Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2 Episode 16 Reaction! - Q Who

Full length reactions & early access: / itsaprimate
BUY MY MERCH: shop.spreadshi...
Vlog Channel - / @primate2765
Streams-
Follow Me On Twitch : / itsaprimate
P.O. Box Address:
16815 Pacific Ave S # 370
Spanaway, WA, 98387
Social Media Links -
Instagram: ItsAPrimate
Twitter : / itsaprimate
BUSINESS INQUIRIES - [e-mail]
Original Movie: Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2 Episode 16
*Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. All rights belong to their respective owners.

[@inferodios]

Geordi is actually blind. The visor he wears lets him see.

[@samulimahkonen8604]

And see a very wide spectrum of light no one else can normally see.

[@Anthyrion]

And later it turned out to be a huge security hole. As far as i remember, his Visor was at least hacked two times

[@inferodios]

Even if you don’t react to the whole series, I’d highly recommend watching it anyway. There are so many great episodes.

[@RoodeMenon]

And don't listen to anyone suggesting DS9 or The Expanse.

[@optimusmegatron9174]

@@RoodeMenon DS9 is great! IDK what you mean

[@avalonmandrake3989]

Why tell someone not to watch DS9? I understand if you’re not a fan, but give folks a chance to form their own opinions, yeah?

[@chrissonofpear1384]

It has a slightly rocky start, but far better than TNG season 1, generally, and more setting up than Voyager did. Or is it because it's too deep a dive, and not that relevant, to the films...?

[@dupersuper1938]

@@RoodeMenon Why in the world not? Next you'll tell him not to watch TOS, Lower Decks, Short Treks, The Orville, Doctor Who, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Black Mirror, Fringe, Farscape, Firefly, X-Files, Battlestar Galactica, Babylon 5, 2001, Free Enterprise, Galaxy Quest...of how much joy will you deprive him?

[@lewis821]

The game they were playing at the end was 3D chess. It’s been a staple of Star Trek, since the original series.

[@suicunesolsan]

Omg, how is your post from two weeks ago?

[@lewis821]

@@suicunesolsan primate has videos available for up to two weeks early on Patreon.

[@ajlynch123]

Q is like the Loki of Star Trek

[@sharkdentures3247]

"I hate him, but I just can't HATE him." You just perfectly described the talented, charming John De Lancie's portrayal of Q. As far as "Did you all like Q?" goes, Q is considered a 'fan favorite'. He was originally just "tacked on" the the Series Pilot (mediocre episode) SOLELY to "pad out" the runtime. But he was SO enjoyed by the audience, they brought him back for around a 1/2 dozen episodes throughout the series! (including the Finale) And he even made appearances in other Star Trek shows as well.

[@TheGarethLusk]

Whoever suggested these were clearly focused on first contact prep. Not necessarily gonna get you up to speed with the crew. Should have started with Encounter at Farpoint

[@paulheap1982]

Well if you wanted him to see a not very good episode, by all means yes.

[@k1productions87]

"Where No One Has Gone Before" provides enough basic information on the characters, without having to require a poor episode

[@blytheguy7510]

@Eric Booker that's one of my favorite episodes.

[@mikejankowski6321]

As in The Sound of Music, it is best to start at the very beginning...

[@peterkoester7358]

My recommendations for the TNG Movie Era prep would have been: S1 Encounter at Farpoint (intro to the new characters); S2 Q Who? (Sets up Guinan and the Borg); S3 Best of Both Worlds (Sets up Picard's later trauma); S4 Best of Both Worlds Pt 2 and Family (Introduces Picard's family and continues the issue of Picard's trauma). That would be pretty much all the intro to the new characters and their dynamic and backstory as you would need for the TNG era films.

[@dumahim]

Q is charming and a trickster which makes him an interesting antagonist.

[@markharris1125]

Geordie's blind - he sees through his vizor. Q is a godlike being who initially tested humanity via captain Picard, and now takes pleasure in tormenting him. In this case though he issues a warning. Guinan is a member of a long-lived race who were all-but destroyed by the Borg. "The other dude", Data, is an android and certainly couldn't be Wesley's dad! Wes's mother, however, is Doctor Beverley Crusher - who doesn't appear in this season, though you'll see her in Movie 7 and in the next couple of episodes. Riker, the guy with the beard, is the 'Kirk' figure in this show. And yes, there's a Klingon on the Enterprise! Deanna, the woman sitting on the bridge next to Picard, is an empath, the ship's counsellor. She has a important part to play in Movie 7. She really crashes the party. Sonja - yeah, don't worry too much about Sonja. Sir Patrick Stewart, who plays Jean-Luc Picard, was/is a distinguished British Shakespearian actor. This role made him a superstar. If you get to the X-Men movies (which I presume you will!) you'll see him again. He's great friends with Sir Ian McKellen, who you saw as Gandalf in Lord of the Rings - he's in X-Men too. I've had the pleasure of seeing both of them on stage. If you like Q (and I think you do!), he does pop up in a number of other episodes through the series. Might be worth a look! The first season of TNG was a bit ropey but by this time in Season 2, as you noted, they were really getting into their stride. This one was an important episode. The next two you're watching are monumental.

