Picard Series Will Be a 'Psychological' Look at His Later Years

[Soong-type Android]

Interesting description from Alex Kurtzman on the concept and themes behind the new Picard series:

Speaking to the L.A. Times as part of a wide-ranging piece about Star Trek’s current franchise resurgence, Alex Kurtzman—the architect behind much of said resurgence—took a moment to tease the more cerebral approach the new Picard series is taking with the character:

The mandate was to make it a more psychological show, a character study about this man in his emeritus years. There are so few shows that allow a significantly older protagonist to be the driver...It’ll be very different than Discovery. It’ll be slower, more meditative. It speaks to the rainbow of colors we’re playing with in all these different shows.

What happens when circumstances have conspired to not give him the happiest of endings? Hopefully, it’s a reinforcement of [Trek creator Gene] Roddenberry’s vision of optimism. He’s going to have to go through deep valleys to get back to the light.

Sounds interesting!

https://io9.gizmodo.com/star-treks-picard-series-will-be-a-psychological-look-a-1834668952

 

[eschaton]

Doomcock and the like are going to compare this to what TLJ did with Luke. But honestly a sort of "wounded old man" story is the only way that Patrick Stewart was going to come back to the franchise, given he had turned down more "regular" reprisals of the character again and again.

 

[Cake]

I just hope they don't make the series as depressing as Logan in which Patrick Stewart also had a role.

 

[locborg]

Picard was always on the grumpy side of life but he was never miserable.

I will watch the show but it will be hard for the writers to convince me of picards depression.

We are speaking about a person who experienced everything a human beeing could ask for in his life.

- Becoming the captain of starfleets flagship
- Making first contact with dozens of spezies
- Defeating the quadrants worst enemies
- Witnessing the beginning of life on earth
- Time travel
- Living another happy life (Inner Light, Nexus)
....

Seriously, we are speaking about the probably most enlightened human beeing who has ever lived and yet he becomes miserable/lost/depressed in his late years. That is going to be a stretch...

 

[USS Firefly]

I just hope they don't make the series as depressing as Logan in which Patrick Stewart also had a role.

That is what I also am afraid of, I hope we are both wrong

 

[Jayson1]

What's wrong with doing a Trek version of "Logan" which he was great in as well playing this type with his Xavier? The difference though is this is Trek so I think it will play more positive in the end. We saw Kirk deal with this issue in the movies and even Picard in "Generations." I kind of like the idea of doing a show that focuses on the idea that his life has made a positive change on the world even if he can't feel it because of the depression he might be going through.

I kind of love the idea even if they save Q for the final scene of the show were he is dying and Q comes in and basically tells him that world was better because of him in it. Which would mean alot because Q is God for all intense and purposes. People should be crying when the series ends but also kind of happy IMO. Maybe even tease Q is going to elevate him giving him a Sheridan from Babylon 5 type of moment as well though it will never be answered and just be subject to fan debates as to what really happens to Picard in the end. Maybe he dies or maybe he gets to live forever.


Jason

 

[danellis]

Picard was always on the grumpy side of life but he was never miserable.

I will watch the show but it will be hard for the writers to convince me of picards depression.

We are speaking about a person who experienced everything a human beeing could ask for in his life.

- Becoming the captain of starfleets flagship
- Making first contact with dozens of spezies
- Defeating the quadrants worst enemies
- Witnessing the beginning of life on earth
- Time travel
- Living another happy life (Inner Light, Nexus)
....

Seriously, we are speaking about the probably most enlightened human beeing who has ever lived and yet he becomes miserable/lost/depressed in his late years. That is going to be a stretch...

Not that depression works like that, but if anything, I would have thought all that would only make it harder for what we know to be a *very* driven person. Imagine having done all that and then you're less and less physically able to keep up with the job, so you retire, then your voice and opinion is increasingly ignored.....

dJE

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

Not that depression works like that, but if anything, I would have thought all that would only make it harder for what we know to be a *very* driven person. Imagine having done all that and then you're less and less physically able to keep up with the job, so you retire, then your voice and opinion is increasingly ignored.....

dJE

There's that, and also the temptation in later years to look back on one's own life with regret rather than satisfaction. A long career will have plenty of accomplishments, but also plenty of failures and tragedies for a captain, and it depends on what one chooses to focus on. Sometimes just the death of 1 individual can put a person's life into a tailspin, and he experienced many more than that among crew, family and friends.

 

[Tuskin38]

If I wanted Picard to be like he was in TNG I'd watch TNG.

 

[Cake]

What's wrong with doing a Trek version of "Logan" which he was great in as well playing this type with his Xavier?

I know Logan got a lot of praise from critics and viewers, but for me personally it was the least entertaining X-Men movie I have seen and outside of Deadpool 2 I have seen them all. It was just way too depressing for my taste. What has happened to Professor X was super sad.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

As long as Jean-Luc is married to Beverly and Wil Wheaton has to call him "Dad" even though he would be a Step-Dad; I'll be happy. Maybe even add in a recent StarFleet Graduate as a son between Beverly and Jean-Luc while Wil Wheaton is a Lt Cmdr on some ship.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

As long as Jean-Luc is married to Beverly and Wil Wheaton has to call him "Dad" even though he would be a Step-Dad; I'll be happy. Maybe even add in a recent StarFleet Graduate as a son between Beverly and Jean-Luc while Wil Wheaton is a Lt Cmdr on some ship.

Wesley would still be off on his adventures with the Traveler, unless he really missed the uniform.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Wesley would still be off on his adventures with the Traveler, unless he really missed the uniform.

I'm sure he'll come back at some point, he did want to be in StarFleet. And he can only be out and about on Sabattical for so many years. I'm sure he's mastered his powers by then.

 

[Jayson1]

Wesley would still be off on his adventures with the Traveler, unless he really missed the uniform.

Well we do know he puts one on again in "Nemesis." Me I think the show should be about Picard and Crusher going through divorce court and seeing who get custody rights for Wesley. Trek has always been needing to do it's take on "Kramer vs Kramer." The scene when Picard has to spank a adult Wesley for getting some Ice cream even when he says no will be riveting Trek tv.

Jason

 

[BillJ]

Sounds like something that at least has a possibility of being "Star Trek", as opposed to the Mirror Georgiou show.

As long as Jean-Luc is married to Beverly and Wil Wheaton has to call him "Dad" even though he would be a Step-Dad; I'll be happy. Maybe even add in a recent StarFleet Graduate as a son between Beverly and Jean-Luc while Wil Wheaton is a Lt Cmdr on some ship.

I would be perfectly happy if the Crusher's were never mentioned again.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

Well we do know he puts one on again in "Nemesis."

While some people don't accept NEM as canon, it's even harder to accept a deleted scene (such as that) from NEM as canon.

It was awkward and deserved its spot on the cutting room floor.

 

[Tuskin38]

While some people don't accept NEM as canon, it's even harder to accept a deleted scene (such as that) from NEM as canon.

It was awkward and deserved its spot on the cutting room floor.

He's still in the final version of the film. He's on the far left of the table they're all sitting at during the reception. You can see him in some of the wide shots.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

He's still in the final version of the film.

Just when I thought I couldn't dislike that movie more............

 

[Boris Skrbic]

Yes, he is sitting two seats to Picard’s right at the wedding, right next to Beverly.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

Yes, he is sitting two seats to Picard’s right at the wedding, right next to Beverly.

That seems to confirm that I have to watch it again, except that it would involve watching it again.