Where Star Trek Picard Went Wrong 

"Season two was largely disliked" holy fuck that's the greatest understatement in the history of Star Trek.

I am now more sad about the missed potential of the first two seasons than I was before. A Star Trek archeology/tomb raider focused show would have been so terrific.

Your pitch for the alternate Picard show sounds a lot like the novel The Buried Age, where Picard leaves Starfleet after the Stargazer incident to become a lecturer and ends up going on an adventure to uncover ancient alien data storage facilities with a ragtag crew of archaeologists and butting heads with Starfleet when requesting their assistance. It also deals with him working through a lot of his past trauma, losing faith in his abilities, and unsure of his place in the Federation, and would've worked really well tweaked to fit the post-Nemesis era.

If they wanted their cliche big bad universe ending threat, they could have pulled a mass effect reaper situation. Have archeologist Picard slowly discover the remains of an ancient threat over the course of a season or the whole show 🤷‍♂️

What you wanted was well beyond the capabilities of the writing/producing team on Picard. The type of person who is both deeply familiar with the Star Trek universe and ethos but also enthusiastic about charting a new course while somehow maintaining a consistency with prior media, a very difficult needle to thread, is a rare person to find, especially limiting yourself to Hollywood. RLM's comic book concepts (at the start of the Mr Plinkett Picard review) probably came close, although they are niche and narrow appeal. Matalas's 'retreat' into TNG was the best you were ever going to get.

There are two other ideas that kind of explain why Picard was a mess. In interviews, Patrick Stewart mentioned his reaction to Brexit and how that influenced the plot. You can also read Picard as a bizarre reaction to his time on Logan. With season one playing like a weird twist of Logan meets Star Trek. The archaeology season would have been fun.

I wish they had all the characters crying hugging each other and saying "because we're starfleet" and then lots of lasers shot at things I think that would be great

It also occurred to me that Picard should have been an archeologist, out on the frontier studying the ruins of a dead civilization, and experiencing Indiana Jones type adventures.

Honestly I think a major issue was just that the three seasons were poorly written. The writers looked up TNG and cherry-picked fan favourite elements without ever really attempting to understand what made them special. I don’t think very much research was done beyond a cursory surface level, and I don’t think the writers much cared about Star Trek’s legacy, getting anything accurate or making sure everything made sense. What we got was a lot of waffling dialogue about the characters’ feelings like a tween drama, a *lot* of reusing sets (Jesus, the Picard mansion *again?*) and lots of dramatic reveals that turned out to be the same old villains. The whole endeavour was a huge missed opportunity that better writers could have capitalised on. The saving grace though, was having the old crew back together on the Enterprise for those last couple of episodes. Contrived, absolutely, but damn did it hit the nostalgia.

I think a big issue with trying to do Picard-focused series is that the seven main TNG characters are still such an iconic crew, and so some fans will have wanted all of those characters back within the first season. Basically, they're too beloved to *not* return. It's a bit like if Red Dwarf came back as just 'Red Dwarf: Lister' and the other three characters were no longer main cast members. I'd personally want Rimmer, Cat and Kryten to continue being part of the main cast - I'd miss them too much otherwise :)

I think the scope is the big issue, not every story needs to be the end of the universe, and I blame the budget and CGI. When you're spending that much money it I think it feels like you need to justify it in universe with an event that matches the budget. The story I wanted to see would have been Picard at the Romulan refugee town trying to win them over and build something new.

"The Chase" is one of my go-to episodes. Another well thought out essay. Bravo sir.

I've been quietly wondering why Picard seemed to have completely forgotten his passion for archeology. Before Picard came out, I honestly thought he would be spelunking in alien ruins, and it was really disappointing that this wasn't the case

I like your idea so much better then what we got. I feel like they almost could have Picard try to get a ship (well shuttle) from Starfleet and get turned down. So he decides to form his own crew. The crew he hires is a bunch of misfits that at first are just in it for the money but find a cause they rally against. I'm kind thinking Leverage in space. Maybe ending with them chasing after something for the greater good probably some artifact. So basically an adventures story but somewhat low stakes (at least at first).

I completely agree with you. Back in the 90's, I came up with an idea for a star trek spin off about a retired star fleet admiral going around helping people on different planets with different problems. Kinda Columbo/ McGyver in space. I even thought of a forensic tricorder he could carry around. Your idea about Indiana Jones in space is totally what they should have done. Maybe something in between these ideas would have been even better. I have always thought that a mostly starfleet free star trek show is a workable idea!

