Some things only improve with age. Say, for example, a fine cheese. Or perhaps a bottle of wine. Although possibly not a Château Picard of the late 24th Century vintage.
The past exploits of its maker, however, are something that can be savoured over and over again, as Star Trek: The Next Generation racks up more than three-and-a-half decades since first airing in September 1987. It seems the voyages of the Starship Enterprise-D and its Captain – Jean-Luc Picard – have endured far better than some of their contemporaries in sci-fi series, as well as successors, some of which are more like vinegar in comparison. Over the course of seven seasons totalling 178 episodes and four motion pictures, the TNG era of the Star Trek saga became truly beloved, and affection for it continues to grow.
Back in 2002, it seemed as if all good things must come to an end with Star Trek: Nemesis, as the torch of the Trek legacy had already been passed to other series. Patrick Stewart had already started moving on to other roles, and it seemed like the door was firmly closed on any further adventures. Yet it was a surprise appearance and announcement by Stewart at a 2018 convention which heralded the return of the gallant – and Gallic – Captain, with news of a new series which was in production: Star Trek: Picard. And with that, faces were well and truly set to stunned.
READ MORE: Nightmares in a Damaged Brain (1981) / Bad Biology (2008) – Severin Films Blu-ray Review
With Star Trek boldly going where it had never gone before – the era of streaming services – it was now the time for us to catch up with Picard two decades on. For the first time since the last big screen outing for the TNG crew, we would return to the ‘Bermanverse’ era of Trek, picking up on the very cusp of the 25th Century. Over the next three seasons, we would encounter old friends and foes alike, as well as meeting new faces along the way. Not only would it be an award winning show, Picard would also go on to be critically acclaimed and its last season would see a Star Trek series hit the streaming ‘Top 10’ for the first time ever.
To not only have Captain – now Admiral – Picard return, but to also prove to be a significant success is quite the story, one which Joe Fordham fulsomely recounts in his book Star Trek: Picard – The Art and Making of the Series. This coffee table tome from Titan Books takes us through from the genesis of the programme, with a look at each season, taking us behind the scenes of Picard’s comeback, and what it took to achieve such an enterprise. Fordham is something of an old hand in this regard, having already taken a look at the Planet of the Apes movies, and an upcoming publication about the Alien franchise being in the works.
READ MORE: Blade Runner 2039 #10 – Comic Review
For the 25th anniversary of Star Trek: First Contact, he also took a deep dive into the making of that film for Titan, so he really is a safe pair of hands for producing this kind of work. This latest book really makes you appreciate how much time and effort went into putting together Picard’s swansong, by building upon not just the story, but also the visual look and feel of what went before, and making it feel like a logical and natural progression from the world building which had gone into delivering the 24th Century on TV and in films over a 15-year span. The real endgame here was evolution, rather than revolution, and the many pages of designs demonstrate how much graft that took to achieve.
Even more impressive are the considerable lengths to which the production team went in recreating the Enterprise-D, so that it both looked and felt totally authentic, and you have a very real sense of just what a labour of love this whole project was. In an age when Star Trek on streaming plays rather fast and loose with its renditions of previous eras, you come away from Fordham’s book with a far greater appreciation of what attention to detail Picard’s makers gave. Page upon page of sumptuous designs and photographs perfectly illustrate the toil which clearly went into getting things just right, as well as allowing you to study the end product far more than was sometimes possible on screen.
READ MORE: Paths of Glory (1957) – 4K UHD Review
If there is any criticism, despite coming in at more than 200 pages, Star Trek: Picard – The Art and Making of the Series leaves you feeling as though there is some scope for a fuller ‘making of’, as the art side does – understandably enough – take up such a sizeable chunk of the book. It perhaps speaks of just what a great job Fordham has done here in lifting the veil on the creative process behind Picard and giving readers tantalising insights into the story of how the series was put together, you almost feel short changed, as there seems to have been more than enough potential for an entire volume to have been devoted to each season in their own right.
But such quibblings feel a little churlish, given just what an endeavour this has truly been. So, let us all raise a glass and toast Fordham on a job well done. Just not a Château Picard Bordeaux, which – unlike this publication – is far too dry to enjoy.
Star Trek: Picard – The Art and Making of the Series is out on 27th February from Titan Books.
