[Updated on August 3, 2024, to add new information regarding the release and end dates of the TV show.]
CBS is working with another familiar face for the upcoming Picard-led Star Trek spinoff series. More specifically, William Riker himself, Jonathan Frakes. The duo of Frakes and Patrick Stewart will hopefully be making their return back to the Star Trek universe by the end of 2019.
The series is set to have ten episodes for the first season, with different directors taking turns on the ten episodes. There will be five blocks, each with their own directors. Frakes is set to direct the second block of episodes, which includes episodes three and four. The first two episodes are directed by Hanelle Culpepper. Frakes has said he is starting to prep for his block of episodes once they wrap up Culpepper’s. During an interview with TrekMovie, Frakes explained:
“Yeah, they are doing it in blocks. There are going to be ten episodes, with five blocks … She is about to start shooting, and then I start prepping after she starts shooting for a couple of days. I am so looking forward to it, I can’t tell ya.”
Jonathan Frakes, TrekMovie
Frakes was also asked if the series was going to be structured as 5 mini-arcs. The actor stated:
“No, I read the first two and it is not that. It is a ten-episode movie, as Patrick put it one time. I think it has to do with amortization. It is a very ambitious approach to television, in the first season.”
Jonathan Frakes, TrekMovie
Star Trek: Picard was eventually released on January 23, 2020, and ran three seasons, with the finale premiering on April 20, 2023.
