Spoilers Interesting Comments by Gates McFadden about Appearing in Picard

[Arpy]

Despite Shatner's reputation as a stage hoarder, he did advise against Sulu's promotion to captain earlier in the movie series specifically because George Takei would then be off the Enterprise, where all the action is, and get less screentime. George apparently didn't see it that way and thought Shatner was trying to stunt the growth of his character; however I do see Shatner's view that at the time only TOS movies about the Enterprise were being made and making Sulu captain would indeed lessen George's screentime. I'm not sure if this reputation of Shatner trying to steal his costars' screentime is really deserved in light of stories like this.

I dunno, Sulu opened the movie in TUC, and he seemed to either get more screen time or get more memorable screen time. Plus he got to order Christian Slater around and save the Enterprise's ass on a bigger badder ship of the future in the Excelsior. Hold that next to Uhura or Chekov who each maybe got one good scene. I think Shatner was being a deft dissembler here.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

Despite Shatner's reputation as a stage hoarder, he did advise against Sulu's promotion to captain earlier in the movie series specifically because George Takei would then be off the Enterprise, where all the action is, and get less screentime. George apparently didn't see it that way and thought Shatner was trying to stunt the growth of his character; however I do see Shatner's view that at the time only TOS movies about the Enterprise were being made and making Sulu captain would indeed lessen George's screentime. I'm not sure if this reputation of Shatner trying to steal his costars' screentime is really deserved in light of stories like this.

Aye. I think a lot of Shatner's decisions were justified, especially in his insistence on the TOS movies that he as the Captain should be seen to be leading. There's enough anecdotal evidence from 1966-69 to confirm that it was definitely going off though. In those days him and Nimoy seemed to have turned line-counting into an art form.

I think Shatner was being a deft dissembler here.

I have a lot of time for Shatner, but I think this describes him very well. He is his own best spin-doctor.

 

[Swedish Borg]

I wonder if Shatner ever was chummy with the other members of the team...

 

[Yistaan]

I wonder if Shatner ever was chummy with the other members of the team.

He was good friends with Nimoy until Nimoy cut him off in the last few years of his life, and both Shatner and Nimoy's son Adam claim they aren't clear what happened. Shatner theorized that it was some documentary mishap of using footage of Leonard, but Roberto Orci (search boborci in the comments at https://trekmovie.com/2016/03/25/review-leonard-my-fifty-year-friendship-with-a-remarkable-man/ ) says it's not the documentary thing, implied he knew what the reason for the reignited feud was, but declined to elaborate.

As far as I've heard, Shatner was fine with DeForest before he died.

I think Shatner doesn't have much to do with the rest of the TOS cast, and things between him and Takei seemed pretty bad last I checked. Shatner patched things up with Doohan just before he passed away I read.

 

[Tim Thomason]

The Borg are of the Voyager type and not the TNG one.

The Borg redesign was done for First Contact. Voyager (and now Picard) have just continued that design.

 

[Grizzlor]

Annoyed to hear that Beverly may not be part of this series. Maybe by season 3, and yes I know it's being filmed more or less at once. Just can't see how Picard's life continues without mention of her.

 

[thribs]

Shatner’s relationship with his fellow TOS actors is well known but I always thought the TNG actors were really good friends with one another. Even with Weaton

 

[Swedish Borg]

Shatner’s relationship with his fellow TOS actors is well known but I always thought the TNG actors were really good friends with one another. Even with Weaton

Well, Wheaton gets a cameo appearance in Nemesis even though there was no need for it. Someone must have liked him.

 

[timtonruben359]

Annoyed to hear that Beverly may not be part of this series. Maybe by season 3, and yes I know it's being filmed more or less at once. Just can't see how Picard's life continues without mention of her.

I don't believe they are filming them at once, rather, seasons 2 and 3 will be filmed back to back. Filming for Season 2 was supposed to wrap in June (though will likely be pushed back now until July because filming started later than planned) and then season three would begin right after that.

 

[Reanok]

Yeah that's what I heard on a Youtube video they decided to finish filming in July because to get as many scenes filmed for seasons two and three and it's taking longer than they expected.I saw a new photo of Patrick and Orla Brady with Number One while taking a break from filming on twitter.

 

[Relayer1]

I haven't hard about S3 being the last one, so maybe they're holding Beverley in reserve for a last run and a resolution for Picard.

Maybe a happy ending ?

 

[WarpFactorZ]

I haven't hard about S3 being the last one, so maybe they're holding Beverley in reserve for a last run and a resolution for Picard.

Maybe a happy ending ?

How about this:

WE SEE THE ENTERPRISE D FLOATING IN A STAR-FIELD. SUDDENLY EVERYTHING STARTS SHAKING, AND THE STARS ARE REPLACED WITH SNOWFLAKES THAT SWIRL AROUND THE SHIP. WE PAN OUT TO SEE A SMALL GALAXY CLASS MODEL IN A SNOWGLOBE, HELD BY WESLEY CRUSHER, SITTING ON THE FLOOR OF A MODEST 20TH CENTURY LIVING ROOM. BEHIND HIM ARE BEVERLY CRUSHER IN A BLUE SHIRT, AND AN OLD PICARD WITH A NEWSPAPER, DOZING IN AN ARMCHAIR.

BEVERLY APPROACHES WES, WHO CONTINUES TO RHYTHMICALLY SHAKE THE GLOBE.

