The Rock is one of the biggest actors on the planet, but like many others, it wasn't always that way. While Dwayne Johnson has never fully shed his past as a WWE superstar, there was once a point where his pro wrestling career took precedence, and he was only able to book small roles.

Star Trek: Voyager fans likely know this all too well, as he notably guest-starred on the series as the "Pendari Champion" in the episode "Tsunkatse." The role didn't require Johnson to do much more than what he was doing as The Rock in WWE at the time, but as the actor told Moovy TV, the experience stood out to him thanks to the cast. He specifically highlighted the "warmth" of co-star and Seven of Nine actress, Jeri Ryan:

That's great to hear, but especially impressive for those familiar with Star Trek: Voyager. Jeri Ryan is very candid that her time on the series was not great, due to a feud with lead actress Kate Mulgrew. While it seems the two have remained cordial in recent years, it speaks volumes that Ryan went out of her way to show kindness to Dwayne Johnson, when she herself was admittedly having a bad time on the show.

In the episode, Seven was tasked with taking on the Pendari Champion in "tsunkatse," a game very similar to pro wrestling or gladiator combat. Seven of Nine falls to Dwayne Johnson's character in battle after showing mercy to him previously. Johnson, who was credited as "The Rock" in the episode's credits, continued to sing praises of how Jeri Ryan treated him, despite still being relatively green when it came to traditional Hollywood acting:

It's cool to see how that moment went on to influence The Rock later in his acting career, and it's a great reminder to fans that Star Trek can be a great place for professional wrestlers to work on their acting chops. Currently, WWE superstar Becky Lynch is working on Starfleet Academy, and who knows, maybe Big Time Becks will one day be as prolific as Dwayne Johnson is in Hollywood.

The Rock's story makes me wish Jeri Ryan were back in Star Trek, but unfortunately, it may take a while before we see that again. After her acclaimed performance in Picard, Paramount offered her a chance to do a follow-up show and further Seven of Nine's adventures. Ryan explained she turned down the offer, knowing it wasn't something the fandom wanted when compared to a proper follow-up to Picard.

As for Dwayne Johnson, I'd love to see him return to Star Trek in the future, even if it were a different character than his Pendari Champion. I think it'd be great to compare the two performances, especially if it were for a project where he could reunite with Jeri Ryan once again. Fingers crossed it can one day happen!

See The Rock's episode and more of Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine by streaming Star Trek: Voyager over on Paramount+. As she's the actress behind one of Star Trek's best characters, it only makes sense for Ryan to be just as enjoyable off-camera as she is as Seven.

The year is winding down, and with Star Trek not starting back up until the 2026 TV schedule has started, now is as good of a time as any to check up on actors from past shows and get their takes on them. Many were doing just that at the recent ST: CHI Trek To Chicago event, where Jeri Ryan talked about her iconic catsuit on Voyager.

Star Trek: Voyager had tons of WTF moments fans called out back in the day, but Seven of Nine's catsuit being controversial feels like a take that's gotten more spotlight in the modern day. Ryan was recently asked about her reaction at the time to being asked to play a character that was presented sexually, and the actress told attendees why she was ok with it (via TrekMovie.com):

As the actress mentioned, Seven of Nine's personality was the opposite of what might come to expect in television at the time when a woman walked in wearing a catsuit. Her stories didn't deal with romance, but rather the traumatic story of her being taken by the Borg at a young age, and how reconciling that with her new identity after being freed from its hive mind influence.

Ryan continued, saying:

In the end, Star Trek: Voyager created one of the best Trek characters of all time, who went on to return in Picard, without the catsuit. The character has aged so well that Paramount even approached Ryan to star in a Picard follow-up after the series ended, but she turned it down, citing that the project wasn't something that fans wanted.

Given how she was receptive to the original pitch for Seven of Nine, I'll trust Jeri Ryan's judgement on what Star Trek fans want. Unfortunately, it feels as though it'll be a long time before we get another chance at what's been dubbed "Star Trek: Legacy," As Paramount Skydance has other goals in mind for the overall future of the franchise.

Those plans, at present, seem not to include Jeri Ryan, with Star Trek: Starfleet Academy set in the 32nd century, and plans in motion for a movie that will be separate from any previously existing show or movie. That said, with Seven's former crewmate, the Doctor, serving as one of the instructors in Starfleet Academy, I'd love to see if we somehow get a Seven hologram for an episode. Somehow, someway, we need more of Ryan's beloved Borg.

Watch Seven of Nine on Star Trek: Voyager and Picard over on Paramount+ right now, and get a reminder of why she's one of the best characters in science fiction. I'm a sucker for her episodes with Naomi Wildman, if only because of how she always says her name with the same cadence.

There are a couple of upcoming Star Trek shows on the way, but many franchise fans continue to wait and see if Picard will get any type of follow-up. The series finale's ending set the stage for Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine to lead a crew into new adventures, but ended before she said a signature catch phrase. People have been dying to know what it'll be, but what if we just never learned it?

It's a suggestion that Jeri Ryan heard, and she recently shared the idea in an interview with ScreenRant. The actress posed the idea that, rather than Seven saying something like "Engage," or "Let's fly," or "Hit it," what if it became a running joke that we'd never know what she says when giving the command to go to warp? Read more below:

I know some Star Trek fans who would be driven up a wall not knowing what Seven of Nine says, especially since many consider her one of the best characters of the franchise. While I don't think there's a rule that every Starfleet captain has to have a warp phrase, it certainly has become something that viewers pay attention to, and denying them that knowledge would be as hilariously evil as Jeri Ryan hinted at.

Jeri Ryan feels good about the chances of Star Trek: Picard, or at least Seven of Nine, returning for a follow-up adventure. The actress had previously revealed that Paramount+ approached her with an idea for a show after the series wrapped, but she rejected it because it wouldn't have been an idea that fans wanted. That said, I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the "wait and see" portion of that comment, and wondered if she knew something about a potential return.

All we've heard to date on that front are things like showrunner Terry Matalas joining the Marvel Universe for the Vision series, and Patrick Stewart talking about a script for a Jean-Luc Picard movie he was looking over. At the moment, though, it doesn't appear there are official plans for Star Trek to work on this series, at least while Strange New Worlds and the new Starfleet Academy series are still going on. I'm sure there's always a chance that could change down the line, but until then, we'll just have to settle for the adventures that we have.

Star Trek: Picard is available to binge on Paramount+ and is totally worth a rewatch for those who have yet to do so. I know I'm past due for one myself, and may just have to hop into it over the summer.

Star Trek: Picard's series finale ending really put the future of the The Next Generation era in Jeri Ryan's hands. With Seven of Nine Captain of the Enterprise G, and fans advocating for a Legacy spinoff, it seemed obvious we'd see her return in a new series soon. That didn't happen, of course, though Ryan recently revealed she was approached for a series, and her reason for turning it down reminds me why she's the best.

Ryan recently spoke about the situation at Spacecon in San Antonio, Texas, and TrekMovie was able to catch her comments about the pitch of a Seven of Nine spinoff. The actress, who needed several glasses of wine to be convinced to do Star Trek: Picard, explained why she wasn't down for the idea thrown her way:

I would assume that due to NDAs, Jeri Ryan wasn't able to go into detail about the pitch that she heard, but we know she wasn't a fan. It's possible the project did not include showrunner Terry Matalas, who is currently signed on with Marvel for the Vision series. I could certainly see the actress feeling uneasy about proceeding without the showrunner, considering he helped guide her award-winning reprisal as Seven of Nine.

Whatever the case may be, I can confidently say that if Jeri Ryan felt the spinoff wasn't something that Star Trek fans wanted, I believe her. She played a bit part in portraying one of the best Trek characters, and has remained dialed into the fandom over the years. She is one of, if not the best ambassador between fans and creatives in speaking to what will and won't work, which is a rare thing to have. Without specifically naming names, I'm sure fans can point to other actors in the franchise who may be a bit out of touch with what people want to see.

Ultimately, this brings us all back to the debate of whether or not Star Trek: Legacy will ever happen. Unfortunately, we're nowhere closer to the answer over a year after the finale of Picard. At the very least, we know from the upcoming Trek show schedule that it would may take a couple of years to get something started that won't conflict with the current plans for Strange New Worlds and Starfleet Academy, and at least take solace in the fact that there are people within the Paramount family interested in seeing it happen in some way.

Those with a Paramount+ subscription can enjoy Jeri Ryan's performance as Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Picard as well as Voyager. Seven has one of the best character arcs across the franchise in my opinion, so anyone who hasn't had a chance to witness that should check it out for themselves.

Last year, Star Trek: Picard came to an end after three seasons, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve seen the last of its starring characters. Not only does it sound like Patrick Stewart is preparing to reprise Jean-Luc Picard for a movie, there have been calls from fans and Star Trek talent alike for a spinoff called Star Trek: Legacy to be greenlit. Michelle Hurd, who played Raffi Musiker for the entirety of Picard, is among this project’s supporters, and she shared her hopes for her character if Legacy happens, which thankfully involve more of Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine.

After meeting each other in Picard Season 1, Raffi and Seven of Nine became a couple prior to Season 2, then broke up before the events of Season 3, though they still cared for one another. Now these two are set to spend a lot more time together, as the Picard series finale’s ending revealed that Seven is still captain of the Titan, which has been rechristened the USS Enterprise-G, and Raffi is her first officer. While speaking with IGN, Hurd summarized her thoughts on how things stand between the characters as follows:

So as far as Hurd is concerned, whether or not things are still romantic between Raffi and Seven, these two are definitely still have a relationship going, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. As such, the Blindspot actress wants them to continue being by each other’s sides in Star Trek: Legacy. I’m with her on this 100%, because if Legacy moved forward and either of these women were missing, my interest in the spinoff would significantly diminish.

Along with Seven and Raffi calling the shots on the Enterprise-G, Star Trek: Picard’s final episode, titled “The Last Generation,” saw Ed Speleers’ Jack Crusher, who’s now a Starfleet ensign, being named a special counselor on the ship. So Legacy already has quite the leading trio lined up, but with Raffi now specifically being in a command position, Michelle Hurd wants to explore how her character’s past struggles with addiction inform how she makes decisions that affect the wellbeing of an entire crew. In her words:

Hurd then turned her attention in the interview squarely onto Seven of Nine, whom Jeri Ryan originally played on Star Trek: Voyager’s latter four seasons. The actress welcomes the opportunity for the character’s queerness to be explored on Legacy without it needing to be front and center, and then used that as a springboard for how she hopes Legacy could point the spotlight on other underrepresented demographics, saying:

While our own Mick Joest theorized back in January that Star Trek: Legacy is already in the works, officially speaking, it’s hard to tell where things stand with the proposed project. Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas admitted that the Picard series finale “wasn’t designed” to set up a spinoff, and Q actor John de Lancie doesn’t think such a show will happen. Still, there was a time when Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was simply a pipe dream among the fans, and it managed to become a reality. Maybe the same can happen with Legacy.

Rest assured that if Star Trek: Legacy does get announced, we’ll let you know about it as part of our coverage on upcoming Star Trek shows. Until then, stream Picard and the franchise’s other series with a Paramount+ subscription, with the exception of Prodigy, which is now accessible with a Netflix subscription. 

Star Trek was snubbed pretty hard by the Emmys in 2023, and while that awards show hasn't historically shown love to the franchise, other award shows took notice of the big year it had. Star Trek: Picard Season 3 earned seven nominations for the third annual Astra Awards and ended up winning two of the categories. This included Jeri Ryan, who won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Streaming Series for her role as Seven of Nine, and her acceptance speech had me in my feelings. 