Yeah, I agree with your assessment. And if they wanted to do universe ending threats, that is really a very easy thing to do with an archaeologist. There are no shortage of Lovecraft in stories, in which someone uncover some ancient unspeakable horror or problem, or even opportunity. And hell, Stargate SG one got 214 episodes out of an archaeologist in space. I agree that would have been a much wiser road to travel.

I think you make an excellent point and I do like your concept better than what we got. The whole archeology angle could have made an excellent Borg origin story. Picard discovers the ancient Borg homeworld and we see stuff similar to the giger-esque Borg concepts that Ricardo Delgado did for First Contact. That being said... goddamn did I love season 3! And the return of the Enterprise-D

These are great ideas which would have greatly benefited the show. However there was one more obstacle that the writers needed to move past. And that's the idea that they were making 10 hour long films, which caused massive structural issues, especially in season 2, when they should have been thinking more in terms of how you might structure a novel with each episode acting as a chapter.

While I find the concept of Picard leaving the chair and becoming the old wise professor on an intergalactic archeological adventure. We forget the words of wisdom from one of his predecessors, Captain Kirk, "don't let them promote you, don't let them transfer you, don't let them do anything, that takes you off the bridge of that ship because while you're there, you can really make a difference." Picard leaving starfleet would be the antithesis of all that. So in a way the writers locked themselves into a difficult spot, where the captain place is always on the bridge of a starship, it's why DS9 had to introduce the Defiant to the series, so the captain wouldn't always be behind a desk.

A better idea instead of "We ran out of villains, so how about the Borg? For three seasons? Sounds like a plan."

A big problem for me was each series hinging on a two-parter plot spread over an entire series.

I really liked the first season premise of trying to have a big space adventure but as a civilian. The specific story had its ups & downs of course, but sticking with that overall vibe could have worked well. Instead it comes across like they panicked at the mixed reception & started flailing around. It's like 3 first seasons for different shows getting retooled before they can find their feet.

The problem I had with the "Sheer F*cking Hubris" scene was that it only works if Picard is being unreasonable. The season wanted us to, at the same time we see Picard as past his prime and out of touch (as with the classist comments from Raffi), still see him as the same character we've always known and loved. They were too afraid to commit to any one idea and just split the baby the whole time until the third season where they finally committed to being TNG 2.0 and went full fan-service. Surprise surprise, the one season where they had a clear vision for what they wanted to accomplish was by far the one that received the most universal praise.

There are so many great things they could have done. Instead, the show existed to milk nostalgia for maximum profit. And one thing that cuts into profits? Paying good writers. It's cheaper to pay bad writers.

I understand why some people didn't like the first season, I personally found it interesting since we got to see Picard deal with the fall out of his actions. That is something we didn't really see in TNG since it was always off to the next planet. Where I fell off was in season two where they did the whole time travel that was going back to the well one to many times for me.

That would have been amazing. I wish they'd riffed more on Picard's regrets in family and generations about never having had children. That would have set up S3 much better and added depth an nuance to his mentoring of Elnor. I feel too many people dislike Generations, and so that part of Picard was unfairly overlooked. ( I said the same thing when he encountered a cloned son in Nemesis, and they just kept going on about mirrors.)

Superb essay, as always, Rowan, thank you.

I cant say i enjoyed the first two seasons , the first starting out somewhat well but then becoming a bigger mess with just unnecessary violence and jaded characters just for the sake of grittiness, the second season going into another time travel loop just to sort out Picards childhood drama and hold it as a mystery box sort of thing. As for S3 as great as it was to see the crew back together, i felt they missed the mark completely. The season starts off well, Beverly at the edge of federation space coming across a new menace, finally we are getting new enemies new worlds to explore and discover i thought , but no, just the same shapeshifters from before and the borg from before. The federation infiltration not even making much sense in the end. Might as well have brought back the worms from the first season.

You actually put my finger to what it was I couldn't. It seemed too defeated of picard to slink off to his chateau and wait to die. Makes more sense he'd bury his rage in his passion for archaeology and then through this be dragged back to the captains chair.

I'm genuinely looking forward to your Universe retrospective, I've really been enjoying these.

This is actually a great point. Thank you for this video!

