Vash Made Picard Shine

[Whoa Nellie]

Where'd you come across this info? I've never heard about it before. Do you really think they'd become engaged for publicity? I don't.

I have a biography of Patrick Stewart written back in 1996 by James Hatfield and George "Doc" Burt that references Patrick Stewart and Jennifer Hetrick dating and being in a relationship at the time Qpid was filmed. They dated for over a year and she was a frequent visitor to the TNG set.

Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie

 

[2takesfrakes]

There's another To Have & To Have Not similarity going on with Vash & Picard. Bogie and Bacall were falling in love on the set of their first movie together. Here, Stewart and Hetrick were falling in love during Q'pid. Actors are good at making us believe the characters they're playing, up there on the Silver Screen, are falling in love, all the time. But there has to be an extra kick, when it's happening for real with them, off screen. The only difference here, is ... Bogie and Bacall had kids and stayed married until his death. But Stewart and Hetrick had a love all their own - while it lasted. And I can just picture Patrick singing into a glass of whiskey, after their break-up, too:

Falling in love so desperately.
Honey I was your hero.
And you were my leading lady.
We had it all - just like Bogie and Bacall.

 

[Doug Otte]

Understand ... this is from The Almighty, Infallible and Omnipresent Internet, so take it with a grain of salt. But this is the source of information I based that statement on:

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Jennifer_Hetrick
During the filming of "Qpid", Hetrick was engaged to fellow actor Patrick Stewart.

I have a biography of Patrick Stewart written back in 1996 by James Hatfield and George "Doc" Burt that references Patrick Stewart and Jennifer Hetrick dating and being in a relationship at the time Qpid was filmed. They dated for over a year and she was a frequent visitor to the TNG set.

Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie

Thank you both. The documentation seems pretty clear, I just didn't remember reading about it before.

Although I wish the writers could have brought Vash back for at least one more TNG episode, I'm glad they didn't try to make her a regular or recurring character. Her character was unique, and trying to squeeze her into the series on a semi-regular basis would have watered her down and made her mundane.

I always thought Vash was attractive (both physically and personality-wise), but with advancing age I have a deeper appreciation for beautiful women, and watching Qpid again the other night made me realize how special she was.

 

[Whoa Nellie]

And I can just picture Patrick singing into a glass of whiskey, after their break-up, too:

Falling in love so desperately.
Honey I was your hero.
And you were my leading lady.
We had it all - just like Bogie and Bacall.

I love that song! Very Picard/Vash!

Although I wish the writers could have brought Vash back for at least one more TNG episode, I'm glad they didn't try to make her a regular or recurring character. Her character was unique, and trying to squeeze her into the series on a semi-regular basis would have watered her down and made her mundane.

Yes, they probably would have had to tone down the Vash character a little to make her a regular or semi-regular. Still the sizzling chemistry between Picard and Vash would have made it worth it in my book.

The Vash character was just a little a head of the curve. In scifi we see similar characters a few years later with Star Gate SG1's Vala Mal Doran and most recently Dr. Who's River Song.

Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie

 

[Push The Button]

"Yin and Yang is harmony. Yin and Yin . . . is the name of a Panda."

Whilst I completely agree with your post, it should be noted that when it comes to how Opposites Attract, Snookie suspects otherwise. She notes that's not really the way it works, at all. "Like attracts like" ... she says.

There isn't enough penicillin in the whole world.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Would have been nice to see Vash one more time on TNG, for a proper trilogy of Picard/Vash episodes.

 

[Makarov]

To me the show's episodic nature goes against what I think the characters would actually do. Vash leaving is too much of an "we gotta wrap up this episode and get this guest outta here."

It's the same with that other Picard romance episode with a kind of weak reason - Picard unable to order her into danger. And many other character romance episodes - Geordie with Leah Brahms, Data with his girlriend, even Worf's love interest. All required to be cut short because the episode needs to end.

It's also the episodic nature that requires Picard end up with Crusher instead of Vash. If you look at the series as a whole, it pretty much ends how they start out. Riker with Troi, Picard somewhat with Crusher, and everybody else alone.

I would've liked to see more risk taking - a long term thing with Vash, but maybe the business side doesn't allow that to happen. Or maybe their real life relationship would get in the way. But I doubt it, look at Dexter and his sister - those actors were married/divorced and still the show went on.

In a way, Troi ending with Riker is another victim of the same thing. They work with eachother daily for years while they're dating other people. Realistically I think by the time of Nemesis they'd be just coworkers or even have a brother/sister type of relationship.

 

[Whoa Nellie]

It's also the episodic nature that requires Picard end up with Crusher instead of Vash. If you look at the series as a whole, it pretty much ends how they start out. Riker with Troi, Picard somewhat with Crusher, and everybody else alone.

In canon, Picard and Crusher don't end up together at all. In the alternate timeline Q showed Picard 'All Good Things' Picard and Crusher end up divorced. And Picard decided to share what happened in that timeline with his crew.

In the end of the movie 'Nemesis' Dr. Crusher decides to leave the Enterprise for Starfleet Medical.

I would've liked to see more risk taking - a long term thing with Vash, but maybe the business side doesn't allow that to happen. Or maybe their real life relationship would get in the way. But I doubt it, look at Dexter and his sister - those actors were married/divorced and still the show went on.

Remember TNG was on the air around 20 years ago. Things were different. If the show were on today the studio would probably consider the real-life romance between Stewart and Hetrick a PR plus and keep her around.

Also, at the time Stewart had just broken out as a surprise sex symbol. They wanted the Picard character kept open for romantic possibilities.

Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie

 

[desfem79]

Picard and Vash were mistached IMO. Kind of agree with Ben Sisko "she doesn't seem his type" lolol.. The introverted, cerebral, ethical Starfleet Captain with an extroverted, free-spirited, and loose ethics archaeologist, yeah lol.. Vash was not my type, but I could see she was pretty but Picard doesn't seem like a man who would judge dates based on looks.

Even still Captain's Holiday is one of my favourite TNG eps, so it's all good lol..

 

[2takesfrakes]

Vash did not go unnoticed, by fans, nor did her relationship with Picard. A surprising number of them found it to be ... inappropriate ... namely, in that he was too old for her. Personality mismatch was another reason. And there were others, to be sure. But, that's what we were presented with and whatever is onscreen is onscreen.

Fortunately, it's just vague enough, where it's subject to interpretation, so that both camps - those in favour of it and those against - could be satisfied. Personally, I would've loved for them to have had a gratuitous sex scene - but not in Gene Roddenberry's STAR TREK, thank you, very much! We weren't going to get that.

I loved it when Picard was sent back in time to "play as" himself in TAPESTRY. Patrick Stewart got to make out with that 20 year old chick, before commercial and I'll tell you something about that: I could've sworn I saw him slipping her the tongue. I know! I know ... but, tis what I saw! Patrick seemed to be enjoying himself, thoroughly and, what's more ... it fortified his resolve to be a Sugar Daddy, that's a fact!

Even now, he gets with younger women, but at 70, or whatever he is ... he's had to settle for his Gold Diggers, a little bit older. But never did he find another like Jennifer Hetrick. She was the coolest - and the hottest - of them all. Shatner ate his heart out, undoubtedly ...

 

[The Old Mixer]

"Inappropriate"? Granted Stewart was 18 years Hetrick's senior, but she wasn't exactly a spring chicken at that point either.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Oh, I couldn't agree with you more, TOBAL! TNG's grace had made the match, as far as putting Picard and Vash together. It's very satisfying watching them and I think they're a fun couple. But ... mine is not the only voice in fan circles and there are those who did not like Picard being with a young(er) woman. I think because Jennifer looked so fantastic, people just assumed her to be even younger, I don't know. But that's audiences for you. And if some of the more vocal members had their way, we'd never have seen Picard and Vash setting the small screen on fire. And I, for one, would've loved seeing a lot more of that. Patrick Stewart's such an amazing actor ... and his ability to get these younger women hand-over-fist, just adds to his persona as an outstanding leading man.

 

[The Old Mixer]

OTOH, I just watched "Tapestry" yesterday, and Stewart having a love scene with the girl playing the recent academy graduate was a bit creepy. Of course, he wound up in bed with Q, so all's fair....

But Hetrick was a big girl at the time, in her 30s, so while there is a substantial age difference, it doesn't jump out.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Anij was the only older woman Picard ever got with, that I can recall.
Mind you, though, she did have a nice rack ... and in her case,
age really was "just a number":

 

[The Old Mixer]

In-story she's older, but in reality the actress is a bit younger than Hetrick.

 

[desfem79]

Vash did not go unnoticed, by fans, nor did her relationship with Picard. A surprising number of them found it to be ... inappropriate ... namely, in that he was too old for her. Personality mismatch was another reason. And there were others, to be sure. But, that's what we were presented with and whatever is onscreen is onscreen.

Fortunately, it's just vague enough, where it's subject to interpretation, so that both camps - those in favour of it and those against - could be satisfied. Personally, I would've loved for them to have had a gratuitous sex scene - but not in Gene Roddenberry's STAR TREK, thank you, very much! We weren't going to get that.

I loved it when Picard was sent back in time to "play as" himself in TAPESTRY. Patrick Stewart got to make out with that 20 year old chick, before commercial and I'll tell you something about that: I could've sworn I saw him slipping her the tongue. I know! I know ... but, tis what I saw! Patrick seemed to be enjoying himself, thoroughly and, what's more ... it fortified his resolve to be a Sugar Daddy, that's a fact!

Even now, he gets with younger women, but at 70, or whatever he is ... he's had to settle for his Gold Diggers, a little bit older. But never did he find another like Jennifer Hetrick. She was the coolest - and the hottest - of them all. Shatner ate his heart out, undoubtedly ...

As has been said, 1990 was different to today, age gap relationships weren't accepted as much as now. Even still, Sir Patrick was about 50 then, and Hetrick looked about mid-40s, so not a terrible difference. and hardly generational. I'd imagine as of now Hetrick is probably 60-something, again not too much younger than Sir Patrick (who is 73 or 74).

 

[The Old Mixer]

Hetrick was born in 1958, so 32 at the time of "Captain's Holiday", and 55 today.

 

[2takesfrakes]

 

[Doug Otte]

Vash did not go unnoticed, by fans, nor did her relationship with Picard. A surprising number of them found it to be ... inappropriate ... namely, in that he was too old for her. Personality mismatch was another reason. And there were others, to be sure. But, that's what we were presented with and whatever is onscreen is onscreen.

At the time, Stewart was around 52, and Hetrick appeared to be mid-30s or 40, so the age difference didn't bother me.

Edit: Oops! According to IMDB, she was around 31-32 at the time of Captain's Holiday and Qpid. 20-year difference is still not too outrageous.

Fortunately, it's just vague enough, where it's subject to interpretation, so that both camps - those in favour of it and those against - could be satisfied. Personally, I would've loved for them to have had a gratuitous sex scene - but not in Gene Roddenberry's STAR TREK, thank you, very much! We weren't going to get that.

I thought the breakfast scene in Qpid was pretty clear, but yes, a gratuitous sex scene would have been too much for TV and for me.

 

[desfem79]

I thought Lt. Cmdr. Darren was better suited to Picard, but then the writers seem to balls up on Picard and lovers, who would order their girlfriend to danger? lol.. A massive conflict of interest if there ever was one.