What if Patrick Stewart had done a Bujold?

[Bry_Sinclair]

A stray thought occurred to me the other day after reading over one of the threads in the VOY forum, the infamous story of how Genevieve Bujold filmed for a few days before she stepped aside and Kate Mulgrew took up the reigns of Captain Janeway.

What might have happened and, more importantly, who might have been cast if, in the early days of filming "Encounter at Farpoint", Patrick Stewart made the same decision and wanted out of making TNG?

Going by what is available at Memory Alpha, there were a number of actors who were considered for the role of Jean-Luc Picard so, out of those listed there, who would you have liked to have seen take the Captain's Chair of the Enterprise-D in place of Sir Patrick: Patrick Bauchau, Barrie Ingham, Yaphet Kotto, Stephen Macht, Edward James Olmos, Mitchell Ryan, or Roy Thinnes.

 

[NigellaDeanna20]

Quite possible that, without Stewart as Picard, TNG would possibly have never made it past the first season and that would have been a great shame considering how well the series eventually worked out.

 

[Marynator]

Quite possible that, without Stewart as Picard, TNG would possibly have never made it past the first season and that would have been a great shame considering how well the series eventually worked out.

I so totally agree with you, Sir Patrick isn't just far and away our best Star Trek actor like ever and without contest, but he's such a great actor, one of the best from the last forty years, he WAS Star Trek The Next Generation, right? Sadly I had to look up all those other actors on google to even know who they are, lol.

 

[Sophie74656]

If the show had continues it would certainly have been different. I think each actor helps shape their character. Certain story elements may have been written differently and Picard himself may have ended up as an entirely different character. Of course it's difficult to picture anyone else in the role

Edit: just noticed Edward James Olmos on the list. I completely loved him in BSG but still couldn't imagine him as Picard

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Sadly I had to look up all those other actors on google to even know who they are, lol.

Three of them I knew of the others are a mystery to me. Yaphet Kotto as Picard would definitely have been an interesting choice, might've seen some very different casting for Sisko when DS9 came along.

 

[Mutai Sho-Rin]

Yaphet Kotto could have pulled it off and also been the first black captain on Trek. Picard WAS the show though, at least early on.

 

[Herbert]

Other than Olmos and Mitchell Ryan, I'm not familiar with those guys and their work. I really can't see Olmos as Captain Picard. I could see Ryan in that role but I think the character would have been very different than Stewart/Picard.

The question is if Mitchell Ryan was Picard, who would Riker's father have been?

 

[Marynator]

Three of them I knew of the others are a mystery to me. Yaphet Kotto as Picard would definitely have been an interesting choice, might've seen some very different casting for Sisko when DS9 came along.

Yes! If we didn't have the amazing Sir Patrick Stewart, I would've loved to see a minority actor or actress play our beloved captain. Oh I feel we would've seen such a very different character and show though! Would we have loved it as much?

 

[Kor]

Out of those listed, Bauchau would make the most sense to play a Frenchman.

Kor

 

[Herbert]

They should have brought Shatner back as a future clone of himself.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Yes! If we didn't have the amazing Sir Patrick Stewart, I would've loved to see a minority actor or actress play our beloved captain. Oh I feel we would've seen such a very different character and show though! Would we have loved it as much?

I would recommend looking at the article on Memory Alpha for different cast for each series, some interesting names of guest stars and some different paths the main cast could've taken (I did see there was a woman in for the role of Data).

 

[PhotoBoy]

I’d love to visit the multiverse dimension where either Yaphet Kotto or Edward James Olmos were Captain Picard.

 

[Mojochi]

Yaphet Kotto could have pulled it off and also been the first black captain on Trek.

I've actually always thought the same thing about Paul Winfield. He could've made it work, the only flaw being his unforgettable history as Terrell. Such being the case... Perhaps Bernie Casey

 

[Ro_Laren]

I can't image TNG without Sir Patrick!

 

[Jayson1]

It would have still been a success but it would have never felt like a legit successor to "TOS." Stewart elevated the show to a level where casual fans could even respect it instead of just seeing it as a corny sci-fi show for Trekkies and youngsters.

Jason

 

[Shawnster]

I've actually always thought the same thing about Paul Winfield. He could've made it work, the only flaw being his unforgettable history as Terrell. Such being the case... Perhaps Bernie Casey

Terrell and Chekov at Regula.

 

[STEPhon IT]

A stray thought occurred to me the other day after reading over one of the threads in the VOY forum, the infamous story of how Genevieve Bujold filmed for a few days before she stepped aside and Kate Mulgrew took up the reigns of Captain Janeway.

What might have happened and, more importantly, who might have been cast if, in the early days of filming "Encounter at Farpoint", Patrick Stewart made the same decision and wanted out of making TNG?

Going by what is available at Memory Alpha, there were a number of actors who were considered for the role of Jean-Luc Picard so, out of those listed there, who would you have liked to have seen take the Captain's Chair of the Enterprise-D in place of Sir Patrick: Patrick Bauchau, Barrie Ingham, Yaphet Kotto, Stephen Macht, Edward James Olmos, Mitchell Ryan, or Roy Thinnes.

None.

Patrick Stewart made Star Trek more popular than it ever was before. He gets sole credit and without him I doubt it would've survived long.

 

[Refuge]

A stray thought occurred to me the other day after reading over one of the threads in the VOY forum, the infamous story of how Genevieve Bujold filmed for a few days before she stepped aside and Kate Mulgrew took up the reigns of Captain Janeway.

What might have happened and, more importantly, who might have been cast if, in the early days of filming "Encounter at Farpoint", Patrick Stewart made the same decision and wanted out of making TNG?

Going by what is available at Memory Alpha, there were a number of actors who were considered for the role of Jean-Luc Picard so, out of those listed there, who would you have liked to have seen take the Captain's Chair of the Enterprise-D in place of Sir Patrick: Patrick Bauchau, Barrie Ingham, Yaphet Kotto, Stephen Macht, Edward James Olmos, Mitchell Ryan, or Roy Thinnes.

That first guy: Patrick Bauchau has a certain instant appeal for an older gent!

Honestly I was of the impression LeVar Burton had the greater fame within the USA and Patrick Stewart lesser so. I have no doubt as good as Stewart was proven to be, another actor would have fitted the bill equally as well.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

I've actually always thought the same thing about Paul Winfield. He could've made it work, the only flaw being his unforgettable history as Terrell. Such being the case... Perhaps Bernie Casey

That would have been interesting for several reasons, as Casey playing Captain Calvin Hudson would have eventually set up an interesting dynamic with Sisko if Hudson had been assimilated as Picard was. The writers would probably not have had Hudson join the Maquis, however.

On a semi-related note, I wish Christopher Lee had done Trek.

 

[Nerys Myk]

On a semi-related note, I wish Christopher Lee had done Trek.

I could see him as a Cardassian.