Posted in: Paramount+, Star Trek, TV | Tagged: Gates McFadden, jean-luc picard, Jonathan Frakes, patrick stewart, star trek, Star Trek Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: Picard Season 3: Stewart Discusses Jean-Luc/Crusher, Riker

The final leg of Jean-Luc Picard's journey is inching ever closer, with season three of Star Trek: Picard set for its February premiere date on Paramount+. Along for the ride is an all-star line-up of Sir Patrick Stewart's Next Generation castmates. Stewart spoke with Den of Geek about where Jean-Luc's head is at heading into the final season, where things are at with his off-and-on again relationship with Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), and the kind of Picard-Riker (Jonathan Frakes) moments viewers can expect.

What Jean-Luc Is Doing Heading Into Star Trek: Picard Season 3

"I think the primary reason for that is that his relationships—important relationships—have been transformed," Stewart began on how Jean-Luc is holding up. "I've always felt that one of the things that Picard most appreciated about the job he had [on the Enterprise] was the number of times that the unexpected occurred. And I think that excited him very, very much. In Picard season one, he realized quite early that he was still accessible to those who needed help or some kind of protection, which is what he was principally motivated by through the seven years of 'Next Generation.'"

As far as how Jean-Luc is with Beverly in the final season compared to their time on TNG, "Well, there was a lot of personal tension that was always there. Jean-Luc always admired her, and she, him, in equal measure. But there have always been issues in the past where Picard thought maybe she wasn't behaving appropriately," Stewart explained. "And, of course, there had been the makings of a romance, which didn't seem that it was going to work out. But [this season], we learn that life-changing things have actually happened for Beverly Crusher and Jean-Luc Picard. His fury about the way in which Beverly has lived with this unexpected event led to some of the most interesting scenes that I played. The scenes I have with Gates in season three are among my favorites because they were emotionally naked… both of them…and vulnerable. I don't think we'd ever seen both of them at the same time at that stage."

Regarding the bond between the former captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D and his first officer, Stewart sees this season as one that demonstrates how Jean-Luc & Riker's relationship has evolved. "It's an illustration of how strongly both of them feel and the intensity of how that relationship developed," Stewart said. "There were some very warm and lovely scenes between the two of them because they love one another and adore each other. But you see, when we learn that Picard was perhaps not right in the choices he was making, that was important to me. That made Picard more human. It made him somebody who, to our surprise, could allow his feelings at times to overwhelm him in a dangerous and negative way."

Stewart stresses that the third season of Picard is NOT the eighth season of TNG. "It is not a reunion sequel, and this is one thing that I wanted to make clear. I didn't want the show to be just sentimental: "Oh, we all love one another, and here we are again, playing poker and raising our glasses and so forth." I mean, I love every single one of my comrades from that show. I can't get enough of them or see enough of them. But what the writers and producers have done with Picard is to create this different individual living in a different world than the one that we had been so familiar with in 'The Next Generation.'" For more including on Stewart's hopes for the final season's lasting cultural impact, you can check out the interview here.

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