[@k1productions87]

"sees through his visor" is a simple way to say it, and not outright false. But to provide more detail, it is basically an EM receiver, sensing everything from simple heat and infrared through radio waves, and transmits them to his brain. They show what it looks like in one episode, and it confounds everyone like a jumble of random information, but Geordi explains it like "I pick out what I want and disregard the rest" and "How do you pick out a single voice in a crowded room?" As a consequence though, Geordi lacks the one all important visual spectrum.... normal sight. He sees people as information and bio-data, he cannot perceive "beauty"

[@markharris1125]

@@k1productions87 Does that explain his spectacular lack of success with 'the ladies'? 😉 Yeah. I was simplifying. I was just really glad Primate liked it. as it's a bit of a change from TOS, was just typing answers to his questions as we went along. Nearly started explaining about Doctor Pulaski but I didn't see her in the clips so decided against it! The best bit was when he thought Wesley was Data's son!

[@visionaryventures12]

Geordi was named in honor of a handicapped Star Trek fan who earnestly attended several conventions. The character had been designed as the ship’s pilot, showing off what 24th century tech and human spirit can do enabling a blind man to “see”.

[@k1productions87]

@@visionaryventures12 I actually did not know that. I knew of the "blind pilot" thing, but I did not know it was based on a real person and fan. That is wonderful What I do know however is Wesley was named after Gene Wesley Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek :P

[@andreabindolini7452]

​@@k1productions87 A simple way to say it but also a straightforward way to explain it to a newbie. So I approve it.

[@bcn1gh7h4wk]

there's several major plot lines in TNG: -Picard's existential crisis. -Riker's career exploration. -Data's humanity. -Worf's legacy. -Deanna's love struggle. and Beverly's moral compass. this episode is what kickstarts Picard's line. also, Q is like Genie, Loki, Deadpool, and Joker, *combined*

[@michaelfinlay6341]

Interested in what you mean by Dr Crusher's moral compass?

[@bcn1gh7h4wk]

@@michaelfinlay6341 her being picked for Starfleet Medical, then 'disregarding' certain procedures, then straight up throwing science out the window.

[@starbrand3726]

Season One, Episode One: Encounter at Farpoint, should have been the first thing recommended for you to watch. It introduces Q, and all the other characters. The visor Gordy wears is vision enhancement because he was born completely blind. This show takes place 75 years after Kirk. Don't bother remembering Sonja as you will never see her again.

[@IggyStardust1967]

Damned shame about Sonja.... I was really hoping when this came out that she'd be a recurring character.

[@derworfnet]

Wasnt Sonja in one other episode?

[@DeanStrickson]

@@derworfnet She’s also in the Pakled episode, but Primate won’t be watching it.

[@starbrand3726]

@@derworfnet She was also in another episode Samaritan Snare. Data's cat Spot was in more episodes.

[@starbrand3726]

@@IggyStardust1967 I honestly think the producers were maybe trying to make her a recurring character. I can't think of any reason why they gave her so much screen time at the beginning of this episode then... barely used her in the episode. She's also in Samaritan Snare episode. I had to look that up because I really don't remember her in it. Maybe I'll watch that episode again to see how much she does. Update: I watched Samaritan Snare again and Sonja is in it for maybe a total screen time of three minutes. In the beginning she's walking down a corridor with Wes and Gordy talking about how great the captain is, and near the end of the episode she's wondering if their plan to escape their current problem will work. You can literally cut her completely out of the episode and not lose any story.

[@bradbarter8314]

Between Star Trek (VII) Generations and Star Trek (VIII) First Contact there is a 2 part episode from the season finale of season 3 and first episode of season 4 of S.T. Next Gen called The Best of Both Worlds parts one and two plus one episode following called Family which are necessary fillers especially after being introduced to the Borg and will make it more understandable and Family ties into it and helps learn more about the other characters.

[@repairmanjack893]

Brad is right. You should check these before watching First Contact. Another two part episode with the Borg is Descent but this one can wait until you catch up to it.

[@richwagener]

While the First Episode “Encounter at Farpoint” is not great, it is the best introduction to the characters as the set up each of their backgrounds and everyone meets. Going to go watch it…

[@Retrovorious]

Even if you don’t do a reaction to the entire show please watch the whole series on your spare time. You’re missing out on a great show.

[@mycroft16]

Q really is integral to the show, despite not really being on it a ton. The lessons they learn from him are life altering in some cases. And the relationship that grows between him and Picard is actually pretty cool. There's a sort of tolerant respect. Q is almost like a mentor to Picard, and through him humanity. He sees the potential in humans. He's also the one person in the universe you really want to party with.

[@jrvthatsme]

The thing to know about Q is that he's immortal and can do literally anything. He could create anything he wants just by snapping his fingers, he could reorder time, reorganize the universe, literally anything. And after billions of years of it he is bored beyond comprehension. He likes to play with lesser beings just to see what they will do for his own fun and curiosity. He does actually do some good things, but always in a way that will be fun for him.

[@derekwhittom1639]

Important context is only aluded to in this episode. The Borg were already scouting them. Q helped them out a lot here.

[@GF_Baltar]

24th Century technology: ✔️ Faster-than-light Warp travel ✔️ Interstellar subspace communication ✔️ Replicators that can instantly create any type of food or beverage ❌ Spill-proof cups

[@RoodeMenon]

Cure for baldness?

[@JoshuaC0rbit]

Q is basically space Loki. Also now you can appreciate the movie 'galaxy quest'. Check it out.

