So, a year ago, at the TMP showing (as I've said a MILLION times since), I had a few minutes with Doug Drexler, Michael Okuda and Dave Blass. Filming had just finished on Picard Season 3 and they all really pushed that Season 3 of Picard was going to be "something special."

It absolutely was.

Without spoiling anything, I want to say that Season 3 is not just what I wanted out of the Picard series to begin with, but the new era of Trek in General. Discovery and Season 1 and 2 of Picard all felt only vaguely connected to the Star Trek Universe. The trappings were theyre, but they felt like square pegs in round holes. Discovery eventually found its footing launching itself into the future.

Strange New Worlds and even Lower Decks, however, do what Picard Season 3 finally did: Allowed themselves to be their own thing, but still deep in the tapestry of Star Trek.

This was absolutely something special. And I hope the future of Trek is this future. Where we aren't trapped in what came before, and we're not ignoring what came before, but that we use the universe to inform the new stories that are coming.

Great job, y'all. Great job.