Would've loved a Picard archeologist show, although I was under the impression Stewart wanted a story that was a commentary on Brexit? Either way, even though the third season was more of a re-wrap up to TNG post all the movies, I still had a great time watching it. Sure, it was a lot of the same stuff we've seen before, but it felt true to the characters as I remembered them, and provided a new happy ending after all the misery they'd gone through post All Good Things.

It's sad how it all turned out. Even season 3, as nostalgic as it is, turned out to be way too much fanservice, often to the detriment for the plot.

One thing that we should all acknowledge is the huge challenge that writers/show runners face when trying to create a new entry in a beloved franchise. I mean, we do tend to remember the good over the bad, as bad as season 2 of Picard was, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as Code of Honor. To be honest, failure is always going to be the most likely outcome. It's like bands trying to recreate the brilliance of earlier albums, you can't force genius, it's just a case of getting the right people with the right ideas at the right time. I think there's a version of Picard season 1 - with better ideas, writing and character development, that works as it is. You don't have to turn the man into Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider.

I would have loved Indiana Picard. That would have been perfect. There also wasn’t enough meat to the stories to go ten episodes. Season three was a slog to get through. They watered down an idea that could have been told in two hours to get to ten. Had some good points - the LaForges and Capt Shaw - but the rest was like ‘it’s the Borg. Get on with it already!’

Love your idea! The archeology plot could have beaten everything we've seen after Indy3.

The problem with the whole concept is that fans wanted more TNG. Disco left a sour taste in many peoples mouths, so they wanted Picard to be TNG season 8. As RJC said, had the writers gone back through TNG and did their homework, they could have made something unique and different that would have made everyone happy while still being different.

My problem with STP was two-fold. 1. Dark n Gritty/low lighting everywhere. Doesnt feel optimistic or even "Trek like". (One of my many issues with the STD that is STD) 2. I can very easily imagine a scenario in the Writer's Room where someone asked: "Ok, we got all these ideas, lots of potential for great stories. Which main plots and twists do we want to throw in?" Someone jokingly replied "Let's do ALL OF IT!" And here we are.

I thought Picard at his vineyard was the perfect (and expected) setup. Then the story started . . .

I agree wholeheartedly. I liked the end of season 1, where this group of people, all outcast in some way, seemed ready to travel off and have new adventures. Instead at the beginning of season two, everybody is back in Star Fleet. And don't get me started on all the continuity errors across all 3 seasons.

This is what happens in a world where corpo greed rules, and writers are not paid enough. Exemplary writers deserve far more fanfare and recognition.

Those are some good ideas, I hope you get to make your own sci-fi movie or show some day, you have the creativity and definitely the passion for it

Yeah, the only way new Trek knows how to do "exciting" is to put the whole galaxy at risk. It got to a point, especially in Discovery, where you're left asking "Really? Again?". At least in Picard season 3 we were interested in the interpersonal parts of the story too. In the first two seasons, I didn't care for most of the retcons to Picard's background.

I didn't enjoy the first and second seasons of Picard but I did enjoy season 3, but your picard archaeologist idea would have been a good and logical concept. I also took a liking to captain Shaw who sadly died.

I'm a hard core Trekkie, but you gave me some information that I didn't know, which is great. I think you should extend this out to one of your prolific longer videos!

I think you are speaking to an issue about modern Trek: the desire to regurgitate safe ideas without risking anything.

Thanks for yet another thought-provoking video. What do you think Star Trek needs to do in order to persevere. What guidelines would you suggest for new Star Trek shows? I would like to hear your opinions on this topic. Thank you for continuing to deliver us great videos. May you live long and prosper!🖖

The show went wrong from its opening scene of Soji and her boyfriend talking to each other with modern slang. It never got better. Season 3 was a blast, though, which shows in the right hands, this entire series could have really been something

My brain fully understands and agrees with this argument. However, my heart absolutely loves that my crew and my ship got to fly together one final time in PIC S3.

I had a dream months ago where Picard went on an archeological mission on the Borg homeworld. Wish we had gotten something like that!

I’m beginning to think that studios make crap come first so the quality of standard is lowered so much that even drying paint can be seen as a masterpiece in the coming sequels.

