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50,000 Monkeys at 50,000 Typewriters Can't Be Wrong

“that’s the picard maneuver. you can’t do that.”

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There’s a post in r/startrek collecting some of the more memorable stories we have told, and fans have remembered, over the decades.

I added one of my own, which I know I’ve written about before, but not here, I don’t think.

It’s about Patrick Stewart tugging on his tunic top, which always wanted to ride up when he (or anyone wearing the uniform) sat down. Because Patrick can’t do anything halfway, he made it very dramatic. Over time, he began to use it as a little bit of business in appropriate moments.

This is a story about that.

We were filming on the bridge. The scene started with Wesley standing, and after half a page or so, he sits down at the conn and I think plots a course or something.

Whenever Wesley sat down, he pulled his jacket tight, just like Picard always did. If you look, you’ll see that we all do that. That’s an important bit of context: we all did that.

So it was like take four of the scene. After we cut on take three, this producer came into the set and stood off camera, just to the right of the viewscreen, as we were looking at it. We do take four, and while we are resetting for take five, this producer comes over to me, leans down so nobody can hear him, and says, “You can’t pull your tunic down like that. That’s the Picard Maneuver, and only Picard can do that.”

So, first of all: this guy is so far out of his lane, he isn’t on the map. If anyone is ever going to talk to an actor, especially in between takes, it always goes through the First Assistant Director, and the Director. It’s a matter of professional respect, and it’s important for our work. If anyone can come up and give us notes or whatever, we will end up with all these conflicting notes, unsure which one to actually listen to.

I’m just 17 or so, and even I know all of this, but I don’t want to get in trouble, so I just say, “…okay. How am I supposed to stop it from riding up to my tits when I sit down? Because that’s what happens.”

He looks so annoyed at me, and sort of bark-whispers, “Just don’t touch it.” And he scurries away into the darkness of the stage.

I am so tired of being treated differently than these same people treat the adults, and I still haven’t learned how to speak up for myself, directly. But I am about to engage in a bit of malicious compliance, the only form of resistance I know how to employ.

We reset, they roll, and when Wesley sits down, his tunic comes all the way up, just like I said it would. It exposes my fake muscle suit, my bracers holding up my trousers, and absolutely ruins the take.

“Cut!” The director calls from offstage.

“Wil, you have to pull your tunic down,” he says, with this tone of utter confusion. Like, obviously.

“Yeah, I know,” I say, looking straight at the guy who is about to wish he’d stayed in his lane, “but [his name] told me that I wasn’t allowed to do the Picard Maneuver, so…” and I shrug, the tunic still bunched up.

That guy turned so bright red, he lit up in the darkness. Everyone on the entire crew looked at him. He sputtered something, and quickly fled the stage.

I made eye contact with Brent and with Frakes. They both looked back at me, communicating their approval. It felt great.

I can’t say for sure that we printed the next take and moved on, but it’s a great way to end the story so let’s go with that.

That guy never gave me a note again. If I recall correctly, my little tunic tug (similar to, yet legally distinctly different from the Picard Maneuver) is in the final cut of the episode

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4 February, 2025 Wil

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91 thoughts on ““that’s the picard maneuver. you can’t do that.””

  1. loudlypainter4495f0ae1f says:
    4 February, 2025 at 9:47 pm

    I love these looks behind the scenes, and of course the others had your back.

    Reply
  2. Suzanne Lewis says:
    4 February, 2025 at 10:05 pm

    Brilliant!!

    Reply
  3. Danny perez says:
    4 February, 2025 at 10:20 pm

    I was a twenty-something when I watched you, and your character always felt relatable to my life at the time. I appreciate your sharing the experience. Thank you.

    Reply
  4. Kenny says:
    4 February, 2025 at 11:25 pm

    great story. after a long time – years, and years and years, i followed you back here from blue sky, and quite honestly, it feels right.
    i hope you’re doing okay in these testing times.

