Robert Meyer Burnett has said that the previews should only have been for the first four episodes, as there's a character that appears in episode 5 that would be a massive massive spoiler that couldn't help but get out. Maybe this qualifies? Another first six episode viewer on Twitter said the arc in the first four episodes does kinda parallel TWOK. So it would make sense to reveal parts of the second arc, if tonally they're very different, and the first arc might be too "dark"? So, assuming the 4-4-2 structure... I could see the first arc being the attack on Beverly, Picard recruiting Riker, Picard and Riker on the Titan, the Titan having a Mutara nebula style stand off with Vadic where as seen in the first trailer Captain Shaw gets injured, Riker takes command, Ed Speelers' character is rescued from Beverly's ship, and Picard and Riker have the Crimson Tide difference of opinion about the situation, and Worf is interacting with Raffi (who is using the La Serena at this point). So, paralleling TSFS, episode 5 could open the second arc by returning to Spacedock (which in this case is now the fleet museum). It looks like when Geordi is on the viewscreen in the latest trailer, Shaw is back in the captain's chair. Geordi is angry about something and makes the comment that Picard already brought Worf and Riker into this too. Why could Geordi be angry? We know his daughter is the conn officer of the Titan. Picard being on that particular ship could have made it a target. And probably probably Moriarty shows up in the first six episodes. Since he only shot for 1-2 days, he's likely an Easter egg that can be advertised as a red herring that holds value to the viewers but has no interconnected plot significance. If held for too long, people will keep going so how will Moriarty fit into all of this. It's safe to assume there will be DS9/VGR cameos. Maybe one of those characters could be the major shouldn't get out spoiler? Matalas has said even releasing the soundtrack without individual titles would be too spoiler-y do to the musical callbacks. Might be worth rewatching TNG episodes just to have their scores in mind should something be foreshadowed that way. But please, please, that's like the LAST thing hanging unresolved from TNG mythology I'd want to be revisited for an entire season. But if there was a take that grounded it in something far larger...
Spoiler If it is a Season 3 episode, my money is on: The Defector. The background of Picard has had the Romulans there the whole way, and is a neat element to use. Vadic sounds fairly Romulan as a name, and could be the daughter of one Admiral Jarok. Who committed suicide while under Picard's care and the letter never got sent home.[/spoilter]
Perhaps, but... Spoiler ... Vadic isn't physically a Romulan, even if her name sounds like it. If the Romulans are involved, then it's likely she's related to Tasha Yar.
https://twitter.com/donkaye/status/1620901545402589184 Looks like there's a big reveal at least by the third episode Spoiler probably the reveal of Ed Speleer's character
"Sir Patrick seems really old." HE'S EIGHTY TWO. What the hell did you expect him to be like? Able to run around sets with gunfire going off? ....oh.
So, Season 3 started filming only a day or 2 after Season 2 wrapped filming, which means this season cannot be a reaction to how Season 2 was received, because Season 2 hadn't even aired yet.
Fair point. The big difference is Terry Matalas as the sole showrunner, less executive interference from Paramount+, having time to build all the sets, the difference in the Covid situation in February 2021 vs September 2021, and the ability to outline the entire season and stick with it. Terry was able to accomplish a lot on 12 Monkeys' very limited budget. He'd probably be able to make use of this experience in maxing out what funds were available for season 3. Plus he was part of the Berman Trek operation for years.
Other than a good learning experience, I don't see how this helps. The production companies are different which means expectations and workflows will differ as well.
Terry brought back many behind the scenes people from the Berman era, including the Okudas and Doug Drexler. Berman era Trek always came in "on time and on budget" -- so they wouldn't have to re-invent the wheel and would know how to get things right the first time or anticipate potential problems ahead of time. Covid essentially ate away 25% of their budget, so that would help a lot at the margins. Whereas other aspects of NuTrek have had massive budget overruns and reshoots. And yes, GEN and INS had reshoots. But the studio approved/interfered with the scripts that were shot, and then ordered the reshoots, so that's really on the higher ups.
I agree. I love Berman Era Trek, the visuals and everything. But it's 20 years on from that era of television but what I really want to see is Evolution not Revolution which is why I like SNW the most, followed by Prodigy for following that "rule" as nebolous as it is. If I want my nostalgia tickled I watch Lower Decks and am amused by the cameos, popping fun at the Berman Era tropes etc. I don't want Season 8 of TNG, I don't want a reshoot of Nemesis.
My biggest concern, for lack of a better term, is simply the efforts to try to recapture the lightning in the bottle that was TNG. I get it-it's the biggest appeal to for many Trek fans who grew up with it, or it was their first introduction to Trek, or that as the gold standard. I truly respect that. But, again, this is just me, I find that trying to recapture a show's tone, and dynamic and such is very difficult, if not impossible, largely because it ignores all the growth, change and development just the actors have had in the time since the show, 20+ years ago or whatever. People grow, they change, they have different attitudes, or viewpoints. Very few of us would regard ourselves as identical even 5 to ten years ago. But, when it comes to fictional universes there is that expectation to be very similar, if not identical. That's...something I struggle with. As you say, if I want nostalgia tickled I will gladly watch TNG, DS9, Voyager or whatever else strikes me.
Berman-era Trek is dead and hopefully remains so. The presence of the Okudas and Drexler, however, transcend any of that old baggage, as these are people who have an excellent and intimate institutional knowledge of Trek lore and, most of all, they actually CARE! That goes a long way, in my book. Having these folks pulling strings behind-the-scenes is A-OK with me.
& I guess I see Picard season 3 as very much that promised evolution. Terry Matalas has stressed on Twitter not wanting to copy the 1990s production design, but how it would evolve in universe after 20 years. We know there will be character conflict, but likely not melodrama for the sake of melodrama. The characters will be very much in different places in their lives. And it will be a serialized season. A "TNG Season 8" would be very much like The X-Files revival, and there is little indication something like that would be the case here. We all have biases and different tastes. For me, I'm a pre-existing fan of Terry Matalas from 12 Monkeys. So this season is highly likely to be right up my alley. I think it's also likely to appeal to a much broader swath of the fanbase than other NuTrek efforts.
Matalas weighs in on VOY cameos... [potential spoilers, beware] https://twitter.com/TerryMatalas/status/1621352029234012161
It was several days ago, opening with something like 'I will probably be banned for this...', which I guess is exactly what happened. Was was reshot for INS? The ending in which Ru'afo is simply killed instead of shot into the rings to go all Benjamin Button?
I was going off memory from 1998. Yeah, the death of Ru'afo. I found this article which goes into a bit more detail. Looks like they considered greater reshoots, but were limited to edits with some new effects shots?
Spoiler I wish they'd have live-action Janeway again. Doesn't have to be in PIC Season 3, but in general.