[@SMD2x]

He's far beyond Loki, he would be a mix. Powers of the Beyonder and personality of Mr. Mxyzptlk

[@SMD2x]

And a tad Joker

[@phueal]

Exactly, Loki in the Norse mythology sense, not the Marvel sense. The trickster god, ruining everyone's day but ultimately teaching them all an important lesson and, sometimes, humanity's only friend.

[@ledheavy26]

The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine are some of the best tv series you can watch. If you enjoy sci-fi you owe yourself to watch them on your own time.

[@RoodeMenon]

Yeah.. Skip DS-9 It's boring.

[@rhannah7873]

@@RoodeMenon I agree. I like Voyager so much better.

[@RoodeMenon]

@@rhannah7873 It's not Star Trek without exploring.

[@AlabasterJazz]

So far I've liked all the series. They each bring something ingredient to the table. TNG is still my favorite overall

[@michaelfinlay6341]

Well said.

[@derworfnet]

Agree with some of the other people here, "Encounter at Farpoint" (the Pilot Episode) is sort of essential as it introduced the Characters, the new Tech and (most importantly) Q. Before "Generations" and "First Contact", you would need to check out "Best of Both Worlds Parts 1 & 2" as well as "Family". And you like Spock, then "Sarek" and "Unification Parts 1 & 2" should be a must. Lastly, the final Episode "All Good Things". It neatly brings the Series and the Q-subplot full circle.

[@paulheap1982]

I couldn't agree with seeing 'Encounter at Farpoint'. It's an awful episode and the movies are made in such a way as people who haven't seen the show can pick it up.

[@k1productions87]

I almost feel that "Where No One Has Gone Before" does a good enough job indicating who the characters are without an introduction, and is a much better episode. And there really is no need for Q before this episode. The only thing Farpoint does is give context to the courtroom scene, which can be easily explained by comments, AND they give "as you remember" style dialog at the time too.

[@visionaryventures12]

Yes! Please watch the series finale: “All Good Things...”

[@cookiedestroyer2801]

DataLore and Brothers since it explains alot of things about Data, also Data was pretty bad ass when it looked like he went insane in the beginning of Brothers.

[@k1productions87]

@@cookiedestroyer2801 If we're talking about Data, "Measure of a Man" is required viewing. It should be required viewing on its own merit, as it is just that damn good

[@Andy-ju8bb]

I've always liked Q. He's not easy to pigeonhole as his character is far more complex than a simple antagonist.

[@BiggestDawgEver]

The thing about Q is that he is rarely honest about his motivations. He is a recurring character but he mainly revels in demonstrating that humanity is not ready for what lies ahead. Finish the recommended episodes before the movies. Given your questions, this is why I would have recommended watching season 1 episode 1 and 2 "encounter at farpoint pt 1 and 2". Starting with "Q Who" and "Best of Both Worlds pt 1 and 2" introduces the Borg and not the crew.

[@Ambaryerno]

He likes pointing out humanity isn't ready for what's ahead, but he also uses that to help them BECOME ready. He's very much a Trickster Mentor.

[@BiggestDawgEver]

@@Ambaryerno True, but "Q" is also resentful of humanity in equal measure. So, while he has appointed himself as humanity's Shepard, he also harbors a deep seated fear that our limitless potential guarantees we will someday surpass him and the rest of the continuum. As he "mentors" humanity, "Q" also manipulates events to encourage a dependency on him for rescue. "Q" also often demonstrates a sadistic sense of humor and a subconscious need to ensure his position of superiority.

[@Ambaryerno]

@@BiggestDawgEver You clearly watched a very different show. While the Continuum had concerns about what humanity could become, (thus the Trial) the John DeLancie Q was ultimately their biggest advocate and supporter. Hell, he recognized that the Continuum NEEDED a bit of that Human spark, and even tried to father a child with Janeway. There's really only two episodes where we see Q encourage "dependency" on him: Here, and in True Q (and even the latter is a stretch, because he simply wanted to force Amanda to accept her powers as a Q and engineered that situation). Everywhere else while he might have poked and prodded for his amusement, he otherwise let them figure things out on their own. And this episode wasn't about Q asserting his superiority or showing that humanity needed him, it was about giving them a warning that they had grown complacent and were unprepared (Picard even discusses as much at the end of this episode).

[@BiggestDawgEver]

