Season 2 of Star Trek: The Next Generation was released on Blu-ray yesterday and the set includes an extended version of "Measure of a Man," one of Trek’s most memorable episodes. In a new interview Sir Patrick Stewart talks about how that is one of the few early TNG episodes he can even remember. He also talks about show’s attempts at romance with Picard. Excerpts below.
Stewart on Forgetting Most of S1 & S2, Measure of A Man & Sexy Picard
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Sir Patrick Stewart talks about why "Measure of o Man" is one his few memorable early TNG episodes…
Many fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation consider this episode to be the first truly great episode of the series. Is that a perspective that you share?
I would say that it is. It is a title that always comes up when the fans or critics or academics even, talk about the highlights of every season. That is always there.
You know, I don’t remember much about the first season. I remember the pilot episode and can’t watch it because I was so terrified all the time of messing it up or getting fired. I think we had several quite weak episodes in the first season. I can think of one very early on that involved a race of black aliens that we all felt quite embarrassed about. I think there must have been others in the first season that dealt with stronger, society based issues, there must have been. But ["The Measure of a Man"] was a complex situation, and one that required intelligent reasoning and argument. Both sides had cogent reasons for believing what they did.
Amanda McBroom and Patrick Stewart in "Measure of a Man"
The former Jean Luc also talked about a cut scene and how the show treated his ‘sexiness.’
The character of the judge advocate was named Phillipa Louvois, played by Amanda McBroom, and there’s a clear tension between her and Picard. In the extended edition, they put back a scene where she calls Picard sexy. It’s startling, since in those early seasons Picard did not have much of a romantic life other than his affection for Crusher, but then in season 2, Crusher wasn’t there anymore.
Oh yeah, you can say that again. I kept encountering women whom I have known in the past, and they were all about the wistful recollection of what might have been if things turned out differently. Gene always said that Picard is in love with the Enterprise. The Enterprise is his family.
The actress who played her was that wonderful singer, jazz singer, Amanda McBroom. The last time I saw her, she was singing in the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller. And she wrote the song that Bette Midler made so famous – “The Rose.” I remember there was a lot of excitement on the set when she came on board. She was tall and slender and dark haired. Had her hair pulled back, I recall. And yes there was some suggestion as in all these episodes [with Picard and another woman] at that time that there had been something in their past — and I began to find that increasingly tiresome. [Laughter]
Read the full interview for more from Sir Pat at EW.com.
Get your copy of TNG S2 Blu-ray from Amazon discounted to $64.99.
1ST Season sucked…but the last episode was great
Sorry: Amanda McBroom said Picard was sexy way back when the episode originally aired. That was not one of the added scenes.
“The Measure of a Man” was certainly a notable episode. However, Picard as sexy? Sorry, he’s no Kirk!
Great Episode .
Good Interview .
Wonderful thing, that mechanical heart.
Oooh Code of Honor, that episode does indeed suck. Also incredibly racist.
“wonderful jazz singer”, “tall and slender and dark haired” – hmmmm… reminds me of Sunny Ozell…
I actually just finished watching The Measure of A Man on Netflix. Easily one of my favourite episodes in the series, and in the franchise as a whole.
It has been stated in some reviews that some of the deleted footage was pretty bad, almost uncomfortable to watch….
I didn’t get that at all, I thought it held the episode together even more strongly and made it even better than the edited version. I was a little surprised that there was that much unused material. Writers and directors usually have a pretty good feel for how long an episode will run while in preproduction and tighten the script up or add filler scenes when the episode is going to come in short. Rarely is there much more than 4 or 5 minutes of excess footage.
I wonder if there had been thought given to making this a special 90 minute episode?
LOL. The first season definitely had its’ share of “duds”.
The second season was WAY better, though it had some bad ones (Samaritan Snare and Up the Long Ladder) but it was definitely a much better season that setup some truly great story-lines that were picked up in season 3 and beyond.
It must be hard as an actor to not like where your character is going, or doing, or saying. I’d be monstrously difficult as an actor, I think, unless I was also the writer. Stewart showed a lot of class. To think that he was terrified through the whole pilot. I understand it, but it sure doesn’t show. Except to Patrick. Still, he really soared a number of times through the seven seasons, and was always as good as, if not often better, than the material he was given.
“Gene always said that Picard is in love with the Enterprise. The Enterprise is his family.”
Oh, so that was one of Gene Roddenberry’s more kinky, bs ideas. Funny thing is that it seems a lot of people have bought into this genuine piece of nonsense, while at the same time belittling other Roddenberry ideas which probably had just as much merit (or lack of) as does the idea of Kirk/Picard being in love with the Enterprise…turning the captains into horny celibates. Now it seems that STID may be about to repeat the same unhealthy BS with this alternate (Pine) Kirk.
Heaven, preserve us. Enough already!
#12
Why is that kinky or bs? Always seemed obvious to me from watching the shows.
