"Family" is a great episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but rewatching it always makes me mad that Captain Jean-Luc Picard's (Patrick Stewart) relatives were killed off in Star Trek Generations. "Family" introduced Jean-Luc's older brother, Robert Picard (Jeremy Kemp), Robert's wife, Marie (Samantha Eggar), and Jean-Luc's nephew, René (David Tristan Birkin). "Family" is a lovely Star Trek: The Next Generation episode written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by Les Landau.
It was rare for Star Trek: The Next Generation to take a break from exploring new worlds to, instead, delve into Captain Picard's past and inner life. "Family" is also a notable instance of serialization by TNG, as Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4, episode 2 is a direct follow-up to the conclusion of "The Best of Both Worlds" and deals with how Picard copes with his humanity being restored from his ordeal as Locutus of Borg.
Tragically, Robert, Marie, and René Picard only appeared once (although Birkin returned to play the young Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, episode 7, "Rascals"). In Star Trek Generations, Captain Picard is devastated to learn his family died in a house fire. Robert Picard, his wife, and child killed off-screen was a nasty resolution to the beautiful, profound, and heartfelt reunion in "Family," and it never sits right. However, Star Trek has since made it an integral part of Jean-Luc Picard's story.
Star Trek: TNG’s “Family” Makes Me Mad Picard’s Family Was Killed Off
Star Trek Generations Still Feels Wrong
Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4, episode 2, "Family," gave Jean-Luc Picard a heart and soul beyond his stature as the wise and indomitable Captain of the Enterprise. "Family" was Jean-Luc's first time returning home to the Picard vineyard in La Barre, France, in 20 years. Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) even teased Picard that it was the first time in three years the Captain had taken shore leave. Jean-Luc ultimately found the support he needed by mending fences with his estranged older brother, Robert.
Rewatching "Family," it always infuriates me that Star Trek Generations killed off Robert Picard's clan. It was Patrick Stewart himself who wanted Jean-Luc's family to die off-screen to hammer home that he would be left as the last Picard. Stewart wanted to play that profound loss to give Picard dramatic weight in Star Trek Generations, and Sir Patrick even suggested that Robert's family die in a house fire.
It's a callous way to dismiss the warm and loving family Jean-Luc found when he came home to France.
Ultimately, what Robert Picard and his family's death amounted to in Star Trek Generations was a couple of scenes where Captain Picard mourned them (primarily the loss of his nephew, René, more than his brother or sister-in-law). By the end of Star Trek Generations, Picard has seemingly reconciled and moved on from his personal tragedy, and it's never mentioned again. It's a callous way to dismiss the warm and loving family Jean-Luc found when he came home to France in TNG.
“Family” Humanized Star Trek: TNG’s Captain Picard
Jean-Luc Became A Better Character Because Of "Family"
"Family" was a crucial episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation for Captain Picard. For the first time, Jean-Luc was emotionally vulnerable, uncertain, and even considered leaving the Starship Enterprise for a fleeting moment. In Marie and René, Jean-Luc saw the good fortune Robert had that escaped Jean-Luc because of his choice to commit himself to Starfleet. Meanwhile, Robert's hostility and coldness were ultimately to test his little brother, to learn why, exactly, Jean-Luc had returned home.
Jean-Luc was never more relatable than when he broke down in tears after fighting Robert in the mud. Robert (and the audience) were touched to see Jean-Luc is human, not the perfect, indefatigable Captain of the Enterprise. Robert comforting his brother is one of the kindest moments that happened to Captain Picard. "Family" gave Star Trek: The Next Generation permission to further explore Captain Picard's humanity, and classic episodes like "The Inner Light" wouldn't have been possible without Jean-Luc's homecoming.
How Jean-Luc Picard Was Changed By Star Trek Killing His Family
Jean-Luc Eventually Became His Brother
Robert Picard called Jean-Luc an "arrogant son-of-a..." in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Family," and it was that arrogance that led to Admiral Picard quitting Starfleet in the mistaken belief they wouldn't accept his resignation.
Star Trek: Picard season 2 excluded Robert from Jean-Luc's flashbacks revealing the truth about the death of their mother, Yvette Picard (Madeline Wise), and that their father, Maurice Picard (James Callis), wasn't the villain Jean-Luc believed he was. Ultimately, Jean-Luc fully became his brother, Robert, in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Upon learning he has a son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), with Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), Admiral Picard ended his Star Trek story with the family he once never believed he would ever have.
"Family" Also Set Up Star Trek: Picard
Jean-Luc's Future Sprung From "Family"
Although Captain Picard's homecoming was the A story of Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Family," and the B story revolved around the human parents of Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) visiting the USS Enterprise-D, "Family" also had a C story that impacted Picard's future. Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) watched a hologram recorded for him by his late father, Lt. Commander Jack R. Crusher (Doug Wert). Star Trek: Picard eventually strengthens Jean-Luc's ties to the Crusher clan, and his unresolved relationship with Dr. Beverly Crusher, to enable Picard to have a family of his own.
The seeds of Admiral Jean-Luc Picard's future were planted in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Family." Jean-Luc eventually became the person he originally fled Earth and joined Starfleet to avoid, filling the shoes of his older brother, Robert. To Jean-Luc's surprise, he eventually gained a family of his own, and a son to carry on the Picard family line (if not the Picard surname). Yet all of this could still have been achieved without Star Trek Generations killing off Picard's family off-screen. It's still a poor way to follow up one of the seminal Picard episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
