In a retrospective published on arstechnica.com, staff members at the publication remember Patrick Stewart, tracing his cultural footprint from science fiction and superhero films to Shakespearean performance and holiday traditions.
Childhood Fandom and Holiday Tradition
Jason Marlin, technical director at arstechnica.com, writes that growing up in the generation that loved the original Star Trek series led him to hold The Next Generation in a special place in his heart. Marlin notes that Jean-Luc Picard quickly became one of his favorite characters due to his intelligence, leadership, and moral integrity.
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Years later, Marlin discovered what would become his favorite Patrick Stewart performance: his portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge on Broadway and in the 1999 adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Marlin states that the movie remains the definitive version of Dickens’ classic, and watching it has become a cherished family holiday tradition.
During the COVID lockdowns, Marlin and his family tuned in to Stewart’s readings of Shakespeare and his multipart solo rendition of A Christmas Carol. Marlin describes a roaring fire, warm drinks, and Stewart’s Shakespearean accent making everything seem right with the world.
The Yorkshireman in the Captain’s Chair
Nick Indge, senior technology reporter at arstechnica.com, writes about growing up in the US while raised by Brits, recalling a quiet thrill in seeing a Yorkshireman handed the captain’s chair. Indge notes that this casting made The Next Generation legitimate in the eyes of his parents, operating on the assumption that a classically trained Shakespearean actor would not participate in anything unserious.
Indge recalls that as he came of age in 2000, Stewart appeared again as Professor X. Beyond specific roles, Indge describes Stewart as a genuinely good man comparable to Mr. Rogers and Weird Al, noting that Stewart read him a daily sonnet while the world was upside down at the height of COVID.
