Star Trek: Picard - 7 Ups & 5 Downs From Season 1

1. Patrick Stewart

For nearly 20 years, Patrick Stewart resisted the temptation to return to this role. There were, allegedly, no shortage of offers for him to reprise it parts both big and small, but he always felt like the time had passed and Jean-Luc Picard's story was over. Until, that is, he read the script for Picard.

If his heart hadn't been in it, if he'd gone into the role with anything less than the enthusiasm and energy he had in 1987, this was never going to work. For a nearly 80-year-old man, that's not something you can take for granted, but he's been wonderful at both channeling the Picard of old and showing a more weary, vulnerable side of him.

Even if the story did nothing else for you, even if you found the episodes unengaging, even if you loudly threw up your arms and cried out "this isn't MY Star Trek", even if your poor mother is paying for your internet just so you can cry-arse on a website's comment section about a TV show nobody is forcing you to watch, it was surely worth it to spend a few more hours in the company of this character.

How far we go with all of this beyond the imminent next season remains to be seen, but with an enthusiasm for the part and a brand new crew at his back, Patrick Stewart ensures we'll be here to see it.