Terry Matalas takes over as showrunner for season three of Picard and his season opener is a gorgeous blend of easter eggs, characters, stories, familiar music cues, and a bold new adventure. The first episode of the final season, The Next Generation, first aired on 16 February, 2023.

Picard (Patrick Stewart) receives a coded message from Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) whom he hasn’t seen in over twenty years, following the events of Nemesis. She’s wounded, in trouble and warns Jean-Luc not to trust anyone.

He engages Captain Riker (Jonathan Frakes) to help him reach her location, which means putting his blossoming relationship with Laris (Orla Brady) on possibly permanent hold.

Riker organizes transport aboard the neo-constitution class Titan, a refit of his old command, now chaired by Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) and has a familiar first officer, Seven (Jeri Ryan), though Shaw wants her to use her human name.

While we are treated to references and gorgeous cinematic moments with Picard and Riker, we also catch up with Raffi (Michelle Hurd) who is working undercover for Starfleet Intelligence and trying to track down information on a quantum-tunnelling device, that in the wrong hands could be a weapon.

She tracks rumours of a possible attack, but her handler refuses to give her a face-to-face and any help. She puts the pieces together about the attack just a little too late.

Riker and Picard arrive in a far-distant system, against Shaw’s explicit orders, and they discover Bervery’s ship, the Eleos, hiding in a nebula, their arrival triggers a response not just from a dangerous enemy who arrives, but also the reveal that Beverly’s companion on the ship is her son, Jack (Ed Speleers) – and everyone in the audience is automatically putting two and together to realize he’s Picard’s son!

Disengage was written by Christopher Monfette and Sean Tretta and debuted on 23 February, 2023.

While Picard, Riker and Jack try to figure out a way to outmaneauver the Shrike, and her captain, Vadic (Amanda Plummer) , Raffi continues to pull at the threads of the conspiracy surrounding the quantum-tunnelling device.

This leads her not only to interact with her ex, but also a dangerous Ferengi broker, Sneed (Aaron Stanford) that leads her to the direct reveal of her handler – surprise! It’s Worf (Micheal Dorn)!!

Picard, Riker and Jack seem to be in real trouble after their shuttle (the Saavik) gets blown up, leaving them on the Eleos, captured by a tractor beam. But Shaw orders the Titan into the fray, and draws the attention of the Shrike, and ups the stakes, because the enemy vessel is packed with weapons.

While Shaw tries to find a way out safely for he and his crew, Vadic adds a ticking clock, and Riker works to revive Beverly, who, with a look, confirms what everyone already suspects, Jack is Picard’s son, and that reveal forces Shaw to act to protect them all.

Leading us right into the end of the episode as the Shrike is preparing to attack the Titan.

Season three has an epic, cinematic feel, and it’s absolutely captivating to watch. And I am loving this revisit as I explore more of Star Trek: The Picard Legacy Collection, a limited edition boxed set available now from Paramount Pictures and Paramount Canada.

Boldly go.