It’s a common question: what’s your favorite tea? Mint? Jasmine? Chamomile? Well, those are all inferior choices when compared to Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s only choice tea, Earl Grey. Hot. Check out this edited video, cleverly exposing a tea-obsessed Picard.

Over the course of Star Trek: The Next Generation, we were introduced to Picard’s infatuation with this earthly pleasure. Video editor Jan van den Hemel, aka gazorra, has crafted several short TNG episodes which feature edits of the characters in less than serious situations. They aren’t a mockery of the Starfleet captain; rather, these short videos give us the rarely exhibited silly side of Picard with his outstanding crew.

As a native Frenchman, later student stationed in California, this traditional English drink is an oddly interesting go-to beverage for the beloved Captain. When asked about Picard’s tea quirk in a 1998 interview for Neon Magazine, Sir Patrick Stewart said, “When it first came up that Captain Picard was going to drink a lot of tea, I suggested lapsang souchong, but the producers thought that nobody would know what it was.” Picard’s aunt Adele from France did offer warm milk toddies for sleep problems and ginger tea with honey for his colds when he was growing up, but, overall, Earl Grey is a mysterious character idiosyncrasy which we love to poke fun at.

It may not be the sexiest drink order out there, but at least it’s sensible for space travel. I mean, you can only get so far ordering round after round of Vodka martini, shaken not stirred, like 007, or giant glasses of White Russians like the Dude. So, go ahead and get yourself a cup of tea, Earl Grey, hot, and engage.

Are you a fan of Earl Grey, hot, or something else? Let us know what’s your go-to drink?

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HT: Laughing Squid
Image: Paramount