"Sarek": Were we cheated?

[Ragitsu]

Good evening.

Although I enjoy Patrick Stewart's moving performance in "Sarek", I cannot help but wonder if we were slightly cheated. Viewers - TOS fans, especially - never got to see Mark Lenard depict Sarek expressing his deepest regrets. What do you think? Would you have appreciated witnessing Sarek himself opening the floodgate of emotion?

 

[Shikarnov]

Good evening.

Although I enjoy Patrick Stewart's moving performance in "Sarek", I cannot help but wonder if we were slightly cheated. Viewers - TOS fans, especially - never got to see Mark Lenard depict Sarek expressing his deepest regrets. What do you think? Would you have appreciated witnessing Sarek himself opening the floodgate of emotion?

At the time, I think a lot of people would have felt breaking down Sarek that way would have been disrespectful to the original series and its fans. Folks in those days were only just beginning to warm up to TNG. (But seen through today's lens, I personally think it would have been heartbreaking, in a good way, bringing us closer to the character).

But... I'm not sure Mark Lenard was that well trained or experienced enough to pull off that scene as well as Patrick Stewart. His IMDB profile lists just 64 credits, many of which are Star Trek, and few of which were more than guest roles. There are very few stage credits. The producers might have thought about having him do the scene and decided against it...

 

[BillJ]

Would you have appreciated witnessing Sarek himself opening the floodgate of emotion?

I think the episode works the way it is constructed. They allowed Sarek to keep his dignity. It worked far better than the appearances by Spock, Scott and Kirk in the TNG timeframe.

Long time TOS homer, here.

 

[Tosk]

I'm glad the way it worked out...it was totally worth it for the single shot of Spock visibly reacting to his meld with Picard at the end of Unification.

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

I've seen the episode at least twice. If memory serves, I'd say both actors were given sufficient moments....Sarek long before Picard's Sarek-channeling.

 

[Mojochi]

Take solace in the fact that Mark Lenard is the single greatest thing about the otherwise pedestrian Unification. He built on what he'd begun in Sarek, which was not of insubstantial impact, in itself, imho. Look there for your satisfying completion.

 

[Farscape One]

I thought it was great the way it was done.

Sarek was already given a great scene in his quarters when Picard confronted him. I think how it was done was the best of both worlds: it kept Sarek's dignity and gave us a brilliantly acted Patrick Stewart scene. (Should have gotten at least an Emmy nomination.)

This all respected the character and kept the message the episode was portraying.

 

[Mojochi]

Look man, if you are not absolutely riveted to the screen, while Sarek is moved to a single tear, by an android's musical stylings, while the only other Vulcan there is in a dead panic about it, then I don't know wtf more you want from Star Trek. That moment was pure magic imho

 

[somebuddyX]

Good evening.

Although I enjoy Patrick Stewart's moving performance in "Sarek", I cannot help but wonder if we were slightly cheated. Viewers - TOS fans, especially - never got to see Mark Lenard depict Sarek expressing his deepest regrets. What do you think? Would you have appreciated witnessing Sarek himself opening the floodgate of emotion?

Not really, because I think there was a nice tradeoff with Sarek getting some of Picard's mannerisms and Patrick Stewart killed it with him having to deal with Sarek's emotions. Then "Unification" gives you the emotional Sarek anyway, so win-win.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I think it was just fine. It was a good opportunity for Lenard to show his range.

 

[Mojochi]

Am I the only one who is in love with the fact that Data made a Vulcan cry? Why? (Well, he is sick after all lol) BUT also because his performance was logical! The precision logic of his performance, (probably way more so than a human) WAS the thing that made Sarek cry, the beauty of that logic in motion.

While Data's ensemble members have often told him he lacks true passion & feeling in his playing, to a Vulcan there could be no better an artistic expression, so much so, that in his deteriorating state, it broke thru his discipline & moved him. I doubt a human would've had the same impact.

Then to have that single feeling play out, in the room, like some Greek tragedy, with his aides in a panic, & Picard & Troi in stunned silence, while his wife gives him gentle human comforting? Well, when people say this show has Shakespearean moments... This is one of them.

 

[Therin of Andor]

There are very few stage credits.

IMDb doesn't list any stage credits for anyone. Filmed versions of stage plays are listed as films.

A quick Google says, "Mark Lenard (1924–1996) was an accomplished stage actor with several Broadway credits, including Gideon (1961) and Much Ado About Nothing (1959) with John Gielgud, alongside Off-Broadway roles in Ibsen’s Little Eyolf and Rosmersholm. He frequently toured (with Walter Koenig) in the two-man show, The Boys in Autumn."