New York MTA To Honor 'Star Trek' Character With ‘Picard’ MetroCards

Every discussion of actors who ooze confidence and cool must include Patrick Stewart. The 79-year-old, award-winning thespian has been plying his trade for decades, and will soon make a huge addition to his credits with “Star Trek: Picard,” through which he will reprise his role as the beloved captain of the USS Enterprise.

To commemorate the character’s influence, New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is selling two MetroCards that are making the Promo Marketing team’s Trekkies eager to head to the Big Apple.

Here's where to get a 'Star Trek: Picard' MetroCard featuring Patrick Stewart #StarTrekPicard #startrek https://t.co/cGofncjtwu

— Trek Report (@trekreport) January 22, 2020

From tomorrow through Feb. 16, the fictitious Frenchman Jean-Luc Picard will receive his due at six Manhattan stations, giving CBS All Access a beaming opportunity to market a program that, even ahead of its debut, has already scored a second-season go-ahead on the streaming video on-demand service.

According to the New York Post, vending machines will hold the cards that bear Picard’s image, while station booths will have cards that feature the captain’s dog, No. 1.

Try as we might, we are unable to contain our bias toward Picard as an endearing part of the "Star Trek" universe, so the hope is that the 24 days through which the cards will be available will find similar admirers securing the promotional tribute to him.

In becoming an object of the MTA’s branded affection, the centerpiece of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” takes his place as an inspiration for transit entities to market various goods, with the New York system alone having also given nods to Aretha Franklin and David Bowie. The branding potential, however, will not find itself limited to the cards, as the New York Post also noted that social media-savvy fans who attend a Times Square pop-up experience tomorrow will receive promotional posters.

As the show evolves over its guaranteed run of 20 episodes, it will be interesting to see if any other promotional campaigns will look to remind viewers that life’s true gift is the capacity to enjoy enjoyment.