6 Times Captain Picard Was The Funniest Star Trek Character

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) is known for his wisdom, intelligence, diplomacy, and compassion, but every now and then, Picard proved he was the funniest character in Star Trek. Stewart portrayed Picard in seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, four feature films, and three seasons of Star Trek: Picard.

When Star Trek: The Next Generation began, Captain Picard was serious, duty-minded, and stern. However, behind the scenes, Patrick Stewart yearned to be the same kind of dynamic Star Trek Captain that William Shatner was as Captain James T. Kirk. Stewart once told writer Ronald D. Moore, “The captain doesn’t do nearly enough screwing and shooting on this show.”

As Star Trek: The Next Generation continued, the originally strictly work-focused Patrick Stewart loosened up and joined in on the backstage tomfoolery of his Star Trek: The Next Generation castmates. TNG‘s writers also started letting Captain Picard be funny on-screen, tapping into Stewart’s comedic chops. This continued in the TNG movies, and even in Star Trek: Picard.

6

Playing Robin Hood – Star Trek: The Next Generation “Qpid”

Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4, episode 20, “Qpid,” showcased how funny Captain Picard could be as he constantly tried to maintain his dignity in increasingly absurd circumstances. “Qpid” kicked off with the surprise arrival of Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) on the USS Enterprise-D. Watching Picard squirm as his Risa girlfriend met his crew, especially Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), was delightful.

Q (John de Lancie) then popped in, offering to do Picard a favor. Jean-Luc is reliably funny when he verbally duels with Q, but the omnipotent meddler upped the ante when he transported Picard and the Enterprise crew into a recreation of Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest. Picard wearing tights and rescuing Vash, who Q turned into Mad Marian, foreshadowed Patrick Stewart’s later cameo in Robin Hood: Men in Tights.

5

“He’s My Number One Dad!” – Star Trek: The Next Generation “Rascals”

Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, episode 7, “Rascals,” was built around the silly premise of Captain Picard, Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg), and Ensign Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes) being turned into children. David Tristan Birkin, who also played Picard’s nephew, Rene, in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4’s “Family,” played the younger Jean-Luc.

When Ferengi hijack the Starship Enterprise, Picard, Guinan, and Ro, as children, turned out to be an advantage in retaking the ship, as the capitalistic aliens didn’t know who they really were. “Rascals” contains one of the funniest one-liners in TNG when Jean-Luc accidentally called Commander Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) “Number One,” and saved face by declaring, “He’s my number one dad!”

4

“I’m A Role Model!” – Star Trek: The Next Generation “The Pegasus”

Star Trek: The Next Generation season 7, episode 12, “The Pegasus,” is a Commander Riker-centric story that began with the introduction of Captain Picard Day. When Picard had to explain to an Admiral why there was a holiday for the USS Enterprise-D’s children to celebrate their Captain, Picard hilariously boasted, “I’m a role model!” The Admiral was not amused.

Captain Picard Day was another layer of funny, because Jean-Luc infamously disliked children. Nonetheless, Captain Picard Day caught on in the real world. Captain Picard Day is now celebrated by fans and Paramount annually on June 16 as one of a handful of Star Trek-themed holidays on the calendar.

3

Wearing A Headdress and Dancing in Star Trek: Insurrection

Star Trek: Insurrection was a lighter movie following the more dire adventures in Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: First Contact, with Patrick Stewart performing more comedy than any other TNG movie. When Captain Picard first appears in Star Trek: Insurrection, he’s engaged in diplomatic relations that require him to wear an amusing black headdress on his famous chrome dome.

Captain Picard must then subdue a malfunctioning Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), which he accomplishes by singing the “HMS Pinafore” with the android. When the USS Enterprise-D’s crew is affected by the rejuvenating energies of the Briar Patch, Picard begins feeling romantic and dances in his quarters. Star Trek: Insurrection is easily Jean-Luc’s funniest movie outing.

2

Roasting Troi & Riker’s Wedding in Star Trek: Nemesis

Although Star Trek: Nemesis ended with the tragic death of Lt. Commander Data and the USS Enterprise-E’s crew splitting apart, the final Star Trek: The Next Generation movie kicked off with some welcome levity as Captain Picard gave the best man speech at Commander Riker’s wedding to Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and roasted the happy couple.

Scripted by Academy Award-nominated writer John Logan, Picard got big laughs from the wedding party with his tongue-in-cheek tirade about how Riker and Troi getting married and leaving the Enterprise affects him. It was the last happy gathering of the TNG family until Star Trek: Picard season 3. Picard scored a funny extra dig at Riker when he called him, “Mr. Troi.”

1

“The Carpet!” – Star Trek: Picard

Star Trek: Picard season 3’s action-packed Star Trek: The Next Generation reunion was peppered with a few humorous moments, but Admiral Picard’s best line came in the penultimate episode, “Vox.” When TNG’s crew entered the newly rebuilt USS Enterprise-D’s bridge, Picard quipped, “You know, it wasn’t until this moment, standing here with all of you, I realize what I missed most: The carpet.”

Picard’s carpet joke nodded to how art director Liz Kloczkowski lovingly and painstakingly recreated the Enterprise-D’s iconic bridge set, including sourcing the same carpet fabric as the original Enterprise. At the end of Star Trek: Picard season 3, the triumphant and light-hearted Jean-Luc played one more game of poker with his beloved crew, closing the book on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Release Date

1987 – 1994-00-00

Network

Syndication

Showrunner

Gene Roddenberry