star trek picard boots

Why Picard's Special Uniform Is More Important Than You Think

Star Trek: The Next Generation went through an evolving process with regard to their uniforms. For the first two seasons, most everyone was wearing incredibly tight onesies with boot straps. The goal was that there would be no wrinkles, and that worked! Unfortunately, there was a metaphorical wrinkle — the uniforms were so tight that the physically pained the actors wearing them. At the time there was only one other option: the skant, a version of the uniform that ends in a skirt. Both men and women background actors wore the skant on occasion, but the only lead cast member to ever wear it was Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and even that was temporary.

Much to the relief of most cast members, the standard Starfleet uniform was updated, beginning in season 3, by costume designer Robert Blackman. Rather than being one piece, the new uniform was a jacket and trousers.

However, there is one actor who got yet another version of their uniform: Captain Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ). The reason why his suit was changed is interesting, in more ways than you might guess. Let's talk about the genesis of the uniform, what it consists of, how it came to be, and how it seamlessly evolves the character of Jean-Luc Picard in ways you probably never even thought about.

Darmok and Jalad and a sweet, new suede jacket at Tanagra

The stardate is 45047.2, the actual date is September 30, 1991, and the episode is "Darmok." The Enterprise-D has been tasked with attempting to build The Children of Tama despite extreme difficulty in understanding their language. If you were alive when that episode first aired, you were likely very distracted for one very simple reason: the captain was wearing an open jacket. 

Yes, while everyone else was still in their normal uniforms, Captain Picard was tooling around in a suede coat with black, leather shoulders. And while the leather would ultimately be replaced with microsuede, we'd start seeing Picard in this outfit more and more often. The question is, where did this new jacket come from, and why? 

It turns out that Sir Patrick Stewart himself was interested in making Picard stand out, according to StarTrek.com . Robert Blackman, along with Stewart's input, set about making this new jacket to do exactly that. There's justification for a captain-specific uniform both within the continuity of Star Trek, and in real life: For example, on Star Trek: The Original Series, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) got his own wraparound tunic uniform. In real life, it's not uncommon for certain air carrier and submarine commanders to have a uniform specific to them.

But what makes this new uniform really interesting is the psychological component, as far as Picard himself. We've spent years with everyone but Troi perpetually wearing the same thing, and it's noteworthy that Picard, of all people, is the one to stretch his wings and wear something different. The reason, as it happens, is related to a rather dark incident with the Borg .

What it means for Picard to choose to stand out

Let's look a little further back for a moment. The stardate is 44001.4, the actual date is September 24, 1990, and the episode is "The Best of Both Worlds Part II." Captain Picard has been assimilated by the Borg. His identity has been ripped from him, all his knowledge has been devoured by the Collective, and they are using his face and his voice to act as ambassador while the Borg attempt to systematically dismantle the entirety of the Federation. Using Picard's knowledge and his body, the Borg invade the Alpha Quadrant, engage a fleet of Starfleet vessels, and obliterate them all. 

Eventually the crew of the Enterprise-D stop the Borg and save Picard's life, but the psychological damage is done. Picard has lost a part of himself, and, furthermore, must live with blood on his hands, even though he had no control of his actions.

Picard is, infamously, a bit of a stuffed shirt when we first meet him. After being assimilated by the Borg, it's safe to say that he crawls behind his stiff, public persona for safety. "Darmok" takes place almost exactly one year after Picard recovers from Borg assimilation. What makes that new uniform so interesting, then, is that it explicitly sets him apart from the rest of the crew: That suede coat is Picard expressing (and reclaiming) his individuality, even though he's usually so strict in his following of Starfleet rules. In essence, one year after being assimilated by a collective intelligence, Picard finally finds the strength to publicly declare that he is his own person, and that he has the right to stand out from the crowd.

That new jacket isn't just nice to look at, but is Picard's way of moving on from the Borg, and that's what makes the costume so special. 

Interview with Star Trek: Picard Costume Designer, Christine Bieselin Clark

Written and Edited By

Elizabeth Joy Glass

The past year has been incredible for the universe of Star Trek! We’ve seen so many great costumes come out of shows such as Star Trek: New Worlds , Star Trek: Discovery , and of course, Star Trek: Picard . We were excited to learn that costume designer Christine Bieselin Clark was nominated for a 2022 Emmy® for the costume design of Star Trek: Picard in the Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes category! I spoke to Christine about the nomination, collaborating with Sir Patrick Stewart , and being a part of the Star Trek legacy.

Elizabeth Joy Glass: Congratulations to you, Christine, and your team on the Emmy® nomination! How does it feel, and what does this nomination mean to you?

Christine Bieselin Clark : Thank you so much! It was a wonderful surprise really, unexpected and so thoroughly appreciated. This was a particularly challenging show with a really high bar for the visuals, so it’s very, very special to be recognized by my peers.

Elizabeth: For season two, you redesigned the Starfleet Uniforms. What prompted you to make this decision, and what were you trying to convey with this new uniform?

Christine: Our Starfleet Uniforms of season one were admittedly created in a bit of haste and, though they are perfectly lovely designs, me and our producers felt we could deliver something more grand for season two. With Starfleet playing a much more featured role in season two, I wanted to pick up where we left off but create a sleeker, more sophisticated design for 2400.

Christine: The new uniforms use the same materials, division colors, and delta print in dimensional ink as our season one designs, but the asymmetrical silhouette is most definitely a nod to the designs from Wrath of Khan and the delicate piping details, so meticulously sewn, are a really beautiful detail. We also added cadet uniforms this season, and I particularly love the shape we created for the yoke, which gives a little “pocket” for the combadge to live.

Elizabeth: What was the collaborative process like between you, Sir Patrick Stewart , and the other very-talented cast members?

Christine : Our cast has always been a source of light for me – they are all truly generous collaborators who graciously gave me a welcomed voice in the visual narrative. I’m very grateful for their constant support and appreciation for my design perspective.

There was a day, early in filming the season, that Alison Pill was on set for the first time. Our full team of heroes, including the new Borg Queen, were beaming in on the transporter pad of La Sirena, and Alison was seeing everything for the first time. She was just shining her light on me, and the whole cast took a moment to appreciate and acknowledge the costumes. It was lovely.

Elizabeth : For the Borg Queen, I heard that you got to collaborate with creature designer Neville Page and makeup artist James MacKinnon. How did this collaboration work with having to create such a complex design?

Christine : The design and build of a creature costume must be collaborative to be successful. From concept art through fittings, prosthetic testing, camera tests and on to the first day of filming, it is a carefully choreographed dance. I simply had the BEST dance partners in Neville Page (Lead Creature Designer), Dorothy Bulac-Eriksen (Key Specialty Costumer), Vincent Van Dyke (Prosthetic Designer), Imario Susilo (Costume Concept Artist) and James MacKinnon (Makeup Department Head). Neville and I go way back to our work on TRON: Legacy and getting to collaborate again in season one was like putting the band back together.

Tackling the Borg Queen in season two was like going back to school with your besties after a great summer. Neville and I started our process sharing our conceptual point of view, loads of reference images and samples for texture, color, etc. We are like two parallel adventurers that eventually meet up and join forces once our design paths are more fully formed. So much of my design is following the example of the intricate details in the creature design – and like any great partnership, communication is key. In the end, the overall look is hugely successful and there’s a small army of talent behind that success.

Elizabeth: One of the most exciting parts of this season was the return of Q! What was your process for redesigning such a beloved and iconic character?

Christine : Whenever I’ve been given the opportunity to design for a returning legacy character, I take that responsibility quite seriously. As a costume designer, you want to have connectivity to the visuals and iconic imagery that the fan base is familiar with and be respectful of the costume designers that created those looks. There is also the need to contemporize the design to meet the audience’s aesthetic appetite, which has changed in the decades since we last saw Q.

My first meeting with John de Lancie was simply to try on shapes that would inform the right silhouette for Q. This was a much more dramatic and serious arc for Q on Star Trek: Picard and my design needed to reflect that. We chose midnight blue for the color palette – to lean into the darker tone of the narrative while still retaining some optimism in color. The silhouette is elegant and operatic, impeccably tailored by Michael Sloan who worked with me in creating all of Q and Picard’s costumes this season. I also wanted to create a motif for him that had line language inspired by the gorgeous jewels Q wore in TNG – Concept Artist Imario Susilo helped me articulate artwork that was used in the motifs on the back of his coat and also in the custom jewelry pieces we 3D printed for him.