@@Ambaryerno i agree in part, though to be fair I was attempting to illustrate an overview of the character for the benefit of a non-viewer who is just beginning the series while you are providing more of a description of his entire arc(so far) including the lessons he learns along the way. It's like telling someone who is about to watch Star Wars for the first time, that Luke Skywalker is a headstrong and sometimes petulant young man, an orphaned farmboy who grew up on a backwater planet, and who dreams of adventure but also just a life of significance. Or telling them that he has a secret lineage and is destined to become a mighty jedi warrior and possibly the greatest hero of the Rebel Alliance. As for whether I watched a different show; Now it could be said that because "Q" is supposedly omnipotent, we should assume he knows how his every remark and action will elicit a desired outcome and that while his behavior is aggravating beyond measure he is actually being altruistic the entire time. The problem with that is that the writing often undercuts that premise and the assumption kind of removes the drama and suspense of a "Q" episode. Now, taking "Q's" inherent and ever present smug arrogance and condescension as a given... 1. "Encounter at Farpoint". "Q", on behalf of the continuum attempts to scare Picard (as representative of humanity in general), into turning tail and giving up space exploration. Picard successfully forestalls summary judgement and earns temporary reprieve. Unclear whether it is "Q" personally or the continuum itself that grants this mercy. 2. "Hide and Q". Again unclear if it's the individual or the continuum making the offer, but "Q" attempts to court Riker to join them in an effort to tap humanity's potential for their own benefit. 3. "Q who". Presumably in an attempt to again try to uncover what makes humanity secretly superior, "Q" attempts to join the Enterprise crew. His wounded ego at being rebuffed results in retaliation in the form of introducing humanity to the Borg collective decades before it would have happened naturally. This results in many unnecessary deaths both within the episode and beyond. While the argument can be made that retroactively this gives Voyager foreknowledge of the Borg prior to being marooned in the Delta quadrant resulting in the Borg's eventual defeat, the writers didn't know that during this episode so neither did "Q". 4. "Deja Q". "Q's" personal sadism and cruelty along with his cowardice are on full display her. Not only has his behavior resulted in his exile from the continuum but it has placed him at the mercy of the many enemies he has cultivated. He attempts to hide in the only place he is confident that he can manipulate a compassionate response. Does he learn a small lesson and demonstrate a small measure of gratitude? Sure, but he had to be heavily coached there by a fellow "Q". 5. "Q-Pid". Still trying to find a crack in Jean Luc Picard's armor, "Q" attempts to manipulate him using romantic peril and heroic iconography. The inherent pettiness of "Q" is hard to ignore when he comforts himself after losing this battle of wits again by "running off with" Picard's woman, Vash. 6. "Q-less"(DS9). Once again "Q's" fragile ego and callousness are on full display. After failing to manipulate Vash, he grows bored with her and then resents that she won't take him back. In retaliation he let's her unknowingly endanger a space station full of innocents. In another demonstration of how "not very omnipotent" he is, "Q" is completely mystified at how different Sisko is from Picard and how fruitless it is trying to manipulate him in the same ways. 7. "True Q". The completely irrational sense of superiority hiding a deep seated fear of humanity is on full display here. Not only on behalf of the individual but of the continuum as well. Amanda must be destroyed before her "humanity" loses control of her abilities or she is forced to join the continuum. "Q" the individual, demonstrates genuine mercy and compassion for the first time here, but also shows that the continuum's declared omnipotence really doesn't exist. They can't predict outcomes with any certainty at all and it is Picard who mentors him. 8. Tapestry. The absence of his name from the title adds more than a little fuel to the fire of speculation as to whether or not "Q" is actually in this episode or a drug induced fever dream of Picard's during a near death experience. Assuming these events actually happened and "Q" was actually present, this is certainly him at his most altruistic yet, but also tells us that his obsession may be more with Picard than humanity itself. 9. "All good things...". There is no question that "Q" personally intervenes to help Picard in resolving this temporal threat. Again however, the anomaly only exists because Picard was able to create it due to "Q's" interference to begin with. While it seems like this was an attempt to teach Picard a new way of thinking and to remind him that the "test" is ongoing, it is just as possible that "Q", ever the charlatan, is just amusing himself with his favorite test subject. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt though. 10. "Deathwish". Displaying yet another lack of omnipotence, the surprise release of a different suicidal "Q" forces our usual "Q" to confront his own misconceptions. He is also not above trying to manipulate Janeway into arriving at the continuum's desired outcome and the one he thinks he wants. Janeway actually mentors "Q". The continuum is forever changed. 11. "The Q and the Grey". After the prior encounter and years of exposure to humanity "Q" leads a revolution within the continuum. He is also stunned that Janeway won't procreate with him, even to usher in a new future for the continuum. Janeway herself, humanity in general, and the larger universe become pawns in a conflict between factions of the continuum. Janeway and humanity help them, not the other way around. 12. "Q2". Without knowing exactly why or what it may entail, "Q" again seeks out the aide of humanity in the form of Janeway. Once again "Q" is the one mentored, not the other way around. So, as you can see, it takes until the end of 7(of 12) appearances for "Q" to even start to resemble how you describe him. Before long however, his self serving nature reasserts itself but in the end Humanity has much more impact on "Q" and the continuum than the other way round.

[@karlsmith2570]

In Answer to your question about Geordi's Visor, Geordi was born blind thr visor allows him to see, and not just like a normal vision but the entire visual spectrum among other ways

[@chrisb9891]

Q, and his race also called the Q, are an omnipotent species with powers over time and space so basically a mcguffin for anything they need to do story-wise. There was a character in Kirk’s Trek from the original series named Trelane who was supposed to be a member of the Q as well but it’s never been confirmed. Would recommend Measure of a Man from Season 1 as a good defining episode of Picard being more of a diplomat compared to Kirk’s cowboy mentality.

[@rburton76]

Agree with Measure of a Man; its my favorite TNG episode. Slight correction: its in season 2, rather than 1.

[@RoodeMenon]

A Q is the perfect character to rectify past mistakes behind the scenes.

[@gawainethefirst]

Speaking of Cowboys and Diplomats, Unification parts 1&2.

[@chrisb9891]

@@gawainethefirst That episode could’ve been a movie and I’d be happy.

[@dash4800]

I would say Drumhead is better than measure of a man. It has the ultimate Picard moments.

[@freaklives]

John de Lancie, the actor who played Q, says he played him as: "Mad, bad, and dangerous to know". He has god-like powers so I always felt his interactions with the crew are really just to amuse himself, like a kid trapping a spider under a glass. ;-)

[@glenmartin7978]

In this Episode Q actually did the Federation a huge favor although he did make the Borg aware of the federation in the first place now the Federation have time to create stronger defenses against them instead of just one day bumping into the Borg not knowing who or what they are and being instantly wiped out (the Borg come from the other side of the Galaxy over 80 years at top warp speed)

[@christopherwall2121]

The Borg already knew about the Federation, but that's another story

[@RandomPickles]

"If you try to defend yourself you will be punished" Hey...it's the Canadian legal system!

[@karlsmith2570]

"I Wonder If Those Two Are Father And Son" No, Wesley's father died when he was young

[@nicholasperrin3241]

Q is my all time favorite ST character, the blend of power, sarcasm, mischief, and just everything about him i love, very well written and John DeLancie is a magnificent actor who plays the role perfectly. Also this ep is actually Q doing Picard and the crew a favor, showing them something they havent encountered yet and giving them a chance to try to prepare for any more encounters

[@NuclearFridge1]

Yes, Q is like... "Fine. You think you are all that? Let's see..."

[@JoeCensored]

The visor he wears is because he's blind. It captures data (light, etc) and transmits it directly to his brain.

[@danjquiroz]

Q is one of the best antagonists ever written.

[@empirejeff]

Riker is closer to Kirk.

[@RichO1701e]

He's closer to Decker from The Motion Picture. Troi is based on Ilia

[@VulcanTrekkie45]

Unfortunately Sonya was only in a couple episodes. She did come back recently in Star Trek: Lower Decks though. She is now a captain of her own ship

[@swacfan100]

Your feelings toward Q are spot on really, he's not a good guy or a bad guy even. He's funny but dangerous, kinda like The Joker. He really did it for his own amusement, ironically Q has become a fan favorite. It was a transition for the cast as well, especially following Capt Kirk , Spock & the rest of the OG crew. Capt Picard, #1, Jordy, DATA , and the rest took getting used to, they had big shoes to fill, especially the 1st season., Which wasn't bad. But Star Trek The Next Generation truly became a DOPE crew. Great show.

[@rxlxviii]

Q is kind of like Puck from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

[@Ambaryerno]

With shades of Bugs Bunny and Yoda.

[@CheckersMcGavern]

TNG Crew is definitely my favorite. I grew up watching this show, glad to see a reaction :)

[@Trygvar13]

They're not glasses. It's called a visor. He is blind without it and it. The Q had physical forms but billions of years ago they shed their body and now only exist as ... energy. Q was not a bitch by the way. He just wanted to show Humanity that they were not prepared for what was out there. The game was 3-D chess. I've had a set since 1983 :)

[@zvimur]

As others said "Best of both worlds" is a plot bridge from Q Who to ST8.

[@spikedpsycho2383]

Geordi is Blind, the Visor he wears converts em signatures to light to his brain to see

[@PassiveSmoking]

Sonya Gomez! She showed up again this year in Star Trek Lower Decks! The Borg are just horrifying. They were the enemy that this show had been sorely lacking up until this point.

[@Sage2000]

I love the details, including how the crew did cease attacking the Borg once the cube was disabled and attempted to learn more about the Borg. It’s difficult to understand the crew without watching other episodes. I consider The Next Generation the best TV show ever. I recommend it. First season is a little weird, but gets better and better as you go on and Q is a genius written character.

[@jdnevesytrof6208]

If Q wanted to join the crew, it's certainly not because he had a desire to be in Starfleet but just another aspect of his little games he plays with humans (and Picard in particular.) He's always testing, probing, teasing and generally messing with them for his own amusement, because he's basically a bored god.

[@Smileybeeblevrox]

Now you know the basics about Guinan and The Borg. The next movie will focus on Guinan's character origins. The movie after that will be Borg-centric, which is why this episode was recommended to you.

[@marine6680]

This show is very well written, especially after the first season. With many episodes that points its finger directly at society. The Drumhead is a particularly good episode, that has a point. Q is also a favorite character, his first appearance has him put all of humanity on trial for its past cruelty and worth of existence. A guilty verdict meant humanity would cease to exist or even ever exist. The Q race is extremely powerful and can do basically anything. For all practical purposes they are a godlike race.

[@danjquiroz]

LOL when you said Wesley Crusher might be Data's son I lost my mind! LOL I'm still LOLing XD

[@Gavrev]

If you dive into the Next Generation you'll get to know Q.. Knowing you're watching the films I know why this and "The Best of Both Worlds" are recommended, but go for them all if you want a full appreciation of the characters and what's going on. The first series is a little clunky by comparison to the rest, so don't fall out of it if you do dive into the series and feel that way.. it's a great series and you'll like the characters as you go on - I get the feeling you'll be fine with it. Another good reason maybe for getting into this series, and Q in particular, is that the upcoming second series of Star Trek: Picard brings Q back..

[@Starsaber222]

The best comparison for Q is probably Loki.

[@Starsaber222]

To expand on this, Q is a nuisance, but not always necessarily malicious. Sometimes he is, sometimes he helps, but in the most annoying way possible, and sometimes he just shows up to cause trouble because he's bored. In this case, you could argue that he was more helpful than harmful. There was a throw-away line about this in the episode, but at the end of the season 1, the Enterprise was investigating a few Federation colonies disappearing on the outer edges of their space. It was mentioned here that the system Q sent them to had planets that had similar damage to their surface. Based on this, it's likely that the Borg were already aware of the Federation but the Federation didn't know anything about the Borg. Q doing this gave them a warning about the Borg before they showed up in force. He just decided to do it in a way that let him rub his superiority in Picard's face because of his personality.