While Star Trek: Picard Season 3 was in large part a reunion for The Next Generation crew, it was also a long-awaited redemption arc for Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine. The series finale put the character in command of the Enterprise G, and with the keys to the kingdom in future adventures alongside Picard and Beverly's son, Jack Crusher. Fans loved Seven's evolution as a character, and apparently the powers-that-be at the Astra Awards felt the same way. Here's what Ryan had to say when she took the stage to accept her award: 

Those who watched Star Trek: Picard Season 3 with a Paramount+ subscription know that Jeri Ryan has come a long way since her first outing as Seven of Nine. Ryan told CinemaBlend that her time on Voyager was a "tough four years," and that returning to play Seven in Picard helped give her a better appreciation for the character. I knew when I spoke to her that she liked the fresh direction in which Picard took her character, so I would assume the feeling of receiving an award for it had to be very emotional for her. 

It's one thing to talk about the speech, but it's quite another to see it. Watch Jeri Ryan accept her award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Streaming Series and tell me watching that doesn't bring a tear to your eye: 

As mentioned, Ryan was not the only recipient of an award from the Star Trek: Picard crew. Showrunner Terry Matalas also won for Best Writing in a Streaming Drama Series, which was for his work on the Season 3 finale "The Last Generation." Matalas set the stage for a follow-up in said finale, but despite Paramount being aware about the constant calls for Star Trek: Legacy, we still haven't heard anything about a potential continuation. 

Perhaps with more awards, some announcements might be made about a follow-up sooner rather than later. Until then, there are plenty of upcoming Star Trek shows on the docket, so fans will have content to look forward to. 

Star Trek: Picard is available to stream in its entirety over on Paramount+. With the recent announcement that Patrick Stewart is apparently in talks for another Picard movie, this series may end up being required to watch ahead of time. 

While Star Trek: Picard Season 3 was airing on the 2023 TV schedule, Todd Stashwick’s Captain Liam Shaw developed a big following amongst the show’s fans. He was primarily appreciated ‘we love to hate him’ sort of way because of this gruff personality and the sharp one-liners he directed towards Jean-Luc Picard and the other main protagonists. Shaw also had a fairly contentious relationship with Seven of Nine, but now Stashwick has clarified a big moment involving Jeri Ryan’s character that completely changes my perception of the USS Titan’s former captain.

As those who’ve streamed Picard Season 3 with their Paramount+ subscription will remember, in the Season 3 finale, the episode after Shaw died, we got to spend one last moment with the character when a hologram was played of him recommending that Seven of Nine be promoted to captain. During an interview with Star Trek Explorer (via ScreenRant), Stashwick stated that this hologram was recorded prior to Season 3 rather than in the middle of it, saying:

Shaw and Seven’s relationship went through various twists and turns throughout Star Trek: Picard Season 3 once Picard and William Riker came aboard the Titan. This seemed to be primarily driven by the latter being a former Borg, given how often the former referred to her by her former human name, Annika Hansen, as he suffered PTSD from his experience at the Battle of Wolf 359 decades earlier. He took issue with various decisions she made throughout the season, and there was even a period when Seven was confined to quarters for disobeying Shaw’s orders.

But as we now officially know from Todd Stashwick, Shaw believed Seven was captain material before the events of Picard Season 3 unfolded, as opposed to coming to that realization during the Titan’s conflict with the Changelings and Borg. Ultimately, his desire to see her take command came true, because after being gunned down by one of the Titan’s Borg-infected officers in “Võx,” Shaw used his dying words to pass control of the ship to Seven. Then after fellow Voyager alum Tuvok played the hologram for Seven in “The Last Generation,” he denied her resignation request and instead officially named her as captain of the Titan, though the ship’s was changed to the Enterprise-G a year later.

While there’s an argument to be made that Liam Shaw shouldn’t be brought back to the Star Trek franchise, Stashwick’s comment at least helps us view him in an even more sympathetic light. He and Seven didn’t always see eye to eye, but at least we now know for certain he already respected her. No doubt he would have revealed this to her personally in due time had the Titan not been pulled into that chaotic adventure, but the hologram certainly me for a memorable final message.

Although Star Trek: Picard is over, there are still calls from fans for the stories of characters like Seven of Nine, Raffi Musiker and Jack Crusher to continue in a proposed Star Trek: Legacy spinoff. We’ll obviously let you know if that show is officially greenlit, but there are plenty of other upcoming Star Trek TV shows to look forward too, as well as what’s slated on the 2024 TV schedule.

Star Trek: Picard wrapped up its three-season arc earlier this year, and yet there are still many Trekkies calling for a spinoff adventure. Fans don't want to have seen the last of The Next Generation crew, and they're especially eager to see Jeri Ryan back as Captain Seven of Nine to explore space with Jack Crusher and Raffi . We're still waiting on any form of confirmation that a spinoff could even happen, but there is a new project on the way that will detail a previously unseen era from Seven's life. 

Prolific sci-fi author David Mack, who wrote for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and worked as a consultant on Prodigy, announced on Twitter that he's been working on a Seven of Nine adventure titled Star Trek: Firewall. This story will bridge part of the gap between Voyager's return to Earth and Seven's eventual rejection from Starfleet due to her Borg affiliation. Take a look at the full synopsis via the Amazon listing, which lists a release date of February 27, 2024:

Star Trek: Picard began with Seven of Nine already established in the Fenris Rangers, so this book will be a prequel of sorts for the Paramount+ show, detailing her journey into that faction. It's also worth noting that this book somewhat serves as a Voyager sequel as well, as there's still not a ton that we know for sure about what happened in the years after Seven came to Earth with the crew, since it never got the follow-up movie it deserves. 

We know, for example, that Seven and Chakotay were in a relationship at the end of Voyager, but that Seven was single when she met up with Picard years later. I'd love to hear how or why that relationship ended, though I know from CinemaBlend's conversation with Jeri Ryan she was never interested in pursuing the Chakotay relationship beyond Voyager anyway. Will Star Trek: Firewall honor that and provide a reason for their eventual split? 

One other interesting tease is that it appears this book will feature some meaningful scenes between Seven of Nine and Admiral Kathryn Janeway. That's pretty notable all on its own, because Star Trek: Picard was never able to get Janeway and Seven in a scene together. 

Fans are hungry for that interaction, and given there's only light chatter about Janeway coming to live-action, this could be one of the only chances in the near future for the characters themselves to shares the same space. It also might be the best option for actresses Jeri Ryan and Kate Mulgrew, who had some tensions working together on Star Trek: Voyager. 

At face value, it may be hard to see how this book has anything to do with whether or not we'll be able to watch a Star Trek: Picard follow-up with our Paramount+ subscriptions. It does seem relevant to me, however, that the franchise is looking to flesh out the details of Seven's story just after she officially became a Captain in Starfleet. These details about her life could be integral to any future writers room that may be tasked with crafting her future adventures. So I see this new David Mack novel as another positive sign we'll see more from the heroine in the 25th century at some point. 

Stream Star Trek: Picard right now on Paramount+, and keep that subscription handy because Strange New Worlds Season 2 is just around the corner. Not to mention there are also a number of other upcoming Trek shows on the horizon, all of which fans should be excited for. 

As Star Trek: Picard has made clear, Seven of Nine changed quite a bit in the years after Star Trek: Voyager's final season was set, and quite a few viewers would argue it' was all for the better. Jeri Ryan would say the same, apparently, as on the heels of Seven being unofficially promoted to Captain, Ryan told me she had a greater appreciation for the character after a "rough four years" on Voyager. 

I spoke to Jeri Ryan about the recent shocking events that unfolded in Star Trek: Picard's "Vox" and her overall thoughts about returning to the franchise after she once said that it took "several glasses of champagne" to convince her to return as Seven. I asked her about that bubbly admission, and Ryan confirmed that after her experience on Voyager, she planned to stay away from Trek for good: 

Star Trek: Voyager fans loved Seven of Nine, understandably so, but Jeri Ryan struggled when she worked on the beloved series. The actress has talked over the years about tensions that formed with unnamed cast members on the set, with many having speculated some of the negative feelings were tied to co-star Kate Mulgrew. Whatever the specifics were, even if they're never addressed in full, it was enough to make her years on Voyager less than an ideal Trek experience.  

Thankfully, Jeri Ryan didn't let any of those soured memories get in the way of reprising the role, and she's really happy with how Star Trek: Picard has played out so far, both for her character and for her as an actress. She confirmed to CinemaBlend that she felt the same kind of positivity about what plays out in the upcoming series finale. Of course, the actress didn't share any additional details on what's ahead for Seven, so we'll all have to tune in and see with our Paramount+ subscriptions. 

After hearing Jeri Ryan's glowing praise for Seven of Nine's arc, I asked if these new developments for Seven gave her an overall greater appreciation for her Star Trek character. Ryan shared her honest thoughts, as well as her ideas about a potential future for the character that made her hesitant to return.

Readers may be aware of the much-criticized romance in Season 7 of Star Trek: Voyager between Chakotay and Seven of Nine. Beyond the fact that many fans were assuming and hoping Chakotay and Janeway would ultimately end up together, the Seven and Chakotay relationship was established over the course of just a few Season 7 episodes, feeling very jarring and playing against everything that came before it. Jeri Ryan confirmed that if that was the version of Seven that would have been offered for Picard, she wouldn't have taken the plunge. 

Star Trek: Picard left behind the Chakotay romance and re-introduced Seven as part of the Fenris Rangers. She ultimately became romantically involved with Starfleet officer Raffi Musiker, and made her way into the squad. Jeri Ryan continued to talk about Seven and how much she's loved this latest run for the character:

Jeri Ryan has had a blast playing Seven of Nine, but it remains to be seen whether this upcoming finale will indeed feature her final performance for a while. Fans and Star Trek: Picard cast members have called on Paramount+ to greenlight a spinoff continuation to the series titled Star Trek: Legacy, but there's no indication at this time that Paramount as a whole is considering it. For now, that seems like it'd be the best chance at Ryan reprising her role in live-action, but who knows what unannounced upcoming Trek shows are on the horizon. 

Catch the series finale of Star Trek: Picard on Paramount+ on Thursday, April 20th. After that, the wait is on until the premiere of Strange New Worlds Season 2 on June 15th. Now would be a great time to revisit Season 1 or even binge Picard all over again following its conclusion. 

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Star Trek: Picard Season 3 episode "Vox." Read at your own risk!

Star Trek: Picard set the stage for what should be an epic finale that rivals even the most celebrated of TNG movies, but it came at a cost. Fans were finally given the long-awaited moment of Seven of Nine getting her flowers as a top member of Starfleet... unfortunately, in the most tragic way possible. With his dying breath, Captain Liam Shaw declared that Commander Seven was now Captain of the USS Titan. 

Despite the satisfaction that I felt seeing Seven of Nine finally becoming a captain of Starfleet – albeit unofficially for the time being – I couldn't help but mourn the loss of Todd Stashwick's beloved Shaw. I asked Jeri Ryan in an interview if the moment was just as bittersweet for her, especially after sharing so many scenes with Stashwick in Star Trek: Picard Season 3, and got her thoughts on the matter:

By a chain of command and by Captain Shaw's final words, Seven of Nine is now interim Captain of the USS Titan. Of course, due to the recently uncovered Borg plot that compromised the younger crew of the Titan and many other ships in the fleet, Seven will have her work cut out for her trying to regain control of the ship. She and Raffi stayed behind while Picard and his crew reunited with the Enterprise D. 

And while her promotion might not be officially approved by Starfleet command, Jeri Ryan confirmed she's just as thrilled as fans for it to happen. The actress added that she had to sit with that knowledge for quite a while, even long before the season officially started filming: 

Assuming Seven of Nine survives the end of Star Trek: Picard, the stage is set for her to have many adventures in the future as Captain of her own Starfleet ship. Of course, fans and the cast of Picard are still pushing for a follow-up to the series, but there are no guarantees of any future adventures for Seven happening just yet. 

