Post by Jazzman Crothers on Nov 27, 2015 11:37:30 GMT -5
So I just finished watching the documentary 'The Captains'. Its a William Shatner produced and written documentary on all the actors who have played a Star Trek captain, but I sure you know that already. So I wondered, who is your favourite captain or captains. And you can vote as many times as you like in the poll.
I think for me its Picard. And he just inches out Kirk a little. While I love Kirk's cleverness and rule breaking, Picard has authority and depth. Kirk didn't really get much depth until the movies I felt but to be fair the original show wasn't as deep or emotion as shows and movies in general became.
But I think Patrick Stewart as Picard is the best thing to have ever happened to ST. Reason is he brings some much authority to the role and intelligence. He comes off like a real captain who is struggling with the duties of a superior officer while wrestling with the moral challenges presented to him when the Enterprise encounters a problem. Plus Picard seems to wrestle a little with himself, his issues, his past and personal problems and often becomes humbled by them as they actually defeat him but rather then losing he gains a new sort of life knowledge and experience.
One difference between Kirk and Picard that I see is that Kirk is sort of like a know it all who actually does know it all because he is actually very smart and wise beyond his years. But when he is confronted with something that stumps him, he still knows what has to be done and most times is confident and almost smug about because he knows he's right and most times he is morally correct. Picard comes off as someone who realizes on the rules of what has been set up as moral and just. And yet analyzes everything that comes his way with all that he knows. And he relies on those rules to help him solves problems and sometimes has to find something that will work in his favour without breaking the rules. Of course I don't recall every Next Gen episode so I don't know if Picard has ever broken the rules.
So while Kirk is passionate about what is right and wrong and Picard is a little more cooler about exhibiting those emotions, I think Picard is actually a lot kinder then Kirk. Which is maybe what makes him likeable. Of corse Kirk shows kinds here and there but I think he comes off as someone who does it because he knows its the right thing to do and it does make him feel good about himself for doing it. To me Picard comes off as someone who is happy and relieved to be kind to someone. I see Picard as so caught up in being a serious Captain that the chance to help someone makes him feel good about his good where as Kirk is more like the person who knows he can do this job better then most and with smile and big confident grin while doing it.
While I'm painting Kirk as somewhat arrogant, I still think he's an awesome character. After all Han Solo can be arrogant too right? But also after watching 'The Captains' I realize that all the other captains make Kirk even better. Picard, Sisko and Janeway are all serious officers, no nonsense and faced with great challenges day in and day out, professionally and personally. Compared to Kirk, Kirk stands out almost as a reckless maverick but he's still a effective captain whose approach to problem solving is swift and gains positive results.
But still Picard is my favourite due to the emotion content Stewart brought to the role.
I think for me its Picard. And he just inches out Kirk a little. While I love Kirk's cleverness and rule breaking, Picard has authority and depth. Kirk didn't really get much depth until the movies I felt but to be fair the original show wasn't as deep or emotion as shows and movies in general became.
But I think Patrick Stewart as Picard is the best thing to have ever happened to ST. Reason is he brings some much authority to the role and intelligence. He comes off like a real captain who is struggling with the duties of a superior officer while wrestling with the moral challenges presented to him when the Enterprise encounters a problem. Plus Picard seems to wrestle a little with himself, his issues, his past and personal problems and often becomes humbled by them as they actually defeat him but rather then losing he gains a new sort of life knowledge and experience.
One difference between Kirk and Picard that I see is that Kirk is sort of like a know it all who actually does know it all because he is actually very smart and wise beyond his years. But when he is confronted with something that stumps him, he still knows what has to be done and most times is confident and almost smug about because he knows he's right and most times he is morally correct. Picard comes off as someone who realizes on the rules of what has been set up as moral and just. And yet analyzes everything that comes his way with all that he knows. And he relies on those rules to help him solves problems and sometimes has to find something that will work in his favour without breaking the rules. Of course I don't recall every Next Gen episode so I don't know if Picard has ever broken the rules.
So while Kirk is passionate about what is right and wrong and Picard is a little more cooler about exhibiting those emotions, I think Picard is actually a lot kinder then Kirk. Which is maybe what makes him likeable. Of corse Kirk shows kinds here and there but I think he comes off as someone who does it because he knows its the right thing to do and it does make him feel good about himself for doing it. To me Picard comes off as someone who is happy and relieved to be kind to someone. I see Picard as so caught up in being a serious Captain that the chance to help someone makes him feel good about his good where as Kirk is more like the person who knows he can do this job better then most and with smile and big confident grin while doing it.
While I'm painting Kirk as somewhat arrogant, I still think he's an awesome character. After all Han Solo can be arrogant too right? But also after watching 'The Captains' I realize that all the other captains make Kirk even better. Picard, Sisko and Janeway are all serious officers, no nonsense and faced with great challenges day in and day out, professionally and personally. Compared to Kirk, Kirk stands out almost as a reckless maverick but he's still a effective captain whose approach to problem solving is swift and gains positive results.
But still Picard is my favourite due to the emotion content Stewart brought to the role.