When i first heard the news about "Picard" i thought about something like "Picards Angels" or "The PicArd Team". And i really like the idea about Picard as an archeologist. In "Lower Decks" they spoke about him as supporting a seemingly rogue tomb raider for retrieving stolen artifacts. But what have we got? Picards bad dreams. Missing any logic and showing all his traumas. I just would like to see Beverly coming out of the shower, asking "Oh my dear Jean Luc, have you had a bad dream again?" Perhaps like in the old "Little Nemo" comics. Maybe one could cut this show new and give it new dubbing, so we can see real adventure and likable characters?

Hmm. The more I think about it then the series would have been something like this: Twenty + years ago, Picard is on Romulus, saving a little boy - Elnor - whose mother has been crushed by a panic. He gets back to Enterprise where he is told by Starfleet Command that if he continues to evacuate Romulus, he will experience court marshall. Enterprise and the other ships - each commanded by a different Next Gen character, continue to evacuate. Picard holds Elnor and refuses. He tells Commander Sela and the other Romulan ships he will ignore Starfleet. The Federation fleet - except for the Next Gen character commanded ones - retreats to fight some enemy elsewhere. Twenty-plus later, Picard is at the chateau being interviewed. Elnor is grown and the two servants are there, too. Picard says during the interview that Starfleet renegged on a lot of promises, not just to Romulus. Afterward, Elnor professes he wants to be in Starfleet, like Picard. He tells Elnor to not, mirroring the issues Picard had with his family. Meanwhile, Captain Raffi escorts Seven and Hugh to an archaeological discovery. There, Rios is a lead archaeologist, a cynical one at that. Turns out the discovery is a primitive Borg Cube. It is ancient and rudimentary. A sub space signal is activated. Picard hears it, giving him nightmares. Starfleet protocol reaches out to any ExB when incomplete Borg data is found somewhere. Picard packs up with Elnor as his assisant and he goes to the dig. Turns out something is answering the signal. It is not a distress signal. It is a report. As the series progresses, we discover that the Borg we have seen so far in Trek were earlier field tests. They were each testing new things to evolve - a queen, a unimatrix zero, etc. to evolve. All data was being sent to the Original Borg planet to evolve the Final Form. More dangerous Borg come for the artifact, which is in Old Romulan space. Picard ventures to the Borg World to destroy the Final Form.

Picard: Season 2, Episode 9 was the first time I've ever felt viscerally angry watching something, the way they kept cutting away from the actual story every other minute to show pointless flashbacks of him as a kid with his mother when it's been obvious what happened to his mother for like 2 episodes already and it isn't even all that interesting of a 'reveal' and had little impact on the plot.

Excellent video as always. Thank you. I have 3 favorite episodes from TNG that showed a different side to Picard: Lessons, Inner Light, and Chain of Comman. Lessons depicts his romantic interests and attractions, Inner Light shows us his portrayal as a husband and father, and Chain of Command reveals a vulnerable yet strong Picard stripped of rank. The new Picard series would have benefited from using those themes as guiding lights to craft their script I think.

When he turned up with the eye-patch and ascent, I got the idea that Patrick really wanted to be Biggles of Camel Squadron - not Capt. Picard.

I haven't watched S3 yet. But I'm fine to settle into some basic nostalgic driven fan service. Whatever. The ending of All Good Things... is profoundly perfect.

Finally, the Picard retrospective episode!

The concept of Archeologist-Picard is DOA because the showrunners/execs know the population has grown too stupid and vapid for such themes. Hence, pew-pew battles, sword fights, retread of conspiracy plots, etc.

Picard the archaelogist woulda been a perfectly fine concept. I've been especially hoping for a non-starfleet trek series to explore more of the civilian life under the federation (e.g. jake sisko adventurous field journalist with starfleet sometimes showing up to save the day but sometimes being the annoying bureaucrats getting in the way)... but i dont think the current caretakers woulda been able to do anything good with the concept anyway.

It's notable how after all the confusion between seasons, Picard Season 3 keeps Raffi and like lightning in a bottle, it's a total home run with Worf.

I was expecting something new, then I got exactly what you said: Romulan Conspirancy, Time Travel shaningans, BORG Threath, Q's Games! WTF!!!