As it stands, viewers have seen Seven of Nine change quite a bit from when she was last seen on Star Trek: Voyager. I asked Jeri Ryan how she feels about the totality of Seven's story now that she's done with Picard, and if she could've predicted where it ends in Season 3. She shared her honest thoughts on it all: 

Jeri Ryan has come a long way since needing several glasses of champagne to be convinced to return as Seven of Nine in the first place. Now, that decision has led to a tremendous arc for former Borg that has taken the character from the Fenris Rangers all the way to her current position in Starfleet. It's even sweeter to know that Ryan has enjoyed the journey just as much as fans and her time on Star Trek: Picard. 

If you have a Paramount+ subscription, be sure to be ready for the series finale of Star Trek: Picard on Thursday, April 20. It feels like we're in for a truly epic finale, though based on what we heard from Michael Dorn, perhaps not the end of the line for these beloved characters. 

Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard's Season 3 premiere "The Next Generation." Read at your own risk!

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 is finally available to stream, and those who haven't used their Paramount+ subscription to watch should certainly do so. Even those who weren't fans of Seasons 1 and 2 should give this season a start, as the series improves on a lot of things fans might've had issues with in previous episodes. 

Personally, I was overall a fan of both Star Trek: Picard seasons, but there are some undeniable improvements in Season 3 that can't be denied. Here are some of the things that stuck out to me while watching the premiere and what may encourage anyone currently on the fence about watching to tune in. 

The Music Feels Like Classic Star Trek

Jeff Russo has done some phenomenal work for Star Trek in its new era, but he stepped aside this season for Stephen Barton to take over the work for Star Trek: Picard's Season 3 score. Fans might've Barton's contribution from the very start, as the score is immediately reminiscent of Jerry Goldsmith's past work in the franchise. 

Watching Star Trek: The Next Generation is a massive comfort to me. As such, listening to this score felt like I was in a warm blanket and gave me the same happy feelings as watching my favorite episodes of TNG. I loved Russo's work on the previous Picard themes, but to be honest, I couldn't think of another track that immediately stood out to me. Without revealing spoilers, I can say that isn't the case this season, and I'm eager to listen to the full score for this one. 

The Legacy TNG Characters Feel More "Lived In"

Beyond Jean-Luc Picard, we get to see two major characters from The Next Generation in this episode. Will Riker and Beverly Crusher both return, and I loved how "lived in" both roles feel. What's even better is this is executed in different ways between both characters, and both are done amazingly well. 

Jonathan Frakes has been in Picard a couple of times, and I think it's fair to say he was still trying to find his character in those scenes. Frakes himself has admitted "forgetting how to act" in interviews from that time. In Season 3, it's clear he found Riker, and whether that's finding the role or Riker being in Starfleet again, Frakes crushed it. I'm a big fan of his performance in this episode and in the episodes to come. 

Gates McFadden's screen time to Star Trek in the Season 3 premiere is brief, but man, what a return! Bev is blasting would-be aggressors and trying to warn Jean-Luc of some massive conspiracy. It's quite a re-introduction to the character and a big departure from her work in The Next Generation. And yet, we all change a lot over a couple of decades. I think this was possibly the best re-introduction to the character we could've gotten and far more interesting than if she was doing more or less the same job in Starfleet. It feels like she's lived a life, which is important in selling the story to an audience. 

Raffi And Seven Have Larger Roles

Raffi and Seven are the only other returning main cast members outside of Jean-Luc featured prominently in Star Trek: Picard Season 3, and there's a lot to say about both. Seven is officially in Starfleet and on the U.S.S. Titan working for Captain Liam Shaw, and Raffi is deep undercover trying to find information about a developing situation in the criminal underworld.

Things are happening with both characters, and I'd argue more than we've seen in previous seasons. Season 3 gives prominent roles in the story, with the potential to have a major impact on the season as it progresses. Here's hoping they do and survive beyond this season for more adventures in the Star Trek universe. 

The New Characters Are Immediately Interesting

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Elnor, Rios, Jurati and Soji. That being said, it took a while for those characters to grow on me, and by the time I formed any attachment to them, they were gone by the end of Picard Season 2. It's not uncommon for me to take some time to love Star Trek characters, so I thought nothing of it. That is, until I met some of the new characters in Season 3, who are instantly likable. 

Todd Stashwick's Captain Liam Shaw is a certified asshole, but not because he's wrong. He's dead on about Riker and Picard and their personalities during the dinner scene, but that doesn't mean I can't think he's a dick for being a thorn in their secret plan. His being a heel to their goals makes this season so much better from the jump.

I also need to give it up for Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, who crushed it in her introduction as Sidney La Forge. Her first meeting with Picard made her instantly lovable to me, and I'm already ready for her to have more adventures. There's a connection with these characters I've instantly formed that I didn't have with others, and I think that's really special. 

Picard Season 3 Feels Like A Better Mix Of TNG And Modern Star Trek

Star Trek: Picard Season 3, from the opening credits, feels like a better marriage of The Next Generation and modern Trek. This isn't because the series reverts back to the TNG style, however. It's the little changes in the music, the text and just having the cast of TNG more present that really blends it all perfectly, and it's surprising how simple that was to do. 

Make no mistake though, while Picard Season 3 uses nostalgia to great effect, this story is great and shows immediate promise. To me, it feels like a TNG movie, but obviously not Nemesis. This story can't emulate the past too heavily or it'll fail its mission to give the cast the proper sendoff they deserve. 

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 airs new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+. Tune in for what should be the final adventure for Picard and his crew, and perhaps the start of something greater for the other new characters. 

Ahead of the weekend's big debut for Star Trek: Picard's Season 3 trailer, the sci-fi franchise's fanbase was one of several who were mourning the death of actress Annie Wersching, who notably took on portraying the third Borg Queen iteration in the streaming spinoff’s second season. With a career that began with Star Trek: Enterprise, Wersching became a beloved TV star over the past two decades, and gained a lot of friends and fans in Hollywood through her work on The Rookie, General Hospital, 24, The Vampire Diaries, Bosch, Marvel’s Runaways, and many more. Not to mention her stellar work on the acclaimed video game The Last of Us. So it only makes sense that those closest to her from those projects have shared loving and sorrowful messages after her passing was made public. 

The always iconic Star Trek vet Jeri Ryan, who returned to space as Seven of Nine for Paramount+’s Picard, shared an Instagram post honoring Annie Wersching with a loving message and a couple of pictures, both in and out of Borg form.  

In her Stories, Ryan also shared Runaways star Ever Carradine's link to the GoFundMe campaign set up to help Wersching's husband Stephen Full and their children.

Of course, Ryan wasn't the only person from the Star Trek universe to speak out about Annie Wersching's death. Picard's executive producers Telly Matalas and Akiva Goldsman shared the following statements with StarTrek.com:

• My heart was broken to hear that we lost Annie this morning. She made our set a joy every day she was there. A true professional and a beautiful human being in every way possible. - Telly Matalas
• Annie was a gift to us all, and an utter joy to work with. Her entire Star Trek family is heartbroken. Our deepest condolences go out to her family. - Akiva Goldsman

Wersching certainly touched a lot of people's lives on seemingly every project she was a part of, which definitely included the legend-status video game The Last of Us, which is currently blowing up HBO's ratings. She memorably voiced the protagonist survivor Tess, as well filmed for the character's motion-capture. (The TV show's Tess, whose story gets shaken up a bit, is portrayed by Fringe vet Anna Torv.) 

Neil Druckmann both co-wrote and directed the game, as well as co-created the HBO series alongside Craig Mazin. (He also directed episodes for it, including the groundbreaking "Bill and Frank" episode.) Druckmann took to Twitter after hearing the bad news, saying:

Druckmann followed that post with one fully celebrating Wersching, complete with pics from The Last of Us' aforementioned motion-capture production. 

The actor seen in Druckmann's pics is iconic voice actor Troy Baker, who portrayed Joel in both of the video games so far, as well as Ashley Johnson, the voice of Ellie. Both of the voice actors will be popping up in the TV show in different parts, with Merle Dandridge reprising her own role of Marlene. Fans were no doubt holding out hope for Wersching to also be involved in a non-disclosed role. 

Baker also took to Twitter with loving words about Annie Wersching, as well as some adorable imagery.

Annie Wersching will definitely be missed by everyone mentioned above, and so many more, both for her work within the entertainment industry as well as for just being a solid person inside and out. She will be missed, though let's be thankful that so many of her past efforts can be rewatched with ease. 

We here at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences to Annie Wersching's family and friends during their time of grieving. 

Warning! The following contains spoilers for Star Trek: Picard’s Season 2 episode “Hide and Seek.” Read at your own risk!

Star Trek: Picard’s latest episode put all the cards on the table, and with only the Season 2 finale left, it’s possible we’ll see a few characters exit at the end of the season. Obviously, fans might have questions about who’s going to stick around for Season 3, but there’s no need to question that for Jeri Ryan after she revealed Seven’s status for the final season. 

Some might’ve suspected Jeri Ryan would appear again as Seven of NIne when she posted a wrap tweet and confirmed Season 3 was done filming. The actress revealed to The Hollywood Reporter her status on the show going forward and teased a bit about what’s in store for Season 3. 

Jeri Ryan teased a worthy send-off for “all of these characters,” but there’s no telling who she meant exactly. After all, with so many former cast members of Star Trek: The Next Generation returning for Season 3 of Picard, it feels like at least a few main cast members could exit ahead of the new season. There’s already some indication that a few cast members won’t be around next season, as we’ll get into in the character breakdowns below.

Agnes Jurati

Paramount+ subscribers theorized Agnes was the Borg Queen in the Season 2 premiere, and this penultimate confirmed that’s the case. It’s hard to imagine Agnes will stick around and casually help out Jean-Luc as a Borg Queen after Season 2 and might be more preoccupied with taking care of her collective. I wouldn’t rule out a cameo appearance, but I think it’s possible to likely she’ll be written off or have her role reduced following Season 2. 

Crisótbal Rios

Crisótbal rejoining Starfleet definitely had some fans eager for more adventures and a spinoff, though right now, it seems he’s making plans in the past. His budding romance with Teresa, paired with his love for living in 2024 with its non-replicated food and cigars, makes me think we’re about to see him left in the past, alterations to the future be damned. 

Elnor

Elnor died in the alternate timeline created as a result of Q’s meddling, so it’s unclear whether or not he’ll resurrect should the Star Trek: Picard characters correct the timeline. My guess is he will come back to life, though, if Q’s timeline alteration doesn’t get corrected in Season 2, he might be gone a chunk of Season 3 as well. 

Raffi Musiker

If Seven of NIne is along for the ride, it’s hard to believe her lover Raffi won’t be. Plus, Raffi is Picard’s closest friend of the new bunch, so it’s hard to imagine that she won’t return even if his old buddies from The Next Generation are in tow. 

Soji Asha

Soji is practically non-existent in Star Trek: Picard Season 2, but it’s entirely possible that she’ll return in Season 3. Even if not, she’s played multiple roles this season, including a new character named Kore. I think it’s fair to assume that she could appear again, though who knows as what character. 

Of course, we already know that Jean-Luc Picard is along for the ride, though we don’t know much else of what to expect. Hopefully, the upcoming Season 2 finale will reveal some answers as far as who is in or out on Season 3. 

Star Trek: Picard’s Season 2 finale airs on Paramount+ on Thursday, May 5. The season’s end will coincide with the premiere of Strange New Worlds, which is the latest of many Trek shows arriving in 2022. 

Following the conclusion of Star Trek: Voyager in 2001, Jeri Ryan didn’t think she’d get to play Seven of Nine again. Years later, though a conversation with writer James Duff over several glasses of champagne paved the way for her to reprise Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Picard, which brought Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard back into the fold nearly two decades after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis. While playing this beloved Star Trek character again is obviously a big deal for the actress, the actress also recently noted how it’s also been “the most amazing experience” to work with so many women on Picard.