[@DiscoRaptor]

@@Starsaber222 That's a damn good assessment of Q. A lot of people blame him for making the Borg aware of the Federation, but I think you're right... they'd already had at least one ship pass through the Neutral Zone and scoop up a few Federation and Romulan colonies. Q's intervention at least made Starfleet aware of the Borg.

[@wolf9walker]

It would have been better if you could have seen the 1st episode (encounter at farpoint) started the show, they would have introduced all the characters, including Q and told you about geordi's visor.

[@swimfree-1023]

there are very few shows that i can just turn on and always be entertained. this is one of those shows. i hope you do watch the whole show someday, it's absolutely worth it

[@scgreek1114]

It's gonna be tough reacting to these out of order. For example there's a character who gets killed off in the first season but manages to return a few times in subsequent episodes. The back story on some of these characters is pretty crucial.

[@Emilysbrother1]

Don't know if you picked up on it, Mr Worf (the tactical officer) also played Kirk's lawyer in Star Trek VI, as his character's ancestor.

[@empirejeff]

If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it's not for the timid.

[@leytonjay]

You can think of the Borg like bees, they live in a colony and individual drones will ignore a human/beekeeper until they start causing trouble, at which point they all begin to work/attack in unison and with one mind. They also have a Queen, but you’ll see more of that later.

[@Polymathically]

I was lucky enough to grow up watching Star Trek TNG when it originally aired. There's so, _so_ much I wish I could say about Q, but I don't want to spoil anything. He's a godlike being who shows up whenever he wants, and does whatever he wants. He loves messing with Picard. However, he has always has a reason for what he does; there's a _lot_ more happening than just the lessons he imparts in the episodes. That especially goes for this episode, which is far more consequential if you know how the rest of the series pans out. And as for the crew, it's good that you noticed how it seems to be a blend of old and new; this allowed for some really interesting character dynamics, much of which wouldn't have been possible in the original series. There's a deliberate contrast between Picard and Riker's commanding styles due to their ages, experiences, and overall personalities. Worf is a Klingon in the Federation (something that never would've happened in Kirk's time!), but keeps the traditions of his culture alive. Data is an android who strives to be more human. Geordi is blind, but is an absolute engineering marvel. Guinan is the bartender, but is incredibly wise and is one Picard's most trusted confidants. Wesley is only 15, but he's a genius. There's so much more I want to say, but I don't want to spoil anything. TNG is an incredible show, and far better than the movies it produced. Regardless, thank you for reacting to Star Trek!

[@ryanatorryanson9535]

In a book written later, it’s said that Q did what he did because he knew the Borg were already planning an invasion of the Federation, and there was no way they could win, or even put up a fight. He gave them a 2 year heads up and let the federation develop new weapons & tactics to use against them.

[@martinbraun1211]

I'm a STAR TREK Fan because of this show!

[@alejandroyava]

Inadvertly, Q actually saved the entire Federation with this act. The Borg would have consumed anything and everything the Federation would trow at them if they didn't knew about them because of this event. He may be a trickster, a liar and doesn't care about morals or value of life, but Q basically helped them like... A LOT with this little adventure. Those lives lost that day actually helped save millions, billions more.

[@HermanVonPetri]

Q is a very complex character. His relationship to humanity has been explored over about a dozen episodes of three different TV series, but mostly in The Next Generation. He's not exactly a villain. His kind have nearly godlike superpowers over space and time which makes him view humans as merely interesting pets. The Next Generation pilot "Encounter at Farpoint" would have answered a lot of your questions going into this. It isn't the best episode from an acting or script perspective, but I would consider it essential to introducing the new crew _and_ Q.

[@RoodeMenon]

Now Q is the only character that can save Star Trek. Unfortunately CBS will destroy it also.

[@andreabindolini7452]

Q is a beloved and complex character. It appears like a villain but is actually a sort of protector of the Humanity, although it acts in an unorthodox fashion. It sends the Enterprise to the Borg for personal vanity but also, and mainly, to warn the Federation. Obviously we will see again the Borg later in the series! And they will became even more terrifying!

[@donaldseale2700]

Calling Q Op is like calling fire 'hot'. He is omnipotent, there is literally nothing he can't do. Imagine Thanos with all of the stones and on steroids.

[@Steve_Blackwood]

And I still LOVE the moment Sisko punches Q on DS9 😂

[@donaldseale2700]

@@Steve_Blackwood I'm not Picard. Lol. That is why I always liked Sisko.

[@RoodeMenon]

Q is powerless against Alex Kurtzman & CBS.

[@donaldseale2700]

@@RoodeMenon I'll agree with you there. Even Q wasn't able to take a hit franchise spanning 4 live action series and 1 animated series and destroy it with a single series.

[@Aaron-io8vw]

Q is the star trek equivalent of Loki is the easiest way to explain his character

[@nickmanzo8459]

Geordi is blind, the VISOR allows him to see.

[@richardb6260]

This is more of an episode needed before the eighth film. Though the seventh film references an episode that deals with the aftermath of the Borg episodes. One you needed before the seventh dealt with the Klingon Duras sisters.

[@Starsaber222]

And Guinan is relevant, so an intro to her isn't a bad idea either.