    Reply
  5. MJR says:
    5 February, 2025 at 2:18 am

    Love this story! I always thought of how Wesley did that as copying Picard because he admired him

    Reply
    1. Mim says:
      8 February, 2025 at 6:30 am

      ^ This

      Reply
  6. John says:
    5 February, 2025 at 3:27 am

    Resist! It’s not futile.

    Great memory, and great support from your peers.

    Reply
  7. Grammy says:
    5 February, 2025 at 5:00 am

    Bravo! As a woman in a typically male job (CAD Engineering design) I experienced a lot of that. So much that I switched over to Graphic Design (and I like it better anyway). I have so many memories of instances where I should have maliciously complied and didn’t. I wish I could go back and do that. My old self takes none of that and does not suffer fools gladly.

    Reply
  8. prairiepath says:
    5 February, 2025 at 5:10 am

    Great story!

    Reply
  9. Robb says:
    5 February, 2025 at 5:11 am

    Will you be sharing any stories from you times on BBT?

    Reply
  10. hideoutgracefullya7eb8a6456 says:
    5 February, 2025 at 5:48 am

    I love this story – thank you for sharing it!

    Reply
  11. seismic_cowgirl says:
    5 February, 2025 at 6:02 am

    Malicious compliance. I love that! Sounds like a strategy some of us feel like we have to deploy … :/

    Reply
  12. janewayish says:
    5 February, 2025 at 6:32 am

    Middle management- ptooey! Crusher crushed it on that one! So glad you’re blogging again- this is the joy we need in these dark times, Traveler!

    Reply
  13. wabbit89 says:
    5 February, 2025 at 7:09 am

    Malicious compliance FTW.

    Reply
  14. DL says:
    5 February, 2025 at 7:25 am

    Much applause!

    Reply
  15. brisklyprofound5228b94900 says:
    5 February, 2025 at 7:35 am

    Wil, best thing I’ve heard in quite a while. Thanks for the smile.

    Reply
  16. moreahbrenda says:
    5 February, 2025 at 7:48 am

    I’d like to think that Wesley tugged in a very Picard way, trying to model himself after the captain

    Reply
    1. David H says:
      6 February, 2025 at 7:04 pm

      I’m with you on this! If anyone gets to do the Picard Maneuver (besides JL) it’s Wesley for this reason.

      Reply
  17. flowersteadyeda2d2763e says:
    5 February, 2025 at 8:02 am

    Handled that superbly!

    Reply
  18. Beth says:
    5 February, 2025 at 9:45 am

    “[Producer], shut up!”

    Reply
  19. Veselin says:
    5 February, 2025 at 9:59 am

    What a great story!

    Reply
  20. Jim Goede says:
    5 February, 2025 at 10:57 am

    Haha! “Malicious compliance!” Love it! Well done Wil. Only way to battle “Malicious arrogance”. 👍

    Reply
    1. Christian Passet says:
      10 February, 2025 at 8:10 pm

      yes. Sometimes malicious compliance is the best compliance

      Reply
  21. optimistic73d9755a01 says:
    5 February, 2025 at 11:10 am

    As someone who’s been on more than a few sets, I can’t believe that producer did that!
    As someone in a more technical role (sound) – I might have made a comment to an actor about how to best avoid adjusting their clothing to not make noise or something, but was always very careful to “stay in my lane”.

    Reply
    1. Eric S says:
      6 February, 2025 at 8:53 pm

      I had a sound guy come over once and give me acting tips. Not that I’m not open to feedback, but given this guy knew nothing about film acting it was pretty annoying. There’s a certain awareness that you must have towards the camera. This guy’s recommendation was…well…not camera-friendly.

      Reply
    2. harmonyshadowy331a374fbe says:
      26 February, 2025 at 4:42 pm

      I graduated from the BECA program a few years ago, I loved working on set, but doing sound can be SO frustrating! I also notice it a lot more when I’m watching shows and movies now–and the mistakes, and the terrible mixing. I appreciate you, it’s a maddening job.

