Star Trek

Watched The Best Of Both Worlds again very recently and was not only struck by what a great story cycle this is but also how the follow up episode Family really showed the real strengths of Star Trek.

The development of Picard - who let's face it is as central to TNG as Kirk was TOS - via Locutus back to his not quite old self is a real gem of an idea. This is what ST is all about - character-driven plots. Family is a very touching story - or rather group of stories since Worf's reunion with his foster parents and Wesley's with his father's holo message also form the backdrop to personal discovery, or rediscovery.

This episode really made me realise just how deeply ingrained ST:TNG had become into the audience's psyche. You really do give a damn about Picard and how he has suffered and how he manages to reconnect not just with his former starfleet persona, but eventually even with his estranged brother in the process.

This strength of lead character development and its importance was lost in the later shows. How often do we see tears in those bland offerings? Just as the centrality of Kirk and his persona was crucial to TOS, so is Picard's to TNG. I really wonder why they carried on after this series because they were never going to top these two shows.

My only quibble with Jean Luc Picard - and it in no way lessens anything said above - is the basic mistake of making him French. Let's face it, he never displayed any Gallic qualities whatsoever. I can't readily think of any French mannerisms he had; he rarely if ever used the beautiful French language; his historic references were usually to the Royal Navy and British history; he didn't even speak with the slightest hint of an accent; and so on.

I'm a huge fan of Roddenberry and his vision. But if he erred, and he rarely did - he did so only in wasting the back story of Picard as being French. There was quite simply nothing remotely French about him - other than his name. Even when he visits his family in Family, we meet a quintessentially English bunch. Reserved, quietly spoken, gentile and mannered. Not like any French family I have ever met. They all have English accents even the young boy, not surprisingly with Samantha Eggar, Jeremy Kemp and Patrick Stewart himself all being thoroughly English actors. Even the house looked English - if it hadn't been for the vinyards we could have been in the Cotswolds rather than Franche-Comte! But this is a minor quibble and more of a curio than a criticism.

And the praise should extend to the characters of Worf, his 'parents' and poor young Wesley - all of whom add touching moments to the story. Worf's realisation that his human upbringing is a part of him, and Guinan's generous qualification towards Worf's mother and father are genuinely emotive scenes. And when Wesley finally confronts an image of his dead father you cannot help but be touched by the poignancy of such a moment.

Every now and again you need an episode like this. It sort of sums up where we are to date - like a chapter's closing paragraph.

I agree with you completely... it would have been ridiculous to have thought that Picard could've gone straight back to being Captain of the flagship of Starfleet after escaping the wrath of the Borg.
The fact that Picard was French is unnecersary, but I'm not worried 'bout it, he didn't sound French and neither did his family. Roddenberry was probs just trying to have a variety of cultures like he always had, which is great!

Being a culture is part of your identity and lineage. It's not who the person is....

ST. has a moral integrity that surpasse's many other series. It gives us a reflection of who we are as a person and like this community here, give's us challenge's to overcome in order to grow and learn about other's, but mainly about oneself. The 'trekking,' or journey, is with ourselves. The aliens or different species that are encountered, are what we encounter today on this planet, daily. Some people cannot relate to it, because they don't like watching "sci-fi." They miss out and by not seeing the value and quality and neglect to see past that. It's message has an optimism that the human race needs to hear. It's really about us, and we should be inspired to reach for that, for something better.

What other episodes (from any variant) do you think are very good examples of what Trek was all about - demonstrating this strength?

TOS The Last Battlefield.

Quote: Spock: "Change is the essential process of all existence."

A Taste of Armageddon.

Quote: Spock: " Captain, you almost make me believe in luck." Kirk "Why, Mr Spock! You almost make me believe in miracles!"

TNG

Family

Finding solace at home. Overcoming family disputes. Coping with internal dialogue after a personal ideal. Knowing what is important.

Quote: Rene: You are my nephew, Jean-Luc, from the starship Enterprise. Picard: Then you must be my uncle Rene. Rene: I am not your uncle, it's the other way around. Picard: Too bad, I rather enjoyed the idea.

I, Borg.

Remebering and finding an identity. Hugh wanting to keep it. A friendship, despite the challenge.

Cause and Effect.

It's how to play the game, a 'team effort.'

VOY.

Drone.

A Borg shows a human side and the natural process of evolution ruling supreme over the "synthetic."

Counterpoint.

A battle of wits between 2 people in command, where a woman comes out on top by not succumbing to the deceitful influence of a male type species.

DS9. You are cordially invited.

A Klingon "bucks party," the traditional way. Jadzia having the "hen's" party, her way.

ENT.

The Andorian incident.

Vulcans do lie.

Fusion.

Provocative and darker side to the Vulcan psyche'

Many people in North America even now have last names that would indicate many different nationalities. But like Mr. Sulu who didn't have a Japanese accent, people from all of the world have emmigrated to North America. Even Picard's accent is British. Deanna has a bit of an accent... but not her mother... but then again she spent a length of time on Earth (one could assume) because Deanna's father was human. But... the limitations of what's available for people putting on a television show have to be acknowledged.

I totally agree with your first post here, Ghostmojo, even though I have no problem with Picard being not so typically French. It´s good to see stereotypes countered. Even today, a fair number of Frenchmen don´t fit the general ideas the American TV audience harbours about a "real" French character.

Apart from that, he must have been away from France for many years when we get to know him. The Academy is located in San Francisco, and then on starships...

Personally, I like it that they didn´t put only American and alien officers on the ship. The world is bigger than just the US :-) For a new series, I would welcome an Arabic first officer, or something like that!

Here's what I think would make a cool bridge crew... an Austrailian at helm, a Mexican female communications officer, an older, very serious-type British male captain (voice like John Cleese,) and a Spanish science officer. I would think it would be interesting to have a Romulan as a science officer but most people figure he's Vulcan - only the captain and doctor would know his background. The doctor would be a woman from Thailand or something like that. The engineer would be someone from a new alien planet with new traits and cultural characteristics... maybe you all can suggest what that could be.

All of which is fair enough. But if Picard had lost his 'Frenchness', why didn't his family make comments or poke fun about it upon his return?

The answer to this is because they had all misplaced it as well

I think I have the answer to this. Picard is at least partly descended from the many Brits who now live all over the Dordogne!