[@Bothorth]

5:40 Cue the "Shut up, Wesley" memes.

[@amy_grace]

I’ve been watching and rewatching TNG for 30 years-it feels like home to me-and wow, what a trip to see someone experience it for the first time! Especially someone who already knows the original crew; it’s like you’re a time traveler from 1987, hahahaha

[@Uberfantabulous]

You made mention of this crew being younger and the original crew being older. Well with the original crew, you started with the movies. They were just as young in the original 1960s show.

[@ytmndman]

Spock actually appears in a few episodes of TNG.

[@fakereality96]

Q: "The hall is rented. The orchestra engaged. Now it's time to see if you can dance." Me: OMG!!! He's dancing!!! What made this reaction better was that I just finished some tacos beforehand.

[@Pinkielover]

great show,,You should watch the whole series never mind one or two episodes...Could care less about the movies this show is where it's at..But be careful with the editing because they do alot of copyright strikes... You loved the clone wars animated series ,,,well this series is up there in greatness ...Like the clone wars animated it'll make you love Star Trek even more watching this TV show... I never liked and still don't care for the movies.. This show and deep space nine and voyager tv shows is what I love.. and rewatch when i can,... They actually had Borg Xenomorphs in comics...lol as a crossover Pretty terrifying... Q Actually did this for a purpose to expose the Federation to the borg... Watch the whole series and the others

[@RichO1701e]

*Couldn't care less, the phrase is COULDN'T CARE LESS!!

[@davidclough3951]

Season one, Geordi was the helmsman. That was the shows original gimmavk, having a blind helmsman. And he had a painted banana clip over his eyes. Maybe people don't know what s banana clip is nowdays, but we did back when this show started.

[@SBaby]

6:42 - Q is... basically Scarlet Witch. He can warp and alter reality to suit his purpose. That's the easiest way to explain him without going into too much detail. Also Geordi is blind. This is why he wears the visor. Remember that for later.

[@JoeCensored]

The Q are god like beings who are so old and advanced they are immortal and can basically do anything. They see themselves as some form of guardians of the universe, but since they have been around basically forever, have done and seen everything, they are basically bored seeking amusement.

[@davewilliams1157]

Wesley Crusher is a prodigy, made an “acting ensign” in the first season. His mother is the ship’s chief medical officer, Dr. Beverly Crusher.

[@ryangates3992]

You would probably love this series. Highly recommended along with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. And yes I love Q.

[@coryculbert2847]

Q has all the powers.

[@Thinchap]

Obviously it's a large commitment to watch every single episode but there are some absolute essentials that you really should check out. Measure of a Man - Season 2 - Episode 9 Drumhead - Season 4 - Episode 21 Every single episode with Q and for your boy Spock, the absolutely brilliant "Unification" - Season 5 episodes 7&8, guaranteed you wil LOVE this one.

[@schooljackson]

I'm curious why I encounter it far point was not the one suggested to be viewed prior to generations. It wasn't perfect but it was a heartwarming nod to those that have come before and an introduction an actual introduction to the characters of The next generation. His questions about the crew throughout this video are answered in that episode. I understand wanting to introduce him to the Borg because of the 8th movie but that should be after the main introduction and generations.

[@rydout]

THis show for me is like a warm blanket. I often turn it on at night and go to sleep to it. Of course Ive seen them already. It's a great show.

[@christopheryochum3602]

That was a pretty darn good choice out of all the episodes you could've chosen. I imagine this Patreon supporter suggested it because it makes perfect sense that you'd want to be familiar with the Borg. Really good choice. Will isn't Data's son; he's Doctor Crusher's son. He's a genius-level kid aspiring to the academy. Geordi is blind, so the visor gathers information from his forward field of view and feeds the information into the terminals at his temples. Data's actually a cybernetic organism with no emotions, but with extreme intelligence, strength, and speed. He functions on a childlike emotional level, but has the ability to learn as he encounters people and experiences things.

[@gluuuuue]

The show is far better when you go through it to understand what the characters and their personalities are like. All people have egos, but that last bit was great because it showed Picard won’t let his get in the way when it comes to trying to save his ship.

[@anonimuso]

I understand these were Patreon requests, but doing singular episodes of TNG is kinda a bad way to do this. At least a couple of episodes from the first season are required.

[@VeeAllar738]

Laforge is blind and the visor allows him to see, Data the one in yellow is with the yellow eyes is the only android in the federation, Wesley the young one in grey is an intelligent teenager on the ship who works part time on the bridge to learn before he goes to the academy, and Q is sorta a god it's complicated. This is my favourite show ever by the way!

[@jasondermack7485]

The legend himself: Patrick Stewart

[@RichO1701e]

*SIR Patrick Stewart

[@jimmiegiboney2473]

Mark 9:46. "Transported", is the preferred term in this franchise, as it is less generic than, "teleported", and lacks Mysticism. However, you will note that to save speech time, they seem to prefer, "beamed". But really, how much time does it save? 🤔 Back then in, Reality, people at construction sites would be wary to not walk into beams, so they would warn each other to, "Be careful not to beam yourself with that!" Of course, car headlight beams. Flashlight beams. "BMW" cars. Beaming smiles.

[@ryanatorryanson9535]

5:00 Worf looks at status board & says nothing is unusual, but somehow misses that the shuttle craft is missing. He then sees it’s missing when they realize Picard is not on board. Why didn’t see it earlier when he looked the first time?

