The latest news of Patrick Stewart rejoining the world of Star Trek has many, including myself, at the edge of the their seat. For some, this was the Captain they grew up with. Others, he was the one that brought Star Trek back into our homes.
Over the years, there has been some debate about which Star Trek tv series was the best series. Certainly the original show changed the world as we know it. It allowed dreamers a glimpse into the nerd mind and gave nerds a glamorous future to look forward to. So while there is little point of debating through all of the different series, how about we talk about one of the most beloved Star Trek captains of all time, Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
Patrick aStewart makes a come back as Jean-Luc Picard
While Star Trek was not necessarily a popular show when it originally aired as it only aired 3 seasons, the fan base continued to grow many years after it was off the air. Trekkies were a force to be reckoned with. They weren’t just fans that liked a show, they were geeks with a passion for the future. Star Trek was science fiction, yes. But it was science fiction based in reality. And so passionate were the Trekkies, that when Star Trek the Next Generation aired it was met with a ready made audience eager to soak up every second they could.
Star Trek TNG was a jolt to many
TNG was a jolt to many. They had grown accustomed to Kirk as THE captain of Star Trek. He was more than a captain of a ship, he was a Captain of a sci fi movement. For some fans, it was hard to pass the loyalty on to a new captain and crew. Especially a captain with a British accent who used the word, ‘make it so’ to command his ship.
But it didn’t take long for fans to fall in love. Old fans, new fans, fans that didn’t even like the original Star Trek found themselves like TNG. The crew was vast with characters and each one we found relatable. No character quite copied anyone from the original series, however the dynamics were certainly mimicked. Who couldn’t find the correlation between Data’s logic and innocence of worldly matters similar to how Spock himself may have reacted. Data searching for his humanity while Spock is suppressing his.
While TNG itself was absolutely iconic, I have to wonder what it would have been had another actor played Jean-Luc Picard.
Patrick Stewart masterfully created Captain Picard
Patrick Stewart masterfully created Captain Picard. The Captain was soft spoken, and gentle yet firm and unwavering on his loyalties. He was stern and forceful and you never once doubted his strength and courage. He had a sense of humor that he saved for the appropriate times, and an imagination that came out every time he wasn’t at work. He was the man who drank Earl Gray tea and played a flute, and at the same time took on the Borg and Q.
He distanced himself from romance and lived his life as a solitary human in devotion of his crew. He laid down his life for his crew, his family on more than one occasion and his wit pulled him through every situation.
We have seen many Star Trek series come and go. And each time we wait to see what the latest captain will say to his ensign. Jean-Luc Picard set the stage for how we judge our captains. He taught us that each one is unique and loved. His position as Professor X in the X-Men movies cemented him as a lifetime SciFi superhero. Many of the things we loved about Jean-Luc were rolled into this character of Professor X.
24 years after TNG
Here we are 24 years after TNG ended, and Jean-Luc is getting pulled out of retirement for one last spin around the Star Fleet Universe. Little is know at this point about what this new series will be about. We know that Patrick Stewart will be playing his old character, but in what manner we aren’t sure. The actor who is now 78 may very well be taking a back seat to more prominent roles in the show.
Dates have not been given yet, but will be available on CBS All Access streaming.
I have put off paying for CBS, but this will prob push me over the edge to do it. If Patrick Stewart is in a Star Trek anything, anywhere I will be watching.
I will keep you posted as more info becomes available.
Make it so.
—MommaGeek