Personally, I feel what went wrong was that Stewart and others believed the masses wanted a show just about Jean-Luc Picard. Star Trek is an ensemble. While I am not against solo explorations of characters, limiting the entire show (initially) to just one facet of an ensemble is contrary to the storytelling inherent in Star Trek. Multiple viewpoints from multiple characters. I no more want to see a "just Jean-Luc" show than I want to see a "just Kirk show" (or Generations). Same with Spock in STAR TREK 2009. These characters, TNG included, do not work as solo pieces. They have been developed over decades within an ensemble. Some of their very best characteristics are defined by that ensemble nature. What is the point of having "formal Captain Picard" with all of his reserved nuances, if you don't have a Will Riker or a Worf to bounce them off of? What's the point of having "wild bill Kirk" in GENERATIONS, if you don't have Spock there to balance his extremes? They even have to reference Spock in those scene so Kirk can be seen as Kirk taking a reckless chance. Same with Picard. The other choice is to change the character to function as a solo piece. But then, you have changed the point of using a known character at that point. Then why not create a completely new character to tell the stories you want to tell? No one cares about the non-Starfleet adventures of Jean-Luc. That's not Star Trek. Notice it took bringing back the old crew to actually get people invested? There's a reason for that, and it's not because Picard abandoned archaeology, imo.

I understand what Coleman is saying, but I'm extremely happy that PIC didn't end with a bad taste in my mouth. In addition, it didn't try to redo or rehash an existing storyline from a TOS movie that was a one on one ship to ship battle, or another Khan-type villain (say what you will about Vadic), but the story of season 3 seemed to me to pertain specifically to the TNG characters, and was a big, grand, and coherent (second) ending to the TNG cast. I don't really have a big problem with Nemesis as an ending, regardless of how the show ended, but I don't like where Nemesis left the TNG cast. I may need to watch it again to develop my point of view. Either way, great video essay; I love listening to your stuff, because your effectively the only Trek youtuber that I disagree with often. It allows me to think about your side of the argument and mine a little better.

The Jean Luc I knew would never have left Star Fleet. Imagine Season 3 Picard pulling those stunts?

When Patrick Stewart announced that Picard was returning in a new series, my reaction "Oh god, WHY!?" And that reaction remained fixed throughout all of the three seasons. Why does this show exist? What is the point? What are we exploring here that we haven't already seen before? As it turns out, nothing. It retread old ground with such pointless vigor that it wore a trench right into the deck plating.

I can't call it a mixed bag, Rowan. It was just shite. All three seasons of it. What we got was fundamentally not what Patrick Stewart promised us Picard would be back in 2018. Maybe it's just that, when it comes to Star Trek, I am far too conservative in my tastes. I wanted hope, humanity, and an optimistic vision of the future. Instead what I got was sheer fucking hubris.

Very valid points, and yep...if the direction went the way presentef, it might have been way better. Writers do the same with Doctor Who...have to bring back old enemies and similar stories because it's lack of creativity, trying to cast the character in a new light, and messing it up, aka the Skywalker debacle, and throwing away canon and fan goodwill.

You are right in that the Showrunners for whatever reason didn't take the Archeology route and instead had their plan already in their heads before getting Sir Patrick to come on board, yet he did have some sway as well here, BTW, with what you have stated here, what is your view for a future Star Trek: Legacy based in the early 25th Century?

Hi Rowan, I agree with most of what you've said but thought I'd highlight another issue with the show that I for me had the biggest negative impact. STP seemed to have no real goal in the story they were telling throughout the entire show. All 3 seasons and their plots seemed to have no real connection, meaning each season seemed less and less connected. Each antagonist seemed disconnected (could have been tied in nicely with the Borg-Changeling coalition JS) and had no impact on each other or the rest of the universe, except giving us reasons why certain characters should leave the show. Note: I'm aware that the producers and Patrick Steward had intended for each season to address a part of Picard's life as an older man, but even this never really felt like it was done, nor even considered when the next season rolled around respectively. Still loved the last 3 episodes though.

Thank you, Rowan. Love your channel. As much as I hated the ending of "The Chase", which just seemed so lame, your idea that Picard should have focused on his interest in archeology would have been awesome to see on the screen. As it was, I enjoyed the first two seasons though they could have been better, but loved the 3rd season. As great as "All Good Things" was, I feared the last two movies had left one of my favorite shows of all time a little bit tainted. And was overjoyed that they got another go at it.

