Across seven seasons, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) embarked on unparalleled adventures in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” The series thrived on exploring its characters and their aspirations, a focus that became essential for “Star Trek: Picard” co-creator Alex Kurtzman. Discussing the continuation series, which portrays Picard’s life 14 years post-Starfleet retirement, Kurtzman shared with the Los Angeles Times: “The goal was to make it a more psychological show, a character study about this man in his later years. There are very few shows that feature an older protagonist as the central figure.”

Interestingly, Stewart himself had firm conditions for returning to his iconic role in a new series, something he initially had no interest in doing. His primary condition was that it would not be a “Star Trek: The Next Generation” reunion. “This was not a sign of disrespect to my cherished fellow actors,” he wrote in his autobiography “Making It So” (via Time). “Rather, I felt it crucial to place Picard in entirely new settings with brand new characters.” Additional conditions included limiting the series to three seasons and ensuring that his character was retired — he insisted that Picard should no longer don his vibrant Starfleet attire.

Ultimately, “Star Trek: Picard” did provide fans with a “Star Trek: The Next Generation” reunion, albeit in a manner that aligned with the show’s narrative and held true to Patrick Stewart’s initial stipulations. Stewart unveiled the behind-the-scenes discussions in his autobiography, disclosing the network’s desire for a full reunion during Season 3. “I was less resistant by then,” Stewart noted. “As an executive producer, I had input on how we might accomplish such a reunion.”

Stewart was clear that he supported the idea only if they avoided reintroducing all the former cast members simultaneously, preferring to have them appear “trickle” by trickle, which is how it ultimately unfolded. The actor elaborated on his viewpoint: “It was crucial to me that each ‘TNG’ character re-entered the picture because they had a meaningful role to play and it wasn’t merely sentimental embellishment. Just as Jean-Luc had evolved over the years, surely, so had the other members of the Enterprise crew.”

The result was a season that both fans and critics adored. “Star Trek: Picard” Season 3 boasts a near-perfect Certified Fresh rating of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, with an impressive audience score of 88%. The third season perfectly blended character-focused storytelling with elements for long-time fans (including numerous Easter eggs in “Star Trek: Picard” Season 3). Ultimately, everyone prevailed — Kurtzman achieved his vision, Stewart produced the series he envisioned, and fans enjoyed one of the most outstanding “Star Trek” chapters in years.