When Patrick Stewart made the decision to return to the Star Trek universe in a brand new Captain Picard TV series, he apparently did so with more than just acting in mind.
According to a new IGN interview with one of the show’s producers, Michael Chabon, Stewart has been a constant presence in the the writing room, helping to craft the tone and direction of the new series. “We brought in Sir Patrick himself, and he has the kind of master grasp of the character,” Chabon said. “He has been really influential in both helping us understand the character, and also pushing us and challenging us. And I think more than anything — and I don’t think it’s revealing anything for me to say this — he’s really pushing us to try to do something new and different with the character. And that’s why he wants to play it, so that he can play something that honors the character, that’s true to the character. And like I said, he’s a very fierce protector of the character, but at the same time, he wants to see Jean-Luc Picard having experiences, having adventures, and be put in situations we haven’t seen before.”
This should come as welcome news to any TNG fans who were worried about how Picard might be portrayed in the new series. After all, no one knows the character better than the man who played him, and the fact that Stewart is both helping to craft the series’ direction and making sure the writers stay true to the character assures us that Picard’s legacy is in good hands.
The upcoming series, which is currently untitled, is set to follow Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s life after he ceased being captain of the Starship Enterprise. Few details are known about it at this point, including when it might air on CBS All Access, but one thing we can confirm is that it’s definitely time to get excited.
