Would his appearances in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley’s People or his time with the RSC before TNG work as evidence in defence of his being a pretty good actor?
I suspect you are taking the piss with your list of TNG greats. Spiner and Dorn are, IMO, the best actors after Stewart – the rest of the cast including Frakes and the younger Wheaton are so-so at best and downright hammy or wooden or both at worst.
Damn, you rumbled me. Yep – Spiner and Dorn were both good, probably because you can’t get away with being really duff if you’re having to play an android or a klingon week after week. Although I guess they could have used a really wooden actor for Data and put it down to him being an android, if you see what I mean…
I’m trying to think of anyone else who was a quality act in TNG. Colm Meaney is definitely a good actor based on other stuff I’ve seen him in, but he didn’t have enough to do as O’Brien to really shine. Michelle Forbes was good.
Wheaton wasn’t that great but the material which was written for him was ludicrous from day one. It was the same with Colin Baker in Doctor Who – if you’re being provided with rubbish by the writers it’s extremely difficult to do a good job. Colin Baker with Russell T Davies producing and a decent wardrobe would have been a class act.
Frakes is just awful, I agree. Although as a *director* he was great. Also they needed that cheesy Shatner-clone as someone for Patrick Stewart to play off of, so it could be argued he worked well in an ensemble context.
Would his appearances in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley’s People or his time with the RSC before TNG work as evidence in defence of his being a pretty good actor?
F***ing excellent in Dune in ’84. I won’t have a word said against him.
But you’re doing down some of the true TNG greats: Frakes, Wheaton, Spiner…
(had an idea once for a remake of The Office but starring Mr Data as “David Brent Spiner”.)
Now if you replace “Patrick Stewart” with “Leonard Nimoy” and TNG with TOS then you’re on to something.
I suspect you are taking the piss with your list of TNG greats. Spiner and Dorn are, IMO, the best actors after Stewart – the rest of the cast including Frakes and the younger Wheaton are so-so at best and downright hammy or wooden or both at worst.
Damn, you rumbled me. Yep – Spiner and Dorn were both good, probably because you can’t get away with being really duff if you’re having to play an android or a klingon week after week. Although I guess they could have used a really wooden actor for Data and put it down to him being an android, if you see what I mean…
I’m trying to think of anyone else who was a quality act in TNG. Colm Meaney is definitely a good actor based on other stuff I’ve seen him in, but he didn’t have enough to do as O’Brien to really shine. Michelle Forbes was good.
Wheaton wasn’t that great but the material which was written for him was ludicrous from day one. It was the same with Colin Baker in Doctor Who – if you’re being provided with rubbish by the writers it’s extremely difficult to do a good job. Colin Baker with Russell T Davies producing and a decent wardrobe would have been a class act.
Frakes is just awful, I agree. Although as a *director* he was great. Also they needed that cheesy Shatner-clone as someone for Patrick Stewart to play off of, so it could be argued he worked well in an ensemble context.