Elizabeth: Whoopi Goldberg also returned to the Star Trek universe in season 2, reprising the role of Guinan in multiple episodes. She wore a great red costume with a matching hat that was very striking. What was it like working on the costume for this returning character?

Christine : Working with Whoopi was a kick! She’s just a powerhouse of a lady and I was over the moon at the chance to continue Guinan’s sartorial storyline, both in 2024 and 2400. My point of view was the same as it was with Q, to respect and continue the visuals from past, but contemporize them. I had an early Zoom chat with Whoopi who was on the East Coast and showed her some artwork of different design directions. She loved the direction and the choices of color to connect with Guinan’s TNG palette. We talked about details, hats, fabrics and she was so complimentary it made me giddy!

Our amazing Textile Artist Tÿra Youland , hand dyed every piece of fabric and we used a devoré (burn out) technique with custom designed art deco graphics. We had our first fitting with Whoopi at the hotel the night before she filmed – myself, my phenomenal Assistant Costume Designer Alison Agler , Dorothy Bulac-Eriksen (Key Specialty Costumer) and Sharon McGunigle (Cutter/Fitter) were like a traveling circus setting up, then running back to get everything ready for the next day. We had a check fitting with Whoopi in the morning and then went right to camera!

Elizabeth : Watching this show, I noticed you have a strong connection with fabrics and textiles. How important were your fabric and textile choices to the costumes and the overall story?

Christine : A beautiful design on paper can take a devastating turn for the worse in construction if the fabric choices aren’t working. It’s an intricate process of acquiring samples of fabrics that could work aesthetically, then consulting with your costume makers on how each fabric can lend itself to or hinder the design results, then making sure you can get enough of it when the supply chains are broken! Thankfully, I had the extremely knowledgeable and ever persistent Allison Agler (Assistant Costume Designer) working alongside me to cull the most perfect specimens for each design. I have a great love for textiles, but they often are missing one attribute, so I’m very big on manipulating, enhancing, dying, fusing, layering and transforming the fabrics I choose to achieve each design.

Elizabeth : Seven of Nine is another beloved and iconic Star Trek character they brought back for Picard. What has your approach been when updating her wardrobe?

Christine : Jeri Ryan is Star Trek royalty and Seven is such a beloved character, I knew I had my work cut out for me, but I was ready for the challenge! It was important to me that we updated Seven’s look in season one to meet her where she was: a Fenris Ranger—the Robinhood’s of the galaxy if you will. Her costume had to be physically adept, battle worn and still have a nod of the silhouette from Voyager, but I distinctly wanted a point of view that celebrated Seven’s physical attributes in her strength and agility – which we then further updated in season two. Every garment has a little backstory in aging and breakdown – alien scratch marks, blood spatter, the marks in her boots – it was a labor of love to create looks for such an iconic character.

Elizabeth: We love a good red dress at The Art of Costume! Jurati (played by Alison Pill ) wears a beautiful red dress with so many layers to it. Tell us about this look?

Christine : I knew the dress had a storyline of its own and had to hit a lot of beats through many episodes. To begin, it needed impact, drama, style and WOW factor – which clearly meant it must be red! It is charming and quirky, as we would expect from Agnes Jurati, with classic lines and little bit of Audrey Hepburn charm, but it also has a super dramatic neckline that was stunning on Alison.

We used a combination of silk fabrics to layer for movement – one of the layers in her skirting has a custom printed foil design we created in house to lean into the style lines of the Borg Queen costume she would eventually wear after shedding the red dress. At the beginning, when she is singing on stage, that’s just a twinkle of a layer in a beautiful dress, but as she comes undone, slowly assimilating, the dress takes a beating, losing layers and revealing that graphic geometric foil print. It’s a fan favorite!

Elizabeth: Star Trek: Picard is a show in a long, incredible legacy that is the Star Trek universe. How does it feel to be a part of that legacy, and do you feel that weight when designing these costumes?

Christine : To be given the opportunity to plant your feet in the history of a franchise that has opened minds and hearts for generations – that’s a gift that I will cherish for a lifetime.

Star Trek: Picard is available to stream on Paramount +

Elizabeth Joy Glass grew up on the east coast in Pennsylvania surrounded by early American history. A childhood full of fantasy, sci-fi and historical media, inspired her to start sewing and cosplaying. After high school, Elizabeth decided to move across the country to study fashion and costume design at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. While in school she worked on several AFI thesis films in the costume department. Elizabeth ultimately graduated with a B.A. in Digital Cinema and decided to pursue a career in video production and screenwriting, but she still holds a love for costume design and its history.

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Star Trek: Picard

Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life. Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life. Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life.

• Kirsten Beyer
• Michael Chabon
• Akiva Goldsman
• Patrick Stewart
• Michelle Hurd
• 2.8K User reviews
• 78 Critic reviews
• 14 wins & 54 nominations total

Episodes 30

• Jean-Luc Picard

• Raffi Musiker

• Seven of Nine

• Dr. Agnes Jurati

• Cristóbal Rios …

• Adam Soong …

• La Sirena Computer

• Jack Crusher

• Doctor Beverly Crusher

• Captain Liam Shaw

• Ensign Sidney La Forge

• Ensign Esmar

• Titan Computer …
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• Trivia The Chateau Picard vineyard first appeared in Family (1990) . It was run by Jean-Luc Picard's brother Robert and his wife Marie, and their son René. Jean-Luc would learn in Star Trek: Generations (1994) that Robert and René had both burned to death in a fire, leaving Jean-Luc as the last in the Picard line.
• Goofs Commodore Oh often wears sunglasses. Star Trek lore establishes that Vulcans have an inner eyelid to protect against harsh sunlight on their desert planet. Oh's shades are a fashion statement, not a protective measure.
• The first season features a Borg cube and the planet Romulus.
• The second season features a Borg ship, a wormhole and hourglass, and the Borg Queen's silhouette.
• The third season does not have an opening titles sequence.
• Connections Featured in Half in the Bag: Comic Con 2019, The Picard Trailer, Streaming Services, and Midsommar (2019)

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• January 23, 2020 (United States)
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Get A Look At The ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Costume Display In San Diego

| January 25, 2020 | By: Christine Rideout 59 comments so far

TrekMovie was at The San Diego Comic-Con Museum for the screening of Star Trek: Picard, where CBS All Access generously provided costumes and props from the show for a temporary two-day exhibit. Free tickets to the screening went like hotcakes within minutes of being announced, but the exhibit was open to all, also at no charge.

The San Diego Science Fiction Coalition had a table with Star Trek memorabilia and collectibles on display, and plenty of cosplayers on hand to pose for pictures with the guests in front of their galaxy backdrop.

The author poses with other members of the San Diego Sci-Fi Coalition

Star Trek memorabilia display

There were ten costumes on display (eleven if you count Number One’s collar) and a few props, some of which are being shown in public for the first time. Along with the costumes, there were photos of the actors wearing them, as well as some concept art by Greg Hopwood. Accompanying each piece was a placard describing the character and some notes on designer Christine Bieselin Clark’s costumes.

The wall of costumes

Jean-Luc Picard

Picard’s (Patrick Stewart) costume that he wears at the vineyard is one we have seen before: A red turtleneck sweater with interesting texture, brown pants, and a long overcoat on which the Picard family crest pin is attached. He carries a cane and has overly complicated high boots, which are the main difference from the accompanying concept art.

The concept art for Picard’s vineyard look

In addition to the Vineyard costume, the outfit that Picard wears on La Sirena (Rios’ ship) was on display. Hints of previous Picard uniforms shine through the all black and gray uniform’s design. The shoulder yokes, similar to those of the Nemesis jacket, are made of embossed leather. The bulk of the jacket is a dark gray herringbone tweed fabric. Practicality prevails in the pocketed pants made of gray fabric with a tiny grid pattern, with slits in front of the ankles. The suede boots have an interesting strap across the instep that cosplayers will have a tough time duplicating.

The concept art for this piece is very close to the finished product; the main difference is the size of the leather yoke.

Dahj’s (Isa Briones) costume looks fantastic up close. It’s an emerald green hooded cloak with leather accents worn over a black tunic and leggings with strappy combat type boots. This is the cloak she wears when she seeks out Jean-Luc Picard at his vineyard.

