On the topic of season 3 character deaths, IGN (I know) had another video following up their 'why Patrick Stewart had to be wrong' video, this time featuring Terry Matalas, who confirms some interesting details., namely that the original plan for Ro was for her to have been beamed off the shuttle at the last moment by the Changelings, and then in the finale there would be a scene were we see all the captured Federation crew, with Tuvok, and Picard would have been shocked and delighted to see Ro among them. And, as for Shelby, Matalas explicitly states that he told the actress if he gets to do his spinoff 'she's coming back', since we didn't actually SEE her die onscreen he doesn't consider her dead. So even though none of that was seen onscreen, it's something to consider with how Terry Matalas writes.
Also, that video has another interesting tidbit re: Data, Originally the last scene with Data and Troi was going to be of Data and Soji connecting. It would have been nice to have her come back, even for one scene, to have them meet, but Spiner had the idea to make it a counselling session with Troi instead which I think does work better for the finale. But I take this as a good sign that if Matalas does get his spin-off he very much does consider some of those lingering plot threads from Picard something to bring back up.
Also, that video has another interesting tidbit re: Data, Originally the last scene with Data and Troi was going to be of Data and Soji connecting. It would have been nice to have her come back, even for one scene, to have them meet, but Spiner had the idea to make it a counselling session with Troi instead which I think does work better for the finale. But I take this as a good sign that if Matalas does get his spin-off he very much does consider some of those lingering plot threads from Picard something to bring back up.