The Captains

As documentaries go, I admit I don't have a lot of viewing experience. As Star Trek goes however, I found this to be very enjoyable.

Shatner comes across as a pretty decent guy and his interviews with the various actors who have sat in the captain's chair are revealing, often funny, and occasionally very touching, and it is in these moments where The Captains really shines. The contrasting discussions with Scott Bakula and Patrick Stewart over their divorces and the discussion between Shatner and Stewart over their legacies on the show are both fantastic moments. Throughout the documentary there is a lot of insight given into the construction of the captain characters.

My one major complaint is that Avery Brooks gives pretty much nothing. He sits at his piano and plays jazz in a lot of his scenes, which is OK I guess, but we don't really find out anything about his relationship to the Sisko character. The first twenty minutes is also a little tedious.

Really, if you're a Star Trek fan, even in passing, this is worth a look. I definitely recommend it.

I have found Shatner to be a great interviewer. He really knows how to get insightful responses from those he questions. In this documentary I found the best parts of it were when he was talking about his own career and looking back and when the person he was interviewing was asking him questions too. You get a good sense from the interviews the personal sacrifices that the "Captains" on each Trek show had to make and how their jobs were certainly different than the rest of the cast.

The highlights were his conversation style interview with Patrick Stewart at Stewart's home as well as his interview with Kate Mulgrew in a theater in New York City.

Overall though the best part of this documentary is Shatner himself. As he describes his long life and career and even discusses his thoughts on the end of life and his closeness to that end. That gave the documentary a slightly sad and nostalgic feel to it. It felt in some ways almost as if he were saying farewell just slightly. I say just slightly because as you will see when watching that Shatner has a zest for living that few his age can muster. He truly is a marvel to watch and I wish him many more years.

If you are a fan of Trek and of Shatner then this documentary is a must see. You will enjoy it immensely.

Worth seeing because of Shatners bizarre "interview" with Avery Brooks. This surpasses most of what I have seen with regard to absurdities. First Shatner and Brooks engages in some sort of word-game or word-duel where they "challenge" each other. Then Brooks sets himself at the piano and with a "mad" facial expression, he comes up with a melody to which both Brooks and Shatner try to "improvise" lyrics. Both at the same time. Truly strange. About the same caliber as Shatner's version of "rocket man".

If you love Star Trek you will forgive the meandering route this documentary takes, if you are not a fan you will see this as an overindulgent preoccupation of Mr. Shatners one true love... Himself and his impending mortality!

There are truly some heart felt conversations with Patrick Stewart and Scott Bakula regarding the long hours put in and the disintegration of their respective marriages. Scott Bakula seems like a really nice guy who is grounded, he understands the life he has chosen and is grateful for the opportunities given to him, although if I'm honest Enterprise comes second to his success in Quantum Leap.

There is straight talking from Kate Mulgrew whom sees the world from a female perspective in a male dominated industry. I'm not sure Bill got the best out of Kate Mulgrew as I have seen her in other interviews and she was more upbeat and less preoccupied with gender related commentary! I suppose that could be down to the editing, context and questions posed by Mr. Shatner...

The Chris Pine segments are purely incidental, you can't help feeling that William Shatner feels a little embittered at the fact he is in his twilight years and would gladly exchange his position with Pine for another throw of the dice.

Poor old Avery Brooks, this poor chap seems to have lost his marbles! Either his interviews were edited to make him look completely unbalanced or this guy really has taken leave of his senses. Some parts of the interviews with Avery were a little uncomfortable as he just grins like a lunatic and plays the piano rather than respond to simple questions.

Patrick Stewart always comes across in a quiet and considered manner. There were times you could clearly see he was emotional, however he never comes across as bitter or anything other than a dignified true professional.

I have mixed emotions when It comes to William Shatner in this documentary, in parts he reveals emotional content about himself & you feel empathy, for instance the part where he says he fears death! In other parts you feel there is narcissistic tendencies which smother the other interviewee's

What you can take away from this is that all the Captains worked extremely hard in their respective roles and there was a toll paid by each of them. William Shatner seems quite reflective in places and yet self focused in others (not completely unexpected).

Of the five Captains interviewed you wouldn't hesitate to ask Patrick Stewart & Scott Bakula out to lunch, because from this disjointed venture you get the feeling they were the most articulate individuals who have the ability to talk about themselves and you would still like to listen.

I agree... Shatner has really found a calling as an interviewer. He asks questions, but he will use personal experiences and draw his questions from them. And oddly enough for someone who is reputed to have a big ego, even those moments do not come off as displaying self-importance. They act as insight as to where his brain is in forming the questions he is asking.

I hope that made sense.

This documentary was really insightful into the people we have watched over the years as they sat in the captain's chair, the trials and joys they went through and how they got there in the first place.

Great for any Star Trek fan.

Great for anyone who enjoys a good interview.