The panel was part of CBS All Access’ massive Enter the Star Trek Universe extravaganza, which also featured Picard show regulars and Trek newcomers Isa Briones (Dahj), Santiago Cabrera (Cristobal “Chris” Rios), Michelle Hurd (Raffi Musiker), Alison Pill (Dr. Agnes Jurati), Harry Treadaway (Narek) and Evan Evagora (Elnor), plus executive producers Alex Kurtzman, Michael Chabon, Akiva Goldsman, and Heather Kadin and supervising producer Kirsten Beyer.
Brent Spiner recalled getting the call that Data would be returning. “There was no way I could refuse that,” he said.
The team spoke about how they wanted to be very careful about not only avoiding replicating what was done on The Next Generation, but also what has been done on sister show Star Trek: Discovery. Chabon, who of course is also a Pulitzer-winning novelist, and is now showrunner of Picard, said that Stewart has been a collaborator from the beginning in terms of the story of the show. “I’ve learned to trust Patrick’s judgment of the character on a daily basis,” he said.
As for the new cast, Chabon said the producers knew they had to find actors who were worthy of and could stand up to Stewart. “And we got that,” he said.
Star Trek: Picard beams first trailer to San Diego Comic-Con #StarTrekSDCC #StarTrekPicard #SDCC https://t.co/9aDMp7SjaZ pic.twitter.com/m2gGGSZz9S
— Star Trek (@StarTrek) July 20, 2019
Watch the Comic-Con Picard trailer above.
Pill said her character is a researcher who is deeply confused about her place in the world. “I think everyone here is pretty broken in terms of their character … a lot of lonely sadsacks,” she laughed. Hurd’s character has a previously unrelated relationship with part of Picard’s past. “She too struggles with some demons,” she said.
Goldsman said that they pointedly wanted to not make a sequel to Next Generation. (The words “gentler,” “lyrical,” and “grounded” were dropped more than once during this panel in reference to the new show.) “We think it’s a new kind of Star Trek show made by people who love the old kind of Star Trek show,” said Goldsman.
“We live in a much more complicated and darker time now,” said Kurtzman. “Picard still stands up for the ideals that we believe in.” His age has not changed his ideals, it’s just the circumstances of his life that have changed. As a result, he doesn’t have the same resources he once had. So he has to “dig deeper” to get the job done, and that’s what makes Picard such an aspirational figure, according to the producer.
Briones plays Dodge, a young woman who has suffered “a horrible tragedy” that sends her looking for Picard. Cabrera’s character is ex-Starfleet with a “hard shell” around him. He’s reluctant to help Picard.
The highlight of the panel came during the audience Q&A when Stewart got emotional recalling shooting the final episode of Next Generation. But that’s always been the best thing about Star Trek, after all: the human element.
Star Trek: PIcard will premiere in early 2020. For from the Enter the Star Trek Universe panel, check out the latest details on Star Trek: Discovery Season 3, the announcement that Captain Pike’s Enterprise will return for new stories, and a first look at the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks.