Star Trek Generations: Picard's Imaginary wife

[antiquityscion]

In Generations, after Picard is in the Nexus, he awakens with his imaginary family. In it, he sees his dead nephew, Rene. Kirk also sees one of his past loves, and his dog. This clearly demonstrates that you can imagine whomever you want to be in the Nexis with you.

Given this fact, did anyone find it odd that Picard had some generic wife? With red hair no less? If it could have been anyone he wanted, why didn't he make it Dr Crusher (whom becomes his wife both in "all Good Things" and in Pocket Books)? If not Crusher, why not Vash, Kamala (perfect Mate), Marta Batanides (tapestry), Jenice Manheim (We'll Always have Paris) or even his other imaginary wife Eline (the inner light).

Now I know you can make the case that Kirk had a generic love, too, but this is specifically to question why the writers didn't choose any of Picard's flames (especially Beverly), and he just had some generic wife?

 

[HaventGotALife]

I think the idea of a wife, and not to reveal that Picard was in love with someone, was the point of the Nexus visit. To show Beverly would indicate that he wanted her, held deep feelings for her, and that's a whole new storyline.

 

[Broccoli]

The Beverly/Picard relationship was a complete non-issue in the movie. If they had her appear in the Nexus, it would utterly confuse audiences* and add nothing to the movie.

*By audiences, I mean mainstream audiences whom the movie was made for; not Star Trek fans.

 

[antiquityscion]

I think the idea of a wife, and not to reveal that Picard was in love with someone, was the point of the Nexus visit. To show Beverly would indicate that he wanted her, held deep feelings for her, and that's a whole new storyline.

reasonable explanation.

The Beverly/Picard relationship was a complete non-issue in the movie. If they had her appear in the Nexus, it would utterly confuse audiences* and add nothing to the movie.

*By audiences, I mean mainstream audiences whom the movie was made for; not Star Trek fans.

Come one. Most people are not that dumb!

Also, most people who went to see it in the theater WERE TNG fans.

 

[Mr Silver]

Come one. Most people are not that dumb!

There was very little indication of romantic chemistry between Picard and Crusher in the movie. To suddenly have them married in a fictional reality dedicated to Picard's desires would be a bit of a "huh?" moment to most audiences. Troi was the only woman asides from his imaginary wife that Picard was close to in the movie.

Also, most people who went to see it in the theater WERE TNG fans.

Thats possible and then we also consider that TNG was a ratings hit throughout its run. It was a major hit for network television and attracted a more mainstream audience than any other trek spin off. It makes sense that most people, even non trek fans who watched TNG would go and see a movie featuring a show they watched regulary for 7 years. (and then wish they didn't! )

 

[antiquityscion]

There was very little indication of romantic chemistry between Picard and Crusher in the movie. To suddenly have them married in a fictional reality dedicated to Picard's desires would be a bit of a "huh?" moment to most audiences. Troi was the only woman asides from his imaginary wife that Picard was close to in the movie.

It's no more of a "huh" than Data's emotion chip, which came from Lore. And like I said, most people who went to see Generations, were fans to the series, and anyone who called themselves a fan of TNG , saw All Good Things..., which was at the time only 7 months prior to Generations being released. People who had never seen TNG and went in cold to see Generations were so low in number to be almost non-existent.

 

[Deckerd]

Never mind the wife, the children were revolting. Sickly sweet, wrong accent, stylized speech. Yuck. I don't know why PS didn't tell the director this was all wrong, if it was supposed to be Picard's dearest wish.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Also, most people who went to see it in the theater WERE TNG fans.

Nope. Paramount used to say that their surveys told them about 10% of a cinema audience called themselves diehard ST fans and less than 1% of a cinema audience buy the licensed ST tie-ins. TNG, at its peak, was the highest rating one-hour drama in first-run syndication, but that's not counting the major US TV networks - and it's definitely not a figure equating to "most" of the cinema audience.

And like I said, most people who went to see Generations, were fans to the series

No, not "most". Not even close.

People who had never seen TNG and went in cold to see Generations were so low in number to be almost non-existent.

The whole series or just a few random episodes?

 

[T'Girl]

I think the idea of a wife, and not to reveal that Picard was in love with someone, was the point of the Nexus visit.

That might have been Picard's idea too. Picard's fantasy wasn't to have a specific woman as his wife, it was to have a wife period. Life partner, lover, mother of his children, she was gernaric.

Like the daughter, a set piece, they didn't even require names.

 

[Pauln6]

Generic movie audiences like a bit of romance - hence the NuSpock/NuUhura pairing. Featuring Beverly in the Nexus would have given them something to build on in the next movie. I don't think it would have been a bad idea at all. The period costumes and/or Wesley Crusher in a period costume... I'm not so sure!

 

[sonak]

since they went the route of Riker-Troi romance in the movies, I don't see why they couldn't have gone the route of Picard-Crusher romance.

 

[Broccoli]

There was very little indication of romantic chemistry between Picard and Crusher in the movie. To suddenly have them married in a fictional reality dedicated to Picard's desires would be a bit of a "huh?" moment to most audiences. Troi was the only woman asides from his imaginary wife that Picard was close to in the movie.

It's no more of a "huh" than Data's emotion chip, which came from Lore. And like I said, most people who went to see Generations, were fans to the series, and anyone who called themselves a fan of TNG , saw All Good Things..., which was at the time only 7 months prior to Generations being released. People who had never seen TNG and went in cold to see Generations were so low in number to be almost non-existent.

In the film, there was no interaction between Picard and Beverly. To have her appear as his wife in the Nexus would have been extremely forced. You just can't shoehorn those sort of things in movies and expect it fly. If they set it up in the film that Beverly and Picard had some sort of romantic interest, then it would have been more natural (and would have given Crusher something to do in the movie besides being Data's comic foil).

You brought up the emotion chip as a comparison. However, the difference there is that, through exposition, they did set it up. The fact that it came from Lore is not important. Data had it and, as Gordie explained, was unwilling to use it until the events of the movie.

 

[los2188]

In Generations, after Picard is in the Nexus, he awakens with his imaginary family. In it, he sees his dead nephew, Rene. Kirk also sees one of his past loves, and his dog. This clearly demonstrates that you can imagine whomever you want to be in the Nexis with you.

Given this fact, did anyone find it odd that Picard had some generic wife? With red hair no less? If it could have been anyone he wanted, why didn't he make it Dr Crusher (whom becomes his wife both in "all Good Things" and in Pocket Books)? If not Crusher, why not Vash, Kamala (perfect Mate), Marta Batanides (tapestry), Jenice Manheim (We'll Always have Paris) or even his other imaginary wife Eline (the inner light).

Now I know you can make the case that Kirk had a generic love, too, but this is specifically to question why the writers didn't choose any of Picard's flames (especially Beverly), and he just had some generic wife?

Actually I think that's a great point/idea. I think it's about detail. It seems as if the TNG guys that made the movies lacked some attention to detail like seeing Geordi on the Klingon ship wearing the unseen aborted uniform. I think they lack certain detail cuz had it been Crusher that was his wife, to me, would have gone a long way to establish what we already know to be true between the two of them...all though I do wonder whether or not Crusher might be a little too old to have kids....just a thought.

 

[Pauln6]

In the film, there was no interaction between Picard and Beverly. To have her appear as his wife in the Nexus would have been extremely forced. You just can't shoehorn those sort of things in movies and expect it fly. If they set it up in the film that Beverly and Picard had some sort of romantic interest, then it would have been more natural (and would have given Crusher something to do in the movie besides being Data's comic foil).

You brought up the emotion chip as a comparison. However, the difference there is that, through exposition, they did set it up. The fact that it came from Lore is not important. Data had it and, as Gordie explained, was unwilling to use it until the events of the movie.

If they had taken the decision to place an image of Beverly in the nexus they would have set that up in this movie as well. I don't think people are suggesting that she should have been used in this way without a bit of groundwork, even if that was just a conversation and a couple of lingering glances. I certainly found the use of a random wife to be a bit of a let down.

 

[Finn]

People who had never seen TNG and went in cold to see Generations were so low in number to be almost non-existent.

Source?

 

[Chuckles]

I think it just comes down to Paramount being cheap as usual. If they had used a character from the show, that would have lead to more royalties, etc. being paid. So insert generic wife and children and save a few bucks.

 

[antiquityscion]

People who had never seen TNG and went in cold to see Generations were so low in number to be almost non-existent.

Source?

None. Just my belief.
Can you cite a source that disputes it?

 

[Shazam!]

People who had never seen TNG and went in cold to see Generations were so low in number to be almost non-existent.

Source?

None. Just my belief.
Can you cite a source that disputes it?

*facepalm*

 

[Broccoli]

In the film, there was no interaction between Picard and Beverly. To have her appear as his wife in the Nexus would have been extremely forced. You just can't shoehorn those sort of things in movies and expect it fly. If they set it up in the film that Beverly and Picard had some sort of romantic interest, then it would have been more natural (and would have given Crusher something to do in the movie besides being Data's comic foil).

You brought up the emotion chip as a comparison. However, the difference there is that, through exposition, they did set it up. The fact that it came from Lore is not important. Data had it and, as Gordie explained, was unwilling to use it until the events of the movie.

If they had taken the decision to place an image of Beverly in the nexus they would have set that up in this movie as well. I don't think people are suggesting that she should have been used in this way without a bit of groundwork, even if that was just a conversation and a couple of lingering glances. I certainly found the use of a random wife to be a bit of a let down.

The impression that I got from the OP is that Bev (or another love) should have been the imaginary wife in the movie as is.

 

[Search4]

Switch the "i have a family problem" scene that features Troi, to featuring Crusher, and the problem is solved. The generic-wife thing was an opportunity they missed.