Star Trek: Picard brought back many The Next Generation stars alongside Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc, but it also found room for one fan favorite from Voyager, too. Namely, Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine. This opens the door for more characters from TNG‘s sister show to appear in future seasons. Robert Picardo, who played holographic medical man the Doctor on the series, seemed to be the next one on the way, as the actor had previously revealed that he’d been contacted about a return in Picard.
Picardo has just been asked about a possible comeback again, though, and his answer this time is very different. While speaking with ComicBook.com, the Voyager star categorically stated that there are “absolutely no plans” for him to turn up on Picard in season 2. He didn’t rule it out from ever happening, but maintained that there are “zero plans” at present.
“Well, I can say this: as of now, there are absolutely no plans and there is nothing in the works,” Picardo says. “I admire the show. I think everything is possible. I also know that the fans are a great driver often of what is done in Star Trek. We have not been driven to that particular point, so I’m not saying it couldn’t happen in the future, but there are zero plans for it happening now.”
That’s a little bit disappointing for Voyager fans, but at least we know that Seven will be back for season 2, after she was last seen remaining with Picard’s crew on La Sirena – and maybe starting up a relationship with Raffi – in the season 1 finale. Speaking of which, Picardo has seen season 1 and he told ComicBook.com how impressed he was with his former co-star’s performance and also how the writers handled modernizing Seven’s character and maturing her.
“I feel that the writers very intelligently took Seven of Nine, Jeri Ryan’s character, and brought her forward,” Picardo says. “She was obviously way more human. Because on the four years she spent on the Voyager series, we saw her just having been reclaimed from the Borg and relearning, largely with my character’s help, how to be human again. And now we see her fully rehumanized, however, still carrying the burden of her past, having her whole being been hijacked by this collective mind. She was still trying to right wrongs that from that period of her life rather than simply move ahead with her life and go back to being a regular human being. She couldn’t let go of her past.”
Though Picardo is a no-show, season 2 will no doubt see more Trek legends turning up. LeVar Burton has confirmed he’s had talks for a return as Geordi La Forge and we know that Whoopi Goldberg is dropping by as Guinan in some capacity. Jonathan Frakes also expects to be back as Riker, which presumably means Marina Sirtis will feature, too.
Star Trek: Picard season 2 has been delayed, but it should start shooting later this year.