Seven of Nine

The Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) costume is a more casual look that we’ve been used to seeing on her. She wears tight pants with zippered pockets, brown leather tall boots, and a gold mesh sweater. Around the waist are leather and metal belts, worn crisscrossed. Topping it all off is a detailed brown leather jacket with a custom Romulan-looking zipper pull.

Hugh (Jonathan Del Arco) wears a very textured shirt and pair of pants with random straps at the knees. Clark worked with textile artist Ivory Stanton on a multi-stepped process of texture and paint to achieve the look.  The harness that he wears, which recalls textures and materials of Hugh’s Borg past, were made using laser-etched urethanes. Hugh’s lace-up boots are also highly textured in the same style, and he wears a hexagonal badge.

The concept art for Hugh differs in the detailing on the neck and some straps on the thigh, but otherwise is very close.

The Romulan Elnor (Evan Evagora) wears a warrior’s costume. Clark used a combination of silk shantung and tussah for the indigo blue jacket and trousers. The fabric was custom dyed by master dyer Tyra Youland; evidently that particular color is reserved only for Elnor and his people. Leather is used to accent the sleeves. The Romulan inscription on his belt was translated by linguist Trent Pehrson. Unfortunately, the signage at the exhibit did not provide an English translation. Elnor’s tall boots are also indigo, with straps winding around and up the lower legs.

The costume nearly duplicates the concept art here, and the result is beautiful.

Raffi Musiker

Raffi Musiker’s (Michelle Hurd) costume is a jumpsuit that she wears when she joins the crew of La Sirena . Over the sleek jumpsuit is a large vest with huge pockets and a large waistband. There are seams at the shoulder to provide stylistic detail and a mandarin collar on the jumpsuit underneath. The boots are fairly simple leather workboots, worn with the pant legs over them.

Cristóbal “Chris” Rios (Santiago Cabrera) wears a rather casual, yet militaristic outfit of slim-fitting pocketed pants, a black henley top, and a sort of patchworked, yet monochrome vest. Surprisingly, the vest does not seem to have pockets, which would make it infinitely more functional. The textured pattern on the vest is the same as on the Picard costume. These elements of design are seen throughout his ship .

The concept art for Rios is similar to the final costume, but the vertical zippers on the front of the pants did not make it into the final version, and the vest in the concept art has cleaner lines and buttons instead of a zipper.

La Sirena insignia

Rios can be seen wearing the insignia of his private ship named La Sirena (which translates to the siren or mermaid). The insignia appears to be an abstract mermaid. Picard, Musiker, and Jurati can be seen wearing the same small insignia on their outfits once they join up with Rios.

Agnes Jurati

Two costumes for Dr. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill) were on display. One is the lab coat that she wears at the Daystrom Institute. It is wrinkled and well-worn around the edges. Notable is the lack of a back seam; the two sides are kept together by a thick metal ring. Beneath the lab coat are a simple pair of periwinkle pants and a feminine shell, and she wears matching flats on her feet. Cosplayers should be sure to finish this look with the ID badge worn around her neck on a silver chain.

Jurati’s La Sirena costume is in the same dark tones of her shipmates. She wears slim-fitting pants, a plain black shirt, and a zip-front jacket. She was smart enough to replicate pockets on her space travel clothing.

Props that were on display included cases of Chateau Picard wine, Number One’s leather collar and delta-shaped dog tag. Also displayed were a Romulan knife, Romulan dual barreled disrupter, and Romulan Black Ops Helmet.

Everyone in attendance for the screening Thursday was given a poster and a gift card for CBS All Access in order to continue watching the series at home. The hospitality shown by the Comic-Con Museum and CBS All Access was appreciated by all.

The poster handed out to attendees

New episodes of Star Trek: Picard are released on CBS All Access in the USA Thursdays at 12:01 AM PT/3:01 AM ET. In Canada it airs Thursdays on CTV Sci-Fi Channel at 6PM PT /9PM ET and then is made available to stream on Crave. For the rest of the world it streams Fridays on Amazon Prime Video. Episodes are released weekly.

Keep up with all the  Star Trek: Picard   news at TrekMovie.

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The Romulan knife is the same one as the knife used by Shinzon to give a blood sample in Star Trek Nemesis. It is the so-called “double shadow knife” created by Gil Hibben.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Reman_blade_weapons

Thanks Jörg.

I couldn’t place it as Romulan at all.

My spouse and I have only seen Nemesis once, but we’re feeling that we’re going to have to give it a rewatch with our kids.

Gil Hibben designed many pieces of assault cutlery for Star Trek (he’s known as The Official Armorer of the Klingon Empire). He is also the creator of the Bowie-style knives Sylvester Stallone and others used in the Rambo and Expendables movies.

Lookin’ good!

Gotta say, I didn’t like the designs initially, when I saw them in trailers and the first episode. But seeing them this way, makes me really appreciate the costume design of the show. Nice job!

Though I’d also like to see an oficial picture of the the new uniforms, even though they probably won’t be a big part of the show.

As much as I like this show, I believe Picard’s garment too much looks like nowadays elderly people’s clothings. And that does not make sense. I think, contemporarily, older people tend to wear those color palettes because it’s based on the fashion of their own youth. Boys in the 1950s and 1960s would have worn similar styles. It’s not a matter of age but of nurture and habits.

Nobody says: okay, I’m old now…I should start wearing greyish, brownish suits instead of more colorful stuff. No, it’s what they had always worn! In 50 years from now, old people will still wear colorful T-shirts…

That’s why Picard’s fashion choices don’t make sense from my POV.

La Sirena? :-) Sounds like a ship right out of The Expanse :-) Can I call her Siri?

Who’s to say that old man Picard’s clothes weren’t fashionable back in the early 24th Century? Maybe Dahj was thinking “Gah, that red turtleneck is SO 2320s!”

The red turtleneck is indeed the only part of the vineyard outfit that looks reasonably futuristic and doesn’t try to mimic contemporary elderly fashion.

I can accept the modern-day look of the casual clothes because so much of current fashion is just recycled from the past. As we start into the decade of the 20s, people are talking about bringing back styles from the Roarin’ 20s of last century. And hipsters are recycling shirts, pants, glasses, etc from past generations. And students imitating 80s hair and 70s bellbottoms…

The costumes are as bland, colorless, and dull as the theme music. Good thing they have talented actors to distract us from all the drabness.

Man, the theme music is SUPERB! It’s just so wonderful with it’s semi-celtic intro growing into a beautiful symphonic tune. Easily the best theme tune since Voyager and one of the best TV themes on air…

It’s Star Trek Inner Light meets Outlander meets Waking Ned Devine…

I couldn’t be a tad happier about it! A matter of taste, I guess…

The theme music is growing on me.

I found the main melody running through my head as I was falling asleep. It’s definitely more of an ear-worm than I expected.

Like many, I found that the theme music didn’t stand out on first listen.

But I have to admit, our family watch party was focused on seeing what happens next.

It’s an absolute grower! It didn’t stick with me the first time round either. Just like the TUC score back in the day. Now Eidelman’s score is one of my Trek favourites.

And Russo managed to include the NextGen tune towards the end in a far, far more natural, appropriate way than it was done with the Enterprise fanfare on DSC…

The DSC tune is okay, but it is broken. It’s half-baked cover tune of the Pirates of the Caribbean track Hoist the Colors from the third movie.

But this time, Russo has really created a masterpiece. I hope there will be a longer symphonic suite at some point, just as with the Inner Light theme.

The more I think about it, both The Inner Light theme as well as the Skye Boat Song from Outlander resonate with it beautifully, almost as if they were different parts, different movements, of the same symphony.

Well, maybe The Inner Light is the upward movement of The Skyeboat Song and Picard is the downward movement of the Skyeboat Song… Gosh, if that was done on purpose… just wow! Not an expert, just listening and feeling it…

Hahahahahahahahahah that’s hilarious, Garth! (Unless you’re serious.)

I’m always serious. :-) It’s really cool, that connection between Inner Light and Picard. Both resemble some vital cues from The Skyeboat Song. Not to the last note, but it’s there. The Skyeboat Song is the missing link inbetween The Inner Light and the Picard theme. It#s just beautiful. Positively geeking out over this :-)

Um…okay. Glad you enjoy it! (though you are definitely projecting things onto it that aren’t there…The Skye Boat Song?! No similarity unless you’re referencing some obscure recording). :)

(I’m semi-teasing you, not really being this dismissive. I’ll listen again and see if I can hear the layers you’re hearing. :) )

It’s not a hidden layer on some obscure recording. It’s the central cues I’m talking about. The upward movement could have been the basis for McCarthy’s Inner Light theme and the downward movement could have been the inspiration for Russo’s Picard theme. If not on purpose, it would be a wonderful coincidence :-)

I just rewatched the credits and listened through twice. I also listened to The Corries’ version of The Skye Boat Song. (my personal favorite) I just do not hear anything remotely similar (other than the use of stringed instruments) between them.

Not saying it’s not there–you’re hearing something–but I cannot catch even a hint of what you’re hearing.

I’m listening to an instrumental version on YouTube…named “Outlander “The Skie Boat Song” (Instrumental Version) [From “Outlander TV Series”]”

0:01 – 0:06 upward movement (The Inner Light) / 0:07 – 0:11 downward movement (Picard theme)

0:40 – 0:48 upward movement (The Inner Light) / 0:49 – 0:53 downward movement (Picard theme)

It should be the same melody in any version though :-)

I listened, but I’m just not hearing any real correlation between them. I think you might have a much more discerning ear than I do. (I’m not being sarcastic.) :)

It’s not that deeply hidden. It’s the central motif, the chorus line. The Picard theme has some extra notes to it at the start but it’s basically the same melody for about 4 seconds.

Okay, I’m giving up :-) It was nice trying to convince you. Maybe someone else can hear it though…

I definitely think it’s there–you’re too specific and certain about it. I’m just not catching the similarity, which is my problem.

I’ll keep listening–I’ll do my homework, Professor Lorca! :)

Agreed on the theme music. Both Picard and Discovery are utterly unremarkable until the end when Russo samples more iconic and inspiring themes. I’ve got no problem with his music in the episode, but they should have got a more talented composer such as Giacchino to do the theme.

A friend argued with me about the DSC theme until I made him listen to it while watching a car commercial. (Cadillac, IIRC). After he stopped laughing, he admitted that it’s just the same.

Picard is just as bland, but folks are loving it for…some reason. But it’s another car commercial tune, at best.

But at least it’s not “Faith of the Heart”! :)

“Picard is just as bland, but folks are loving it for…some reason.”

Because people have taste and you don’t? No, just kidding. It’s a matter of taste and thus not everyone’s cup of tea, decaf or not.

I like “Faith of the Heart”, just not as the opening theme of a Star Trek show. The song should have been the End Credits and the Closing Theme should have been the opener. I really like the closing theme of ENT. For me, it’s the actual theme of that show.

I agree about the closing theme on Enterprise. Good track, works better as the theme. And yeah, Faith of the Heart is a great Rod Stewart tune, but not as a Trek theme and not the versions they used. Ugh.

Faith of the Heart has actually grown on me as Enterprise’s opening theme. Its different from any of the other Treks, and it actually fits the themes of the show.

“A friend argued with me about the DSC theme until I made him listen to it while watching a car commercial. (Cadillac, IIRC). After he stopped laughing, he admitted that it’s just the same.”

Hm, I’ve randomly listened to hundreds of pop songs against movie trailers and it’s really funny how much they actually fit with the rythm, cutting and content, sometimes even down to the lyrics for the exact scenes on display. It’s crazy how generic both music-making and movie trailers are. But point being? Everything’s made out of a few repetitive base elements, down to your DNA, your atoms and basically the whole universe. It’s cool anyway…

You can repeat your experiment with every main theme, every song and every trailer and TV spot ever made. To some degree, they’ll always fit. It’s not a proof of missing depth at all. It’s just quantum psychosis. Skip the red pill, take the blue one and enjoy the ride while it lasts…

“You can repeat your experiment with every main theme, every song and every trailer and TV spot ever made.”

Nope! The TOS theme, TNG/TMP theme, etc. don’t work over a Cadillac commercial like the DSC tune does. And it’s not just the blandness but the SPECIFIC kind of blandness. The DSC theme has a feel of movement and motion, but not actual theme (until the TOS ripoff), no strong motifs, just…generic.

Defending the Picard theme is one thing, but if you’re defending the DSC theme, you’re just wrong. :)

The problem with the DSC theme is that I tend to blend it with Hoist the Colors from POTC 3. I saw that movie 10 times on the big screen back then in 2007 and this song/theme sticked with me so deep that I couldn’t help but recognize it in the DSC theme. You know, identifying similitude in tunes is sort of a recurring theme with me :-)

You *chose* to see POTC 3 more than once?! Well, that brings your judgment into serious question. :)

I liked the first three POTC movies. It was the fourth and fifth ones that sucked.

I love, love, love the first POTC film–darn near perfect entertianment. But I loathed 2 and 3, and never saw the later ones.

Someone pointed out that the central motif in the Picard theme is actually a note for note copy of the tune Picard’s son plays in the inner light (3/4ths way through).. just thought you seemed like the type of person that might appreciate knowing this! Adds an awesome nuance to the theme.

I wonder if the La Sirena insignia badge is also a com badge. I’m also looking forward to the La Sirena ship design.

It makes sense that the costumes are all darkly colored since they are going on a stealthy mission.

I really like the designs and the detailing.

We may love colourful Trek, but there is a longstanding and we’ll documented pattern in fashion of somber and muted colours during resource-constrained times. It’s been happening for more than a century, and could carry on.

So, I am seeing the dark browns, charcoals, beige and greys, as a visual sign that the Federation is in a resource-constrained period, not the endless surplus of the TOS and TNG eras. This makes sense after the Dominion War. As well, the reporter stressed the resource constraint in her questioning of Picard.

In a resource constrained economic period, Picard’s clinging to a muted version of his familiar command red in his sweater worn at home would be an outlier/off-trend.

Last thought, while the collars on the TNG-era uniforms didn’t stand out as much for me as for some who’ve commented on other threads, I was surprised at some of the execution issues on Picard’s costumes. Rippling fabric tension by the zippers and buttons was not what I expected to see. In fact the execution of the other costumes seemed better.

“We may love colourful Trek, but there is a longstanding and we’ll documented pattern in fashion of somber and muted colours during resource-constrained times.”

Doesn’t make sense to me. Yes, colorful clothing used to be VERY expensive in the making back in the day before people were able to artificially create colorants. Even today, colors aren’t an issue, even in poorer regions, anymore. But they still have replicators in the years 2399, don’t they? So it is only a matter of fashion what to wear.

Whatever, I’m okay with those choices, it’s just that they don’t seem entirely logical in-world. The designers want to speak to the viewers of 2020, symbolizing aging with the same elderly looks as today’s 80+ generation predominantly wears. It’s a creative choice I cannot fully appreciate but then, it’s the way it is… No big issue of any sort…

Garth Lorca, we seem to be talking about a psychological phenomenon that happens in resource-constrained periods, not an actual limitation.

By the 1960s, colour and cost of manufacturing fabrics were pretty unrelated, but the pattern carries on. During the recession and oil crisis of the 70s, ‘earth colours’ came into vogue.

I have been to many developing countries, and one thing that strikes me is that the color of clothing is often much more bold than in developed countries. So I’m not buying this theory.

“the Federation is in a resource-constrained period”

Only in a figurative sense, no? Economically it should be as free energy and post scarcity as ever, just look at the abundance in the pilot Eart locations. I have a hard time believing the Mars disaster 20 years back would cripple a 160 planet alliance in any meaningful way.

VS, they seem to be picking up on some of the societal threads in the post-Relaunch books.

After the Dominion War, Federation society was not one of infinite surplus. In fact, there were likely issues in terms of resource sharing to help rebuild Cardassia.

It doesn’t seem that the Borg threat has reached the final resolution of the Destiny novel trilogy, but mention of a Galactic treaty prohibiting synthetic lifeforms suggests that there are diplomatic relations with the Gamma and Delta Quadrant societies, not just Alpha and Beta.

I think I’ve made my view clear before already but I find they are overdoing the “contemporary metaphor” thing now. This is not how metaphor worked in Trek previously, its way too literal. And as a post-scarcity society, probably Kardashev II, there’s just so much connection you should be able to credibly build to our contemporary problems. That’s a specific Trek problem (especially 24th century) that Star Wars etc. dont have because they never build their world from the premise of an Utopian post-money society. I just want them to acknowledge and adhere to the premise in a consistent way. But now, they want to have it both ways again. As Discovery showed, they absolute love pushing technology to near magic/fantasy realm, but at the same time they want to put in those direct parallels to our time that then just end up as crudely thought out apples and oranges comparisons. Like, are we seriously going to compare a “refugee crisis” the 160 planet free energy alliance faces with those that overwhelmed nation states with their very limited, zero-sum capitalist economies and flawed legal systems? I’m very sceptical and would prefer they keep this in the ‘hopeful what if future scenario’ realm (its clearly an alternate history/universe, not ours) and put in more abstract, nuanced metaphors.

“I have a hard time believing the Mars disaster 20 years back would cripple a 160 planet alliance in any meaningful way.”

Especially the “Mars is still burning” stuff is beyond belief! What happened to those super-ice cubes Spock could throw into a Vulcano? Do they only exist in the KT?

A Volcano and a burning stratosphere are not the same thing.

“We may love colourful Trek, but there is a longstanding and we’ll documented pattern in fashion of somber and muted colours during resource-constrained times. It’s been happening for more than a century, and could carry on.”

Really? Documented where?

Like others, I disagree and think you’re offbase. A post-scarcity society with replicators won’t have problems with colorful clothes vs drab clothing.

It’s fine to like the costumes, but you’re projecting justifications that aren’t there in the show or designs. Fun to speculate, but…no.

Ok, while I know that it doesn’t correlate with the costs of production, colourful clothes in economic boom/surplus vs dark/drab in scarcity is a thing.

Here’s some evidence:

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/fashion/15COLOR.html

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/col.22287

https://www.fashionunited.uk/news/business/is-threat-of-a-recession-driving-designers-to-go-more-minimalist/2019041042640/amp

But there’s no evidence of scarcity in Picard, so none of that applies, hmm?

PaulB, you may have missed the interviewer’s question to Picard asking why the Federation would put resources into saving Romulan lives.

If there is a surplus economy with no scarcity, why would this even come up?

Because they don’t want to give resources to a perceived enemy. (Which was clear in the interview–you may have missed it) Not lack of resources, just a refusal to share them with a hostile foreign power.

No scarcity required. Your speculation here is simply unfounded.

It is not a scarcity of physical resourcea, but a scarcity of emotional resources. Bad things have happened and society is withdrawing. But yeah, they are overdoing the “contemporary metaphor” thing. This might be appropriate for the 22nd century but not the 24th / almost 25th century, (Picard is set in 2399, the next to the last year of the 24th century).

Hugh’s costume is what I’d expect nearly 400 years in the future. Not just a different aesthetic and fashion style, but totally different fabrics and production processes that look unfamiliar to us. Zippers and buttons… not so much.

Previous Trek at least tried to look futuristic, a lot of the costume design here really looks like Banana Republic in 2019, 2020?

Also RIP Kobe

I agree. They at least tried. They tried to make something different to clothing we currently wear. That’s why we didn’t see buttons on clothing (and when used were hidden) and zippers were hardly visible. I call it magic closure! Leisure clothing were always these strange loose fitting garments with overlapping fabric. Exotic and strange, something we wouldn’t wear. Ha! Clothing with lapels were mostly avoided, and most clothing went collarless or had stand up collars. I think even shoe laces were avoided. Now in Picard we get dress shirts with a collar, sew on buttons, and a tie that isn’t much different from what we wear now. Don’t get me wrong, some pieces look great and resemble TNG era clothing. It’s just that it isn’t consistent anymore, and as a whole doesn’t give this unique look of a future that is different from ours. Sure, some people may hate TNG clothing and call it silly and unpractical, and call Picard style clothing more grounded in “reality”. I just always thought it was fun to see something different.

That’s not two opposed mermaid tails. The upper one is a long-haired female bust, facing right. Nice design, anyway.

What’s up with future humans making their clothes out of coarse burlap, though? Sure, you don’t have to worry about elements in the controlled climate, but still it’s not the most practical fabric out there. Are the designers trying to get as far from spandex as possible, or what?

I love the costume design. Much more practical and realistic than TNG era clothing. I found the civilian clothing aesthetic/design on TNG to be downright embarrassing. Thankfully they dropped it (for the most part) in DS9 and VOY.

Wait, I thought they didn’t use buttons on clothing in the 24th century? As far as I can remember, TNG went far to avoid buttons on clothing, and even zippers were hardly visible. I guess there was some kind of retro revival somewhere in the 24th century. Ties and 20th-21st century buttoned shirts with collars? For a moment I thought Picard had travelled back in time.

Buttons were a 13th century innovation. I suspect that they might make it through a few more centuries.

After all, buckles are an ancient technology, but they appeared on late 23rd century Starfleet uniforms.

It’s not that the 24th century can’t use buttons on clothing. It’s just that the 80s and 90s Trek TV series costume designers tried to avoid visible buttons to achieve a certain 24th century aesthetic. Although not smitten by every costume design, I loved that about previous Trek. Robert Blackman and co went out of their way to avoid our 20th century clothing aesthetic. Some may not even have noticed the lack of buttons and visible zippers. Yes, buckles were also used on TNG, but without prongs. And no shoe laces, I think. Anyways, it was just a thing that I noticed as a longtime Star Trek fan. It’s also why Picard wearing a button-up shirt with collar (exactly like we wear today) felt so out of place in the new series.

'Star Trek: Picard' Season 2 episode 6 will probably polarize fans

The short length of this installment suggests this was a single set piece expanded to fill an entire episode.

Spoilers ahead for "Star Trek: Picard" season 2, episode 6

With the Star Trek: Mission Chicago event set to give fans access to the cast and an infinite amount of new merchandize to spend their hard-earned credits on this weekend, there's no denying " Star Trek " seems to have hit peak popularity. Regardless of how you feel about the last season of "Discovery" or the current season of "Picard" there's no escaping the might of the Paramount Plus Marketing Machine.

"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" begins in less than one month (on May 5) and you can already pre-order the new uniform boots from the new show, which will add $399 to the cost of your cosplay. And if you still have money you want to throw away, you could buy some "Star Trek" non-fungible tokens or NFTs. According to The Hollywood Reporter , it only took five minutes for the premiere collection of Star Trek NFTs — a total of 5,000 starships from the "Admiral Pack" — to sell out Saturday morning, at the price of $250. Each.

Okay, now on to "Picard," its plans for season 3 and the latest season 2 episode "Two of One." (f you need a refresher on season 1, check out our Star Trek: Picard streaming guide .)

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You might have seen the announcement that the entire bridge crew from "The Next Generation" will be returning for the third season of "Picard." This almost certainly cause differences in opinion amongst fans, with many — quite understandably — being concerned that nostalgia will be the driving force behind the third and final season, rather than the quality of writing. 

Season two executive producer and co-showrunner Terry Matalas will be the sole showrunner for the third and final season of Picard and he confirmed on Twitter that, "For those who are asking: no, these aren’t just cameos. This is a proper send off to the TNG crew. It's been a labor of love for so long. I hope you like what we’ve cooked up. And yes, Federation starships galore."

— Kirk vs Picard: Who is the best Star Trek captain?

— Could we really build Star Trek's USS Enterprise?

 — Star Trek movies, ranked worst to best

So this isn't going to be just a recreation of that epic final scene in "The Next Generation" two-part series finale "All Good Things." No, cameos and potentially multi-episodic roles. It would be a shame if the storylines of Seven of Nine, Raffi Musiker, Agnes Jurati and Cristóbal Rios suffer to make way for Beverly Crusher, Worf, Geordi La Forge, Will Riker and Deanna Troi — although of course the last two of those also appeared last season. And Brent Spiner will probably portray yet another member of the Soong dynasty.

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The most recent episode of "Picard" entitled "Two of One" marks the passing of the halfway point in the second season with just four episodes left. This latest installment will also almost certainly polarize fans and it feels like an attempt to please everyone, rather than purely picking a style and sticking to it. If the writer's chose Route A and stuck to it, then OK. If they chose Route B, that's OK too. But crisscrossing as much as this show does ("Discovery" also suffers from affliction) just makes it feel uneven and inconsistent. And for the love of Yarnek, please give Michelle Hurd (Raffi) something more dynamic to work with.

This episode also marks the shortest episode of any live action "Star Trek" series, with the exception of the short-lived "Short Treks." Directed once again by Jonathan Frakes, it takes place exclusively at the astronaut gala and by way of flashback, the story tells of how Jean-Luc Picard ends up severely injured after, it turns out, he's hit by car.

Not long ago executive producer Akiva Goldsman told Space.com in response to a question regarding what was happening with the Picard-is-now-a-synthetic storyline, "We were pretty clear about saying … you know there's nothing enhanced here, that fundamentally you are who you were, it’s just that you won’t die from this particular genetic misfortune that you carry with you," he said.

"And we really do play it that way, there are no super-secret neato cool things that happened to Picard, and what Picard is capable of doing that are in anyway tied to his new body. We’re not pressing forward with this idea of this sort of hybridization of Picard as synthetic."

And yet, despite some entertaining allusions to his condition by Rios a couple of weeks ago in episode 4 , the showrunners have dived headfirst into a story that revolves around a medical crisis involving Jean-Luc Picard; that now requires shining an anti-aircraft-sized searchlight on this issue. 

Of course this won't bother everyone, but this is precisely the sort of thing that makes supreme science fiction writing stand head and shoulders above made-for-merch sci-fi writing.

Credit where credit is due, the concept is quite clever, or at the very least, ambitious. This is a dialogue intensive, pump-the-breaks-a-bit, self-contained installment, so to speak. Not a great deal actually happens, but it still mostly retains your attention. It might have worked better if it didn't fall back to some clichéd character writing, and in particular, young vodka-downing astronaut Renée Picard (Penelope Mitchell). Had the superfluous dialogue and unconvincing need to hang around and wait for Alison Pill's moment in the spotlight been shortened, this entire episode-length set piece could've been just as effective within a longer episode. It's been stretched out almost as long as it possibly could be and been turned into an entire episode unto itself, albeit not a particularly long one.

During the gala, Tallinn (Orla Brady) and Picard (Patrick Stewart) must wait for the right moment to attempt to persuade Renée to remain on the prime crew for the Expedition Europa mission. Given the urgency of their mission, surely some compromise can be made on exactly when the right moment is and subtlety must give way to…er, saving mankind.

Jurati has gone full Tyler Durden and is even having conversations with herself around the event. Her alter ego isn't a guerilla soap manufacturer though, it's the Borg Queen (Annie Wersching). Agnes performs a rendition of "Shadows of the Night" released by Pat Benatar in 1982. (Did you know a young Bill Paxton appeared in the music video?) Thus continuing a long-held "Trek" tradition that folk from far in the future know the lyrics to tracks released hundreds of years prior. This buys enough time to distract official proceedings and Picard picks his moment to deliver a mostly well-written pep-talk.

And then Picard literally bumps into Dr. Adam Soong, in what is probably the highlight of the episode. Soong recognizes the description given to him by Q and warns Picard to back off from the youthful Renée. Meanwhile, back at Chez Soong, Kore (Isa Briones) has discovered just how off-the-chart, utterly insane her father is. So far Briones is basically playing the exact same role as she did last season. Perhaps that's intentional, but it feels like a waste.

After his seemingly successful pep-talk, both Picards gently saunter back to the gala at which point Soong tries to hit Renée with is car. Naturally Jean-Luc pushes her out of the way and gets hit himself. And now we find ourselves at the point where we came in. The gang come together, — all except for Jurati — and take him to the nice lady doctor Rios (Santiago Cabrera) has the hots for.

While still unconscious, they manage to stabilize him, but while technically he should be in a coma, his neural activity is off the charts when Tallinn (Orla Brady) suggests that maybe she can pull him out, "Using my neuro-optic interceptor. The same synaptic pathways I hijack to look outwards, could be travelled in. To the subconscious. A kind of jury-rigged mind meld. Once I gain access to his mind, I can hack into whatever memory or thought he's fixated on," she explains hastily.

At which point, everyone here at Space.com is praying to the gods of science fiction (for there are many) at the altar on Altair that some kind of patched-in, vintage console game is used, just like in the Emmy Award winning episode of "Red Dwarf" entitled "Gunmen of the Apocalypse" (S03, E03). Why not? We've covered cabaret successfully in this installment, why not comedy next week?

It's possible this will fare better in a binge watch, but unless Paramount changes its strategy (which will never happen) this episode will almost certainly get mixed reaction upon first airing in its week-by-week format.

Rating: 6½/10

In other Star Trek spinoff news, Paramount unveiled a new sneak peak at the third season of Star Trek: Lower Decks, the animated series on Paramount Plus. You can check it out above.

The first six episodes of "Star Trek: Picard" are now available to watch on Paramount Plus and the premiere season of "Strange New Worlds" begins on May 5. Season 4 of "Star Trek: Discovery" is available to watch now on Paramount+ in the US and CTV Sci-Fi or Crave TV in Canada. Countries outside of North America can watch on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel. 

If you want to find more Star Trek shows and movies in both the US and UK, check out our main  Star Trek streaming guide . And if you're looking for something for that Trek fan in your life, our  Star Trek gifts and deals  guide has everything your Trek heart may desire.

Follow Scott Snowden on Twitter . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook . 

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When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.

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Starfleet uniform

• View history

Starfleet uniforms in 2371, showing two separate styles in use at once

A provisional officer's uniform alongside a standard duty uniform

Starfleet uniforms were uniforms worn by individuals serving in the Federation Starfleet , originally a United Earth organization. These uniforms facilitated the wearers' needs as both scientists and researchers , as well as Starfleet's military role. The uniform and combadge used by Starfleet personnel may vary by the ship or facility they were assigned to, or the officer's rank or department. These were often retained even when visiting other Federation locations. ( TNG : " The Child "; DS9 : " Homefront ", " Tears of the Prophets "; LD : " We'll Always Have Tom Paris ", " Kayshon, His Eyes Open "; DIS : " Saints of Imperfection ")

Casual duty attire also allowed for considerable variation of uniform aboard a Starfleet vessel, though it was ultimately up to the captain's discretion. Wearers were expected to abide by the Starfleet dress code , though special exceptions were sometimes made for certain aspects of an individual's cultural heritage, such as Worf 's Klingon baldric , Nog 's Ferengi headdress , and the earrings of Ro Laren , Kira Nerys , and Shaxs . ( VOY : " Learning Curve ", et al.) According to Elim Garak , " I think Starfleet should allow their officers more latitude in accessorizing their uniforms. You'd be surprised what a nice scarf can do. " ( DS9 : " Broken Link ")

On two occasions, the term " Federation uniform " was used to describe Starfleet uniforms.

In 2369 , the Bajoran civilian Mullibok , who was being evicted from his home , asked Commander Benjamin Sisko how many Federation uniforms he planned on sending down to have him removed. ( DS9 : " Progress ")

In 2372 , Chakotay referred to his as a Federation uniform as he explained to Kar how it was like the Jal name that the Kazon earned. Chakotay told him that his uniform was earned through " years of study ", and " learning about science and ships and navigation , " adding too, that he was further taught to be "[..] prepared us to defend ourselves in battle. They prepared us very well. And we had to pass many difficult tests before we were given the right to wear the uniform. " ( VOY : " Initiations ")

• 1.1 Command
• 1.2 Operations
• 1.3 Sciences
• 2.1.1 Type #1
• 2.1.2 Type #2
• 2.1.3 Type #3
• 2.1.4 Type #4
• 3 Uniform variations
• 4 Dress uniforms
• 5.1.1 Design
• 5.2 Ambiguous uniform
• 5.3 External links

Divisions [ ]

Starfleet uniforms were classified by color among the command, sciences, and operations divisions. Occasionally, the uniforms were also broken down by department, while displaying rank insignia conspicuously. The color scheme had varied over time throughout Starfleet history, but the uniforms were designed for comfort even in the most extreme environments. ( DS9 : " Trials and Tribble-ations ", " Let He Who Is Without Sin... ")

Command [ ]

The command division was the head of Starfleet, with most of the ranking officers in Starfleet Command wearing these colors. Generally, this division was responsible for the administration of starships , starbases , and space stations .

Operations [ ]

The operations division was the backbone of Starfleet, encompassing the engineering , security , and support departments. This division was responsible for technological innovation and for maintaining and defending the Federation.

Sciences [ ]

The sciences division was the heart of Starfleet, composed of the exploratory , medical , and mental health departments.

Uniform styles [ ]

Unknown eras [ ].

These Starfleet uniforms were introduced between the 24th and 31st centuries .