Jeri Ryan recurred in Star Trek: Picard Season 1 and was upgraded to the main cast for Season 2, which can be viewed with a Paramount+ subscription. We’re almost halfway through this season, and already Back to the Future’s Lea Thompson has direct two episodes. When this was brought up during Ryan’s visit to The Talk, the actress said this:

Star Trek: Voyager was certainly a trailblazer for the sci-fi franchise by delivering the first woman sitting in the captain’s chair in the form of Kate Mulgrew’s Kathryn Janeway (Mulgrew has returned to voice that character and a holographic representation of Janeway in Star Trek: Prodigy). Crew-wise though, the ‘90s were a different time, and there weren’t as many women involved with the behind-the-scenes aspects of shows. Nearly three decades after Voyager’s launch, Jeri Ryan is impressed with how many roles are filled by women on Star Trek: Picard. Throw in that Ryan’s co-stars in Season 2 include Alison Pill, Michelle Hurd, Isa Briones and Orla Brandy, as well as the women who worked in the writers’ room, and there’s a lot of female representation on display.

Along with Lea Thompson, who chiefly played Lorraine McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy, Star Trek: Picard’s other female directors so far include Hanelle M. Culpepper and Maja Vrvilo. Picard Season 2 shot back-to-back with Season 3, and the entire principal photography period concluded earlier this month. So when Picard Season 3 (which is confirmed to be the show’s final season) rolls around next year, be on the lookout for the women who credited as directors on those episodes.

Regarding Seven of Nine’s role in Star Trek: Picard Season 2, as a result of John de Lancie’s Q changing the timeline, Jeri Ryan’s character woke up in the new reality retaining her memories of the original reality, but lacking her Borg implants. This version of Annika Hansen was never assimilated by the Borg, instead becoming the president of the ruthless Confederation of Earth. Seven has now traveled back to 2024-era Los Angeles with her allies (including Annie Wersching’s Borg Queen, who the actress believes is a different incarnation of the character) to prevent whatever happens that leads to the Confederation’s formation and return the timeline to normal.

New episodes of Star Trek: Picard drop Thursdays on Paramount+. Continue visiting CinemaBlend for the latest news on upcoming Star Trek shows and forthcoming seasons of existing shows. Our 2022 TV schedule is also available for those who want to learn what this year’s TV landscape looks like.

Most of the familiar Star Trek faces who have returned for Star Trek: Picard are, understandably, veterans of The Next Generation, with Patrick Stewart reuniting with folks like Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, John de Lancie, Whoopi Goldberg and Jonathan Del Arco. That said, Picard also stars Jeri Ryan, who played Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager Seasons 4 through 7. When Picard started airing on Paramount+ (then called CBS All-Access), it had been almost two decades since Ryan had played the former Borg drone, and it turns out that alcohol played an integral part in bringing her back to the Star Trek franchise.

In an interview with ET, Jeri Ryan recalled how following her four years on Star Trek: Voyager, she thought she was saying goodbye to Seven of Nine for good. Years later, that changed when James Duff, a friend of hers who’s written for both Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery, brought up the prospect of her reprising her role in the former series as champagne was flowing. As Ryan explained:

So initially, Jeri Ryan didn’t believe that James Duff was serious about her getting to play Seven of Nine again. That changed when Alex Kurtzman, Star Trek: Picard’s showrunner (who is also an executive producer on all of the other currently-running Star Trek shows that can be watched with a Paramount+ subscription), entered the picture. Kurtzman told Ryan that they’d “been talking a lot about Seven in the writers' room,” and that officially opened the door for the actress return as the character, and without a corset this time!

Star Trek: Picard Season 1 marked the first time that Jean-Luc Picard and Seven of Nine crossed paths, although it was made clear that they knew of each other by reputation. The events of Season 1 and what’s gone down so far in Season 2 have obviously led to them forming a connection, and in real life, Jeri Ryan described working with Patrick Stewart as being “amazing” and called him a “legend.” As for getting to reprise Seven of Nine after being away for so long, Ryan said this:

After recurring in Star Trek: Picard Season 1, Jeri Ryan is now a main cast member in Season 2, which has brought a major change for Seven of Nine. As a result of Q altering the timeline, although Seven can remember how reality is supposed to be just like most of the other main cast members, she no longer has her Borg implants due to her alternate self never being assimilated by the cybernetic race. 

Instead, this version of Annika Hansen (Seven’s birth name) became President of the Confederation of Earth, but Seven didn’t get to spend too long in that role, as she’s now traveled back to 2024 to help revert the timeline back to normal. Besides Jean-Luc Picard, some of her allies in this quest, include Michelle Hurd’s Raffi Muskier, with whom Seven has been romantically involved, and Annie Wersching’s Borg Queen, who, despite this likely being a different Borg Queen than the ones we’ve seen before, Seven is rightly hesitant to trust.

New episodes of Star Trek: Picard Season 2 arrive Thursdays on Paramount+. The TV side of this sci-fi franchise continues to shine, with Strange New Worlds premiering in May, new seasons of other existing series on the way and several upcoming Star Trek TV shows in development. 

Star Trek: Picard only just kicked off Season 2, meaning fans have a number of new adventures to look forward to in the coming weeks. The arrival of new episodes is somewhat bittersweet, though, as we're also a step closer to the show's conclusion with Season 3. Now, production on the series has officially ended, news the comes courtesy of Seven of Nine actress Jeri Ryan. And the actress marked the occasion with a thoughtful tweet. 

Jeri Ryan's recent message is sure to make the inevitability of Star Trek: Picard's conclusion feel all the more real. When Ryan made mention of the milestone on Twitter and sent some love to the cast and crew for their hard work on the final season and the series as a whole:

Well, based on her sentiments, it would seem that the upcoming season will indeed be the end for the sci-fi series. Admittedly, the producers made it known early on that viewers would only get to spend a a small amount of time with Jean-Luc Picard. However, I have to say that I still felt somewhat hopeful after co-showrunner Akiva Goldsman teased to CinemaBlend that fan interest could keep the show alive longer. 

Jeri Ryan’s farewell to Star Trek: Picard didn’t reveal much in regard to Season 3's plot Yet another person connected to the show may have. Co-showrunner Terry Matalas tweeted out a photo just a couple of days before production wrapped, which now has some wondering if he unintentionally revealed a spoiler: 

Those who've watched Picard know that Cristobal Rios’ ship, the Stargazer, blew up in the Season 2 premiere. It's certainly possible that this is another ship, but it’s also not like Q can’t reverse the destruction of the Stargazer, considering he altered all of reality. So it’s entirely possible the Stargazer is completely fine by the end of Season 2, and that its transporter is indeed being shown with some other feet in this picture.

Now that production on Star Trek: Picard Season 3 has ended, there are definitely some questions that come to mind. Fans might want to know if the series was able to achieve its goal of reuniting the entire principal cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, before the cameras stopped rolling. At this point, we can only speculate on that. What I can say, however, is that Akiva Goldsman assured me not too long ago that there is a plan in place to feature the cast, so I’m optimistic about the odds of seeing some major returns. But in the meantime, let's all enjoy this season. 

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 drops new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays. It’s just one of many Star Trek shows airing in 2022, so be sure to pick up a Paramount+ subscription to be a part of all the fun. 

Star Trek: Picard fans may have expected things would get wacky in Season 2 after it was announced that John de Lancie's Q would be a part of the new season, and now we may finally have an idea of what he'll be up to. Time is being played with in Season 2 of the Paramount+ sci-fi series, and it would appear that means changes are coming for all the Picard crew, but most of all Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine.

A new trailer for Star Trek: Picard Season 2 features Picard saying that "time has been broken," and based on the scenes teased in that preview, it appears each member of the crew was placed somewhere different in time, and perhaps in completely different timelines. The most shocking moment of all comes when Seven Of Nine awakes in a room and sees that her Borg implant is completely missing from her face. Cue the screams!

Now, it's not entirely clear what's happening here or what the circumstances are. Seven Of Nine was assimilated when she was 6 years old, so seeing her without the implant or a scar makes me believe that this could be some kind of alternate reality in which she was never assimilated. We also see a mysterious insignia that doesn't immediately look familiar from current Star Trek lore, and it's clear that Seven Of Nine has a ring on her wedding finger.

There's a lot to unpack regarding all the ways Seven Of Nine has had changed thanks to Q. She's not the only one, either, as the Star Trek: Picard Season 2 trailer also showed Cristobal and Picard back in Starfleet, though not together. Raffi is running with someone through a seedy back alley of some sort, Agnes seems to be wearing inmate clothes, and then Elnor can be seen in the background of a shot with Raffi, Picard, and Agnes, but I'm not really sure what's changed for him.

What I do know is that Q's games are often non-permanent, provided Patrick Stewart's Jean-Luc Picard can get to the bottom of whatever test the powerful being has laid out for him. Basically, I wouldn't expect Seven of Nine or any of the other characters' changes to stick, though I would expect Star Trek: Picard to heavily dive into these characters' stories to give us even more insight into their past than we've been privy to so far.

Star Trek: Picard showed us a chunk of what's in store for Season 2, but did we see all of it? Definitely not, especially considering that actor John de Lancie has already spoiled some of Q's key scenes that will happen, and I didn't see any of what he described in this trailer. So it's easy to assume there is much more to come from Q's shenanigans than just dropping members of Picard's crew in random situations.

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 is headed to Paramount+ in 2022. The season should be a great time with Q attached, and with his antics, I wouldn't be surprised if any more craziness comes along. I'm just saying, if there's going to be a Lower Decks crossover, I won't be mad.

This time last year, fans were just cozying up with a blanket and the first season of Star Trek: Picard on CBS All Access. Streaming shows are on less of a stringent schedule than network shows, but after getting renewed for Season 2, in a normal year, one would assume the show would be coming back sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, due to that pesky culprit Covid, things are a whole lot more complicated in 2021, as there are changes even happening with Paramount's big streaming service at this time.

Given the fitting but still emotional ending of Picard Season 1, I think many fans have been champing at the bit to dive into new episodes. Unfortunately, the showrunner on Star Trek: Picard, Alex Kurtzman, was interviewed about all things Star Trek and didn’t have the happiest of news. Kurzman is heavily involved with the franchise and admitted that Picard isn’t the only upcoming Star Trek project that is seeing delays and setbacks, though it is Star Trek: Picard by far that has dealt with the biggest issues.

Speaking with CinemaBlend’s sister site SFX Magazine, Alex Kurtzman confirmed that Picard should have at least been in production at this point. The bad news? We won’t be getting Season 2 anywhere close to a year out from when we got Season 1. The good news? The show does seem to be finally getting off of the ground for Season 2 and it's happening just in time for CBS All Access to become Paramount+.

In addition, Alex Kurtzman also shared a tidbit about filming that I find intriguing, particularly given that this is how Hallmark holiday movie productions were filming earlier this year. Kurtzman says the Star Trek: Picard cast is using the pods method to make sure that if Covid reaches set it won’t infect the entire cast so that things can keep moving even if there are further setbacks. He revealed in the interview:

Star Trek: Picard wasn’t the only sci-fi streaming show to see major delays over the past few months, as Seth McFarlane’s The Orville dealt with similar discourse to this for a few months. Ultimately the show went back in December, but then was dealt another setback in January when some Disney-owned shows halted return to production after the holidays. It’s been a journey for a lot of TV shows dealing with different challenges over the past year for sure.

On the bright side, some shows have already been able to get back to work, whether via the now-popular “pod” method or other safety rigors and restrictions on the sets. Paramount even recently got some of the gang together for a big Paramount+ Super Bowl LV ad starring Patrick Stewart, so if you haven’t caught that ahead of the big game, go ahead and give it a perusal now.

