Why Picard?

[Photon]

Or better yet, why the personality of Picard? Alter ego of Jim Kirk? The wise, fatherly capt worked alot, but sometimes I'd like Jimmy-boy. Press the combadge>>>>>>>>>
"Tomalak" :"Tommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk"

 

[Trekker4747]

Page stretch much?

 

[Zeppster]

Pretty much the opposite of Kirk. Gene wanted the first officer to be more like Kirk.

 

[Photon]

Which brings an interesting Q: was Riker like Kirk? Kirk liked life on the edge while Riker liked life pretty safe.

 

[Deleted 2]

Actually, Stewart, Frakes, Shatner and Hunter were all given the same character to work with.

From Roddenberry's original 'Star Trek' pitch:
A shorthand sketch of April might be "A space-age Captain Horation Hornblower, lean and capable both mentally and physically (sic)
(...)
A colorfully complex personality, he is capable of action and decision which can verge on the heroic -- and at the same time lives a continual battle with self-doubt and the loneliness of command.
(...)
As with similar men in the past (Drake, Cook, Bougainville and Scott), his primary weakness is a predilection to action over administration, a temptation to take the greatest risks onto himself. But, unlike most early explorers, he has an almost compulsive compassion for the plight of others, alien as well as human, must continually fight the temptation to risk many to save one.

Stewart was supposed to play the role imagined for Shatner for "Phase II"--that of an older, more mature version of the same character, that could be conveniently disposed of if his creative and financial demands got out of hand.

 

[sbk1234]

Why do the characters have to be compared to the TOS characters anyway? They're different people. It's like the old, annoying question that so many non-fans asked upon seeing Data: "Is he the new Spock?"
The characters are different people. I, for one, prefered TNG when they didn't try to copy TOS. Come on, Dr. Pulaski happens to be a curmudgeon who argues with the non-human Data and hates the transporter? Always better when they did their own thing.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

Zero Hour said:
Actually, Stewart, Frakes, Shatner and Hunter were all given the same character to work with.

From Roddenberry's original 'Star Trek' pitch:
A shorthand sketch of April might be "A space-age Captain Horation Hornblower, lean and capable both mentally and physically (sic)
(...)
A colorfully complex personality, he is capable of action and decision which can verge on the heroic -- and at the same time lives a continual battle with self-doubt and the loneliness of command.
(...)
As with similar men in the past (Drake, Cook, Bougainville and Scott), his primary weakness is a predilection to action over administration, a temptation to take the greatest risks onto himself. But, unlike most early explorers, he has an almost compulsive compassion for the plight of others, alien as well as human, must continually fight the temptation to risk many to save one.

Stewart was supposed to play the role imagined for Shatner for "Phase II"--that of an older, more mature version of the same character, that could be conveniently disposed of if his creative and financial demands got out of hand.

Thus, the back-up "captains" of Decker and Riker.

To break it down, I've always seen Kirk as Captain Horatio Hornblower from Beat to Quarters and Picard as the older, Admiral Horatio Hornblower from the later books.

 

[Vulcanian]

I think it was "updating" it for a different generation. Sure, sure Kirk is forever imprinted as an American icon but the next generation of trekkies (no pun indeeded) needed for a more mature and diplomatic captain.

 

[Red Ranger]

People,

Well, if the TNG captain was too much like Kirk, you'd have the same kind of comparisons. TNG needed a more thoughtful, even curmudgeonly, captain.

I read once that Wesley and Riker were supposed to represent Picard at different phases of his career, and that all three were basically a triumvirate of the different aspects of a command officer's development -- from wide-eyed innocent, to risk-taking up-and-comer, to older, seasoned veteran.

Red Ranger