While Patrick Stewart admitted that he was underwhelmed by “Star Trek: Insurrection,” he was so dejected by the outcome of “Star Trek: Nemesis” that he thought his missions to the final frontier were completely in the rear-view mirror. “‘Nemesis’ was a dud, as far as I was concerned,” Stewart wrote in “Making it So.” “By the time it had come and gone, I wanted no further part of sci-fi, uniforms, or anything to do with outer space. I was convinced that my time as Jean-Luc Picard was consigned forever to the past.”
Stewart wasn’t the only cast member who was underwhelmed by the film. William Riker actor Jonathan Frakes admitted that “Star Trek: Nemesis” didn’t work because the film focuses more on the villain, Praetor Shinzon (Tom Hardy), and doesn’t concentrate enough on Picard, Riker, and the “family” — aka crew members Data (Brent Spiner), Geordi La Forge (Levar Burton), Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), Worf (Michael Dorn), and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden).
If there was any emotion felt by Stewart during the making of “Star Trek: Nemesis,” it stemmed from the love he had for his longtime family of castmates since the actor knew their time together was coming to an end. As such, there was a scene that made Stewart break down in tears at the film’s conclusion, when Picard bids farewell to Riker and effectively, his dear friends. Happily, Stewart reunited with all of the core cast members of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” as each of them appeared in the Paramount+ spin-off series “Star Trek: Picard,” which ran for three seasons from 2020 to 2023.
