„Engage!“ – How Sir Patrick Stewart made me half a Trekkie (and a slightly better human being).
Some news makes you stop and think. Last night, I learned Sir Patrick Stewart had died. And this beamed me straight back to the days when Captain Jean-Luc Picard was my ideal of a leader.
My „first contact“ with Star Trek: The Next Generation came in 1990, when German TV began airing the new series in that familiar early-evening slot known for shows like The Fall Guy, Matlock, or Riptide back then.
At first, I really disliked what I saw: Strange costumes and masks and stiff dialogue in a strange setting where everything looked much the same. A chamber drama in space whose appeal I didn’t quite grasp. And an android and a Klingon who both seemed solemn and intelligent, despite looking so strange to me.
Things Will Never Be the Same
Four years later, the situation changed: After long school days I desperately tried to waste time until supper. After “Next Generation” switched channels, it ended up in the afternoon lineup. So I gave it another try, and this time it stuck! Once I’d been assimilated into that universe, I listened and watched. And I was struck by the show’s philosophy and Sir Patrick Stewart’s portrayal of Jean-Luc Picard.
Maybe it was a matter of maturity but all of this happened during my teenage years, when I was searching for meaning. And Captain Jean-Luc Picard, he was full of meaning. His considerate decisions, his dignity, his style of interacting with others. A true human being. I was thrilled.
Later, in real life I rarely encountered people who lived up to that example. Especially in leadership positions. To me, that was art: offering a higher ideal of how humans could treat each other, while weaving physics—with which I struggled at school back then—and other nerd stuff into Shakespearean drama. And for a Gen-X kid like me, it offered a glimmer of hope that humanity might evolve into something a little wiser.
Sir Patrick Stewart’s first love was the theatre, especially Shakespeare. Perhaps that was part of what gave his Picard such dignity and presence. I admired the character, and I admired the man who brought him to life. What a loss—yes, for humanity.
Some memories stay with us. In my Daddy Grunge newsletter, I share personal stories about the music, culture and moments of the 90s—and what they mean to us today. You’re welcome to join me backstage.
