The Next Generation

This Story: Season 3 Episode 1 (production code 301)
PIC Overall: Episode 21
Trek Overall: TBD
Airdate: 16 Feb 2023
Written by Terry Matalas
Directed by Doug Aarniokoski

Notes

• The episode carries a dedication (“For Annie”). This is a reference to Annie Wersching who played the Borg Queen in Picard Season 2.  She was dying of cancer when she filmed that and died about 9 months after her final episode aired.
• The title sequence that ran through the first two seasons of the show is completely disposed of – in fact the title sequence for this season is merely the logo, the opening bars of the original Star Trek theme song, and an episode title – very compact titles.
• The final episode for Orla Brady as Laris, a character who appeared in five prior episodes of the first two series of Star Trek Picard.
• The first episode for Ed Spellers as Jack Crusher as well as Todd Stashwick as Liam Shaw, who both join the show full time with this episode.
• Jonathan Frakes (Riker) & Gates McFadden (Beverly Crusher) appear for the first time this series.
• Much is made of “Frontier Day” in this episode. It is said to be the 250th anniversary of Starfleet.  According to Terry Matalas, this is a reference to the launch of the NX-01 in Star Trek: Enterprise.
• Audio logs from Jean-Luc are taken from the prior TNG episodes “The Best of Both Worlds“, “Unification I“, & “Encounter at Farpoint“.
• Picard’s authorization code of “Picard 4 7 Alpha Tango” is the same one used in Star Trek: Nemesis.
• We see “sequel” ships to several other known ships from Trek past.  We get the USS Enterprise NCC-1701F, USS Voyager-B, & USS Titan-A.  The USS Stargazer is also referenced.

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