Thirty Days of Star Trek: Favorite Captain
Day 4 - Favorite Captain
I’m sure everyone who has been following this journal will be stunned with surprise, but yes, it’s still Jean-Luc Picard. Not that I don’t hold other captains in affection, too, including the newest bunch - I really liked what little we saw of Primeverse Georgiou, and Disco’s take on Pike joins Reboot Pike in me loving him -, but Picard just unites so many things I enjoy. He’s a good person, but not flawless. He is a stoic, and not given to emotional outbursts, which means that if scriptwriters and fate conspire to get him suffering (or embarassed, also fun), these scenes are all the more powerful and memorable. He’s a believable geek in his zest for archaelogy and annoyance for being constantly interrupted when reading on his holidays because people won’t just believe that he enjoys reading his goddam book. (I relate, Jean-Luc, I so relate.) He doesn’t believe rules are for suckers - if ethics demand it, he’ll go against them, but he’ll really think long and hard before that and often come up with something that honors both the law and the spirit of the law (not always the same thing). He values the input of his officers - those conferences in the ready room were a new thing back in the day - while not shirking responsibility for hard decisions.
And lastly, let’s be honest: he’s got the best voice. No offense to Avery Brooks, whose voice is also terrific, but Patrick Stewart wins here for me. Nothing is certain, and in the nightmare world we live in, it’s of course possible that the scriptwriters of the new Picard show will make me lose my affection, but other than that, I think it’s a good bet Picard will remain the Once and Future Captain for me. In 2003, I even wrote the song to prove it.
Day 1 - Favorite TOS Episode
Day 2 - Favorite Federation Race
Day 3 - Favorite Starship
Day 5 - Saddest Event
Day 6 - Happiest Event
Day 7 - Favorite TNG Episode
Day 8 - Favorite Federation Enemy
Day 9 - Favorite Character
Day 10 - Most Shocking Moment
Day 11 - Crew Position You Would Want
Day 12 - Crew Position You Wouldn't Want
Day 13 - Favorite DS9 Episode
Day 14- Favorite Time Travel Episode
Day 15 - Favorite First Officer
Day 16 - Favorite Voyager Episode
Day 17 - Favorite Trek Novel
Day 18 - Favorite Non-Aligned Race
Day 19 - Favorite Enterprise Episode
Day 20 - Character You're Most LIke
Day 21 - Least Favorite Character
Day 22 - Favorite Trek Film
Day 23 - Best Trek Tech
Day 24 - Best Overall Space Vessel
Day 25 - Favorite Discovery Episode
Day 26 - Planet You Would Most Like To Visit
Day 27 - Character You Would Date
Day 28 - Name Your Own Starship
Day 29 - Favorite Trek Quote
Day 30 - Favorite Trek Series
This entry was originally posted at https://selenak.dreamwidth.org/1354027.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.
I’m sure everyone who has been following this journal will be stunned with surprise, but yes, it’s still Jean-Luc Picard. Not that I don’t hold other captains in affection, too, including the newest bunch - I really liked what little we saw of Primeverse Georgiou, and Disco’s take on Pike joins Reboot Pike in me loving him -, but Picard just unites so many things I enjoy. He’s a good person, but not flawless. He is a stoic, and not given to emotional outbursts, which means that if scriptwriters and fate conspire to get him suffering (or embarassed, also fun), these scenes are all the more powerful and memorable. He’s a believable geek in his zest for archaelogy and annoyance for being constantly interrupted when reading on his holidays because people won’t just believe that he enjoys reading his goddam book. (I relate, Jean-Luc, I so relate.) He doesn’t believe rules are for suckers - if ethics demand it, he’ll go against them, but he’ll really think long and hard before that and often come up with something that honors both the law and the spirit of the law (not always the same thing). He values the input of his officers - those conferences in the ready room were a new thing back in the day - while not shirking responsibility for hard decisions.
And lastly, let’s be honest: he’s got the best voice. No offense to Avery Brooks, whose voice is also terrific, but Patrick Stewart wins here for me. Nothing is certain, and in the nightmare world we live in, it’s of course possible that the scriptwriters of the new Picard show will make me lose my affection, but other than that, I think it’s a good bet Picard will remain the Once and Future Captain for me. In 2003, I even wrote the song to prove it.
Day 1 - Favorite TOS Episode
Day 2 - Favorite Federation Race
Day 3 - Favorite Starship
Day 5 - Saddest Event
Day 6 - Happiest Event
Day 7 - Favorite TNG Episode
Day 8 - Favorite Federation Enemy
Day 9 - Favorite Character
Day 10 - Most Shocking Moment
Day 11 - Crew Position You Would Want
Day 12 - Crew Position You Wouldn't Want
Day 13 - Favorite DS9 Episode
Day 14- Favorite Time Travel Episode
Day 15 - Favorite First Officer
Day 16 - Favorite Voyager Episode
Day 17 - Favorite Trek Novel
Day 18 - Favorite Non-Aligned Race
Day 19 - Favorite Enterprise Episode
Day 20 - Character You're Most LIke
Day 21 - Least Favorite Character
Day 22 - Favorite Trek Film
Day 23 - Best Trek Tech
Day 24 - Best Overall Space Vessel
Day 25 - Favorite Discovery Episode
Day 26 - Planet You Would Most Like To Visit
Day 27 - Character You Would Date
Day 28 - Name Your Own Starship
Day 29 - Favorite Trek Quote
Day 30 - Favorite Trek Series
This entry was originally posted at https://selenak.dreamwidth.org/1354027.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.