This article contains spoilers for Star Trek: Picard and WandaVision.
“What is grief, if not love persevering?” asks Vision in an oft-quoted scene from WandaVision. The sympathetic synthazoid intended the question as a validation of his partner Wanda’s feelings of despair after losing so much in Avengers: Endgame. But it’s also been a good way to describe the state of Marvel Television since WandaVision finished its single-season run.
When WandaVision debuted on Disney+ in 2021, the show promised an exciting era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, still then its apparent prime. Not only did the show focus on a fan-favorite, but little explored character, but it also featured a compelling storytelling style well-suited for the television medium. However, what started as a riff on the history TV sitcoms became a standard superhero battle, complete with Vision battling a duplicate of himself.
Although some of the shows that followed had their moments,...
“What is grief, if not love persevering?” asks Vision in an oft-quoted scene from WandaVision. The sympathetic synthazoid intended the question as a validation of his partner Wanda’s feelings of despair after losing so much in Avengers: Endgame. But it’s also been a good way to describe the state of Marvel Television since WandaVision finished its single-season run.
When WandaVision debuted on Disney+ in 2021, the show promised an exciting era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, still then its apparent prime. Not only did the show focus on a fan-favorite, but little explored character, but it also featured a compelling storytelling style well-suited for the television medium. However, what started as a riff on the history TV sitcoms became a standard superhero battle, complete with Vision battling a duplicate of himself.
Although some of the shows that followed had their moments,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
The third season of Star Trek: Picard did not want for nostalgia, as the final season saw the former Enterprise captain finally reunite with most of his original bridge crew. The high point of the nostalgic final season occurred in the penultimate episode “Vox,” when La Forge revealed a reconstructed and restored Enterprise-d. Amidst explanations about how he rebuilt the ship over 20 years (after its destruction on Veridian III in Star Trek Generations) Geordi drops this bit of information, “And obviously, we can’t use the Enterprise-e.”
The emotional reveries pause for a moment as everyone grows quiet and looks at Worf. “That was not my fault,” the former Enterprise-e captain declares and everyone moves on. It’s a fantastic gag, a reminder of Michael Dorn’s ability to sell a humorous one-liner by playing a humorless character. Yet, in initial drafts, Picard season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas had more grandiose...
The emotional reveries pause for a moment as everyone grows quiet and looks at Worf. “That was not my fault,” the former Enterprise-e captain declares and everyone moves on. It’s a fantastic gag, a reminder of Michael Dorn’s ability to sell a humorous one-liner by playing a humorless character. Yet, in initial drafts, Picard season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas had more grandiose...
- 5/20/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
This Star Trek: Discovery article contains spoilers.
Since 2017, Star Trek: Discovery has been the flagship of the reborn Trek franchise on TV. Call it “NuTrek,” call it the continuing mission, call it “Star Trek Phase 3.” It doesn’t really matter. The fact is, Disco has been the focal point of new Trek canon since it hit nearly seven years ago. Now, with season 5, Discovery will be ending its journey, leaving Strange New Worlds and the forthcoming Starfleet Academy as the two live-action Trek shows for the foreseeable future.
But about that canon. As executive producer Alex Kurtzman recently said in an interview with Den of Geek magazine, any new Trek film created outside of the streaming TV shows will have to “have to honor all the canon we’ve created since Discovery.” To be clear, this doesn’t just mean outright new events and characters, but all the ways that...
Since 2017, Star Trek: Discovery has been the flagship of the reborn Trek franchise on TV. Call it “NuTrek,” call it the continuing mission, call it “Star Trek Phase 3.” It doesn’t really matter. The fact is, Disco has been the focal point of new Trek canon since it hit nearly seven years ago. Now, with season 5, Discovery will be ending its journey, leaving Strange New Worlds and the forthcoming Starfleet Academy as the two live-action Trek shows for the foreseeable future.
But about that canon. As executive producer Alex Kurtzman recently said in an interview with Den of Geek magazine, any new Trek film created outside of the streaming TV shows will have to “have to honor all the canon we’ve created since Discovery.” To be clear, this doesn’t just mean outright new events and characters, but all the ways that...
- 4/4/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
When "Star Trek" first aired in the late 1960s, it wasn't an overwhelmingly popular hit. When the show was canceled in 1969, it was put into eternal syndication, and it wouldn't be until the mid-1970s that Trekkies would begin to appear in earnest. "Star Trek" conventions started to pop up in hotel ballrooms across the nation, and "Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry would occasionally appear at said conventions to discuss his creation with his many fans.
It was during these conversations, really, that Roddenberry began to mentally highlight the messages he put into "Star Trek." Fans, he saw, were responding to Trek's depiction of a world without war and money, a world where diplomacy and exploration took precedence over conquest and acquisition. Many loved the show's diversity.
When it came time to create "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1986, it appeared Roddenberry was eager to shift Trek's themes into overdrive. "Next...
It was during these conversations, really, that Roddenberry began to mentally highlight the messages he put into "Star Trek." Fans, he saw, were responding to Trek's depiction of a world without war and money, a world where diplomacy and exploration took precedence over conquest and acquisition. Many loved the show's diversity.
