News Paris Was Almost On Picard Season One

[Akiraprise]

Had things worked out, Star Trek: Picard fans would have seen another familiar Trek character on the show last season, Robert Duncan McNeill as Tom Paris.

“I’d love to do Picard,” said McNeill. “I actually loved that first season. They asked me to do an episode of Picard. It wasn’t a big sequence of scenes or whatever, it was a couple of scenes with Patrick.

“I think it was just viewscreen stuff, or maybe in his office or something, it wasn’t a lot, but they were trying to work it out so it wasn’t a lot so the schedule might work, but it didn’t pan out.”

https://www.trektoday.com/content/2021/07/paris-was-almost-on-picard-season-one/

It's interesting that they tried to put Paris in PIC. Not sure what Picard and Paris would have to speak about unless Paris is an Admiral or Captain by now. Although maybe it's for the best. At least he gets to keep his eyeball for the time being. Kind of surprised there are so many VOY, the "hated" pariah of a show with some fandom that it is, references in the first season.

 

[Guy Gardener]

We'll Always Have Paris.

 

[Takeru]

Could have been early in the season when Picard looked for a ship and pilot, maybe Tom knows and would have recommended Rios. Or he was supposed to tie into the Seven/borg story somehow, maybe getting them in contact with Seven before they decided to make it a random encounter.

 

[DS9forever]

My question is why. Paris had no notable connection to Seven of Nine bar being on Voyager and no connection to Picard himself. I suppose if I was in Kirsten Beyer's place I would be bringing back my beloved DS9 characters but it has to fit the story and not be a gratuitous appearance.

 

[Akiraprise]

The why crossed my mind too. Don't get me wrong I really like the VOY references, but I'd prefer the character appearances be somewhat meaningful (7of9) within the context of the narrative they are trying to tell too. However, if the trailers are any indication, Niners should be getting some love this season.

 

[NCC-73515]

Could've been the Captain Raffi talked to to give them clearance for the Borg cube

 

[Athena28]

I wondered why him when I read this. Why not someone else?

From what I understand Voyager has become incredibly popular on streaming services. Maybe that’s why the characters are popping up

 

[Markonian]

For expanded universe reference, Tom used to be an admiral around this time according to STO lore, before he got himself demoted to captain again. He designs the USS Mercury, which merges the Delta Flyer with the Defiant class, with some Intrepid class and hot rod features.

It’s great to see Paris on Lower Decks, in a fashion.

 

[Lynx]

I would have liked to see him in Picard.

I hope that he will show up there in the future.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

My question is why. Paris had no notable connection to Seven of Nine bar being on Voyager and no connection to Picard himself. I suppose if I was in Kirsten Beyer's place I would be bringing back my beloved DS9 characters but it has to fit the story and not be a gratuitous appearance.

Maybe he was actually playing Nick Locarno, telling Picard how his life was ruined thanks being kicked out of the Academy...

 

[Oddish]

That would be pretty much horrible... We find that Nick's spent the last 30 years in a greasy spoon in some seedy godforsaken spaceport, sweeping floors and repairing 300-year-old plasma conduits... thanks to Picard's noble "First Duty" speech.

 

[Coops]

Maybe he was actually playing Nick Locarno, telling Picard how his life was ruined thanks being kicked out of the Academy...

...and how he always felt there was someone who looked a lot like him out there living the life he'd always wanted.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

If anything it would have been neat to see him follow in his father’s footsteps as a resolution to his character arc.

He also might be the guy to ask to try to get your hands on a super maneuverable small ship.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Tom Paris is back in season two of Lower Decks... in talking commemorative plate form.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Maybe he was actually playing Nick Locarno, telling Picard how his life was ruined thanks being kicked out of the Academy...

Nah, that'll be part of season 2's shenanigans.

 

[Athena28]

Will have to miss it as I watched 3 episodes of Lower Deck and passed on the rest.

 

[Oddish]

First Caatians, then Exocomps, and now Tamarians? LD Starfleet is just full of surprises, isn't it?

 

[Markonian]

First Caatians, then Exocomps, and now Tamarians? LD Starfleet is just full of surprises, isn't it?

The trailer also shows a Kzinti Starfleet officer.

 

[brandnewfan]

I'm all for more legacy characters returning, but this would have made no sense.

 

[Oddish]

Given the sheer number of talents Tom has (pilot, medic, historian, holonovelist, etc.), he could have been (and still could be) fitted into the Picard story in any number of ways.

Characters who are more Starfleet (Janeway or Kim, to name two) would be a little more difficult to sneak in.