Emmy Snub: Injustice for One Star Trek: TNG Actor, According to Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart is right to call it an injustice that his Star Trek: TNG castmate never won an Emmy This article explores the various android and Soong family roles brilliantly portrayed by the talented Brent Spiner
Article Overview
Patrick Stewart believes it is a major injustice that Brent Spiner, who played Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation, never won an Emmy.
Stewart commends Brent Spiner's exceptional performance in the episode "The Offspring" for his portrayal of Data, who creates an android daughter named Lal. Spiner exhibited his talent by depicting not only Data but also other android characters, skillfully showcasing the profound depth of his character's longing to be human.
Patrick Stewart believes it is a "major injustice" that one member of the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast never won an Emmy. In his autobiography, "Making It So: A Memoir," Stewart reflects on his time playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the TV series and the subsequent movies. While rewatching episodes and films for his memoir, Stewart was particularly struck by Brent Spiner's performance in season 3, episode 16, "The Offspring," where Spiner's character, Lt. Commander Data, built his own android daughter named Lal. Despite being a fan of Spiner's versatile acting, Stewart notes that his talent went unrecognized by the Television Academy for Emmy consideration. Read the excerpt from "Making It So" below:
In "The Offspring," Jonathan Frakes's directorial debut, Data creates a remarkable android child named Lal. Taking on the guise of a teenage girl, brilliantly portrayed by Hallie Todd, Lal is tragically ephemeral, leaving Data to grapple with authentic human emotions as her life slips away. Brent Spiner's performance is utterly astonishing, plumbing new depths in portraying his character's poignant Pinocchio-like predicament of aspiring to be human. It's undeniably a great injustice that Brent has never been awarded an Emmy for his portrayal of Data, as well as the androids Lore and B-4, and the peculiar Soong family of deranged scientists.
Brent Spiner's Many Star Trek Roles Explained
Spiner has played multiple androids and Soong family members.
Brent Spiner's portrayal in the Star Trek franchise is truly remarkable and astonishing. Not only did he skillfully bring to life the complex character of Data, but he also took on the roles of Data's malevolent brother Lore, as well as his intellectually challenged sibling B-4. Moreover, Spiner demonstrated his versatility by embodying various members of the Soong dynasty. He masterfully played Data's creator, Dr. Noonian Soong, in TNG, as well as Soong's ancestors: Dr. Arik Soong in Star Trek: Enterprise, Dr. Adam Soong in Star Trek: Picard season 2, and Dr. Altan Inigo Soong, Noonian's descendant, in Star Trek: Picard seasons 1 and 3.
Brent Spiner's return as Data in season 3 of Star Trek: Picard could be considered his most gratifying portrayal yet. In this season, Spiner masterfully embodies a Data that combines both organic and synthetic elements, incorporating the personalities of Lore, B-4, Lal, and Altan Soong. This transformation allows Data to evolve into a remarkably human-like creation, establishing him as the most fully-developed and compelling version of the beloved android to date. It is safe to say that no one in the Star Trek franchise has achieved the same level of versatility and skill as Brent Spiner, who has delivered outstanding performances across a diverse range of characters, beginning with Star Trek: The Next Generation. It is only fitting that Patrick Stewart advocates for his exceptionally talented friend and colleague to receive the recognition of an Emmy award.
Source: "Making It So: A Memoir" by Patrick Stewart
Editor's P/S
As a Star Trek fan, I agree with Patrick Stewart's assessment that it is an injustice that Brent Spiner never won an Emmy for his portrayal of Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Spiner's performance was nuanced and complex, bringing to life a character who was both alien and human, and he deserved to be recognized for his work.
Spiner's portrayal of Data was particularly impressive in the episode "The Offspring," in which Data creates an android daughter named Lal. Spiner's performance in this episode was heartbreaking, as he showed Data's struggle to come to terms with the loss of his daughter. It was a truly Emmy-worthy performance, and it is a shame that Spiner was not recognized for his work.
Overall, I believe that Brent Spiner's performance as Data was one of the best in Star Trek history, and I am disappointed that he never won an Emmy for his work. However, I am grateful for the opportunity to have seen his performance, and I will continue to enjoy his work for years to come.