The times and the streaming networks, they are a-changin.' We may not be getting new Star Trek on Paramount for a while, but the new service is expected to launch on March 4. In addition, there are plenty of programs still set to premiere this winter, and you can check ‘em all out in full with CinemaBlend’s TV premiere schedule.

Jeri Ryan's Star Trek character Seven of Nine is considered by many to be among the best of any series in the franchise's history, likely thanks to her development within the Star Trek: Voyager ensemble. The Borg's fantastic arcs throughout the series' run are what likely led to Ryan reprising the role for CBS All Access' Star Trek: Picard, and while the actress may be thankful for her original show for such longevity, life on the Voyager set wasn't always ideal for her.

In a recent online reunion between Jeri Ryan and the rest of the Star Trek: Voyager cast, everyone was asked about their favorite elements about the show, as well as their least favorite elements. Ryan didn't drag the series when talking about her time on set, of course, but she did mention how difficult it was to make regular trips to the bathroom, thanks to a certain piece of costuming. In her words:

Not many people make a habit of loudly announcing their bathroom habits at work, so the fact that the whole crew needed to be informed about Jeri Ryan's potty breaks was not ideal for the actress. Of course, the fact that work on her scenes couldn't resume until she was completely done and back on set probably added an extra complexity to that, as some cast and crew members were likely just sitting around waiting for her to wrap up her business.

On top of that, it was no easy process for Jeri Ryan to physically get to and from the bathroom. The actual restroom deed was presumably a one-Borg job, but Ryan needed crew members to help her get into and out of her corset and costume, which added a healthy chunk of time to the whole process.

Jeri Ryan had two options when it came to working on Star Trek: Voyager. She could go to the bathroom and put the shooting on hold, at the risk of making a long day on set take even longer. Or, alternately, she could simply not go to the bathroom, at the risk of facing any consequences that would arise from that.

Jeri Ryan initially chose option two, and yes, there were consequences. The Star Trek actress (who almost appeared in Star Trek: Nemesis) decided to simply refrain from taking in any liquids during filming, in order to prevent the embarrassing and tedious process. Unsurprisingly, Ryan told her co-stars that during the video reunion that it was ultimately a bad idea.

It certainly was not, and one has to wonder if Jeri Ryan's bathroom issues with her costume in Star Trek: Voyager played a factor in her costume choice for Star Trek: Picard. In the CBS All Access spinoff, she's rocking a jacket, shirt, and pants for most of Season 1, which had to make any bathroom trips for that season (and going forward) much more of a non-issue.

Catch Jeri Ryan on Star Trek: Picard, which has Season 1 currently available on CBS All Access. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for all the latest news in regards to Star Trek, and for updates on what’s happening in the world of television and movies.

Jeri Ryan has long been known to TV watchers as Star Trek’s Seven of Nine and recently reprised her fan-favorite role on CBS All Access’ Star Trek: Picard. Now, she’ll be taking on the more sinister role of Gwendolyn Hayes in CBS’ MacGyver. Although both shows hail from the Eye Network, it feels as though they’re worlds apart in terms of their genres. But it turns out it was a Star Trek connection that actually helped Ryan land her MacGyver gig.

Jeri Ryan explained that her prior working relationship with MacGyver executive producer Terry Matalas that partially led to her joining the show. Both she and the producer previously worked together on Star Trek: Voyager. Not only is Ryan grateful to Matalas – who wrote the MacGyver episode -- for offering her the part, but she’s happy to have the chance to play a complex villain:

Jeri Ryan had nothing but good feelings about reuniting with Terry Matalas when she spoke with TV Insider. Because Matalas had worked with her previously, the two likely had no trouble working together. And since he wrote the episode and cast helped cast Ryan, one could assume that he wrote the role with her in mind.

Gwendolyn Hayes was established as the maternal aunt of Angus MacGyver, who never even knew she existed. Aunt Gwen was also a former agent for DXS (Department of External Services) a precursor to Phoenix, the organization Mac works for. However, it’s soon revealed that Gwen is actually the head of the villainous group Codex, which Phoenix has been trying to take down.

Ryan’s new role is a sharp departure from Seven of Nine. When she first appeared on Star Trek: Voyager, she was introduced as an intelligent and loyal Borg drone who soon joined the crew of the Voyager. Seven was also learning how to become better acquainted with humanity. By the time we see her in Picard, she’s changed greatly, something that was a bit daunting for Jeri Ryan when returning to the role.

All in all, it’s good to see Jeri Ryan return to her Star Trek roots, but watching her play something a bit different is also just as entertaining. She certainly had the talent to land her role on MacGyver herself, but it never hurts to have friends in high places.

MacGyver airs on Fridays at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.

It’s hard to believe just a few short months ago we lived in a world where Jean-Luc Picard was simply a character who had appeared in some Star Trek projects back in the day. Now, thanks to Picard, Patrick Stewart and some other Star Trek veterans are back on the small screen in a big way. Unfortunately for fans, the first season of Picard just recently aired its finale on CBS All Access. As a fun bonus to the fans, the cast shared posts celebrating the end of the season.

While we wait for Picard Season 2 -- which by the way has been greenlighted by CBS All Access -- you can take a look at how the Picard cast celebrated Season 1 wrapping on the streaming service with some lovely posts from when the show was still coming together.

Jonathan Del Arco, who is known for acting in Star Trek: The Next Generation and now Star Trek: Picard, shared the initial post, which gives fans a behind-the scenes look at the cast who look to be doing press while Season 1 of the series was coming together. He wasn’t alone in his post, however.

In fact, Star Trek fan-favorite actress Jeri Ryan also posted her own lovely response to Jonathan Del Arco’s intial post. In addition, she spent the last few days retweeting fan responses to Picard as people wrapped up watching the CBS All Access series.

Meanwhile Star Trek: Picard lead Patrick Stewart has been pretty busy reading a sonnet a day (here’s his most recent), but he did take a break a few days ago to inform everyone they can watch Star Trek: Picard for free – yes that’s f-r-e-e- until April 23. He noted at the time:

Season 2 of Picard was announced by CBS All Access during the Televisions Critics Association press tour CinemaBlend attended earlier this year. In addition, it seems the series has been prepping for Season 2 for a while and has been touching base with other Star Trek franchise actors about possible appearances down the line.

It’s clear adventure awaits for Season 2 of Picard, but right now there are a lot of questions regarding where Season 2 of the series will go given how Season 1 wrapped. However, we will have a while to wait before Season 2 happens. Given everything going on in the world right now, the new season has not started filming.

Although Season 1 of Picard premiered in January of this year, if Season 2 doesn’t start production for some months, it could be a while before Season 2 gets an official date and if I had to guess the new episodes will likely come later rather than early next year. Of course, there’s a lot that is up in the air about the TV schedule at this point and we’ll be sure to keep you posted every step of the way.

Star Trek: Picard didn't leave a lot for fans to theorize on what Season 2 will be about, though CBS All Access has confirmed the show will go on. This has led fans to seek out answers about where the next adventure will take Jean-Luc Picard next season, and whether he'll retain most or only some of his crew, such as Jeri Ryan's fan-favorite Seven-Of-Nine.

Many are particularly interested to find out if Seven of Nine will be along for the ride, after seeing the character land a recurring role in Season 1. Michael Chabon was asked point blank whether Seven of Nine would return during a Q&A on his Instagram (via Comicbook.com), and the Picard showrunner played it cagey by saying the following:

Michael Chabon was coy at first, citing that others above him wished for Star Trek: Picard Season 2 details such as that one to be kept under wraps. Still, he said enough to make it sound like Jeri Ryan will indeed be back as Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Picard Season 2, though he didn't specify in what capacity in that moment.

Once that information was teased, though, Michael Chabon got a little more relaxed with his confirmation. The showrunner gave a more definitive answer stating that, as of now, the plan is for Seven of Nine to be a part of Star Trek: Picard Season 2.

Jeri Ryan isn't the first Star Trek alumni to be more or less confirmed for Star Trek: Picard Season 2, a other former cast members have stated they're on board as well. Seven of Nine's return is a bit more surprising, however, mainly because of how she floated in and out of the story in Season 1. Ryan looked to be set on continuing her career as a Fenris Ranger, then she became a Borg Queen, and then Season 1 ended with her holding hands with Raffi.

Put simply, there are a lot of different directions Star Trek: Picard could take Seven of Nine in the future. Many Star Trek fans would be happy to see her have a larger role, especially those in the Star Trek: Voyager fanbase.

The real question is whether having her on board will make other existing members of the crew a redundancy, or if she'll enhance lesser characters like Elnor and Rios and give them more depth with her presence. I'm guessing the latter, especially given the small exchanges we saw with Seven of Nine and Elnor towards the end of Season 1.

Let us know what you guys want to see in the comments below. Star Trek: Picard Season 1 is currently available to stream for free on CBS All Access. As always, continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more updates on the world of Star Trek, and for the latest news happening in television and movies.

MacGyver has a starry treat coming your way! The series has cast one of the stars of Star Trek: Picard for a major role. Hint: this actor is reprising their role from Star Trek: The Next Generation on the current season of the CBS All Access series. Do you think you know who it is? If you guessed Jeri Ryan, you are correct!

Jeri Ryan, who is playing a newly voiced Seven of Nine on Star Trek: Picard, is heading over to MacGyver, according to TV Insider. It will not be a short stint either! Ryan will reportedly star on the CBS series for an arc that spans throughout its currently-airing fourth season.

If you thought Season 4 sounded exciting before, wait until you learn who Jeri Ryan is playing! Teasing Ryan’s new role on MacGyver, the series' executive producer Peter M. Lenkov said:

Well, this could get complicated! Who are we kidding? This is definitely going to get tricky. While Jeri Ryan’s Gwendolyn Hayes is Mac’s aunt, she is also the presumed head of Phoenix’s current Season 4 target -- Codex. As you would probably expect, Gwen is a bit of a mystery given that she was thought to be dead and will clearly turn up alive.

Gwen has not been active in Mac’s life in a way he has been aware of. However, MacGyver’s executive producer Peter M. Lenkov teases she has been keeping track of Mac from a distance. That is not all he teased. On the dynamic between Mac and his Aunt Gwen, Lenkov said:

The family reunion will set up quite a dilemma for Mac, and MacGyver viewers will undoubtedly want to tune in for the fallout. Jeri Ryan joins an already expanded Season 4, which has already welcomed Lost’s Henry Ian Cusick as Russ. Speaking of Lost, a reunion between former co-stars from the series will happen on MacGyver this season.

Jorge Garcia will reprise his Hawaii Five-0 role as Jerry Ortega for an upcoming episode of MacGyver. Garcia played fan-favorite Hurley on Lost. Now you can add Jeri Ryan’s Gwen to the Season 4 excitement. To say that MacGyver is returning with a vengeance this season may be an understatement.

Fans had to wait an exceptionally long time for Season 4. MacGyver was left off CBS’ schedule for fall 2019. It returned during the midseason of 2020. Hence, these castings are probably helping fans feel it was worth the wait. Jeri Ryan’s arrival on MacGyver comes as she is making Star Trek: Picard fans very excited with her return as Seven of Nine.

Thankfully, Jeri Ryan has things she likes about playing Seven of Nine and, hopefully, her new MacGyver character. Gwen will give Mac a chance to have some family bonding. Lucas Till’s ominous warning about the health of Mac’s dad certainly indicates that he could use some familial support. The question is if Gwen can be more friend than foe to her nephew.

Since Gwen has been keeping tabs on Mac all this time, you would think she has a reason. Does it strictly have to do with her being a concerned aunt? Or does she have a motive related to her professional aims? Considering Gwen’s status as the presumptive boss of Codex, there is bound to be a clash between the two.

Keep watching MacGyver to see Jeri Ryan make her debut! New episodes of MacGyver air Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. You can catch Ryan in Star Trek: Picard when new episodes of it are released Thursdays on CBS All Access. For more television options, there are always this winter and spring’s premieres.

