Why Star Trek: Picard cut its original actors for season three of the series
As a hardcore Star Trek fan with decades of fandom under my belt, I must admit, I was initially taken aback when season three of Picard seemed to have forgotten some familiar faces. The absence of Captain Rios, Soji, and even Elnor was felt keenly, and the brief return of Isa Briones as a different character left me scratching my head. But, alas, the return of Raffi and the appearance of Worf brought a sense of comfort to this old fan’s heart.
As Star Trek: Picard entered its third season, some familiar faces were conspicuously absent. Characters like Captain Cristobal Rios (Santiago Carbrera), whose story concluded in season two and decided to remain in the past, or Isa Briones’ Soji character who had a brief appearance in season two but played an entirely new role by the end of it and traveled with Wil Wheaton’s Traveler. The whereabouts of Evan Evagora’s Elnor are unclear, but Allison Pill’s Dr. Agnes Jurati teamed up with the Borg Queen who had transformed into a benevolent form…for that queen at least.
Among the original cast members who appeared in the premiere of the first season alongside Patrick Stewart, only Raffi (Michelle Hurd) returned for season three. Although Jeri Ryan was part of season one of Picard, she didn’t join the series from its inception. Hurd has expressed her sadness over not collaborating with those actors earlier on. The question remains: why were some cast members let go, and the original cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation reintroduced for season three?
The question posed here essentially implies the answer: Michael Dorn, in his interview with Michael Rosenbaum on the Inside of You podcast, mentioned that the actors of The Next Generation were financially incentivized to such an extent that refusal wasn’t an option when offered for season three. However, considering the budget allocated for Picard and the potential costs associated with bringing back all original TNG cast members along with the actors from seasons one and two, it would have probably exceeded the budget available. [Credit: Screenrant]
They paid us so that we couldn’t say no. We could not say no. No, it’s not astronomical by no means.
Instead of astronomical, it was undeniably substantial. It’s unlikely they were underpaid compared to their earnings per episode on The Next Generation, and considering the number of actors who returned, that adds up significantly. They managed to introduce new characters like Todd Stashwick’s Liam Shaw for likely a fraction of what they would have paid the cast from Picard’s first two seasons.
Initially, Picard fans may not have been pleased, but the triumph of the last season demonstrates that the Picard crew made a wise decision to ensure the optimal result.
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2024-10-06 03:23