Patrick Stewart ("Jean-Luc Picard") will soon be appearing on a movie screen near you, but tonight offers an opportunity to catch him on the small screen. The A&E cable channel will air an episode of its popular series Biography tonight focusing on Stewart. The episode profiles Stewart, highlighting his journey from the Royal Shakespeare Company to Starfleet captain. Included are interviews from family and friends, such as actors Ben Kingsley, Hugh Jackman and Number One himself, Jonathan Frakes ("William Riker").

TV Guide Online gave the episode high marks, saying that it highlights Stewart's love of acting and that the actor is "refreshingly candid." "He reflects on his naivete during his first marriage and fatherhood and says that he was so deeply involved in his work that he saw little else as significant. There's a poignant moment when he talks about his father not being alive to see him presented with the Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace," writes reviewer William John Ecklund. "In a more lighthearted vein, Star Trek: The Next Generation executive producer Rick Berman recalls thinking that Gene Roddenberry didn't want Stewart initially because, Berman says, the actor was 'in his mid-40s, he's bald and he's British.'" Ecklund concludes that "it's engaging lives like this one that have given the durable Biography its own life."

The episode airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

And on Friday, watch for Stewart in "X2: X-Men United," the sequel to the first blockbuster movie based on the Marvel comic book. Stewart reprises his role as mutant leader Professor Charles Xavier and is joined by many of his co-stars from the first film, including Jackman and Trek alums Famke Janssen ("Kamala" in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Perfect Mate") and Bruce Davison ("Jareth" in Star Trek: Voyager's "Remember" and "Menos" in Enterprise's "The Seventh"). The film is already attracting good reviews. Variety reviewer Todd McCarthy notes that "X2" improves on the original and is "bigger and more ambitious in every respect, from its action and visceral qualities to its themes." The Hollywood Reporter agrees. "'X2: X-Men United' represents a significant ramping up of story, characters, effects and battles over the previous film ..." writes reviewer Kirk Honeycutt. "You get the impression that this is the movie [director] Bryan Singer actually wanted to make."

Are you going to see "X2"? Discuss it at the Star Trek message boards!