Star Trek fans have been eagerly awaiting the new series Star Trek: Picard,slated to debut in January 2020. It was first announced at the Las Vegas Star Trek Convention in August 2018, and a nice long trailer just debuted at this weekend's New York Comic-Con. It's practically a Star Trek: The Next Generation reunion, featuring plenty of familiar faces alongside the new cast.
Rumors began swirling about a Picard-centric spin-off series shortly after Star Trek: Discovery showrunner Alex Kurtzmann signed a five-year development deal with CBS to further expand the franchise for its streaming service. One potential snag was whether Patrick Stewart, who created the character, would reprise his role. Kurtzman envisioned a more contemplative tone, describing the series as "a more psychological show, a character study about this man in his emeritus years." The concept was sufficiently unique that Stewart signed on.
"I truly felt my time with Star Trek had run its course," Stewart said at the 2018 convention. But he professed himself "humbled" by the stories from fans about how much the character of Picard and ST:TNG had comforted them during difficult times in their lives. "I feel I'm ready to return to him for the same reason—to research and experience what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times." There are ten episodes in the first season, with plans for two additional seasons if the series succeeds.