Movies News Talk
Jean-Luc cannot suppress his enthusiasm at the possibility of discovering a historical artifact when Captain Picard first spots the Promellian battlecruiser drifting among the trash. Saying he most likely had a Promellian battlecruiser, Picard even remembers the ships in bottles he created as a little lad. Picard insists on heading the away team even though Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) notes that the aging ship may have hazards. Picard is not about to let this chance pass by given his passion in archeology and history.
As Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) notes, it's a delight to witness the typically austere Captain Picard show actual enthusiasm. Troi says, "It's just a rare pleasure to meet this side of your personality," when Picard probes why Riker and Troi are sharing a glance. As he guides the Enterprise out of the debris field utilizing an asteroid's gravitational pull as a slingshot to acquire additional momentum, Picard also gets to demonstrate his piloting prowess. Although Geordi (with assistance from Holo-Leah Brahms) might have found the last-ditch fix, Captain Picard is the one who finally saves the Enterprise.
Beginning in TNG season 2, episode 11, "Contagion," Captain Picard's archeological curiosity reappears multiple times throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation. Inspired by Professor Galen (Norman Lloyd), his archeology teacher at Starfleet Academy, Picard most certainly would have been an archeologist had he not been a Starship Captain. When Picard takes time for shore break on Risa in Tng season 3, episode 19, "Captain's Holiday," he finds himself enmeshed in an archeological treasure hunt with the fascinating archaeologist Vash (Jennifer Hetrick). It's always great to see Jean-Luc thrilled about a significant archeological discovery even if he doesn't have much time to pursue his personal interests.
As shown in Star Trek: Lower Decks, Picard kept helping the Independent Archaeologists Guild and even sponsored archeologist Petra Aberdeen (Georgia King). Jean-Luc has left Starfleet and now spends his time caring to his family's vineyard in La Barre, France. Picard keeps a vault at the Starfleet Archive Museum with relics from his several exploits; he finds this life unsatisfying. Picard has gathered items from the most significant events of his life, including paintings created by Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) and a flag from Captain Picard Day, much as an archeologist gathers old relics and bits of history. Though first and foremost Jean-Luc Picard is a Starfleet Captain, his passion of archeology permeates Star Trek: The Next Generation and beyond.
Though it was a fantastic showcase for Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), one Star Trek: The Next Generation episode might have been embarrassing for Lt. Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton). Though Tng had its ups and downs following the exploits of the USS Enterprise-D and her crew, it finally produced more excellent Episodes than terrible ones. Still, some episodes had two distinct narratives that didn't really fit together. Geordi's uncomfortable attempts at romance, for instance, knocked down one episode that otherwise conveyed a strong and compelling tale.
Though the hour also includes some fantastic Captain Picard moments, Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, Episode 6, "Booby Trap," is primarily remembered for Geordi's sad holodeck "romance," with Dr. Leah Brahms (Susan Gibney). Picard insists on entering the old ship to look into a distress message from a Promellian battlecruiser. Picard's passion in archeology takes the stage at the location of the last fight between the Promellians and the Menthars. Geordi searches for a way when the Enterprise finds itself caught in a trap placed by the Menthars; Picard gets to fly the ship out of the debris field.
Jonathan Frakes then went on to explain how the present Episodes let directors latitude with dialogue that the Star Trek series created by Rick Berman did not let, thus directing for Star Trek on Paramount+ series is much different. Star Trek requires the actors be word-perfect and recite all speech as written, but the current programs are looser and let for experimentation. See Frakes' comment on his experience supervising the crossover between Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks below.
That's a great observation. That happened on "Those Old Scientists" with Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome visiting. Second City improv specialist Tawny fooled about a bit with the lines. On the scene with Kat Lyn and Bill Wolkoff as my writers, we all sort of locked eyes and I just murmured to them, asking, "What do you think? Should we let them go straight forward? Then they said, "Sure." And that released Anson, and Rebecca, and all of a sudden we performed the scenes as written, but then we played with the scenes, and that was such a delight to have. Given Next Gen's severe policies, as I'm sure you have heard. On our show, it was absolutely rigorous. It was rigorous on every show covering the conversation. It was therefore a quite liberating experience.
Third in the sci-fi series, Star Trek: The Next Generation chronicles the exploits of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the USS Enterprise crew members. Set one hundred years after the first series, Picard and his team explore crew relationships and their own political debate across the galaxy in essentially self-contained episodes. Four films produced concurrently with the series would help to further some of the various main storylines that would develop over the course of the standalone episodes.
The show appeals to a broad spectrum of viewers who value science fiction as well as those who value tales about relationships and the examination of humanity. Many supporters feel as though they have grown up with the show and have delighted in witnessing its principal cast develop over its run.