Star Trek: Picard producer wants to give The Next Generation characters a “proper send-off”

Star Trek: Picard’s Terry Matalas wants to give The Next Generation cast a proper send-off.

When it was announced that Star Trek: Picard was going to bring back all of the main actors for the franchise for season three of Star Trek: Picard, it was met with some mixed reactions. On one hand, many wondered why the trailer for season three would come out during season two of Picard. While on the other hand, the announcement that fans would get one more go around with the crew of The Next Generation had them very excited.

For Picard producer, Terry Matalas, the decision to bring back the Next Generation crew 34 years after the show began, was an opportunity.

From TrekMovie.com;

"I remember watching the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation almost 34 years ago with my father like it was yesterday. It was the spark that ignited my love for science fiction. So, it’s most fitting that the story of Jean-Luc Picard ends honoring the beginning, with his dearest and most loyal friends from the U.S.S. Enterprise. It would be an understatement to say that giving these characters a proper send-off is an honor. The entire Star Trek: Picard team and I can’t wait for fans to experience this final, high-stakes, starship-bound adventure in season three!"

Not everyone is coming back for Picard, however

LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, and Brent Spiner will all rejoin Picard star Patrick Stewart in season three of the series. They joined John de Lancie and Whoopi Goldberg, as TNG cast members who returned to Star Trek with Picard’s second season. (de Lancie also had a minor cameo in Lower Decks).

So it’s not that surprising to see that a lot of ex-Next Generation talents are getting a final bow, but not every member of the but not every TNG crew member will be back for various reasons.

Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher for the bulk of the franchise, was not invited back to the show, and that was something he was a bit upset about. Understandably so. Another name not expected back is Denise Crosby, who played Tasha Yar on the first season of the show. She was killed off and later returned as Sela, Yar’s daughter from an alternate timeline.

Diana Muldaur also isn’t expected back. Muldaur replaced Gates McFadden in season two as Dr. Katherine Pulaski, a more blunt doctor who wasn’t a big fan of Data.

Maybe these and other names return to some degree but right now the third season is being sold on the return of the core cast of characters.