It’s been a week since Sir Patrick Stewart passed away, and I’m still processing it.
Someone on social media compared (favorably) Star Trek: The Next Generation to Sesame Street, as it was a series that modeled community and positive values for audiences of all ages. That was its overriding theme, more so than space operatics and derring do. I think it’s revealing that my 12-year-old son loves all the characters on the Enterprise, except for Dr. Katherine Pulaski (Diana Muldaur), who he calls a “space racist” because she’s mean to Data (Brent Spiner). Sure, Pulaski’s ongoing antagonism of the kind, autism-coded character might’ve provided some dramatic conflict — all great things in storytelling — but it never fit for Star Trek: The Next Generation. The Enterprise crew was a family that cared about each other and most importantly respected their differences. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine would do a better job with Armin Shimerman’s Quark as its version of Oscar the Grouch.) When Gates McFadden returned as Dr. Beverly Crusher in Season Three’s “Evolution,” my son cheered and said, “Goodbye, Space Racist!”
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry — both to his credit and detriment — wasn’t that interested in tense space drama anyway so much as depicting an idealized society where humanity had reached its full potential.
What made this work and resonate for decades since is Patrick Stewart’s performance as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who was effectively Fred Rogers in space — someone who embodied kindness and wisdom. Picard gives Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) a much-needed pep talk in Season One’s “Coming of Age” after Wesley fails the admission test for Starfleet Academy:
WESLEY: I failed, Captain. I didn't get into the Academy. I failed you and I failed the Enterprise.
PICARD: Ridiculous. Did you do your best?
WESLEY: Yes.
PICARD: When you test next year, and you will test next year, do you think your performance will improve?
WESLEY: Yes.
PICARD: Good. The only person you're truly competing against, Wesley, is yourself.
WESLEY: Then you're not disappointed?
PICARD: Wesley, you have to measure your successes and your failures within, not by anything I or anyone else might think.
Later, in Season Two’s “Peak Performance,” when Data faces a crisis of confidence, Picard is firm with him but also understanding and offers these inspiring words: “It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”
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Shortly after wrapping Star Trek: TNG, Patrick Stewart starred in Jeffrey, the film version of Paul Rudnick’s play. It’s a great comic performance but one buoyed by Stewart’s compassion and gravitas. Jeffrey showcases Stewart’s range, but his Fred Rogers’ nature was always there.
I was fortunate enough to see Stewart twice on Broadway: In 2008’s Macbeth and in 2010’s A Life In The Theatre. The latter was also a chance for him to flex his comedic muscle. He did so much so well.
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Monday, I wrote about cranky Airbnb “hosts” who resent having to treat their paying guests like people who have paid money to stay in their residence.
Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens lost the Michigan Senate primary, got engaged to a toxic loser, and decided to torch her political career by endorsing Republican Mike Rogers, who opposes everything she supposedly believes, except for Israel, of course. Noah Berlatsky at Everything Is Horrible joined me for a special bonus edition of the podcast to discuss.
My fellow University of Georgia alum Zaid Jilani joined me for a special election day special to discuss Georgia politics.
Democrats won big on Tuesday. They flipped Texas so thoroughly, Ted Cruz is the last Republican standing statewide! They flipped Ohio, Iowa, and Kansas. They flipped North Carolina and dominated in Georgia. They even flipped South Carolina and likely Mississippi, as well.
It’s A Party At The Cheesecake Factory! South Carolina Goes Blue
You might have noticed that the midterm elections were Tuesday. Millions of Americans exercised their constitutional right to vote, which should ensure that they maintain most of their other constitutional rights.
Get to know your next senator from Mississippi.
Has Reconstruction Returned To Mississippi?
I woke up Wednesday morning and immediately checked to see if Lauren Boebert had officially lost her House race. Instead, I discovered even better news: Democrat Scott Colom had a small but significant lead against living Confederate monument Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi, the state whose historic racism made Nina Simone exclaim “goddam!”
It’s certainly been a week. See you on Monday.
And Boebert DID lose her race!
Thank you for continuing to explore the utopianism of Star Trek!