I didn't know about Patrick Stewart insisting on Picard not being in Starfleet. That would have been great, especially if it didn't bother with the whole retconned son Gary Stu thing. I'm realizing now that what I really want is a Star Trek show about civilians. The staff of a restaurant at a busy starbase, or more of the Fenris Rangers-adjacent stuff that Dr. Crusher and Gary Stu were doing, getting supplies to places Starfleet didn't go (reminds me of modern day anarchist mutual aid), or the crew of a passenger liner, or SOMETHING. One of the few things that I genuinely loved about Picard was the scene in the first episode that featured a civilian urban apartment. I want to see how the rest of the Star Trek universe lives!

Excellent video. Your analyses are always on point 👍👍👍

To borrow from an episode title, "Favor the Bold" and Captain Sisko's recanting of the saying "Good fortune favors the bold.", it seems that Patrick Steward's concept was a bold suggestion. Star Trek has always straddled bold, innovative, and careful. It would have been nice to see a "bold" departure to something different.

I see Picard S3 moreso as more TNG films rather than more TNG. It's split up into 3 clearly defined arcs that is generally comparable to how a trilogy of movies is laid out. It follows a lot of the things that the best of the TOS movies did as well. TOS had its trilogy of movies and a nice sendoff and I see this as TNG's trilogy of movies with a nice sendoff.

The Star Trek :Picard show is like what TNG was in it's first 3 seasons: Star Trek: The Original Series stories trying to be updated for the (then) current 1980's. The creators of Picard wanted the Next Generation love of over 30 years ago, but times have changed, and that era has passed. Picard needed to be a show looking forward, not back. The show needed fully rounded characters, not just the cardboard cutouts with one major trait that we got.

The second there was a extra super secret Tal Shiar even more secret than the Tal Shiar itself, I rolled my eyes thinking is this the best they could do ??

This was such a great idea. I’ve heard others come up with this too, and it is what they should have done. The new shows, especially Picard and Discovery are also obsessed with end of the universe doomsday plots, that just don’t seem to work well for this universe.

Damn your so right! Now if they had the first season and then slowly went your way to the third season I think it would have worked.

Where it went wrong was with the first TWO whole SEASONS - largely because of the lack of his original crew. But season 3 was absolutely spectacular and left the door open for one more conclusion. Patrick Stewart has already said he would sign on to a possible "Picard" movie that would once more include the rest of the TNG cast.

Wow! I have to agree with this review. Overall I liked the series Picard, but I have to agree with Rowan on this one. A lot of TNG confusion and not enough Jean-Luc. I was looking for a continuation of the Jean-Luc story with maybe a new adventure thrown in for good measure, but instead, we got more TNG. I always thought Picard was one of the better Starfleet captains, so in the third season, I enjoyed watching the old TNG characters show up to help their old captain. Personally, I could have done without the Borg. They always manage to show up somewhere in a Star Trek movie or television show to ruin the day. I did however love Amanda Plummer as Vadic, the latest Star Trek villain. Vadic was a breath of fresh air in what otherwise has become stale air in this long-running franchise. JustSaying.

the first two seasons started with some interesting writing but then devolved into such utter nonsense. Although in retrospect I really like the new chaotic neutral Borg at the end of s02. It's a drastic change that could lead to interesting things in future shows. I fear they'll abandon it though, since the rest of that season was forfeit.

I've never said this before, but I'm grateful to your cold. I wish they had done ST:Picard this way.

Klutztrek is hopeless. Picard season 3 was showrun by a different team left alone with little budget which was why we got a semi-decent Star Trek show.

Seeing the reintroduction of the Progenitors in Disco, and now this episode…Picard could have totally been further backstory to the one being introduced in Disco. That’s the STP I think we would have all loved 🖖🏾

Considering the relics that the Star Trek shows have left behind, from the Doomsday Machine, the Dyson Sphere, the Iconians and so on you'd assume an archaeologist would have more than enough to research and discover. Throw in the real Guardian of Forever to explore history by recording images from the Guardian to going there and then (many such voyages possible) if necessary.

Yeah I wanted either Picard as Ambassador and/or Archaeologist A tweaked version of Season 1 that really leaned on these conceits would've worked for me, where I would dial back the Soong stuff and Zhat Vash robot stuff (which through a comedy of errors reasons you bring back in Vash) and dial back the Ex borg stuff More Laris and Rios, less Elnor and Rafi, Jurati and Vash is there for plot device reasons, Seven would be more incidental tied to the Ex Borg stuff. The plot is the Zhat Vash are a bunch old hardliners and separatists who are convinced that the destruction of the Romulan sun was an intentional attack by Starfleet and Vulcans and they're hell bent on sabotaging and undermining any and all attempts at Unifinication,maybe get back Sela for that The big callback would be finishing Spock's work with respect to Unification and also the solving the mystery as to what happened to Ambassador Spock. Picard strengths as a diplomat and as a archaelogist is focused on for this as throughline with Picard's history.