Not many actors get to return to a beloved role after nearly 20 years away from said role, but some of the stars of Star Trek: Picard, are having exactly that experience. Aside from Patrick Stewart returning as Jean-Luc Picard and some of his cast mates from Star Trek: The Next Generation revisiting their roles as well, fans are getting to see Jeri Ryan come back to the Trek universe as Seven of Nine. But, it turns out that it wasn't exactly easy for the actress to step back into Seven's shoes.

Jeri Ryan took on the part of Seven of Nine for Star Trek: Voyager, beginning with the Season 4 premiere in 1997, and stayed with the series until it's finale in 2001. But the former Borg drone who'd been liberated by the Voyager crew still had a lot to learn about being human by the time the series wrapped up, and coming back to the character after so long, and with so many changes to her, apparently had Ryan "petrified," and for some very good reasons. Here's what she had to say about the challenges of playing Seven again after so long:

It makes complete sense that Jeri Ryan would be nervous about playing Seven of Nine again for several reasons, and, as she noted in her chat with The Hollywood Reporter, one of those reasons was definitely the fact that her very first scene was with Patrick Stewart. Despite both being fan favorite characters in the long-running Star Trek franchise, Ryan and Stewart never shared screen time before. Ryan's time on Trek was strictly relegated to Voyager, even though it sounds like she almost got a shot at being in one of the movies that TNG cast did after their series was done.

Pretty much anyone would be filled with butterflies, at the very least, over the thought of starting their time on a new show with a veteran actor as esteemed as Sir Patrick Stewart, but it was even a bit worse than that for Jeri Ryan. She was also trying to figure out who Seven was now after almost two full decades of having not played the character, and not fully understanding everything she's been up to or how to be her without having developed along with her for that time.

As we saw in the trailer for Star Trek: Picard, when we see Seven of Nine again she's clearly changed. Seven spent her time on Voyager trying to get used to her humanity again, and while she did do a lot of growing and changing as we watched her, she never got past her stilted, formal way of speaking and moving.

Jeri Ryan has mentioned before that Seven's new, more human, voice led to her "freaking out," but her new comments have me thinking that the difficulty wasn't just over the literal way that Seven speaks now, but finding the character's emotional voice, as well.

Thank goodness for Jonathan Frakes, who, obviously, played Will Riker on TNG and has returned to do some directing on Picard, along with picking up his former on-screen role for a bit. It sounds like, without him understanding the anxiety that came from returning to a character after so long, we might not have gotten the Seven of Nine that fans wanted to see, and Jeri Ryan wanted to show us after all this time.

You can check in with Jeri Ryan and Seven of Nine when Star Trek: Picard airs Thursdays on CBS All Access. For more on what's airing right now, our 2020 premiere guide can help!

Jeri Ryan's portrayal of former Borg drone Seven of Nine quickly became popular when she joined the cast of Star Trek: Voyager during the Season 4 premiere. But, with the character appearing in none of the big screen outings, it seemed that fans had seen the last of Seven, and Ryan, in the Trek universe. Well, all that changed with the first full trailer for Star Trek: Picard, which revealed that Ryan would be reprising her role almost two full decades later. And, she's got some important things she likes about Seven which made her happy to come back.

A young Star Trek fan recently got the chance to speak with Jeri Ryan and asked her what she related to the most about Seven of Nine. Here's what she had to say:

Jeri Ryan might have hit the nail on the head, because anyone who likes struggle should enjoy playing a character such as Seven of Nine. When Seven was finally liberated from the Borg, after working with the Voyager crew to stop a much bigger threat, she had been with the Collective for 18 years, since she was 6-years-old. As you might imagine, she had a rough time trying to regain her humanity and not living with the constant control of the Borg, not to mention figuring out everything that life meant without the Borg's influence and constant directive to assimilate new members.

Seeing as how Seven was a child when she was captured by the Borg, she had to learn a lot about humanity and the universe, as well as basics about social interactions and even how to handle romantic feelings. Much of her time on Voyager was spent figuring out, as Jeri Ryan said, where she fit in and how to deal with her newfound freedom. But, it's clear that by the time we meet up with Seven again in Picard, she will have a much better handle on things.

Seven of Nine returned to the Alpha Quadrant with the crew of Voyager when they were finally able to, and, according to Jeri Ryan, Seven has spent most of the years between when we last saw her and now on Earth. This means that she became much more accustomed to her humanity, even walking and talking more like someone who was never assimilated by the Borg. And, from what Ryan says, while she will still have a lot of questions about how humans relate to each other and relate to different species, it sounds like Seven's questions will be as similar to those of other humans as they've ever been for her.

You can watch Jeri Ryan reprise her role as Seven of Nine on Star Trek: Picard, which releases every Thursday on CBS All Access. For everything else that's airing now, check out our 2020 winter / spring premiere guide and Netflix schedule.

Space. The final frontier. The voyages of the Starship Enterprise continue in spirit with the newest sci-fi series, Star Trek: Picard, which will premiere in just a few short months. It'll serve as Patrick Stewart's unexpected return to the sci-fi franchise, and it'll hopefully be both a fitting, formidable return for the beloved captain. What do we know about the Star Trek series, though, particularly as it's expected to connect the tissues of several hit shows?

With the show practically weeks away from its much-anticipated premiere, we do know a bit about Star Trek: Picard and the rousing return it'll provide to the long-running legacy of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Let's get into a rundown of what Star Trek fans can expect from this streaming program!

Are There Any Trailers For Star Trek: Picard?

During this year's San Diego Comic Con, viewers got their first glimpse at Star Trek: Picard, which was set to premiere roughly six months later. This first trailer allowed fans to get a glimpse at what was considered a more grounded, contemplative show centered on the familiar character. It would be a little different from Star Trek: The Next Generation, yet this teaser was also a chance to remind people of what they loved about Jean-Luc Picard and see the potential in this new streaming series.

It was in early October that viewers got a second trailer (which you can see above). This one showcased some of the other cast members as well, while also providing a broader, more expansive look at the show, thus promising a number of delightful appearances for many long time Star Trek fans.

When Will Star Trek: Picard Premiere?

As the second trailer was making waves around the web, it was confirmed that Star Trek: Picard would premiere on CBS All Access on January 23rd, 2020. This premiere date isn't in line with Star Trek: The Next Generation, but it does follow the rollout of Star Trek: Discovery Season 2, which made its debut in January of this year. The winter release date should hopefully land the series in a nice little window between the crowded return of fall shows and the equally bustling spring television line-up. Hopefully, there will be some wiggle room that will allow this new character study series to find its own little rhythm and rhyme with audiences.

What Is The Premise Of Star Trek: Picard?

In Star Trek: Picard, we follow our title character, played once again by Patrick Stewart, a full 20 years after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis, and find him still grieving the loss of his friend, Data (Brent Spiner). The intention with this series is to provide more of a "real world" feeling to the series, giving it a bit of an edge while never straying entirely far from what people can expect from these popular characters.

It's expected to be quite different from what we'd normally see in a traditional Star Trek series, however, and it's safe to assume that the creators will make great use of the possibilities provided by its streaming service home. It's also reported to show how the destruction of Romulus in Star Trek (2009) has affected our title character.

That last development is certainly an intriguing one, as it'll be the first time that the new Star Trek blockbusters and the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation will correlate, with the new show having a feeling that combines TNG with Star Trek: Discovery. It's unclear how exactly it'll work. But, we know that the character will have a different future than what viewers saw in the flash-forwards during the series finale of TNG, titled "All Good Things." The creators of the show have admitted outright that this series will be both similar and different to what came before.

Who Is The Creator Of Star Trek: Picard?

Star Trek: Picard is created by Alex Kurtzman, who has served as a writer and producer for Star Trek for a little over ten years running. Kurtzman was first involved when he served as a screenwriter / executive producer on Star Trek (2009) alongside Roberto Orci. He also co-wrote and produced Star Trek Into Darkness and spearheaded Star Trek: Discovery as the creator with Bryan Fuller. Picard is part of his five-year overall deal with CBS Television Studios to expand the popular property into several shows following Discovery. Surely, for many Star Trek fans, Picard is the type of show they were never expecting to see.

While Patrick Stewart was initially steadfast in his reasoning that he was done playing the character, he was intrigued by the ideas presented by Alex Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, and Kristen Beyer. They were initially interested in having Stewart possibly reprise his character in one of their Star Trek: Short Treks episodes, but the conversation bloomed into the writers producing an outline alongside acclaimed novelist Michael Chabon. In an interview, Kurtzman has gone on to describe Picard as "a more psychological show, a character study about this man in his emeritus years." His broad intention for the series is to have the character find his way back to Gene Roddenberry's original optimistic visions, while also reflecting our times now.

Who Will Write Star Trek: Picard?

Currently, the full writing team behind Star Trek: Picard hasn't been 100 percent revealed, though we know that Alex Kurtzman and Michael Chabon are each credited with an episode, according to IMDB. Akiva Goldsman and Kristen Beyer, as mentioned earlier, were also involved in the show's core concept, but whether or not they're involved with the writing of the actual episodes themselves is currently left unclear. Though it would, obviously, make sense if they were attached. More details about the writers specifically involved with each episode is likely to be announced and confirmed in the weeks leading up to Picard's anticipated release.

Where Will Picard Take Place In The Star Trek Timeline?

Naturally, Star Trek: Picard is an extension of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the movies that followed for the cast. But, this show will deal with an important event from the rebooted Star Trek, which took place in 2379. This means that Picard will pick up in 2399. Even still, it'll be curious to see how the destruction of the Romulan empire has affected our former space captain. As the show premieres next year, it will give viewers a better reflection of how it wishes to present itself, but it should be noted that it's expected to follow what we know while also providing exciting new avenues.

How Many Episodes Are In Star Trek: Picard Season 1?

It has been confirmed that Star Trek: Picard will have a ten episode first season. This is notably more condensed than Star Trek: Discovery, which had a 15 episode first season and a 14 episode second season. It's also notably much shorter than your average season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which ran between 22 to 26 episodes per season. Given the more isolated, contained focus of the story, though, it makes sense that this newest series would want to narrow down the number of episodes per season, allowing each one to have more bang for the buck.

Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart)

Jean-Luc Picard, former Starfleet captain and admiral, is back again. After the traumatic death of Data, along with the destruction of the Romulan empire and leading the largest rescue armada ever seen, Picard left Starfleet at the height of his career. He retired to the family winery to live a much more simple, introspective life away from everything — until a young woman in need convinces him that it's time to return to work with the Federation. Although Picard was once one of the most celebrated captains of the 24th century, he now finds himself with a new mission so that he can do what he feels is right.

Data (Brent Spiner)

Data served as the second officer and chief operations officer aboard both the Enterprise D and E. He was capable of great courage and selflessness, as seen when he sacrificed himself in order to save his crewmates, and the universe at large, in Star Trek: Nemesis. But, it appears that Jean-Luc Picard is still haunted by his crew member's sacrifice, as the droid is seen in the trailer providing a paintbrush to Picard and telling him that it's time to finish his picture. It was confirmed back in Comic-Con in July that Data would be back in some capacity. Even still, this brief but lovely glimpse at Brent Spiner reprising his character was very welcomed.

Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) And Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis)

In addition to Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner reprising their respective roles from Star Trek: The Next Generation, there are also at least two other favorites from the sci-fi series who are making their comebacks in Season 1. Specifically, Jonathan Frakes' Riker and Marina Sirtis' Deanna Troi are both returning for Picard. Frakes, in particular, was already confirmed to be involved with the new adventure as a director of at least a couple of episodes. The latest trailer shows fans Riker and Troi, when Picard goes to visit them at home, so you can be sure that this surprise made folks happy.

Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan)

In addition to the characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation who will be appearing on Star Trek: Picard, there is also a favorite from Star Trek: Voyager who has been confirmed to star in the new CBS All Access program. That would be Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), a former Borg who joined the Federation starship Voyager. She was intended to be the Spock to Voyager's Captain Kathryn Janeway, though she developed into an intriguing and memorable presence of her own throughout the show.

Seven's involvement in Star Trek: Picard is certainly a fascinating development, especially when you consider Picard's checkered history (to say the very least) with the Borg — as detailed in both TNG and in Star Trek: First Contact. Not to mention the fact that we see a Borg ship in the most recent trailer, and that Jonathan Del Arco, who played the freed Borg, Hugh, in TNG is scheduled to appear as someone in Picard. So, it looks like Picard's most fearsome foes will be big players in the story.

What New Characters Will Be On Star Trek: Picard?

In addition to all the characters named above, there are a bunch of fresh new faces joining the Star Trek series. While Picard was designed to be more of an introspective character study based on the eventful final years of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the streaming series will also feature Santiago Cabrera as Cristobal "Chris" Rios, Michelle Hurd as Raffi Musiker, Evan Evagora as Elnor, Alison Pill as Dr. Agnes Jurati, Harry Treadaway as Narek, and Isa Briones as Dahj. Details about their respective characters will be revealed closer to the show's premiere date, but it is definitely a solid cast.

Will Worf Appear On Star Trek: Picard?

Bad news for fans of Worf (which should, hopefully, be a good many of you). It has been revealed that Worf is not expected to appear in the first season of Star Trek: Picard. There had been rumors that the character would make an appearance in the series, though. A clapboard which featured a number of signatures from different cast members had an intriguing signature that looked very similar to the one from actor Michael Dorn.

Alas, the folks at CBS claim Dorn isn't involved with this season, though it's entirely possible they're just saying this as a diversion. Here's hoping that the actor makes at least a surprise cameo. Either that, or he will be asked to join next year. Perhaps this could provide some storyline incentive for season two.

How Can You Watch Star Trek: Picard?

Star Trek: Picard will be premiering exclusively on CBS All Access. The show will make its debut on January 23, and every episode will be found on the streaming service. While it might be an inconvenience for some folks, there is a good chance that a lot of Star Trek fans already have the service in order to watch Star Trek: Discovery. If not, this show might finally give them the incentive to buckle down and get yet another new streaming service.

This is what we know about Star Trek: Picard so far, but there are certainly more details to follow. Be sure to stay tuned here for the latest information about this new Star Trek series and a whole lot more.

CBS All Access is bringing back some of the biggest names in the Star Trek franchise for the upcoming Star Trek: Picard series, including Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, and of course Jeri Ryan. She played Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager and became iconic to that series. Ryan will reprise her famous role for the upcoming series, but she won't play the same Seven of Nine that fans last saw in the franchise.

One thing in particular that will be different about Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Picard will be her voice. Seven wasn't exactly speaking the way that other humans on the ship spoke, and fans should expect something different after the passage of time before Picard. Jeri Ryan spoke out about Seven's new voice, saying this:

Jeri Ryan spoke about finding Seven of Nine's new voice during a panel that she shared with fellow Star Trek favorites Jonathan Frakes and Jonathan Del Arco at Star Trek Las Vegas 2019 (via TrekMovie.com), and it's not hard to understand why she'd be terrified! Seven had such distinctive characteristics that jumping into Picard to play a Seven who changed drastically off-screen meant returning to Trek wasn't just business as usual for Ryan.

The Star Trek: Picard trailer does end with Seven of Nine saying "What the hell are you doing out here, Picard?" to the man himself, in a line and delivery that definitely would have been out of place back on Voyager. I'm guessing fans could have a hard time adjusting to the new Seven of Nine as well, although she won't be the only character in a very different place in the new show, and I don't just mean that Picard has a dog now.

Still, fans might not freak out quite as much as Jeri Ryan did. She also said this about her reaction to play the new version of Seven of Nine for Picard:

What are Star Trek friends for if not a calming lunch to get comfortable with new scripts for old characters? Jeri Ryan clearly appreciates how Jonathan Del Arco made the effort to stop her from freaking out. She does have a tough task ahead of her, perhaps even tougher than some of her costars. Seven of Nine may have gone through some of the most drastic changes in the time jump.

Patrick Stewart's Picard Is Already Tapping Star Trek Vets For Season 2

How fans will react to the changes to Seven of Nine for Picard won't be determined until the new show debuts next year, but they can have plenty of fun speculating. Although Brent Spiner did reveal some of what to expect about Data (and there's both good and bad news) in Picard, a lot about Seven of Nine is still shrouded in mystery. What happened that her speech pattern changed so much? And what other changes are in store?

So, what helped Jeri Ryan get used to the idea of playing Seven of Nine in her new circumstances, all these years later at a very different point in her life? The actress shared, saying this:

Seven of Nine can't make the choice to look less like a Borg, but that doesn't mean she didn't have other choices during the time before Star Trek: Picard, and that concept is what Jeri Ryan needed to get into gear to play her character once more. Would Star Trek: Voyager Seven of Nine have casually asked what the hell he was doing? Certainly not. Picard Seven? Apparently!

Honestly, as happy as fans probably would have been to see Jeri Ryan back in Voyager mode for her brief appearance in the trailer, the differences that are already apparent give a lot to speculate about in the months still ahead before the Picard premiere on CBS All Access. She was also saved for last in the thrilling trailer, so perhaps she has a significant role in the new series.

We'll have to wait and see. Star Trek: Picard will reportedly be a "hybrid" of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Discovery, which is at least something to go on while details are still relatively scarce! For the most current Trek action, you can catch the first two seasons of Discovery streaming on CBS All Access now. If you're in the mood to see Jeri Ryan in her original Seven of Nine mode, you can find Star Trek: Voyager streaming on Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix.

Well, Trekkies everywhere can rejoice! It turns out that several characters from The Next Generation will be stopping by Star Trek: Picard as we'd hoped, and there are some surprises in the choices.

San Diego Comic-Con always brings big news when it comes to science fiction and fantasy, and this year was no different. The convention played host to the cast and crew of the highly anticipated CBS All Access series Star Trek: Picard, and not only did they show off the first full trailer (after giving us a brief tease a couple of months ago) of the latest entry in a long line of Star Trek series, but they also surprised the audience by revealing who we can expect to see reprising their roles from TNG in Picard. Looks like LeVar Burton was right.

First up? This, honestly, isn't that much of a surprise, but it's good news, nonetheless. Jonathan Frakes (Commander William T. Riker) and Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi) will be hopping on board the Picard train for appearances on the show. Of course, Frakes (who will also be directing a few episodes of the freshman series) posted a tweet back in early June that many took as a hint that he'd be reprising Riker on Picard, but now we have confirmation.

Seeing as how the film Star Trek: Nemesis (which was the last time the full TNG cast had an adventure on screen) showed soon-to-be Captain Riker at the wedding reception for his marriage to his longtime love Deanna Troi, it makes sense that they would both be seen on Picard. Unfortunately, fans didn't get to see Frakes or Sirtis show up on stage, but that's not the case for the next two stars from The Next Generation.

Do not adjust your screens, folks. You are, in fact, looking at Brent Spiner, who appears to be reprising his role as Commander Data from this glimpse of him we see in the Star Trek: Picard trailer. I say that he "appears to be reprising his role" because the panel at Comic-Con only confirmed that Spiner will be on the show, not that we'd see him as Data again. Well, that, and the fact that Data died saving his crewmates at the end of Nemesis, so it's possible that Spiner could appear as Data's brother, B-4, or even show up as both characters.

Here are where two truly big surprises came in during the Comic-Con panel. One actor who appeared on stage and was also a veteran of The Next Generation was Jonathan Del Arco. Who?, you might be asking. Well, correct sound but wrong name. Del Arco played (get ready for it) the Borg, Hugh, all those years ago, and will be back for Picard.

The addition of Hugh (who may or may not be the unplugged Borg we saw in the trailer, and is pictured above) comes as a special surprise because he was only seen in three episodes of TNG. But, the character is iconic, because he was a Borg who eventually regained a sense of individuality and managed to maintain it. Instead of staying with the Enterprise crew, he went back to the crash site where they'd found him, knowing that the Borg would never stop looking for him and he'd put the Enterprise in jeopardy.

Again, Del Arco wasn't confirmed as Hugh, but it would seem to be a shame to have a sympathetic Borg who's still alive in the Star Trek timeline and not bring that specific character back for Picard, especially considering how those assimilating assholes have impacted Picard's life.

And now we come to the biggest surprise of the panel, when it was announced that Jeri Ryan, who starred on Star Trek: Voyager as the former Borg Seven of Nine, would be appearing on Picard, as well. Because we can see her in the trailer with Seven of Nine's distinctive Borg facial plate, there's really no doubt that Ryan will be showing up as Seven, which is surprising because she never appeared on TNG or in any of the movies led by that cast.

As you can see, there will be a lot of fan-favorite old faces showing up on Star Trek: Picard to join Patrick Stewart and the new cast as he continues Picard's adventures. We don't know for sure how much we'll see of each of these actors, or how important their parts will be, but it seems like Picard is shaping up to be quite the ride.

Star Trek: Picard will hit CBS All Access in early 2020, until then you can stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest on that show as well as everything in TV, movies and pop culture!

Over the course of several decades, the Star Trek franchise has given television audiences some of TV's most compelling characters. From Star Trek: The Original Series to the current shows featured on our upcoming Trek projects, there’s no shortage of beloved captains, lieutenants, and even ensigns who we’d consider among the greatest to ever be seen. 

It's hard to pick just one character as the undisputed best of Star Trek, so here are seven of the best. As a note, this list is limited to Star Trek characters affiliated with Starfleet, so don't expect to see folks like Harry Mudd or Q popping up here.

7. La'an Noonian-Singh

La’an is one of the newer characters on this list, but already in just two seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, we’ve seen some tremendous growth and potential from the Enterprise’s Chief of Security. After being a child who survived the brutal breeding grounds of the Gorn, she’s carried a lifelong fear and grudge against the species. We’ve seen La’an confront those fears head-on, and given the ending of SNW Season 2, we’ll see her do it yet again in Season 3. 

If that all wasn’t enough, La’an’s storyline is further complicated by the fact she’s a living descendant of the infamous Star Trek villain, Khan Noonian-Singh. We’ve even seen her come face-to-face with a younger version of Khan via a temporal distortion, which seemingly sets the stage for more massive changes in the universe at large down the road. As I said, there’s some big potential for La’an’s character in the series, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out. 

6. William T. Riker

When it comes to “Number One” in Star Trek, I think a lot of readers have their personal favorites on who did it best. For me, I don’t think any walked the line of being a true friend to their captain as a confidant not afraid to speak his mind like Will Riker. Despite some struggles they faced at the beginning of the relationship, Jonathan Frakes’ performance being worthy of award recognition in Star Trek: Picard Season 3 shows just how much he and Picard have been through in the best way. 

Outside of his official Starfleet duties, few characters in the franchise are as immediately beloved or as cool as Riker. Whether he’s risking his life, romancing Troi, or even playing the trombone, he can look effortlessly suave and awesome while doing so. He even has his own patented maneuver for sitting in chairs, for crying out loud, so it shouldn’t be surprising that he’s on this list. 

5. Michael Burnham

Star Trek has featured a lot of captains in its run, but few have ever been given a redemptive arc like Michael Burnham. Her journey from prosecuted mutineer to eventual Starfleet Captain, and one of the more celebrated ones in the 32nd century, is awesome. Season 5’s episode “Face The Strange” highlighted just how far she’s come perfectly, and why I believe she’s one of the most inspiring characters of Trek. 

