So far, Star Trek: Picard is shaping up to be quite an entertaining series, and a great new take on the character we all know and love. Sprinkled through the episodes are lots of Next Generation references, as well as a few cameos like Commander Data.
More are inbound, and that’s a great thing, but the show could get bogged down in its own lore if it attempts to pay too much fan service. That’s why we’re taking a look at 5 cameos we’d love to see in Star Trek: Picard, and 5 we could easily do without.
WE WANT TO SEE BRUCE MADDOX
Bruce Maddox is the guy that kicked this whole plot-line off, and that began way back in The Next Generation’s pivotal Season 2 episode “The Measure Of A Man.” Maddox attempted to strong-arm Commander Data into undergoing a potentially dangerous procedure so that he could create more Soong-type androids. Data refused, forcing Starfleet to overrule his decision and claim he was their property. Picard fought for the rights of his crewman, eventually winning the battle on highly important moral and ethical grounds, forcing Maddox to withdraw his transfer order.
In subsequent years, it was hinted that Data and Maddox became good friends, thanks to their newfound understanding of one another. Data’s death in Star Trek: Nemesis set Maddox on a course to duplicate the creation of synthetic beings, including the twins Dahj and Soji. The first three episodes of the show have dropped Maddox’s name several times, and it’s clear that Picard wants to find this man. We definitely want to see Brian Brophy reprising his role, and we hope the showrunners haven’t led us on a wild goose chase!
WE DON’T WANT TO SEE WORF
As much as we like Worf, we don’t see his presence adding anything to the overall story. One could argue that the Romulan-centric plot could be spiced up with a Klingon officer thrown into the mix, especially in the wake of Romulus’ demise, but it’s a far stretch.
The show is about Picard. So far, the showrunners have wisely decided to keep previous crew cameos to a minimum. If there’s a Season 2, perhaps we can revisit the idea, but right now we’d prefer to let this storyline move right along, on its own.
WE WANT TO SEE PHILLIPA LOUVOIS
The JAG officer in charge of overseeing Data’s courtroom battle should have a cameo. Amanda McBroom could easily slip back into the role, perhaps having earned the Admiral’s stripes thanks to her inherent ambition.
Plus, it would be nice to see Picard get reacquainted with his former prosecutor, judge and source of sexual tension! Louvois’ take on the Mars attack, and Starfleet’s refusal to assist in the Romulan evacuation would be of interest, since it was her decision that inevitably set these things into motion.
WE DON’T WANT TO SEE THE BORG QUEEN
As much as we like the idea of Picard coming face to face with the Borg, we’re hoping the show doesn’t descend into a “Borg wake up and threaten the galaxy” sub-plot. That means keeping the Borg in the background, and letting ex-drones like Hugh take the reins.
We don’t want any Borg Queen cameos, that’s for sure. No flashbacks, no dreams, no guest appearances. We already have Picard seeing Data in his dreams, and that’s a good enough connection. Anything more would be exploitative.
WE WANT TO SEE DR. CRUSHER
Picard’s romantic ties with Doctor Beverly Crusher are self-apparent, and have been for some time. Although the TV show flirted with the idea of putting them together, it never occurred. Instead, Picard would find a brief romance in Star Trek: Insurrection, and that was it.
Since Picard clearly hasn’t been able to make it work for the long term, it might be wise to revisit his relationship with Dr. Crusher. After all, she’s a Doctor (a smart one, at that), and if anyone can find a cure for his ominous, yet-to-be-named disease, it’s her.
WE DON’T WANT TO SEE WESLEY CRUSHER
This is not a knock on Wesley Crusher’s character. We just don’t see a cameo doing anything for the show, or the story. Wesley left the series to embark on fantastic adventures of his own, with the help of the mysterious Traveler. Star Trek: Nemesis featured him in a brief cameo role at Riker and Troi’s wedding celebration, where he appeared to be back in Starfleet uniform.
Will he lend anything of substance or value to the story? No. Unfortunately, the showrunners wrote his character into obscurity by the time the 4th season had finished, which pushed him into irrelevancy.
WE WANT TO SEE Q
Yes, John de Lancie is a bit long in the tooth to play Q, but a little facial de-aging technology could see him return to his role as the galaxy’s most annoying God. We’re not entirely sure when Q should make a cameo, but we most certainly think he should.
Perhaps when the show ends (depending on how many seasons were planned), Picard could find himself on death’s door. Wouldn’t it be something if Q decided to grant Picard the powers of the Continuum, as a reward for all he’s done for the galaxy? Just a thought!
WE DON’T WANT TO SEE JANEWAY
We love Captain Janeway, but again, she won’t contribute anything to the story. We’re still not 100% sure how Seven of Nine’s presence is going to affect the show, and what she has to offer, but two Voyager connections are two too many for our taste. Besides, all indications say that Janeway has moved on to other things since making it home from the Delta Quadrant.
At this point, the less fingers in the pie, the better. And let’s not forget, there isn’t enough room for two former Trek captains!
WE WANT TO SEE TOMALAK
Picard’s Romulan nemesis Tomalak would make for a fantastic cameo! After all, these two former enemies are now in very different spots, with Picard resigning from Starfleet, and Tomalak no longer having a home to defend. Their on-screen clashes are some of the best moments in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Sadly, the role would need to be recast, since original actor Andreas Katsulas passed away in 2006 after a battle with lung cancer.
WE DON’T WANT TO SEE BARCLAY
Reginald Barclay is a great character. He’s the embodiment of the insecurity in all of us, and the inclusion of his character in The Next Generation showed us how we can conquer our fears and learn to be confident.
That being said, Barclay spent a lot of his time as a tie-in character for Star Trek: Voyager, and it was a fantastic pairing. Bringing him back into another storyline feels rather redundant at this point. Plus, the audience no longer relies on Barclay as an associative element. We have Picard for that.
