Great Moments: Picard/Crusher

[Star Treks]

Fourth in my series of threads about you favorite interaction amongst two different TNG crew members.

And now we come to... yes, P/C. Picard and Crusher. There was always a wonderfully large amount of subtext (or background, if you will) to their relationship, and I thought that their relationship, as it was, was a strong aspect of TNG.

What are your favorite moments between Picard and Dr. Crusher - they can be lines, scenes, even whole episodes. I will just be kind of silly and start the thread off with Crusher and Picard getting a little too close for comfort in The Naked Now, complete with edited-in uncomfortable laughter. But that's hardly their best moment, just the first that popped into my head.

 

[Red Ranger]

Was never a fan of the P/C stuff -- frankly, it would have been more interesting if they got together. But I did like when Picard and Crusher argue over the fate of the two worlds in "Symbiosis," and he gives an eloquent defense of the Prime Directive. Not entirely convinced, she shows her compassion for what will happen to the population as they break the addicition, and you can see that Picard is moved by her concern. -- RR

 

[SiorX]

Oh, there are so many. Some of my favourites off the top of my head:

The fight at the beginning of The High Ground. Crusher and Picard's conflicting priorities are often played against each other, but this has to be the most fun version of the fight. They don't even let each other finish their sentences, and Picard's look when Riker mentions having to face Beverly in the transporter room if he were to pull rank is priceless.

The look Crusher gives Picard at the end of Allegiance, and Picard's hesitation as he tries to work out what the hell trouble his double has gotten him into.

Beverly comforting Picard during Sarek, because at this point in the series I'm not sure there's anyone else he'd let close enough to see him break down like that - not even Deanna - and it's a lovely moment for seeing that whatever else these two characters have going on, they've got that mutual respect and caring.

Picard all but stepping over a collapsing Wesley to get to Beverly at the end of Remember Me and momentarily relieved enough that she's okay not to care if his crew see him hug her.

The whole breakfast scene in QPid where Beverly finds Picard having breakfast with Vash and instead of the jealous evasion we got in We'll Always Have Paris they're comfortable enough that she can milk every last ounce of enjoyment out of making him squirm. Then she drinks his tea.

In Ethics, where the medical/non-interference conflict comes up again, and Picard goes and discusses it with Crusher like two rational adults. You just don't see enough of that on television.

Beverly calling Picard on his BS in Bloodlines.

And special mention for The Perfect Mate, because there're so many episodes of TNG where somebody says something which is just setting itself up for a dirty joke and nobody ever goes there. So the scene where Picard asks Crusher if he may "remove his uniform" and she doesn't let it slide is one of my favourite "it's about time" moments on the whole show.


I'm sure there're loads more.

 

[Star Treks]

Wonderful, memory-provoking list, Sior.

 

[Winged Victory]

That was a great list, SiorX. I loved those interactions. I really enjoy all the arguments over the prime directive the best. In Who Watches the Watchers?, Beverly beams up a seriously injured native knowing she's breaking that rule. Picard visits the patient, and the look he gives her? Eeeep! But Beverly holds her own in that scene, even when Picard told her she should have let the patient die. Great scene between the two.

I also really liked an early scene from The Arsenal of Freedom, where the two were trapped in an underground cavern. Picard is trying to keep the injured Doctor conscious by asking her questions. We get to learn some of her backstory and we get to see Picard play nurse! It's pretty cute.

 

[Mr. Fergy]

I like "Attached", it's a great episode for them.

 

[SiorX]

That was a great list, SiorX. I loved those interactions. I really enjoy all the arguments over the prime directive the best. In Who Watches the Watchers?, Beverly beams up a seriously injured native knowing she's breaking that rule. Picard visits the patient, and the look he gives her? Eeeep! But Beverly holds her own in that scene, even when Picard told her she should have let the patient die. Great scene between the two.

I love that one too. And thinking about it now, I, Borg should probably also get a mention - Crusher once again prioritising mercy, Picard trying to find the line between his own hatred of the Borg, his personal morals, and the greater good.

Picard, of course, doesn't have the luxury of seeing things the way Crusher does because he's the captain and has to look at the wider picture, but I think it's interesting how Beverly's adamance tempers his point of view, and the ultimate resolution of the episode is basically a compromise between arguments these two characters bring to the table. It's a pity that relationship didn't make it to FC, but such are the necessities of movie-making I guess.


^ I love Attached two. I just wish it were a more coherent episode. Taking out the original premise about their addiction to each other sort of leaves one hanging over understanding their final motivations in the end. Still, the way they play off each other throughout is wonderful. I also think it's lovely that the big episode for the pair revolves around questions of communication, because communication was always such an important trope for the two of them.

 

[DeeEss57]

The whole breakfast scene in QPid where Beverly finds Picard having breakfast with Vash and instead of the jealous evasion we got in We'll Always Have Paris they're comfortable enough that she can milk every last ounce of enjoyment out of making him squirm. Then she drinks his tea.

That scene always makes me laugh. She just waltzes in, sits down in his chair and drinks his tea. Funny! I'm surprised she didn't eat his croissant.

Some other favorite P/C moments:

The kiss in the Ready Room in AGT. What all P/Cers waited seven years for.

When Picard first sees Beverly in period costume in 'The Big Goodbye'. Wowza!

The Ready Room scene in 'Captain's Holiday' when Beverly comes in and tries to convince him to go on leave. She then probably went out and told Riker and Troi that it was time to call bring out the big guns.

Another Ready Room scene in 'The Host', when Picard tells her he's there for her. You know it's killing him to see her this way over another man.

The scene when Beverly goes to Picard to tell him about her feelings of deja vu in 'Cause and Effect' and he gives her a cup of Aunt Adele's recipe.

The argument at breakfast about Kamala and what she represents in 'Perfect Mate'.

The moment when she tells him "I want to see you there, too" after he's been stabbed by Troi in the transporter room in 'Man of the People'.

The way they work together to solve the puzzle in 'The Chase'.

Picard's berating of her in his quarters after she tells him she has performed an autopsy of Doctor Reyga against Ferengi custom.

The fire scene in 'Attached' when Beverly finds out how long he's loved her.

The scene in 'Sub Rosa' when she rufuses to leave with Ronin because she has to make sure Picard is all right.

The little touch from Picard as they exit the transporter room at the end of 'Journey's End'.



DES
From many... One.

 

[Malleus]

Beverly comforting Picard during Sarek, because at this point in the series I'm not sure there's anyone else he'd let close enough to see him break down like that - not even Deanna - and it's a lovely moment for seeing that whatever else these two characters have going on, they've got that mutual respect and caring.

That scene is etched in my head BIG time.