‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ Retro Recap – ‘Captain’s Holiday’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Vacations are something that a great deal of us look forward to and understandably so. After all, we work extremely hard in our chosen career field and we earn every single day of rest and relaxation that our employer is sending our way. And the vacation is such a wonderful way to recharge our batteries that we pour a great deal of attention into planning one, so that we can truly enjoy every single second of our time away, and every amenity that our relaxation destination has to offer. But while so many of us look forward to a little fun in the sun or wherever one goes to clear their head, there is a flip side when it comes to how some people view vacations. 
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For there are some, who quite frankly, despise them. For they see a vacation as nothing more than a waste of time when they could be doing something far more productive. But while some lament this notion and believe that work matters over anything else, the bottom line is that at some point we do need to rest and relax. Because it is crucial to our mental and physical health and really, the big question in regard to the naysayer of the vacation, is how does one get them to enjoy a little down time, while making it seem as though they’re doing something productive? And it just so happens that this particular notion… served as the focal point for the next episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

For ‘Captain’s Holiday’ filled us in on the fact, that Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a man who meets that alternative criteria, since he made it clear early on in this tale that vacations aren’t his thing and that his duties as captain of the Enterprise supersede any notions of downtime. And the only reason this particular topic came to light, was because he was grouchy and exhausted after handling some epic negotiations and that motivated the crew to get him to spend a little time away at Risa while the ship was undergoing some routine maintenance. But even then, once Jean-Luc arrived on the planet, he really didn’t seem to enjoy himself all that much. 

Because Jean-Luc Picard is a man that needs to be mentally stimulated often and is only at peace when he’s doing something and well, it turns out the only way to get a guy like him to relax… is to give him important something to do, that doesn’t feel akin to duty. And thanks to a surprise visit from some aliens from the future and a woman named Vash and a wily Ferengi, Jean-Luc was able to keep productive in a relaxing manner. All by hunting down a powerful device known as the Vox Uthat with Vash and that led to some delightfully comical moments and some adventure and romance for Jean-Luc as well, and thanks to this little ‘mission’, the captain was finally able to return to the ship feeling rested and relaxed.

If anything, this was truly a lighthearted tale. One that also allowed for us to get to know the captain like never before. Because while we’ve known him to be a noble and just man, we’ve never really understood how dedicated he is to duty and the ship, and for that matter, how much the man loves archeology. But that was all on display here and it was nice to see the captain enjoy himself for a change. But what matters most, is that this episode also brought forth a lot of fun and a lot of laughs, especially in regard to the prank that Riker pulled on Picard and well, now that this fluffy tale has come to an end, it would appear we are headed back into more philosophical territory. Since the next episode in this storied franchise, focuses heavily on the notion, of the outcast. Until next time.

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