      Reply
  22. a dreamy scrape says:
    5 February, 2025 at 12:52 pm

    The funniest thing to me is that I literally never noticed Picard doing it, only Wesley. And it really endeared me to him.

    Reply
  23. Jon Ofjord says:
    5 February, 2025 at 3:27 pm

    Good job!

    Reply
  24. Dutch says:
    5 February, 2025 at 3:40 pm

    Thank you for this behind the scenes view.
    While it may spoil some of our suspension of disbelief to so peek – it reminds us all that the actors are people, and tis is, afterall, entertainment. One of the BEST entertainments available, but still, entertainment..

    Reply
  25. KR says:
    6 February, 2025 at 6:19 am

    I love this! Thanks for sharing this moment from your time on STNG!

    Reply
  26. stoicsimian says:
    6 February, 2025 at 11:11 am

    Wil Wheaton … putting film execs in there place since 1989 (if my math is correct). I’m listening to Ready Player one for the umpteenth time, and always love the part where Wil Wheaton (Member of SAG and narrator of the book) reads that Wil Wheaton is doing a great job as Vice/Co President of the OASIS (I don’t remember which). Speaking truth to power from a young age … directly, and indirectly. 😜

    Reply
  27. general6db6a214e8 says:
    7 February, 2025 at 7:46 am

    That’s brilliant! Very well executed Malicious Compliance. But on another note: Excuse me–fake muscle suit? Just…what?

    Reply
  28. Stacey Anne says:
    7 February, 2025 at 3:49 pm

    I love that you’re sharing some of the fun(ny) behind-the-scenes stuff. Speaking of which, there’s a thread of pics from between scenes pics from TNG… you’re in a couple. 😊

    https://www.facebook.com/share/1DxSC42vY8/

    Reply
  29. acugirl2013 says:
    10 February, 2025 at 2:31 pm

    Love the story! That’s exactly how I would have handled it. Thanks for sharing

    Reply
  30. Adrian says:
    13 February, 2025 at 8:20 am

    Does anyone know which episode this is in? I want to check for smugness 🙂

    Reply
  31. enthusiastically6f9457a127 says:
    23 February, 2025 at 1:43 pm

    Nice one!

    Reply
  32. Geoffrey Martin Knobl says:
    25 February, 2025 at 9:10 am

    Around the time in my life you were doing that, I was in a local theater group as a minor character in South Pacific after having one of the leads previous years in Mame (main character’s son) and Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof. I wanted the role of Emile de Becque because I knew I could carry the singing well. But I wasn’t as tall as the other guy nor greying yet like he was. He got the part but couldn’t carry the tunes which caused all sorts of issues reworking the music. I tried to help him best I could but… this is just me being bothered in retrospect still. Anyway, I got the part of Sergeant or Captain who would come on stage and occasionally discipline the crew members when they were goofing off right before or after the Bloody Mary song. I wanted to look like I real Navy so talked to a former Navy officer. He told me how their salutes were different back during WWII so I used that. But my khaki jacket was a bit ill fitting. I found if I did the “Picard Maneuver” it caught the actors’ attention better and got them to react to my presence more believably. It may have only been accidentally created but it worked well and translated on the stage to the audience. Later after our summer run I heard that the only one who looked real Navy was my character. That made up for not getting the Frenchman’s part a little. I don’t know how you got through things, Wil. Tough life, being a performer. But I’m glad you did what you did. We’re all benefitting in small and large ways for it!

    Reply
  33. harmonyshadowy331a374fbe says:
    26 February, 2025 at 4:44 pm

    I’m glad you stood up for yourself in the way you were comfortable with at the time, we can always think of better ways later, but it sounds like you did the reasonable option at the time. It’s great to hear these stories, I was inspired to go back and do a full re-watch of TNG a few months ago with my spouse, we’ve had a great time, there were a lot of episodes I forgot about from when I watched as a kid!

    Reply

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