Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Key Art; Michael Dorn on Worf’s Return

With the February 16th premiere of the third & final season of Paramount+’s Star Trek: Picard right around the corner, there’s nothing better than the Television Critics Association’s (TCA) winter press event for us to get our hands on some news and previews. For this year’s session, cast members Sir Patrick Stewart, Jeri Ryan, Michelle Hurd, Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, and executive producers Alex Kurtzman & Terry Matalas were on hand to talk up the return of the “The Next Generation” cast and what viewers can expect from the streaming series’ final run. For example, here’s what Dorn had to say regarding Worf’s return this season: “Worf has always been on a journey; he’s always been looking and searching for who he is… You have to take a risk; you have to trust the people. I was really happy with everything that turned out with the character.” Matalas added, “He says he prefers pacifism, but he does have a giant anime-sized sword behind him.”

Thanks to The Ready Room host Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Big Bang Theory), we have a preview clip from next month’s return episode. And it does an excellent job of setting up the season as Jen-Luc receives a mysterious encrypted transmission. But more than the message, the bigger mystery is why it’s coming through a 20-year-old-plus Enterprise-D communicator. So check out the clip below (beginning around the 28:45 mark), and then get caught up on the previously-released previews that hit over the past few months:

Paramount+’s Star Trek: Picard features Stewart reprising his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard, which he played for seven seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and follows this iconic character into the next chapter of his life. LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner (as Lore), Jeri Ryan, and Michelle Hurd star alongside Stewart in the third and final season of the hit streaming series. In addition, Amanda Plummer (The Fisher King, Pulp Fiction) has joined the cast in a recurring role as Vadic, the mysterious alien captain of the Shrike, a warship that has set its sights on Picard and his old crewmates from his days on the Enterprise. In addition, Mica Burton (Critical Role, Vampire: The Masquerade: L.A. by Night) plays Ensign Alandra La Forge, Geordi La Forge’s (Burton) youngest daughter, who works alongside her father. Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut (Cruel Summer) is on board as Ensign Sidney La Forge, the eldest daughter of Geordi La Forge and helmsman of the U.S.S. Titan. Daniel Davis is set to reprise his ST: TNG role as Professor Moriarty.

The series is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. For the third season, Alex Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, Terry Matalas, Patrick Stewart, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Doug Aarniokoski, and Dylan Massin serve as executive producers. Terry Matalas serves as the showrunner for season three, which premieres on Thursday, February 16, 2023, on Paramount+.

And here’s a look at the most recent preview images released for the upcoming third & final season: