A lot of creatives are sharing content online for fans to enjoy while the entertainment industry has effectively closed down due to the coronavirus outbreak. A recent feature from Vulture takes this concept and runs with it, with various TV writers coming together to share how their characters would deal with COVID-19, or a similar pandemic situation.
The writers – for such shows as Parks & Recreation, Frasier and 30 Rock – contributed in various ways, including plot breakdowns or scene excerpts. One of the most creative though was writer/producer Akiva Goldsman’s entry for Star Trek: Picard.
Goldsman penned a classic Captain’s Log – or, in this case, Admiral’s Log – imagining Picard and his crew being quarantined on board their ship for a long stretch of time. And, in traditional Star Trek fashion, his words contain some touching messages that we should all remember during these troubling times.
“Admiral’s Log. The quarantine stretches on. Essential systems continue to fail. And though many of us are used to long periods of isolation, the prohibition on physical contact, not to mention our inability to leave the ship, is beginning to wear on even the most seasoned members of the crew. Remote communication flourishes — still I am reminded there is no substitute for a direct gaze or the reassurance of a friendly touch. I am emboldened by the crew’s resilience. Despite the hardship, they continue to work their stations; productivity and routine can be an excellent balm on fear. And fear they do, how could they otherwise? The threat we face is real with no immediate end in sight. But that does not make it endless. On the contrary, this period of darkness will end, as surely as it began. Fear will fade to memory. We will survive, stronger, perhaps more aware of the profound connections we have always shared. And a time will come when we once again right this ship and sail forward together into the future, that bright unknown.”
It’s important to note that, despite Goldsman being the one behind it, this is not a sneak peek at season 2 or anything like that. In fact, Sir Patrick Stewart himself has maintained that he would encourage the writers to avoid mirroring the COVID-19 pandemic in the next season of the show. When asked if we could expect such a storyline next time, the star noted that he thinks this would be in poor taste and not comparable to how season 1 featured contemporary political themes.
Work was already going ahead on Star Trek: Picard season 2 before this all kicked off, but obviously it’s going to be facing a delay of some kind now. Still, it should be with us sometime in 2021.