BEVERLY: Careful with that, son. I've told you that.

SHE LOOKS BEWILDERED AT WES, WHO CONTINUES TO GAZE INTENTLY INTO THE SNOWGLOBE.

BEVERLY: I don't understand this autism thing, pop. He's my son, I talk to him, I don't even know if he can hear me. He sits there all day long, in his own world, staring at that toy. What's he thinking about?

WES SHAKES THE GLOBE AGAIN, BUT BEVERLY STOPS HIM.

All right, son, let's go wash our hands.

SHE ESCORTS WES OUT OF THE ROOM. PICARD STIRS FROM HIS SLUMBER AND FOLLOWS. WITH THE TNG FANFARE SOFTLY PLAYING AS WE PAN IN ON THE SNOWGLOBE, THE CAMERA FADES TO BLACK.

Or you could just watch this:

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[Grizzlor]

I don't believe they are filming them at once, rather, seasons 2 and 3 will be filmed back to back. Filming for Season 2 was supposed to wrap in June (though will likely be pushed back now until July because filming started later than planned) and then season three would begin right after that.

I am aware of the schedule, but back to back to me suggested that they might be done casting S3 already. That's just a guess on my part, and yes things can change.

 

[Vasquez Rocks]

I hate the way Gates McFadden's character has been underutilized and sidelined in the movies and now not being used at all in the Picard series. Beverly has the most history with Jean-Luc but the writers just won't take advantage of it. I guess I'm one of those fans watching Picard for the re-emergence of legacy characters. The new characters don't do much for me. The Riker/Troi episode was beautifully done and my favorite from season 1. Sadly, these actors are reaching an age where they won't be around forever. It'd be a shame to not use them at all. This new crew should have been a one and done mission for most of them. Why are they sticking around?

 

[The Wormhole]

I hate the way Gates McFadden's character has been underutilized and sidelined in the movies and now not being used at all in the Picard series. Beverly has the most history with Jean-Luc but the writers just won't take advantage of it.

Dr. Crusher is one of those characters where no one seems to know what to do with her. Even in the novels when she was married to Picard and they had a son together, she was still relegated to a minor cameo in each novel, even to the extent that another medical officer was created to basically be the one who fills in the medical purpose of the narrative, hanging around sickbay, attending officer briefings and speaking medical jargon. Hell, the novels at one point tried to address this by transferring Crusher to DS9 to fill in as their CMO while Bashir was off on his own storyline that required him to leave, and she still got upstaged by the arrival of another visiting medical officer and became their sidekick while they took lead. If the novel writers couldn't figure anything out for Dr. Crusher, I doubt anyone can. Even Pulaski had two or three novels devoted entirely to her.

This new crew should have been a one and done mission for most of them. Why are they sticking around?

Because Q changed the timeline on them before they could part ways.

 

[fireproof78]

Why are they sticking around

Why not? They all feel a connection to Picard and decide being together is enjoyable. Whatever Q shenanigans happen next probably happens before they decide to move on.

 

[Vasquez Rocks]

After Q's shenanigans what's this crews mission purpose going to be? Other than they like being around each other. They're not Starfleet so it's not to seek out new life and new civilizations. Picard really wants to continue to jet around with a rag tag group in his later years doing what? The writers are going to have to come up with something if they want to keep this crew together. I just don't think there are any plausible explanations unless they keep getting into weird situations before they can part ways which seems forced. Once I can buy but twice.

After so many many series now, I'd like to see a Star Trek show not be so fixed on one group of the same characters year after year. This series would be perfect for that. Patrick Stewart should be the only constant cast member and maybe his Romulan caretakers. Characters could come back if the story dictates it like they're doing with the legacy characters.

 

[fireproof78]

Other than they like being around each other.

In the Federation why is that not enough?

 

[Yistaan]

After Q's shenanigans what's this crews mission purpose going to be? Other than they like being around each other. They're not Starfleet so it's not to seek out new life and new civilizations.

Well, building up synth society and integrating them with the galaxy is a pretty massive undertaking. That's not something that just happens overnight. I mean, here on Earth (which is one planet, not a galaxy) we can't even integrate our species peacefully after centuries despite differences being... skin color? (Bele and Lokai from TOS probably have something to say here)

As for Crusher, I can actually see her and Picard not working out due to Picard's history with Wesley culminating in that incident at "Journey's End". And that's not even getting into that Picard was indirectly responsible for Jack Crusher's death. Even if on paper everything's "fine" now that massive of a falling out with Wesley and the bitterness over that (displacement of the native people in that episode) doesn't go away overnight either. Picard and Crusher had years during the movie period to indulge any hormonal attraction, and after that's sated maybe there just wasn't any further to go without making things more messy (basically Picard becoming Wesley's step-dad despite their at times tense relationship, then dealing with the look that Picard got his rival out of the way so he can have his way with the widow years later--even though all that's not the case per se, that's just some massive baggage that even people in the real world will have trouble with)

It's like how famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou ultimately never got together with actress Gong Li despite their history because his daughter from his first marriage had issues with Gong Li.

 

[Reanok]

I read an interesting article with Gates McFadden on December 14 on Red shirts die and she doesn't know if she'll be in season 3 and wonders why Beverley isn't even mentioned in Picard at all. She'd like to return and like other fans thinks it's odd that it hasn't been addressed yet.