Patrick Stewart had terms for doing Star Trek: Picard and it nearly ruined the show

Patrick Stewart’s memoir reminds us how he nearly killed his own show; Star Trek: Picard.

Patrick Stewart wanted to make a Star Trek show that wasn’t anything like Star Trek, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is how we got two insufferable seasons of a show called Star Trek: Picard. Stewart was talked into doing the show, and he agreed with a few caveats.

First, former castmates on The Next Generation would not be featured on the show and if they did return, would be in minor roles at best (aka “as guests”). Secondly, the show would not be promoted or seen as a “reunion” of any sort. Thirdly, Stewart’s character, Jean-Luc Picard, would not be in Starfleet, wear a uniform, or a badge, or feature any ships from Starfleet, like the Enterprise. And fourth and finally, he would only return for Picard for three seasons and nothing more.

By the end of September 2023, all of those demands had been broken by the producers or by Stewart himself. The Next Generation crew did come back and in a big way, season three was nothing but a reunion, Stewart was back in uniform and had a badge all of his own and Starfleet was a vocal point for the final season. Not only that, but Stewart walked back on his “three seasons only” demand and is now talking movies.

Probably because Paramount+ is cutting back on shows these days.

Patrick Stewart nearly ruined Star Trek: Picard

There’s a reason why Picard was such a cluster to try and make. So many showrunners got chewed up by this show, to the point when Terry Matalas took over the reins in season three, he was already the third showrunner.

Anyone wanna take a guess as to why?

The show, much like Discovery before it, took a radical turn after season two as an attempt to salvage the franchise, and thank goodness they did, because while season three was still filled with plotholes, and retreaded main villains, it was far and away better than anything Picard had delivered before.

Had Stewart gotten his way, Picard would be seen, likely as a worse series than Discovery and that’s a low bar to fail to to clear.