Summary
AStar Trek: Picardspin-off might not happen, as the actor behind an iconic character fans hoped to see get their show has revealed that the odds aren’t high that a solo series will materialize.
Star Trek: The Next Generationis set a century ahead of the original series on the timeline and introduces a whole new cast of characters vastly different from the ones seen inThe Original Seriesand led by the iconic Captain Jean Luc Picard, one of the most notable roles in the career of the legendary Patrick Stewart. WhileIan Mckellan advised Stewart against working on Star Trek, he would go on to take the lead role and become one of the most memorable parts of the franchise.
Picard would go on to be at the center of some ofStar Trek: The Next Generation’s best episodesand would gain popularity sufficient that the character would get a spinoff show after Paramount revived the franchise. While that show concluded with the well-received third season, the appearance of the character Q had a lot of fans expecting a spin-off show. Speaking toTrekMovie’s All Access Star Trek podcast, John de Lancie shared his thoughts on filming his cameo forStar Trek: Picard’s impactful post-credit scene that brought back the character after his apparent demise at the end ofPicard’s second season, in which he sacrificed himself to help Picard and crew return to their proper place in time. Unfortunately for hopeful fans, the news wasn’t what they’d like to hear, as the star himself shared with some disappointment.
Well, most post-credits scenes are [a setup for something else], so I took it as that. In reading it I went, ‘Oh well, there it is! There is the baton. There’s the jump-off for the next show.’ I don’t think at this point, it will happen. There was a fun period that it looked like it could happen. But then there was the writers’ strike, which took a lot of people’s attention away. I don’t think that they expected that season 3 was going to be as good and as well-received. They had already decided on another show. They were already moving in another direction. But it was certainly a really valiant and well-appreciated finale to The Next Generation.
While his hopes are nowhere near high, de Lancie has considered what the Q character could do in another appearance. “My involvement has always been as a catalyst, as a disrupter, as a character that pushes the envelope and makes everybody hopefully learn something,” de Lancie explained. “That’s one. Two, I think that the character works best—and also its position in Star Trek works best—if what I bring are big philosophical issues. I think that’s when we do the best work.” This view of the character is spot on, as expected from the man himself. Through his nigh-omnipotent acts of mischief, Q has bestowed lessons as important asteaching Picard to learn from his mistakesand much more. With his visit to Jack Crusher at the end ofPicard,it seems likely that if Q is to make another appearance, it will be in just such a role.
While the idea certainly appeals to fans, those in charge of the big decisions might not be willing to go there, as even fans are worried thatStar Trekis emulatingStar Wars' mistakesby producing so much content for streaming. As things stand, fans can only wait and see when Q will return to the screen.
Star Trek: Picardis currently available for streaming on Paramount Plus.
Star Trek
Star Trek is a space exploration franchise originally created by Gene Roddenberry. The series has spanned shows like The Original Series, The Next Generation, and Voyager. More recently, developer Scopely came out with Star Trek Fleet Command, a mobile title where you get to be captain of your own ship.
