Posted in: Paramount+, Star Trek, streaming, TV | Tagged: jean-luc picard, paramount, patrick stewart, star trek, Star Trek Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Terry Matalas

Patrick Stewart on Original "Picard" Ending & Why It Wasn't Filmed

In Make It So, Sir Patrick Stewart reveals how "Picard" was originally supposed to end for Jean-Luc, why it wasn't filmed, and much more.

Things had a funny way of coming full circle regarding Sir Patrick Stewart's relationship with the Star Trek franchise. Even when things didn't end as ideally as fans might have wanted in 2002's Nemesis, they still got seven seasons and four theatrical films of The Next Generation, which is more than you can say for most spinoffs. While promoting his latest memoir, Making It So, Stewart reflected on his journey with an excerpt for Time about his return as Jean-Luc in the Paramount+ series spinoff Picard, his initial conditions for coming back, and how he softened his stance with a guided handover time in his role as producer, which leads to the inevitable talk of the TNG reunion in the third and final season that the actor initially balked at, but came around on.

Star Trek: Picard's Journey as a Hybrid Original Series & Legacy Sequel

Fans got to meet a new group of people to surround the former Enterprise-D & E captain-turned-admiral, starting with Michelle Hurd's Cmdr. Raffi Musiker, Alison Pill's Dr. Agnes Jurati, Santiago Cabrera's Captain Cristobel Rios, Evan Evogora's Elnor, Isa Briones' multiple roles as synths Dahj & Soji, and the human Kore Soong in season two, Orla Brady's Laris & Tallinn, and returning favorite in Star Trek: Voyager's Jeri Ryan reprising her role as Seven of Nine. Stewart was flexible enough to at least include some of the TNG cast in recurring roles, with Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, and Brent Spiner returning as Riker, Troi, and Data, respectively. Spiner would be the most involved of the TNG alum, also playing multiple roles during the first two seasons.

Sadly Pill, Cabrera, Biones, and Evagora would all depart at the end of season two, and Brady would return in a cameo in the season three premiere as Paramount made the TNG reunion official sans Wil Wheaton's Wesley, who made his surprise cameo in the season two finale. Stewart wrote as a condition for his former castmates to return, it would have to make sense and have a meaningful presence, a sentiment shared by them. The story would be set in motion with Jean-Luc's on-and-off relationship with Enterprise-D's former chief media officer Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), sending a distress signal that would unveil the looming changeling-Borg conspiracy throughout the season.

Fans would slowly see more familiar characters back into the fold with Riker, Troi, Worf (Michael Dorn), Geordi (LeVar Burton), and even Data, who we discover has a third chance at life, but shares a body with his evil twin Lore, and prototype, B-4. There were also a few extra TNG surprises along the way, with showrunner Terry Matalas bringing back Jean-Luc's biggest Starfleet regret in Michelle Forbes' Ro Laren, who we discover returned to the Federation after serving her sentence for her initial defection to the Maquis, now promoted to commander and working for Starfleet Intelligence. The other major surprise is the return of Riker's former rival Elizabeth Shelby with Elizabeth Dennehy. Stewart revealed there was a different original ending before the one we saw in "The Last Generation" with Seven, Raffi, and Jack (Ed Speleers) flying off on the new Enterprise-G and subsequent mid-credits scene that saw the post-season two return of John de Lancie's Q visiting Jean-Luc's son. Here's an excerpt from Making It So.

"What I'd like to see at the end of the show," I told them, "is a content Jean-Luc. I want to see Picard perfectly at ease with his situation. Not anxious, not in a frenzy, not depressed. And I think this means that there is a wife in the picture."

You see, the line between Jean-Luc and me has grown ever more blurred. If I have found true love, shouldn't he?

The writers came up with a lovely scene. It is dusk at Jean-Luc's vineyard. His back is to us as he takes in the view, his dog at his side.

Then, off-screen, a woman's loving voice is heard: "Jean-Luc? Supper's ready!"

Is it Beverly Crusher's voice? Laris's? Someone we don't know? It isn't made clear. But Sunny was set to record the lines.

Heeding his wife's call, Jean-Luc turns around, says to his dog, "C'mon, boy," and heads inside. Dusk fades to night, and Picard fades into history.

But this scene was never shot. And I am sort of to blame. Our final day of shooting season 3 was a bear, with a very long to-do list. About eight hours in, I realized we were in for a 14- or even 16-hour day. Brutal. And I was booked to fly to New York the first thing the following morning. So I made a suggestion to the production team.

"Look," I said, "the scene with the dog will take no time to shoot, but it will take hours to set up the lighting and the green screen and all that. We don't have those hours. So let's not shoot that scene today. I can come back at any time you like and take care of it. Just me and the dog."

Stewart revealed there was never a follow-up, but he is "gently" pushing Paramount to do a single Picard film and admitted that Frakes, Spiner, and Burton are all on board. He also prefers Frakes to direct. Should the film become official, it would make one hell of a cinematic event for the streamer to complement the work on the upcoming Section 31 starring Michelle Yeoh. For more, including his initial reluctance and the moment during season two when de Lancie & Whoopi Goldberg's returns warmed him to that TNG reunion, you can check out the piece here. Making It So comes out on October 3rd, and you can pre-order here.

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