I remember the big bag guy reveal near the end of season 3 and I'm like, oh not again..

I really thought you were going to say things that certain other people have said that would have me saying, but, but, this or that. Instead you are right again as always. I personally enjoyed all 3 seasons but totally understand why they are not for everyone and why 3 was so much more popular. I hope they don't make another but would not be upset with a "Legacy" series on the re-branded Titan, captain Seven has the swagger of Kirk and an off and on relationship with her Number one would be a dynamic we've not had before. Plus Raffi with her struggles with addiction and Jack with his messed up life, its just not the Star Trek ubermensch crew we got with Voyager. Speaking of which the potential for past Voyager and even DS9 crew to show up gives it easy fan service and viewer boosting potential. At this point it would be stupid not to make it.

Been saying for decades they need to make a ST series where starfleet is only a tangental part of the story, possibly even as an obstacle maybe... like, was sorta inagining something similar-ish to what you described for Picard, but then using the cyberpunk-ish city settings. The lives of a transport crew or something, sometimes smuggling and all, even. Or something. But we've all seen how paramount reacts to fan projects anymore lol

Would be cool if it was that old alien species that Picard studied (I forgot that episode but I think the relic of a battleship was trapped and then trapped the Enterprise) it would add more lore and genuinely we would see the best of Picard. With all the time travel it could happen and a battle would be pretty cool to watch as Picard destroys the last of something he cares for so much.

I really like your take on it; it would have been an interesting way to go. Unfortunately the play it safe attitude that started with Rick Berman carried over to the current show runners with the added “bonus” of really terrible writing and story telling. They had a chance to start anew and instead we get retreads of stories, characters and plot elements from years ago not to mention Discovery and Strange New Worlds rewriting TOS history. Despite that I really liked Picard season three but yes it and the other shows could have been so much more.

Dang, I thought Patrick Stewart was in his late 60's when he started Next Gen.

Your idea for what Picard should have been, blew my mind honestly. It would have been a great show where I would have really enjoyed the new characters that were introduced. The indiana jones setting really works for all these misfits who could have given us loads of action, fun, adventure and where necessary drama but alas Picard Season 1 and 2 were simply terrible and totally wasted the new characters - Rios staying in the past with silly and incomplete immigration story line, Elenor being shunted off, the forgetful data's daughter whatever character, Seven and Rafi's relationship where there was NO CHEMISTRY whatsoever, i mean the list goes on. I love but blame Patrick Stewart tho, he was self-flagellating on screen in season 1 when even in the far future a retired star fleet admiral who has saved millions is forced to acknowledge his white privilege by Rafi and it took an entire 2nd season to explore his character's childhood trauma about his mother. Season 3 was star trek next gen magic tho and at least im grateful that the series ended on a positive note.

It went right when season 3 came round. Seasons 1 felt like an extended Picard TNG episode where he spends most of it separated from the crew. Unfortunately that would have been fine but instead they made half of it about a bunch of characters we didn't come to see or care for barring 7 of 9. Now Season 3 got sh1t back on track.

as soon as we learned that nobody from the Enterprise crew tried to save riker and Troy's child after they banned cybernetics, I knew I was going to have to treat the entire thing like some sort of fanfiction

You know the part, where they took a look at TNG, and decided 'hey what if we do the opposite' Yeah, that part.

Picard as space Indy sounds like a great idea. 👍

TNG has never ranked high up my list, and I can't say I was too interested in Picard as a character who needed his own show. I really enjoyed Picard, season one in particular, but while I think it was extremely well made throughout... it just... wasn't needed. I'm happy that we got it and I'm happy that I saw it. But I think I would have been just as happy if it had never been announced.

I do not understand why people were so into season 3. It made little sense, it was poorly paced, and it didn't tell an interesting story. Maybe "Oops! All Member-Berries" is entertainment to some, but to me it was just a lot of wanking over nostalgia. It was, however, a one thousand percent improvement on season 2.