Summary
- Patrick Stewart's autobiography reveals that Brent Spiner, not the writers, came up with the iconic last line of dialogue in the series finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
- The series finale, "All Good Things...", is widely regarded as one of the best TV series finales ever, with a memorable and quotable final line.
- In his memoir, "Making It So", Patrick Stewart discusses his years playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard and gives credit to Brent Spiner for the brilliant final line of scripted dialogue.
Every Star Trek: The Next Generation fan knows the last line from the series finale, and Patrick Stewart reveals who invented the classic dialogue: "Five card stud, nothing wild. And the sky's the limit." Stewart's new autobiography, "Making It So: A Memoir" recounts his years playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard on TNG. The beloved series finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "All Good Things...", was written by Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga, but they did not come up with the brilliant last line of the series according to Patrick Stewart.
Star Trek: The Next Generation's series ender is widely hailed as one of the best TV series finales of all time, with one of the greatest and most quotable final lines of dialogue. In "Making It So: A Memoir," Patrick Stewart tells who invented "Five card stud, nothing wild. And the sky's the limit." Read the quote from page 375 of "Making It So" below:
Picard is given the honor of dealing the cards. It was Brent Spiner, rather than the writers, who came up with the final line of scripted dialogue, so brilliant in its larger resonance. As he deals, Picard says brightly, “So, five card stud, nothing wild. And the sky’s the limit.”
Star Trek: Picard's Finale Recreated & Topped TNG's Poker Scene
Star Trek: Picard season 3's finale recreated Star Trek: The Next Generation's poker scene and even topped it. Showrunner Terry Matalas, who wrote and directed Picard's finale, "The Last Generation," ended the show with the USS Enterprise-D crew playing another poker game at Ten Forward. But this time, Matalas let the camera run to capture the real-life joking and camaraderie of Patrick Stewart and his fellow cast members.
The final line of Star Trek: Picard is also uttered by Patrick Stewart as Admiral Jean-Luc Picard when he tells his friends, "I've come to believe that the stars have always been in my favor." It's a line as knowing and brilliant as "Five card stud, nothing wild. And the sky's the limit." Terry Matalas credits writer-producer Cindy Appel with inventing Picard's last line, so she and Brent Spiner literally gave Patrick Stewart and Jean-Luc Picard their famous last words in Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Source: "Making It So: A Memoir" by Patrick Stewart