In that first Abrams flick, Spock mentions that he failed to save the Romulan homeworld, Romulus, from a supernova that followed several years after Star Trek: Nemesis. That event and the subsequent end to the Romulan Empire "radically altered" Picard's life, Kurtzman said. Picard had spent his career simultaneously defending against and seeking peace with the Romulans, and their collapse was bound to change everything. Patrick Stewart said he wasn't going to reprise the role unless it could challenge expectations for Star Trek, and this clearly fits the bill.

There are still many unknowns, including the release date. There's little doubt that a lot is riding on the Picard series, though. CBS has multiple Star Trek shows in the All Access pipeline, but this is likely to be the most important given its story and star power.