The Long-Awaited Romance
Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) had a new love interest in Star Trek: Insurrection, and Gates McFadden thought it reflected well on her character, Dr. Beverly Crusher, that she didn't appear jealous.
Dr. Beverly Crusher, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard and Jack Crusher on the Enterprise-D
It became clear early in Star Trek: The Next Generation that Picard and Crusher had feelings for one another, but various circumstances always kept them apart. At times, Beverly seemed willing to embark on a romance, but Jean-Luc kept himself at a distance from every crewmember on the USS Enterprise-D, including Beverly.
Picard and Beverly have a heart-to-heart in the Titan sickbay
Despite the obvious attraction between Jean-Luc and Beverly, Insurrection gave Picard a new romantic interest in a Ba'ku villager named Anij (Donna Murphy). Both Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher had various romantic partners throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, and both occasionally showed hints of jealousy. The pair never really got a chance to explore their feelings on screen, but Gates McFadden doesn't begrudge Insurrection for that.
Picard Crusher Jacket
In the Star Trek oral history, The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, Gates McFadden reflects on Picard's romance in Star Trek: Insurrection and her feelings about it. Read her full quote below:
Picard Jack Crusher Holodeck Toast
I certainly think it spoke well of my character in this film that she didn’t show any jealousy. I don’t know whether that’s because we’ve all been in love with a million aliens in all those years. I had questions about it, but what are you going to do? I didn’t get into it this time, and you know why? You read this script and you’re intelligent enough to know there is only so much time. What is the movie about? Unless you’re going to deal with it in a certain way, it’s fine. If it had been the first time I’d seen the captain gaga over somebody, that would have been one thing, but it wasn’t the first time. It makes a difference.
Star Trek Picard Dr Crusher Seventeen Seconds
New Developments in Star Trek: Picard
Admiral Jean-Luc Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher finally reunited in Star Trek: Picard season 3, after being apart for about 20 years. After isolating herself from her fellow Enterprise-D crew members, Beverly returns with a surprising revelation: Sometime after Star Trek: Nemesis, Picard and Crusher gave in to their feelings and conceived a son, whom Beverly named Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers). Beverly made the difficult decision to raise Jack alone, knowing that Picard's life was often in danger and that he had never wanted a family.
Jean-Luc worked through much of childhood trauma in the first two seasons of Picard, and now finds himself more open to relationships. Jean-Luc, Beverly, and Jack spend much of Star Trek: Picard season 3 trying to stop the Borg and Changeling's plot to destroy Starfleet, but they finally come together as a family in the end. Picard genuinely wants to get to know his son, and the possibility remains open for Jean-Luc and Beverly to explore their romance again.
Whether the Picard/Crusher family will return in a future Star Trek project remains to be seen, but Picard season 3 finally offered some closure for Jean-Luc and Beverly's romance. Dr. Beverly Crusher never seemed the jealous type, but maybe she always knew that Picard's Star Trek: Insurrection romance wouldn't last.
The Future of Picard and Crusher
The possibility remains open for Jean-Luc and Beverly to explore their romance again. Whether the Picard/Crusher family will return in a future Star Trek project remains to be seen, but Picard season 3 finally offered some closure for Jean-Luc and Beverly's romance.
Star Trek: Insurrection & Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.
