We’ve certainly been enjoying Star Trek: Picard so far, with the series already shaping up to be both an intriguing character study and a successful new chapter in the history of the franchise. One of the most enjoyable parts of the CBS All Access show though, which is already renewed for a second season, has been Patrick Stewart’s chemistry with the rest of the cast, and the deep affection between Jean-Luc Picard and his friends. And the most recent episode provided a new (and very cute) nickname for Picard – “JL.”
The nickname comes from Raffi Musiker, Picard’s first officer on the USS Verity, the ship he took on after the USS Enterprise. Musiker refers to Picard as “JL” and is unafraid to be direct with her former commanding officer, which makes sense considering the way he’s shown to have dealt with their relationship. It turns out that the nickname was already teased in the Star Trek: Picard prequel comics series from IDW, which explores the time when Picard is a Starfleet admiral and runs the Verity.
For those not aware, Picard and Musiker are working together to rescue the Romulan people from a supernova, with Raffi chosen for her expertise in the species’ culture. Picard isn’t altogether happy with being called “JL,” but by the time they reunite 14 years later, there’s enough affection there for Musiker to still be using it. Indeed, Michelle Hurd, who plays Raffi, points to the differences between her bond with Picard and that of his former first officer Will Riker.
“It’s completely different from Riker’s, for sure, absolutely. Much more complicated, actually. And they also had a falling out, so there’s a lot of issues there and a little bit of baggage and, you know, I’m a woman. He’s not.”
Potentially intrigued by Picard’s discussion of a Romulan conspiracy within Starfleet, Musiker has joined him on his mission to find Bruce Maddox and advance the mystery of the synthetic twins at the center of this season’s storyline. As a result, we can expect to hear a lot more of the “JL” nickname going forward, and who knows, it may even spread to other characters in Picard’s new makeshift crew.
Tell us, though, what do you think of how Star Trek: Picard portrays both its star and the new collection of characters on the show? As ever, let us know in the comments section down below.