Episode would have been intersting if the "mediocre" blue picard life had not been entirely filled with condescension and disrespect from the framiliar characters. More of a tension where you see the benefits to him, like he didn't have to sacrifice his interest in archaeology or spends half the year riding horses or whatever. And contributions to the lives of others. Maybe he would have a less demonstrative bravery.
TNG/Gene`s vision is definitely one that sometimes mistakes competence porn with living for anything but "work". Excellence is not just a consequence of utopia but an explicit goal of every human.
When you compare that to Sisko`s father who was just happy to live a chill life as a restaurant owner, of course striving his best, but clearly also explicitly saying serving
the militaryStarfleet isn't the only way to have a fulfilling life.You're correct and I'd even think at some point that mediocrity should have lead to Picard quitting Starfleet not enduring however many years of boredom.
Which is also so weird when you consider this(Tapestry) comes after The Inner Light which was also about a fulfilling life completely outside of the Federation/Starfleet standards, perhaps they didn't want to go into that direction again even though this should have been a more logical conclusion?
honestly id love to see a star trek series that isnt about starfleet, and is about civilian life. though i wouldnt trust anyone but a communist to write it
It would have also worked much better with Q's common refrain that Picard isn't special. Showing that all his other lives would have had equal value, and he just happens in this one to be The Captain.
It's pretty much the same principle as how every major character gets to be a captain of their own ship, "everyone wants to be a manager, and if they don't become one they're underperforming".
