Uh-oh...now I'm going to get involved in a Star Trekian struggle with nzforme. I commented in her journal on a remark she had made about William Shatner. I merely said that I don't get why people are forever knocking him. How many other actors have transmuted a starring role in a low-budget, 2 1/2 year long tv sci-fi drama into a thirty year career? And with an incredible sense of humor about it all...
People always compare Shatner to Patrick Stewart, and Stewart invariably comes out on top. To me, it's like comparing apples and oranges. Shatner is a career television actor. He's been on tv almost since they dug up the foundation of that particular medium. It's who he is...it's what he does. Stewart, on the other hand (as nzforme crowed in her reply to my comment) is a classically trained stage actor. Their styles are completely different...but that doesn't mean one is great and the other horrendous. In fact, what I've begun to understand of late, as I watch TNG reruns on "Spike", is that Patrick Stewart can out-overact Bill Shatner any day of the week. I think we just don't see it because of the British accent... I think I first realized this when I saw Stewart in TNT's "A Christmas Carol." I'm sorry...his performance would have been wonderful onstage, but was WAY over the top for the tiny screen.
Now, please don't nail me to a cross because you think I prefer Shatner to Stewart. I actually LOVE Patrick Stewart. I have DREAMS about Patrick Stewart (never really had a dream starring Captain Kirk.) Just trying to be fair, and give Bill Shatner credit for making a hell of a career of James T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise.
I agree that comparing the two as actors is nonsense. In his early career Shatner was as good as anyone. I've seen him in a couple of recent TV movies on Lifetime where his acting is quite good, understated and right on. I don't remember the names of them but they repeat now and then. I think in some cases he parodies himself too much. Maybe a vibe he gets from the director or the crew he happens to be working with. I don't know.
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As for my preference, I also like Stewart. I've been a fan since way back to the movies "Excalibur" and the Kyle McLachlan "Dune."
Haven't seen "A Christmas Carol" so don't know what kind of performance he turned in.
Star Trek TNG is my absolute favorite. It's not only about Patrick Stewart, but about the entire cast. I don't mean that he's a better actor than William Shatner. I just prefer the character he plays. I was so bummed when they took that show off the air!
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