Paul Wesley's incarnation of James T. Kirk
- Thread starter Caeruleus
- Start date
Wesley's performance hits the sweet spot of evoking just enough of Shatner's early season one performances without it veering into an impression. Wesley and the writers have actually managed to create a fully authentic James Kirk without abandoning what has come before, or giving in to the temptation to wink at it or parody it---a truly impressive achievement.
Yep.
The writers have put so much more thought into these characters and how to move them along their arcs than is usual for Star Trek that it's startling.
I love Paul's interaction with pretty much every member of the cast that he interacts with. Like he really is James Kirk.
This is the first Kirk since Shatner I've wanted to hang out with.
Wesley still isn't selling as Kirk for me. When I watch him, I try to see Kirk, but he just isn't there. 
Did you try reversing the polarity?Wesley still isn't selling as Kirk for me. When I watch him, I try to see Kirk, but he just isn't there.
damn
I like Chris Pine. I do. But his Kirk is too...well, frat boy and duty-bound.
He is.
Yeah, I'd rather hang with Pine. He at least feels a bit more down to earth. Shatner Kirk has that duty bound authority figure persona that's hard to want to hang with.
Yes. No joy.
I think Pine was a great 'Kirk' as well as Wesley. I could hang with either.
He doesn't bother me, he just doesn't feel like Kirk to me for the same reason Peck doesn't feel like Spock to me. They both lack the ability to project the sheer gravitas and maturity that the characters are supposed to possess.
Peck gets a little more leeway courtesy of The Cage, and it seems like SNW is at least working on giving him a reason to fully embrace being a Vulcan and largely forsaking his Human heritage (culturally, of course). But Wesley doesn't have that luxury; I wouldn't want to follow him into battle no matter how inexplicably good he is at 3D Chess. He just feels like too much of a whiny child to me, as opposed to a grown man who's making his mark in Starfleet's command structure during his rise to Captain. And Spock is pretty much delegated to comedy relief at this point, which is really disappointing.
I still love the show and I have no genuine complaints against it. I just think they could have done better with casting and the writing for both Kirk and Spock.
I mean, just look at Anson Mount as Pike. He's laid back and approachable, but he still has that aura of command necessary for his role. Wesley and Peck, not so much. At least for me.
Peck gets a little more leeway courtesy of The Cage, and it seems like SNW is at least working on giving him a reason to fully embrace being a Vulcan and largely forsaking his Human heritage (culturally, of course). But Wesley doesn't have that luxury; I wouldn't want to follow him into battle no matter how inexplicably good he is at 3D Chess. He just feels like too much of a whiny child to me, as opposed to a grown man who's making his mark in Starfleet's command structure during his rise to Captain. And Spock is pretty much delegated to comedy relief at this point, which is really disappointing.
I still love the show and I have no genuine complaints against it. I just think they could have done better with casting and the writing for both Kirk and Spock.
I mean, just look at Anson Mount as Pike. He's laid back and approachable, but he still has that aura of command necessary for his role. Wesley and Peck, not so much. At least for me.
Peck is selling Spock for me in terms of being a younger Spock who is still figuring out who he is. Perhaps a little too emotional at times given his Vulcan upbringing, especially since the read we got on Nimoy's Spock was that the bullying he took from Vulcan children forced him into a 'more Vulcan than a Vulcan' persona, eventually leading him to seek Kolinahr. But as time goes on he's nailing it more and more, I think.
I could have totally lived without T'Pring and this relationship with Chapel; I don't think Spock needed any sort of catalyst to 'make' him into the TOS Spock- I think he already was that, more or less until SNW upended it.
Wesley-as-Kirk is just....not.....working. [/Shat]
Actually, my main issue with Peck (and Quinto, really) is, as mentioned above, the lack of gravitas and confident wisdom that they give the character. Instead, they just try to play him as cold and robotic. Nimoy and his portrayal of Spock were neither cold nor robotic (save for when he actually was robotic in Spock's Brain).
They also go for an almost monotone speech pattern which is grating in its own right. A deeper and authorative voice would be lovely, too, but that goes more to the casting than the actor's themselves.
They also go for an almost monotone speech pattern which is grating in its own right. A deeper and authorative voice would be lovely, too, but that goes more to the casting than the actor's themselves.
Why should they have it?
Indeed. Try being in your 20s again. The lack of wisdom is more obvious as you age.
As someone who was in his 20s not that long ago, I can say I’m more wiser and maturer than I was say six seven years ago. (I’m 33.)
Similar threads