When it came time to create "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1986, it appeared Roddenberry was eager to shift Trek's themes into overdrive. "Next...
- 2/19/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
At the very end of the first season of "Star Trek: Picard," after the story had concluded and everyone was headed back home, the violent bounty hunter Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Admiral Picard's close friend Raffi (Michelle Hurd) sat idly conversing. They reached out and began romantically holding hands, implying that the characters were initiating a romance. Previously throughout "Star Trek," both Seven and Raffi had only been seen having romances with men, so their respective bisexuality came as a pleasant surprise.
Sadly, at the start of the second season of "Picard," enough time had passed that Seven and Raffi had already dated for a while ... and had broken up. There was now a great deal of romantic resentment between them, and they had to struggle to fulfill their mission in the 21st century (the second season featured a time travel plot). In the show's third and final season,...
Sadly, at the start of the second season of "Picard," enough time had passed that Seven and Raffi had already dated for a while ... and had broken up. There was now a great deal of romantic resentment between them, and they had to struggle to fulfill their mission in the 21st century (the second season featured a time travel plot). In the show's third and final season,...
- 2/16/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Star Trek: Insurrection was a disappointing entry for the Next Generation crew – both creatively and at the box office. It made $117 million worldwide, which was only about $30 million less than Star Trek: First Contact, but the budget was pretty hefty, thanks mainly to salaries, with the film costing $70 million, making it the most expensive Trek movie to date. While the studio likely eeked out a profit once it hit home video, the margins were slim. Thus, Paramount, which still hoped the franchise could bounce back in another movie, opted to shake things up for the ambitious Star Trek Nemesis. Yet, all the pricey talent they went after, at the sacrifice of some of Tng’s key creative players, could save the movie from being an all-out disaster that ended the Next Generation crew’s adventures on the big screen for good.
Jump back to 1998. Star Trek: Insurrection wasn’t a hit,...
Jump back to 1998. Star Trek: Insurrection wasn’t a hit,...
- 10/15/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
By the end of the third season of "Star Trek: Picard," the title character had been through quite a lot. He died and was resurrected in an android body. He traveled to alternate universe and was thrown back in time several centuries. He witnessed the opening of a portal into robot Cthulhu's dimension. He saw the Borg evolve into something benevolent. He reunited with Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) and discovered they had an adult son. So by the final scene of the series, when he and a group of old friends met in a bar for cocktails and a friendly round of poker, Picard had earned it.
Indeed, the scene of Picard, Crusher, Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Troi (Marina Sirtis), Worf (Michael Dorn), Data (Brent Spiner), and Geordi (LeVar Burton) all conversing, drinking, being friendly, and finally relaxing at the end of an adventure was more moving and exciting than...
Indeed, the scene of Picard, Crusher, Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Troi (Marina Sirtis), Worf (Michael Dorn), Data (Brent Spiner), and Geordi (LeVar Burton) all conversing, drinking, being friendly, and finally relaxing at the end of an adventure was more moving and exciting than...
- 10/2/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
At the conclusion of the third season of "Star Trek: Picard," after the villains had been defeated, showrunner Terry Matalas had properly and carefully set up another "Star Trek" spinoff series, should Paramount+ have wanted it. Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) had received a posthumous recommendation for a captaincy from her late commanding officer Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) and was put in command of the U.S.S. Titan-a, now newly rechristened the U.S.S. Enterprise-g. One can perhaps assume that the rechristening was a special favor for the aging Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) now over 100 and happy to have a legacy.
Also serving on the Enterprise-g were a raft of characters seen throughout "Picard," most notably Seven's ex-girlfriend Raffi (Michelle Hurd), who would serve as her first officer. Picard's adult son Jack (Ed Speleers) was hastened through Starfleet Academy and was already serving as an ensign. Also...
Also serving on the Enterprise-g were a raft of characters seen throughout "Picard," most notably Seven's ex-girlfriend Raffi (Michelle Hurd), who would serve as her first officer. Picard's adult son Jack (Ed Speleers) was hastened through Starfleet Academy and was already serving as an ensign. Also...
- 10/2/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
It seems like Jean-Luc Picard never learns. At the end of the Star Trek: The Next Generation finale “All Good Things…”, the Captain finally joins his senior officers of the USS Enterprise for a game of cards. “I should have done this a long time ago,” he admits with some resignation.
But when the Captain returned to screens for Star Trek: Picard, after a twenty-year absence following the dismal final Tng movie Star Trek: Nemesis, he didn’t bring his old crew with him. Sure, Data, Riker, and Troi dropped by for an episode or two, but Picard spent most of his time with a new renegade gang. It wasn’t until Picard hit its third and final season that the Captain was rejoined by his most famous crew.
Patrick Stewart recently explained to The Wrap the reservations he had about the final season. Although he admits that he is...
