Exclusive: Unveiling the Untold Story Behind Captain Shaw's Iconic Line - A Week Full of Surprises for Picard Breakout Actor

Summary

Todd Stashwick, breakout star of Star Trek: Picard season 3, discussed how ad-libbing dialogue was allowed, leading to the creation of Captain Shaw's best line.

Captain Shaw initially received backlash from fans due to his apparent lack of respect towards Picard and Riker. However, his compelling tragic backstory and sharp-witted dialogue managed to win over the fans.

In the event that Star Trek: Picard's proposed spinoff, Star Trek: Legacy, gets the green light, Captain Shaw is set to make a comeback, as confirmed by Todd Stashwick during his appearance on The Shuttlepod Show.

Star Trek: Picard season 3 breakout star, Todd Stashwick, reveals the origin of Captain Liam Shaw's iconic line. Initially despised by Star Trek fans for his disrespectful behavior towards Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Captain William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) when they boarded the USS Titan-A, Shaw's character took a turn when fans learned about his tragic backstory during the Battle of Wolf 359 against the Borg.

During an appearance on The Shuttlepod Show, Todd Stashwick, along with hosts Dominic Keating, Connor Trinneer, Erica LaRose, and Mark Cartier, discussed the freedom to ad-lib dialogue in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Stashwick then delved into the creation of Captain Shaw's best one-liner. Check out his quote and the corresponding segment of The Shuttlepod Show video (time stamp 31:11) below:

In a pivotal moment, my character experiences a sense of overwhelming admiration for Geordi. Geordi, being a renowned hero engineer, is the sole character my character truly respects. In this moment, Geordi proceeds to list all the ship's malfunctions after I had expressed my utmost admiration for him.

Originally, the scripted line for my character, Shaw, was "Touché." However, I found it inappropriate as "touché" typically implies a mutual exchange of insults and clever comebacks. Instead, I wanted to convey that I wasn't insulting Geordi but rather praising him, while he seemed to unintentionally insult me. So, I proposed the line "It's been a weird week," suggesting that the ship's current state could be attributed to unusual circumstances. Terry agreed and it made it into the final cut.

How Picard's Set Was Different From Star Trek's Legacy Shows

On The Shuttlepod Show, one of the topics discussed was the level of creative freedom given to the cast of Star Trek: Picard season 3. Unlike previous Star Trek shows like Star Trek: Enterprise, the actors in Picard were allowed to suggest dialogue changes and ad-lib. In the past, actors on Rick Berman-produced Star Trek series were required to deliver their lines exactly as written. However, under showrunner Terry Matalas and his team, the actors on Picard were encouraged to actively participate in the development of their characters' story arcs. This resulted in enjoyable moments of improvisation on set, such as when Jeri Ryan's character, Seven of Nine, spontaneously quipped, "The robot's right!" to Brent Spiner's character, Data.

A memorable scene from the premiere of Star Trek: Picard season 3 was Captain Liam Shaw's firm refusal to change course on the USS Titan-A, despite suggestions from Admiral Picard and Captain Riker. This scene became a popular meme. However, another line delivered by Captain Shaw, where he expressed enthusiasm for Geordi and explained the state of the Titan by saying, "It's been a weird week," was particularly well-received and helped Shaw gain a strong fan following. It was a tragic moment for fans when Shaw was later killed by the Borg in episode 9 of Picard season 3, titled "Vox." Fortunately, Todd Stashwick, a guest on The Shuttlepod Show, confirmed that there is a plan in place for Liam Shaw to make a return, should the proposed spinoff, Star Trek: Legacy, be approved by Paramount+.

Now available on DVD, Blu-ray™, and a limited-edition Blu-ray SteelBook from Paramount Home Entertainment is Star Trek: Picard – The Final Season. Additionally, fans can also get their hands on Star Trek: Picard – The Complete Series.

The limited-edition Star Trek: The Picard Legacy Collection will be available November 7.

Source: The Shuttlepod Show