Type #1 [ ]

A female officer in an unknown uniform

This uniform was worn by an operations division officer , as seen in a photo within the Transporter Facility maintained by Chief Petty Officer Carlton Dennis . ( LD : " Grounded ")

Type #2 [ ]

A female junior officer in a uniform from an unknown era

This uniform was worn by one of Tal 's hosts . ( DIS : " Forget Me Not ")

Type #3 [ ]

A holographic representation of a female lieutenant

This uniform was worn by officers in an unknown era. ( DIS : " Su'Kal ")

Type #4 [ ]

Holographic representations of officers in uniforms from an unknown era

This uniform was worn by the delegation welcoming the Kelpien and Ba'ul Alliance into the Federation. ( DIS : " Su'Kal ")

In the 23rd century , similar uniforms had been in use as cadet outfits. ( DIS : " Through the Valley of Shadows ")

Uniform variations [ ]

Troi in her casual attire

Some officers wore alternate uniforms. Deanna Troi often wore casual clothing while on duty, and T'Pol retained her original Vulcan uniform with a few concessions to her Starfleet rank and ship assignment. Other officers, such as Worf, Montgomery Scott , and Ro Laren, were allowed to wear accessories relating to their culture with their uniforms, but this was at the discretion of the captain. Uniforms were also altered to accommodate non-humanoid officers, such as the three-armed, three-legged uniform of the Edosian Arex , and the uniforms for beluga whales Kimolu and Matt . ( ENT : " Borderland "; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ; TNG : " Ensign Ro "; TAS : " Mudd's Passion "; LD : " First First Contact ")

Uniforms were also adapted to environmental or atmospheric conditions. When exploring the planet Tyree , Benjamin Sisko and colleagues wore long, flowing gown uniforms to deal with the sand . They featured a colored stripe to represent departments. ( DS9 : " Shadows and Symbols ")

Dress uniforms [ ]

Worf wearing his dress uniform with a Klingon ceremonial sash

Dress uniforms were a variant of the standard Starfleet uniforms worn for special occasions, such as weddings , courts martial , funerals , and the greeting of ambassadorial delegations and heads of state. ( TOS : " Court Martial ", " Journey to Babel "; TNG : " Lonely Among Us ", " Manhunt ", " Data's Day "; DS9 : " Move Along Home ", " Rules of Engagement "; VOY : " Course: Oblivion ", " One Small Step ", " Ashes to Ashes "; Star Trek: Insurrection )

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Patrick Stewart 's character of Jean-Luc Picard has appeared in more styles of Starfleet uniform than any other character on screen without story contrivances (like time travel , holodecks , or alternate timelines ) being involved.

For most of Star Trek 's history, Starfleet uniforms have had at least three division colors. Some characters have worn different division colors in different episodes. Leslie , Jae , Tom Paris , Harry Kim , and Sylvia Tilly have each been shown wearing three colors at different points (including, for Paris and Kim, alternate timelines and holodeck scenarios); however, the first character to wear all three division colors in one episode was Ensign Sam Rutherford , who wore operations gold, command red, and medical blue in LD : " Envoys ".

The Starfleet uniforms worn during Star Trek: The Original Series were designed by William Ware Theiss , who returned to design the Star Trek: The Next Generation uniforms (which were further adapted into future versions on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Star Trek: Voyager , and the TNG -era films by Robert Blackman ). Robert Fletcher designed the uniforms seen throughout the original series movies, with later new designs provided by Nilo Rodis .

Robert Blackman also designed uniforms worn on Star Trek: Enterprise , a design representing a precursor to those seen in TOS . The uniforms seen in Star Trek: Discovery were designed by Gersha Phillips . The uniforms in Star Trek: Picard were designed by Christine Clark .

Michael Kaplan designed the uniforms seen in Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness , and Sanja Hays designed the uniforms for Star Trek Beyond .

As shown in the It's A Wrap! sale and auction , a number of Starfleet uniforms have had padding to increase muscular appearance. Such cases include two costumes for Tom Paris , one racquetball costume for Julian Bashir , and a Deep Space Nine costume for Worf, to create a more Klingon appearance. According to Wil Wheaton , all the main cast members wore muscle padding during the first two seasons of The Next Generation , mainly because of the tight-fitting nature of the spandex uniforms used in these two seasons. [2]

Several prototype uniform undershirts to those seen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on were sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [3]

Ambiguous uniform [ ]

Female on the Elysian Council

A Human female seen as a member of the Elysian Council in " The Time Trap " wore a uniform of ambiguous origin. It was described in the Star Trek Concordance as "a white suit with blue collar and an insignia on the left breast," and was suggested to "possibly [be] an early Star Fleet [sic] uniform". While it is known that the Bonaventure , and possibly other Earth/Federation ships, were lost in the years prior to 2269, it is unclear if this is indeed a Starfleet uniform, and, if so, from which era it originated.

External links [ ]

• Starfleet uniform at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 22nd & 23rd century Starfleet uniforms  at Ex Astris Scientia
• 24th century Starfleet uniforms  at Ex Astris Scientia
• Starfleet uniforms  at Spike's Star Trek Page
• Interview with William Ware Theiss at Phaser Resource (X)

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The figure will include multiple hands, a 2401-era Starfleet phaser, and a bottle of Chateau Picard wine as accessories, and this edition of Picard will arrive clad in his  Picard Season 3 jacket, pants, and boots — and with his unique Admiral’s badge.

From EXO-6’s official announcement:

This 1:6-scale figure re-creates this iconic character in exquisite 1:6 detail. Standing approximately 11 inches tall, every element, from his 24th century jacket to his custom black boots, is authentically reproduced. The original portrait sculpt of Patrick Stewart has an authentic, hand-painted likeness.   The EXO-6 Picard 1:6 Scale Articulated Figure includes:   – Fully Articulated Body: More than 30 points of articulation allow the figure to be displayed in multiple dynamic poses, approximately 28 cm tall.   – Realistic Portrait: Lovingly rendered by a top artist, this excellent likeness of Patrick Stewart as jean-Luc Picard is specially hand-painted.   – 24th Century Outfit: With research assisted by Costume Designer Michael Crow, this clothing set matches the onscreen costume as seen in Star Trek: Picard Season 3. Including the jacket, pants and trousers – all matched to the original costume. An authentically scaled communicator badge is permanently affixed to the jacket. – Boots: Plastic boots sculpted to match the cut and style of the original footwear.   – Display Base: A hexagonal display base featuring the transporter pad will provide additional support for the figure. Two different inserts for the floor of the base can represent the transporter pad or the center of the transporter array.

The new Admiral Picard figure is up for preorder at EXO-6’s website today for a price of $190, and is expected to ship to collectors in late 2023.

While other third-party retailers will likely list the figure in the coming days, the fastest way to get the completed Admiral Picard figure once out of manufacturing is to order through EXO-6 directly.

Keep your sensors locked on TrekCore for all the latest  Star Trek collectible news!

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Published Jun 15, 2020

10 Jean-Luc Picard Books You Need to Read Right Now

Make it so.

StarTrek.com

When Jean-Luc Picard took command of the U.S.S. Enterprise at the beginning of Star Trek: The Next Generation , he confessed to his new first officer, William Riker, that he was uncomfortable around children. Despite this unease, Starfleet saw fit to give him a ship with families and children numbering among the vessel’s complement.

It took a while, but Picard soon relaxed — ever so slightly — when in the presence of the youngsters running around the Enterprise . It soon became an annual event for the children to celebrate “Captain Picard Day.” The festivities included an art contest in which entries were judged by the good captain himself. Though Picard was never happy with the idea of being at the center of such activities, he understood his position as a role model for these impressionable young minds. For the sake of crew morale, he put on his game face and gritted his teeth while accepting with grace the attentions lavished upon him.

We find out in the first season of Star Trek: Picard that thirty years after the first such observance was held aboard the Enterprise , the good captain held onto one of the colorful banners used to signify the day. Of course he’s a sentimental softy; we all knew it.

Here in the real world, “Captain Picard Day” has been celebrated by Star Trek fans dating back to 2007. How June 16th came to the be “official” day depends on whether you believe Star Trek ’s stardates can easily be converted to actual calendar dates. Some intrepid fan did the math and arrived at that date, so here we are.

Since his introduction in 1987, Jean-Luc Picard has been the face of Star Trek: The Next Generation . A man of many talents and interests and possessed of tremendous convictions, we grew to love him over the course of the television series and subsequent motion pictures, and now fans get to enjoy him in all new stories with Star Trek: Picard . Elsewhere, he’s been at the center of numerous tales told within the pages of novels and comics spanning more than thirty years and continuing to this day.

