Star Trek: Picard takes place years after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but exactly how far forward in the timeline is the series set? The show reintroduces the legendary former Captain Jean-Luc Picard in his twilight years of retirement, and the character-driven narrative allows viewers to learn more about him. Met with high praise from critics, Star Trek: Picard is unique in the franchise because of its tone, but it also moves the story forward and explores the Star Trek universe in the 25th century. Even though decades separate Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard, the two shows were inextricably linked.
Timelines have always been important to the Star Trek franchise, and they're crucial in establishing continuity for Picard. The newer series established that Picard had changed since The Next Generation, and the intervening years between the two series were also important to understanding who he'd become in his older age. The TNG films also played a role in the development of the Picard character, and it was shown that the events of Star Trek: Nemesis and others hadn't been forgotten. As much as Picard has blazed its own trail, the show has also been a continuation of ideas set up in Star Trek: The Next Generation and its films.
