# Patrick Stewart returns to Star Trek!?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [June 26, 2018, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749 "2018-06-26T01:51:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2018, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/21 "2018-06-26T19:18:10Z")
> [@cochrane](#):
>
> In the movie _Nemesis_. It was a prototype called B4. It was very literal-minded and did not have a personality like Data or Lore did. It was probably too primitive to have transplanted Data’s mental patterns into and keep him alive that way. In the non-canon novels, Geordi was ordered to dismantle B4 and pack him off to the Daystrom Institute for study, which Geordi did without protest.
Thanks, cochrane.
B4 Before. Jeez.
How many of them did the guy make?
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### Author:  [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/22 "2018-06-26T19:44:05Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> Thanks, cochrane.
> B4 Before. Jeez.
> How many of them did the guy make?
B1-3 were “not entirely successful.”
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### Author:  [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2018, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/23 "2018-06-26T19:45:36Z")
> [@cochrane](#):
>
> In the movie _Nemesis_. It was a prototype called B4. It was very literal-minded and did not have a personality like Data or Lore did. It was probably too primitive to have transplanted Data’s mental patterns into and keep him alive that way. In the non-canon novels, Geordi was ordered to dismantle B4 and pack him off to the Daystrom Institute for study, which Geordi did without protest.
In the comic prequel to the Star Trek movie reboot they uploaded Data’s mind into B4’s brain. It has been a while since I read the book but I don’t seem to recall Geordi protesting the mind wipe of B4 for the procedure.
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### Author:  [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/24 "2018-06-26T21:35:23Z")
> [@BigT](#):
>
> I get not liking the flute episode if you also don’t like the one after Best of Both Worlds, set on Earth. If you’re there for the space opera, the episodes that deviate from that might not be to your liking.
The one where Picard visits his brother and his family? I actually quite liked that one. It was interesting to watch the Captain deal with PTSD.
“The Inner Light” might be on other people’s best episode list, but I personally did not find it anywhere near as good as, e.g., “The Drumhead,” “The Measure of a Man,” “Time Squared,” or even “Elementary, My Dear Data.” The whole thing took place inside Picard’s head in the space of an hour. I don’t see the point. It was basically a rehash of “The Paradise Syndrome.”
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2018, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/25 "2018-06-26T22:32:41Z")
I think the main problem that Star Trek has run into is that the sci-fi of the 70s is past its prime by too far. Someone needs to re-envision the future from the standpoint of today’s people. I mean, we’re talking about 3D printing eyeballs today and Geordi was stuck with an Alice band over his face.
Minus the sci-fi aspect, that doesn’t leave the series much to do but engage in mini-adventures. And, fundamentally, the peacenic nature of the show doesn’t lead into that very well. You’re better off with Battlestar Galactica or Star Wars.
They really need to find a real sci-fi thinker and get him to revamp the whole thing. If the new version involved Patrick Stewart, great, but that’s less important than the revamp itself.
It’s a great time to finally be looking at post-scarcity. In Roddenberry’s vision, it was always a bit handwavey. At this moment in time, it would be a very relevant moment to start looking at options and I think it would resonate with a lot of viewers.
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### Author:  [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/26 "2018-06-28T00:48:36Z")
“The Inner Light” was an example of the great strength of speculative fiction - the ability to explore hypothetical universes, to say “What would it be like if this and this were different?” That can be grand-scale speculation such as “What would humans be like if we had space ships and teleporters and alien neighbors”, but it can also be, as in “The Inner Light”, smaller, more intimate questions. I looked at “The Inner Light” - which was one of my very favorite _ST:TNG_ episodes - as exploring the question - how Picard’s life would have turned out if he had made different choices. His Starfleet career required him to make certain sacrifices; the probe was showing him what he might have had, had he done otherwise. Different sacrifices, different rewards, different loves. I thought it was a brilliant bit of writing.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2018, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/27 "2018-06-28T01:22:56Z")
Meh. It was enjoyable.
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### Author:  [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/28 "2018-06-28T21:35:13Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#):
>
> I think the main problem that Star Trek has run into is that the sci-fi of the 70s is past its prime by too far. Someone needs to re-envision the future from the standpoint of today’s people. I mean, we’re talking about 3D printing eyeballs today and Geordi was stuck with an Alice band over his face.
>
> Minus the sci-fi aspect, that doesn’t leave the series much to do but engage in mini-adventures. And, fundamentally, the peacenic nature of the show doesn’t lead into that very well. You’re better off with Battlestar Galactica or Star Wars.