[@Codametal]

Yeah, it's too bad you're not going through the series although I know watching hundreds of episodes of Star Trek will take you years (TNG, DS9, VOY). You won't get the intense nostalgic feeling and emotional attachment to the characters and the Enterprise itself. I remember when I watched TNG when it first aired, and my first thought was that the Enterprise was one ugly ship. It didn't look sleek, mostly because it was built as an exploratory ship. But eventually I completely immersed myself into what the ship represented and although it's not my favorite ship, it grew on me. I hope some day you will go through the series, it's pretty good. And when you're done with those 3 tv shows, you can catch up to the two latest tv shows currently airing now. I would also like to recommend you watch the 2004 reimagining of Battlestar Galactica. It started with a 3 part miniseries, then 4 seasons, and three tv movies. Or if you want to start from the very beginning, the original 1979 Battlestar Galactica, starting off with a motion picture, then a few seasons.

[@phluke9578]

You’re so right. And I can’t be,I’ve but I watch all the treks esp next gen and voyager and ds9 a ton! Lol. On background lol. Primate ya need to watch more. You will LOVE IT! Especially the Sarek and Spock episodes!

[@michelmorio8026]

Wesley Crusher is the son of the Dr. Beverly Crusher (who was absent in season 2, but will return in season 3)! He isn‘t part of the Starfleet (like you said... too young), but Picard made him kind of an ensign and gave him the job Geordi had in season 1... coxswain of the Enterprise D!

[@jasoncaldwell5627]

It's implied that Q sees the Enterprise crew as "favorite pets" and introduced them to the Borg earlier than they would have without his intervention - letting them know about the threat that The Borg are. The Borg assimilate entire planets of people- all different species- and adds their biology and technology to themselves- giving them access to the sum technology and history of hundreds of different species They tough.

[@swishersweet3756]

The best introduction to all the characters is the first, Encounter at Farpoint. Best start.

[@zeer0squared]

the Q episodes are the best. I even remember buying the VHS box-set of Q a LONG time ago.

[@BloodSportA2]

Understand this is probably just prep for watching First Contact, but honestly would love to just watch your reaction to episodes across the series. Next Gen's top shelf stuff.

[@michelmorio8026]

1:44 it‘s called a visor! Geordi Laforge was born with a genetic defect (basically blind), the visor helps him see in a certain spectrum

[@michelmorio8026]

Really good choice to watch the Borg arc before you‘ll start the Next Gen movies! 👍🏻 You know a bit about the most important crew members and are introduced to mankind’s most dangerous enemy! When you’ll be finished with the movies, I would propose to watch also the series Picard! It is a continuation of the overall plot, not the very best of Star Trek, but at least better then Discovery, the other Star Trek series

[@empirejeff]

If you want Spock, there is a certain episode you should watch.

[@empirejeff]

And a certain TV show

[@anonimuso]

Two episodes

[@michaelfinlay6341]

Oh, he's not ready for that. Let him experience TNG "Sarek" first.

[@Efferri]

Something about calling Riker "bitch" made me LOL

[@tskwerl]

Yeah, there's a lot of lore to unpack with TNG films. You really needed to see the first episode to *get* Q. Then this one, The Best of Both Worlds and Family. And that's just 4 episodes. lol.

[@The2ndQuest]

This episode and the two-parter you mentioned will prepare you mostly for the 8th movie (and a little of the 7th). Without suggesting you watch the whole (or even most of the) series, might I recommend the following (still bare bones) list of episodes to add to your watch list that might better flesh out details you'll see in the other films and make some connections to the ones you've already watched: -(216: Q Who) -310: The Defector -315: Yesterday's Enterprise -317: Sins of the Father -323: Sarek -324: The Best of Both Worlds, part I -401: The Best of Both Worlds, part II -402: Family -403: Brothers -419: The Nth Degree -426: Redemption I -501: Redemption II -507: Unification I -508: Unification II That will provide you the broad strokes of the main plot hooks, settings and backstory of films 7-11, as well as include episodes that have some familiar faces. I would recommend watching them before the 7th film, since events in that film will make jumping back and forth in the chronology between the movies and show somewhat awkward. Obviously, there are plenty of other great episodes in the series, but they're either stand alone or primarily relevant to the events within the show, rather than the events in the movies. None of these are 100% required viewing, but they will flesh out your experience more- especially since you've already decided to get a little back story between generations. Oh, and just to set expectations properly, if you're curious about where the Q plotline goes, the above list (and the movies) do not specifically tie back to that (that would be primarily the series pilot film, the series finale and any episodes in-between with "Q" in the title, plus "Tapestry").

[@adampoole948]

1:54 the "glasses" are how he sees since he's blind

[@karlsmith2570]

Hey primate, Fun Fact for you: The Klingon character of Worf in this series was played by Michael Dorn, who played Colonel Worf, the the legal advocate, for Dr. Mccoy and Captain Kirk in Star Trek VI, Colonel Worf was supposed to have been written into TNG as having been the Grandfather of Michael Dorn's character on TNG

[@brandonlewis1321]

Don't know if you picked up on it but Captain Picard is played by the magnificent actor Sir Patrick Stewert who also plays Professor Xavier in the X-Men films and is a fan favorite and often chosen as the fans favorite Star Trek captain. He also has his own series currently on Paramount+ called 'Picard' which takes place 20 years after Star Trek 10