We know Riker and Deanna are due to return. I'm not spoiler coding that, everyone knows they're back, they're in the damn trailers.
Personally, I'd love to see Q return near the end of the final season (3?). Last scene of the series, Q gives a final gift to Picard - Q returns ........ **** (only a back shot)
Actually, I think the final scene of the finale should be, Picard goes to sleep in his bed. The dog, laying on the floor by the bed looks up and with John de Lancie's voice says "bonne nuit, mon capitane."
He's already been heavily referenced just in the first episode. And Stewart made a really big fuss on national TV the other day on "The VIEW" about officially inviting Whoopie back as Guinan for Season 2 (she said yes) ... We also know that Both Picardo and Crosby are possibly being considered for their respective characters. (per both actors, though neither is actually confirmed) Kurtzman has publicly said just recently that Worf could be a possible candidate to return, so Dorn may be back. Kurtzman also made a generalized statement that ANY of the TNG characters could be used in the future if a good story-line were to be developed.
Oh you bet he is coming back. Spoiler: Maddox Spoiler You don't name drop him and then mention he is still alive if you don't plan to use him. He's Chehkov's gun, literally mentioned in the first act. He'll fire by the 3rd act (or 10th as case may be)
Everything I posted is very much in the Public Domain and has also been talked about here before without Spoilers.
Folks have been speculating heavily about Geordie, due to his appearance in the first PICARD COUNTDOWN Comic.
I'll bet Spoiler: hiding He's deep inside that Borg cube, doing all kinds of crazy android/Borg research and inventing, all funded by Romulans
Not necessarily. There are many shows and movies where emphasis is placed on a person or object or concept... which is then promptly dropped. Maddox may fit the paradigm because he's used as backstory and premise setup. But that isn't to say he won't or couldn't return. I agree with you, chances are higher he would return and that would be a good thing and he can discuss any plot elements verbatim instead of a third party character relaying the setup. He is a big enough character in the scope of things.
Spoiler: Spoiler-ish Still have to figure out how Borg/Seven/Hugh play into all this. It's all related but not quiet clear yet.
I said it from the start, but I'd really like to see Ro Laren back. She and Picard have some unfinished business, and her story and defection from Starfleet would add some interesting narrative potential considering the current state of the Federation and Picard's resignation. I guess it just depends when Chakotay tells B'Elanna "there are no more Maquis" and that "they were all wiped out" if he literally means every last Maquis in the Alpha Quadrant was killed by the Dominion/Cardassian alliance, or if a few scattered cells escaped the attack.