#13
Agree … to me this was a major part of most of the captain’s characters.
Captains tend to be very lonely, as they are the ones everyone below them (in rank) looks to for leadership, guidance, and confidence. A captain has to find those things inside him. Sure, he may have close friends who serve under him, but nobody has the ability to make the tough, often heartwrenching, choices that only a captain can make. Captains obviously have greater responsibilites which are time consuming, and quite stressful, and that makes it tougher for them to fall in love with someone, and so, the ship becomes the mate, maybe not physically, but certainly emotionally.
And then there are the adventures, the comeraderie with the crew which makes the ship itself more like a living being.
as a straight guy, I can say Picard had some appeal that women would respond to. he’s was cultured and atheletc, chicks dig it. :)
Saying Kirk or Picard are in love with the Enterprise is simply a way of saying they’re workaholics “married” to their job—because they love it. You know the type: worked hard to get where they are, afraid to commit to anything else for the long term because it might interfere with the job.
Classic part of the male psyche, though certainly not exclusive to men.
#17.
Yeah, but I also think captaincy is a lonely job, and so they naturally become attached to the ship they are commanding. Especially after surviving numerous battles, and enduring long journeys far from home.
And its good to see you back. Where have you been?
“Read the full interview for more from Frakes at EW.com.” don’t you mean Stewart, not Frakes?
#18
Nowhere in particular, RDR. Just waiting for some big news, and it looks like it’s finally going to arrive—the trailer, that is. So now it might be hard to shut me up. Ha ha.
Thanks for asking by the way. I always enjoy reading your comments.
Happy Holidays.
I love my MG so I couldn’t see it as being a struggle to love a starship!
Besides, Picard preferred Stargazer didn’t he?
The Stargazer was a really cool looking ship. Can’t blame Picard for preferring that one.
@Keachick #12
Sorry, could not disagree with you more.
A big part of the allure of the Star Trek captains personality is that they have sacrificed the chance for an “ordinary” life by opting to command a starship.
#3 Sorry, but Sir Pat one year during the TNG run was named by TV Guide as Sexiest Man On Television (scroll down)
https://trekmovie.com/2012/01/24/patrick-stewart-denies-he-sold-out-for-star-trek/
Am I the only one who loved Code of Honour? Let’s face it, as an episode it has the balls to say things that a lot of people just don’t want to hear. They hit the nail on the head with that episode.
I always felt the the episode “Code of Honour” was a rather clumsey attempt to step outside the usual way in which alien cultures have been portrayed in the past. Usually when the crew of the Enterprise lands on a planet the people there all look like they descended from Earth’s European continent. I suppose the original intent was to say “hey, why not have a culture and people that resemble our own African continent instead of having everything always white European?”
Not a bad idea, but be real careful how you end up executing it or else it is going to look really racist. In the end it was a bold idea that flopped.
26 – No, It was not a ‘bold’ idea, it was hackneyed and yes, racist. Not just because of execution. A shame of an episode.
25 – yes, you are the only one. Next.
Saw it Chicago! The episodes looked great on the big screen and the interviews, behind-the-scenes stuff, and bloopers were fun. I hope they do this for all seven season but I don’t know how they’ll show cliff-hanger two-parters like Best of Both Worlds or Unification.
We look for things…things we need.
Every season has at least three, oftentimes four A+ episodes that are just legendary Trek lore at this point. “Measure of a Man” is more than just a highlight of Season 2, it’s a highlight of Next gen in particular, and Trek in general.
The scene with Picard and Guinan gets my eyes kind of watery. I always know it’s coming but then wham! there it is (same thing happens in DS9: “Cardassians” when O’Brien keeps skirting around his prejudice as if it’s something he the enlightened human just can’t be affected by and then Keiko calls him on it).
And having rewatched the episode two days ago, I just realized what a hell of an ensemble piece it is. There’s two great guest actors, and then all the best players really get juicy parts to play. Riker’s guilt at having to prosecute. Picard’s vehement defense. Data’s android reaction to rock and hard place, but having his friend Geordi primarily, as well as the others, to talk to about it. Pulaski’s whole arc with Data feeds into her interaction with him, Worf and Wesley get the least to do but neither gets short-shrift. Perfect episode, basically, where the entire cast has some worthwhile exploration and reason to be there, and the allegory is so poignant it actually hurts the viewer.
Not a lot of Season 2 can be said to be an expansive episode where the whole cast has something to do, and that I think is the key in the sort of “big episodes of S2”, excepting of course “Matter of Honor” which was just all Riker and Worf bromance.
I’m also a DS9 guy and have used this watch-through as an excuse to really track O’Brien’s growth from Episode 1 extra to being one of the most important characters in all of Trek just because of how unimportant he actually is. Season 2 is where he just comes into his own – Sarcastic jokes at Dr. Pulaski’s expense in the Transporter Room … Riker’s drinking buddy … constantly assisting Geordi and Data. Top shelf.