax in episode 9 so the tenth episode is all about reunions, goodbyes, and character moments.

I would’ve used the “Conspiracy” parasites/ bugs over the Changelings. I would’ve kept the Borg Queen as the bigger bad, though I would’ve found way to incorporate Jurati’s Borg into the story, perhaps coming in to help Picard in the climax.

I would’ve replaced Vadic with Sela.

For Jack, would’ve established that “Jack” is short for Jacques. Gave him a name like Jacques Rene Crusher. I wouldn’t make Jack the Chosen One like it came off.

I also would’ve perhaps had the other Picard cast members as Jean-Luc’s back up plan and they also help out in the end. The underuse of Laris was almost criminal throughout the whole run of ST: Picard. It didn’t feel right that they got pushed to the side in their own series, albeit I loved the TNG reunion.

Used the Stargazer (from Season 2) instead of the Titan-A. They could’ve just had Riker briefly take over after Season 2 because Starfleet was still skittish about Seven in command. And then they put Shaw in charge of the ship. With his bias against the Borg, it made little sense that Shaw would select her, unless under pressure, and perhaps it would’ve been harder to root her out if she were already onboard. At the start of the season, he hadn’t found a replacement for Seven yet.

During the attack on the Federation starbase, I would’ve had scenes with the O’Brien family and Barclay helping save lives. Jake Sisko would be a journalist on the scene. I would ‘ve liked to have tried to include Demora Sulu, Hikaru Sulu, Harriman, and Saavik.

I would’ve kept the Enterprise-E and just had that destroyed in the Borg attack. I would’ve used the Star Trek Online Andorian captain, who takes over after Worf. Shelby would be Commander-in-Chief of Starfleet and also aboard, or I would find some other way to include her.

The Odyssey-class Enterprise-F would be the official next Enterprise. I have no problem with Seven being its captain (I would keep the Tuvok scenes), but I would not have Raffi and Jack in the crew. Both of them go back to helping out people who are beyond the Federation (or work for Starfleet Intelligence with Worf). Sidney and the Romulan cadet/ensign would be part of Seven’s crew. Janeway would send her off.

Picard, Crusher, and Laris perhaps become a throuple. I would have a scene where New Data meets his daughter and the other synths, and a scene where they are having a meal (perhaps Thanksgiving) with the LaForges. If LeVar Burton’s wife were willing, I would have her play Geordi’s wife. We see Riker and Troi reunite with their daughter. We see Worf with Alexander, and with his other new family. Raffi and Seven also spend time with her son and her granddaughter. Heck, the last scene could be with the TNG crew all at the Thanksgiving dinner. Wesley and Guinan-young or seasoned-would also be there. And I would still keep the Q scene with Jack.

The final scene could be whatever was on the other side of the gate finally comes through. I’m thinking it would be the apocalyptic synthetic species from Season 1. It’s just they would look better than what the first season design.

More that comes to mind:
At the museum I would 've had a Daedalus-class ship there. The S.S. Columbia from ENT would be there.
At Frontier Day I would've had a California-class ship, a Protostar-class ship (or whatever they are called from Prodigy), and other Lower Decks starship designs.

 

[Tuskin38]

Or if you are going to show it…just don’t use the STO. Have Krause or Eaves or someone design something totally original.

I love the Odyssey class, but I agree with you. I wanted an original design for the -F whenever it became canon.

At Frontier Day I would've had a California-class ship, a Protostar-class ship (or whatever they are called from Prodigy), and other Lower Decks starship designs.

One of the FX guys said he wasn't allowed to include a California class for some reason.

 

[Mr J]

Picard, Crusher, and Laris perhaps become a throuple..

...that loud bang was the heads exploding of the insane "anti-woke" brigade.

 

[The Wormhole]

Picard, Laris and Zhaban were already supposed to be a throuple according to Chabon.

 

[Mr J]

Picard, Laris and Zhaban were already supposed to be a throuple according to Chabon.

My pet hate is when producers come out after the fact and go "oh yeah, that was totally what we meant by that".

If you meant it - show it. Otherwise its just lip service.

 

[Lord Garth]

If you meant it - show it. Otherwise its just lip service.

They really should've. Picard was already TV-MA anyway, and Season 1 was in full "This is not TNG!" Mode. Showing this type of throuple would have some people outraged and others would rightly point out how Roddenberrian that type of affection is.

 

[Oddish]

Here's a small change I'd make... it concerns how Ro returned to Starfleet, because having them just let her back in after she betrayed them doesn't make sense. But they didn't have to. Instead, they should have handled it the way one of the books did...

After escaping the Maquis purge, Ro returns to Bajor and joins the Bajoran militia. Then, once Bajor enters the Federation, many militia personnel are folded into Starfleet. This includes Ro. There is talk of excluding her, but it's decided by Starfleet that they want to play nice with their new members.

Just think it makes more sense that way.

 

[Danja]

I’m fine with Jack joining Starfleet but he should’ve been in the Academy.

Maybe he went through the equivalent of an Officer Candidate School?

Or maybe give him a direct commission upon completion of Direct Commission Officer's School?

-Forget the Enterprise-F. If you're going to show us an Enterprise, show us the Enterprise-E, instead of making it a punchline.

It's been twenty years. The model may not have been available.

-Don't build up interesting characters, just to kill them off rather unceremoniously. Looking at you, Shaw.

I knew it was coming (it echoed how Picard got HIS command).

I would replace the Borg Queen with Armus. I know there are those that think it would be a stupid idea. But I think it makes sense to let their final villain be someone that the TNG crew encountered in their past.

The TNG crew HAS encountered the Borg Queen in the past.

 

[Mudd]

It's been twenty years. The model may not have been available.

They haven't used physical models for decades. They could have used the 1701-E as easily and cheaply as the D - or any other ship.

 

[The Wormhole]

It's been twenty years. The model may not have been available.

There are plenty of Sovereign class ships seen in the Frontier Day fleet, so they obviously had access to the CG mesh of it.