>
> They really need to find a real sci-fi thinker and get him to revamp the whole thing. If the new version involved Patrick Stewart, great, but that’s less important than the revamp itself.
>
> It’s a great time to finally be looking at post-scarcity. In Roddenberry’s vision, it was always a bit handwavey. At this moment in time, it would be a very relevant moment to start looking at options and I think it would resonate with a lot of viewers.
SciFi of the 70’s was optimistic. The problem with STD and Kelvin timeline is that they have embraced today’s ubiquitous dystopian future. Many people who liked TOS and TNG for the bright future aren’t likely to be happy with another dystopia, even if Patrick Stewart is in it.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2018, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/29 "2018-06-29T01:22:22Z")
I’m hearing an animated show, which would make sense. They should make more TNG that are animated. Get everyone.
Could be fun.
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2018, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/30 "2018-06-29T10:46:46Z")
> [@CelticKnot](#):
>
> SciFi of the 70’s was optimistic. The problem with STD and Kelvin timeline is that they have embraced today’s ubiquitous dystopian future. Many people who liked TOS and TNG for the bright future aren’t likely to be happy with another dystopia, even if Patrick Stewart is in it.
I don’t think there’s anything to prevent an optimistic modern equivalent. Just, someone needs to make sure that the technology still seems futuristic from our standpoint and find issues that are worth discussing today.
I don’t read SciFi, but I have to assume that there’s someone out there who could fill the role appropriately. Google is suggesting Ted Chiang.
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### Author:  [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/31 "2018-07-01T20:25:38Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#):
>
> I don’t think there’s anything to prevent an optimistic modern equivalent. Just, someone needs to make sure that the technology still seems futuristic from our standpoint and find issues that are worth discussing today.
They could call it ‘The Orville’, which is the best Star Trek on TV.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/32 "2018-07-01T20:39:34Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#):
>
> They could call it ‘The Orville’, which is the best Star Trek on TV.
_The Orville_ is excellent, save for the gratuitous slap stick.
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/33 "2018-07-01T20:48:40Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#):
>
> They could call it ‘The Orville’, which is the best Star Trek on TV.
Is it moralistic and heavy handed?
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### Author:  [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/34 "2018-07-01T21:18:17Z")
It’s about as moralistic and heavy-handed as the original series, or The Next Generation with more irreverence and humor. But it captures the original optimistic Star Trek vision much better than Star Trek Discovery.
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2018, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/35 "2018-07-02T00:52:10Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#):
>
> It’s about as moralistic and heavy-handed as the original series, or The Next Generation with more irreverence and humor. But it captures the original optimistic Star Trek vision much better than Star Trek Discovery.
Maybe, I’ll give 'er a watch.
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2018, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/36 "2018-07-02T14:50:37Z")
I’d be up for a return of Picard, perhaps as an admiral making an occasional appearance.
Brent Spiner has already said he doesn’t want to play Data again, since he’s visibly aged since 1987 (I suppose they could always handwave it away by saying Data was refitted with more realistic human-like flesh).
In addition to “The Inner Light” (an excellent episode, I agree), Stewart also played an older Picard in both “Future Imperfect” and “All Good Things”:
[ ](https://tng.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/s4/4x08/futureimperfect090.jpg)
[ ](https://the-take.com/assets/img/article/crew-pasteur-allgoodthings.jpg)
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### Author:  [@ohiomstr2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ohiomstr2)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/37 "2018-09-08T16:53:16Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> _The Orville_ is excellent, save for the gratuitous slap stick.
I watched the Orville out of boredom and was almost immediately hooked, interesting take on a starship theme
It would be fun to see Picard again as long as the issues mentioned above are avoided, especially having to endure commercials on a channel U have to pay to watch. Alas I fear this may be unavoidable.
I think I would rather see Stewart doing Shakespere
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### Author:  [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2018, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/38 "2018-09-10T11:51:00Z")
> [@ohiomstr2](#):
>
> I think I would rather see Stewart doing Shakespere
I still get a kick out of his riding a sand worm.
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### Author:  [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-returns-to-star-trek/816749/39 "2018-09-11T16:30:02Z")
Here’s a little detail about the timeline. I really like the Space 1999 connection. I watched it with my mom when I was a kid and helped fuel my scifi interest. Anyway:
[Year For Setting Of Star Trek Picard Show Established, Storyline Teased By EP – TrekMovie.com](https://trekmovie.com/2018/09/10/year-for-setting-of-star-trek-picard-show-established-storyline-teased-by-ep/)
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