While certainly not intended as an exhaustive list, here are just a few stories which have explored the inimitable character of Jean-Luc Picard.

Vendetta by Peter David (May 1991)

The Borg have become one of Star Trek ’s greatest adversaries, appearing in several episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager and even once on Star Trek: Enterprise . After the events of Picard’s kidnapping by the Borg in “The Best of Both Worlds” but before the discovery of Hugh in “I, Borg,” author Peter David brings the Borg back to try their hand at invading the Federation once again. This time, however, the Collective faces a threat capable of annihilating them.

Reunion by Michael Jan Friedman (November 1991)

This was the first novel to explore Picard’s past as captain of the U.S.S. Stargazer , which he commanded for 22 years. Friedman introduces us to several of Picard’s old friends and shipmates who helped Picard become the formidable, experienced leader he is by the time we meet him on Star Trek: The Next Generation . This book ended up spawning its own series of novels, Star Trek: Stargazer , all written by Friedman.

Requiem by Michael Jan Friedman and Kevin Ryan (October 1994)

When Picard is thrown back in time after encountering a mysterious alien object, he awakens to find himself at a pivotal point in history: one hundred years in the past, on the Federation colony planet Cestus III. He knows the colonists will be annihilated by a Gorn vessel, resulting in first contact with this heretofore unknown race and an epic confrontation between the Gorn ship’s commander and the legendary Captain James T. Kirk. Trapped a century removed from his own ship and crew, Picard must navigate the coming events without doing anything which may alter history as he knows it.

Perchance to Dream by Keith R.A. DeCandido, illustrated by Peter Pachoumis and Lucian Rizzo (February – May 2000)

An extremist faction on an alien world is using a “telepathic virus” as a weapon to influence dreams to a point where the victims begin experiencing dangerous hallucinations. When the Enterprise crew falls victim to the attack, Picard fights back using the other personalities which are now a part of his identity: Sarek via his mind meld with the Vulcan ambassador, Kamin, the man whose life Picard lived in “The Inner Life,” and Locutus, his Borg persona.

The Buried Age by Christopher L. Bennett (July 2007)

This novel offers a study of Picard’s life before the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation : the nine years between the loss of the Stargazer and his taking command of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D . Think you know the story? Think again!

Destiny trilogy by David Mack (September-November 2008)

Set just two years after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis , this epic trilogy sees the Borg determined to conquer their most formidable adversary once and for all. The stakes are high and the costs very real as the Borg drive through Federation space, destroying worlds and wiping out billions of people. More than a decade after its initial publication, the ramifications of this storyline continue to resonate within the Star Trek novels’ “expanded universe.”

Hive by Brannon Braga, Terry Matalas, and Travis Fickett; illustrated by Joe Corroney (September-January 2013)

Star Trek comics chart different storytelling paths from the novels, and Braga, Matalas, and Fickett use the format to bring readers a tale stretching from a point soon after Star Trek: Nemesis to a far future where Picard is still Locutus and part of the Borg. To defeat them this time, Picard needs help from someone else who’s escaped the Collective: Seven of Nine.

The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard by David A. Goodman (October 2017)

Published by Titan Books, this examination of the famous captain’s life and career is not compatible with the novels from Simon & Schuster. However, it is in synch with what we know of Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation and the subsequent films and is therefore a fun read for fans who’ve not already plunged headlong into the novel continuity.

Picard: Countdown by Kirsten Beyer & Mike Johnson, illustrated by Angel Hernandez (November 2019 – January 2020)

Set fifteen years before the events of Star Trek: Picard ’s first season, this 3-part comics miniseries by Picard co-creator Kirsten Beyer and IDW Star Trek comics veteran Mike Johnson gives readers a glimpse at one of the several missions Admiral Picard undertook during his mission to relocate Romulan citizens before their sun goes supernova. It also introduces us to Zhaban and Laris, the two Romulan Tal Shiar agents who will forsake their careers to assist Picard.

The Last Best Hope by Una McCormack (February 2020)

This epic, years-spanning tale reveals the full scope of the massive undertaking Jean-Luc Picard led on behalf of the Romulan people, beginning with his promotion to admiral and transfer of command to the U.S.S. Verity , where he gains a new first officer and friend, Raffi Musiker. McCormack charts the obstacles Picard and Musiker chart while attempting to carry out their vital mission even as resistance to the effort mounts from all sides. This culminates in the tragic events on Mars in 2385 and setting the stage for Star Trek: Picard ’s first season.

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Dayton Ward (he/him) is a New York Times bestselling author or co-author of numerous novels and short stories, including a whole bunch of stuff set in the Star Trek universe, and often working with friend and co-writer Kevin Dilmore. As he’s still a big ol' geek at heart, Dayton is known to wax nostalgic about all manner of Star Trek topics over on his own blog, The Fog of Ward.

Dayton Ward (he/him) is a New York Times bestselling author or co-author of numerous novels and short stories including a whole bunch of stuff set in the Star Trek universe, and often collaborating with friend and co-writer Kevin Dilmore. As he’s still a big ol' geek at heart, Dayton is known to wax nostalgic about all manner of Star Trek topics over on his own blog, The Fog of Ward .

In addition to streaming on Paramount+ , Star Trek: Picard also streams on Prime Video outside of the U.S. and Canada, and in Canada can be seen on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave. Star Trek: Picard is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

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Star Trek Picard: The Official Collector's Edition Book

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A behind-the-scenes guide to the smash hit new Star Trek TV Show showcasing the further adventures of fan-favorite captain of the Enterprise-D, Jean Luc Picard! A deluxe collector's edition offering a behind-the-scenes guide to the brand new Star Trek: Picard TV show, featuring interviews with Star Trek legends Sir Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner (Data), Jonathan Frakes (Riker), Marina Sirtis (Troi), plus the new castmembers Isa Briones (Dahj/Soji), Michelle Hurd (Raffi), Harry Treadway (Narek) and many more. Plus Showrunner Alex Kurtzman, Showrunner Michael Chabon and Director Hanelle Culpepper reveal behind-the-scene secrets.  

Ordering Information

• Return Policy: We will gladly accept returns for any reason within 30 days of receipt of delivery.
• Shipping: Ship times are estimates of time in transit after your product leaves the fulfillment center. Some items in your order may ship separately to arrive faster.
• Availability: Ships to the United States and Puerto Rico.
• Shipping Policy: For more information, see our Shipping Policy .

9781787731882

Star Trek: Picard: Last Best Hope

Every end has a beginning…and this electrifying novel details the events leading into the new Star Trek TV series, introducing you to brand-new characters featured in the life of Jean-Luc Picard—widely considered to be one of the most popular and recognizable characters in all of science fiction.

9781982142186

Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard : An Official Star Trek Collection

Discover all of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's sage advice, insight, and wisdom from the deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise and beyond in this ultimate collection of wise words from the esteemed Starfleet captain. Any Star Trek fan knows that Captain Jean-Luc Picard is renowned for his impressive oratory skills, preferring negotiation and diplomacy over violence and destruction. Now, you can finally ponder all of his wisdom in one place—from his thoughts on leadership and sense of duty to justice and the limitlessness of exploration—in Star Trek : The Wisdom of Picard. Journey with the Starfleet captain through his seven seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation to the Star Trek movies to the current series Star Trek: Picard . Star Trek : The Wisdom of Picard boldly goes where no book has gone before to log Picard's timeless advice in one impressive collection, perfect for Star Trek fans everywhere! Make it so!

9781507214732

Star Trek: Picard: The Dark Veil

A thrilling untold adventure based on the acclaimed Star Trek: Picard TV series! The Alpha Quadrant is mired in crisis. Within the United Federation of Planets, a terrorist strike on the shipyards of Mars has led to the shutdown of all relief efforts for millions of Romulans facing certain doom from an impending super­nova. But when the USS Titan is drawn into a catastrophic incident on the Romulan-Federation border, Captain William Riker, his family, and his crew find themselves caught between the shocking secrets of an enigmatic alien species and the deadly agenda of a ruthless Tal Shiar operative. Forced into a wary alliance with a Romulan starship commander, Riker and the Titan crew must uncover the truth to stop a dev­astating attack—but one wrong move could plunge the entire sector into open conflict!

9781982154066

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