Burnham is, in key ways, a character who represents a new era of Trek. One could argue that her stories inspired writers to take more risks in the shows that followed, which resulted in deeper character development for both legacy and new characters in the franchise. Burnham isn’t directly responsible for that, but if her story wasn’t so interesting and fun to follow, who knows what the current status of the franchise would look like? 

4. The EMH "The Doctor"

Star Trek: Voyager has good and bad moments for all of its characters and some wtf moments that keep me up at night. If there was one character who had way more great moments than bad, however, it’s the EMH more commonly known as “The Doctor” in most episodes. From becoming the greatest opera singer for an entire planet, to a hero in a Beowulf holodeck simulation gone awry, there are no shortage of quality episodes starring The Doctor. 

He taps into the classic sci-fi trope of an inorganic life form who wants to appear and be more human. His occasional misguided understanding of what it means to be a person leads to hilarious moments and occasionally a real thinking moment for the viewer on the human condition. With the exception of one other character that’s on this list, he’s the best example of a character “learning to be human” in Trek. 

3. Seven Of Nine

Seven of Nine, in truth, could be someone who easily ends up as the best character of all time on another writer’s Star Trek list. A woman pulled from the collective of The Borg is suddenly forced out of her comfort zone and, despite being an adult, learned what it is to be human again. There are some uncomfortable moments in that process in Voyager, but it’s still captivating to watch. 

What really made her story evolve to the next level, however, was when Jeri Ryan reprised her role for Picard. Here, we saw a Seven who was more aware of what it meant to be human but still faced prejudice and issues due to her remaining Borg features. What we saw was a Seven who knew who she was, both part-human and part-Borg, and the way she married them to become one of the most capable members of Starfleet in the end. It was awesome, and Jeri Ryan deserved her Astra award for her portrayal. 

2. Jean-Luc Picard

Trek fans will always have their favorites when it comes to captains, but I don’t think there is one who is more meaningful to the overall lore. Not only has Jean Luc Picard been one of the best captains Starfleet has ever seen, he’s also one of the greatest enemies they ever faced as Locutus of Borg. If you’re wanting assured success to a mission with the best possible outcome for humanity, Picard is usually the best option every time. 

The incredible acting ability of Patrick Stewart is not to be undersold here, because he is also a large part of what makes Picard so great. If ever there were an actor who could convince the world he’s a capable leader worthy of marching them into hell and back with assured success, he would be the one. 

1. Spock

Since his introduction to the present day, Spock has remained not just the best character in Star Trek but one of the best characters in pop culture. The half-Vulcan, half-human’s story has been explored across several shows and movies, and the fact that viewers are still excited to see Ethan Peck portray the character in fresh stories in Strange New Worlds is evidence that the fandom has not tired of it.

Why do we love Spock so much? Perhaps it’s the fact that as humans, we know how difficult it can be to suppress emotions and think logically about problems in our lives. The franchise has not shied away from showing the times that he has fallen short, reminding us that even the most idealized characters can make mistakes. He also, quite famously, has shown that there are times where logic can be defied, which is something the illogical crowd can always get behind. 

See all of these characters and more by streaming Star Trek with a Paramount+ subscription. With more upcoming Trek shows on the way, who knows how this list will change in a few years, and what other great characters we will see as the franchise continues to shift and evolve with the times. 

For 15 years, the crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation upheld the values of the Federation through seven TV seasons and four motion pictures, all in the name of the Trek fandom. But believe it or not, there was almost a last minute change up to the crew roster in the last movie. In particular, it sounds like Marina Sirtis' Deanna Troi was almost absent from the final adventure in the Enterprise-E's run, Star Trek: Nemesis, and it was all thanks to negotiations over pay. Had things progressed further, there were threats to replace her with Star Trek: Voyager's Jeri Ryan, who played Seven of Nine. As Sirtis recalled:

During the recent Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, the reunion of the Next Generation crew brought up the subject of pay inequality between the male and female cast-members, with Sirtis offering the following anecdote about how Jeri Ryan was almost brought in to fill her place.

It's worth noting that Ryan wouldn't have been the only Star Trek: Voyager cast member to have a role in Star Trek: Nemesis, although Kate Mulgrew's cameo as the promoted Admiral Janeway didn't occur under the fishy circumstances that Marina Sirtis' near dismissal would have presented. Also, by 2002, Ryan had played the role of Seven of Nine for four seasons, making her a bit of a Trek veteran herself. So it's safe to agree that Sirtis' assumption was correct, which would have seriously put Paramount into a difficult position.

The biggest pitfall that Star Trek: Nemesis would have faced, as Trek Movie continued to elaborate, was the re-writes that would have been necessary for the film to work with Seven of Nine taking the place of Deanna Troi. In particular, the tenth Star Trek film saw Troi marrying her series long sweetheart, Commander Will Riker, making for a fan servicing moment to start the last voyage of the Next Generation crew. Of course, the studio's position with the completed and released Star Trek: Nemesis wasn't exactly that much more secure.

Back in 2002, the Star Trek film franchise reached a temporary end after Nemesis attempted to compete, and eventually failed, against The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Ultimately, the brand would take a breather until 2009's Star Trek reboot invigorated the property's chances. That ending might have come a bit sooner has negotiations broken down completely between Paramount and Marina Sirtis, but thankfully Troi and Riker got the proper feature film send off they deserved, along with the rest of their crew members.

Here's hoping the difficult negotiations that Marina Sirtis had to go through aren't part of a pattern, especially with Star Trek: Discovery premiering on CBS All Access on September 24.

It looks like Starling City’s elusive vigilante on Arrow is about to come face-to-face with a Borg… well, a former Borg, anyway. It is being reported that Jeri Ryan, who once upon a time “assimilated” sex appeal and badassery into an ailing Star Trek: Voyager, will appear on the CW’s comic book mothership show for an intriguing appearance.

Ryan will guest star on Arrow in Season 4’s second episode, “The Candidate” as a character named Jessica Danforth. While the character does not seem to carry any immediately evident ties to the DC comic book canon on which the show is based, Access Hollywood reports she will become quite an alluring inconvenience for Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen, while the latter is busy reinventing himself as “Green Arrow” in the upcoming season.

Based on the information that has been provided about the character, Ryan’s Jessica Danforth will be introduced as a friend of the Queen family whose political ambitions will initially put her in the path of a mysterious enemy. While that is the extent of the info we've learned, the idea that Danforth is a politician and friend to the rich, waspy Queen family likely indicates that she is a character who also has similar riches and resources. However, it seems that her pursuit of prestige will end up forcing our heroes to play bodyguard to the individual who is likely the episode’s titular “candidate.”

The choice of Jeri Ryan for a role seems to be a solid, logical move, given her notable history in genres Arrow fans can likely appreciate (Star Trek being the most prominent). Yet, throughout Ryan’s vast history in the arena of television, she has shown herself capable of pulling off quite a number of other potent, non-Borg roles on recent shows like Leverage, Body of Proof, Helix and was even surprisingly believable as the ass-kicking iconic femme fatale, Sonya Blade on the web series video game adaptation, Mortal Kombat: Legacy. Thus, Ryan’s casting for this guest spot could incite a bit of curiosity regarding the possibility that there may be more to the Danforth role than what we’ve been hinted.

Of course, whatever evil that is brought to the table--barring for a ship full of Borg--will likely be handled by Oliver and his merry band of criminal-crushing cohorts, including David Ramsey’s John Diggle, Emily Bett Richards’ master hacker Felicity Smoak, Katie Cassidy’s Laurel Lance/Black Canary and now Oliver’s own kid sister in Willa Holland’s Thea Queen, a.k.a. Speedy. However, with the gang still feeling the tumultuous effects of Season 3’s League of Assassins-centric events, which saw the group divided over romantic entanglements in one case and serious line-crossing trust issues in another, there’s quite a lot of shit that will need to be effectively gotten together before the team can unify effectively to combat whatever new threats ultimately manifest.

DC Comics’ television universe is expanding ever quickly with the success of The Flash last season and the shared spinoff series, Legends of Tomorrow. Thus, the show that started it all in Arrow will certainly need to bring its compelling A-game when it returns for Season 4 on October 7 on The CW.

Actress Jeri Ryan has dabbled in a variety of genres, with her most recent credit being a role in ABC's drama Body of Proof, but to sci-fi fans, it's likely that she's best associated for her role as Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager. Syfy's bringing her back to the genre for a role in a multi-episode arc in their upcoming series Helix.

This announcement was made just the other day when some of the press had the opportunity to visit the set of Helix. We'll have more coverage to share with you on that in the near future. In the meantime, I'll say up front that everything I've heard about the show has me feeling very hopeful that this drama will be a great addition to Syfy's slate of original programming. The 13-episode series is described as an intense thriller about a team of scientists from the CDC who head off to a high-tech research facility called Arctic Biosystems, to investigate a potential disease outbreak. They soon find themselves trapped in a terrifying life-and-death struggle that could make or break mankind's future. And that's just the start of this story, as the virus is said to evolve, bringing to light a chilling truth. Billy Campbell stars as Dr. Alan Farragut, the leader of the Centers for Disease Control outbreak field team that goes to investigate and contain the potential outbreak.

Ryan will play the beautiful and charismatic Constance Sutton, the Chief Operating Officer of Ilaria Corporation, owner of Arctic Biosystems. She's said to be charming and savvy, and used to getting her way at any cost. Seems like just the character to throw a twist on things, doesn't it? From what executive producer Cameron Porsandeh told us on Monday, Constance shows up just as the characters are starting to get a handle on the situation -- or think they are anyway -- and she changes things. How, exactly, he wouldn't say, but it sounds like that's all part of the mystery that's going to be unfolding in this series. Porsandeh says Ryan plays the role beautifully. "We couldn't have gotten a better person," he added. So that's good to hear.

In addition to Campbell, Helix stars HIroyki Sanada as Dr. Hiroshi Hatake, Kyra Zagorsky as Dr. Julia Walker, Mark Ghanime as Major Sergio Balleseros, Jordan Hayes as Dr. Sarah Jordan, Meegwun Fairbrother as Daniel Aerov, Catherine Lemieux as veterinarian Dr. Doreen Boyle and Neil spier as Dr. Peter Farragut, brother to Campbell's character.

As I mentioned, we were on the set of Helix up in Montreal earlier this week. We'll be sharing some of that coverage in the near future. While we don't have any pictures of Jeri Ryan on set, here's a tease of one of the sets we got to look at.

Keep an eye out for more Helix coverage here and over at our sci-fi-loving sister site GiantFreakinRobot.com. In the meantime, check out the previously released teaser for Helix here.

Children of the 90s likely have fond memories of Paul W.S. Anderson's 1995 adaptation of Mortal Kombat. Suddenly, the characters from everyone's favorite videogame were 100% real and kicking some serious ass on-screen. Looking back on it now, however, the film falls in line with just about every other videogame adaptation, and by that I mean it really isn't all that great (though the soundtrack still rocks). The film was followed by an even worse sequel in 1997 and promises to make a reboot have persisted ever since. Things looked most promising back in January, when wheels began to turn over at Warner Bros., but still many dismissed it as rumor. Now it's looking very real.

A video has popped online and with actors like Michael Jai White and Jeri Ryan involved, it may be our first look at the fabled film. While the clip doesn't really pay much attention to the original mythology, it actually doesn't look half bad. Peppered with in-dialogue references like "Finish Him" and "Fatality" and containing references to Reptile, Jax, Baraka, Johnny Cage, Shang Tsung, Scorpion, Sonya Blade, and Sub-Zero, the clip is good for at least eight minutes of nostalgia. There has already been some conjecture as to whether or not the video is legitimate. Watch the clip below and decide for yourself.

UPDATE! In an interview with Craveonline actor Matt Mullins, who plays Johnny Cage in the above trailer, explains exactly what it was made for. Says Mullins, "The truth is, the short is about showing a vision of what the next Mortal Kombat movie can be."