Random “Picard” observation (no spoilers)

[Kevin M.]

This week’s episode is directed by Lea Thompson. A quick glance at her IMDB page and she’s credited as directing over a dozen different shows (mostly sitcoms). 

Just thought I’d share. 

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Kevin M. (RPCV)

[Jim Ellwanger]

I saw that, and wondered if they’d specifically sought out a director who had experience with the theme of this week’s episode.

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 17, 2022, at 8:29 PM, Kevin M. <drunkba...@gmail.com> wrote:

This week’s episode is directed by Lea Thompson. A quick glance at her IMDB page and she’s credited as directing over a dozen different shows (mostly sitcoms). 

Just thought I’d share. 

--

Kevin M. (RPCV)

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[John Edwards]

Does it feature an animatronic duck?

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/06002401-7406-4A7A-AA61-18A9E332E878%40ellwanger.tv.

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John Edwards
"You can insure against the weather, but you can't insure against incompetence, can you?" - Phil Tufnell

[David Bruggeman]

I think she'll direct another episode this season, so maybe then?

While I didn't know Thompson's directing resume, this makes a lot of sense.  Given her husband's background, and the all-too-common decreasing opportunities for women past a certain age, going behind the camera is a viable option (if still a mostly-boys club).

I don't have a sense for the behind the scenes operation of this era of Trek television like I do for the earlier spinoffs.  It was certainly nothing out of the ordinary back then to see a lot of the same names directing so-called genre shows.  But I don't know that those directors were sought out from a story perspective more than a logistical perspective.  Having a stable of regular, rotating directors just makes sense, regardless of the nature of the show.

Even in the current golden age of television, TV auteurs don't direct all that much.  Those that have (Sorkin, Abrams, Whedon) usually do more film directing.

David

On Thursday, March 17, 2022, 09:35:16 PM PDT, John Edwards <jedwa...@gmail.com> wrote:

Does it feature an animatronic duck?

On Fri, Mar 18, 2022 at 12:10 AM Jim Ellwanger <trai...@ellwanger.tv> wrote:

I saw that, and wondered if they’d specifically sought out a director who had experience with the theme of this week’s episode.

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 17, 2022, at 8:29 PM, Kevin M. <drunkba...@gmail.com> wrote:

This week’s episode is directed by Lea Thompson. A quick glance at her IMDB page and she’s credited as directing over a dozen different shows (mostly sitcoms). 

Just thought I’d share. 

--

Kevin M. (RPCV)

-

[Dave Sikula]

Off-topic of Trek, but on the topic of "women past a certain age," I'd just like to give a shout-out to my dear friend and mentor, Lee Shallat Chemel. She's pushing 80 and parlayed her successful career as a theatre director into a longer career in television (thanks in part to Gary David Goldberg). She's been doing mostly sitcoms since 1984, was nominated for three Emmys, and just finished working on a series that is being picked up by Fox eventually. She was the main director on "The Middle" (which is why, in its last season, she cast me as a featured extra -- which took a Taft-Hartley exemption). I'm attaching an on-set photo of us, for those who can see it (with another friend who actually had lines). She was "only" 73 then.

--Dave Sikula

[Bob Jersey]

"I am an expert on time travel," she tells THR.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/picard-lea-thompson-star-trek-1235111704/ (link)

If she says so...     B

Jim Ellwanger, to Kevin M, March 18th:

[M-D November]

Without spoiling anything specific, episodes 2 & 3 of "Picard" definitely share some connective tissue with BTTF.