STAR TREK Producer Shares Admiral Picard's Quarantine Log
We are certainly living in some interesting times right now. Most of the world is in lockdown mode, and people are in self-quarantine in an effort to keep COVID-19 from spreading like crazy. It’s been really interesting for me because I’m the kind of guy who loves the outdoors! So, I’ve been going a little stir crazy, but I’ve also been trying to keep myself busy and my mind occupied.
Anyway, Vulture asked Star Trek producer Akivia Goldman and other writers to imagine what a quarantine episode of one of their shows might be like. Goldsman answered with a quarantine log from Admiral Picard, and you can read it below. Make sure Picard’s voice is in your head when you read it!
“Admiral’s Log. The quarantine stretches on. Essential systems continue to fail. And though many of us are used to long periods of isolation, the prohibition on physical contact, not to mention our inability to leave the ship, is beginning to wear on even the most seasoned members of the crew. Remote communication flourishes — still I am reminded there is no substitute for a direct gaze or the reassurance of a friendly touch. I am emboldened by the crew’s resilience. Despite the hardship, they continue to work their stations; productivity and routine can be an excellent balm on fear. And fear they do, how could they otherwise? The threat we face is real with no immediate end in sight. But that does not make it endless. On the contrary, this period of darkness will end, as surely as it began. Fear will fade to memory. We will survive, stronger, perhaps more aware of the profound connections we have always shared. And a time will come when we once again right this ship and sail forward together into the future, that bright unknown.”
I love that. When discussing the pandemic, though, Patrick Stewart isn’t really on board with working something like this into the Picard storyline:
"I would not encourage that. This is a disturbing and frightening and sad time for many thousands of people and I would feel uncomfortable if we were to make this a theme of the second season of Star Trek. It is too sensitive, too upsetting, too frightening, I think than some of the other issues that we have dealt with, which are much more of a political nature."
If you haven’t watched the first season of Picard yet, you’ve got to check it out! I really enjoyed it.