But when the Captain returned to screens for Star Trek: Picard, after a twenty-year absence following the dismal final Tng movie Star Trek: Nemesis, he didn’t bring his old crew with him. Sure, Data, Riker, and Troi dropped by for an episode or two, but Picard spent most of his time with a new renegade gang. It wasn’t until Picard hit its third and final season that the Captain was rejoined by his most famous crew.
Patrick Stewart recently explained to The Wrap the reservations he had about the final season. Although he admits that he is...
- 6/1/2023
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Spoiler Alert: This story discusses major plot developments in “The Last Generation,” the series finale of “Star Trek: Picard,” currently streaming on Paramount+.
The last time the cast of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” cast performed together on screen — in 2002’s “Star Trek: Nemesis” — it ended with a sour one-two punch: the sudden death of Data (Brent Spiner) and the financial failure of the film, which caused Paramount to stop making movies with the cast. Effectively, after a brilliantly successful seven-season run on TV, “The Next Generation” had been canceled from movie theaters.
Two decades later, when Terry Matalas was tapped to executive produce the final season of “Star Trek: Picard,” the lifelong “Trek” fan knew that he not only wanted to bring back the full “Tng” cast, but provide them with the swan song they had never received.
“I wanted it to feel like a proper send-off in the...
The last time the cast of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” cast performed together on screen — in 2002’s “Star Trek: Nemesis” — it ended with a sour one-two punch: the sudden death of Data (Brent Spiner) and the financial failure of the film, which caused Paramount to stop making movies with the cast. Effectively, after a brilliantly successful seven-season run on TV, “The Next Generation” had been canceled from movie theaters.
Two decades later, when Terry Matalas was tapped to executive produce the final season of “Star Trek: Picard,” the lifelong “Trek” fan knew that he not only wanted to bring back the full “Tng” cast, but provide them with the swan song they had never received.
“I wanted it to feel like a proper send-off in the...
- 4/21/2023
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
It's worth remembering, even with some of the franchise's better shows, that no "Star Trek" series started strong ("Strange New Worlds" perhaps notwithstanding). "Star Trek" might serve as the prime example of the old television criticism cliché "It doesn't get good until season three." Luckily, the characters and settings were typically strong enough to keep casual viewers interested until the shows improved.
As detailed in the documentary "Chaos on the Bridge," "Star Trek: The Next Generation" famously stumbled for two seasons as writers and producers jockeyed for power behind the scenes. It wasn't until the show underwent a massive restructuring at the start of its third year that it hit its stride. A new writing ethos dictated that "Next Generation" was going to be more character-focused, often centering individual episodes on a single member of its ensemble. Through such an approach, viewers saw how each character developed a unique working relationship with each other character.
As detailed in the documentary "Chaos on the Bridge," "Star Trek: The Next Generation" famously stumbled for two seasons as writers and producers jockeyed for power behind the scenes. It wasn't until the show underwent a massive restructuring at the start of its third year that it hit its stride. A new writing ethos dictated that "Next Generation" was going to be more character-focused, often centering individual episodes on a single member of its ensemble. Through such an approach, viewers saw how each character developed a unique working relationship with each other character.
- 2/10/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Actress Gates McFadden has said in interviews that she felt unsatisfied by her character's arc on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." For six of the show's seven seasons -- and for four feature films -- McFadden played the stalwart and morally upstanding Dr. Beverly Crusher, the chief medical officer on the U.S.S. Enterprise-d. She was the only parent at the start of the show, a first for the main cast of a "Star Trek" show. Eventually Worf (Michael Dorn) would have a son, and Data (Brent Spiner), Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis), Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes), and Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) would be given children for single episodes, but Dr. Crusher was the only character to weather being a parent in dialogue on a regular basis.
Dr. Crusher was also vital to the ensemble of NextGen, providing the show with its moral hard line. Most of the other characters...
Dr. Crusher was also vital to the ensemble of NextGen, providing the show with its moral hard line. Most of the other characters...
- 12/14/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Make sure you watch all the way through to the end of Star Trek: Picard‘s new trailer — otherwise, you’ll miss the return of a notorious Next Generation troublemaker.
“Lore,” LeVar Burton’s Geordi La Forge says forebodingly as he sets eyes on Data’s infamous — and historically unstable — android sibling.
More from TVLineStar Trek: Discovery Adds Three to Season 5 Cast -- Watch New TeaserWolf Pack Series Sets Paramount+ Premiere Date -- Watch Teaser TrailerTeen Wolf: The Movie Sets Paramount+ Premiere Date -- Watch First Clip
The moment caps a sneak peek at the Paramount+ drama’s 10-episode final season,...
“Lore,” LeVar Burton’s Geordi La Forge says forebodingly as he sets eyes on Data’s infamous — and historically unstable — android sibling.
More from TVLineStar Trek: Discovery Adds Three to Season 5 Cast -- Watch New TeaserWolf Pack Series Sets Paramount+ Premiere Date -- Watch Teaser TrailerTeen Wolf: The Movie Sets Paramount+ Premiere Date -- Watch First Clip
The moment caps a sneak peek at the Paramount+ drama’s 10-episode final season,...
- 10/8/2022
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
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