Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) may be one ofStar Trek’smost serious captains, but thisStar Trek: The Next Generationepisode proved Patrick Stewart could be incredibly funny as well. Patrick Stewart has been open about how he could be a bit too severe on set duringTNGseason 1. Just as it took Stewart himself time to adjust to the sometimes silly antics ofTNG’sother cast members, ittook Captain Picard time to lighten upas well.
SinceStar Trek: The Original Series,the franchise has incorporated humorous elements into its stories, from banter between characters to entire comedic episodes. Not only didStar Trek: The Next Generationhit its stride by the show’s third season, but the actors also appeared more comfortable in their roles.Patrick Stewart never failed to deliver a solid performance as Captain Picard,but his comedy chops were not obviously apparent until this lateTNGseason 3 episode. While the episode may not be a full-blown comedy, it definitely takes a less serious approach to things.
Star Trek: TNG’s “Captain’s Holiday” Shows How Funny Patrick Stewart Can Be
Patrick Stewart’s Line Delivery Makes “Captain’s Holiday” A Fun Episode
Star Trek: The Next Generation’s “Captain’s Holiday” begins with Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) working to convince Captain Picard to take a much-needed vacation. Picard insists he has no interest in taking time off, but Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) soon begin nagging him about it as well.Patrick Stewart perfectly plays his deadpan reaction to everyone’s vacation suggestions,establishing the tone of the episode. When Picard finally makes it to thepleasure planet Risa, he sits down to read his book in the sun, only to be constantly interrupted.
Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast & Character Guide
Star Trek: The Next Generation has one of the most beloved cast of characters in all of science fiction. Here are the major characters of the classic.
In another hilarious sequence, Picard goes back and forth with a Risan woman, then a Ferengi named Sovak (Max Grodénchik ), and finally,Vash (Jennifer Hetrick), who proves to be the most interesting.Vash pulls Jean-Luc into a treasure hunt on Risa,and the two quickly fall into a romantic relationship. With a superfluous plot involving time-traveling aliens from the future, “Captain’s Holiday” may not beStar Trek: The Next Generationat its best, but the episode does allow Picard to have some fun and gives Patrick Stewart a chance to be funny.
Star Trek TNG Should Have Given Patrick Stewart More Comedic Moments
TNG Didn’t Lean Into Comedy As Often As Star Trek’s Other Shows
The small moments of humor in “Captain’s Holiday” prove thatStar Trek: The Next Generationshould have given Patrick Stewart more comedic opportunities. WhileStar Trek: The Original Serieshad episodes like “The Trouble With Tribbles” and “A Piece of the Action” that leaned into pure comedy,TNGdid not dip into that well as often. Thanks to thefamily dynamic ofTNG’screw,humor often found its way into the show, but comedy was rarely a focus.TNGdid not need comedic episodes to be a good show, of course, and not all of its humor worked.
Patrick Stewart can certainly make a line funny without turning it into a joke.
Still,TNG’scast did well when given humorous material. Patrick Stewart can certainly make a line funny without turning it into a joke,imbuing Picard with a dry sense of humor that perfectly matches the captain’s personality.Not everything about “Captain’s Holiday” works well, but Patrick Stewart gets some great lines, andTNG’s writers should have given him moments like this more often. While Captain Picard may never be the starship captain who regularly laughs and jokes with his crew, some episodes ofStar Trek: The Next Generationallowed Patrick Stewart to show a lighter side.
